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Method, apparatus and computer program product for automatically analyzing human performanceRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Selection, Ball Direction, Or Distance Indicating AidMethod, apparatus and computer program product for automatically analyzing human performance description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060030430, Method, apparatus and computer program product for automatically analyzing human performance. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) [0001] The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/582,031, filed Jun. 22, 2004 and entitled Method and Apparatus for Automatically Analyzing Human Performance, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to techniques for automatically analyzing human performance, such as a golf swing. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] A wide variety of human performance statistics are collected and analyzed. In golf, for example, various parameters that define a golf shot are collected and analyzed. These parameters generally include distance downrange (typically either carry or total) and distance offline to the left or right. [0004] One such instance in which a variety of parameters that define a golf shot are collected and analyzed is in club fitting. In club fitting, a golfer takes a number of shots with each of several different clubs, such as several different drivers. Parameters including distance downrange and distance offline, are collected for each shot, such as by means of a launch monitor system, such as that described by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/360,196 filed Feb. 7, 2003 entitled "Methods, Apparatus and Computer Program Products for Processing Images of a Golf Ball" (the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety), or a distance measuring system, such as the Accushot.TM. system that is commercially available from Accusport International, Inc. of Winston-Salem, N.C. A person trained for club fitting can then analyze the golf shots as defined by the various parameters and recommend that the golfer subsequently use a particular golf club or a set of golf clubs in order to best match the golf clubs to their golf swing, thereby hopefully improving the golfer's performance. Alternately, club manufacturers have developed computer software applications for receiving and analyzing the parameters that define the shots taken by a golfer in order to similarly recommend a golf club or a set of golf clubs to the golfer. [0005] Unlike many other applications that generate a data set that is effectively smooth and continuous, human performance statistics including those that define a golf shot may commonly have one or more outliers as a result of the human element. In golf, for example, the parameters defining a missed shot would generally be outliers. Since the outliers differ substantially from the majority of the data, the outliers cause the data set to no longer be effectively smooth and continuous. As such, although the outlier may not be fairly representative of the general level of performance in the same manner that an infrequent missed shot is not representative of the golfer's typical shot, the outlier may have a significant deleterious effect upon any analysis of the parameters. For example, a missed shot may be defined by parameters that, when considered in combination with similar parameters defining other shots, undesirably influence the analysis of the golfer's swing and potentially result in the golfer being fit with clubs that are less than ideal. [0006] In order to address the spread of or variations in the data, human performance statistics are often analyzed on the basis of averages and standard deviations. These statistical measures also take into account outliers and therefore are similarly, albeit to a lesser degree, influenced in an adverse manner by the outliers. [0007] An additional issue with club fitting involves the adverse effect of golfer fatigue. In this regard, if the golfer fatigues during the club fitting process, the golf shots taken later in the session may not be truly representative of the golfer's performance. Fatigue is particularly an issue when the golfer misses shots since the golfer must take a sufficient number of shots with each club, such as three or more shots, that are representative of the golfer's true ability in order to maintain any level of accuracy and credibility in the fitting process. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] An apparatus, method and computer program product of embodiments of the present invention are therefore provided to address these and other shortcomings of the prior techniques. In this regard, the apparatus, method and computer program product of one embodiment permit human performance, such as a golf swing, to be analyzed based on data that is more truly representative without unnecessarily tiring the subject. [0009] In one embodiment, an apparatus, method and computer program product of the present invention analyze human performance as defined by an initial data set that is comprised of a plurality of data elements. Initially, at least one data element that constitutes an outlier is removed from the initial data set to create a representative data set, such as by removing a predetermined number of the largest and smallest data elements from the initial data set. A measure of the deviation, such as the standard deviation, of the representative data set is then determined. The initial data set is then filtered based, at least partially, upon the measure of deviation of the representative data set to create a filtered data set. The human performance is then analyzed based at least partially upon the filtered data set. In the apparatus embodiment, a processing element generally performs the foregoing functions. [0010] The human performance that is analyzed may be a golf shot. For example, embodiments of the present invention may be designed to analyze the downrange distance and/or the offline distance of a golf shot. In one embodiment, the data elements that comprise the initial data set are captured, such as by means of a sensor. For example, the sensor may comprise a launch monitor that captures the initial conditions and/or club swing parameters that constitute the data elements of the initial data set. [0011] By removing the outliers prior to analyzing the human performance, the analysis can be performed more credibly and accurately. Additionally, because of the removal of the outliers, a golfer need not fatigue themselves by hitting an excessive number of shots to insure that a representative data set is obtained, but can instead be apprised by the apparatus and method of one embodiment of the present invention that the representative data set is sufficiently large after removing any outliers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) [0012] Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: [0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention; and [0014] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating operations performed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0015] The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. [0016] An apparatus 10 for collecting and analyzing the parameters that define a golf shot is shown in FIG. 1. While the apparatus, method and computer program product will be primarily described in conjunction with golf and, more particularly, in conjunction with golf club fittings, the apparatus, method and computer program product can be employed in conjunction with the analysis of other human performance statistics. [0017] In the context of club fitting, however, a golfer takes a number of shots with each of a plurality of clubs. In order to analyze the golf shots so as to fit a golf club or set of golf clubs to the golfer's swing, a number of parameters that define each golf shot are collected. [0018] The apparatus 10 of one embodiment therefore includes a launch monitor as described in above-referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/360,196 to collect the parameters. While various parameters may be collected and analyzed, the apparatus, method and computer program product will be described to define golf shots in terms of downrange distance and offline distance. As shown in FIG. 1, therefore, the apparatus of one embodiment includes a sensor 12 positioned, generally, in front of or to the side of the golfer, to measure a plurality of initial conditions including initial ball velocity, vertical launch angle, lateral launch angle, dispersion angle, backspin, and side spin. The sensor can advantageously include at least one camera for capturing at least two images of the ball immediately after launch from which the foregoing initial conditions, including side spin, can be measured. In this regard, the sensor is described more fully by the above-referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/360,196. Although not necessary for the present invention, the sensor may also include a conventional club head sensor, if desired to collect club swing parameters. Continue reading about Method, apparatus and computer program product for automatically analyzing human performance... Full patent description for Method, apparatus and computer program product for automatically analyzing human performance Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method, apparatus and computer program product for automatically analyzing human performance patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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