FIELD MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

• US 20120196706A1
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Top Measuring Field Limited
• Original Assignee: Top Measuring Field Limited
• Inventors: POON, TAI CHEUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/015,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20120196706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/415
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements

Abstract

A system is provided for measuring field conditions of soccer fields. In one embodiment, an inventive system includes a central management system; a testing soccer ball for testing a ground of a soccer field; a GPS receiver mounted inside the testing soccer ball, wherein the GPS receiver detects velocity of the soccer ball; sends RF signals to the central management system; locates current position of the soccer ball; and locates current attitude of the soccer ball from the ground of the soccer field. The system also includes a RFID tag including a RFID antenna mounted on surface of the testing soccer ball; a soccer ball transmitter located on one end of a field; a RFID reader located on another end of the field, wherein the reader detects the RFID tag when the soccer ball passes through the reader. The system further includes a control processing unit and a memory located inside the testing soccer ball.

Claims

1. A system for measuring field conditions of soccer fields, comprising:

a central management system;

a testing soccer ball for testing a ground of a soccer field;

a GPS receiver mounted inside the testing soccer ball, wherein the GPS receiver

detects velocity of the soccer ball;

sends RF signals to the central management system;

locates current position of the soccer ball; and

locates current attitude of the soccer ball from the ground of the soccer field;

a RFID tag including a RFID antenna mounted on surface of the testing soccer ball;

a soccer ball transmitter located on one end of a field;

a RFID reader located on another end of the field, wherein

the reader detects the RFID tag when the soccer ball passes through the reader;

the central management system is notified by the soccer ball transmitter located on the one end of the field that testing has started, right after the soccer ball is being transmitted by the soccer ball transmitter; and

the central management system is notified by the reader that testing has been completed, right after the reader detects the soccer ball passing through the reader from the one end of the field;

a control processing unit and a memory located inside the testing soccer ball, wherein the memory includes executable steps.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the steps comprise:

measuring conditions of the soccer ball, as soon as the soccer ball transmitter begins the testing by transmitting the testing soccer ball from the one end of the field;

when the testing soccer ball starts rolling on the ground of the soccer field towards the another end of the field, continuously measuring the velocity of the soccer ball, using the GPS receiver included in the soccer ball;

to identify a rough or uneven area where players easily get injured, using the GPS receiver to monitor any abrupt changes with respect to the measured velocity of the soccer ball;

when the abrupt changes with respect to the measured velocity of the soccer ball occur, using the GPS receiver to send information to the central management system for recording, wherein the information includes i) corresponding locations where the abrupt changes occur, as measured by the GPS receiver, wherein the corresponding locations represent rough or uneven areas where players easily get injured, and ii) the measurements showing the abrupt changes with respect to the measured velocity of the soccer ball; and

when passing through the RFID reader, using the GPS receiver to notify the central management system that testing has been completed.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the steps comprise:

measuring conditions of the soccer ball, as soon as the soccer ball transmitter begins the testing by transmitting the testing soccer ball from the one end of the field;

continuously, using the GPS receiver to send information to the central management system for recording, wherein the information includes i) corresponding locations where the abrupt changes occur, as measured by the GPS receiver, and ii) the measurements showing the measured velocity of the soccer ball;

when passing through the RFID reader, using the GPS receiver to notify the central management system that testing has been completed; and

requesting the central management system to perform a numeric analysis to identify any abrupt changes with respect to velocities of the soccer ball that are sent by the testing soccer ball, wherein after identifying the abrupt changes, the central management system identifies the corresponding locations where the abrupt changes occurred, wherein the corresponding locations represent rough or uneven areas where players easily get injured.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the steps comprise:

measuring conditions of the soccer ball, as soon as the soccer ball transmitter begins the testing by transmitting the testing soccer ball from the one end of the field;

when the testing soccer ball starts rolling on the ground of the soccer field towards the another end of the field, continuously measuring the velocity of the soccer ball, using the GPS receiver included in the soccer ball;

to identify a fastest area of the field, using the GPS receiver to continuously monitor the measured velocity of the soccer ball; and

when a measured velocity is faster than prior measured velocities, using the GPS receiver to send information to the central management system for recording, wherein the information includes i) corresponding location where the faster measurement is obtained, and ii) information relating to the faster velocity that is measured; and

when passing through the RFID reader, using the GPS receiver to notify the central management system that testing has been completed, wherein i) the measured velocity last sent by the GPS receiver represents the fastest velocity and ii) the corresponding location represents the fastest area of the soccer field.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the steps comprise:

measuring conditions of the soccer ball, as soon as the soccer ball transmitter begins the testing by transmitting the testing soccer ball from the one end of the field;

continuously, using the GPS receiver to send information to the central management system for recording, wherein the information includes i) corresponding locations where the abrupt changes occur, as measured by the GPS receiver, and ii) the measurements showing the measured velocity of the soccer ball; and

when passing through the RFID reader, using the GPS receiver to notify the central management system that testing has been completed; and

requesting the central management system to perform a numeric analysis to identify i) the highest velocity from the received measurements and ii) the corresponding location where the highest velocity is measured, wherein the corresponding location represents the fastest area of the field.

6. A system for measuring field conditions of soccer fields, comprising:

a central management system;

a testing soccer ball for testing a ground of a soccer field;

a GPS receiver mounted inside the testing soccer ball, wherein the GPS receiver

detects velocity of the soccer ball;

sends RF signals to the central management system;

locates current position of the soccer ball; and

locates current attitude of the soccer ball from the ground of the soccer field;

a RFID tag including a RFID antenna mounted on surface of the testing soccer ball;

a soccer ball transmitter located on one end of a field;

a RFID reader located on another end of the field, wherein

the reader detects the RFID tag when the soccer ball passes through the reader;

the central management system is notified by the soccer ball transmitter located on the one end of the field that testing has started, right after the soccer ball is being transmitted by the soccer ball transmitter; and

the central management system is notified by the reader that testing has been completed, right after the reader detects the soccer ball passing through the reader from the one end of the field;

a control processing unit and a memory located inside the testing soccer ball, wherein the memory includes executable steps, wherein the steps comprise;

as soon as the soccer ball starts rolling, notifying the central management server to record start rolling time;

notifying the central management server to record finish rolling time, as soon as the soccer ball is detected by the RFID reader, wherein the central management system computes the rolling time in view of the start rolling time and the finish rolling time; and

repeating the whole process for a second soccer field to determine which soccer field yields a faster field, by comparing which field has a corresponding shorter rolling time.