Distributed Multi-Stage Sport Motion Measurement System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for measuring motion parameters in action sports face challenges due to high computational and algorithmic complexity, increased cost, and reliability issues in rugged environments, particularly when wireless connectivity is unreliable.
Innovation Solution
A distributed, multi-stage intelligent system is implemented, where stage-one devices collect data and transfer it via low-power links to stage-two devices for preprocessing and then to stage-three devices for long-term storage and complex computations, optimizing ruggedness, cost, and power usage across different stages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single wearable device combines sensors, GPS receiver, memory and processing power to measure and compute performance characteristics, then measurement precision and functionality are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the single wearable device into multiple specialized components: stage-one devices (simple sensors and GPS), stage-two devices (intermediate processing), and stage-three devices (complex computation and database). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, reducing individual device complexity while maintaining overall measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate devices (stage-two) that act as mediators between simple data collection devices (stage-one) and complex processing devices (stage-three). These intermediaries perform preliminary processing and data aggregation, reducing the burden on both ends and enabling the system to achieve high measurement precision without requiring every wearable device to be highly complex.
2Measurement precision
If computational and algorithmic complexity is increased to accurately determine performance characteristics in fast and complicated action sports, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The computational workload is segmented across multiple stages: stage-one devices perform minimal local processing, stage-two devices perform intermediate processing and data aggregation, and stage-three devices perform complex algorithmic computations. This segmentation allows accurate performance measurement while keeping power consumption low at the wearable device level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary data processing and filtering at stage-one and stage-two devices before data reaches stage-three for complex computation. By preprocessing data closer to the source, the system reduces the computational burden on the final processing stage and minimizes the power requirements of wearable devices while maintaining measurement accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wireless communication is added to transfer data to a common database, then data accessibility and comparison capability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the communication function across different stages: stage-one devices use simple low-power wireless for data upload, stage-two devices handle intermediate data aggregation and communication, and stage-three devices manage the common database. This segmentation enables data accessibility and comparison capability while keeping the complexity of individual wearable devices low.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a highly complicated multi-function wearable device is used to collect data in extreme environments, then measurement functionality is improved, but reliability and ruggedness decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments functionality across multiple specialized devices rather than consolidating all functions in a single wearable device. Stage-one devices are simple and rugged for extreme environments, while complex functions are distributed to stage-two and stage-three devices that remain in less demanding environments. This segmentation maintains measurement functionality while improving reliability in extreme conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts complex processing, database management, and advanced communication functions from the wearable device and places them in external systems (stage-two and stage-three devices). This extraction allows the wearable device to be simplified and made more rugged for extreme environments while retaining full measurement functionality through the distributed system.
Data Source
AI summary
A distributed, multi-stage, intelligent system is configured to determine user action performance characteristics parameters in action sports. Ruggedness, complexity, and cost are unevenly distributed among components across the stages for improved overall performance and reduced cost. The system includes stage-one, wearable devices configured to use sensors to collect initial data and transfer the initial data to stage-two devices which may temporally store the initial data and/or perform further data processing to generate intermediate data for communication to one or more stage-three devices configured for long term data storage, further processing and presentation.