Integral With Or Attachable To Swingable Implement Patents (Class 473/223)
  • Patent number: 11648443
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for custom fitting golf clubs to golfers using analysis of golf swing mechanics and data obtained from the golfer being fitted in addition to extrinsic data correlations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: GOLF SUPPLY OF THE LOW COUNTRY, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher L. Wycoff
  • Patent number: 11577142
    Abstract: A system that measures a swing of equipment (such as a bat or golf club) with inertial sensors, and analyzes sensor data to create a rotational profile. Swing analysis may use a two-lever model, with a body lever from the center of rotation to the hands, and an equipment lever from the hands to the sweet spot of the equipment. The rotational profile may include graphs of rates of change of the angle of the body lever and of the relative angle between the body lever and the equipment lever, and a graph of the centripetal acceleration of the equipment. These three graphs may provide insight into players' relative performance. The timing and sequencing of swing stages may be analyzed by partitioning the swing into four phases: load, accelerate, peak, and transfer. Swing metrics may be calculated from the centripetal acceleration curve and the equipment/body rotation rate curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Blast Motion Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob Howenstein, Bhaskar Bose
  • Patent number: 11291885
    Abstract: A swing analysis device for analyzing a swing of a user of a golf club accepts input of acceleration information, angular rate information, and strain information of a shaft of the golf club, detected by a sensor attached to the shaft, calculates attitude information of the golf club in a swing period, based on the acceleration information and the angular rate information, corrects the attitude information of the golf club at impact, based on the strain information of the shaft, and displays the corrected attitude information of the golf club on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Mizuno Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Ohta, Tetsuya Kanayama, Kensuke Maenaka
  • Patent number: 11192012
    Abstract: A sport apparatus comprising a shaft, wherein the shaft comprises a notch fitting and a sensor housing. The sensor housing comprises an alignment rib fitting, printed circuit board, rechargeable battery, one or more motion sensors, a transceiver, an inductive charging coil, among other necessary elements for the sport apparatus as described herein. A portion of the sensor housing resides within the shaft, wherein the alignment rib of the sensor housing mates with a notch or other locking mechanism of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: KINETEK SPORTS
    Inventors: Thomas H. Lupfer, Patrick M. Steusloff, Michael A. Kurtz
  • Patent number: 11173387
    Abstract: An electronics module (160) in a gaming device (10) includes an inertial measurement unit (161) (“IMU”) for detecting acceleration motion, angular movements, and an optics assembly to optimally calculate a moment of impact and to predict a virtual trajectory of a virtual golf ball or other hypothetical object. The virtual trajectory of the target object (202) may be displayed on a display screen (102) either on the gaming device itself, on a computer, or on a television display. A haptics member (200), such as a vibration or sound element is positioned in the shaft housing (120) and actuated to simulate a ball impact when the shaft housing (120) is indicative of a swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Inventor: Brett Ricky
  • Patent number: 11141640
    Abstract: An eye gaze training device is disclosed, including associated methods to record an impact and to provide a cue or feedback with a proper delay between action and instinctual eye tracking, improve hand-eye coordination, and thereby to improve one's performance in a sport, athletic event, or the like. This training device and associated methods provides for detection, recording, classification, translation, transmission, and learning, all associated with teaching and learning the proper way of striking an object with another object with proper hand-eye coordination. In various embodiments associated systems and methods of the eye gaze training device are included. In at least one embodiment, the eye gaze training device includes a microcontroller, impact sensor, power source, feedbacks, alert device, control settings and switches, accelerometers, position detectors, any one or more of which may be used in an eye gaze training device, as well as additional devices such as headbands, waist devices, leg devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventors: Digno Caballero, Jorge C. Almirall, Dirk Hoyns, Sam Elia
  • Patent number: 11083949
