APPARATUS AND METHODOLOGY FOR IMPROVING AN ATHLETIC SWING VIA DIRECT IMPACT TRAINING OR NON-IMPACT WEIGHTED RESISTANCE

Abstract

Aspects directed towards a training apparatus are disclosed. In one example, a bat sleeve having a substantially cylindrical shape is configured to remain affixed to a desired point of impact on a baseball bat. The bat sleeve includes a first open end having a first inner diameter and a first outer diameter, and a second open end having a second inner diameter and a second outer diameter. In another example, a training apparatus includes a bat portion and a sledgehammer portion. The bat portion has a form factor substantially similar to a lower portion of a baseball bat, whereas the sledgehammer portion has a form factor substantially similar to an upper portion of a sledgehammer In yet another example, a training apparatus includes a sensor portion coupled to a striking portion. Here, the sensor portion is configured to sense an impact between the striking portion and a target.

Claims

1. A training apparatus comprising: a bat sleeve configured to remain affixed to a desired point of impact on a baseball bat, the bat sleeve having a substantially cylindrical shape and comprising: a first open end having a first inner diameter and a first outer diameter; and a second open end having a second inner diameter and a second outer diameter.

2. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inner portion of the bat sleeve comprises a non-slip coating.

3. The training apparatus of claim 2, wherein the non-slip coating is rubber.

4. The training apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tightening mechanism, wherein the tightening mechanism is configured to facilitate tightening the bat sleeve onto the baseball bat.

5. The training apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tightening mechanism comprises at least one screw.

6. The training apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tightening mechanism comprises configuring the first inner diameter to be greater than the second inner diameter, and wherein the bat sleeve is configured to tighten onto the baseball bat at the second inner diameter in response to an increased insertion pressure.

7. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bat sleeve is one of a plurality of bat sleeves having different weights, and wherein each of the plurality of bat sleeves have a same length and same inner diameter.

8. The training apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to sense an impact between the bat sleeve and a target.

9. A training apparatus comprising: a bat portion, wherein the bat portion has a form factor substantially similar to a lower portion of a baseball bat; and a sledgehammer portion, wherein the sledgehammer portion has a form factor substantially similar to an upper portion of a sledgehammer

10. The training apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sledgehammer portion is detachable from the bat portion.

11. The training apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sledgehammer portion is detachable from the bat portion via a screw mechanism.

12. The training apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sledgehammer portion comprises a head portion and at least one weight portion, and wherein the at least one weight portion is detachable from the head portion.

13. The training apparatus of claim 12, wherein the head portion is detachable from the at least one weight portion via a screw mechanism.

14. The training apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one weight portion is one of a plurality of weight portions having different weights, and wherein each of the plurality of weight portions are configured to interchangeably attach to the head portion.

15. The training apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sledgehammer portion further comprises a sensor configured to sense an impact between the sledgehammer portion and a target.

16. A training apparatus comprising: a striking portion; and a sensor portion coupled to the striking portion, wherein the sensor portion is configured to sense an impact between the striking portion and a target.

17. The training apparatus of claim 16, wherein the striking portion is a bat sleeve.

18. The training apparatus of claim 16, wherein the striking portion is a sledgehammer portion.

19. The training apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured to map a location of the impact on the striking portion.

20. The training apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured to determine a force of the impact on the striking portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Various non-limiting embodiments are further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a baseball player training with an exemplary bat sleeve apparatus prior to impact in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification;

[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a baseball player training with an exemplary bat sleeve apparatus upon impact in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary bat sleeve apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a top view of an exemplary bat sleeve apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification;

[0017] FIG. 5 is an inner view of an exemplary bat sleeve apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification;

[0018] FIG. 6 illustrates a baseball player training with an exemplary sledgehammer apparatus prior to impact in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification;

[0019] FIG. 7 illustrates a baseball player training with an exemplary sledgehammer apparatus upon impact in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification;

[0020] FIG. 8 is an unassembled view of an exemplary sledgehammer apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification;

[0021] FIG. 9 is an assembled view of an exemplary sledgehammer apparatus with a long barrel in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification; and

[0022] FIG. 10 is an assembled view of an exemplary sledgehammer apparatus with a short barrel in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification.

