Patent Publication Number: US-7909749-B2

Title: Boxing device and related methods

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to sports equipment/games and, more particularly, to boxing training/exercise devices and related methods. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Boxing has long been a popular sport, and there are many training devices for amateur and professional boxers. By way of example, some prior art references disclose punching bags or dummy/mannequin targets with sensors for detecting impact speed, intensity, etc., and providing a score based thereon. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,622 to Clark, which is directed to a punching bag (i.e., a speed bag) with electronic sensors for counting the number of hits to a particular zone on the bag, and with different exercise programs for a user. 
     Great Britain Patent No. 2,249,033 to Albasri discloses a full or partial dummy shaped target with a resilient body section, a foam material filler, and transducers positioned at various locations on the body section for detecting punches/kicks. The transducers may also be placed in clothes that are positioned on the dummy target. 
     U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2003/0216228 to Rast is directed to an apparatus for providing biofeedback for sports training to improve training in a convenient form. One aspect is directed to include a sparring device that converts impact and training rates into audio streams following human speech patterns. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,354 to Goldfarb et al. discloses a reflex testing amusement apparatus that allows simulated head-to-head sparring and scoring. The picture of each combatant camouflages a series of lights, with each light being located at a key attack/defense point on the combatant&#39;s body. At the start, one of the lights is turned on and the participants each try to hit their light to turn it off. The first “hit” causes both first lights to extinguish and a second light in each series to illuminate. The player to make the first “hit” gets a scoring credit for that “hit.” The participants strike at the second light and so on as the lights are sequenced in a pseudo-random order. The game continues for a predetermined period and at the end a winner is determined by comparing the number of “hits” made by the players. Modifications for a single-player game and a game which runs until a predetermined score is made are also provided. 
     Other references such as U.S. Pat. App. No. 2004/0009851 to Lovison and U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,747 to Cook disclose sparring gear with sensors for detecting impacts that allow opponents to score points for kicks/punches to one another that hit the designated scoring zones. These references also both teach wireless radio frequency (RF) links from the sensor to a scoring controller. 
     Despite the existence of such equipment, further improvements in boxing training or exercise devices/games may be desired in various applications. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a boxing device with enhanced performance data features and related methods. 
     This and other objects, features and advantages are provided by a boxing device which may include a substrate, at least one impact sensor carried by the substrate for detecting impacts from at least one user, and a user input device for receiving personal characteristic data for the at least one user. Furthermore, a controller may be coupled to the impact sensor and the user input device for determining performance data based upon detected impacts, and weighting the performance data based upon the personal characteristic of the at least one user. 
     The boxing device may be utilized by more than one user with at least one impact sensor or set of sensors for each user, and the controller may weight individual user performance data based upon respective personal characteristics of the users. Further, the personal characteristic data provided through the user input device may include age data, weight data or other data, for example. 
     Additionally, the boxing device may include at least one visual strike indicator carried by the substrate adjacent to at least one impact sensor and coupled to the controller, and the controller may cause the at least one visual strike indicator to provide a visual indication for queuing a user to strike the at least one impact sensor. In certain embodiments, the substrate may comprise a punching bag, while in other embodiments the substrate may comprise a cover removably positioned on a punching bag. 
     Furthermore, performance data may be based upon the number of calories expended by the at least one player, the number of impacts to the at least one impact sensor, etc. The at least one impact sensor may measure an impact force level and use the impact force level to determine the performance data. 
     Performance data may be provided to the user or users through an audio output device or a visual display coupled to the controller, for example. Additionally, the impact sensor(s) may be positioned on the substrate for receiving punches and/or kicks from the at least one user. 
