Wireless and visual hybrid motion capture system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9320957-B2
Application number	US-90180610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2010
Priority date	Aug 26, 2010
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

The system includes motion capture elements such as visual markers and sensors utilized in the capture of motion data both wirelessly and visually. The system may send a unique identifier and spatial data over a self-contained radio and antenna wirelessly to an external system that may analyze and display the spatial data in a user-friendly manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A motion capture system comprising:
at least one sensor configured to obtain spatial data;
a microcontroller coupled with said at least one sensor;
a unique identifier associated with said microcontroller;
a radio coupled with said microcontroller;
an antenna coupled with said radio;
a battery coupled with said at least one sensor, said microcontroller and said radio;
a mounting board coupled with said at least one sensor, said microcontroller, said radio and said antenna;
a closure cap comprising an outer portion and configured to cover said mounting board;
a visual marker coupled with said outer portion of said closure cap, wherein said visual marker comprises a plurality of positionally offset visual elements positioned on a background color,
wherein said plurality of positionally offset visual elements are arranged in a non-linear pattern and are offset from each other,
wherein said plurality of positionally offset visual elements do not overlap wherein said plurality of positionally offset visual elements comprises positionally offset dots or non-parallel lines or both said positionally offset dots and said non-parallel lines, wherein the plurality of positionally offset visual elements enable visual determination of a rotational orientation of the visual marker from a point orthogonal to a plane that passes through the plurality of positionally offset visual elements,
wherein each of said plurality of positionally offset visual elements comprise differing visual characteristics than said background color, and,
wherein said visual marker is configured enable an external camera to visually track said at least one sensor
to determine position and distance to said visual marker, and
to determine a rotational characteristic of said visual marker; and,

a computer, wherein said computer is configured to
display a location where said at least one motion capture element is currently placed or is to be placed on said user or said piece of equipment;
prompt said user to move said at least one motion capture element that is currently placed or is to be placed on said location on said user or on said piece of equipment and obtain user input comprising said user moving said at least one motion capture element from said prompt to
associate said at least one motion capture element with assigned locations on the user's body or on said piece of equipment to acknowledge which motion capture of said at least one motion capture element said computer is requesting identity for; and,

accept said data comprising an identity from said at least one motion capture element;
obtain said identity of a particular motion capture element based on said data; and,
assign said identity of said particular motion capture element to said location where said at least one motion capture element is currently placed or is to be placed on said user or on said piece of equipment based on said user moving said at least one motion capture element from said prompt; and,

wherein said microcontroller is programmed to
obtain said spatial data from said at least one sensor, and,
transmit
said unique identifier and
said spatial data,
via said radio and said antenna.

2. The motion capture system of claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor includes an accelerometer or a gyroscope or a magnetometer or any combination thereof.

3. The motion capture system of claim 1 wherein said spatial data includes any value associated with an orientation, position, velocity, acceleration of said at least one sensor.

4. The motion capture system of claim 1 wherein said microcontroller further comprises a memory unit configured to store said unique identifier.

5. The motion capture system of claim 1 wherein said radio enables interference free communication.

6. The motion capture system of claim 1 wherein said radio selects a channel to communicate from multiple available channels of communication.

7. The motion capture system of claim 6 wherein said system further comprises a plurality of radios coupled with said piece of equipment without communication interference from each respective radio in each of said motion capture system.

8. The motion capture system of claim 6 wherein said radio allows a plurality of pieces of equipment associated with a player to communicate said spatial data without communication interference from said plurality of pieces of equipment associated with a player.

9. The motion capture system of claim 6 wherein said radio allows a plurality of pieces of equipment associated with a plurality of players to communicate said spatial data without communication interference from said plurality of pieces of equipment associated with said plurality of players.

10. The motion capture system of claim 1 , wherein said computer is further configured to obtain said user input associated with said at least one sensor from a user to determine and assign the location of said at least one sensor on a particular area on one or more of said user and a piece of equipment based on said spatial data.

11. The motion capture system of claim 1 further comprising a heat sink on said mounting board configured to fit into an end of a piece of equipment.

12. The motion capture system of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connection from a first motion capture system coupled to a piece of equipment, to a second motion capture system coupled to said piece of equipment to enable electrical charging of said first and said second motion capture systems simultaneously.

13. The motion capture system of claim 1 wherein said adapter is configured to couple said mounting board within a weight port of a piece of equipment.

14. The motion capture system of claim 1 wherein said adapter is configured to couple said mounting board within a piece of equipment.

15. The motion capture system of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical charger coupled with said battery and configured to charge said battery through mechanical motion.

16. A motion capture system comprising:
at least one sensor configured to obtain spatial data;
wherein said spatial data includes any value associated with an orientation, position, velocity, acceleration of said at least one sensor;

a microcontroller coupled with said at least one sensor;
a unique identifier associated with said microcontroller;
a computer;
wherein said computer is configured to
display a location where said at least one motion capture element is currently placed or is to be placed on said user or said piece of equipment;
prompt said user to move said at least one motion capture element that is currently placed or is to be placed on said location on said user or on said piece of equipment and obtain user input associated with said at least one sensor from a user comprising said user moving said at least one motion capture element from said prompt, to
associate said at least one motion capture element with assigned locations on the user's body or on said piece of equipment to acknowledge which motion capture of said at least one motion capture element said computer is requesting identity for, and
determine and assign the location of said at least one sensor on a particular area on one or more of said user and a piece of equipment based on said spatial data;

accept said data comprising an identity from said at least one motion capture element;
obtain said identity of a particular motion capture element based on said data;
assign said identity of said particular motion capture element to said location where said at least one motion capture elem

Assignees

• Bentley Michael
• Blast Motion Inc

Inventors

• Bentley Michael

Classifications

• A63B2225/20

  with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like · CPC title

• G06K9/00342

  Physics · mapped topic

• H04M2250/52

  including functional features of a camera · CPC title

• A63B69/3614

  using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club · CPC title

• A63B71/0622

  Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user · CPC title