Real-time wireless sensor scoring

• US 7,998,004 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William M. Klein
• Original Assignee: William M. Klein
• Inventors: Klein, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rada, II; Alex F. R. P.
• Application Number:
  US12/359,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20090191988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 473/476, 473479-480, 473/485, 340/323.R, 700/92
• US Class Current: 473/480
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/64 Frequency, e.g. of vibration oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• 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 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices

Abstract

A shooting sports measurement system to use with a hoop comprises a net including a first sensor suspended within the net and connectable with the hoop to detect vibration transmitted through one or both of the net and the hoop and a second sensor to detect one or both of motion of the net and pressure from a passing object. The shooting sports measurement system further comprises a console communicatively coupled with the first sensor and the second sensor to receive data and calculate results.

Claims

1. A basketball net for use with a basketball hoop, comprising:

a first piezo-accelerometer to detect vibration transmitted through the basketball hoop;

a link connectable between the first piezo-accelerometer and the basketball hoop to conduct vibration of the basketball hoop to the first piezo-accelerometer;

a second piezo-accelerometer arranged below the first piezo-accelerometer to detect one or both of motion of the basketball net and pressure from a passing basketball; and

a third piezo-accelerometer arranged below the first piezo-accelerometer and substantially opposite the second piezo-accelerometer to detect motion of the basketball net; and

wherein one or more of the first, second and third piezo-accelerometer is mounted on a printed circuit board including a wireless transceiver.

2. The basketball net of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third piezo-accelerometers are communicatively connected by wires.

3. The basketball net of claim 1,

wherein the first, second, and third piezo-accelerometers are each mounted on a printed circuit board including a wireless transceiver;

and

wherein the first, second, and third piezo-accelerometers are communicatively connected by wireless signals.

4. The basketball net of claim 1, further comprising a web of strings arranged in a diamond pattern;

and

wherein the first, second, and third piezo-accelerometers are arranged within diamonds of the diamond pattern.

5. The basketball net of claim 4, wherein the first, second, and third piezo-accelerometers are communicatively connected by wires embedded within the strings.

6. A shooting sports measurement system to use with a hoop, comprising:

a net including;

a first sensor suspended within the net;

a semi-rigid or rigid link connected with the first sensor and a first end and connectable with the hoop at a second end to transmit vibration of the hoop to the first sensor; and

a second sensor arranged below the first sensor to detect one or both of motion of the basketball net and pressure from a passing object; and

a console, the console communicatively coupled with the first sensor and the second sensor to receive data and calculate results.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first sensor is one or more of a piezo-electric accelerometer, a piezo-resistive accelerometer, a piezo beam, and a piezo disc.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the console uses data from the first sensor to detect a shot taken.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the second sensor comprises one or more of a piezo-electric accelerometer, a piezo-resistive accelerometer, a piezo beam, and a piezo disc.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the second sensor comprises one or more of a Quantum Tunneling Composites material, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an electric field (e-field) sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and a strain gage.

11. The system of claim 6, further comprising a third sensor arranged below the first sensor and substantially opposite the second sensor to detect one or both of motion of the basketball net and pressure from a passing object;

and

wherein the console is communicatively coupled with the third sensor.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the third sensor comprises one or more of a piezo-electric accelerometer, a piezo-resistive accelerometer, a piezo beam, a piezo disc, a Quantum Tunneling Composites material, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an electric field (e-field) sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and a strain gage.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the console uses a temporal sequence of data from the first sensor and the second sensor to determine whether the passing object passes through the hoop to indicate a successful shot.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the console can be calibrated to improve measurements of the shooting sports measurement system.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein the console is an input and output device for each shooting session.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the console includes a first display for displaying time, a second display for displaying a result, and an RF receiver for receiving a signal from one or both of the first sensor and the second sensor.

17. The system of claim 6, wherein the console is a software program adapted to be executed on a non-dedicated device.

18. The system of claim 6, wherein the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor are communicatively coupled to the console by one or more wireless transmitters.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the console is executable on one of a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a watch, a media player, and a personal video game player.

20. A computer based method to measure shooting sports performance, the method comprising:

using a net connected to a hoop, the net including a first sensor suspended within the net, a semi-rigid or rigid link connected with the first sensor and a first end and connected with the hoop at a second end to transmit vibration of the hoop to the first sensor, and

a second sensor arranged below the first sensor to detect one or both of motion of the basketball net and pressure from a passing object; and

the method further comprising the computer implemented steps of;

determining whether a shot is taken by a player based on vibration sensed by the vibration sensor;

determining whether a shot is made by the player based on one or both of motion of the net and pressure from a passing ball sensed by the motion sensor; and

determining performance of the player based on the previous determining steps.