Movable device and receiver device for detecting contacts with the movable device

• US 20070060425A1
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cairos Technologies Ag
• Original Assignee: Cairos Technologies Ag
• Inventors: Englert, Walter, Kuenzler, Udo
• Application Number:
  US11/460,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060425A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/52 modulated by measured values
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems

Abstract

The movable device includes a detector for detecting that an object is located in the vicinity of or at the movable device, as well as a transmitter module for transmitting two signals having different signals speeds. These two signals are received by a receiver, the receiver having a detector to ascertain whether the second signal arrives within a predetermined time period as of reception of the first signal, so as to provide, when this has been detected, a detector signal indicating that the movable device has been contacted by the object. Exemplary movable devices are game devices such as footballs. Exemplary objects are arms, legs, football shoes, rackets, bats, etc.

Claims

1. A movable device comprising:

a detector for detecting that an object is located in the vicinity or at the movable device; and

a transmitter module for transmitting a first signal having a first signal speed, and for transmitting a second signal having a second signal speed which is smaller than the first signal speed, the transmitter module being configured to send out the first and second signals in response to the detector output signal.

2. The movable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector is a touch sensor configured to detect the movable device being touched by the object.

3. The game device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector is a contactless sensor configured to detect, electrically, magnetically, electromagnetically, optically or acoustically, whether the object is located within a predetermined distance from the movable device.

4. The movable device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the predetermined distance is smaller than or equal to 10 cm.

5. The movable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter module comprises:

a radio transmitter for transmitting the first signal; and

a sound transmitter for transmitting the second signal.

6. The movable device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sound transmitter is an ultrasonic transmitter.

7. The movable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter module is configured to send out the first and second signals at essentially the same time.

8. The movable device as claimed in claim 1, which is configured as a game device.

9. The movable device as claimed in claim 8, which is configured as a ball.

10. The movable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter module is configured to send out the second signal prior to the first signal.

17. The receiver device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the receiver module comprises a radio receiver for receiving the first signal, which is a radio signal, and an ultrasonic receiver for receiving the second signal, which is an ultrasonic signal.

11. A receiver device for receiving signals from a movable device, comprising:

a receiver module for receiving a first signal having a first signal speed, and a second signal having a second signal speed which is smaller than the first signal speed; and

a detector configured to provide a detector signal which indicates whether the second signal has been received within a predetermined time period since reception of the first signal.

12. The receiver device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a memory for storing when the detector provides the detector signal.

13. The receiver device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the detector is configured to start a chronometer as a function of reception of the first signal, the chronometer being configured, or being controlled by the detector, to stop after the predetermined time period, the detector further being configured to provide the detector signal only if the second signal is received after starting and prior to stopping the chronometer.

14. The receiver device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the memory is configured to store a moment in time at which the detector provides the detector signal.

15. The receiver device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the memory is configured to store a number of times when the detector provides the detector signal.

16. The receiver device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a transmitter to send out a radio signal having an identification of the receiver device when the detector provides the detector signal.

18. The receiver device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the predetermined time period is smaller than or equal to 5 ms.

19. A method of operating a movable device, comprising:

detecting that an object is located in the vicinity of or at the movable device; and

in response to the step of detecting, when it has been detected that the object is located in the vicinity of or at the movable device, transmitting a first signal having a first signal speed, and transmitting a second signal having a second signal speed which is smaller than the first signal speed.

20. A method of receiving signals from a movable device, comprising:

receiving a first signal having a first signal speed and a second signal having a second signal speed which is smaller than the first signal speed; and

detecting whether the second signal has been received within a predetermined time period since reception of the first signal, to provide a detection signal in response to the detecting step.

21. A computer program having a program code for performing the method of operating a movable device, the method comprising:

detecting that an object is located in the vicinity of or at the movable device; and

in response to the step of detecting, when it has been detected that the object is located in the vicinity of or at the movable device, transmitting a first signal having a first signal speed, and transmitting a second signal having a second signal speed which is smaller than the first signal speed,

when the program runs on a computer.

22. A computer program having a program code for performing the method of receiving signals from a movable device, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal having a first signal speed and a second signal having a second signal speed which is smaller than the first signal speed; and

detecting whether the second signal has been received within a predetermined time period since reception of the first signal, to provide a detection signal in response to the detecting step,

when the program runs on a computer.