U.S. patent application number 10/841178 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-29 for ball with internal impact detector and an indicator to indicate impact.
Invention is credited to Rudell, Elliot.
Application Number | 20050288133 10/841178 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35394691 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050288133 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rudell, Elliot |
December 29, 2005 |
Ball with internal impact detector and an indicator to indicate
impact
Abstract
A game ball that can count and indicate the number of times the
ball has been hit by a player(s). The game ball includes an impact
detector located within a ball housing. The impact detector can
detect each time the ball housing is hit. The impact detector is
coupled to a circuit that can count each impact detection. The
circuit drives an output device to indicate, visually and/or
audibly, a number of detected impacts. This allows a player(s) to
determine the number of times the ball is successively hit without
having to manually count during play of the game.
Inventors: |
Rudell, Elliot; (Torrance,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IRELL & MANELLA LLP
840 NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE
SUITE 400
NEWPORT BEACH
CA
92660
US
|
Family ID: |
35394691 |
Appl. No.: |
10/841178 |
Filed: |
May 7, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60469601 |
May 7, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/569 ;
473/570 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/06 20130101;
A63B 2220/17 20130101; A63B 43/00 20130101; A63B 2220/53
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/569 ;
473/570 |
International
Class: |
A63B 043/00 |
Claims
1. A game ball, comprising: a housing; an impact detector that is
located within said housing and detects impact with said housing;
an output device that provides an indication of a number of times
said housing was impacted; and, a circuit that is connected to said
impact detector and said output device, said circuit counts said
detected impacts and drive said output device.
2. The game ball of claim 1, wherein said circuit subtracts one
from said counted number of detected impacts before driving said
output device.
3. The game ball of claim 1, wherein said output device provides a
visual indication.
4. The game ball of claim 1, wherein said output device provides an
audible indication.
5. The game ball of claim 1, further comprising an on-off switch
and a battery coupled to said circuit.
6. The game ball of claim 1, further comprising a paddle that can
be used to impact said housing.
7. The game ball of claim 1, wherein said impact detector includes
a spring and a rod.
8. The game ball of claim 1, wherein said impact detector includes
a spring and a cylinder.
9. The game ball of claim 1, further comprising a button that can
be selected to vary a mode of said circuit.
10. The game ball of claim 1, further comprising a button that can
be selected to select a menu provided by said circuit.
11. The game ball of claim 1, further comprising an impact
absorbing material within said housing.
12. A game ball, comprising: a housing; detector means for
detecting when said housing is impacted; output means for providing
an indication of a number of times said housing was impacted; and,
circuit means for counting said detected impacts and driving said
output device.
13. The game ball of claim 12, wherein said circuit means subtracts
one from said counted number of detected impacts before driving
said output device.
14. The game ball of claim 12, wherein said output means provides a
visual indication.
15. The game ball of claim 12, wherein said output means provides
an audible indication.
16. The game ball of claim 12, further comprising an on-off switch
and a battery coupled to said circuit.
17. The game ball of claim 12, further comprising a paddle that can
be used to impact said housing.
18. The game ball of claim 12, wherein said detector means includes
a spring and a rod.
19. The game ball of claim 12, wherein said detector means includes
a spring and a cylinder.
20. The game ball of claim 12, further comprising means to vary a
mode of said circuit means.
21. The game ball of claim 12, further comprising means to select
from a menu.
22. The game ball of claim 12, further comprising impact absorbing
means within said housing.
23. A method for playing with a game ball, comprising: impacting a
housing of a game ball; detecting the housing impact; counting the
detected impact; and, indicating a number of times the housing is
impacted.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the indicated number of times
the housing impacted is one less than the counted number of
detected impacts.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the indication is visual.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the indication is audible.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the housing is impacted with an
appendage of a user.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein the housing is impacted with a
paddle.
29. A game ball, comprising: a deformable housing; an impact
detector that is located within said deformable housing and detects
impact with said deformable housing; and, an indicator that is
coupled to said impact detector and provides an indication of
impact with said deformable housing.
30. The game ball of claim 29, wherein said deformable housing is
constructed from a soft material.
31. The game ball of claim 29, wherein said indication is a
sound.
32. The game ball of claim 29, wherein said indication is a visual
display.
