System, apparatus and method for ball throwing machine and intelligent goal

• US 10,118,078 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TOCA Football, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TOCA Football, Inc.
• Inventors: Lewis, Edward J., Barberi, Steven J., Eannarino, Steven, Denison, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): NICONOVICH, ALEXANDER R
• Application Number:
  US15/374,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20170095716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 473422, 473446, 473471, 473570, 700 91
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0092 for training agility or co-ordination of movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/402 giving spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0063 Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0072 Limiting the applied force, torque, movement or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0081 Stopping the operation of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0677 Input by image recognition, e.g. video signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/068 Input by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0683 Input by handheld remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/06 Squash
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/065 Racketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/20 Cricket
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 : with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 : Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 : Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 : Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 : Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/802 : Ultra-sound sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 : Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 : Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 : Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 : Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 : with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 : Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/062 : used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 : Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0095 : Volleyball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/002 : Devices for dispensing balls, e.g. from a reservoir automatic teeing devices A63B57/0006; devices for projecting balls A63B69/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 : Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 : for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/40 : Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls or other bodies golf cups with ball ejector means A63B57/405; traps for clay-pigeon targets F41J9/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/406 : with rotating discs, wheels or pulleys gripping and propelling the balls or bodies by friction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 : Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 : Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 : Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 : Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

A goal apparatus comprising a cross bar, a first side post and a second side post is described. The first side post and the second side post are connected to the cross bar such that the first side post, the second side post and the cross bar form a plane (“a goal plane”). Further, one or more sensor pairs are coupled to the first side post and the second side post, wherein a first sensor pair of the one or more sensor pairs includes a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is coupled to the first side post and the second sensor is coupled to the second side post and is also aligned horizontal to the first sensor. In addition, the first sensor pair is located in a first zone, wherein the first zone is a first portion of the goal plane.

Claims

1. A goal apparatus comprising:

a cross bar;

a first side post and a second side post, the first side post and the second side post connected to the cross bar, wherein the first side post, the second side post and the cross bar form a goal plane; and

a plurality of sensor pairs coupled to the first side post and the second side post including (i) a first sensor pair that includes a first sensor and a second sensor, and (ii) a second sensor pair,

wherein the first sensor pair and the second sensor pair are configured to establish a first zone according to a first training drill via receipt of a first software instruction, and subsequently, one or more of the first sensor pair and the second sensor pair are reconfigured to establish a second zone according to a second training drill via receipt of a second software instruction, the first zone being a first portion of the goal plane and the second zone being a first second portion of the goal plane, wherein the first portion is different than the second portion.

2. The goal apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the second sensor pair includes a third sensor and a fourth sensor, the third sensor coupled to the first side post and the fourth sensor coupled to the second side post and aligned horizontal to the third sensor.

3. The goal apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first zone is formed by a first subset of the plurality of sensor pairs including the first sensor pair, and the second zone is formed by a second subset of the plurality of sensor pairs including the second sensor pair.

4. The goal apparatus of claim 1, wherein a through-beam is transmitted between the first sensor and the second sensor, and one or more of the first sensor or the second sensor are configured to detect an interrupt in the through-beam.

5. The goal apparatus of claim 4, wherein a detected interrupt in the through-beam is transmitted to logic configured to determine whether the first zone corresponds to one or more required zones required by a selected training drill.

6. The goal apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a first set of one or more lights, wherein when the first zone is determined to correspond to the one or more required zones required by the selected training drill, the first set of one or more lights is configured to transition from a first state to a second state.

7. The goal apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

one or more speakers, wherein when the first zone is determined to correspond to the one or more required zones required by the selected training drill, the one or more one or more speakers are configured to generate an audible cue.

8. The goal apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing;

one or more processors stored in the housing; and

a storage device stored in the housing and communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, the storage device having stored thereon logic that, when executed by the one or more processors causes operations to be performed including;

receiving information associated with a selection of the first training drill;

receiving a first signal from the plurality of sensor pairs signifying a through-beam interrupt has been detected;

recording a timestamp corresponding to detection of the through-beam interrupt; and

determining whether a zone of the goal plane corresponding to the first signal corresponds to one or more zones required by the first training drill.

9. The goal apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a speaker communicatively coupled to the logic stored in the storage device, the speaker configured to receive data from the logic and, according to the data, provide an audible cue pertaining to at least one of the first training drill, a method of performing the first training drill, scoring or timing, wherein the speaker is a set of wireless headphones.

10. The goal apparatus of claim 9, wherein the speaker is configured to provide alerts pertaining to a beginning of the first training drill, an end of the first training drill, or instructions for performing the first training drill and play music.

11. The goal apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor pairs are coupled to the first side post and the second side post via physical integration of each of the sensors of the plurality of sensor pairs into one of the first side post or the second side post.

12. The goal apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first side post and the second side post include a front portion and a back portion, and

wherein a first portion of the plurality of sensor pairs is coupled to the first side post through physical integration to the back portion of the first side post, and

a second portion of the plurality of sensor pairs is coupled to the second side post through physical integration to the back portion of the second side post.

13. The goal apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker attached to one of the cross bar, the first side post, or the second side post, the speaker configured to provide an audible cue pertaining to at least one of the first training drill, a method of performing the first training drill, scoring or timing.

14. The goal apparatus of claim 13, wherein the speaker is configured to provide alerts pertaining to a beginning of the first training drill, an end of the first training drill, or instructions for performing the first training drill and play music.

15. The goal apparatus of claim 8, wherein the logic being executable by the one or more processors to perform further operations including:

determining that a maintenance threshold of the goal has been met or exceeded; and

providing an alert indicating the maintenance threshold of the goal has been met or exceeded.

16. The goal apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first set of one or more lights, wherein the first zone is indicated by the first set of one or more lights being in a first state.

17. The goal apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a second set of one or more lights, wherein a second zone is indicated by a second set of one or more lights being in a second state.

18. The goal apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sensor pair includes the first sensor coupled to the first side post and the second sensor coupled to the second side post.

19. A goal apparatus comprising:

one or more posts, wherein the one or more posts form a goal plane; and

a plurality of sensor pairs coupled to the one or more posts, wherein the plurality of sensor pairs includes a first sensor pair and a second sensor pair,

wherein the first sensor pair and the second sensor pair are configured to establish a first zone according to a first training drill via receipt of a first software instruction, and subsequently, one or more of the first sensor pair and the second sensor pair are reconfigured to establish a second zone according to a second training drill via receipt of a second software instruction, the first zone being a first portion of the goal plane and the second zone each being a first second portion of the goal plane, wherein the first portion is different than the second portion.