    Abstract: A multifunctional self-contained system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer providing critical feedback to improve all aspects of a player's game, and also allows players to play an actual competitive real or visually simulated game or sports with one or more players. Therefore, an individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic golfing skills and techniques. The system includes sport implements that include, but are not limited to, smart golf clubs, a golf ball receptacle and a golf club motion sensing device, all containing circuits with contact sensors and or motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry to wirelessly communicate game status and performance parameters to a remote receiver and computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Inventors: Wilbert Quinc Murdock, Philip Alister Williams
  • Patent number: 10894194
    Abstract: A computing system wirelessly receives data from an ear-wearable device and determines, based on the data received from the ear-wearable device, a current position of the ear-wearable device. Additionally, the computing system determines, based on the current position of the ear-wearable device and data regarding a golf course, golf advice data that provides a recommendation regarding play of the golf course. Furthermore, the computing system wirelessly sends audio data to the ear-wearable device. The audio data represents soundwaves of a vocalization of the golf advice data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Benson, Christopher L. Howes, David Tourtelotte, Sidney A. Higgins
  • Patent number: 10843040
    Abstract: The sensor information acquisition unit acquires an angular velocity around an axis of a shaft portion of an exercise instrument from a sensor unit. An exercise analysis unit detects a timing of an impact of the exercise instrument. A calculation unit calculates a distance between a standard position set on a hitting surface of the exercise instrument and a position of the hitting based on the angular velocity at the time of an impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10835800
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a system for monitoring a swing is provided that includes (1) a swing measurement device adapted to couple to a swinging object and to output a signal indicative of a characteristic of the swinging object; (2) a wireless transmitter coupled to the swing measurement device and adapted to wirelessly transmit the signal output by the swing measurement device; and (3) a wireless device adapted to receive the wirelessly transmitted signal and to provide information regarding the swinging object based on the received signal. The wireless device is a cellular telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA). Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Dugan Patents, LLC
    Inventor: Brian M. Dugan
  • Patent number: 10780319
    Abstract: A measurement device may include one or more piezoelectric elements that output power signals. The device may split each power signal, analyzing a first portion of the signal while supplying a second portion to an energy storage assembly. A processor may dynamically adjust the first and second portions of each power signal to change how much of each power signal is used for signal processing versus energy storage, and may make the adjustments based on detected activities and/or pre-programmed timelines. The device may be used in or on sports equipment, such as a golf club.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Inventor: Roger A Davenport
  • Patent number: 10744389
    Abstract: A swing analysis apparatus includes a body installed on a shaft, a sensor unit installed in the body, a display device positioned on the body and configured to display swing information in a swing zone and an impact zone by supplying power thereto, and a controller configured to receive measured swing information from the sensor unit, and configured to operate the display unit to notify the outside of that the swing zone is achieved when the measured swing information is equal to or greater than a setting value and to notify the outside of that the impact zone is achieved, wherein the controller analyzes swing information depending on the swing zone and the impact zone and controls the display device to perform respective different display methods when the swing zone and the impact zone are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Inventors: Seong Wan Kim, Deok Kyoo Kim
  • Patent number: 10723010
    Abstract: A hand-held power tool, in particular an electric hand tool, includes an identification module and a housing. The identification module includes a transponder having at least one data store configured to store identification information and a radio module configured to transmit the identification data. The identification module is integrated into the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Heiko Freienstein, Benjamin Visel, Christoph Steurer, Joerg Moennich, Tobias Herr, Anja Koenig
  • Patent number: 10682548
    Abstract: A motion analysis device analyzing a swing using an exercise apparatus, includes an acquisition section that acquires outputs from an inertial sensor, and a detection section that detects collision of the exercise apparatus with the ground by using at least an acceleration output among the outputs from the inertial sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kento Tsukahara
  • Patent number: 10589161
