Batter monitoring system

• US 7,270,616 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2003
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arthur C. Snyder
• Original Assignee: Arthur C. Snyder
• Inventors: Snyder, Arthur C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M
• Application Number:
  US10/342,471
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 473/421, 473/451, 473/453, 473/455, 473/468, 473499-500, 473415-416, 473/422, 463 2- 3, 434/247, 273/317.6, 273/108.3
• US Class Current: 473/453
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0013 Baseball bases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration

Abstract

The batter monitoring system is a modified home plate for baseball including a sensor unit to detect whether or not the bat crosses the plate as a hitter swings at a pitched ball and also when a runner crosses the plate. After the pitch, a green light is illuminated to indicate that the batter swung the bat or a red light is illuminated if the batter did not swing the bat. Each player would wear a transmitter which the sensor would detect as it crossed the plate, illuminating the lights and sounding a buzzer to indicate when the device is detected crossing the plate. This allows the umpire to watch the ball coming into the baseman'"'"'s glove and determine whether the ball arrived before or after he heard the buzzer. The sensor, lights, control unit, and buzzer would be built into the plate, and the plate would be recessed into the ground so that its appearance does not differ from that of a conventional home plate.

Claims

1. A batter monitoring system comprising:

a flat plate shaped like a conventional home plate for baseball and having an interior surface and an exterior surface with a top layer having an upper rectangular section and a lower triangular section wherein said upper section has a right edge, a left edge parallel to said right edge, a top edge perpendicular to said right edge and joining said right edge to said left edge and forming an upper right corner and an upper left corner of said upper rectangular section, and a bottom edge which joins with said lower section forming a lower right corner and a lower left corner of said upper rectangular section and said lower section has a base that joins with said bottom edge of said upper section, a right angled outer edge that extends rearward and inward from said right edge of said upper section, and a left angled outer edge that extends rearward and inward from said left edge of said upper section and joins said right angled outer edge to define a rear center point of said plate and a bottom layer with a similar shape to said top layer wherein said top layer joins said bottom layer along said right edge, said left edge, said top edge, said right angled outer edge, and said left angled outer edge;

a sensor unit connected to said interior surface of said plate, wherein said sensor unit is located in the center of said upper rectangular section of said plate;

a transmitter wirelessly connected to said sensor unit;

control logic connected to said sensor unit and said interior surface of said plate;

a buzzer connected to said control logic and said interior surface of said plate;

a plurality of speakers connected to said buzzer;

a plurality of lights having a top and a bottom and connected to said plate wherein said bottoms of said lights are recessed within said plate, wherein each said light further comprises a protective cover connected to said plate wherein said cover is placed over said top of said light and is flush with said plate, and wherein some of said plurality of lights are red and are connected to said plate along said right edge, said left edge, said right angled outer edge, and said left angled outer edge;

wherein said sensor unit is capable of detecting and differentiating between when a ball, a bat, or said transmitter crosses said plate, and said control logic illuminates said red lights when said sensor detects a ball crossing said plate but does not detect a bat crossing said plate after or at the same time as said ball.

2. The batter monitoring system 1 wherein some of said plurality of lights are green and are connected to said plate at said upper left corner, said lower left corner, said upper right corner, said lower right corner, and said rear center point.

3. The batter monitoring system of claim 2 wherein said control logic illuminates said green lights when said sensor detects a ball crossing said plate and a bat crossing said plate after or at the same time as said ball.

4. The batter monitoring system of claim 3 wherein said control logic illuminates said red lights and activates said buzzer when said sensor detects said transmitter crossing said plate.

5. The batter monitoring system of claim 3 wherein said control logic illuminates said green lights and activates said buzzer when said sensor detects said transmitter crossing said plate.

6. A batter monitoring system comprising:

a pentagonal flat plate having the dimensions of a conventional home plate used in baseball and formed with an interior surface and an exterior surface, a bottom layer, and a top layer having a main portion with a center and an outer edge with a right edge having a top and a bottom, a left edge with a top and a bottom and parallel to said right edge, a top edge having a first end, a center, and a second end and perpendicular to said right edge and joining said top of said right edge to said top of said left edge, an angled lower right edge having a top and a bottom and joined on said top to said bottom of said right edge, and an angled lower left edge having a top and a bottom and joined on said top to said bottom of said left edge and on said bottom to said bottom of said angled lower right edge wherein said bottom of said angled lower right edge joins with said bottom of said angled lower left edge at a point that lines up with said center of said top edge on a line parallel to said right edge and said left edge, wherein said bottom layer of said plate is slightly larger than said top layer of said plate and said right edge, said left edge, said top edge, said angled lower right edge, and said angled lower left edge slope downwards and outwards to join said top layer to said bottom layer;

a sensor unit connected to said interior surface of said plate, wherein said sensor unit is located in said center of said main portion of said plate;

control logic connected to said sensor unit and said interior surface of said plate;

a buzzer connected to said control logic and said interior surface of said plate;

a plurality of speakers connected to said buzzer and to said interior surface of said plate wherein said speakers are angled upward and are just below the top layer of said plate;

a plurality of red lights having a top and a bottom and connected to said plate along said right edge, said angled lower right edge, said left edge, and said lower left edge wherein said bottoms of said lights are recessed within said plate;

a plurality of green lights having a top and a bottom and connected to said main portion of said plate inside said right edge, said angled lower right edge, said left edge, and said lower left edge wherein each said green light is near one said red light and said bottoms of said lights are recessed within said plate; and

a transmitter wirelessly connected to said sensor unit;

wherein said sensor unit is capable of detecting and differentiating between when a ball, a bat, or said transmitter crosses said plate; and

control logic illuminates said red lights when said sensor detects a ball crossing said plate but does not detect a bat crossing said plate after or at the same time as said ball and illuminates said green lights when said sensor detects a ball crossing said plate and a bat crossing said plate after or at the same time as said ball.