[0023] FIG. 11 illustrates exemplary sensor implementations in accordance with an aspect of the present specification.

[0024] FIG. 12 illustrates exemplary mappings of points of impact in accordance with an aspect of the present specification.

[0025] FIG. 13 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary training apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the present specification.

[0026] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary methodology according to an embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 15 is a block diagram representing exemplary non-limiting networked environments in which various embodiments described herein can be implemented.

[0028] FIG. 16 is a block diagram representing an exemplary non-limiting computing system or operating environment in which one or more aspects of various embodiments described herein can be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overview

[0029] As discussed in the background, conventional impact and non-impact training techniques have several undesirable limitations with respect to improving an athlete's swing associated with any of various sports (e.g., swinging a baseball/softball bat, golf club, tennis racket, hockey stick, lacrosse stick, cricket bat, etc.). The various embodiments disclosed herein are directed towards overcoming these limitations by providing a swing training apparatus in which a weight of the apparatus may be readily adjusted. In a first exemplary embodiment, a set of bat sleeves of varying weights are contemplated, wherein each bat sleeve is configured to indicate a desired point of impact when applied to a conventional bat. In another exemplary embodiment, a sledgehammer apparatus having a bat-like form factor is contemplated in which attachments of varying weights may be attached to the sledgehammer head.

Exemplary Bat Sleeve Embodiment

[0030] Turning now to FIGS. 1-2, a baseball player is shown training with an exemplary bat sleeve apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification. In particular, FIG. 1 illustrates the baseball player training with the bat sleeve apparatus prior to impact, whereas FIG. 2 illustrates the baseball player training with the bat sleeve apparatus upon impact. As illustrated, it is contemplated that a conventional bat 100 may be inserted into the disclosed sleeve 110, wherein the sleeve 110 is made of a solid material (e.g., aluminum, titanium, etc.) and configured to firmly attach to a desired point of impact on the bat 100. Namely, it is contemplated that the dimensions of the sleeve 110 are such that the ideal point of impact on the bat 100 (commonly referred to as the sweet spot) is covered by the sleeve 110, as shown. During a training session, this ideal point of impact would thus be easily identifiable to the batter, wherein the batter repetitively attempts to strike the target 200 with the portion of the bat 100 covered by the sleeve 110, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0031] Referring next to FIGS. 3-5, various views of the bat sleeve 110 are provided in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification. In particular, FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the bat sleeve 110; FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the bat sleeve 110; and FIG. 5 illustrates an inner view of the bat sleeve 110. In an exemplary embodiment, a set of bat sleeves of varying weights are contemplated, wherein each sleeve is substantially similar to bat sleeve 110. Within such embodiment, if training with the same bat is desired, it is further contemplated that each sleeve in a particular set may be configured to firmly attach to the same portion of the bat (i.e., the same desired point of impact). To achieve this, the inner diameter of each sleeve in a set may be kept the same, whereas the outer diameter of each sleeve may be varied (i.e., heavier sleeves are thicker). During a training session, the set of sleeves are thus interchangeable, which allows a batter to readily vary his/her workouts to train for situational hitting (e.g., heavy sleeves for longer power swings, and lighter sleeves for shorter two-strike swings).

[0032] In order to ensure that the sleeve 110 firmly attaches to the bat 100 during use, various designs are contemplated. For instance, the inner portion of the sleeve 110 may be lined with a non-slip material, such as rubber. In another embodiment, the sleeve 110 may be configured to include tightening screws (e.g., via the holes illustrated in FIGS. 3 & 4), wherein a tightening of such screws shrinks the inner diameter of the sleeve 110 causing the sleeve 110 to attach more tightly to the bat 100. Alternatively, the tightening mechanism may comprise configuring the inner diameter on one end to be greater than the inner diameter of an opposite end, wherein the sleeve 110 is configured to tighten onto the baseball bat 100 at the end with the smaller inner diameter in response to an increased insertion pressure (i.e., by sliding the sleeve 110 through the knob of the bat 100, wherein the end of the bat sleeve with the larger diameter is slid in first, and wherein the user tightens the sleeve 110 onto the bat by inserting the sleeve 110 further up the bat 100).

