Instrumented sports paraphernalia system

• US 9,694,248 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Maxwell Monari, Lawrence Scott Monari
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Maxwell Monari, Lawrence Scott Monari
• Inventors: Monari, Lawrence Maxwell, Monari, Lawrence Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): KENNEDY, JOSHUA T
• Application Number:
  US14/881,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20170100644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 73700-756
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/02 Bladders
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/04 Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/085 Closures
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/008 Devices for measuring or verifying ball characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/005 using a sensor contacting the exterior surface, e.g. for measuring deformation

Abstract

A system for measuring and displaying the pressure of conventional American-style footballs in real time to game officials and spectators continuously. In one preferred embodiment, at least one pressure transducer device is disposed inside the football. The pressure transducer is an electrical oscillator. The frequency of oscillation is a known mathematical function of the bladder pressure. At least one pressure readout device is positioned externally to the football at the outside of the cover-liner. The pressure readout device wirelessly stimulates the pressure transducer device to oscillate. The pressure readout device reads the frequency of oscillation and calculates the value of the pressure. In another preferred embodiment, the value of the football'"'"'s pressure is measured by physical contact with a Durometer. Both embodiments display the pressure to game officials locally; and transmit the value of the football'"'"'s pressure to spectators remotely.

Claims

1. A system for measuring the air pressure of a prior art conventional American-style football in real time wherein the football is comprised of a bladder and a cover-liner;

and

wherein said system is comprised of;

a pressure transducer device carried inside the football, and deployed in a space between said cover-liner and said bladder configured for sensing the football'"'"'s pressure, and

wherein said pressure transducer device is a low mass battery-less smooth thin sheet of finite thickness conforming to corresponding surfaces of said cover-liner and said bladder, and wherein a moment of inertia of said pressure transducer device is balanced symmetrically inside the football in order to preserve the football'"'"'s playability, and

a pressure readout device deployed outside said cover-liner of the football from said pressure transducer device, and wherein said pressure readout device is configured for wirelessly electrically stimulating said pressure transducer device to sense the football'"'"'s pressure, and

wherein said pressure readout device is configured for wirelessly receiving an electrical signal from said pressure transducer device, and

wherein said electrical signal is a function of the football'"'"'s pressure, and

wherein said pressure readout device is configured for using said electrical signal to calculate the value of the football'"'"'s pressure, and

a test stand comprised of a rigid material and configured for rigidly aligning and holding the football and said pressure readout device to stably facilitate the measurement of the football'"'"'s pressure.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the pressure readout device is further comprised of:

a first conductive plate of finite area made from electrically conductive material; and

a second conductive plate of finite area made from electrically conductive material; and

wherein said first conductive plate and said second conductive plate are electrical elements configured for capacitively coupling the pressure readout device to the pressure transducer device to wirelessly stimulate the pressure transducer device to electrically oscillate at its resonant frequency; and

wherein said first conductive plate and said second conductive plate are furthermore configured for capacitively coupling the electrical oscillations of the pressure transducer device to the pressure readout device to wirelessly facilitate the measurement of the value of the resonant frequency of the pressure transducer device by the pressure readout device.

3. The system of claim 1

wherein the pressure transducer device is further comprised of:

an LC tank circuit;

wherein said LC tank circuit is comprised of;

a first pressure transducer capacitor wherein the capacitance of said first pressure transducer capacitor is configured to be a sixteenth known mathematical function of the value of the bladder pressure; and

a second pressure transducer capacitor wherein the capacitance of said second pressure transducer capacitor is configured to be a sixteenth known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

an inductor having a fixed finite value of inductance wherein said first pressure transducer capacitor and said second pressure transducer capacitor are electrically connected in parallel with said inductor; and

wherein said LC tank circuit is configured in the form of a thin sheet having finite dimensions; and

wherein said thin sheet is disposed inside the football and sandwiched between the bladder and the cover-liner.

