Motion capture data fitting system

#One or more embodiments setting forth the ideas described throughout this disclosure pertain to the field of sporting equipment fitting. One or more embodiments present information associated with an optimally fitting piece of sporting equipment, for example the best performing piece of equipment associated with a group of second users within a range or correlation of size, range of motion or speed or any combination thereof, with respect to the user. For example, embodiments may present information related to a particular make, model, dimension, weight, length, stiffness, or other parameter associated with a piece of sporting equipment through use of a motion capture sensor to measure a user's various dimensions or sizes, range of motion and speed and/or acceleration for example. Embodiments for example prompt for and accept movement to determine distance and/or speed between two locations and/or through a rotation. For example embodiments may be utilized to determine height, arm length, wrist to floor distance, hand size, longest finger size, arm length, leg length torso length, range of motion, such as but not limited to flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, outward rotation, inward rotation, pronation, supination, inversion and eversion, and speed through any motion or rotation. The distance, range of motion and speed may be obtained for any limb or through motion of any joint or portion of the human body for example. Embodiments may further utilize the same sensor for example after coupling the sensor to the piece of equipment, to obtain motion capture data from the piece of equipment, such as speed of the equipment when moved through a typical type of motion for the piece of equipment, for example to further optimize the fit. The fit may be optimized by data mining or otherwise through calculation of a correlation of dimensions, range of motion, for example static-active, static-passive and/or dynamic/kinetic range of motion, speed/acceleration, etc., with various other users, whether alive or historical as calculated through visual or other methods. Embodiments thus determine the best performing equipment for that particular type of user, i.e., within a range of size, range of motion, speed, for example the make/model of the longest hitting, most accurate, maximum or minimum scoring, etc., as previously obtained and/or determined from or based on other users having the closest dimensions, range of motion and speed. Embodiments also enable purchasing of the equipment via the mobile device, whether the piece of equipment is shown on television or other broadcast or based on the user's previous performance data or current performance data. Embodiments may further be configured to predict a first derivative or other derivate based on age or growth rates to determine the best fitting equipment for children that will fit for the longest time or otherwise minimize costs and maximize usage of equipment as well. Other embodiments of the invention may suggest exercises and/or stretches that would improve performance to a predicted performance level based on other users performance data and suggest equipment that would be appropriate for an increase strength or flexibility so that users can “grow into” or “improve into” equipment. In addition, other embodiments of the invention may be utilized over time to detect tight areas or areas that may be indicative of injury for example and alert the user. One or more embodiments of the invention may be utilized for gait analysis for fitting of shoes.

#There are no known systems that use a given motion capture sensor to measure a user's size, range of motion, speed and then utilize that same sensor to capture motion data from a piece of sporting equipment, for example to further optimize the fit of a particular piece of sporting equipment or to gather performance data over time from the same sensor. Existing sporting equipment fitting systems are generally based on size measurements of a user. These systems generally do not take into account the range of motion or direct measurements of speed through the range of motion of various joints of a user to optimize a fit for a piece of sporting equipment. There are no known fitting systems based on motion capture data obtained from high resolution sensors, for example that include use of previously stored high resolution motion data from the user or other users or piece of equipment, or from motion capture data obtained through the analysis of historical videos for example. Known systems do not contemplate data mining of motion data and size, range of motion, speed and age of other users to maximize the performance of the user.

#In addition, known systems do not provide a sensor and “app” that may be inexpensively obtained and utilized on a ubiquitous mobile device such as a mobile telephone to prompt for and obtain distance, dimensions, range of motion, speed or other measurement data and suggest optimal equipment and enable the user to immediately purchase the optimally fitting equipment from the same mobile device.

#The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the ideas conveyed through this disclosure will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

#FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the system that enables a system and method for utilizing motion capture data.

#FIG. 1A illustrates a logical hardware block diagram of an embodiment of the computer.

#A fitting system for sporting equipment will now be described. In the following exemplary description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the ideas described throughout this specification. It will be apparent, however, to an artisan of ordinary skill that embodiments of ideas described herein may be practiced without incorporating all aspects of the specific details described herein. In other instances, specific aspects well known to those of ordinary skill in the art have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the disclosure. Readers should note that although examples of the innovative concepts are set forth throughout this disclosure, the claims, and the full scope of any equivalents, are what define the invention.

#FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the fitting system for sporting equipment 100. As shown, embodiments of the system generally include a mobile device 101 and applications that execute thereon, that includes computer 160, shown as located internally in mobile device 101 as a dotted outline, (i.e., also see functional view of computer 160 in FIG. 1A), display 120 coupled to computer 160 and a wireless communications interface (generally internal to the mobile device, see element 164 in FIG. 1A) coupled with the computer. Since mobile phones having mobile computers are ubiquitous, users of the system may purchase one or more motion capture elements and an application, a.k.a., “app”, that they install on their pre-existing phone to implement an embodiment of the system. Motion capture capabilities are thus available at an affordable price for any user that already owns a mobile phone, tablet computer, music player, etc., which has never been possible before. Embodiments of the mobile device execute the app, which is specifically programmed to prompt and accept motion inputs from a given motion capture sensor as moved by the user to specific locations or through rotations, to measure a dimension or size of user 150, or range of motion. For example, the app may prompt the user to move motion capture sensor 111 by hand, after removal from piece of equipment 110, between the user's other hand and shoulder. The distance between the two points is shown as length “L”, e.g., of the user's arm. In addition, the system may prompt the user for a range of motion, shown as “ROM” with the sensor held in the other hand and with the sensor moved by the user as prompted from the side to the highest point with the arm extended, or with the wrist rotated while at the same location, to measure that specific range of motion for that body part. Embodiments may optionally only measure a range of motion and determine “L” via as the center point of the radius of the range of motion as well. The system may also measure the speed, shown as “S” at the same time or with piece of equipment 110, e.g., after motion capture sensor 111 is again coupled with the piece of equipment as prompted by the system for example, or alternatively with an existing motion capture sensor mounted on the piece of equipment via mount 192. Embodiments may also then utilize the same sensor to capture motion data from the piece of equipment, for example to further optimize the fit of and/or further collect motion capture data. Embodiments may provide information related to the optimal fit or otherwise suggest purchase of a particular piece of sporting equipment. Embodiments may utilize correlation or other algorithms or data mining of motion data for size, range of motion, speed of other users to maximize the fit of a piece of equipment for the user based on other user's performance with particular equipment. For example, this enables a user of a similar size, range of motion and speed to data mine for the best performance equipment, e.g., longest drive, lowest putt scores, highest winning percentage, etc., associated with other users having similar characteristics.

#Specifically, one or more embodiments of the fitting system for sporting equipment include at least one motion capture element 111 that includes a wireless communication interface configured to transmit motion capture data from the at least one motion capture element and an application configured to execute on computer 160 within a mobile device, e.g., 101, 102, 102a, 102b, 103 or 105 that is configured to wirelessly communicate with the motion capture sensor, and optionally configured to telephonically communicate. FIG. 1G shows the processing that occurs on the computer. In one or more embodiments the application is configured to prompt a first user to move the motion capture sensor to a first location at 1181 and accept a first motion capture data from the motion capture sensor at the first location via the wireless communication interface, prompt the first user to move the motion capture sensor to a second location or rotation at 1182, accept a second motion capture data or rotation from the motion capture sensor at the second location via the wireless communication interface, calculate a distance or rotation at 1183 between the first and second location or rotation based on the first and second motion capture data. The distance may include a height or an arm length, or a torso length, or a leg length, or a wrist to floor measurement, or a hand size or longest finger size or both the hand size and longest finger size of the first user, or any combination thereof or any other dimension or length associated with the first user. Distances may be calculated by position differences, or by integrating velocity or doubly integrating acceleration, or in any other manner determining how far apart or how much rotation has occurred depending on the types of internal sensors utilized in the motion capture sensor as one skilled in the art will appreciate. For example, embodiments of the invention may prompt the user to hold the motion capture sensor in the user's hand and hold the hand on top of the user's head and then prompt the user to place the sensor on the ground, to calculate the distance therebetween, i.e., the height of the user. In another example, the system may prompt the user to hold the sensor in the hand, for example after decoupling the sensor from a golf club and then prompt the user to place the sensor on the ground. The system then calculates the distance as the “wrist to floor measurement”, which is commonly used in sizing golf clubs for example. Embodiments of the system may also prompt the user to move the sensor from the side of the user to various positions or rotational values, for example to rotate the sensor while at or through various positions to calculate the range of motion, for example through flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, lateral rotation, medial rotation, etc. Any of these characteristics, dimensions, distances, lengths or other parameters may be stored in Table 180a shown in FIG. 1B and associated with the particular user. In one or more embodiments, the application is further configured to prompt the first user to couple the motion capture sensor to a piece of equipment at 1184 and prompt the first user to move the piece of equipment through a movement at 1185, for example at the speed intended to be utilized when playing a particular sport or executing a particular movement associated with a piece of sporting equipment. The application is further configured to accept a third motion capture data from the motion capture sensor for the movement via the wireless communication interface and calculate a speed for the movement at 1186 based on the third motion capture data. In one or more embodiments, the application is configured to calculate a correlation at 1187 between the distance and the speed for the first user with respect to a plurality of other users and present information associated with an optimally fit or sized piece of equipment associated with other users. For example, the system may choose a second user having a maximum value correlation or correlation to the first user within a particular range, for example at least with the distance and the speed of the first user. The system may then search through the closest parameter users and choose the one with the maximum or minimum performance or score or distance of hitting, etc., and select the make/model of the piece of equipment for presentation to the user. For example, one such algorithm may for example provide a list of make and model of the lowest scoring golf shaft, or longest hitting baseball bat associated with a similar size/range of motion/speed user. Embodiments of the user may use the speed of the user through motions or the speed of the equipment through motions or both in correlation calculations for example. The information for the best performing make/model and size of the piece of equipment is presented to the user at 1188.