Exemplary Sledgehammer Embodiment

[0033] Turning now to FIGS. 5-6, a baseball player is shown training with an exemplary sledgehammer apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification. In particular, FIG. 5 illustrates the baseball player training with the sledgehammer apparatus prior to impact, whereas FIG. 6 illustrates the baseball player training with the sledgehammer apparatus upon impact. As illustrated, a sledgehammer bat 300 is contemplated, wherein the bottom portion of the sledgehammer bat 300 has a bat-like form factor, whereas the top portion of the sledgehammer bat 300 has a sledgehammer-like form factor. During a training session, the point of impact with a target 200 would thus be a particular end of the sledgehammer head, which is easily identifiable to the batter. Here, unlike the bat sleeve embodiment where the desired point of impact is anywhere on the sleeve 110, the desired point of impact for the sledgehammer bat 300 is limited to one of the two ends of the sledgehammer head. The sledgehammer bat 300 thus facilitates a training session in which the batter may focus on an optimal rotation of the wrists. For instance, depending on how squarely a particular end of the sledgehammer bat 300 strikes the target 200, a batter may immediately know whether they are over-rotating their wrists (i.e., more susceptible to ground outs) or under-rotating their wrists (i.e., more susceptible to fly outs).

[0034] Referring next to FIGS. 8-10, various views of an exemplary sledgehammer bat apparatus are provided in accordance with an aspect of the subject specification. In particular, FIG. 8 illustrates an unassembled view 400 of an exemplary sledgehammer apparatus; FIG. 9 illustrates an assembled view 500 of an exemplary sledgehammer apparatus with a long barrel; and FIG. 10 illustrates an assembled view 600 of an exemplary sledgehammer apparatus with a short barrel. As illustrated, it is contemplated that a sledgehammer bat (e.g., sledgehammer bat 300) may be comprised of various components. For instance, it is contemplated that a barrel of such sledgehammer bat may either be a long barrel 301 (e.g., for adult batters) or a short barrel 302 (e.g., for youth batters), wherein male thread 303 of long barrel 301 is configured to screw into head 310, and wherein male thread 304 of short barrel 302 is configured to screw into head 310.

[0035] Once either long barrel 301 or short barrel 302 is screwed into head 310, a batter may then attach a desired weight 320, 330 onto either end of head 310. For instance, as illustrated, male thread 312 of head 310 may be configured to screw into weight 320, and male thread 314 of head 310 may be configured to screw into weight 330. Here, it should be noted that head 310 may be configured to screw into weight attachments of various weights. During a training session, the weight attachments are thus interchangeable, which allows a batter to readily vary his/her workouts to train for situational hitting (e.g., heavy weight attachments for longer power swings, and lighter weight attachments for shorter two-strike swings).

Exemplary Sensor Embodiment

[0036] In another aspect, it is contemplated that a sensor may be included into any of the embodiments disclosed herein. For instance, as illustrated in FIG. 11, a first exemplary implementation 400 is provided with respect to the aforementioned bat sleeve embodiment, as well as a second exemplary implementation 405 directed towards the aforementioned sledgehammer embodiment. In implementation 400, for example, it is contemplated that striking portion 410 is substantially similar to bat sleeve 110, wherein sensor portion 420 is coupled to striking portion 410, as shown. Similarly, it is contemplated that striking portion 415 is substantially similar to weight 320 of the sledgehammer embodiment, wherein sensor portion 425 is coupled to striking portion 415, as shown.

