GB2355803A

GB2355803A - A training monitoring device for boxing

Info

Publication number: GB2355803A
Application number: GB0020987A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Barrett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-08-28
Filing date: 2000-08-29
Publication date: 2001-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 2020-08-29
Also published as: GB2355803B; GB9920357D0; GB0020987D0

Abstract

A training monitoring device for boxing comprising a controller and one or more wearable units attachable to an individual, wherein the controller and wearable unit (or units) operably communicate to synchronise timing and or to transfer data. The wearable unit may comprise a transducer for monitoring the power or number of punches delivered. A transmitter and receiver arrangement allows data to be transferred between the wearable unit and the controller. Preferably the transducer is a piezo-electric device.

Description

1 2355803 Training Device The invention relates to a training device and

in particular a device for monitoring a boxers training program.

The invention seeks to provide an improved device for monitoring training programs.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a monitoring device comprising a controller and one or more units for attachment to an individual, wherein the controller and unit (or units) operably communicate for example to synchronise timing and/or transfer the value of the power of a punch performed by the trainer in use.

Another aspect of the invention provides a training device for boxing comprising a controller and one or more wearable units attachable to an individual wherein the controller and the wearable unit (or units) communicate to synchronise timing and or transfer data. Preferred features of the invention include use of a piezoelectric transducer which can be adapted to determine the number of punches and or power of the punch within given periods of time such as predetermined rounds and or within a sequence of rounds for a:training session.

Preferably, the wearable units and the controller are adapted to synchronise transfer of data and or timing of rounds using timers preferably driven by oscillators which oscillate at the same frequency.

2 Preferably, the controller comprises a user output to tell the boxer when to box. In one form, the controller comprises a series of three lights (preferably red, yellow and green), which are lit to indicate the training mode. For example red can be used to indicate a rest period, red and yellow to indicate a ready to box mode and green used to indicate a boxing period.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a schematic view of a device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of a controller forming part of a device according to the invention; Figure 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of a wearable unit comprising part of the device according to the invention; and Figure 4 is a series of representations of displays shown to a user on the controller shown in Figures I and 2.

With reference to the drawings, there is shown a device 20 according to the invention comprising a controller 22 and wearable units 24 and 26. For example, units 24 and 26 can be worn around the wrists of a boxer during training.

3 Controller 22 comprises a display 28 such as a 16 by 2 LCD display, and a series of components 30 in the form of lights Ll, L2 and L3, which, can respectively be red, yellow and green whereas L4 and L5 are preferably a wireless receiver such as an infrared receiver and L5 is preferably a wireless transmitter such as an infrared transmitter. Lights LI, L2 and L3 are preferably LED's.

Controller 22 further comprises a series of buttons including a mode selector button 32, up and down scrolling buttons 34 and 36, and an on/off button 38.

Wearable units 24 and 26 preferably comprise a device for attaching to a user such as a wrist strap 40 and 46 respectively. Each preferably ftirther comprises a wireless receiver and transmitter such as infrared receiver and infrared transmitters 42, 48, 44 and 50 respectively.

Referring to Figure 2, controller 22 can be seen to comprise display 28 and buttons 32 to 38 for example. Each of these is controlled by a programmable logic's device 52 such as an IC 1 PIC I 6C6')A. In communication with microprocessor 52 there is also provided LED's L1, L2 and L3, and infrared receiver and transmitters L4 and L5. The circuit farthen comprises an oscillator 54 such as 4.19 MHz oscillator connected to the clock in and clock out pins on processor 52.

The circuit further comprises a speaker 56 for emitting audible signals to a user, and a power source 58 such as dry cell batteries.

The wearable units 24 and 26 are shown in Figure 3 to comprise the remote receiver and transmitters 42 and 44 (or in the other device 48 and 50), together with an onboard processor such as a PIC I 6C71 1. The units 24 and 26 further comprise an oscillator,b6 again such as 4.19 MHz oscillator in order to enable timing on board each of units 24 and 36, hence synchronisation with controller 22. Each unit 24 and 26 preferably comprises a portable power supply and on/off switch 68. Furthermore, a piezoelectric transducer 70 is provided in order to deterinine the level of power of any given punch carried out by a user. On switching the control unit 22 on the display 28 will show screen 8 (see figure 4) for 5 seconds, it will then change to screen 1. None of the LEDs will be lit at this time. Pressing the START/STOP button will change the display 28 to screen 12 at which time the user should hold the gloves up to the unit in order that the round timing clocks in the gloves can be synchronised with the clock in the display unit 22. The unit 22 will attempt to communicate with both gloves for a period of 20 seconds, if it fails to do so screen 15 will be shown for a few seconds. It will than show screen I again and wait until the STARUSTOP button 28 is pressed.

Once synchronisation has been achieved the display 28 will change to screen 10, the red and yellow LEDs will light, and the time will count down from ten seconds to zero. Ow reaching zero the buzzer 56 will sound, the red and yellow LEDs will go off a nd the green LED L') will come on and the display will show screen 9. At this point the user should begin boxing. The time on screen 9 will count down from 180 or 120 seconds towards zero. On reaching zero the buzzer will sound, the green LED will go out, the red LED will come on and screen 10 will be shown on the display. The timer will then start counting down from 60 seconds. When the rest period time has counted down the yellow LED will come on to warn the user that the next round is about to start.

