Tracking balls in sports

• US 9,586,099 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catapult Group International Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Catapult Group International Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Holthouse, Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US14/413,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20150157900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0056 for statistical or strategic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• 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 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/04 Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration

Abstract

An electronically trackable ball consisting of a cover, an inflatable bladder, a valve in the bladder a mounting structure attached to said valve and extending inwardly of the valve toward the center of the inflated bladder and an electronic transmission device on said mounting structure remote from said valve. The mounting structure is preferably a lightweight polymeric cylinder with the electronics fitted at the end remote from the valve and close to the center of mass of the ball. The device is within the ball, and is constrained from moving around inside the ball.

Claims

1. An electronically trackable ball comprising:

an inflatable bladder,

a valve in the bladder,

a mounting structure comprising a first end attached to said valve, a second end, and a mounting surface located at the second end, the mounting structure extending inwardly of the valve toward the centre of the inflated bladder such that the mounting surface is closer to the center of mass of the ball than the valve, and

an electronic transmission device on said mounting surface,

wherein the mounting structure comprises a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall forming an open center portion into which the valve extends and including a plurality of perforations for compressed air to pass from the valve within the open center portion and into the bladder during inflation.

2. The electronically trackable ball as claimed in claim 1 in which the electronic transmission device includes a power source, and electronic transmission circuit and an antenna.

3. The electronically trackable ball as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a battery which is rechargeable by inductive charging.

4. The electronically trackable ball as claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting structure is a cylinder with a rigid flange around one end so that the flange is attached to the bladder wall around the valve.

5. A system for tracking a ball as claimed in claim 1 in which a data logger worn by the player receives signals from the electronics device in the ball when the player is contesting the ball or in possession of the ball.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5 which includes location sensors in the data logger for tracking the movements of the players on the playing field.

7. An electronically trackable ball comprising:

an inflatable bladder,

a valve in the bladder,

a mounting structure comprising a first end attached to said valve, a second end, and a mounting surface located at the second end, the mounting structure extending inwardly of the valve toward the centre of the inflated bladder such that the mounting surface is closer to the center of mass of the ball than the valve, and

an electronic transmission device on said mounting surface, wherein;

the valve comprises a valve body, an inside flange, and an outside flange, with a wall of the bladder seated adhered between the inside flange and the outside flange; and

the mounting structure comprises a wall and a support flange, wherein the support flange is located at the first end of the mounting structure extending outward from the wall and abuts against the inside flange of the valve.

8. The electronically trackable ball as claimed in claim 7, wherein the support flange of the mounting structure is adhered to the inside flange of the valve.

9. The electronically trackable ball as claimed in claim 7 in which the electronic transmission device includes a power source, and electronic transmission circuit and an antenna.

10. The electronically trackable ball as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a battery which is rechargeable by inductive charging.

11. A system for tracking a ball as claimed in claim 7 in which a data logger worn by the player receives signals from the electronics device in the ball when the player is contesting the ball or in possession of the ball.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 which includes location sensors in the data logger for tracking the movements of the players on the playing field.