4. The system of claim 3

wherein the first pressure transducer capacitor is further comprised of:

a first dynamic conductive plate of finite area comprised of electrically conductive material; and

a first static conductive plate of finite area comprised of electrically conductive material; and

wherein said first static conductive plate of the first pressure transducer capacitor is for capacitively coupling the electrical oscillations of the tank circuit to the pressure readout device enabling the pressure readout device to derive the value of the resonant frequency of the tank circuit; and

wherein the thickness of the cover-liner is used as a dielectric spacer medium; and

wherein the second pressure transducer capacitor is further comprised of;

a second dynamic conductive plate facing the bladder and disposed substantially parallel to the bladder; and

a second static conductive plate facing the cover-liner and disposed substantially parallel to the cover-liner; and

wherein said second static conductive plate of the second pressure transducer capacitor is for capacitively coupling the electrical oscillations of the tank circuit to the pressure readout device enabling the pressure readout device to derive the value of the resonant frequency of the tank circuit; and

wherein the thickness of the cover-liner is used as a dielectric spacer medium; and

wherein said first dynamic conductive plate and said first static conductive plate are disposed substantially parallel to one another and separated by a finite first distance; and

wherein said capacitance of said first pressure transducer capacitor is a eighth known mathematical function of said first distance; and

wherein said first distance is moderated by the bladder pressure; and

wherein therefore the capacitance of said first pressure transducer capacitor is a ninth known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

wherein said second dynamic conductive plate and said second static conductive plate are disposed substantially parallel to one another and separated by a finite second distance; and

wherein said capacitance of said second pressure transducer capacitor is a tenth known mathematical function of said second distance; and

wherein said second distance is moderated by the bladder pressure; and

wherein therefore the capacitance of said second pressure transducer capacitor is a eleventh known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

wherein said first static conductive plate of said first pressure transducer capacitor is electrically connected to said second dynamic conductive plate of said second pressure transducer capacitor; and

wherein said second static conductive plate of said second pressure transducer capacitor is electrically connected to said first dynamic conductive plate of said first pressure transducer capacitor; and

wherein the first conductive plate is for capacitively coupling the pressure readout device to said first static conductive plate of said first pressure transducer capacitor; and

wherein the second conductive plate is for capacitively coupling the pressure readout device to said second static conductive plate of said second pressure transducer capacitor; and

wherein said first static conductive plate of said first pressure transducer capacitor is capacitively coupled to said first conductive plate of the pressure readout device using said cover-liner as a dielectric spacer medium; and

wherein said second static conductive plate of said second pressure transducer capacitor is capacitively coupled to said second conductive plate of the pressure readout device using said cover-liner as a dielectric spacer medium;

wherein the electrical oscillations of the tank circuit are coupled to the pressure readout device enabling the pressure readout device to read the resonant frequency of the tank circuit; and

wherein the thickness of the cover-liner is used as a spacer medium; and

wherein the value of the resonant frequency of said pressure transducer device is the first known mathematical function of the bladder pressure.

5. The pressure readout device of claim 1 is further comprised of:

a CPU configured with a software algorithm for calculating the value of the football'"'"'s pressure, and

a pressure readout display device for displaying the value of the football'"'"'s pressure to game officials, and

a transceiver for transmitting the value of the football'"'"'s pressure to spectators.

6. The system of claim 1

wherein the pressure transducer device is further comprised of:

an LC tank circuit;

wherein said LC tank circuit is comprised of;

at least one pressure transducer capacitor;

an inductor having a fixed finite value of inductance and electrically connected in parallel with said pressure transducer capacitor; and

wherein said LC tank circuit is configured in the form of a thin sheet having finite dimensions; and

wherein said thin sheet is disposed inside the football and sandwiched between the bladder and the cover-liner.

7. The system of claim 6

wherein the pressure transducer capacitor is comprised of:

a dynamic pressure transducer capacitor plate comprised of a non-magnetic electrically conducting material;

wherein said dynamic capacitor plate senses pressure; and

wherein the pressure changes the capacitance value of said pressure transducer capacitor; and

wherein the value of the capacitance of said pressure transducer capacitor is a twelfth known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

a static pressure transducer capacitor plate comprised of an non-magnetic electrically conducting material;

wherein said static plate of the pressure transducer capacitor does not sense pressure; and

wherein the dynamic pressure transducer capacitor plate and the static pressure transducer capacitor plate are disposed substantially parallel to one another and separated by a finite spacing; and

wherein said spacing is a thirteenth known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

wherein therefore the capacitance of said pressure transducer capacitor is a fourteenth known mathematical function of said spacing; and

wherein therefore the capacitance of said pressure transducer capacitor is a fifteenth known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

a flat spiral wound inductive winding comprised of;

a multitude of turns of conductive material;

wherein the flat spiral winding is comprised of circular windings;

wherein the flat spiral winding is comprised of rectangular windings; and

wherein the flat spiral wound inductive winding is wired in parallel with the pressure transducer capacitor; and

a thin insulator substrate of finite thickness disposed between the static capacitor plate and the flat spiral wound inductive winding for providing a mechanical mounting surface for supporting the flat spiral wound inductive winding on the static capacitor plate; and

wherein furthermore said static pressure transducer capacitor plate and said flat spiral wound inductive winding of said pressure transducer capacitor are for coupling the electrical oscillations of the tank circuit to the pressure readout device using the thickness of the cover-liner as a spacer medium for enabling the pressure readout device to read the resonant frequency of the tank circuit; and

wherein the value of the resonant frequency of said pressure transducer device is a first known mathematical function of the bladder pressure.

