System and methods for athletic drill training using networked devices

Abstract

A system and methods for athletic drill training using networked devices is presented. The networked devices are placed to lay out a drill for an athlete, and they include a sound source to indicate to the athlete where they should be at a given time. The system and methods are flexible enough to be used for most athletic drills. An input device for indicating the athlete is near the networked device can be added for agility drills.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An athletic drill training system comprising:
 a. a control unit,   b. a plurality of networked devices, wherein each networked device includes:
 i. a sound generating device, 
 ii. a housing configured to allow a sound signal to be heard by a user, 
 iii. a microprocessor capable of network communications that can handle multiple analog and/or digital inputs and outputs, and is capable of sending signals to and receiving signals from a control unit, 
 iv. wherein the networked device is configured to trigger the sound signal when it receives a signal from the control unit, 
 v. wherein the networked device is configured to send a signal to the control unit in response to the user triggering an input, and 
 vi. a power source. 
   c. wherein the control unit is configured to send and receive signals to and from the networked devices, and   d. a network connecting the networked devices together with the control unit.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the networked devices include an input device to indicate the athlete is near, the input device consisting of at least one of a: touch sensor, button, pressure plate, or proximity sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the sound source consists of at least one of a: buzzer, speaker, or audible vibration. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least a light generating module disposed with the housing, comprising one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising LED's to indicate a RSSI as good, moderate, or weak. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the housing includes an external antenna for extending a wireless network range. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the housing is portable. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the power source of the networked devices are rechargeable batteries. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the housing includes a solar panel to recharge the batteries. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the control unit is configured to receive information from a cellphone, tablet, or other mobile computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the networked devices are configured to turn on an output, emitting its sound for a predetermined time, when a signal is received from the control unit. 
     
     
         12 . A method of training an athlete comprising:
 a. Providing a system according to  claim 1 ,   b. placing the plurality of networked devices along a path to be traversed by the athlete,   c. wherein the networked devices are connected to a control unit via a network,   d. providing a cycle wherein:
 i. sending a signal from the control unit to a networked device, 
 ii. upon receiving the signal from the control unit, the networked device turns on an output, causing its sound source to turn on for a predetermined period of time, 
 iii. the control unit waits a predetermined period of time before ending the cycle, 
   e. wherein the cycle is repeated for either a predetermined time or until a predetermined number of cycles have elapsed.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of networked devices are equally spaced along the path to be traversed by an athlete. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the control unit contains various preconfigured drills, which define the sequence and time interval in which the networked devices are signaled. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the control unit contains an input defining the number of networked devices to be used for the selected drill. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the control unit contains an input defining the total number of cycles and/or total time that the drill will operate. 
     
     
         17 . A method of training an athlete comprising:
 a. Providing a system according to  claim 1 ,   b. placing a plurality of networked devices around the athlete,   c. wherein the networked devices include an input to indicate the athlete is near, the input device consisting of at least one of a: touch sensor, button, pressure plate, or proximity sensor,   d. wherein the networked devices are connected to a control unit via a network,   e. wherein the control unit starts a timer,   f. providing a cycle wherein:
 i. sending a signal from the control unit to a networked device, 
 ii. upon receiving the signal from the control unit, the networked device turns on an output, causing its sound source to turn on and stay on, 
 iii. wherein movement of the athlete towards the active sound generating module, the input is triggered to indicate_that the cycle has been completed, 
 iv. turning off an output, causing the sound source to turn off when the athlete has triggered the input, 
 v. sending a signal to the control unit from the_networked device indicating the cycle has been completed by the athlete, 
   g. wherein the cycle is repeated for either a predetermined time or until a predetermined number of cycles have elapsed.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of networked devices are placed in a semi-linear manner or in a pattern surrounding the athlete. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit contains various preconfigured drills, which define the sequence in which the networked devices are signaled. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit sends signals to the networked devices in a random order. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit contains an input defining the length of the drill, with an input of either number of cycles or total drill time. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit reports athletic performance in either the time it took to complete the preselected number of cycles, or the number of cycles that the athlete completed in the total drill time.