Automated sport boundary officiating system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for automatically determining the location at which an object strikes the ground relative to a boundary comprising:
- a coaxial cable having a longitudinal axis adapted to be positioned along said boundary and comprising an outer conductor surrounding an insulator that further surrounds a central conductor;
a conductive probe extending into said coaxial cable so as to pass through and contact said outer conductor and lie adjacent said central conductor;
said probe positioned such that, when a force is applied in a direction perpendicular to said ground in the vicinity of said boundary, said probe is forced into contact with said central conductor and creates an electrical short between said first and second conductors; and
a voltage detector coupled to said coaxial cable to detect said electrical short.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated method and apparatus for determining whether a ball in a sport has contacted the ground in or out of bounds as well as where along the boundary the impact occurred. A pair of conductors run adjacent to and beneath the boundary lines of the sport court or field. The two conductors are electrically separated by an insulator, but will contact each other at the point of impact and thereby create an electrical short when a force, such as is caused by the impact of a ball, is applied to the boundary line. The short causes two counter-propagating voltage pulses to travel out from the location of the short towards a detector which detects the pulses and the time delay between receipt of the pulses. The fact of whether pulses were detected is indicative of whether the ball was in or out of bounds, while the time delay between the pulses is indicative of the location along the boundary line where the ball struck the ground.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automatically determining the location at which an object strikes the ground relative to a boundary comprising:
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a coaxial cable having a longitudinal axis adapted to be positioned along said boundary and comprising an outer conductor surrounding an insulator that further surrounds a central conductor; a conductive probe extending into said coaxial cable so as to pass through and contact said outer conductor and lie adjacent said central conductor; said probe positioned such that, when a force is applied in a direction perpendicular to said ground in the vicinity of said boundary, said probe is forced into contact with said central conductor and creates an electrical short between said first and second conductors; and a voltage detector coupled to said coaxial cable to detect said electrical short. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for automatically determining the location at which an object struck the ground relative to a boundary comprising:
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a plate adapted to be positioned adjacent said boundary, said plate being resilient so as to move in response to a force applied to said plate and to return to a rest position in the absence of said force; first and second conductors disposed beneath said plate; means for allowing said first and second conductors to electrically contact each other when a force is applied to said plate so as to create an electrical short between said first and second conductors, whereby first and second counter-propagating voltage pulses are created; and a voltage detector coupled to said first and second conductors for detecting said first and second voltage pulses and determining a time delay between receipt thereof. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for automatically determining the location at which an object struck the ground relative to a boundary, said method comprising the steps of:
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placing a plate adjacent said boundary, said plate being resilient so as to move in response to a force applied to said plate and to return to a rest position in the absence of said force; placing first and second conductors beneath said plate; placing a conductive probe so as to cause said probe to electrically short said first and second conductors to each other when a force is applied to said plate, whereby first and second counter-propagating voltage pulses are created in said first and second conductors; detecting said first and second pulses at a known location electrically connected to said conductors; and determining a time delay between receipt of said first and second pulses, whereby a location of said electrical short along said boundary is determined. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for automatically determining a location at which an object struck the ground relative to a boundary comprising:
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first and second electrical conductors adapted to be positioned adjacent said boundary; N plates positioned above said first and second conductors and adjacent said boundary line, where N is a positive integer; means to allow said first and second conductors to contact each other when a force is applied to one of said plates so as to create an electrical short between said first and second conductors, whereby first and second counter-propagating voltage pulses are created; and a voltage detector coupled to said first conductor for detecting said first and second voltage pulses and determining a time delay between receipt of said first and second voltage pulses, whereby a location of said electrical short is determined. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for automatically determining the location at which an object strikes the ground relative to a boundary comprising:
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a plate adapted to be positioned adjacent said boundary; first and second conductors positioned adjacent said conductors; a conductive probe in permanent contact with said first conductor and adjacent said second conductor; an arm fixed to said plate and extending towards said probe, said arm positioned to contact said probe and force it into contact with said second conductor responsive to movement of said plate resulting from a force applied to said plate, whereby an electrical short between said first and second conductors is created causing first and second counter-propagating voltage pulses in said conductors. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for automatically determining the location at which an object struck the ground relative to a boundary, wherein said boundary is adjacent a plate and first and second conductors disposed beneath said plate, said plate being resilient so as to move in response to a force applied to said plate and to return to a rest position in the absence of said force, said plate further comprising a conductive probe positioned such that said probe electrically shorts said first and second conductors to each other when a force is applied to said plate, whereby first and second counter-propagating voltage pulses are created, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting said first and second pulses at a known location electrically connected to said conductors; and determining a time delay between receipt of said first and second pulses, whereby a location of said electrical short along said boundary is determined.
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Specification