Improved method and apparatus for sports and muscle memory training and tracking

Abstract

An accelerometer is mounted on a location of a user's body, sports equipment, or other device and tracks movement. Data describing the user's movement(s) may be saved or uploaded for distribution. The user's movement(s) may be compared to previously saved or downloaded movement data and an audio, vibrational, electrical, or other alert may be activated when the movement data is outside a predetermined range from the previously saved, pre-programmed, or downloaded movement. The invention is useful at least in various forms of physical therapy, sports training, and job training, and provides synergy when utilized in conjunction with other motion help related devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 an accelerometer;   a processing device configured to receive data from the accelerometer and compare motion(s) indicated by the accelerometer data to previously stored motion(s);   a feedback mechanism configured to notify a user of the device about at least one aspect of a user motion;   wherein the feedback is based on a comparison of a user motion captured in the received data of a practice motion of less than full speed to a previously stored same motion in full speed.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the feedback comprises a visual representation of which direction the user should be moving. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the visual representation comprises lights illuminated in a correct direction the user should be moving. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the visual representation comprises lights having a color representative of a direction the user should be moving. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the user's motion is evaluated without taking account of the motion's speed. 
     
     
         6 . A motion device configured to compare a stored motion to a motion being performed by a user wearing the motion device wherein the comparison accounts for speed differences between the stored motion and the motion being performed as if the motions were performed at the same speed. 
     
     
         7 . The motion device according to  claim 6 , wherein the stored motion comprises an full-speed motion comprising a set of accelerometer-like data points throughout the stored motion, wherein the comparison adjusts one of the stored motion or the motion being performed by one of adding, removing, or interpolating data points therein to compensate for speed such that the motions are capable of being compared at similar points. 
     
     
         8 . The motion device according to  claim 7 , wherein the adding, removing, or interpolating is performed at different rates through different portions of the motion. 
     
     
         9 . A device comprising:
 an accelerometer;   a processing device configured to receive data from the accelerometer and compare motion(s) indicated by the accelerometer data to previously stored motion(s); a communication mechanism configured to send an indicia of proficiency of a user motion relative to the previously stored motion(s) to an online gaming platform.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the online gaming platform utilizes the user's proficiency to enable one or more features of one or more games on the platform. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein the feature(s) comprise one or more of a level, a weapon, a tool, a key or other items in one or more of the games.