     A multi-user boxing device and associated methods are also provided. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a boxing device in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are front and rear views of an alternative embodiment of the substrate and controller of the boxing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are front and rear views of the controller housing of the boxing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are perspective views showing alternative embodiments of the boxing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are flow diagrams illustrating methods for using a boxing device according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown. However, many different embodiments may be used, and thus the description should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a boxing device  30  in accordance with one aspect is first described. The boxing device  30  illustratively includes a substrate  34 , which in the illustrated example is a heavy bag, which carries an impact sensor(s)  36 . The system  30  also illustratively includes a user input device  32  and a controller  40 . The impact sensor  36  detects impacts from a user  38  which are communicated to the controller  40 . More particularly, the impact sensor(s)  36  may be connected to the controller  40  by a wired and/or wireless communications link, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     The user input device  32  allows one or more users  38  or other individuals to input personal characteristics such as age, weight or other data into the boxing device  30 . The controller  40  receives the personal characteristic data from the user input device  32  and the impact data from the impact sensor  36 , and determines performance data that is weighted for the individual user  38  based upon the personal characteristic data, as will be discussed further below. 
     The performance data may, for example, include a number of calories consumed or “burned” during the boxing training/exercise session or other types of physiological data relating to the benefits obtained during the boxing session. The performance data may also be a score determined by the number of impacts received by the impact sensor(s)  36 , force, speed and/or accuracy of impact, comparison of impact from punches and kicks, comparison of the current session to previous boxing sessions, and/or other data. In a multi-user mode, the performance data may involve a comparison of two or more users to score user performance as if they were in an actual boxing match. 
     While “Heavy bag”, “punching bag” and/or “bag” are used to describe the substrate  34 , it should be understood that the substrate may take other forms than the heavy punching bag depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 , such as a floor-to-ceiling punching bag, a speed bag, “mannequin” style punching dummies, etc. Other objects/shapes are also possible. The punching bag or other substrate  34  may be attached to a wall, may stand freely on a base, may hang from the ceiling, or be mounted in other ways, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. If the substrate  34  is suspended from the ceiling, it may have a “spin hold” feature that prevents the bag or other substrate from spinning. The spin hold feature encourages footwork and provides the user  38  with a better opportunity to land accurate punches and kicks on the impact sensor(s)  36 . A stabilizing bar may also be used to keep the punching bag facing the user  38 , as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the controller  40  may be embodied in a housing  41 ′ from which the substrate  34 ′ hangs. This advantageously allows the user to see the controller housing  41 ′ during a training/exercise session. In the alternative, the controller  40  and/or housing may be remotely located from the substrate  34 ′ and communicate with the impact sensor  36 ′ through wireless communication, such as radio frequency (“RF”) or other wireless communication techniques, as noted above. 
       FIG. 2A  shows the front side of a substrate  34 ′ (i.e., heavy bag) with impact sensors  36 ′ carried by the substrate. The impact sensors  36 ′ shown are circular but could be different sizes or shapes, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The impact sensors  36 ′ located on the upper portion of the substrate  34 ′ may be used for punching, while the lower impact sensors may be used for kicking or other contact using the lower body, for example. 
     The impact sensor  36 ′ may, but is not required to, have a precision impact sensor  44 ′, shown as a circle within the outer impact sensor circle to detect more precise impacts. Where the precision impact sensor  44 ′ is used, impacts occurring in the inner precision impact sensor  44 ′ circle may be scored as more precise impacts, while impacts received primarily or entirely in the outer circle impact sensor  36 ′ may be scored as less precise impacts. In another embodiment, impacts on the precision impact sensor  44 ′ may be scored as landed punches, while contact with the outer impact sensor  36  may be scored as punches thrown but not landed. Other sensors for detecting impacts may also be provided outside of the impact sensor  36  area designated to receive impacts, allowing the boxing system to track missed or blocked punches, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. 
       FIG. 2B  shows the impact sensors  36 ′ and precision impact sensors  44 ′ that are carried on the back side of the substrate  34 ′. The back side sensors may be used for multi-user  38  boxing sessions, or simply to allow a single users, to move around the bag and strike different targets to more closely approximate an actual boxing match and/or enhance the cardiovascular workout, for example. The impact sensor  36 ′ and precision impact sensor  44 ′ shown in  FIG. 2B  are smaller than those shown in  FIG. 2A  to illustrate that the size of the impact sensors  36 ′ may be made smaller to provide more challenge for more skilled users or made larger for less skilled users, for example. Different colors for impact sensors  36 ′ may be used to distinguish the front from the back side of a substrate  34 ′, as well as markings or other indicia. The impact sensors  36 ′ may have different color spots for upper and lower target areas, and may also use a different color for a “low blow” impact sensor  37 ′ indicating an area that should not receive impacts. 
