Smart baseball first base or home plate

• US 10,188,931 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Larson, Andrew, Sprenger, Mark E., Miele, Ralph V., McAfee, Eric D., MacDonald, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US15/201,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20180001179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 473451, 473452, 473497-500
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0666 worn on the head or face, e.g. combined with goggles or glasses
• 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 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• 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 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/008 Goals for rugby or American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0013 Baseball bases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a smart base for a baseball system or a softball system comprises a sensor to detect a first time at which a runner has touched the smart base, a radio-frequency (RF) receiver to receive a signal from a smart baseball that indicates a second time at which the smart baseball was caught, timing circuitry to detect if the second time occurs before or after the first time; and indicator circuitry to indicate a force out if the second time occurs before the first time.

Claims

1. A smart base for a baseball system or a softball system, comprising:

a sensor to detect a first time at which a runner has touched the smart base;

a radio-frequency (RF) receiver to receive a signal from a smart baseball that indicates a second time at which the smart baseball was caught;

timing circuitry to detect whether the second time occurs before or after the first time; and

indicator circuitry to indicate a force out when the second time occurs before the first time.

2. The smart base as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a side sensor disposed on a side of the smart base to detect whether a baseman is touching the smart base at the first time, wherein the indicator circuitry indicates a force out when the second time occurs before the first time, and the smart base detects that the baseman is touching the smart base at the first time.

3. The smart base as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indictor circuitry includes a speaker to audibly indicate the force out occurrence, or to indicate a safe runner when the second time occurs after the first time.

4. The smart base as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indictor circuitry includes a first light to indicate the force out occurrence, and second light to indicate a safe runner when the second time occurs after the first time.

5. The smart base as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an RF transmitter to transmit an output of the indicator to a remote device, wherein the remote device comprises a smart umpire or an assist device, or a combination thereof.

6. The smart base as clamed in claim 1, further comprising a port to connect to a remote device via a hard wire link.