DETECTION UNIT FOR DETECTING THE OCCURRENCE OF AN EVENT A DETECTION SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SUCH A DETECTION UNIT OR DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20110257935A1
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spinnov BV
• Original Assignee: Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
• Inventors: Jacobus, Christiaan Joseph, De Graaf, Markus Jozef, Rijnbout, Pepijn
• Granted Patent: US 9,566,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/34 Polo
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• 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 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0024 for hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0053 Apparatus generating random stimulus signals for reaction-time training involving a substantial physical effort

Abstract

The present invention relates to a detection unit comprising detection means for detecting the occurrence of an event. The detection unit further comprises processing means for controlling the operation of the detection unit and communication means for transmitting and receiving activation signals for interacting with further detection units. The processing means are designed for placing the detection unit into active mode upon receipt of an incoming activation signal, and furthermore for transmitting, in the active mode, an outgoing activation signal to at least one of said further detection units upon detection of an event and placing the detection unit into passive mode. The invention further relates to a detection system comprising a multitude of detection units as described and to a method for controlling a detection unit.

Claims

1. A detection unit comprising detection means for detecting the occurrence of an event, processing means for controlling the operation of the detection unit, and communication means for transmitting and receiving activation signals for interacting with further detection units, wherein the processing means are designed for placing the detection unit into active mode upon receipt of an incoming activation signal, and wherein the processing means are further designed for transmitting, in the active mode, an outgoing activation signal to at least one of said further detection units upon detection of an event and placing the detection unit into passive mode.

2. A detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the processing means are designed for recognizing incoming activation signals intended for the detection unit, which are to place the detection unit into active mode.

3. A detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the processing means are designed for transmitting identification signals via the communication means for the purpose of identifying said detection unit to the further detection units.

4. A detection unit according claim 1, further comprising memory means for storing identification data from received identification signals.

5. A detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the processing means of the detection unit are designed to transmit, in the active mode, an outgoing request signal upon detection of the event.

6. A detection unit according to claim 1, in which the processing means are designed to select at least one destination detection unit from said further detection units for transmitting the outgoing activation signal thereto.

7. A detection unit according to claim 6, in which the processing means are designed to select the at least one destination detection unit on the basis of at least one selection rule.

8. A detection unit according to claim 1, in which the detection means comprise at least one element from a group comprising means for detecting the distance from an object to detection means, such as upon passage of an object through a detection gate, means for detecting physical contact between an object and the detection means, means for detecting physical contact between a multitude of objects, as in the case of a change in the possession of a game object between players during a game, touch-sensitive sensors, capacitive sensors, sound sensors, light sensors:

means for detecting electromagnetic radiation, vibration sensors, means for detecting electromagnetic signals, and means for detecting time, motion sensors, direction-sensitive motion sensors, light sensors;

image sensors or sound pattern recognition sensors, or combinations of several detection means from this group.

9. A detection unit according to claim 1, in which the processing means are designed for examining an incoming activation signal upon receipt thereof and placing the detection unit into one desired active mode of a multitude of possible active modes in dependence on a content of said activation signal.

10. A detection unit according to claim 9, in which the processing means are further designed for providing the outgoing activation signal with data for the activation of the desired active mode of a multitude of possible active modes of said at least one further detection unit

11. A detection unit according to claim 9, in which the available active modes comprise a standby mode, in which the processing unit is designed for transmitting, after said at least one detection unit has been selected, an outgoing feed forward activation signal for placing said at least one destination detection unit into standby mode.

12. A detection system comprising one or more detection units according to claim 1.

13. A detection system according to claim 12:

further comprising a control unit for setting the operating conditions of the detection system.

14. A method for controlling a detection unit according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

placing the detection unit from passive mode into active mode upon receipt of an incoming activation signal;

detecting, in the active mode, the occurrence of an event via detection means; and

,

upon detection of an event, transmitting an outgoing activation signal to at least one further detection unit and placing the detection unit into passive mode.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the recognition, in passive mode, of incoming activation signals intended for the detection unit.

16. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the transmission of identification signals for the purpose of identifying said detection unit to said at least one further detection unit.

17. A method according to claim 16, in which the step of transmitting identification signals takes place in passive mode in response to the reception of a request signal by the detection unit.

18. A method according to claim 14, in which the step of transmitting an activation signal is preceded by at least one of the steps of:

transmitting a request signal and, in response thereto, receiving at least one identification signal from said at least one further detection unit; and

selecting, on the basis of received identification signals, a destination detection unit from said at least one further detection unit, for transmitting the activation signal to the destination detection unit.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the step of selecting a destination detection unit is carried out on the basis of said at least one selection rule.

20. A method according to claim 14, in which the event forms part of a group of events comprising the exceeding of a time limit, the passage of an object in the vicinity of the detection unit, contact between an object and the detection unit. and receipt of a control signal, such as an electromagnetic control signal, a sound signal or a light signal.

21. A method for controlling a detection system, in which the or each detection unit of the detection system is controlled by using a method according to claim 14.