Football sensing

• US 10,821,329 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2018
• Issued: 11/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Thurman, Robert T., Krysiak, Kevin L., Hare, Daniel E., Garrett, Jr., Frank, Betzold, David, Proeber, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garner, Werner G
• Application Number:
  US15/886,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20180200583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• 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 2220/72 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/75 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 : Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 : with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 : American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 : Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/02 : Bladders
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 : Ball covers; Closures therefor
• 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 69/002 : for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 : in connection with sports or games

Abstract

An automated objective American-football evaluation system may include an American-style football, at least one sensor carried by the football, and electronics to: (a) receive a string of sensor signals from the at least one accelerometer; (b) determine a time of an initial impact of the football with a receiver based upon the received string of sensor signals; and (c) output a catch quality, the catch quality being based upon a portion of the string of sensor signals that is based upon the determined time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver.

Claims

1. An automated objective American-football evaluation system comprising:

an American-style football;

at least one sensor carried by the football; and

electronics to;

(a) receive a string of sensor signals from the at least one sensor;

(b) determine a time of an initial impact of the football with a receiver based upon the string of sensor signals; and

(c) output a catch quality, the catch quality being based upon a first portion of the string of sensor signals that includes the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver, wherein the catch quality comprises a ball securement rating, the ball securement rating being based upon a second portion of the string of sensor signals received from the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver to a determined second time at which the football is secured.

2. The evaluation system of claim 1, wherein the catch quality comprises a catch rating, the catch rating being based upon at least the first portions of the string of sensor signals received during a window of time containing the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver.

3. The evaluation system of claim 2, wherein the catch rating is based upon a comparison of (a) an amplitude of the first portion of the string of sensor signals at the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver against (b) a predetermined threshold.

4. The evaluation system of claim 1, wherein the electronics are to determine the time at which the football has been secured after the initial impact of the football with the receiver based upon an oscillation of at least one of the received sensor signals following the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver.

5. The evaluation system of claim 1, wherein the electronics are to determine a height of the football at the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver.

6. The evaluation system of claim 5, wherein the ball securement rating is based at least in part upon a combination of the height of the football at the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver, the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver and the determined second time at which the football has been secured.

7. The evaluation system of claim 1, wherein the catch quality comprises a composite metric of a catch rating and a ball securement rating.

8. The evaluation system of claim 7, wherein the catch rating is based upon at least the first portions of the string of sensor signals received during a window of time containing the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver.

9. The evaluation system of claim 8, wherein the catch rating is based upon a comparison of (a) an amplitude of the string of sensor signals at the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver against (b) a predetermined threshold.

10. The evaluation system of claim 7, wherein the ball securement rating being based upon the second portions of the string of sensor signals.

11. The evaluation system of claim 10, wherein the electronics are to determine the time at which the football has been secured after initial impact based upon an oscillation of at least one of the received sensor signals following the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver.

12. The evaluation system of claim 7, wherein the electronics are to determine a height of the football at the time at which the ball initially impacts the receiver and a time at which the football has been secured and wherein the ball securement rating is based at least in part upon a combination of the determined height of the football at the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver and the determined time at which the football has been secured.

13. An apparatus for use with a football, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor system including at least one accelerometer carried by the football, the at least one accelerometer to output a string of sensor signals;

circuitry to receive sensor outputs from the sensor system;

a processor connected to the circuitry to receive the sensor outputs; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions to direct the processor to (a) determine a time of an initial impact of the football with a receiver based upon the received sensor outputs; and

(b) output a catch quality, the catch quality being based upon at least a first portion of the sensor outputs that is based upon the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver, wherein the catch quality comprises a ball securement rating, the ball securement rating being based upon a second portion of the string of sensor signals received from the time of initial impact of the football with the receiver to a determined second time at which the football is secured.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the catch quality comprises a catch rating, the catch rating being based upon at least a first portion of the string of sensor signals received during a window of time containing the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the catch rating is based upon a comparison of (a) an amplitude of the first portion of the string of sensor signals at the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver against (b) a predetermined threshold.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is to determine the time at which the football has been secured after the initial impact of the football with the receiver based upon an oscillation of the string of sensor signals following the time of the initial impact of the football with the receiver.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the catch quality comprises a composite metric of a catch rating and a ball securement rating.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the catch quality is based upon a determined type of throw of the football.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the circuitry includes at least one analog to digital converter to convert analog sensor inputs to digital output signals.