SPORTS APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20140120960A1
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sstatzz Oy
• Original Assignee: Sstatzz Oy
• Inventors: Hohteri, Harri
• Granted Patent: US 9,079,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A sports apparatus is provided for monitoring movement of one or more projectiles associated with a sporting event. The apparatus includes a data processing system for processing sampled data signals generated in operation by one or more sensors (202, 204) included in the one or more projectiles. Moreover, the apparatus includes a mobile telephone coupled in wireless communication with the one or more projectiles for receiving the sampled data signals indicative of motion of the one or more projectiles. Furthermore, the mobile telephone is operable to execute one or more software products therein for analyzing the sampled data signals received at the mobile telephone for providing analysis results indicative of a nature of trajectory of the one or more projectiles.

Claims

1. A sports apparatus for monitoring movement of one or more projectiles associated with a sporting event, comprising:

a data processing system for processing sampled data signals generated in operation by one or more sensors included in the one or more projectiles; and

a mobile telephone coupled in wireless communication with the one or more projectiles for receiving the sampled data signals indicative of motion of the one or more projectiles,

wherein the mobile telephone is operable to execute one or more software products therein for analyzing the sampled data signals received at the mobile telephone for providing analysis results indicative of a nature of trajectory of the one or more projectiles.

2. The sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a server arrangement which is remote from the mobile telephone, wherein the mobile telephone is couplable in communication with the server arrangement for communicating analysis data thereto and/or receiving analysis parameters therefrom.

3. The sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile telephone is operable to provide a user interface via which the one or more software products are user programmable to identify from the sample data signals a nature of trajectory of the one or more projectiles.

4. The sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of the software products are operable to implement a neural network algorithm upon computing hardware of the mobile telephone for performing trajectory analysis.

5. The sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a wireless beacon detection arrangement for determining one or more spatial locations of the one or more projectiles when in use.

6. The sports apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the one or more projectiles include a pseudo-omnidirectional antenna arrangement for emitting wireless radiation therefrom for receipt at the mobile telephone.

7. The sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus supports multiple users and is operable to provide sharing between the users of at least one of:

analysis results pertaining to trajectories of the one or more projectiles, neural network learning parameters for recognizing types of trajectory of the one or more projectiles.

8. The sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more projectiles include a data processing arrangement for analyzing the sampled data signals and for sending the sampled data signals when an amplitude of change in the sample data signals exceeds a predefined threshold for more than a predefined period.

9. A method of using a sports apparatus for monitoring movement of one or more projectiles associated with a sporting event, wherein the apparatus includes a data processing system for processing sampled data signals generated in operation by one or more sensors included in the one or more projectiles, the method comprising:

using a mobile telephone coupled in wireless communication with the one or more projectiles for receiving the sampled data signals indicative of motion of the one or more projectiles; and

using the mobile telephone to execute one or more software products therein for analyzing the sampled data signals received at the mobile telephone for providing analysis results indicative of a nature of trajectory of the one or more projectiles.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising using a server arrangement which is remote from the mobile telephone, wherein the mobile telephone is couplable in communication with the server arrangement for communicating analysis data thereto and/or receiving analysis parameters therefrom.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising using the mobile telephone to provide a user interface via which the one or more software products are user programmable to identify from the sample data signals a nature of trajectory of the one or more projectiles.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising operating one or more of the software products to implement a neural network algorithm upon computing hardware of the mobile telephone for performing trajectory analysis.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising using a wireless beacon detection arrangement for determining one or more spatial locations of the one or more projectiles when in use.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising arranging for one or more projectiles to include a pseudo-omnidirectional antenna arrangement for emitting wireless radiation therefrom for receipt at the mobile telephone.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising arranging for the apparatus to support multiple users for providing sharing between the users of at least one of:

analysis results pertaining to trajectories of the one or more projectiles, neural network learning parameters for recognizing types of trajectory of the one or more projectiles.

16. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising arranging for the one or more projectiles to include a data processing arrangement for analyzing the sampled data signals and for sending the sampled data signals when an amplitude of change in the sample data signals exceeds a predefined threshold for more than a predefined period.

17. A software product recorded on machine-readable data storage media, wherein the software product is executable upon computing hardware for implementing the method as claimed in claim 9.