Information-presentation structure with impact-sensitive color change of pre-established deformation-controlled extended color-change duration

• US 10,279,215 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald J. Meetin
• Original Assignee: Ronald J. Meetin
• Inventors: Meetin, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Application Number:
  US15/343,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20180117404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0043 Systems for locating the point of impact on a specific surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0056 for statistical or strategic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0611 Automatic tennis linesmen, i.e. in-out detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/00 Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• 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 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• 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 2243/0037 : Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0095 : Volleyball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 : Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 : Tracking a path or terminating locations
• 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 71/02 : for large-room or outdoor sporting games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 : Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0608 : using mechanical, i.e. non-electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 : Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/44 : Arrangements combining different electro-active layers, e.g. electrochromic, liquid crystal or electroluminescent layers

Abstract

A variable-color region (106) of an information-presentation structure extends to an exposed surface (102) at a surface zone (112), normally appears along it as a principal color, and includes impact-sensitive color-change structure (132) and duration-extension structure (242). A segment (142) of the impact-sensitive color-change structure responds to an object (104) impacting the zone at an object-contact area (116) by causing an impact-dependent portion (138) of the variable-color region to temporarily appear along a print area (118) of the zone as changed color materially different from the principal color if the impact meets threshold impact criteria. The print area closely matches the object-contact area in size, shape, and location. The duration-extension structure responds to the impact by causing the impact-sensitive color-change structure to deform along an internal deformation area (288). This causes the time duration of the impact-dependent portion appearing as the changed color to be controllably extended.

Claims

1. An information-presentation (“

IP”

) structure comprising an object-impact (“

OI”

) structure having an exposed surface for being impacted by an object during an activity, the OI structure comprising a principal variable-color (“

VC”

) region which extends to the exposed surface at a principal surface zone and normally appears along it largely as a principal color during the activity, the VC region comprising principal impact-sensitive color-change (“

ISCC”

) structure and principal duration-extension (“

DE”

) structure wherein;

an impact-dependent (“

ID”

) segment of the ISCC structure responds to the object impacting the surface zone at an ID object-contact (“

OC”

) area spanning where the object contacts the surface zone so as to cause deformation along an ID surface deformation area of the surface zone by causing an ID portion of the VC region to temporarily appear along an ID print area of the surface zone largely as changed color materially different from the principal color if the impact meets principal threshold impact criteria, the print area at least partly encompassing, at least mostly outwardly conforming largely to, and being largely concentric with the OC area, the ID portion subsequently returning to appearing along the print area largely as the principal color; and

the DE structure responds to the object impacting the OC area by causing the ISCC structure to deform along an ID internal deformation area, spaced apart from the surface deformation area, so that the ID segment of the ISCC structure causes the ID portion to further temporarily appear along the print area largely as the changed color if the impact meets the threshold impact criteria, thereby extending color-change (“

CC”

) duration of the ID portion temporarily appearing along the print area largely as the changed color.

2. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the CC duration is at least 2 s.

3. An IP structure as in claim 2 wherein the CC duration is no more than 60 s.

4. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the CC duration is a duration Δ

t_dr determined approximately as;

Δ

t_dr=t_r50−

t_f50+J_pmax(1/S_f−

1/S_r)/2

where J_pmax is the maximum value of a radiosity parameter J_p that varies between zero when the ID portion appears along the print area largely as the principal color to maximum value J_pmax when the ID portion appears along the print area largely as the changed color, t_f50 is the time at which radiosity parameter J_p reaches 50% of maximum value J_pmax as the ID portion changes from appearing along the print area largely as the principal color to appearing along the print area largely as the changed color, t_r50 is the time at which radiosity parameter J_p reaches 50% of maximum value J_pmax as the ID portion changes from appearing along the print area largely as the changed color to returning to appear along the print area largely as the principal color, S_f is the time rate of change of radiosity parameter J_p at time t_f50, and S_r is the time rate of change of radiosity parameter J_p at time t_r50.

5. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the surface deformation area encompasses at least part of the OC area.

6. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the ISCC structure is situated at least partly between the surface zone and the DE structure.

7. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the surface and internal deformation areas are largely opposite each other.

8. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein:

the ISCC structure normally reflects light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming the principal color such that the VC region normally appears along the surface zone largely as the principal color; and

the ID segment of the ISCC structure responds to the deformation that the impact causes to the ISCC structure along the surface deformation area and to the deformation that the DE structure causes to the ISCC structure along the internal deformation area by temporarily reflecting light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming color different from the principal color if the impact meets the threshold impact criteria such that the ID portion temporarily appears along the print area largely as the changed color.

9. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein:

light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming the principal color normally leaves the ISCC structure via the surface zone such that the VC region normally appears along the surface zone largely as the principal color; and

the ID segment of the ISCC structure responds to the deformation that the impact causes to the ISCC structure along the surface deformation area and to the deformation that the DE structure causes to the ISCC structure along the internal deformation area by temporarily emitting light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming color different from the principal color if the impact meets the threshold impact criteria such that the ID portion temporarily appears along the print area largely as the changed color.

10. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the ISCC structure comprises an impact-sensitive (“

IS”

) component and a CC component, an ID segment of the IS component providing, if the impact meets the threshold impact criteria, (a) a principal first impact effect in response to the deformation that the impact causes to the ISCC structure along the surface deformation area and (b) a principal second impact effect in response to the deformation that the DE structure causes to the ISCC structure along the internal deformation area, an ID segment of the CC component responding to both impact effects, if provided, by causing the ID portion to temporarily appear along the print area largely as the changed color.

