Billiard target practice device

• US 20040157671A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David L. Maurer
• Original Assignee: David L. Maurer
• Inventors: Maurer, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,247,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63D 15/006 Training or aiming arrangements on billiard tables

Abstract

An apparatus for billiards practice, comprising a housing; an emitter connectively disposed to the housing; a pair of detectors equally spaced about the emitter; a controller having logic controlling the emitter; at least one indicator in communication with the logic; the logic receiving at least one signal from the detectors via the emitter projecting the signal onto the surface of the billiards ball; the logic resolving the position of the billiards ball with respect to the emitter in concert with the detectors; and a response to the logic resolved position of the billiards ball via the indicator. The player'"'"'s instant feedback is implemented via a controller disposed within the billiards practice device. The controller has means to emit infrared signals and capture the return reflected infrared signal from the cue ball. The returned infrared signals are interpreted and processed via the controller. Once processing is complete, the controller has means to notify the player as to the execution of his shot via at least one indicator(s).

Claims

1. An apparatus for billiards practice, billiards comprising a billiard table having railing, the table having at least one billiard ball disposed thereon, a monitoring device positioned along one of the rails, the monitoring device having disposed therein a controller with memory, a program stored within the memory, the program having a plurality of data structures commanding and controlling the apparatus, the apparatus having means for establishing a field of view focused onto the table, the field of view being constructed via means for transmitting and receiving at least one signal disposed within the field of view, comprising:

a) at least one communication data structure receiving at least one signal from within the means for the field of view;

b) at least one responsive data structure transforming said communication data structure into indicator data;

c) at least one determining data structure interpreting said indicator data, said determining data structure resolving a selected position of the billiard ball within the field of view; and

d) at least one broadcast data structure transforming said determined selected position of the billiard ball into a positional indicator of the billiard ball within the field of view.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a) at least one resolving data structure interpreting said indicator data as absence of the billiard ball from the field of view;

b) said resolving data structure transforming the absence of the billiard ball from the field of view into base level data;

c) said determining data structure in communication with said resolving data structure;

d) said determining data structure calculating said selected position of the billiard ball within the field of view via said base level data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said positional indicator of the billiard ball within the field of view is the center of the field of view.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said positional indicator of the billiard ball within the field of view is to the right of the center of the field of view.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said positional indicator of the billiard ball within the field of view is to the left of the center of the field of view.

6. An apparatus for billiards practice, billiards comprising a billiard table having railing, the table having at least one billiards ball disposed thereon, the apparatus comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an emitter connectively disposed to said housing;

c) a pair of detectors equally spaced about said emitter;

d) a controller having logic controlling said emitter;

e) at least one indicator in communication with said logic;

f) said logic receiving at least one signal from said detectors via said emitter projecting said signal onto the surface of the billiards ball;

g) said logic resolving the position of the billiards ball with respect to said emitter in concert with said detectors; and

h) a response to said logic resolved position of the billiards ball via said indicator.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said housing a substantially rectangular housing having two long sides and two short sides.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said emitter is an infrared emitter.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said emitter is medially spaced to said housing'"'"'s two short sides.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said pair of detectors spaced inline with said emitter.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said pair of detectors parallel with the railing of the table and inline with said emitter.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a field of view determined via said emitter in concert with said detectors.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said logic resolving the position of the billiards ball within said field of view.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said logic resolved position of the billiards ball within said field of view being to the right or left of said emitter.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said response is an audible tone emitted via said indicator.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said response being a light emitted via said indicator.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said response is a digital distance reading via said indicator.

18. An apparatus for billiards practice, billiards comprising a billiard table having railing, the table having at least one billiard ball disposed thereon, a monitoring device positioned along one of the rails, the monitoring device having disposed therein a controller with memory, a program stored within the memory, the program having a plurality of data structures commanding and controlling the apparatus, the controller having means for establishing a field of view focused onto the table, the field of view being constructed via means for transmitting and receiving at least one signal disposed within the field of view, comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an emitter connectively disposed to said housing;

c) a pair of detectors equally spaced about said emitter;

d) at least one communication data structure stored in the controller, said communication data structure receiving at least one signal from within the means for the field of view;

e) at least one responsive data structure transforming said communication data structure into indicator data;

f) at least one determining data structure interpreting said indicator data, said determining data structure resolving a selected position of the billiard ball within the field of view;

g) at least one broadcast data structure transforming said determined selected position of the billiard ball into a center position of the billiard ball within the field of view;

h) said resolving data structure transforming the absence of the billiard ball from the field of view into base level data;

i) said determining data structure in communication with said resolving data structure; and

j) said determining data structure calculating said selected position of the billiard ball within the field of view via said base level data.