8. The system of claim 1

wherein the pressure transducer device is comprised of:

an LC tank circuit comprised of;

a pressure transducer capacitor comprised of;

a dynamic pressure transducer capacitor plate comprised of

a non-magnetic electrically conducting material of finite dimensions; and

wherein said dynamic pressure transducer capacitor plate is deformable under pressure, hence therefore changing the capacitance value of said pressure transducer capacitor; and

wherein the value of the capacitance of said pressure transducer capacitor is a second known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

a flat wound inductor winding comprised of;

a multitude of spiral wound turns of conductive material; and

 

wherein said flat wound inductor winding simultaneously acts as both an inductor and a static capacitor plate; and

 

wherein furthermore said flat wound inductor winding is for coupling the electrical oscillations of the tank circuit to the pressure readout device using the thickness of the cover-liner as a spacer medium for enabling the pressure readout device to read the resonant frequency of the tank circuit by capacitive coupling and by inductive coupling; and

 

wherein the value of the resonant frequency of said pressure transducer device is a first known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

a thin insulator substrate of finite thickness for providing a mechanical mounting surface for supporting the flat spiral wound inductive winding; and

wherein the dynamic pressure transducer capacitor plate and the flat wound inductor winding are disposed substantially parallel to one another and separated by a finite spacing which is a function of the football'"'"'s pressure; and

wherein the value of the capacitance of the pressure transducer capacitor changes with changes in the football'"'"'s pressure; and

wherein said LC tank circuit is configured in the form of a thin sheet having finite dimensions; and

wherein said thin sheet is disposed inside the football and sandwiched between the bladder and the cover-liner.

9. The system of claim 1

wherein the pressure readout device is further comprised of:

a first inductive winding of finite length and diameter and number of turns made from electrically conductive material; and

for serving as the secondary winding of an LF-VHF air core transformer; and

wherein said first inductive winding is for inductively coupling the pressure readout device to the pressure transducer device to electrically wirelessly stimulate the pressure transducer device to electrically oscillate at its resonant frequency; and

wherein said first inductive winding is for inductively coupling the electrical oscillations of the pressure transducer device to the pressure readout device to wirelessly facilitate the measurement of the value of the resonant frequency of the pressure transducer device by the pressure readout device.

10. The system of claim 1

wherein the test stand is further comprised of:

four bearing surfaces for holding the football; and

wherein said four bearing surfaces are at right angles to one another wherein each one makes tangential contact with the cover-liner of the football for aligning the long axis of the football and for centering the football; and

at least one threaded bore for mounting at least one pressure readout device; and

wherein the pressure readout device is mounted outside the surface of the cover-liner of the football and centered above the pressure transducer device that is inside the football; and

wherein said threaded bore is for aligning the pressure readout device perpendicular to the cover-liner of the football.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the four bearing surfaces comprise:

a set of two adjustable jaws comprised of;

two mating halves of the four bearing surfaces for holding the football and for centering the football; and

wherein one of said two mating halves is configured with said threaded bore.

12. The system of claim 1

wherein the pressure transducer device is comprised of:

an LC tank circuit;

wherein said LC tank circuit is comprised of;

a first pressure transducer capacitor; and

a second pressure transducer capacitor; and

a first inductor having fixed inductance; and

a second inductor having fixed inductance; and

wherein said first pressure transducer capacitor and said first inductor and said second pressure transducer capacitor and said second inductor are wired in series with one another; and

wherein the capacitance of said first pressure transducer capacitor is a fourth known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

wherein the capacitance of said second pressure transducer capacitor is a fifth known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

wherein said first pressure transducer capacitor is comprised of;

 

a first dynamic conductive plate facing said bladder and disposed substantially parallel to said bladder; and

 

a first static conductive plate facing said cover-liner and disposed substantially parallel to said cover-liner; and

