Electronic football capable of measuring throwing statistics

• US 6,582,330 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rehco LLC
• Original Assignee: Rehco LLC
• Inventors: Gould, Bret, Kass, Michael, Rehkemper, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Hughes, S. Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, CARMEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/848,196
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 273/108.4, 473/569-570, 446/484
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

The electronic football of the present invention is capable of calculating various throwing statistics. The electronic football includes a start switch in communication with a timer means that starts when the start switch is released approximately simultaneously when the football is thrown. Upon impact, an impact switch triggers the timer to stop, thereby providing the total flight time. The electronic football further includes a pressure sensor positioned in an opening in the forward section of the football for measuring the air pressure when the football is thrown. The pressure readings are received by a microprocessor, which calculates the various throwing statistics. The throwing statistics may further be displayed on a display screen or emitted through a speaker.

Claims

1. An electronic football capable of calculating throwing statistics comprising:

a housing;

a resilient outer body placed about the housing, the outer body having a forward section that includes an opening;

an air pressure gauge positioned in the opening of the forward section for measuring air pressure when the football is thrown;

an analog-to-digital conversion means for receiving a pressure sensor reading from the pressure gauge and converting said pressure sensor reading to a digital pressure sensor reading;

a microprocessor having a timer means and a memory means, the timer means for determining a total flight time and the memory means for storing throwing statistics, the microprocessor is secured within the housing and is in communication with the analog-to-digital conversion means for receiving the digital pressure sensor reading and the flight time in order to calculate throwing statistics;

a means for replaying the throwing statistics in communication with the microprocessor; and

a battery source for providing power to said microprocessor.

2. The electronic football of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor calculates the total distance (D) of each throw based upon the following formula:

3. The electronic football of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor calculates a top speed of each throw.

4. The electronic football of claim 1, wherein the memory means further stores a history of the throwing statistics such that the microprocessor may calculate and re-calculate an average and a maximum value after subsequent throws, and wherein the microprocessor may be accessed to replay said average and maximum values.

5. The electronic football of claim 1 further including a start button and an impact switch in communication with the timer means, the start button when pressed and released indicates to the timer means that the flight time has begun and the impact switch indicates to the timer means that the flight time has ended.

6. The electronic football of claim 5, wherein the impact switch includes a spring attached to a post in communication with the microprocessor, such that when the football comes to a stop, the impact switch signals the microprocessor that the flight time has ended.

7. The electronic football of claim 1 further comprising an on/off switch in communication with the battery source.

8. The electronic football of claim 1, wherein the means for replaying the throwing statistics is a display screen.

9. The electronic football of claim 1, wherein the means for replaying the throwing statistics is a speaker.

10. The electronic football of claim 1 further including a tail attached to a rear end of said football, the tail extending along a symmetrical axis of the football and having fins protruding radially therefrom.

11. A football having an apparatus for measuring throwing statistics of the football when thrown by a user where said apparatus is mounted within said football, said apparatus comprising:

means for timing a total time the football is in the air starting from the moment the football is released by the user to the moment the football impacts the ground or is caught by a subsequent user;

means for reading air pressure while the football is in the air and to generate a signal representative of the air pressure reading;

means for receiving the air pressure reading and a total time and calculating the total distance the football traveled while said football was thrown; and

means for replaying said total distance to said user.

12. The football of claim 11, wherein the total distance (D) is calculated from the following mathematical formula:

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the air pressure reading includes a pressure sensor attached to a pitot tube, the pitot tube being placed in an aperture defined in a forward end of the football.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving the air pressure reading and the total time and calculating the total distance is performed by a microprocessor having memory means for storing a history of the total distance for each throw, such that the microprocessor may calculate an average and maximum from said history of the total distances.

15. The football of claim 14, wherein the microprocessor further calculates a top speed of each throw.

16. The football of claim 11, wherein the replaying means is a display screen mounted within the device and viewable therethrough.

17. The football of claim 11, wherein the replaying means is a speaker.

18. The football apparatus of claim 14, wherein the microprocessor includes the timing means that is in further communication with a start button that is released upon throwing the football, which starts the total time and is in communication with an impact switch that is triggered upon hitting an object, which ends the total time.

19. An electronic football capable of measuring flight characteristics comprising:

an start button that may be released when the football is thrown, the start button in communication with a timer such that when released, the start button begins the timer;

an impact switch that is triggered when the football comes into contact with another object, the impact switch is in communication with the timer such that when triggered, the impact switch stops the timer to provide a total flight time;

an air pressure gauge positioned in an aperture in a forward section of the football, the air pressure gauge in communication with a microprocessor, the air pressure gauge provides the microprocessor with various pressure readings of the air when the football is thrown through the air;

the microprocessor having a means to convert the total flight time and the various pressure readings into flight characteristics; and

a means to replay said flight characteristics.

20. The football of claim 19, wherein the flight characteristics include but is not limited to a total distance the football traveled during the flight time, a speed of the football during the flight time and the total flight time.

21. The football of claim 20, wherein the microprocessor further includes memory means to record the flight characteristics such that the microprocessor may calculate an average value for the flight characteristics and calculate a maximum value.