Abstract:
Sports related self-contained impact detection and display device that allows the bat, racquet, club, or ball to determine the intensity of the impact and provide an estimate on the speed, force, direction or distance that would result from the impact. The device is self-contained and allows the device to be mounted within or on the bat, racquet, club or ball. In addition to estimation of speed, force, direction or distance the device can collect multiple impacts and provide minimum, maximum, average, sum and totals of the impacts. The user interface can also provide a graphical representation of the resulting trajectory or flight of the object being impacted.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to an athletic impact detection and display device that may be used to estimate the impact location, force and resulting reaction exerted on a ball or similar object.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In sporting events where a ball is struck with a bat, club, racket or similar device, the force of the impact determines how far and/or fast a ball might travel. The difference between how hard the ball is struck can be the difference between winning and losing a game. When practicing for many of these events the distance traveled by the ball can be determined by measuring the distance from the point of impact with the ball to the landing or resting location of the ball. This requires a field large enough for the ball to make a complete travel from where it is hit to where it lands.  
           [0003]    If two balls are struck with the same force, and one ball travels parallel with the ground, and the other ball travel up at an angle, the distance traveled by each ball would be different. It would require measuring the distance traveled by each of these balls, angle of trajectory, wind speed, and direction to determine the force of the impact. Changes in stance or swing can make a difference in the how hard the ball is struck and ultimately how far the ball might travel. The concept of how hard the ball is struck is easy to relate to a baseball, and the same principles exist in tennis, golf or any game where a bat, club, racket or similar instrument makes contact with a ball, puck, or other object. For a golf club or tennis racket, multiple sensors can be installed that provide feedback on impact force, location, and direction to determine chipping and slicing of the ball, as well as spin. In addition to displaying a single value on the intensity of an impact, the ideal device could collect a number of readings and display minimum, maximum, average, total number of hits, keep score, or determine other mathematical relationship. The ideal device would provide all these features in a design that would be small enough that it could be located on or within the handle or transmitted to a wrist mounted device in close proximity. The device should also require minimal or no additional equipment beyond the object being swung, the object being impacted, and not restrict normal game playing.  
           [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,326 by Spears, Jr. discloses a ball mounted on a swing arm. When the ball is struck the invention calculates the resulting impact and trajectory. While this device is capable of determining the force of the impact and the trajectory it requires an external device and the user strikes a fixed object that may not simulate a ball being thrown to the person batting. In addition this device cannot be used in normal game play.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,482 by Katayama allows the user to strike a golf ball sitting on top of a golf Tee. When the golf ball is struck the ball is tracked through two shutters that calculate the speed and trajectory of the ball. It then determines where the ball might land. This device provides the user with an estimate of how hard the ball is struck and where the ball might land, but it requires significant additional equipment to make these calculations. While this invention allows the user to strike the ball as it would be struck in when playing the sport it cannot be used for normal golf playing.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,880 by Koike calculates the impact of a tennis ball. This invention allows the person to strike a tennis ball that is sent to the user. This invention calculates the force that the ball was struck by knowing where the person was standing when the ball is hit, when and where the ball lands. This invention like the others requires additional equipment to determine the force of the impact. While this device may be used on a tennis court, most of the apparatus used to determine how hard the ball is struck sits in the opponent&#39;s tennis court.  
           [0007]    While these devices provide the user with information regarding the impact they all require additional equipment beyond the basic two items used in the sport like a bat and ball. In addition the cost and set-up of the equipment may be extensive. Also most of these devices do not allow for normal playing of the sport. All these devices fall short of providing a simple cost effective force detecting and display device that may provide the user with feedback on how they are improving. In addition, prior art may not keep track of accumulated information like minimum, maximum, average, total number of impacts, score or other mathematical relationships.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Methods and apparatus are provided herein that provide a user a simple method to determine the impact intensity. The internal electronics allow simple user interface and control over sophisticated sensing and display means. In one aspect of a particular class of embodiments, the user can toss a ball into the air and hit the ball with the bat. The electronics then determine the intensity of the impact and convert the impact into a distance. In another aspect of the preferred embodiment multiple sensors can determine the direction of the flight. In still another aspect of the preferred embodiment the detection device contains a processing means that can retain multiple impacts and can determine mathematical relationships between numerous impacts. In yet another aspect of the preferred embodiment the device can provide a numerical and or graphical display to estimate the trajectory or travel of the object impacted. In yet another aspect of the preferred embodiment a sound transducer can be installed that simulated a cheering crowd or other sound to indicate the result of the impact. It is contemplated that the device be small enough in size to fit within a standard bat, racket or club, as well as be mountable on an existing bat racket or club. The invention could reside within a golf club, and the user interface be wrist mounted. In another aspect of the preferred embodiment the power supply can be either batter or solar so the long-term data can be retained for future comparison or downloading into a computer.  