33. The game ball of claim 29, further comprising an on-off switch
and a battery coupled to said indicator.
34. The game ball of claim 29, further comprising a paddle that can
be used to impact said deformable housing.
35. The game ball of claim 29, wherein said impact detector
includes a spring and a rod.
36. The game ball of claim 29, wherein said impact detector
includes a spring and a cylinder.
37. The game ball of claim 29, further comprising a circuit coupled
to said indicator and a button that can be selected to vary a mode
of said circuit.
38. The game ball of claim 29, further comprising a circuit coupled
to said indicator and a button that can be selected to select a
menu provided by said circuit.
39. The game ball of claim 29, further comprising an impact
absorbing material within said deformable housing.
40. A game ball, comprising: a deformable housing; detector means
for detecting when said deformable housing is impacted; and,
indicator means for providing an indication of impact with said
deformable housing.
41. The game ball of claim 40, wherein said deformable housing is
constructed from a soft material.
42. The game ball of claim 40, wherein said indication is a
sound.
43. The game ball of claim 40, wherein said indication is a visual
display.
44. The game ball of claim 40, further comprising an on-off switch
and a battery coupled to said indicator means.
45. The game ball of claim 40, further comprising a paddle that can
be used to impact said deformable housing.
46. The game ball of claim 40, wherein said detector means includes
a spring and a rod.
47. The game ball of claim 40, wherein said detector means includes
a spring and a cylinder.
48. The game ball of claim 40, further comprising circuit means for
coupling said detector means to said indicator means and means to
vary a mode of said circuit means.
49. The game ball of claim 40, further comprising circuit means for
coupling said detector means to said indicator means and means to
select from a menu.
50. The game ball of claim 40, further comprising impact absorbing
means within said deformable housing.
51. A method for playing with a game ball, comprising: impacting a
deformable housing of a game ball; and, indicating the impact of
the deformable housing.
52. The method of claim 51, wherein the indication is a sound.
53. The method of claim 51, wherein the indication is visual.
54. The method of claim 51, wherein the deformable housing is
impacted with an appendage of a user.
55. The method of claim 51, wherein the deformable housing is
impacted with a paddle.
Description
REFERENCE TO CROSS-RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to provisional Application
No. 60/469,601, filed on May 7, 2003.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a game ball that contains
the number of times a player(s) hits the ball.
[0004] 2. Prior Art
[0005] There have been marketed game balls that can be kicked
between players. Balls such as HACKY SACK (registered trademark of
Wham-O Corp.) are constructed from a soft cover material that is
filled with an impact absorbing material such as cloth wadding. One
object of the game is to see how many times the ball can be
successively kicked between players. The players must count each
time the ball is kicked, requiring dual concentration to both kick
and count.
[0006] There have been marketed balls that contain internal
electronic circuits and devices that can detect and display the
speed of the ball. For example, Tron Link Co. markets a baseball
under the name LASER BALL that has an LCD which displays the speed
of the ball. This product does not count the number of times the
ball is thrown or makes impact with another object such as a
player. It would be desirable to provide a soft ball that can
automatically count and indicate the number of times the ball makes
contact with another object such as a player of the game.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A game ball that has an impact detector located within a
housing. The ball also has a circuit that counts the detected
impacts and drives an output device to provide an indication of a
number of housing impacts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game ball;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the game ball being kicked
by a player;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic of a circuit and output devices of the
game ball;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the
game ball;
[0012] FIG. 5 is an illustration of an impact detector;
[0013] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an alternate embodiment of the
impact detector;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the game ball being hit
with a plurality of paddles.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Disclosed is a game ball that can count and indicate the
number of times the ball has been hit by a player(s). The game ball
includes an impact detector located within a ball housing. The
impact detector can detect each time the ball housing is hit. The
impact detector is coupled to a circuit that can count each impact
detection. The circuit drives an output device to indicate,
visually and/or audibly, a number of detected impacts. This allows
a player(s) to determine the number of times the ball is
successively hit without having to manually count during play of
the game.