[0037] Here, it is contemplated that sensor portions 420 and 425 are configured to collect various types of information associated with an impact. For instance, sensor portions 420 and 425 may be configured to map a location of an impact on the striking portions 410 and 415. Indeed, such information may be desirable for training purposes, since an athlete will often train to strike a target at a particular location on the striking portions 410 and 415 (e.g., the sweet spot of a bat). Referring next to FIG. 12, exemplary mappings of points of impact are provided in accordance with an aspect of the present specification. Here, it is contemplated that impact mapping 430 corresponds to an exemplary mapping associated with sensor portion 420, whereas impact mapping 435 corresponds to an exemplary mapping associated with sensor portion 425. As illustrated, each of impact mappings 430 and 435 show various actual points of impact relative to desired points of impact 440 and 445 (e.g., where desired points of impact 440 and 445 correspond to the sweet spot of a bat). With respect to impact mapping 430, an athlete may conclude that he/she is consistently missing the desired point of impact 440 towards a particular side (e.g., suggesting that he/she might be undesirably hitting a baseball on the outer portion of the bat), wherein adjustments can be readily made. With respect to impact mapping 435, however, an exemplary mapping is shown where the actual points of impact are closer to the desired point of impact 445.

[0038] In another aspect of the disclosure, it is contemplated that sensor portions 420 and 425 may be configured to determine the force of each impact. To this end, it should be appreciated that such data may also be desirable for an athlete to know. For instance, once a baseball player determines that he/she is consistently striking a target at the desired point of impact 440 or 445, he/she may wish to increase the weight of the bat sleeve or sledgehammer to see if he/she continues to consistently strike the target at the desired point of impact 440 or 445. Such force may, for example, be incorporated into impact mapping 430 or 435 in the form of a heat map (e.g., where each X is displayed with a particular color corresponding to the force of impact).

[0039] Referring next to FIG. 13, a block diagram is provided of an exemplary training device 500 that facilitates sensing points of impact in accordance with a disclosed aspect. As illustrated, training device 500 may include a processor component 510, a memory component 520, a sensor component 530, and a communication component 540.

[0040] It is contemplated that processor component 510 is configured to execute computer-readable instructions related to performing any of a plurality of functions. Processor component 510 can be a single processor or a plurality of processors which analyze and/or generate information utilized by memory component 520, sensor component 530, and/or communication component 540. Additionally or alternatively, processor component 510 may be configured to control one or more components of training device 500.

[0041] In another aspect, memory component 520 is coupled to processor component 510 and configured to store computer-readable instructions executed by processor component 510. Memory component 520 may also be configured to store any of a plurality of other types of data including data generated by sensor component 530 and/or communication component 540. Memory component 520 can be configured in a number of different configurations, including as random access memory, battery-backed memory, Solid State memory, hard disk, magnetic tape, etc. Various features can also be implemented upon memory component 520, such as compression and automatic back up (e.g., use of a Redundant Array of Independent Drives configuration). In one aspect, the memory may be located on a network, such as a cloud storage solution.

[0042] As illustrated, training device 500 may also include sensor component 530 and communication component 540. Here, sensor component 530 is configured to sense various aspects of an impact associated with a striking portion of the training device 500 and a target (e.g., impact of a target with striking portion 410 or 415), whereas communication component 540 is configured to facilitate communications with external entities (e.g., wireless communications). For instance, sensor component 530 may be configured to map a location of the impact on the striking portion (See e.g., FIG. 12), wherein communication component 540 is then configured to transmit such mapping data to an external data (e.g., to facilitate displaying the mappings illustrated in FIG. 12 on a smartphone). Sensor component 530 may also be configured to determine a force of an impact, wherein communication component 540 is then configured to transmit such force data to an external data (e.g., to facilitate incorporating a heat map into the mappings illustrated in FIG. 12 on a smartphone).

