Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B43/00—Balls with special arrangements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
  • A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
  • A63B71/0622—Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
  • A63B2071/0625—Emitting sound, noise or music
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
  • A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
  • A63B71/0622—Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
  • A63B2071/0638—Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
  • A63B2220/50—Force related parameters
  • A63B2220/51—Force
  • A63B2220/53—Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
  • A63B2220/80—Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
  • A63B2220/801—Contact switches
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2225/00—Miscellaneous features of sport apparatus, devices or equipment
  • A63B2225/50—Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2225/00—Miscellaneous features of sport apparatus, devices or equipment
  • A63B2225/50—Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
  • A63B2225/52—Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry modulated by measured values
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2243/00—Specific ball sports not provided for in A63B2102/00 - A63B2102/38
  • A63B2243/0025—Football
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2243/00—Specific ball sports not provided for in A63B2102/00 - A63B2102/38
  • A63B2243/0033—Handball

Definitions

• US patent application No. 20070214939 A1 describes a musical ball in which sensor readings are communicated to a remote unit.
• the sensor in this case is adapted to measure retardation, which provides limited possibilities of monitoring ball influencing occurrences. If e.g. pressure change in the ball is measured, an indication of how hard the ball is hit or kicked may be obtained. Feedback regarding the strength of the impact may be useful for the user, whether the task is musical play or purely training of ball skills.
• the invention may be seen as dual, namely to provide a device in relation to a ball: - for training of ball skills in a funny and inspiring way,
• the objects of the invention is to provide a device that allows utilization of information regarding ball influencing occurrences (ball hits), either in the form of hits by body parts or by some ball influencing tool, such as a ball bat, a golf club, a tennis racket etc., to create an analysis of how the ball hits are related to a predetermined pattern and to provide the user feedback with the result of the analysis.
• ball hits ball influencing occurrences
• some ball influencing tool such as a ball bat, a golf club, a tennis racket etc.
• a specific object is to utilize this to give the ball influencing occurrences character of a game, in particular related to music.
• Another object is to use the feedback to communicate the relation between the ball influencing occurrences 1 relation to certain ball influencing standards, e.g. as a means for controlling or giving advice during ball training.
• An impact sensor like a pressure sensor or other type of sensor, is mounted in a ball.
• a transmitter which transmits the values read by the sensor.
• Both the sensor and the transmitter are mounted in the ball. Since devices for generating feedback to a user is not included in the ball, the weight and volume of the ball mounted components are limited so that the properties of the ball are influenced to a smallest possible degree.
• the ball can be a football, handball or other type of ball which is sufficiently large to accommodate a sensor with accompanying transmitter, without negatively affecting the properties of the ball to an extent that will influence the ball game.
• the transmitted data are received by a remote receiving and processing unit which from defined criteria compares the received data with a predetermined pattern.
• This pattern may describe the rhythm of a musical piece or a sequence of impacts to a ball in connection with ball practice.
• the result of the comparison can be communicated to the user which may take steps to improve the accuracy or to maintain the high accuracy already achieved.
• the feedback can relate to simple actions such as increasing the impact force or the impact velocity to the ball. In this manner the user may train his or hers skills relating to e.g. rhythm sense, ball skills, coordination or general physical shape.
• Fig. 1 Overview figure
• Fig. 2 Ball including sensor and transmitter
• Fig. 3 Details of a processing unit
• Fig. 4 Flow sheet of a control program
• Fig. 1 provides an overview of the system; the ball 1 can bounce on the surface 3. Preferably near the centre of the ball 1 there is a sensor 16 and a transmitter 17 with antenna 2. The signals from the sensor 16 can be transmitted by the transmitter 17 by means of radio signals 4 to the combined receiving and processing unit 5, which among other things is provided with a separate antenna 6.
• Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the ball 1 to illustrate that centrally in the ball a sensor 16, transmitter 17, and antenna 2 are mounted.
• Fig. 3 provides a more detailed illustration of the combined receiving and processing unit 5.
• the signals come in via the antenna 6 and are directed to the receiver 10.
• the receiver decodes the signals and gives them a format that the processor 11 understands.
• the processor 11 can either read in the patterns that the received signals are to be compared with via Internet 15 or interactively via terminal 13.
• the main function of the control program is illustrated by the flow sheet in Fig. 4.
• the control program as such is run by the processor 11 and the user receives feedback either through load speaker 12 or through the terminal 13.
• Figure 4 shows a flow sheet of the main functions in the control program run by the processor 11.
• the time axis is downwards and squares arranged in parallel are used to indicate processes run in parallel.
• the flow sheet represents both the embodiment where the device is used for a musical play and for a ball skill practice.
• the control program is described in further detail down below.
• ball is intended to include to any type of ball which is able to accommodate the described impact sensor and associated transmitter unit, e.g. football, handball, basket ball, tennis ball etc.
• the ball includes an impact sensor and a transmitter but has the same quality as as a "regular" ball. This means that the sensor and the transmitter are small and lightweight to influence the ball properties to a lowest possible extent (in particular if not located in the centre of the ball)
• the impact sensor and the transmitter may e.g. be mounted near a specially designed valve in the ball so that the transmitter within the ball may be charged by plugging a charger into the valve. Alternatively the transmitter may be removed for charging. If the battery technology allows, the sensor, transmitter and battery may be integrated in the ball once and for all with no possibility of replacement. The ball has in any case a limited lifetime. • The transmitter technology is chosen from availability, price and available frequency ranges.