11. An IP structure as in claim 10 wherein the IS component comprises a piezoelectric structure, a segment of the piezoelectric structure being in the ID segment of the IS component and providing, if the impact meets the threshold impact criteria, (a) the first impact effect as at least an electrical effect arising from the deformation of the ISCC structure along the surface deformation area due to pressure of the object impacting the OC area and (b) the second impact effect as at least an electrical effect arising from the deformation of the ISCC structure along the internal deformation area due to pressure exerted by the DE structure in response to the object impacting the OC area.

12. An IP structure as in claim 10 wherein the IS component comprises:

a piezoelectric structure, a segment of the piezoelectric structure being in the ID segment of the IS component and providing, if the impact meets the threshold impact criteria, (a) an initial first electrical effect arising from deformation of the ISCC structure along the surface deformation area due to pressure of the object impacting the OC area and (b) an initial second electrical effect arising from deformation of the ISCC structure along the internal deformation area due to pressure exerted by the DE structure in response to the object impacting the OC area; and

an effect-modifying structure for modifying (a) the initial first electrical effect to produce a modified first electrical effect as at least part of the first impact effect and (b) the initial second electrical effect to produce a modified second electrical effect as at least part of the second impact effect.

13. An IP structure as in claim 10 wherein:

the CC component normally reflects light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming the principal color such that the VC region normally appears along the surface zone largely as the principal color; and

the ID segment of the CC component responds to both impact effects, if provided, by temporarily reflecting light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming color different from the principal color such that the ID portion temporarily appears along the print area largely as the changed color.

14. An IP structure as in claim 10 wherein the ID segment of the CC component responds to both impact effects, if provided, by temporarily emitting light having at least a majority component of wavelength suitable for forming color different from the principal color such that the ID portion temporarily appears along the print area largely as the changed color.

15. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the print area fully outwardly conforms largely to the OC area if total ID area spanning where the object contacts the exposed surface during the impact is in the surface zone.

16. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the print area encompasses most of the OC area at least if total ID area spanning where the object contacts the exposed surface during the impact is in the surface zone.

17. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the OI structure is incorporated into a tennis court for which the exposed surface has (a) two opposite baselines, (b) two opposite sidelines extending between the baselines to define inwardly an in-bounds playing area, (c) two opposite servicelines situated between the baselines and extending lengthwise between the sidelines, and (d) a centerline situated between the sidelines and extending lengthwise between the servicelines, a backcourt of the in-bounds area defined by each baseline, the sidelines, and the serviceline closest to that baseline so as to establish two backcourts, the object being a tennis ball, the surface zone comprising VC backcourt area which comprises two VC backcourt area portions respectively partly occupying the backcourts and respectively adjoining the servicelines along largely their entire lengths.

18. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein:

the OI structure further includes an additional VC region which extends to the exposed surface at an additional surface zone, laterally adjoins the principal VC region so that the surface zones adjoin each other, and normally appears along the additional surface zone largely as an additional color materially different from the principal color during the activity, the additional VC region comprising additional ISCC structure and additional DE structure;

an ID segment of the additional ISCC structure responds to the object impacting the additional surface zone at an ID OC area spanning where the object contacts the additional surface zone so as to cause deformation along an ID surface deformation area of the additional surface zone by causing an ID portion of the additional VC region to temporarily appear along an ID print area of the additional surface zone largely as color materially different from the additional color if that impact meets additional threshold impact criteria, the print area of the additional surface zone at least partly encompassing, at least mostly outwardly conforming largely to, and being largely concentric with its OC area, the ID portion of the additional VC region subsequently returning to appearing along the print area of the additional surface zone largely as the additional color; and

the additional DE structure responds to the object impacting the OC area of the additional surface zone by causing the additional ISCC structure to deform along an ID internal deformation area, spaced apart from the additional surface deformation area, so that the ID segment of the additional ISCC structure causes the ID portion of the additional VC region to further temporarily appear along the print area of the additional surface zone largely as altered color materially different from the additional color if that impact meets the additional threshold impact criteria, thereby extending CC duration of the ID portion of the additional VC region temporarily appearing along the print area of the additional surface zone largely as the altered color.

19. An IP structure as in claim 18 wherein:

the ID segment of the principal ISCC structure also causes the ID portion of the principal VC region to temporarily appear along the print area of the principal surface zone largely as the changed color if impact of the object largely simultaneously on both surface zones meets composite threshold impact criteria due to sufficient resultant deformation along both surface deformation areas; and

the principal DE structure also responds to the object impacting both surface zones largely simultaneously for causing both ISCC structures to deform along their internal deformation areas so that the ID segment of the principal ISCC structure causes the ID portion of the principal VC region to further temporarily appear along the print area of the principal surface zone largely as the changed color if the impact of the object on both surface zones meets the composite threshold impact criteria.

20. An IP structure as in claim 1 wherein the VC region is at least partly allocated into a multiplicity of VC cells arranged laterally in a layer, each cell extending to a part of the surface zone, the cells normally appearing along their parts of the surface zone largely as the principal color during the activity, each cell comprising:

an ISCC part of the ISCC structure, the ISCC part deforming along a cellular surface deformation area of that cell'"'"'s part of the surface zone so as to cause that cell to temporarily appear along its part of the surface zone largely as the changed color if the impact causes that cell to meet cellular threshold impact criteria, that cell subsequently returning to appearing along its part of the surface zone largely as the principal color; and

a DE part of the DE structure, the DE part deforming along a cellular internal deformation area, spaced apart from the cellular surface deformation area, so as to cause that cell to further temporarily appear along its part of the surface zone largely as the changed color if the impact causes that cell to meet the cellular threshold impact criteria, thereby extending CC duration of that cell changing from starting to appear along its part of the surface zone as color materially different from the principal color to returning to appear along its part of the surface zone largely as the principal color.

21. An IP structure as in claim 20 wherein the cells are laterally arranged in a two-dimensional array of rows and columns of the cells.