           [0009]    Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a view of the display of the invention mounted in the end of a baseball bat.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a cross section of the invention in a baseball bat.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a cross section of the multiple sensors mounted in the head of a golf club.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the program flow of the invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is an alternative block diagram where the display is separate and wrist mounted.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    The device consists of six major components. FIGS.  5  shows these components where the user interface  260  is integrated within the bat, club, or racket. FIG. 6 shows these components where the user interface  260  is external to the bat, club, or racket, as might be mounted on a wrist or sent to a PC. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 the six major components are the sensing element(s)  210 , optional signal processing  220 , the micro-controller  230 , the power source  60 , the user interface  260  and the bat, club, or racket  10  as shown in FIG. 1 and  2 . All these components are located within or in close proximity to the bat, club, or racket.  
         [0017]    The sensing element(s)  40  as shown in FIG. 2 and  41  through  44  as shown in FIG. 3 provide an output proportional to the impact intensity. The sensing element(s) can be a variety of types including piezo, strain gauges, capacitance or others. The sensing elements can include multiple sensors as shown in FIG. 2 items  41  through  44 . In addition sensing elements can include gyros and position sensors that can determine position or angle of the bat, club, or racket to estimate the trajectory. In the preferred embodiment a piezo electric transducer is used. This type of sensing element requires reduced electronics, namely an amplifier for the sensor, it is reliable, and does not exhibit drift. When the piezo element undergoes compression or stress from the impact it outputs voltage proportional to the stress. A variety of alternate sensor types can be used to determine the intensity of the impact as well as alternate locations and positions for the sensor.  
         [0018]    The optional signal processing means  220  consists of using the signal from the sensing element(s), and then passing the signal through a optional half or full wave bridge. The bridge is used to convert the signal from the sensing element(s) to a single polarity. Two of the bridge diodes may be a zener type. The zener diodes are used to limit the voltage to the Analog to digital (A/D) converter to protect voltage sensitive components. The signal then charges a capacitor so the peak value and duration of the impact can be determined. A resistor and capacitor (RC) network is used to create a discharge time constant that is used to store the impact intensity and duration. The capacitor is then drained by the resistor to bleed off the charged capacitor over time. An A/D converter is connected to the capacitor that measures the charged voltage, and provides a intensity value. Working prototypes have also been made without signal processing means where the signal from the sensing element(s) is/are stored in the R/C network and the time for the discharge is proportional to the impact intensity. Additionally, other working units have been made where the A/D is an integral part of the micro-controller.  
         [0019]    The micro-controller  230  monitors the A/D converter or sensor, and determines if any changes indicate an impact. If an impact has been detected, the micro-controller continues to monitor the A/D and converts the reading(s) into intensity, distance, or speed, and then display the information. The micro-controller can also accumulate data to determine the number of impact, minimum, maximum impact force and/or the average impact intensity. The micro-processor may also provide a power latching function consists of using one of the I/O ports from the micro-controller to provide a ground connection to the peripheral devices, LCD, A/D and/or other devices. After a period has elapsed with no impacts or user interaction, the micro-controller may place itself in a lower power mode that makes the device draw less power to extend battery life. The lower power mode may be achieved by floating a I/O pin that provides the ground connection. When the I/O is not providing a ground connection, the devices will turn off. The invention may remain in this mode until the microcontroller is awakened, reset, or power is removed and re-applied.  
         [0020]    The power supply  200  consists of one or more batteries, but the use of various other battery types, storage capacitor, solar or external power supply provide equal performance. The batteries may be filtered and pass through a normally closed switch, a zener diode, or voltage regulator, or other component to provide a stable voltage to the invention.  