     The controller housing  41 ′ is shown in greater detail from the front side in  FIG. 3A  and from the back side in  FIG. 3B . A speaker  46 ′ may be carried on the front side of the housing  41 ′ or elsewhere, as well as one or more displays  51 ′,  52 ′ and  58 ′ for providing audible information to the user  38 ′. By way of example, the display  51 ′ may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) for displaying program information or options, such as: aerobic mode; number of users (i.e., user mode); bag mode (i.e., single or multi-sided); user skill level (beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc.); number/length of rounds; weight of fighters for a “pound for pound” match; etc. Moreover, the display  52 ′ may similarly be an LCD for displaying scoring or performance information, for example. The information provided by the display  52 ′ may include calories expended in an aerobic mode, rounds of the fight in fight mode, time elapsed in the boxing session or round, punches thrown/landed, score, accuracy and/or power of impacts or other information. 
     The controller  40  may be implemented with hardware (e.g., processor/microprocessor, memory, etc.) and/or software components carried within the housing  41 ′, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. An indicator light(s)  53 ′ may also be carried by the housing  41 ′ on the front and/or rear side thereof and coupled to the controller  40  to provide other information to the user, such as to signal which side of the bag is available for scoring, etc., such as during multi-user boxing sessions, for example. These indicator lights  53 ′ and  55 ′ may be used, for example, to indicate which user  38  should be delivering impacts to the impact sensor  36  or sensors. 
     In the illustrated example, the user input device  32 ′ is a keypad carried by the controller housing  41 ′, but it should be noted that other suitable input devices (e.g., microphone for voice input, etc.) may also be used. Moreover, the user input device(s)  32 ′ may also be remotely located from the housing. Other indicators may also be carried by the housing  41 ′, such as a fighter or other user  38  indicator  48 ′ to indicate the user who should be providing input, or which user&#39;s information is being displayed, for example. Various combinations of the above-noted indicators/components, as well as other indicators/components, may be used in different embodiments, and all of the above-described indicators/components need not be used in all embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates other features that may be included in the boxing device. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the substrate  34 ″ may include a visual strike indicator  56 ″ such as a light emitting diode (“LED”) or other light source to indicate which impact sensor  36 ″ should be punched, kicked or otherwise impacted. The visual strike indicator  56 ″ may be a single indicator or a series of indicators for a single user  38 ″ or for two or more users. Other light placements are also possible, such as on top of the device  30 ′, for example, which may be useful in embodiments with a remotely located controller  40 . In other embodiments, audible queues could be given to the user(s) to strike a particular impact sensor  36 ″ (e.g., “uppercut” to indicate striking upper sensor, “body blow” to indicate striking middle sensor(s), etc.). The visual strike indicator  56 ″ is turned on and off by the controller  40  which preferably tracks the time between illumination of the visual strike indicator and impact to the impact sensor  36 ″. This information may advantageously be used to predict or estimate a user reaction speed and or punch/kick speed of the user. This information may also be weighted based upon the personal characteristic data of the user. 
     The substrate  34 ″ may be the punching bag (or other object) as shown in  FIG. 4A , or it may be a removable cover that fits on an existing punching bag  54 ′″, etc., as seen in  FIG. 4B . In this way, the substrate  34 ′″ (i.e., the cover) may advantageously be used to convert or retrofit preexisting boxing equipment into a boxing device according to the present invention. Although the cover is shown carried by a heavy bag, the cover may also be positioned on other types of punching bags or objects (e.g., mannequins, etc.), as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a method of using a boxing device which begins at Block  60  and then proceeds to receiving personal characteristic data, such as age or weight data for at least one user (Block  62 ). This personal characteristic data is obtained using the user input device  32 , which is communicated to the controller  40 . After the personal characteristic data is received, performance data is determined based upon detected impacts to the at least one impact sensor  36  (Block  64 ). The performance data is then weighted based upon the personal characteristic at Block  66 , as discussed further above, thus concluding the illustrated method (Block  68 ). 