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to various components of a system for monitoring and/or tracking a user's performance during an activity involving an instrument that is swung. Exemplary embodiments can include a sensor module configured to be secured to and/or embedded within the instrument. The sensor module can detect a swing event and/or an impact between the instrument and an object and can generate pressures waves that propagate through air. The pressure waves can include information or represent information about a use of the instrument and can be detected by an electronic device associated with the user, which can display the information, process the information, and/or transmit the information to a remote system. The pressure waves can be modulated to encode information within the pressure waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Arccos Golf, LLC
    Inventor: Fabrice Claude Blanc
  • Patent number: 10478690
    Abstract: A golf club head having accelerometer and gyroscope sensors measuring swing motion acceleration and angular rate values. Inputs of force and torque to the golf club head during the swing motion may be unknown, such that a system of motion equations may be used to calculate functions for the unknown input force and torque, as well as roll angle and pitch angle for the golf club head, and compensate for gyroscope bias, without using static leveling processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley C. Glenn, Douglas A. Thornton, Jeffrey A. Hadden
  • Patent number: 10459002
    Abstract: A motion analysis method includes calculating a change in an amount of inertia of a region attached with an inertial sensor during a swing using an output of the inertial sensor, and identifying a maximum value of the amount of inertia during the swing to compare the maximum value and the amount of inertia at an impact with each other. A deceleration timing during the swing of the region (the grip of the sporting equipment) attached with the inertial sensor is identified, and the quality of the swing can be evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Shibuya, Kazuo Nomura, Kenya Kodaira, Masafumi Sato
  • Patent number: 10456650
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a practice swing bat and, particularly, to a bat which is capable of, during golf swing practice, calculating and displaying swing speed, virtual driving distance of each club, etc., and transmitting the same to a terminal so as to enable management of the same. To this end, the bat of the present invention comprises a swing measurement module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: BESCON Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung-Chul Kim
  • Patent number: 10456621
    Abstract: Provided is an impact point estimation apparatus for estimating an impact point on a face surface of a head when a golf club having a grip, a shaft and the head is swung and hits a golf ball. The apparatus has an acquisition unit, a calculation unit, and an estimation unit. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire time series sensor data that is output from at least one of an angular velocity sensor and an acceleration sensor that is attached to at least one of the grip and the shaft. The calculation unit is configured to calculate a characteristic value of an initial stress wave that occurs due to impact from the sensor data acquired in an analysis period including an initial period after impact. The estimation unit is configured to estimate the impact point on the face surface, according to the characteristic value. The analysis period is before a predetermined short time period has elapsed from impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahide Onuki
  • Patent number: 10406413
    Abstract: Provided is an analysis apparatus including an acquisition unit that acquires vibration data showing a vibration generated in a first object by having a second object come into contact with a first position on the first object, a first analysis processing unit that specifies the first position by comparing a vibration characteristic shown by the vibration data, and a vibration characteristic defined for each position where the second object may come into contact with the first object, and a second analysis processing unit that estimates a velocity after the contact of the second object based on a velocity of the first object and the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideyuki Matsunaga, Kosei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10384104
    Abstract: Provided is a fiber-reinforced golf club shaft with small cantilever bending displacement despite its light weight, and provided to exhibit a longer carry distance while showing excellent ball flight patterns regardless of the skills of a golfer. The golf club shaft configured to have a plurality of fiber-reinforced plastic layers made of resin and a fiber material, comprising: wherein formula (1) below is satisfied when the length of the golf club shaft is set as “L” (mm), the weight as “W” (g), and the displacement as “D” (mm) that is observed when a cantilever bending test is conducted by exerting a predetermined load in the vicinity of the tip end while supporting the butt end to measure the displacement at the tip end. 455?D+7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kaneko, Hiroyasu Kikawa, Satoshi Shimono
  • Patent number: 10363470