 

wherein furthermore said first static conductive plate of said first pressure transducer capacitor is for capacitively coupling the electrical oscillations of the tank circuit to the pressure readout device thereby enabling the pressure readout device to determine the value of the resonant frequency of the pressure transducer device; and

 

wherein the thickness of the cover-liner is used as a dielectric spacer medium; and

wherein said second pressure transducer capacitor is comprised of;

 

a second dynamic conductive plate facing said bladder and disposed substantially parallel to said bladder; and

 

a second static conductive plate facing said cover-liner and disposed substantially parallel to said cover-liner; and

 

wherein said second static conductive plate of said second pressure transducer capacitor is for capacitively coupling the electrical oscillations of the tank circuit to the pressure readout device thereby enabling the pressure readout device to determine the value of the resonant frequency of the pressure transducer device; and

 

wherein the thickness of the cover-liner is used as a dielectric spacer medium; and

 

wherein said first dynamic conductive plate and said first static conductive plate are disposed substantially parallel to one another and separated by a finite distance;

 

and wherein said distance and therefore the capacitance of said first pressure transducer capacitor is a sixth known mathematical function of bladder pressure; and

 

wherein said second dynamic conductive plate and said second static conductive plate are disposed substantially parallel to one another and separated by a finite distance;

 

and wherein said distance and therefore the capacitance of said second pressure transducer capacitor is a seventh known mathematical function of bladder pressure; and

 

wherein said first static conductive plate of said first pressure transducer capacitor is wired in series to said first inductor;

 

and wherein said first inductor is wired in series to said second dynamic conductive plate of said second pressure transducer capacitor; and

 

wherein said second static conductive plate of said second pressure transducer capacitor is wired in series to said second inductor; and

wherein said second inductor is wired in series to said first dynamic conductive plate of said first pressure transducer capacitor; and

wherein the value of the resonant frequency of said pressure transducer device is a first known mathematical function of the bladder pressure; and

wherein the electrical oscillations of the tank circuit are coupled to the pressure readout device for enabling the pressure readout device to read the resonant frequency of the tank circuit; and

wherein said LC tank circuit is configured in the form of a thin sheet having finite dimensions; and

wherein said thin sheet is disposed inside the football and sandwiched between the bladder and the cover-liner.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the pressure readout device is further comprised of:

a first inductive winding of finite length and diameter and number of turns made from electrically conductive material; and

for serving as a UHF secondary transformer antenna element; and

wherein said first inductive winding is for electromagnetically coupling the pressure readout device to the pressure transducer device to electrically wirelessly stimulate the pressure transducer device to oscillate at its resonant frequency; and

wherein said first inductive winding is for electromagnetically coupling the electrical oscillations of the pressure transducer device to the pressure readout device to wirelessly facilitate the measurement of the value of the resonant frequency of the pressure transducer device by the pressure readout device.

14. A system for measuring the air pressure of a prior art conventional American-style football in real time wherein the football is comprised of a bladder and a cover-liner:

and

wherein said system is comprised of;

a test stand configured for serving as a fixture for rigidly holding the football, and

a pressure transducer device, wherein said pressure transducer device is deployed inside the football in a space between the bladder and the cover-liner, and

wherein said pressure transducer device is pressed upon by the bladder, and

wherein an electrical resonant frequency of said pressure transducer device is a mathematical function of a bladder air pressure, and

a pressure readout device, wherein said pressure readout device is rigidly mounted on said test stand together with the football, and wherein said pressure readout device is mounted external to the football on said test stand, and

wherein said pressure readout device is held rigidly in proximity to and in physical spatial alignment with said pressure transducer device by said test stand, and

wherein said pressure readout device is comprised of;

an electric sweep frequency generator, wherein said electric sweep frequency generator is for radiating and sweeping said pressure transducer device with an electric signal which penetrates through the cover-liner of the football, and

wherein said electric signal is comprised of a continuous band of radio frequencies, and

wherein when the electric sweep frequency generator reaches the resonant frequency of said pressure transducer device, said pressure transducer device will resonate and radiate a resonant frequency signal back to said pressure readout device through the cover-liner of the football, and

wherein said pressure readout device is further comprised of;

a CPU configured with a software algorithm for converting said resonant frequency signal to bladder pressure, and

a digital display device for displaying the value of the football'"'"'s bladder pressure with a date, time and serial number to game officials, and

a radio transmitter for transmitting the value of the football'"'"'s bladder pressure with the date, time and serial number to spectators.