IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,491,425
Granted Patent B2
US 12,491,425 · App. 17/573,920 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

System, method, and apparatus for monitoring sporting apparatus and users thereof

Inventors: Michael J. Kline (Corona Del Mar, CA); John Rae (Westminster, CA); Scott Carlyle (Kobe, JP); Kirk Bacon (Long Beach, CA); Patrick Ripp (Seal Beach, CA); Jeff Brunski (Los Angeles, CA); Jay Vogler (Huntington Beach, CA); Dustin Brekke (Fountain Valley, CA)
Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO., LTD.
A63B71/0619A63B24/0003A63B69/00A63B69/0002A63B69/0015A63B69/0026G06F1/3206G06F3/00G06F3/014G09B19/0038A63B2069/0008A63B2071/0663A63B2208/0204A63B2220/18A63B2220/62G06Q10/0639
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,491,425
App. No.
17/573,920
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system may comprise one or more monitoring devices that may communicate with a mobile device or a wearable device worn by a user of a sporting apparatus. The system may enable motion data specific to motion of the sporting apparatus to be conveniently captured and transmitted, and displayed on the wearable device. The system may include functionality to permit disablement of the motion detecting, transmission, and/or displaying functions at times when such functions are not permitted to be used, and to record the date, time, and location when such functions have been disabled to permit verification thereof by a governing body or sporting organization. The system may further include a learning module enabling monitored motion of the object to be correlated to monitored motion of the user such that predictive motion of the sporting object based only on monitored motion of the user may be obtained and displayed.

Claims (29)

1 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computing device cause said computing device to effectuate operations comprising:

receiving first data associated with a monitoring device associated with a sporting apparatus or a wearable device associated with the sporting apparatus;

determining, based on the first data and a criteria, to place into a sleep mode the monitoring device associated with the sporting apparatus or the wearable device associated with the sporting apparatus; and

transmitting, based on the determining to place into the sleep mode the monitoring device associated with the sporting apparatus or the wearable device associated with the sporting apparatus, instructions to the monitoring device associated with the sporting apparatus or the wearable device associated with the sporting apparatus to enter into the sleep mode,

the sleep mode preventing one or more devices from displaying the first data while the monitoring device or the wearable device still receives or transmits the first data, and

the criteria comprises a date and time.

2 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the criteria further comprises a location of use of the sporting apparatus.

3 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the criteria further comprises a location of the device.

4 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , the operations further comprising receiving haptic sensory feedback as a reminder of the sleep mode commencing.

5 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the sporting apparatus is selected from a group comprising a golf club, a tennis racket, a squash racket, a racquetball racket, a baseball bat, a softball bat, a cricket bat, a hockey stick, a sports shoe, a ball, a puck, a boxing glove, sports apparel, or a lacrosse stick.

6 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the wearable device is article of clothing.

7 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computing device cause said computing device to effectuate operations comprising:

receiving, by a monitoring device of a sporting apparatus, first data; and

receiving, by the monitoring device of the sporting apparatus, instructions to enter into a sleep mode based on a criteria,

the sleep mode preventing one or more devices from displaying the first data while the monitoring device or a wearable device still receives or transmits the first data,

and

the criteria comprises a date and time;

based on receiving the instructions to enter into a sleep mode, disabling the ability of the monitoring device to transmit data that corresponds to monitoring of the sporting apparatus.

8 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the one or more devices comprises at least one of the wearable device, a mobile device, or the monitoring device.

9 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the criteria comprises a location of the monitoring device.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the criteria comprises a threshold number of other monitoring devices that are in proximity of the sporting apparatus.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:

preventing wireless transmission of the first data based on the instructions to enter into the sleep mode.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:

responsive to the received instructions to enter into the sleep mode, transmitting instructions to the one or more devices to not display output based on the first data.

13 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:

responsive to the received instructions to enter into the off mode, transmitting instructions to the one or more devices to not transmit output based on the first data.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the sporting apparatus is selected from a group comprising a golf club, a tennis racket, a squash racket, a racquetball racket, a baseball bat, a softball bat, a cricket bat, a hockey stick, a sports shoe, a ball, a puck, a boxing glove, sports apparel, or a lacrosse stick.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the monitoring device comprises a port configured to receive a wired connection in order to upload the first data in response to operation of the sporting apparatus from the monitoring device to a computing device for one or more of storage, processing, transmitting, and display.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE FIFTH ASSIGNOR'S NAME INSIDE THE ASSIGNMENT DOCUMENT AND ON THE COVER SHEET PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058630 FRAME: 0646. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: KLINE, MICHAEL J.; RAE, JOHN; CARLYLE, SCOTT; BACON, KIRK; RIPP, PATRICK; BRUNSKI, JEFF; VOGLER, JAY; BREKKE, DUSTIN
To: DUNLOP SPORTS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 058945/0851 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2022
From: KLINE, MICHAEL J.; RAE, JOHN; CARLYLE, SCOTT; BACON, KIRK; RIPP, PAT; BRUNSKI, JEFF; VOGLER, JAY; BREKKE, DUSTIN
To: DUNLOP SPORTS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 058630/0646 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16885621 · May 28, 2020
Continuation 15923688 · Mar 16, 2018
Division 14694568 · Apr 23, 2015
Related Publication 20220134208A1 · May 5, 2022
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