    Abstract: A golf club head having accelerometer and gyroscope sensors measuring swing motion acceleration and angular rate values. Inputs of force and torque to the golf club head during the swing motion may be unknown, such that a system of motion equations may be used to calculate functions for the unknown input force and torque, as well as roll angle and pitch angle for the golf club head, and compensate for gyroscope bias, without using static leveling processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: NIKE Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley C. Glenn, Douglas A. Thornton, Jeffrey A. Hadden
  • Patent number: 10354550
    Abstract: A swing diagnosis apparatus includes a level calculation section that calculates a level on the basis of a relationship between a rotation angle about a rotation axis of an exercise appliance at a predetermined timing between the time of starting a backswing and the time of impact with a longitudinal direction of the exercise appliance as the rotation axis, and an inclination of a ball hitting portion of the exercise appliance at impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Kenya Kodaira, Norihisa Hagiwara, Kazuhiro Ito
  • Patent number: 10307656
    Abstract: A swing diagnosis apparatus includes a level calculation section that calculates a level on the basis of a relationship between an incidence angle of a ball hitting portion of an exercise appliance at impact, and an inclination of the ball hitting portion of the exercise appliance at impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Kenya Kodaira, Norihisa Hagiwara, Kazuhiro Ito
  • Patent number: 10300333
    Abstract: A shoe pod includes a positioning component and an altimeter. The positioning component determines geodetic locations of the shoe, whereas the altimeter determines elevations of the shoe. A golf club pod is disposed at the golf club and includes a golf club parameter detector operable to be detachably fastened to the golf club, to detect a golf club head striking surface position and to transmit the detected club parameter signal based on the detected golf club parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Under Armour, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Dau, Angela Nelligan, F. Grant Kovach, Mark A. Oleson
  • Patent number: 10252136
    Abstract: A swing diagnosis apparatus includes a level calculator that calculates a level based on the relationship among at least one imaginary plane, the position of a hitting section of a sport gear at a first timing during a backswing, and the position of the hitting section at a second timing during a downswing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Kenya Kodaira, Norihisa Hagiwara, Kazuhiro Ito
  • Patent number: 10203347
    Abstract: A state finding apparatus includes an obtaining unit and a finding unit. The obtaining unit obtains a value of an angular velocity of a first object around a predetermined axis when the first object and a second object contact with each other. The finding unit finds a state of the second object based on the obtained value of the angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Abe
  • Patent number: 10188902
    Abstract: A measurement device may include one or more piezoelectric elements that output power signals. The device may split each power signal, analyzing a first portion of the signal while supplying a second portion to an energy storage assembly. A processor may dynamically adjust the first and second portions of each power signal to change how much of each power signal is used for signal processing versus energy storage, and may make the adjustments based on detected activities and/or pre-programmed timelines. The device may be used in or on sports equipment, such as a golf club.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Inventor: Roger Davenport
  • Patent number: 10159885
    Abstract: A golf club having a sensor that is removably connected at one or more positions of the golf club where the sensor comprises an inertial measurement unit including an accelerometer capable of measuring linear accelerations in three orthogonal axes and a gyroscope capable of measuring an angular rate of rotation around the same axes. The sensor may further comprise a processor which may perform instructions to detect the impact of the golf club with a golf ball and determine the start of the golf swing without any additional input from the user. The sensor may further have a power management system to extend the life of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas A. Thornton, Jeffrey A. Hadden, Bradley C. Glenn
  • Patent number: 10092811
    Abstract: Disclosed is a smart putter for a golf club including a putter head having a putting surface for putting a golf ball on one side thereof, a swing detecting unit that is provided in the putter head to detect a balance degree of the putter head, a communication module that is provided in the putter head to transmit balance degree data of the putter head detected by the swing detecting unit to an external device, and a control unit that stores the balance degree data of the putter head detected by the swing detecting unit and transmits the balance degree data to the communication module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: IdeaLink, Inc.