         [0021]    In the preferred embodiment the user interface consists of discrete buttons, but could be a slider or rotary control. A speaker could also be a part of the user interface. In the preferred embodiment the user interface consist of a 2 lines by 8-character LCD display  260  or matrix display. The LCD is capable of displaying standard ASCII characters as well as custom and changeable characters or symbols. The matrix display would allow motion and information to be displayed as arranged dots in a matrix. The LCD is used in the preferred embodiment because of the good readability in bright sunlight, and the low power consumption. When the invention is displaying the distance for the ball travel, the micro-controller can show a simulated flight for the path of the ball in flight. The simulated path consists of multiple images that are moved or changed in the 2 lines by 8-character screen to simulate the vertical and horizontal travel of the ball from the impact through the air, as it bounces lands and rolls to a stop. The accumulated data may be downloaded to a PC after or during the sport for additional evaluation.  
         [0022]    The club, bat or racket can be a standard club bat or racket used to strike a ball or other object, that has been manufactured or modified to accept the sensor, monitoring, user interface and power supply. The device may also be strapped externally to an existing bat, racket, club, without modifying the athletic equipment. When the invention is an integral part of the equipment sensor(s) can be mounted in a slot or on a surface of the equipment. Referring to FIG. 2 that show a cross section of a baseball bat with one sensing element  40 . Multiple sensors as shown in FIG. 3 items  41  to  44 , can be used to determine where the impact occurred on a club. With the multiple sensors the trajectory and spin may be determined. Multiple sensors can also be placed on a racket to determine where the racket and ball made contact. Additionally the sensors can be combined with position sensors and/or gyros that can provide information on the angle of the racket or bat to estimate impact intensity as well as ball trajectory.  
         [0023]    The basic operation of the invention is shown in diagram  4 . When the invention is turned on or reset  100  the invention performs an initialization  110 . The initialization may simple such as having the micro-controller display a message on the display. The initialization may be more complex like performing a memory check where the memory is first filled with zeros then ones, and checking/calibrating the sensor(s). If the user interface is not physically connected to the sensors then the initializations may include sending/receiving information with the user interface and checking that the communication is acceptable.  
         [0024]    After the initialization is complete the micro-controller monitors the sensors to determine if an impact or button press has occurred,  120 . Monitoring of the impact can range from reading a single input pin of the micro-controller to determine if it changes state, to reading serial or parallel information from one or more sensors. If the sensor(s) require A/D conversion, the micro-controller initiates the conversion, by reading the value(s), and compare the value(s) to a threshold. If a reading exceeds the threshold, the micro-controller calculates the result of impact intensity  130 . The result of the impact intensity can be determined by comparing the value to a look-up or calculating the result using a regression equation. The micro-controller outputs the results  140 . The output may be a visual display of the trajectory. It may be an audible sound like the response from a crowd. The output may be a number equivalent to the impact. This data is converted into flight and roll, the speed, and/or the impact intensity. The invention may then show a simulated flight and roll, and then display the distance and/or the resulting speed of the ball. The impact may be accumulated and stored. The accumulated information may be displayed  180  as a total or as a mathematical relationship. Following the output of the information the micro-controller returns to the monitoring mode  120 .  
         [0025]    While monitoring, if a button is pressed, the micro-controller could perform the function of displaying any accumulated information  150  or determine mathematical calculated information. If another button is pressed or the button is held for a longer duration  160  the micro-controller could provide a different function like clearing some or all accumulated information  170  before returning to the monitoring mode  120 . The result of the button(s) or other user input could vary based upon what data is displayed/stored and what the user expects from the interface. Another button could be pressed that would transmit data to a PC for additional evaluation or saving.  
         [0026]    Thus, specific embodiments and applications of methods of detection, calculating, and displaying the result of an impact it should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. For example the sensing method could be an accelerometer, angular, elevation, attitude, or global positioning device placed inside the bat, club, racket, or ball, and send a signal back. Similarly, it is possible to utilize various types of user input controls, or displays such as sliders, encoders, touch screens, switches, LED&#39;s, speech/voice, or similar devices, which affects the feedback to the user. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.