Ball and entertainment system

• US 8,864,609 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2009
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sachiko Muromura
• Original Assignee: The University of Electro-Communications
• Inventors: Izuta, Osamu, Koike, Hideki, Kodama, Sachiko
• Primary Examiner(s): CUFF, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/057,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20110237367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,933 Days
• Field of Search: 473/570
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces

Abstract

Implementation including an outputter following a control to output a signal, a microphone for acquisition of sound from inside a ball, a determiner working in accordance with a level of sound acquired through the microphone to determine a state of the ball, and a control processor working in accordance with a result of determination at the determiner to generate a signal to output through the outputter.

Claims

1. A ball including an outputter adapted to output signals, the ball comprising:

a microphone configured for acquisition of sound from inside the ball;

an acceleration sensor configured to detect a level of acceleration developed with a motion of the ball;

a determiner configured to work in accordance with the sound acquired through the microphone and the level of acceleration detected through the acceleration sensor, to determine a state of the ball, the state including at least one of whether the ball is thrown, given a shock or left unattended; and

a control processor configured to work in accordance with the determination by the determiner, to generate a signal to output to external apparatus through the outputter.

2. The ball according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a light reflection sensor internal of the ball, configured to detect a level of reflection of light that is emitted from a light emitter in the ball and reflected from around the ball or a gyro sensor configured for acquisition of a level of angular speed developed with a motion of the ball, wherein

the determiner is configured to work further in accordance with at least one of the level of reflection of light and the level of angular speed, to determine the state of the ball.

3. The ball of claim 2, further including a light emitter disposed internally in the ball.

4. The ball according to claim 1, wherein

the outputter comprises a set of light emitting elements disposed internally of the ball and configured for emission of light, or a speaker configured to output sounds, and

the control processor is configured to work in accordance with a result of determination at the determiner, to cause a change in at least one of color, luminance, and blinking rate of light emitted from the set of light emitting elements, or to work in accordance with a result of determination at the determiner, to determine a pattern and a sound volume of sounds to be output from the speaker, and cause to output sounds as determined.

5. An entertainment system including a ball, an output device for producing at least one of a visual or sound output in accordance with a state of the ball, and a control device adapted for control of signal output at the output device, wherein

the ball comprises:

a light reflection sensor internal of the ball configured to detect a level of reflection of light that is emitted from a light emitter in the ball and reflected from around the ball;

a first communicator configured to transmit the level of reflection of light detected at the light reflection sensor to the control device;

the control device comprises;

a second communicator configured to receive the level of reflection or light, and work in accordance with the level of reflection of light, to transmit to the output device a control signal to control the signal output;

a determiner configured to work in accordance with the level of reflection of light received at the second communicator;

to determine a state of the ball; and

a generator configured to work in accordance with a result of determination at the determiner, to generate a signal outputted to the second communicator for control of the output device to produce at least one of a visual or sound display,

the output device comprises a speaker installed external of the ball, and

the generator of the control device is configured to work in accordance with the level of a light reflection received at the second communicator, to generate a control signal to operate the speaker.

6. An entertainment system including a ball, an output device adapted to output signals in accordance with a state of the ball, and a control device adapted for control of signal output at the output device, wherein

the ball comprises:

a microphone configured for acquisition of sound from inside the ball;

an acceleration sensor configured to detect a level of acceleration developed with a motion of the ball;

a first communicator configured to transmit the sound acquired through the microphone and the level of acceleration detected at the acceleration sensor to the control device; and

the control device comprises;

a second communicator configured to receive the sound and the level of acceleration, and work in accordance with this sound and this level of acceleration, to transmit to the output device a control signal to control the signal output;

a determiner configured to work in accordance with the level of sound and the level of acceleration received at the second communicator;

to determine a state of the ball, the state including at least one of whether the ball is thrown, given a shock or left unattended; and

a generator configured to work in accordance with a result of determination at the determiner, to generate a signal outputted to the second communicator for control of the output device to produce at least one of a visual or sound display.

7. The entertainment system according to claim 6, wherein

the ball further comprises at least one of a light reflection sensor configured to detect a level of reflection of light that is emitted from a light emitter in the ball and reflected from around the ball or a gyro sensor configured to detect a level of angular speed developed with a motion of the ball,

the first communicator of the ball is configured to transmit at least one of the level of reflection of light or the level of angular speed to the control device in addition to the sound and the level of acceleration,

the second communicator of the control device is configured to receive at least one of the level of reflection of light or the level of angular speed from the ball in addition to the sound and the level of acceleration, and

the determiner of the control device is configured to work further in accordance with at least one of the level of reflection of light or the level of angular speed to determine the state of the ball.

8. The entertainment system of claim 7, wherein the ball includes a light emitter disposed internally in the ball.

9. The entertainment system according to claim 6, wherein

the output device comprises a set of light emitting elements configured for emission of light or a speaker configured to output sounds, and

the generator of the control device is configured to generate a signal to cause a change in at least one of color, luminance, and blinking rate of light emitted from the set of light emitting elements based on the determination result of the determiner, or to generate a signal containing a pattern and a sound volume of sounds to be output from the speaker based on the determination result of the determiner.

10. The entertainment system according to claim 6, wherein

the output device comprises a speaker installed external of the ball,

the generator of the control device is configured to work in accordance with the level of a light reflection received at the second communicator from the first communicator, to generate a control signal to operate the speaker.

11. The entertainment system according to claim 6, wherein the output device includes both a first output device installed on the ball and a second output device installed external of the ball.

12. The entertainment system according to claim 6, further comprising an infrared detector external of the ball and configured to detect infrared light to transmit a result of detection to the control device, wherein

the ball further comprises an infrared element set configured to output infrared light for detection by said infrared detector, and

the generator of the control device is configured to use a result of detection of infrared light received from the infrared detector to generate a control signal indicating the position of the ball.

13. The entertainment system according to claim 6, wherein the output device is a projection device disposed externally of the ball and configured to project image or light.

14. An entertainment system including a ball, an output device for producing at least one of a visual or sound output in accordance with a state of the ball, and a control device adapted for control of signal output at the output device, wherein

the ball comprises:

a light emitter disposed internally in the ball;

a light reflection sensor internal of the ball configured to detect a level of reflection of light that is emitted from the light emitter in the ball and reflected from around the ball; and

a first communicator configured to transmit the level of reflection of light detected at the light reflection sensor to the control device; and

the control device comprises;

a second communicator configured to receive the level of reflection of light, and work in accordance with the level of reflection of light, to transmit to the output device a control signal to control the signal output;

a determiner configured to work in accordance with the level of reflection of light received at the second communicator;

to determine a state of the ball; and

a generator configured to work in accordance with a result of determination at the determiner, to generate a signal outputted to the second communicator for control of the output device to produce at least one of a visual or sound display.