[0043] Referring next to FIG. 14, a flow chart is provided illustrating an exemplary methodology for utilizing training device 500 according to an embodiment. As illustrated, process 600 includes a series of acts that may be performed within a computing device (e.g., training device 500) according to an aspect of the subject specification. For instance, process 600 may be implemented by employing a processor to execute computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium to implement the series of acts. In another embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium comprising code for causing at least one computer to implement the acts of process 600 is contemplated.

[0044] In an aspect, process 600 begins at act 610 with the sensor component of training device 500 detecting an impact of training device 500 with a target. At act 620, the sensor component 530 then maps a location of the impact on the striking portion of the training device 500 (e.g., striking portion 410 or 415). As previously stated, it is also contemplated that sensor component 530 may be configured to determine a force of the impact on the striking portion of the training device 500. Accordingly, at act 630, the sensor component 530 determines a force of such impact. Process 600 then concludes at act 640 where the communication component 540 transmits information associated with the impact to external entities (e.g., via a wireless communication protocol).

Exemplary Networked and Distributed Environments

[0045] One of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that various embodiments for implementing the use of a computing device and related embodiments described herein can be implemented in connection with any computer or other client or server device, which can be deployed as part of a computer network or in a distributed computing environment, and can be connected to any kind of data store. Moreover, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that such embodiments can be implemented in any computer system or environment having any number of memory or storage units, and any number of applications and processes occurring across any number of storage units. This includes, but is not limited to, an environment with server computers and client computers deployed in a network environment or a distributed computing environment, having remote or local storage.

[0046] FIG. 15 provides a non-limiting schematic diagram of an exemplary networked or distributed computing environment. The distributed computing environment comprises computing objects or devices 1510, 1512, etc. and computing objects or devices 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc., which may include programs, methods, data stores, programmable logic, etc., as represented by applications 1530, 1532, 1534, 1536, 1538. It can be appreciated that computing objects or devices 1510, 1512, etc. and computing objects or devices 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc. may comprise different devices, such as PDAs (personal digital assistants), audio/video devices, mobile phones, MP3 players, laptops, etc.

[0047] Each computing object or device 1510, 1512, etc. and computing objects or devices 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc. can communicate with one or more other computing objects or devices 1510, 1512, etc. and computing objects or devices 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc. by way of the communications network 1540, either directly or indirectly. Even though illustrated as a single element in FIG. 15, network 1540 may comprise other computing objects and computing devices that provide services to the system of FIG. 15, and/or may represent multiple interconnected networks, which are not shown. Each computing object or device 1510, 1512, etc. or 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc. can also contain an application, such as applications 1530, 1532, 1534, 1536, 1538, that might make use of an API (application programming interface), or other object, software, firmware and/or hardware, suitable for communication with or implementation of various embodiments.

[0048] There are a variety of systems, components, and network configurations that support distributed computing environments. For example, computing systems can be connected together by wired or wireless systems, by local networks or widely distributed networks. Currently, many networks are coupled to the Internet, which provides an infrastructure for widely distributed computing and encompasses many different networks, though any network infrastructure can be used for exemplary communications made incident to the techniques as described in various embodiments.

[0049] Thus, a host of network topologies and network infrastructures, such as client/server, peer-to-peer, or hybrid architectures, can be utilized. In a client/server architecture, particularly a networked system, a client is usually a computer that accesses shared network resources provided by another computer, e.g., a server. In the illustration of FIG. 15, as a non-limiting example, computing objects or devices 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc. can be thought of as clients and computing objects or devices 1510, 1512, etc. can be thought of as servers where computing objects or devices 1510, 1512, etc. provide data services, such as receiving data from computing objects or devices 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc., storing of data, processing of data, transmitting data to computing objects or devices 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc., although any computer can be considered a client, a server, or both, depending on the circumstances. Any of these computing devices may be processing data, or requesting services or tasks that may implicate various embodiments and related techniques as described herein.

[0050] A server is typically a remote computer system accessible over a remote or local network, such as the Internet or wireless network infrastructures. The client process may be active in a first computer system, and the server process may be active in a second computer system, communicating with one another over a communications medium, thus providing distributed functionality and allowing multiple clients to take advantage of the information-gathering capabilities of the server. Any software objects utilized pursuant to the user profiling can be provided standalone, or distributed across multiple computing devices or objects.