    Inventor: Jong Min Kim
  • Patent number: 10080940
    Abstract: A method of selecting a preferred golf shaft for a player who uses an existing golf shaft, according to one or more aspects of the present invention, may comprise gathering a plurality of empirical data sets, each data set corresponding to an individual golf shaft selected from a plurality of golf shafts; providing a plurality of specification codes, each associated with an individual empirical data set of the plurality of empirical data sets; from the plurality of specification codes, identifying a first specification code associated with the existing golf shaft; gathering feedback associated with the existing golf shaft from the player; and using the feedback to select, from the plurality of specification codes, a second specification code corresponding to the preferred golf shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Dustin J. Brekke, Matthew R. Daraskavich, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe
  • Patent number: 10052539
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a head unit, and an insertion unit including a housing body, an intelligent unit and an encapsulant. The housing body defines a receiving space, and has a base wall, a surrounding wall, an external thread for engaging an internal thread of the head unit, a recess formed in the base wall, and multiple hollow portions formed in and extending between the base wall and the surrounding wall. The intelligent unit is received in the receiving space, and includes a first circuit board, two charging electrodes disposed on the first circuit board, and a capacitor connected to the first circuit board and the charging electrodes. The encapsulant is received in the receiving space, partially covers the first circuit board, and exposes the charging electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Advanced International Multitech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: I-Nan Chou, Te-Fu Hsiao, Yu-Jui Pan, Chin-Tang Chang
  • Patent number: 9990858
    Abstract: Provided is a golf swing classification method that is capable of optimizing selection of a golf club. A golf swing classification method when a golf club hits a golf ball according to the present invention includes the steps of: acquiring acceleration in at least a single point on the golf club or in at least one point that follows the single point during the golf swing; and mapping a behavior of the golf club based on a time period from a time point when an absolute value of the acceleration is at a maximum to a time point when the golf club hits the golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignees: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION, Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Senno, Koji Takao, Daisuke Kondo, Hideo Matsunaga, Hirotada Iwade
  • Patent number: 9981173
    Abstract: A reversibly attachable muscle trainer includes a multi-arm structure with motion sensors and force generators for exercising opposing muscles of a person moving an implement so as to maintain an ideal movement. When attached to the implement, the muscle trainer trains the opposing muscles to consistently move the implement in an ideal way. While the person moves the implement with the muscle trainer attached, a processor receives signals from the motion sensors and determines differences between the actual implement motion and an ideal implement motion. The difference indicates a dominating force direction in which the dominating muscles urge the implement. The processor activates the force generators to apply external forces to the implement to urge the implement in various types of training force directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Inventors: William B. Priester, Richard E. May, C. Bryan Dawson, David A. Ward, Georg Pingen
  • Patent number: 9821210
    Abstract: A portable electronic device is disclosed. The portable electronic device comprises memory for storing instructions that are executed by a processor to perform the operations of analyzing data with the portable electronic device related to the position and motion of a putter at least one of before, during and after at least one putting stroke performed with the putter. The portable electronic device analyzes the data by utilizing a plurality of sensors within the portable electronic device including accelerometers configured to measure accelerations and gyroscopes to identify an angle of the putter during the at least one putting stroke. The portable electronic device is attached to the putter. A putting stroke characteristic can be determined based on the data generated from the sensors of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Roger J. Cottam, Paul D. Wood, Erik M. Henrikson
  • Patent number: 9770639
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to various components of a system for monitoring and/or tracking a user's performance during an activity involving an instrument that is swung. Exemplary embodiments can include a sensor module configured to be secured to and/or embedded within the instrument. The sensor module can detect a swing event and/or an impact between the instrument and an object and can generate pressures waves that propagate through air. The pressure waves can include information or represent information about a use of the instrument and can be detected by an electronic device associated with the user, which can display the information, process the information, and/or transmit the information to a remote system. The pressure waves can be modulated to encode information within the pressure waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Arccos Golf, LLC
    Inventor: Fabrice Claude Blanc
  • Patent number: 9672427
    Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for categorizing motion events. In one aspect, a method includes: (1) obtaining a plurality of video frames, the plurality of video frames corresponding to a scene and a motion event candidate; (2) identifying one or more visual characteristics of the scene; (3) obtaining one or more background factors for the scene; (4) utilizing the obtained background factors to identify one or more motion entities; (5) for each identified motion entity: (a) classifying the motion entity by performing object recognition; and (b) obtaining one or more representative motion vectors based on a motion track of the motion entity; and (6) assigning a motion event category to the motion event candidate based on the identified visual characteristics, the obtained background factors, the classified motion entities, and the obtained representative motion vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Jason N. Laska, Wei Hua, Prateek Reddy, Akshay R. Bapat, Lawrence W. Neal
  • Patent number: 9662558
    Abstract: A system comprising contact and motion sensors adapted to sports equipment and coupled to a computer for the wireless communication of performance data. The computer is connected to a display for the visual simulation of player performance information and may be connected to other computers, thereby permitting competitive play among remote players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Inventors: Wilbert Quinc Murdock, Philip Alister Williams
  • Patent number: 9630066
    Abstract: A fitting method, of a shaft of a golf club, for selecting a shaft having a torque matching a golfer based on a swing of the golfer. The method includes the steps of obtaining measurement values from a sensor attached to a grip of the golf club and capable of measuring angular velocities about three axes when a golf ball is hit by the golf club; obtaining a predetermined index value for the angular velocities quantified from the measurement values; and selecting a shaft matching the golfer from among multiple shafts whose torques have been measured in advance, based on a relationship established through test-hitting performed in advance between the index value and a torque of a shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignees: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD., SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 9630079
    Abstract: A golf club assembly includes at least one sensor assembly, the sensor assembly being operable to sense at least motion and impact of a golf club head and a processor communicatively coupled to the sensor assembly, the processor being operable to sample data from the sensor assembly at a first rate, receive a signal indicating motion of the golf club head, and sample data from the sensor assembly at a second rate different from the first rate upon receiving the signal indicating motion of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
    Inventor: Roger Davenport
  • Patent number: 9604118
    Abstract: A golf club head may include a face with an embedded monolith having first and second sensors for measuring impact with a golf ball. The first and second sensors may output positive and negative pressure signals at the same time, caused by the impact, with the negative pressure indicating an outward bowing of the monolith whereas the positive pressure indicates an inward compression. These positive and negative values may be captured over the duration of impact and used to create a time-varying impact pressure profile with increased accuracy. The club head may also include a mechanism for placing a static pressure on the monolith, increasing negative pressure sensitivity and adjusting the ability to measure negative impact pressures away from the contact point on the club face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
    Inventor: Roger Davenport
  • Patent number: 9504895
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a club face with at least one impact sensor, where the sensor has a passive piezoelectric element that is integrated into the club face, the passive piezoelectric element being able to generate a signal when an impact force is applied to the club face. An energy storage assembly includes a battery, a capacitor, or both. An energy harvesting assembly includes a signal divider with at least one input and at least two outputs, the at least two outputs providing a known ratio of a given input signal, wherein the at least one input of the signal divider is electrically coupled to one or more of the piezoelectric elements and a first of the at least two signal divider outputs is electrically coupled to the energy storage assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Golf Impact LLC
    Inventor: Roger Davenport
  • Patent number: 9492707
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a head body and a weight-balancing device. The head body is formed with a weighting recess. The weight-balancing device includes a coupling unit having a surrounding wall threadedly engaging the weighting recess, and an intelligent monitoring unit disposed inside the coupling unit. The intelligent monitoring unit includes a shell that is made of a signal-transmittable material and that is partially exposed form the surrounding wall, an intelligent monitoring element that is disposed in the shell and that is operable to detect data related to performance characteristics of a golf swing, and a wireless transmitter that is coupled to the monitoring element and that is operable to output the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL MULTITECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: I-Nan Chou, Te-Fu Hsiao
  • Patent number: 9414784
