Sports Ball With Sensors And Transmitter
First Claim
1. A sports ball for communicating parameters to an external electronic device related to an impact of the sports ball by a sporting implement, comprising:
- a resilient shell;
a resilient core fixed within the shell; and
an electronic circuit including at least one sensor, a transmitter, and a power source, the electronic circuit adapted for communicating sensor data to the external electronic device via the transmitter and cushioned from the impact of the sporting implement by the resilient core.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sports ball for communicating to an external electronic device various parameters related to an impact with a sporting implement, such as a golf club. The sports ball comprises an outer resilient shell within that is contained a resilient core. An electronic circuit comprises at least one sensor, a transmitter, optionally a light-emitting diode, and a power source. The electronic circuit is cushioned from the impact of the sporting implement by the resilient core. The electronic circuit is adapted for communicating sensor data to the external electronic device via the transmitter. The at least one sensor is taken from the group of sensors comprising: a GPS receiver, a multi-axis accelerometer, an orientation sensor, an altitude sensor, and a microphone. The transmitter may be an RFID chip that passively transfers data from the at least one sensor and a unique ID number of the sports ball.
29 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A sports ball for communicating parameters to an external electronic device related to an impact of the sports ball by a sporting implement, comprising:
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a resilient shell; a resilient core fixed within the shell; and an electronic circuit including at least one sensor, a transmitter, and a power source, the electronic circuit adapted for communicating sensor data to the external electronic device via the transmitter and cushioned from the impact of the sporting implement by the resilient core. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of manufacturing a sports ball that communicates parameters to an external electronic device related to an impact of the sports ball by a sporting implement, comprising the steps:
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providing a two-piece resilient shell, a resilient core fixed within the shell, and an electronic circuit including at least one sensor, a transmitter, and a power source, the electronic circuit adapted for communicating sensor data to the external electronic device via the transmitter and cushioned from the impact of the sporting implement by the resilient core; applying a center-of-gravity indicia to a first piece of the two-piece resilient shell; affixing the electronic circuit and resilient core together within the first piece of the two-piece resilient shell, the electronic circuit positioned so that an axis line through both the center of the resilient core and the center of gravity of the electronic circuit is aligned with the center-of-gravity indicia; and sealing a second piece of the two-piece resilient shell around the resilient core and electronic circuit.
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17. A method of manufacturing a sports ball that communicates parameters to an external electronic device related to an impact of the sports ball by a sporting implement, comprising the steps:
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providing a resilient core and an electronic circuit including at least one sensor, a transmitter, and a power source, the electronic circuit adapted for communicating sensor data to the external electronic device via the transmitter and cushioned from the impact of the sporting implement by the resilient core; aligning the resilient core and electronic circuit within a mold for forming a resilient shell; injecting molten plastic material around the resilient core and electronic circuit; applying a center-of-gravity indicia to the resilient shell so that an axis line through both the center of the resilient core and the center of gravity of the electronic circuit is aligned with the center-of-gravity indicia.
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Specification