Interactive System

• US 20080189447A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew Kennedy Lang, David Hoch
• Original Assignee: Andrew Kennedy Lang, David Hoch
• Inventors: Hoch, David, Lang, Andrew Kennedy
• Application Number:
  US11/587,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189447A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/16
• 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 2071/0611 Automatic tennis linesmen, i.e. in-out detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0024 for hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration

Abstract

A system and method include and control multiple controllable interactive components (10) that may be employed in various environments including sporting environments. The system may also include controllable (10) or non-controllable non-interactive components (30). These components (40) may include power supplies (42) that supply energy to the components (non-interactive and interactive) via a plurality of bus bars (20a, 20b) coupled together to form a bus bar system. Low speed data may be communicated on the bus bar system between components and a system controller (210). The system controller (210) may monitor and modify the operation of components (10) via the bus bar system (20a, 20b) are provided for interacting one or more individuals.

Claims

1. An interactive system, the system comprising:

a plurality of controllable interactive components, each controllable, interactive component including;

means for detecting some physical characteristic of a user proximal to the controllable interactive component; and

means for transmitting the detected physical characteristic in a data signal to an interactive component system controller;

a plurality of bus bars, the bus bars forming a network where each of the plurality of controllable interactive components is electrically coupled to the bus bar network at least once;

a power supply coupled to the bus bar network to provide power to the plurality of controllable interactive components.

2. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein each controllable interactive component further comprises means for generating a human detectable effect as a function of the detected physical characteristic.

3. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein each controllable interactive component further comprises:

means for receiving a generate effect data signal from the interactive component system controller where the generate effect data signal is based on the detected physical characteristic; and

means for generating a human detectable effect based on the generate effect data signal.

4. The interactive system of claim 3, wherein the means for generating a human detectable effect based on the generate effect data signal includes a photon generation element.

5. The interactive system of claim 1, further comprising a non-interactive component electrically coupled to the bus bar network, the non-interactive component including means for generating a human detectable effect.

6. The interactive system of claim 5, wherein the means for generating a human detectable effect includes a photon generation element.

7. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein each controllable interactive component further comprises:

means for detecting some physical characteristic of a moving, non-human object proximal to the controllable interactive component; and

means for transmitting the detected moving object physical characteristic in a data signal to the interactive component system controller.

8. The interactive system of claim 7, wherein each controllable interactive component further comprises means for generating a human detectable effect indicating a characteristic of the moving, non-human object proximal to the controllable interactive component.

9. The interactive system of claim 8, wherein the means for generating a human detectable effect indicating a characteristic of the moving, non-human object proximal to the controllable interactive component includes a photon generation element.

10. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the means for transmitting the detected physical characteristic is electrically coupled to the bus bar network and the data signal is communicated to the interactive component system controller via the bus bar network.

11. The interactive system of claim 3, wherein the means for transmitting the detected physical characteristic is electrically coupled to the bus bar network and the data signal is communicated to the interactive component system controller via the bus bar network and wherein the means for receiving a generate effect data signal is electrically coupled to the bus bar network and the generate effect data signal is communicated from the interactive component system controller via the bus bar network.

12. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the means for transmitting the detected physical characteristic includes an optical transmitter.

13. The interactive system of claim 3, wherein the means for transmitting the detected physical characteristic includes an optical transmitter and wherein the means for receiving a generate effect data signal includes an optical receiver.

14. The interactive system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of controllable interactive components communicate data signals between the interactive component system controller and each controllable interactive component via the optical transmitter and receiver serially.

15. An interactive system, the system comprising:

a plurality of controllable interactive components, each controllable, interactive component including;

means for detecting some physical characteristic of a user proximal to the controllable interactive component; and

an optical transmitter, the transmitter transmitting the detected physical characteristic in a data signal to an interactive component system controller.

16. The interactive system of claim 15, wherein each controllable interactive component further comprises means for generating a human detectable effect as a function of the detected physical characteristic.

17. The interactive system of claim 15, wherein each controllable interactive component further comprises:

a plurality of bus bars, the bus bars forming a network where each of the plurality of controllable interactive components is electrically coupled to the bus bar network at least once; and

a power supply coupled to the bus bar network to provide power to the plurality of controllable interactive components.

18. The interactive system of claim 15, wherein each controllable interactive component further comprises:

an optical receiver, the receiver receiving a generate effect data signal from the interactive component system controller where the generate effect data signal is based on the detected physical characteristic; and

means for generating a human detectable effect based on the generate effect data signal.

19. The interactive system of claim 18, wherein the means for generating a human detectable effect based on the generate effect data signal includes a photon generation element.

20. The interactive system of claim 17, further comprising a non-interactive component electrically coupled to the bus bar network, the non-interactive component including means for generating a human detectable effect.

21. The interactive system of claim 20, wherein each controllable interactive component further comprises:

means for detecting some physical characteristic of a moving, non-human object proximal to the controllable interactive component; and

means for transmitting the detected moving object physical characteristic in a data signal to the interactive component system controller.

22. The interactive system of claim 21, wherein each controllable interactive component further comprises means for generating a human detectable effect indicating a characteristic of the moving, non-human object proximal to the controllable interactive component.

23. The interactive system of claim 22, wherein the means for generating a human detectable effect indicating a characteristic of the moving, non-human object proximal to the controllable interactive component includes a photon generation element.

24. The interactive system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of controllable interactive components communicate data signals between the interactive component system controller and each controllable interactive component via the optical transmitter and receiver serially.