[0051] In a network environment in which the communications network/bus 1540 is the Internet, for example, the computing objects or devices 1510, 1512, etc. can be Web servers with which the computing objects or devices 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc. communicate via any of a number of known protocols, such as HTTP. As mentioned, computing objects or devices 1510, 1512, etc. may also serve as computing objects or devices 1520, 1522, 1524, 1526, 1528, etc., or vice versa, as may be characteristic of a distributed computing environment.

Exemplary Computing Device

[0052] As mentioned, several of the aforementioned embodiments apply to any device wherein it may be desirable to utilize a computing device according to the aspects disclosed herein. It is understood, therefore, that handheld, portable and other computing devices and computing objects of all kinds are contemplated for use in connection with the various embodiments described herein. Accordingly, the below general purpose remote computer described below in FIG. 16 is but one example, and the embodiments of the subject disclosure may be implemented with any client having network/bus interoperability and interaction.

[0053] Although not required, any of the embodiments can partly be implemented via an operating system, for use by a developer of services for a device or object, and/or included within application software that operates in connection with the operable component(s). Software may be described in the general context of computer executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by one or more computers, such as client workstations, servers or other devices. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that network interactions may be practiced with a variety of computer system configurations and protocols.

[0054] FIG. 16 thus illustrates an example of a suitable computing system environment 1600 in which one or more of the embodiments may be implemented, although as made clear above, the computing system environment 1600 is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of any of the embodiments. The computing environment 1600 is not to be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment 1600.

[0055] With reference to FIG. 16, an exemplary remote device for implementing one or more embodiments herein can include a general purpose computing device in the form of a handheld computer 1610. Components of handheld computer 1610 may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit 1620, a system memory 1630, and a system bus 1621 that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit 1620.

[0056] Computer 1610 typically includes a variety of computer readable media and can be any available media that can be accessed by computer 1610. The system memory 1630 may include computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) and/or random access memory (RAM). By way of example, and not limitation, memory 1630 may also include an operating system, application programs, other program modules, and program data.

[0057] A user may enter commands and information into the computer 1610 through input devices 1640 A monitor or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 1621 via an interface, such as output interface 1650. In addition to a monitor, computers may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers and a printer, which may be connected through output interface 1650.

[0058] The computer 1610 may operate in a networked or distributed environment using logical connections to one or more other remote computers, such as remote computer 1670. The remote computer 1670 may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, or any other remote media consumption or transmission device, and may include any or all of the elements described above relative to the computer 1610. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 16 include a network 1671, such local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), but may also include other networks/buses. Such networking environments are commonplace in homes, offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet.

[0059] The word exemplary is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as exemplary is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms includes, has, contains, and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, for the avoidance of doubt, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term comprising as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0060] The aforementioned systems have been described with respect to interaction between several components. It can be appreciated that such systems and components can include those components or specified sub-components, some of the specified components or sub-components, and/or additional components, and according to various permutations and combinations of the foregoing. Sub-components can also be implemented as components coupled to other components rather than included within parent components (hierarchical). Additionally, it is noted that one or more components may be combined into a single component providing aggregate functionality or divided into several separate sub-components, and any one or more middle layers may be provided to couple to such sub-components in order to provide integrated functionality. Any components described herein may also interact with one or more other components not specifically described herein but generally known by those of skill in the art.

[0061] In view of the exemplary systems described supra, methodologies that may be implemented in accordance with the disclosed subject matter can be appreciated with reference to the various figures. While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodologies are described as a series of steps, it is to be understood and appreciated that the disclosed subject matter is not limited by the order of the steps, as some steps may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other steps from what is described herein. Moreover, not all disclosed steps may be required to implement the methodologies described hereinafter.

[0062] While the various embodiments have been described in connection with the exemplary embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function without deviating there from. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment.