The present invention relates to sports bats, in particular the present invention relates to sports bats with a data capture system for monitoring the performance of the bat and /or a sportsman using the bat or the external playing conditions.

Bats, racquets, clubs etc used in sports for hitting a ball or similar object (hereinafter collectively referred to as bats) are commonplace. Technology is becoming more integrated into sports and in particular into cricket. For example the use of monitoring systems for monitoring the flight of balls mid air is frequently used both for broadcasting coverage and also for assisting umpiring and training. Some high technology is now finding its way into sports bats themselves, for example the "Smart Cricket Bat" developed by RMIT University Melbourne in conjunction with the Australian Research Council, Kookaburra Sport and sensor company Davidson Measurement. The bat incorporates electro-mechanical sensors and vibration absorbing synthetic polymeric material into its handle to reduce vibration up to 42% thereby assisting big hitting batsmen.

The benefits of technology have the potential to assist in coaching and monitoring of sportsmen as well as assisting in the monitoring and design of sports equipment by manufacturers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sports bat having improved data capture and processing facilities.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a sports bat comprising a handle by which the bat can be held and a playing surface for striking a ball wherein the playing surface has a plurality of sensors associated therewith for detecting impact upon said playing surface and outputting a signal indicative thereof.

Preferably the plurality of sensors comprises a network of sensors arranged to divide the playing surface into a plurality of polygonal sensing areas, the sensors at the apexes of each polygonal area having a sensing range that extends at least over the entire polygonal sensing area for which it forms an apex. Preferably the sensing areas are triangular or rectangular. The output signal of said sensors may comprise an analogue signal, the magnitude of said signal indicative of the force of an impact upon the bat. Alternatively the output may comprise a digital electronic signal indicative of the force of an impact upon the bat.

The sports bat preferably further comprises a microprocessor embedded in the handle of the sports bat and a plurality of electrical connections leading from each sensor to the microprocessor.

The microprocessor may determine which sensing area an impact occurs on and, furthermore, may perform an algorithm on the signals received from at least the three sensors at the apexes of the polygonal sensing area an impact occurs on and creates a signal indicative of the location of said impact on the sports bat and/or indicative of the magnitude of said impact on the sports bat.

Preferably the sports bat further comprises a wireless communications module within the handle of the sports bat for communicating data from the microprocessor to remote location. The remote location may for example be a computer from which the coach or a manufacturer can monitor the sportsman's and or the bats performance.

The sports bat preferably has a battery within the handle of said sports bat which may be rechargeable. Where the battery is rechargeable it may be permanently integrated within the handle and the sports bat may be provided with one of: a socket for receiving a power lead to recharge the battery; and two electrical contacts on an exterior surface of the sports bat to enable the bat to be plugged into a re-charger.

In one arrangement the sports bat may further comprise a memory means within the handle for storing the impact history of the bat. It may also comprise a data connection socket via which data stored in said memory can be retrieved.

In a preferred arrangement the sports bat has a playing surface on front side thereof and a non playing surface on a reverse side thereof and the sensors are located on the reverse side. The sensors are preferably substantially flat and are covered with an adhesive label and the electrical connections are printed on a flexile substrate or directly onto the bat. Alternatively the sensors may be mounted elsewhere on the bat or embedded therein

In a preferred arrangement the sports bat has at least one edge surface and at least one sensor mounted on said edge surface.

The sensors are preferably vibration sensors but other sensors capable of outputting a signal in response to an impact may be used, for example accelerometers seismic sensors, tilt sensors, motion sensors and/or inertial sensors.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a monitoring system for a sportsman, the system comprising a sports bat according to the first aspect of the invention and a body area network comprising a plurality of sensors located on said sportsman for recording one or more of: heart rate, body temperature and localized impact and or vibration at various locations on the sportsman's body and/or clothing.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows the back of a cricket bat according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a front view of a cricket bat of the invention showing the division of the playing surface into sensing areas;

Figure 3 shows a side view of a cricket bat according to the invention having side sensors;

Figure 4 shows a schematic cross section of a handle of a bat of the invention.

Referring to the Figures a cricket bat 100 is shown. The bat has, located on its back surface 104 a plurality of sensors 102 that divide the playing surface 106 into a plurality of triangular sensing areas 108 defined by sensors 102 at their apexes.

The sensors 102 are preferably MEMS sensors, for example the VS9100.D vibration sensor available from Colibrys, or similar. It will be appreciated by the skilled person that other types of sensors, for example MEMS vibration sensors may be used. Upon impact the sensors 102 output a signal via an electrical connection 110 to a microprocessor 112.

