Gaming surface contact detecting systems

• US 4,109,911 A
• Filed: 04/14/1977
• Issued: 08/29/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Loravan Development Corporation
• Original Assignee: John A Van Auken
• Inventors: Van Auken, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, T.
• Application Number:
  US05/787,474
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 273/29 A, 273/31, 273/61 R, 273/58 A, 273/58 G, 273/58 K, 273/202.2, 273/DIG. 5, 340/323, 340/358 C, 340/258, 200/61.1, 200/61.11, 200/277
• US Class Current: 473/467
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0611 Automatic tennis linesmen, i.e. in-out detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration

Abstract

A gaming surface contact detecting system for detecting the presence of a particular type of projectile upon touchdown of the projectile on any gaming surface or surfaces and for locating the position of touchdown of the projectile in relation to the gaming surface or surfaces. The gaming surface contact detecting system includes a projectile with at least one surface portion of detectable material, and a surface signal means. The surface portion of the projectile may include a contact recognition surface such as a chemical surface or an electrical conductive surface. The surface signal means may include a second chemical surface or may include a sensing means. The surface signal means is connected on at least a portion of the gaming surface. Upon positive contact between the projectile and the surface signaling means, a signal is initiated that signals the touchdown of the projectile that bounces off the surface signaling means on the gaming surface.

Claims

1. An electrical detecting system comprising:

electrically conductive sensing means adapted to be positioned in at least one pre-selected zone on a tennis court or other playing surface

a ball for contacting said sensing means and having an electrically conductive coating of poly vinyldibenzylmethyl ammonium chloride on its outer surface, and means connected to said sensing means for signalling touchdown of said ball in said at least one zone in response to the contact of the ball'"'"'s electrically conductive coating with said sensing means.

2. An electrical in-ball indicator system for indicating touchdown of a ball in one or more selected zones on a tennis court playing surface or other playing surface having one or more court lines wherein the court lines bound a playing surface area, wherein each court line has a pre-selected width, and wherein said ball is provided with electrically conductive means on its outer periphery, said electrical in-ball indicator system comprising at least one electrically operated indicator, a sensing circuit having a group of exposed, spaced apart, generally parallel conductors disposed on said playing surface in at least one of said zones and extending lengthwise of at least one of said court lines, and electrical circuit means connected to said sensing circuit and said indicator to operate said indicator in response to touchdown of said ball at a place where the electrically conductive means on said ball completes a current-conducting circuit across adjacently disposed ones of said conductors in said sensing circuit, only one of said conductors in said sensing circuit being disposed out bounds of the playing surface area delimited by the outer edge of said one of said court lines, and the remainder of said conductors in said sensing circuit being disposed in bounds of the playing surface area delimited by the outer edge of said one of said court lines.

3. An electrical indicator system for indicating touchdown of a ball in one or more selected zones on a tennis court playing surface or other playing surface area, wherein said ball is provided with electrically conductive means on its outer periphery, said electrical indicator system comprising at least one electrically operated indicator, a sensing circuit having a group of exposed, spaced apart, generally parallel conductors disposed on said playing surface in at least one of said zones, and an electrical circuit connected to said sensing circuit and said indicator and including means for producing an electrical pulse in response to the completion of a current-conducting circuit across adjacently disposed ones of said conductors by contact of the electrically conductive means on said ball with said conductors, the duration of said electrical pulse being determined by the time period that said electrically conductive means is in contact with said conductors, and said electrical circuit further including means responsive to said electrical pulse for causing continuous operation of said indicator throughout a pre-selected time interval to indicate touchdown of said ball on said sensing circuit, said pre-selected time interval being independent of the duration of said electrical pulse.

4. An electrical indicator system for indicating touchdown of a tennis ball in one or more selected zones on a tennis court playing surface having court lines, wherein said ball is provided with electrically conductive means on its outer periphery, said electrical indicator system comprising at least one electrically operated indicator, a sensing circuit having a group of exposed, spaced apart, generally parallel conductors extending lengthwise of at least one of said court lines, with at least a plurality of said conductors being disposed on said one of said court lines, electrical circuit means connected to said sensing circuit and to said indicator to operate said indicator in response to touchdown of said ball at a place where the electrically conductive means on said ball completes a current-conducting circuit across adjacently disposed ones of said conductors, said electrical circuit means including a source of electric power, and connecting means electrically connecting said source to said conductors, said connecting means comprising an electrical connector unit for electrically connecting alternate ones of said conductors together, and said connector unit comprising a strip of electrically non-conductive material extending transversely of and overlying said conductors and having openings registering with portions of only alternate ones of said conductors, and an electrical conductor means disposed on the upwardly facing side of said strip and extending across said openings to make electrical contact with the conductor portions that are exposed through said openings.

5. An electrical in-ball indicator system for indicating touchdown of a tennis ball in one or more selected zones on a tennis court playing surface having one or more court lines wherein the court lines bound a playing surface area wherein each court line has a pre-selected width, and wherein said ball is provided with electrically conductive means on its outer periphery, said electrical in-ball indicator system comprising a least one electrically operated indicator, a sensing circuit having a group of exposed, spaced apart, generally parallel conductors disposed on said playing surface in at least one of said zones and extending lengthwise of at least one of said court lines, and electrical circuit means connected intermediate said sensing circuit and said indicator to operate said indicator in response to touchdown of said ball at a place where the electrically conductive means on said ball completes a current-conducting circuit across adjacently disposed ones of said conductors in said sensing circuit, only one of said conductors in said sensing circuit being disposed out bounds of the playing surface area delimited by the outer edge of said one of said court lines, and the remainder of said conductors in said sensing circuit being disposed in bounds of the playing surface area delimited by the outer edge of said one of said court lines.

6. An electrical indicator system for indicating touchdown of a tennis ball in one or more selected zones on a tennis court playing surface having court lines, wherein said ball is provided with electrically conductive means on its outer periphery, said electrical indicator system comprising at least one electrically operated indicator, a sensing circuit having a group of exposed, spaced apart, generally parallel conductors extending lengthwise of at least one of said court lines, with at least a plurality of said conductors being dispsoed on said one of said court lines, electrical circuit means connected intermediate said sensing circuit and said indicator to operate said indicator in response to touchdown of said ball at a place where the electrically conductive means on said ball completes a current-conducting circuit across adjacently disposed ones of said conductors, said electrical circuit means including a source of electric power, and connecting means electrically connecting said source to said conductors, said connecting means comprising an electrical connector unit for electrically connecting alternate ones of said conductors together, and said connector unit comprising a strip of electrically non-conductive material having upwardly and downwardly facing sides and extending transversely of said conductors, said strip having openings registering with portions of only alternate ones of said conductors, said portions of said alternate ones of said conductors being disposed on one of said sides of said strip, and an electrical conductor means disposed on the other of said sides of said strip and extending across said openings to make electrical contact with the conductor portions that are exposed through said openings.