Strike zone indicator measurement device

• US 6,358,164 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph S. Bracewell, Marvin Fabrikant
• Original Assignee: Joseph S. Bracewell, Marvin Fabrikant
• Inventors: Bracewell, Joseph S., Fabrikant, Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/708,017
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 473/452-455, 473/152, 473/155, 473/192, 473/199, 773/371, 773/348, 463/1, 463/40-43
• US Class Current: 473/454
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration

Abstract

A strike zone indicator apparatus has a mount positioned in relation to a home plate and away from possible interference. First projectors connected to the mount project first beams related to the home plate. A measurer takes particular individual players measurements and a processor connected to the measurer and to the first projectors creates individualized upper and lower limits of strike zones according to the particular individual players measurements. Second beam projectors are connected to the processor for projecting second beams intersecting with the first beams for establishing above the preexisting home plate the upper and lower limits and the strike zones based on the particular individual players measurements from the measurer.

Claims

1. Strike zone indicator apparatus comprising a measurer for premeasuring multiple individual baseball players in batting stances, the measurer further comprising a shoulder height measurement provider, a belt height measurement provider and a knee hollow measurement provider and a processor connected to the measurement providers for receiving measurements and a recorder connected to the processor for separately recording distinct measurements of the multiple individual baseball players.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 and the processor further includes a calculator for calculating upper and lower limits of strike zones of the multiple individual baseball players and wherein the recorder records the upper and lower limits of the strike zones for the multiple individual baseball players.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor further comprises a communicator for communicating the upper and lower limits of the strike zone of the multiple individual baseball players to local processors connected to projectors mounted near home plates.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the communicator comprises recorded media.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the communicator comprises a network interconnecting the processors.

6. A strike zone indicator apparatus comprising mount positioned in relation to a plate away from possible interference with players, umpires and spectators, projectors connected to the mount and positioned with respect to an existing home plate for projecting energy beams related to the home plate, receivers mounted near the home plate for receiving energy from the energy beams and processors connected to the receivers and providing information therefrom according to pitched baseballs traveling through the energy beams, further comprising an input connected to the processor for providing information on particular upper and lower strike zone limits of a particular batter standing along the home plate, further comprising a comparator connected to the processor for comparing the particular limits of the strike zone of the particular batter with energy received in the receivers.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising filters connected to the processor for filtering out energy received in the receivers from objects larger or smaller than a baseball.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the energy is projected in pulses from the projectors, and wherein the receivers are positioned for receiving reflected energy.