The electrical connection may of course be a standard electrical wire but is preferably a conductive path that is printed onto a flexible substrate in the manner used in the preparation of flexible circuit boards, or alternatively may be printed directly onto the rear face of the bat. If the sensors are elsewhere on the bat, for example embedded therein the electrical connections will, of course, be modified accordingly

It is preferable that the sensors 102 and the electrical connections 110 are produced as part of an adhesive sticker which is applied over the rear face 104 of the bat 100. The sticker may be branded on its outwardly facing side

The sensors 102 output an analogue or digital signal indicative of the magnitude of the impact. The microprocessor 112 identifies the sensors closest to the point of impact by examining the individual and comparative magnitude of the signals received from the individual sensors 102, and then performs a triangulation algorithm upon these signals so as to identify an actual location of impact. The triangulation may be based on a minimum of three signals but, depending on the layout of the sensors, may beneficially be based on a minimum of four sensors. The signals from the sensors may also be used to calculate/derive the actual magnitude of the impact.

The bat 100 further comprises a communications module 114 for communicating the data from the bat to an external data collection/analysis point.

The communications module may be any known type incorporating, for example mobile telephone technology, Wi-Fi, or other wireless means for distance communication (short, medium, long range) or may for example include a low powered blue tooth communications device that transmits to a repeater or data collection point located in close proximity to the batsman, for example incorporated into the stumps camera position located closely behind the batsman, or some portable digital data acquisition device (PDA, Mobile Phone etc.). By using such technology with a short range communications module 114 only data from a bat in close proximity to the wicket will be captured. This greatly simplifies the system as the data of the batsman will always be captured irrespective of any changes of batsmen and their associated individual bats 100.

The microprocessor 114 is located in the handle 115 of the bat. A battery 116 is also incorporated within the handle of the bat and provides a source of power to the microprocessor, communication module and the sensors. The battery 116 is of the rechargeable type as well known and used in mobile electronic devices. The battery may have a socket for receiving a recharge cable or may, as shown, have two electrical contacts 118 on the exterior thereof to enable the bat to be attached to a re- charger.

The handle of the bat 100 also contains a memory module 120 which is preferably a solid state memory to which data collected and processed by the microprocessor is sent and stored. The handle is further supplied with a data port 122, for example a USB or mini USB socket by which the bat 100 can be connected to, for example a computer, to download the strike history of the bat. It will be appreciated that the provision of a data port is not necessary and that the data from the memory module 120 may be communicated wirelessly to a computer using the communications module 11 .

In addition to the sensors described above the bat may have sensors 102a along its side edges (see fig 3) which are sensitive to very small contacts of the ball with the side face of the bat when the player misses the ball with the playing surface, commonly referred to as a "snick" in cricket. Such plays are often visually hard to identify for the umpire and therefore such sensors can be used in assisting umpires decisions during play.

The bat may also have impact or vibration sensors on its handle (not shown) which measure the impact on players' hands when striking a ball and, depending on the number and location of the sensors may also measure the batsman's grip position. The bat may also have tilt sensors on the body (not shown), which measures the tilt angle of the bat.

The bat of the invention enables data collection during play or during training that may be used by the players, coach and/or umpire or also by the manufacturers of the equipment. The bat of the invention enables: the recordal of the number of contacts a bat has made with a ball, accurate identification of the region of contact, measurement of the force/vibration of the balls impact upon the playing surface; and strength and position of a batsman's grip. The information gathered can be used in a variety of ways including but not limited to: enable coaches to micro monitor the performance o a batsman and therefore point out to him the intimate details and small changes in his style of batting that can lead to improved batting style (this could be for the purposes of training or may be fed live to the batsman during competition providing the rules so allow); assist in umpiring decisions when it has been hard for the umpire to absolutely determine the nature of a play; provide a "knock history" of the bat to the manufacturer identifying number, magnitude and location of knocks the bat has experienced this potentially leads to the ability for the manufacturer to identify "soft spots" in a bat design and improve the design and/or manufacturing quality of bats.

In use the bat may be integrated as part of a larger sensing system which may include a body area network of sensors which includes sensors on the sportsman and/or his clothing, including but not limited to sensing temperature, pulse rate, breathing rate and stance. In this way the data relating to contact between bat and ball can be assessed with reference to the overall position and condition of the athlete and the information derived therefrom used for training. For example a particular player may have a "best" stance" to deliver his most powerful strike. Monitoring of strike and stance position can detect deviations and identify when an athlete is not assuming the correct stance and/or identify features that cause the athlete to move away from his ideal stance. Other uses of the combined data from the bat and the body area network will be apparent to the skilled person.

Although the invention is described in detail with reference to cricket bats it will be appreciated by the skilled person that the teachings herein may be applicable for use in other sporting bats, clubs racquets etc. For example, the teachings herein may, on a smaller scale on account of the playing surface size, be applicable for use on golf clubs.

It will be appreciated by the skilled person that, although stated throughout that the microprocessor, communication unit and battery are located within the handle of the bat they may, of course, be embedded elsewhere in the bat in a manner that preferably does not alter the official dimensions and/or appearance of the bat, for example they may be embedded in the blade of the bat.