Apparatus and method designed for the detection, location and velocity of impacts for sports game feedback on player accuracy

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus for detecting sports object impact location detection and object velocity are provided. Integrated game systems for simulating sports for use as player and coaching aids are also provided.

1 . A sport equipment apparatus, comprising: 
 an impact surface;    an impact surface frame that supports the impact surface;    one or more impact detection sensor or sensors operably mounted on or proximal to the impact surface or impact surface frame; and,    a location and/or velocity measurement module that correlates data from the impact detection sensor to: velocity of an object detected by the sensor, detection of an object impacting the surface by the sensor, detection of a location of an object striking the impact surface by the sensor, or a combination thereof.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the impact surface comprises an impact plate attached to the impact surface frame to hold the impact surface upright.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the impact detection sensor or sensors are glued or mechanically fastened to the impact plate.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the impact surface comprises a sound deadening material.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the sound deadining material comprises foam glued to the impact plate.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the impact detection sensor or sensors comprising: a piezoelectric element or strain gage apparatus that converts a mechanical sound wave, pressure wave or mechanical strain field into an electrical analog signal, wherein the sensor or sensors are acoustically or mechanically operably coupled to the impact plate.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the location and/or velocity measurement module comprising: an amplifier that amplifies a signal from the impact sensor or sensors, highpass and lowpass filtering electronics to filter the signal, an analog-to-digital converter that converts an analog signal from the sensor or sensors into digital data, and software that analyzes the digital data.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the apparatus comprises a user viewable display coupled to the location and/or velocity measurement module, which display, during operation of the apparatus, displays the digital data, a user-viewable transformation of the digital data, or an analysis of the digital data.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the module determines an object arrival time, calculates object impact location, and correlates energy of the signal from the sensor or sensors to velocity of an object impact.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a game system, and game and training software that provides results to a user, which results are determined from the data.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising training and/or game software, a microprocessor that executes commands from the software, and a display that displays user-viewable outputs from the software, wherein the software accepts digital data from the location and/or velocity measurement module and provides training and game information, based on the digital data, via the display.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the training and/or game software determines a target location for a user to pitch at, analyzes object impact location data in relation to the target location, and determines one or more of: whether the target location was hit, whether the object impact corresponds to a ball or strike, or whether there is an error in the impact location; and, stores the object impact location data.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the game software analyzes the location data, determines whether the the object impact corresponds to a ball or a strike and, in the event of a strike, where the object impact within the strike zone, or in the event of a ball where the object impact is relative to the strike zone, and determines a game situation based on the object impact location.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is battery operated.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a radar gun that measures velocity of the object.  
     
     
         16 . A method of monitoring sport object impact detection, location and/or velocity, the method comprising: 
 detecting a mechanical sound wave, pressure wave or mechanical strain field resulting from impact of the object on a target impact surface;    converting the mechanical sound wave, pressure wave or mechanical strain field into an electrical signal; and,    converting the electrical signal into one or more measurement of impact location and/or velocity of the impact.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the object is a ball, disk, or puck.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mechanical sound wave, pressure wave or mechanical strain field is detected by one or more sensor or sensors that are mechanically or acoustically coupled to the target impact surface.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising correlating mechanical sound wave, pressure wave or mechanical strain field data to velocity, impact detection or location of the sport object striking the target impact surface.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining a target location on the target impact surface to pitch the sport object at, and analyzing object impact location data for impact of the sport object against the target impact surface, to determine whether an object impact is a ball or strike, and/or if the target location was hit, thereby determining accuracy of the pitch.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising displaying the target impact location data and one or more difference between object impact location data and the target location.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising storing the impact location or velocity data.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising displaying pitch accuracy information to a user, storing the pitch accuracy information, rating the player's performance or performance change over time, assigning one or more player rating to the player based upon the pitch accuracy information and displaying or printing the pitch accuracy information or player rating.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising transmitting the measurement of impact location and/or velocity to a microprocessor.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the transmission is a wired or wireless transmission.