     In particular, the performance data is weighted based upon the personal characteristic (e.g., age, weight, etc.) to provide the user with a more accurate assessment of the physical activity level achieved, or to “handicap” multi-user modes to make a “fair fight.” For example, a user&#39;s caloric burn rate may vary depending upon the weight of the user and the amount of force applied by the user. That is, if two users of significantly different weights hit the sensor with the same amount of force, it may be assumed that the lighter of the users is exerting more energy and therefore burning more calories, for example, and the number of “burned” calories shown to the user may therefore be adjusted accordingly. In a multi-user  38  mode example, the impact from a lighter user may be “scaled up” to a corresponding level to that of the heavier user to make the scoring more equivalent, for example. Other weighting approaches for the performance data may also be used, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     Additional method aspects are now further described with reference to  FIG. 6 . The method begins at (Block  70 ) and then proceeds to setting the user mode (Block  72 ). Here the controller  40  determines whether the user has indicated that the boxing session will be a single user or multi-user session, and may also include determining other user-selected options such as aerobic or fight mode, and/or whether a multi-user game will rank or weight scores or other performance data of the users  38  against each other. Setting the player mode may also involve determining what type of performance data will be provided at the end of the boxing session. 
     After the user mode is determined, then personal characteristic data is received for the user(s)  38  (Blocks  74 ,  76 ). Once personal characteristic data has been received for all users, the session commences and the controller  40  cooperates with the impact sensor(s)  36  to detect impacts from the user(s)  38  (Block  78 ). 
     It should be noted that for multi-user modes, either a single substrate  34  (e.g., front and back of a heavy bag), or separate substrates (e.g., separate heavy bags connected to a same controller), may be used for each user. Separate substrates  34  may be preferable where a bag, etc., is prone to move significantly following user  38  impact, such as an embodiment where the substrate hangs from a ceiling as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Once performance data is determined for one or more users  38 , the performance data (e.g., scores, calories burned, etc.) is advantageously weighted for the user or users (Block  80 ). Once the performance data is weighted, the weighted performance data is then provided for one or more users  38  via the indicator  52 ′, speaker  46 ′, etc., at Block  82 , after which the method illustratively terminates (Block  84 ). Of course, during an actual session the controller  40  may continue to provide updated weighted performance data, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     One advantageous aspect of the present invention is the way in which it allows fighters or other users  38  to test their relative skill in a substitute fight without requiring each user to actually punch or kick the other. Instead, the impacts are received by one or more impact sensors  36  of the present invention and the impacts sensors and personal characteristic data are used to provide performance data that can determine a “winner” (e.g., the user with superior performance data). 
     The boxing session may be conducted as a competitive match or fight in which each user  38  punches, kicks or provides other impacts to the impact sensor(s)  36  during each round of the match, and may also be conducted as an aerobic workout in which performance data is provided but there is no winner of the fight. In fight mode, the controller  40  preferably records the user  38  impact data and, where boxing rounds are used, also determines the duration of each round. As used herein, boxing is generally meant to include boxing and/or kickboxing moves, i.e., it may include punching, kicking, kneeing, elbowing, forearming, etc., as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     The boxing session may be conducted in fight mode with each fighter punching or kicking a separate substrate  34 , with each fighter punching or kicking the same substrate at the same time (i.e., simultaneously), or with each fighter punching or kicking the same substrate in alternating turns. Where the fighters or other users  38  alternate, the first fighter may, for example, provide impacts to the substrate  34  for a three minute time (or other time) interval of the boxing round, and the second fighter then provides impacts for the same length of time. 
