Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Practice device attachable to body
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-04
2001-06-19
Harrison, Jessica J. (Department: 3713)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Practice device attachable to body
C434S252000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248023
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a training device. More particularly, this invention is directed towards an electronic device for training a person to correctly perform a physical activity.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In many physical activities, such as golf, baseball, tennis, and the like, correct execution of the activity requires precise movement of at least one movable member, such as the head of the golfer, the arms of the batter, and the tennis racquet of the tennis player. For example, a golfer who lifts its head too early while swinging a golf club will often hit a golf ball incorrectly. Typically, however, the subsequent flight of the golf ball does not provide enough feedback to the golfer as to tile correctness of his execution of the swing of the golf club. Consequently, the golfer cannot learn from his mistakes as quickly as if he were given immediate feedback as to tile cause of the errant shot, namely, His lifting his head too early.
While the particular physical activity of golf is a convenient example for the purposes of describing the present invention and the drawbacks of the prior art, it is to be clearly understood that discussion of the sport of golf does not limit the scope of the present invention to training devices for golf exclusively. The prior art for training devices of the type herein described is primarily concerned with the game of golf.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,835 to Huffman on Apr. 9, 1991, teacles a fairly rudimentary golf swing head movement monitoring apparatus. Such a device is worn on the head gear of the golfer and produces a positive feedback signal to the golfer upon proper execution of a golf swing. Such a device must be carefully adjusted to allow for the swing dynamics of each particular golfer, which complicates its use.
Another golf training device is taught in Johnson's U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,104, issued on Apr. 28, 1992. Such a device requires careful adjustment to each particular golfer's style, and assumes that a premature lifting of the golfer's head relative to striking the golf ball is physically differentiable from a properly timed lifting of the golfer's head relative to striking of the golf ball. Such a device relies solely upon a motion sensing means for input, and therefore is forced to provide feedback to the golfer based solely upon motion data. Motion data alone, however, is inadequate for determining correctness of an activity such as the lifting of one's head during or after a golf swing. The correctness of the lifting of the golfer's head is determined not in how the head is lifted, but rather in the timing relative to the striking of the golf ball. Motion data alone does not pinpoint accurately when the golf ball was struck by the club in some cases.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,166 to Emerson on Dec. 24, 1985, teaches a golf training device worn on the head of the golfer that includes a motion sensor and a microphone for detecting the striking of the golf ball. Essentially, if the motion sensor detects that the golfer's head is in motion when the microphone detects the striking of the golf ball, an negative feedback alarm sounds. If the motion sensor detects that the golfer's head is stationary when the microphone detects the striking of the golf ball, the alarm is inhibited.
Such a device overcomes the drawbacks of the “motion-only” prior art devices, but does have several critical drawbacks itself. Primarily, such a device takes the notification action of either sounding the alarm or not sounding the alarm immediately upon detection of trigger event, that is, the striking of the golf ball. Movement before or after the trigger event is ignored. Such movement can be just as important in the correctness of the physical activity as the movement during the trigger event. For example, in shooting a rifle, a marksman can be trained to counter the kickback force of firing the rifle so as to keep the barrel of the rifle steady between shots. A training device of this type is useless because the sound of the gun firing occurs before the motion to be detected occurs.
Further, such a training device cannot discriminate between the sound of a correctly hit golf ball and the sound of an incorrectly lit golf ball. As such, while a golfer many not have lifted his head prematurely, he may have hit the golf ball incorrectly, causing an errant shot. For example, he may have hit the top hemisphere of the golf ball instead of hitting the golf ball at its horizontal equator. In such a case, the golfer will not receive the proper feedback concerning the correctness of his swing from such a training device.
Clearly, then, there is a need for a physical activity training device which overcomes the disadvantages of known devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a device that measures both motion and at least one other detectable trigger event, such as the sound of a ball being hit by a sporting implement. The present invention is, to a large extent, self-adjusting and self-calibrating, making the use of the device simple. The invented device is adaptable to a variety of physical activities and can be easily mounted on a variety of sporting gear or clothing The device is able to evaluate the correctness of motion before, during, and after the trigger event. Further, in some variations the invention is able to monitor the quality of the trigger event itself for correctness. Further, the present invention is able to download data to a separate instrument for separate analysis.
The present invention is a training device for a person performing a physical activity. The proper performance of the physical activity is related to the proper movement by the person. The invented device comprises a movement sensor, a trigger event sensor for sensing the occurrence of a specific physical trigger event, a processor, and an electronic memory. The movement sensor provides movement signal values to the processor. The processor is able to store these movement signal values in the memory. The trigger event sensor provides trigger event signal values to the processor, such trigger event signal values corresponding to the occurrence of the specific physical trigger event near the device. The processor is able to store the trigger event signal values in the memory and evaluate the trigger event signal values to determine if the specific trigger event has occurred.
A protective enclosure houses the electronic evaluation circuit and is adapted for mounting on the movable entity. A momentary electrical switch is included that, when activated, initializes an active time interval and causes the processing means to begin storing the movement signal values in the memory means. In such an embodiment, the processing means stops storing the movement signal values in tile memory means at either a first pre-defined time after the trigger event, or a second pre-defined time after the switch means has been switched.
A serial data port is included whereby a separate instrument may be used to read the movement signal values from the device. If the stored movement signal values are not within a first pre-defined range of values, the processor takes a first pre-defined notification action. Otherwise, tile processor takes a second pre-defined notification action. A notification transducer is included for signaling the notification actions of tie processor to the person, who is thereby notified of the correctness of his performance of the physical activity relative to the occurrence of the particular trigger event. The processor may also evaluate quantitatively other characteristics of the trigger event signal values to determine the correctness of the performance of the physical activity.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5511789 (1996-04-01), Nakamura
patent: 5524894 (1996-06-01), Shannon
patent: 5553857 (1996-09-01), Fish
patent: 5558585 (1996-09-01), Nolan, Jr.
patent: 5632688 (1997-05-01), Blaakman
Connors John J.
Connors & Associates
Harrison Jessica J.
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