    Abstract: A movement assessment apparatus configured to provide biofeedback to a user regarding one or more movements executed by the user is disclosed herein. The movement assessment apparatus generally includes a sensing device comprising one or more sensors, a data processing device operatively coupled to the sensing device, and a sensory output device operatively coupled to the data processing device. The data processing device is configured to determine executed motion data of a body portion of the user and/or executed motion data of an object manipulated by the user using one or more signals from the one or more sensors, to compare the executed motion data or a modified form of the executed motion data to baseline motion data of a reference motion, and to determine how closely the executed motion data or the modified form of the executed motion data conforms to the baseline motion data of the reference motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Bertec Limited
    Inventors: Necip Berme, Jan Jakub Ober
  • Patent number: 9395385
    Abstract: An inertial measurement unit is affixed to a rigid body. The inertial measurement includes a gyroscope that measures a first angular velocity and an angular acceleration; a first accelerometer that measures a first acceleration; a communications unit that receives a measurement signal, the measurement signal including a second acceleration transmitted from a second accelerometer, the second accelerometer being affixed to the rigid body; and a controller that calculates a relative orientation of the inertial measurement unit and the second accelerometer, and a distance separating the inertial measurement unit and the second accelerometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: PPG TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Gordon Parke, Adam Tsouras, Eytan Moudahi
  • Patent number: 9387361
    Abstract: A swing analyzing apparatus includes at least an angular velocity sensor, an impact detection section, an angular velocity information calculation section, and an impact state judgment section. The impact detection section detects the timing of impact in a swing of a sporting good. The angular velocity information calculation section calculates at least one of the amount of change in angular velocity with respect to a predetermined axis in a predetermined period after the impact timing and the greatest value of the angular velocity based on data outputted form the angular velocity sensor. The impact state judgment section judges the state of impact based on the result calculated by the angular velocity information calculation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Nomura, Yasushi Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 9375624
    Abstract: Golf clubs according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure may include a golf club head and a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head which includes a grip engaged with the shaft. Further, the golf club may include a monitoring device, which includes a sensor and a transmitter. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to determine data related to the characteristics of a golf swing. Further, the monitoring device may be configured to transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to a remote computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, John T. Stites, Mario A. Lafortune, Philip Hatton, Michael Wallans
  • Patent number: 9349049
    Abstract: Portable wireless mobile device motion capture and analysis system and method configured to display motion capture/analysis data on a mobile device. System obtains data from motion capture elements and analyzes the data. Enables unique displays associated with the user, such as 3D overlays onto images of the user to visually depict the captured motion data. Ratings associated with the captured motion can also be displayed. Predicted ball flight path data can be calculated and displayed. Data shown on a time line can also be displayed to show the relative peaks of velocity for various parts of the user's body. Based on the display of data, the user can determine the equipment that fits the best and immediately purchase the equipment, via the mobile device. Custom equipment may be ordered through an interface on the mobile device from a vendor that can assemble-to-order customer built equipment and ship the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: BLAST MOTION INC.
    Inventors: Michael Bentley, Bhaskar Bose, Ryan Kaps
  • Patent number: 9320957
    Abstract: The system includes motion capture elements such as visual markers and sensors utilized in the capture of motion data both wirelessly and visually. The system may send a unique identifier and spatial data over a self-contained radio and antenna wirelessly to an external system that may analyze and display the spatial data in a user-friendly manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Blast Motion Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Bentley
  • Patent number: 9283461
    Abstract: A fixed clamping member has a first interior surface and is constructed of a first material. A sensor unit formed on an exterior surface of the fixed clamping member detects a motion of the motion analysis device. A pivoting clamping member secured to a first end of the fixed clamping member has a second interior surface that opposes the first interior surface when the pivoting clamping member is in a secured position. A gripping element constructed of a second material different than the first material is formed over the first interior surface and the second interior surface. A tightening member having a threaded portion is secured to a second end of the fixed clamping member. A knob has a threaded interior portion with a diameter corresponding to the cylindrical threaded portion. An opening on the pivoting clamping member has a shape and a size corresponding to the tightening member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: SKYHAWKE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC.
    Inventors: Gordon Parke, Adam Tsouras, Travis Titus