Game Ball Monitoring System

• US 20170252632A1
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tim Pappas
• Original Assignee: Tim Pappas
• Inventors: Pappas, Tim
• Application Number:
  US15/449,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20170252632A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/008 Goals for rugby or American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0024 for hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A system for monitoring the position of ball during a game. The game ball monitoring system includes a plurality of boundary sensors that are placed along the boundary lines of a sports field. The boundary sensors form the boundary lines of the sports field, wherein a representation of the boundary line is relayed to and presented on a display screen. The game ball monitoring system further includes a ball having a GPS chip and transceiver securable thereto in order to transmit the position of the ball to the display. The display allows a user to view the boundary line of the playing field via information received from the sensors and the ball relative to the boundary line. A logic within the display determines if the ball is within or outside of the bounds of the boundary line in order to allow for accurate out-of-bounds calls to be made.

Claims

1. ) A game ball monitoring system, comprising:

a ball having a microprocessor, a wireless transceiver, and a GPS chip;

a plurality of sensors configured to be positioned along a boundary line of a playing field, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to be in communication with each of the plurality of sensors and the GPS chip;

the microprocessor configured to detect a position of the ball and to transmit the position to a display;

the display showing a view of the boundary line of the playing field defined by the plurality of sensors, the display showing the ball relative to the plurality of sensors;

a logic that is at least partially stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium and that, when executed at least in part by a processor, causes the game ball monitoring system to perform a method, the method comprising;

detecting the boundary line of the playing field via the plurality of sensors;

transmitting sensor data to the display;

displaying the boundary line of the playing field on the display;

determining the position of the ball via the GPS chip;

transmitting the position of the ball via the wireless transceiver;

displaying the position of the ball on the display;

comparing the position of the ball to the position of the boundary line of the playing field;

providing a first alert if the positon is within the boundary line of the playing field, wherein the first alert is displayed on the display;

providing a second alert if the position is outside of the boundary line of the playing field, wherein the second alert is displayed on the display.

2. ) The game ball monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the ball comprises one or more pockets disposed on the exterior thereof, the one or more pockets configured for storing the microprocessor, the GPS chip, and the transceiver.

3. ) The game ball monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the one or more pockets comprise a first pocket positioned beneath laces of a football and a pair of second pockets each positioned on opposing ends of the ball, wherein the ball is a football.

4. ) The game ball monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a marker sensor in communication with the logic, wherein the logic is configured to calculate a distance between the marker sensor and the position of the ball.

5. ) The game ball monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising one or more goal sensors in communication with the logic and disposed on a goal post, wherein the one or more goal sensors are configured to detect if the ball passes on either side of the goal post.