GOALTENDING SENSING APPARATUS AND RELATED METHOD OF USE

• US 20110306444A1
• Filed: 06/10/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: McKay, Justin
• Original Assignee: McKay, Justin
• Inventors: McKay, Justin
• Application Number:
  US12/797,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20110306444A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/415
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion 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 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration

Abstract

The invention relates to a method to determine a goaltending while playing basketball. The method begins with sensing if a vibration, pressure or motion change has occurred within an enhanced ball. The second step is to send data from a sensor packet containing one or more sensors via an RF switch to a backboard sensor having a sensory zone and computer having a processor, memory device and RF switch. The third step measures if the enhanced ball was deflected in a downward trajectory through a program contained within the memory device of the computer. The fourth step is to assess whether the enhanced ball would have gone through a rim of a backboard. The final step is to send an alert through an alert display of a goaltending once the computer confirms the downward trajectory and likelihood the enhanced ball would have gone through the rim.

Claims

1. A goaltending system used during a basketball game, comprising:

an enhanced ball which includes an exterior side and a corresponding interior side, the interior side including two or more sensory devices, one or more RF switches operable with the two or more sensory devices and a power source capable of supplying electricity to the two or more sensory devices and the one or more RF switches;

a backboard sensor that creates a sensory zone capable of measuring the elevation and position of the enhanced ball, the backboard sensor having a processor and memory device; and

an alert display capable of reporting the elevation and position of the enhanced ball.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensory zone is an electro-magnetic filed positioned above a rim and in front of a basketball backboard.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the backboard sensor further includes a plurality of motion sensors placed along the length of the backboard capable of measuring the velocity and trajectory of the enhanced ball.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the backboard sensor further includes an antenna capable of receiving information from the enhanced ball when the enhanced ball is within the sensory zone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensory devices are positioned and housed within sensor packets positioned along the interior side of the enhanced ball.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the sensory devices include both motion sensors and vibration sensors.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the sensory devices further includes one or more pressure sensors.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the backboard sensor includes a camera array having a track of one or more digital cameras which can pivot in tandem.

5. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the computer of the backboard sensor further includes a memory device in contact with the processor which maintains one or more programs which determines if the enhanced ball is within the sensory zone.

6. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the program can further denote whether the enhanced ball is in a downward trajectory and if there has been a deflection.

11. The method of detecting a goaltending during a basketball game, comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing whether there has been a vibration, pressure change or motion change through a sensor packet positioned within an enhanced ball, the enhanced ball having an exterior side and a corresponding interior side, the interior side including two or more sensors within the sensor packet, one or more RF switches and a power source to provide electricity to the two or more sensors and one or more RF switches;

(b) sending data from one or more sensors within the enhanced ball through the one or more RF switches to a backboard sensor, the backboard sensor including a sensory zone and a computer having a processor, memory device and RF switch operable therewith; and

(c) measuring whether the enhanced ball was deflected while in a downward trajectory through a program contained within the memory device of the computer, the program operable to determine whether the enhanced ball was travelling in an upward trajectory with increasing elevation;

(d) using the program operable with the computer to next assess whether the enhanced ball would have potentially gone through a rim of a backboard in which the blackboard sensor was connected; and

(e) sending an alert through an alert display of a goaltending once the computer confirms the downward trajectory and likelihood the enhanced ball would have gone through the rim.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

engaging the computer to run on the program once the backboard sensor determined the ball is within the sensory zone positioned above a rim and in front of a backboard.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

interpolating data from a pressure sensor, motion sensor and vibration sensor located in the interior side of the enhanced ball throughout a range of time to calculate whether the enhanced ball had been shot by a player and is in a downward trajectory.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the backboard sensor further includes a plurality of motion sensors placed along the length of the backboard capable of measuring the velocity and trajectory of the enhanced ball.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the backboard sensor further includes an antenna capable of receiving information from the enhanced ball when the enhanced ball is within the sensory zone.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the sensors are positioned and housed within sensor packets positioned along the interior side of the enhanced ball.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the backboard sensor includes a camera array having a track of one or more digital cameras which can pivot in tandem.