     Where one fighter outpunches the other by a significant margin in fight mode, there may be a potential knock out (“KO”) signal alerting the fighter that he is on the ropes (i.e., in danger of losing the fight). For example, the KO can occur with 2 or 3 consecutive lopsided rounds. There may be a difficult footwork mode, requiring the user  38  to move around the bag often. There may also be a low score/penalty for not going to the body (mid section of the bag). There may also be a deduction for a low blow when impacts are detected in the low blow impact sensor  37  area. The length of rounds or other boxing sessions may be changed as desired, preferably with 1 minute rounds to 3 minute rounds, although other time intervals may also be used. 
     The punching bag or other substrate  34  can also be used by one person in fight mode to simulate a substitute boxing match without an opponent where the fighter or other user  38  attempts to accumulate a high score. In an aerobic, non-competitive boxing session, all of the impact sensors  36  may score and accumulate hits without any requirement to hit hard (i.e., at a threshold level) or hit particular impact sensors  36 . However, scoring or other performance data may be made available for both fight mode and aerobic activity mode. 
     The speaker  46  or display  51  and/or  52  may be used in fight mode to provide a variety of information to the user  38 . For example, there may be different sounds to indicate low blows, time period to work around the other side of bag or to give some indication of how the round is going. Different sounds may indicate hard impacts, accurate impacts and rapid series of impacts, and may also indicate extra points for quick upper and lower hits on the bag or other more difficult combinations of impacts. With the accumulation of a high score by successive or hard hits the sound of ‘umphh’ may indicate a successful round. Also, for a low blow, the controller  40  may cause the speaker  46  to sound a groan. There may be a light and/or sound signal for the footwork requirement when it is time to work on the other side of the bag. There may also be an option for sound or no sound. 
     As noted above, visual strike indicators  56 ″ may be used to force the user  38  to move around the bag or other substrate  34 ″ to encourage footwork. The time for moving around the bag may be signaled by a light, a sound or a light and sound. The number of times the fighter moves around the bag may vary. Movement of 2-10 times per round, with some quick time periods sending fighters quickly around the bag to score may be used to simulate a realistic boxing match. Forcing the user  38  to move around the bag allows footwork to become part of the fight, producing a more realistic fight and simulating the exhausting effort of fighting a moving target. For punching bags or other substrates  34  where 360-degree access is not possible, there may be an option to score the entire fight or other boxing session on one side of the bag. 
     In fighting mode, points are preferably accumulated by hitting the target impact sensor  36  areas relatively hard, accurately and quickly. The score or other performance data may be adjusted to provide no points for hitting areas that are not designed to receive impacts (e.g., areas outside the circular impact sensor  36  areas shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 ), simulating that these punches missed the desired spot and were in effect “blocked” by the imaginary opponent. Bonus points may be awarded for combining upper and lower hits on the bag within a quick time period. When fighters are required to move to the other side of the bag, scoring may be allowed on both sides of the bag with, for example, 6-8 seconds of scoring on the opposite of the bag followed by a transition back to the previous side of the bag. The light indicator may then flash and/or a warning sound may be used to alert the fighter to move to the other side of bag. 
     The fight or other boxing session may take personal characteristic data of the user  38  into account to weight the scores for the boxing session. If this option is employed, fighters or other users  38  may compete in a “pound per pound” bout while taking into account the relative size of fighters when calculating scores. For example, this allows the greater force or speed of impact from an older or heavier fighter to be given a lower score than the impacts from a lighter or younger fighter. A heavyweight fighter could then compete in a closely contested match with a welterweight or featherweight fighter where the force of impact from the heavyweight fighter receives a lower score (or the force of impact from the lighter fighter receives a higher score) than the same impact from the welterweight or featherweight fighter. 
     The impact sensor  36  may be insulated wire sensors either buried or on the surface of the substrate  34 , or other types of sensors as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. By way of example, such sensors may include one or more of accelerometers, dynamometers, magnetic-based sensors, optical-based sensors, or other suitable sensors, or a combination thereof.