The round number on screen 9 will increment at the end of each round, when the round number reaches the value set on screen 4 the unit will show screen I I.- When the user holds the gloves up to the unit the information will be downloaded from each of the gloves in turn, when this has bee successfully completed the display will show screen 6.

If the START/STOP button is pressed during a session then the session will be terminated and screen 11 will be shown on the display so the data collected can be downloaded.

The MODE button is used in conjunction with the UP/DOWN buttons to select which of the screens 1 - 7 are shown on the display. Every time an UP/DOWN button is pressed whilst the MODE button is held down the display will move up or down the list of screens I to 7. The ftinction of each of these screens is listed below: - Screen I - this is used to start a session as described above.

Screen 2 - this screen allows the user to erase the data stored under a particular session number. The session number can be changed using the UP/DOXATN buttons. Pressing the START/STOP button will clear the session data.

Screen 3 - this screen allows the user to clear all the data stored under all the sessions at once. Pressing the START/STOP button will clear all the session data.

6 Screen 4 - this screen allows the user to set how many rounds in a session by using the UP/DOWN buttons. Maximum of 16 Screen 5 - this screen allows the user to select between 2 or 3 minute rounds by using the UP/DOWN buttons.

Screen 6 - this shows the results achieved in the rounds of the currently selected session. At the top left of the display is the session number and the bottom left shows the round number. Pressing the UP/DOWN buttons will show the different rounds. The top line shows the number of hits and maximum power for the left glove and the bottom line shows Ahe same information for the right glove.

$creen 7 - this is used to show the current session number, this can be changed by using the UP/DOWN buttons. The maximum number of sessions the unit can store is 63.

Screen 8 - this shows the name of the product and the version number of the software when the unit is first switched on.

Screen 9 - this shows the round number and the time, in seconds, to go before the end of the round.

Screen 10 - this shows the rest time, in seconds, to go before the start of the next round.

7 Screen I I - this requests the user to hold up the gloves so the information in them can be downloaded to the display unit via the infrared communications system. The effective range will be about I metre maximum.

Screen 12 - this requests the use to hold up the gloves so the clocks can be synchronised with the clock in the display unit.

Screen 13 - this screen is shown when the START/STOP button is pressed when screen 2 is on the display.

Screen 14 - this screen is shown when the START/STOP button is pressed when screen 3 is on the display.

Screen 15 - this screen is shown if the display fails to achieve synchronisation of the clocks in both gloves.

Claims

1. A training device for boxing comprising a controller and one or more wearable units attachable to an individual, wherein the controller and wearable unit (or units) operably communicate to synchronise timing and or to transfer data.

2. A device according to claim 1 comprising two wearable units each attachable to a boxers wrist, forearm or glove.

A device according to claim 2 wherein each wearable unit comprises independent means for communicating with the controller.

4. A device according to claim 2 or 3 wherein each wearable unit comprises a receiver and a transmitter.

5. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the attachable unit (or unit-,)) comprises a transducer for monitoring punches delivered by a boxer.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein a transducer comprises a piezoelectric device.

7. A device according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the transducer is adapted to enable determination of the power of a punch delivered by a boxer.

8. A device according to any of the claims 5, 6 or 7 wherein the transducer is adapted to enable determination of the number of punches delivered by a boxer.

9. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the wearable unit (or units) comprises a processing circuit for processing data regarding punches delivered by a boxer.

10. A device according to claim 9 ftirther comprising a clock or timer to enable synchronisation of the processing circuit with the controller thereby to enable synchronised transfer of data between the wearable unit (or units) and the controller.

9

11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the timer comprises an oscillator such as a 4.19MHz oscillator.

12. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the controller comprises a timer-or clock to enable synchronisation of the controller with the wearable unit (or units) thereby to enable data transfer there between.

13. A device according to claim 12 wherein the timer comprises an oscillator such as a 4.19MHz oscillator.

14. A device according to claims 11 and 13 wherein the wearable unit oscillator and the controller oscillator both oscillate at substantively the same frequency.

15. A device according to claim 14 comprising two wearable units each comprising an oscillator for a timing circuit, and a controller comprising a timing circuit having an oscillator, wherein all oscillators operate at substantively the same frequency.

16. A device according to claim 15 wherein the controller is adapted to synchronise the transfer of data between one of the pair of wearable units prior to downloading data from the other of the wearable units.

17. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the wearable unit transfers data comprising one or more of the following:a label identifying the unit as a left or right hand unit, maximum power for a punch within a series of punches such as for a timed! round, and the total number of punches within a sequence of timing such as a timed round.

18. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the controller comprises a user output to provide the user with an indication of three training modes such as rest, ready to box and box.

19. A device according to claim 18 wherein the user output comprises three lights.

20. A device according to claim 19 comprising a red, yellow and green light.

2 1. A device according to claim 20 adapted to display the red light to indicate a red period, the red and yellow lights to indicate a ready to box period, and the green light to indicata a I box period.