Sensor based tennis serve training apparatus

• US 8,262,517 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2010
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ramesh Balasubramanyan
• Original Assignee: Ramesh Balasubramanyan
• Inventors: Balasubramanyan, Ramesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US12/910,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20120004055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 473/422, 473/431, 473/451, 473/459, 473/461, 124/1, 124/6, 124/45
• US Class Current: 473/459
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/002 Devices for dispensing balls, e.g. from a reservoir automatic teeing devices A63B57/0006; devices for projecting balls A63B69/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/385 for practising the serve

Abstract

A sensor based tennis serve training apparatus includes a stand, a ball tosser coupled to said stand, an optical marker coupled to said stand and in electronic communications with said ball tosser, the optical marker to mark a ball strike zone, an ultrasonic tennis arm movement detector attached to said stand and in electronic communication with said ball tosser to detect arm movement, and a selectively timed ball discharging magazine attached to said stand and in electronic communication with said ball tosser. Said apparatus can further include an electronic communication control box coupled to said stand and mediating electronic communication between said magazine, ball tosser, ultrasonic tennis arm movement detector, and optical marker.

Claims

1. A sensor based tennis serve training apparatus, comprising:

A ball tosser configurable to actively release a ball upon electronic impulse;

A detector detecting relative rising movement of a tossing arm in electronic communication with said ball tosser providing electronic impulse to trigger ball tosser activation;

An optical marker marking a moving ball with a laser at a user selected height of contact; and

An optical marker providing visual feedback on the ball if the ball is struck below the user selected height of contact.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein said active release is accomplished by launching said ball upward into the air.

2. A sensor based tennis serve training apparatus, comprising:

A ball tosser configurable to actively release a ball upon electronic impulse;

A detector in electronic communication with said ball tosser detecting relative rising tossing arm movement using two ultrasonic movement sensors to trigger launch of said ball by said ball tosser through an electronic impulse;

Optical markers marking by horizontal laser beam the ball with a visible dot as the ball falls through the user selected point of contact; and

Optical markers marking with a horizontal laser the ball when it falls below a preset strike zone.