• the receiving and processing unit may be mounted stationary or designed to be carried by the user.
• the receiver is adapted to the transmitter chosen with respect to frequency range, modulation and technology in general.
• the processor is based on known and easily available technology.
• the receiving and processing unit is furthermore equipped with load speaker and/ or a display so that the user may receive feedback of how his or hers handling of the ball corresponds to a predetermined pattern.
• the receiving and processing unit may e.g. also communicate with TV/ PC/ cellular phones or other suitable media in order to establish a communication channel to the user.
• the receiving and processing unit may also have a possibility of communicating with internet, e.g. to download new templates against which the received sensor signals are to be compared.
• Internet communication may also be used to store the achieved results centrally allowing e.g. competitions with other persons or monitoring the development of own skills over time.
• the assessment may be made in relation to speed, strength, or correspondence with a rhythm.
• the templates can for instance be located on a central server with Internet connection.
• the receiving and processing unit can then download a desired template in normal manner.
• the templates may also be offered, bought and distributed via Internet like the case is with musical files today.
• the templates define a pattern of desired hits to the ball in relation to time and force and the template content is naturally dependent upon its utilization. If it is a template for a rhythm play, the template will contain a soundtrack, e.g. in MP3 format as well as information about certain time windows within which the user should hit in order to score points. The degree of difficulty can be adjusted by adjusting the sizes of the time windows in which hits are accepted.
• the template will be different but also in such a case it may be an object to hit as good as possible within time windows.
• the time windows will in this case be arranged in accordance with the assumed best training exercise practice.
• the criteria for high score can be highest possible force or highest possible speed (frequency).
• the data are read in accordance with the sensor resolution and in accordance with the need of updating during the course of the play.
• the chosen way of communication e.g. Bluetooth, to be used between the transmitter in the ball and the receiving and processing unit, should at least have a band width sufficient to transmit the relevant amount of data with a sufficient degree of certainty.
• the template in question should also describe the kind of utilization that is relevant. If it is a rhythm play, the sound track should be played and the points in time for ball hits should be stored and compared with the defined time windows, whereafter the user's score is calculated based on how well the user hits or meets these time windows. If the utilization is ball practice, the playback of the template may e.g. start with the first hit of the ball after a beep tone. Thereafter the points in time at which the ball is hit, are stored and compared with the defined time windows and the user's score is calculated based on how well the user hits these time windows. In this case there may also be points to score according to how quickly or how hard the hits are made, i.e. a hardest possible hit or the quickest possible subsequent hit, gives the highest score.
• the feedback may have the form of a "nasty" beep tone each time the ball is hit outside a desired time window. It is also foreseeable with a variant in which the speed of the playback of the sound track is adjusted up or down dependent upon whether the latest hit came too early or too late compared to the defined time window, so that the user quickly will understand whether the hit came to early or to late.
• a simple visual presentation can e.g. be a bar having a height which represents the user's current points of score.
• More advanced visual presentations can comprise figures in an animated data game, where the figure movement depends on the hits of the ball.
• the receiving and processing unit has the possibility of communicating via Internet, it is possible with an embodiment of a play with several participants, either locally or on physically different locations, which via the net play with or compete against each other.
• the data from the performance may be stored, either in the processor unit or they may be uploaded to a server via Internet. This allows the user to follow the development of hers/ his skills from session to session and it can serve as a basis for calculating statistics and graphs that makes the results more easily available.
• rhythm play embodiment The user chooses a desired musical piece with a distinct rhythm. For further processing this has to be stored in a digital format, for instance MP3. By a graphical representation of the strength of the music with time, the rhythm will be visual as evenly spaced stronger sections (for example drum beats). To generate a template for the anticipated hits by the user, the strength of the musical play should exceed some limit (within the time period of a drum beat), then the "time window" is open, i.e. one counts and gives points if the user hits the ball in such time period. If the user hits the ball outside this time window, no point is scored, alternatively the score is negative.
• the playback can start e.g.
• the start point in time may be the first hit to the ball, alternatively after an indication by a beep tone.
• the user tries to bounce the ball so that it hits the surface substantially simultaneously with the rhythm of the music.
• the point score counting is activated every time a hit is within the open time windows, i.e. the strength of the music is above a certain limit. Every hit within these time windows are counted and when the playback is completed the accumulated number of hits with these time windows are reported as the user's score.
• the degree of difficulty may be adaptable by adjustment of the size of the open time windows

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Golf Clubs (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=41610568

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (5)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2008
  • 2008-07-30 NO NO20083343A patent/NO328605B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2009
  • 2009-07-02 JP JP2011521062A patent/JP2011529374A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-07-02 WO PCT/NO2009/000245 patent/WO2010014013A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-07-02 BR BRPI0916863A patent/BRPI0916863A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2009-07-02 US US13/055,722 patent/US20110130230A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-07-02 EP EP09803200.6A patent/EP2313165A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-07-02 CA CA2733637A patent/CA2733637A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-07-02 RU RU2011107257/12A patent/RU2543404C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2014
  • 2014-11-28 RU RU2014148143A patent/RU2014148143A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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