[0016] Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference
numbers, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a game ball 10. The game
ball 10 includes an outer housing 12 that is preferably constructed
from a soft material such as leather or vinyl. Within the housing
12 is an impact absorbing material 14 such as cloth wadding or
plastic beads, etc. The ball 10 may have one or more light emitting
diodes ("LEDs") 16 attached to the housing 14.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 2 the ball 10 is typically small enough to
be kicked by a player. The game ball 10 can be used in a game where
the ball 10 is kicked between multiple players. In general, the
ball 10 is constructed to be deformable. For example, the ball 10
is much like a sack that can be balanced on a player's leg.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 3 the game ball 10 may include an impact
detector 18 that is coupled to a circuit 20. The impact detector 18
may detect the number of times the ball housing 12 is impacted by
an external object such as the foot or leg of a player. The circuit
20 may contain a counter that counts the number of times the
detector 18 detects impact. By way of example, the circuit 20 may
include a controller 22 that is mounted to a printed circuit board
24.
[0019] The controller 22 may operate in accordance with data and
operating instructions stored on-board, or in a separate memory
device (not shown). The controller 22 may drive a speaker 26 that
is attached to the housing 12. The controller 22 and speaker 26 may
generate an audible sound each time the impact detector 18 detects
impact of the ball 10. Additionally, the controller 22 may operate
a program to count the number of impacts and then generate an
audible output that indicates the number of times the ball is
impacted. By way of example, the speaker 26 may emit a voice sound
such as "8" or "12". Alternatively, the speaker 26 may emit 8 or 12
beeping sounds.
[0020] The controller 22 may also be connected to a light indicator
28 such as the LEDs 16 shown in FIG. 1, or a display 30 as shown in
FIG. 4. The controller 22 and light indicator 28 can provide a
visual indication of when the detector 18 detects impact. The
indicator 28 may also provide an indication of how many times the
ball has been impacted. The LEDs 16 may sequentially illuminate
("blink") a number of times the ball was impacted. The display 30
may provide an alphanumeric indication of the impact count.
[0021] The controller 22 may operate in accordance with a program
that stops counting when the detector 18 has not detected impact
for a predetermined amount of time, indicative of the game ball
having been dropped to the ground. The controller 22 may then
subtract 1 (to not include the impact of the ground) and then drive
the speaker 26 and/or light indicator 28 to indicate a number of
detected impacts, typically the number of detected impacts minus
one.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 4, the ball 10' may have one or more
buttons 32 that can be depressed to change modes or sequence
through a menu(s) of the circuit 20. For example, the user can
change the audible indication to be either beeps or voice by
depressing one of the buttons 32. The user may be able to repeat
the count or access a previous high count through depression of the
buttons 32. Although depress buttons are shown, it is to be
understood that other input devices such as a slide switch may be
employed.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 3, the ball may include an ON/OFF switch
34 that is connected to the circuit 20 and a power source 36 such
as a battery. The switch 34 is typically located on the outer
housing 12 of the ball 10. The battery 36 may be accessible through
an outer plate (not shown). The controller 22 may be programmed to
enter a sleep mode if the ball 10 is not being used while the
switch 34 is in an ON position. The ball 10 may emit a unique sound
and/or visual indicator when a game was over.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 5, the impact detector 18 may include an
electrically conductive spring 40 located adjacent to an
electrically conductive rod 42. The spring 40 and rod 42 are
coupled to the controller 22 (not shown). Impact on the soft
housing 12 induces contact between the spring 40 and 42, closing a
circuit that can be sensed by the controller 22.
[0025] FIG. 6 shows an alternate embodiment of an impact detector
18' that includes an electrically conductive spring 46 located
within an electrically conductive sleeve 48. Housing impact induces
contact between the spring 46 and sleeve 48 that is sensed by the
controller 22.
[0026] The ball 10 may have multiple impact detectors located
throughout the housing 12. The circuit 20 may have means for not
double counting impact sensed by multiple detectors. By way of
example, the circuit 20 may ignore detection by all other detectors
within a predetermined time interval after detection by one of the
detectors. Although contact impact detectors are shown and
described, it is to be understood that other types of detectors
such as accelerometers may be employed.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 7, the game ball 10 may be hit with paddles
50 held by the players of the game.
[0028] While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and
shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that
such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on
the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the
specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since
various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled
in the art.
* * * * *