Real-time measurements for establishing database of sporting apparatus motion and impact parameters

Abstract

A sporting apparatus used by a person for engaging in a sporting activity. The sporting apparatus includes a single or multiple embedded MR sensors for measuring magnetic vectors of the earth magnetic field for dynamically recording a path of motion of the sporting apparatus in real time. In a preferred embodiment, the sporting apparatus further includes one or multiple MEMS accelerometer sensors for sensing acceleration of a designated portion of the sporting apparatus for measuring impact velocity as the designated portion impacting a ball. In a specific embodiment, the sporting apparatus is a golf club wherein the accelerometer sensors are disposed adjacent to the grip side of the shaft for sensing the impact of the club head against a golf ball. In another specific embodiment, the golf club further includes a magnetic field sensor disposed near the grip end of the golf club for measuring a motion path of the golf club.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM [0001] This application claims benefit of Provisional Application 60 / 583,876, entitled, Real-Time Measurements For Establishing Database of Sporting Apparatus Motion and Impact Parameters, filed Jun. 28, 2004, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e).FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to design of microelectronic systems and methods for providing real-time measurements of the motion and impact parameters of sporting equipment. More particularly, this invention is related to the use of micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) and magneto-resistive (MR) sensors and other microelectronics installed in sporting equipment such as a golf club, a hockey stick, a boxing glove, a tennis racket or a baseball bat to obtain real-time motion parameter measurements for analyzing a player's performance and for establishing diagnostic and training databases associated with a...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Conventional methods of measuring instantaneous position, orientation and velocity of sporting equipment such as golf clubs, hockey sticks and baseball bats are limited by the high-cost measurement equipment such as high speed cameras, laser array and photo detector array.

Such high-cost equipments are typically limited to club design and club-fit in R&D laboratories and / or pro shops as in the golf industry, for example.

Further, the unwieldy size of the measurement equipment prevents the use of such equipment during actual play of the sport.

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