Systems and Methods for Sports Training

Abstract

A sports training system can include a target board and a controller configured to control operations of the target board. The target board can be configured to be hit by a ball that is struck by a player, and rebound the ball to the player. The target board can include a plurality of board zones and vibration sensors respectively corresponding to the board zones. Each vibration sensor can sense vibration of a respective board zone. The controller can control illumination of a light source to designate one of the board zones as a target board zone for the player to hit with the ball, and determine whether the ball has hit the target board zone based on whether a vibration signal characteristic of the target board zone being hit by the ball is received from the vibration sensor corresponding to the target board zone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sports training system, comprising:
 a controller;   a target board including at least one board zone configured to be impacted by a sports implement; and   at least one vibration sensor and at least one light source, each vibration sensor among the at least one vibration sensor and each light source among the at least one light source being operatively coupled to the controller and respectively operably coupled to a corresponding board zone among the at least one board zone,   wherein each vibration sensor is configured to generate a vibration signal in response to vibration of the corresponding board zone, and   wherein the controller is configured to
 select a board zone among the at least one board zone as a target to be hit by the sports implement, 
 place the light source operatively coupled to the selected board zone in an illumination state indicating that the selected board zone is the target, and 
 determine whether the sports implement has hit the selected board zone based on whether the controller receives the vibration signal generated by the vibration sensor operatively coupled to the selected board zone. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sports training system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the sports implement has hit the selected board zone, in response to a combination of: 1) the controller receiving the vibration signal generated by the vibration sensor operatively coupled to the selected board zone; and 2) the vibration signal generated by the vibration sensor operatively coupled to the selected board zone having an amplitude greater than a threshold amplitude. 
     
     
         3 . The sports training system of  claim 2 , wherein the vibration sensor operatively coupled to the selected board zone is configured to generate the vibration signal having the amplitude greater than the threshold amplitude, in response to any one or more of a pickleball, a tennis ball, a baseball, and a football hitting the selected board zone. 
     
     
         4 . The sports training system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to place the light source in an illumination state indicating that the sports implement has hit the selected board zone, in response to the controller determining that the sports implement has hit the selected board zone. 
     
     
         5 . The sports training system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one sensing panel respectively mounted on the at least one board zone,   wherein the vibration sensor operably coupled to the corresponding board zone is operably coupled to a corresponding sensing panel, among the at least one sensing panel, that is mounted on the corresponding board zone, and   wherein the corresponding sensing panel is configured to vibrate in response to the vibration of the corresponding board zone.   
     
     
         6 . The sports training system of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one board zone comprises a plurality of board zones, said at least one vibration sensor comprises a plurality of vibration sensors, said at least one light source comprises a plurality of light sources, and said at least one sensing panel comprises a plurality of sensing panels. 
     
     
         7 . The sports training system of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one sensing panel comprises a plurality of sensing panels that are positioned relative to one another, and wherein each of the sensing panels is vibrationally isolated relative to a remainder of the sensing panels. 
     
     
         8 . The sports training system of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is disposed on a master sensing panel among the at least one sensing panel. 
     
     
         9 . The sports training system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one audio output device operably coupled to the controller,   wherein the at least one audio output device is configured to generate an audio output in response to the controller determining that the sports implement has hit the selected board zone.   
     
     
         10 . The sports training system of  claim 1 , wherein the target board is configured to extend substantially perpendicular to a ground surface. 
     
     
         11 . The sports training system of  claim 1 , wherein the target board is configured to extend substantially parallel to a ground surface. 
     
     
         12 . The sports training system of  claim 1 , wherein the sports implement is a ball, and the at least one board zone extends substantially perpendicular to a ground surface and is configured to cause the ball to rebound off the at least one board zone after the ball hits the at least board zone. 
     
     
         13 . The sports training system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a score for a user of the sports implement based on an outcome of the step of determining whether the sports implement has hit the selected board zone. 
     
     
         14 . A sports training system, comprising:
 a first controller;   a first target board including at least one first board zone configured to be impacted by a first sports implement;   at least one first vibration sensor and at least one first light source, each first vibration sensor among the at least one first vibration sensor and each first light source among the at least one first light source being operatively coupled to the first controller and respectively operably coupled to a corresponding first board zone among the at least one first board zone, and each first vibration sensor being configured to generate a first vibration signal in response to vibration of the corresponding first board zone; and   a first user device in communication with the first controller, said first user device being operated by a first user of the first sports implement,   wherein the first controller is configured to implement a first training session including one or more first scoring intervals and, in each first scoring interval,   select a first board zone among the at least one first board zone as a first target to be hit by the first sports implement,   place the first light source operatively coupled to the selected first board zone in an illumination state indicating that the selected first board zone is the first target, and   determine whether the first sports implement has hit the first selected board zone based on whether the first controller receives the first vibration signal generated by the first vibration sensor operatively coupled to the selected first board zone,   wherein either one of the first controller and the first user device is configured to determine first scoring information of the first training session, based on an outcome of the step of determining whether the first sports implement has hit the first selected board zone, and
 wherein the first user device is configured to execute a software application to display the first scoring information in one or more first graphic user interfaces (GUIs). 
   
     
     
         15 . The sports training system of  claim 14 , wherein the first controller is further configured to determine that the first sports implement has hit the selected first board zone, in response to a combination of: 1) the first controller receiving the first vibration signal generated by the first vibration sensor operatively coupled to the selected first board zone; and 2) the first vibration signal generated by the first vibration sensor operatively coupled to the first selected board zone having an amplitude greater than a threshold amplitude. 
     
     
         16 . The sports training system of  claim 14 , wherein the first controller is configured to determine the first scoring information and send the first scoring information to the first user device. 
     
     
         17 . The sports training system of  claim 14 , wherein the first user device is configured to:
 receive, from the first controller, information about the outcome of the step of determining whether the first sports implement has hit the first selected board zone; and   determine the first scoring information.   
     
     
         18 . The sports training system of  claim 16 , wherein the first user device is further configured to determine the first scoring information by executing the software application to calculate the first scoring information. 
     
     
         19 . The sports training system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a server in communication with either one or both of the first controller and the first user device,   wherein the server is configured to store the first scoring information and profile information of the first user that is entered into the software application through the first user device.   
     
     
         20 . The sports training system of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a second controller;   a second target board including at least one second board zone configured to be impacted by a second sports implement;   at least one second vibration sensor and at least one second light source, each second vibration sensor among the at least one second vibration sensor and each second light source among the at least one second light source being operatively coupled to the second controller and respectively operably coupled to a corresponding second board zone among the at least one second board zone, and each second vibration sensor being configured to generate a second vibration signal in response to vibration of the corresponding second board zone; and   a second user device in communication with the second controller, said second user device being operated by a second user of the second sports implement,   wherein the second controller is configured to implement a second training session including one or more second scoring intervals and, in each second scoring interval,   select a second board zone among the at least one second board zone as a second target to be hit by the second sports implement,   place the second light source operatively coupled to the selected second board zone in an illumination state indicating that the selected second board zone is the second target, and   determine whether the second sports implement has hit the second selected board zone based on whether the second controller receives the second vibration signal generated by the second vibration sensor operatively coupled to the selected second board zone,   wherein either one of the second controller and the second user device is configured to determine second scoring information of the second training session, based on an outcome of the step of determining whether the second sports implement has hit the second selected board zone,   wherein the second user device is configured to execute the software application to display the second scoring information in one or more second GUIs, and   wherein the server is in communication with either one or both of the second controller and the second user device, and is further configured to store the second scoring information and profile information of the second user that is entered into the software application through the second user device.