Abstract: A sports ball includes sensing electronics embedded therein. The electronics are supported on an inner surface of the wall of the ball within an elastomeric boot that extends inwardly toward the center of the ball. The elastomeric boot is configured to protect the electronics from damage due to shock as the ball is used, and to have little if any effect on the performance characteristics of the ball.

Abstract: A system automatically detecting that an authorized game device or object with a rechargeable battery is close to or in contact with a wireless charging pod for the gaming device or object, automatically initiating and managing charging operations for authorized game device, and automatically deactivating the charging operations when the rechargeable batteries are fully charged, or when the authorized game device is moved out of wireless charging range.

Abstract: A sports ball includes sensing electronics embedded therein. The electronics are supported on an inner surface of the wall of the ball within an elastomeric boot that extends inwardly toward the center of the ball. The elastomeric boot is configured to protect the electronics from damage due to shock as the ball is used, and to have little if any effect on the performance characteristics of the ball.

Abstract: A system automatically detecting that an authorized game device or object with a rechargeable battery is close to or in contact with a wireless charging pod for the gaming device or object, automatically initiating and managing charging operations for authorized game device, and automatically deactivating the charging operations when the rechargeable batteries are fully charged, or when the authorized game device is moved out of wireless charging range.

Abstract: A sports ball includes sensing electronics embedded therein. The electronics are supported on an inner surface of the wall of the ball within an elastomeric boot that extends inwardly toward the center of the ball. The elastomeric boot is configured to protect the electronics from damage due to shock as the ball is used, and to have little if any effect on the performance characteristics of the ball.

Abstract: A wireless charging pod and charging pod rack for sports equipment and game devices, which automatically detects nearby authorized game devices with rechargeable batteries, and automatically initiate and manage charging operations for authorized game devices, and automatically deactivates the charging operations when the rechargeable batteries are fully charged, or the authorized game devices are moved out of wireless charging range.

Abstract: A wireless charging pod and charging pod rack for sports equipment and game devices, which automatically detects nearby authorized game devices with rechargeable batteries, and automatically initiate and manage charging operations for authorized game devices, and automatically deactivates the charging operations when the rechargeable batteries are fully charged, or the authorized game devices are moved out of wireless charging range.

Abstract: A location-and-event-tracking system includes radio-enabled anchors and tags on a field of play, and magnets attached to a goal (e.g., a basketball net). Tags are attached to players and to balls (“game-play objects”), and a magnetometer is embedded within the ball. The system uses the radio-enabled tags to track the position of player and the ball in space, and the system determines whether a basket (i.e., a goal) has been made using both the location of the ball in space and magnetic flux-related data received from the magnetometer. The system also determines whether the ball has gone out of bounds, and it sends a STOP message to the game-clock control system if the ball goes out of bounds or if a shot is made successfully.

Abstract: A made-shot-detecting net system is configured to determine when a basketball passes through the net. The system uses a strand of conductive material that is laced through the net, an electrical property (e.g., resistance) of which changes (e.g., increases) as the net—and hence the strand of conductive material—is stretched. By filtering out steady-state components of a voltage signal obtained from the net, instances where the net is being stretched can be identified. A value obtained by integrating (i.e., summing) the voltage output over the course of a stretch event is compared to various thresholds to identify the nature of the event. In certain embodiments, the fact that a shot has been made is transmitted wirelessly to a basketball-performance tracking application running on a mobile electronic computing device.

Abstract: A location-and-event-tracking system includes radio-enabled anchors and tags on a field of play, e.g., a basketball court. Tags are attached to players and to balls or other game-play objects. The system determines the location in space of each of the tags. For tags connected to game-play objects, the system evaluates proximity to players to assess possession of the game-play object. If the game-play-object tag is not sufficiently close to a player for the player to be in possession of the object, the position of the game-play object is evaluated to determine whether the game-pay object is in a goal zone region. If so and the game-play object has been within an attempt zone, i.e., a sub-zone within the goal zone region, then the system determines whether a goal has been made by evaluating whether the game-play object passed in order through a number of sub-regions before, at, and after the goal.

Abstract: A location-and-event-tracking system includes radio-enabled anchors and tags on a field of play, e.g., a basketball court. Tags are attached to players and to balls or other game-play objects. The system determines the location in space of each of the tags. For tags connected to game-play objects, the system evaluates proximity to players to assess possession of the game-play object. If the game-play-object tag is not sufficiently close to a player for the player to be in possession of the object, the position of the game-play object is evaluated to determine whether the game-pay object is in a goal zone region. If so and the game-play object has been within an attempt zone, i.e., a sub-zone within the goal zone region, then the system determines whether a goal has been made by evaluating whether the game-play object passed in order through a number of sub-regions before, at, and after the goal.

Abstract: A made-shot-detecting net system is configured to determine when a basketball passes through the net. The system uses a strand of conductive material that is laced through the net, an electrical property (e.g., resistance) of which changes (e.g., increases) as the net—and hence the strand of conductive material—is stretched. By filtering out steady-state components of a voltage signal obtained from the net, instances where the net is being stretched can be identified. A value obtained by integrating (i.e., summing) the voltage output over the course of a stretch event is compared to various thresholds to identify the nature of the event. In certain embodiments, the fact that a shot has been made is transmitted wirelessly to a basketball-performance tracking application running on a mobile electronic computing device.

Abstract: An event monitoring system for tracking, tabulating and displaying in real-time player and team performance statistics and events (such as scores, shot percentages, ball possessions, steals, rebounds and turnovers) during a basketball game or basketball-related activity involving a basketball goal, a plurality of players, and a basketball equipped with active or passive RFID tags. The system includes a plurality of wireless ball trackers worn on the wrists of participating players and officials, or attached to the goals, and a wireless mobile computing device with an event monitoring program and a set of data objects configured to store data representing current and historical events and performance statistics associated with the basketball activity and participants. The event and performance data may be displayed on a display screen associated with the mobile computing device in real-time and/or uploaded to and displayed on a connected scoreboard or cloud-based server.

Abstract: A basketball shot-tracking system comprising a wrist tracker, a net tracker, and a shot-tracking mobile application. The wrist tracker is worn on the wrist or arm of a basketball player and the net tracker is attached to the net of the basketball hoop. The wrist tracker and net tracker automatically detect shot-attempt and made-shot events, respectively, and asynchronously transmit messages to the shot-tracking mobile application reporting these events. The shot-tracking mobile application, which runs on a mobile device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer, includes program instructions that, when executed by the CPU of the wireless mobile device, causes the wireless mobile device to automatically receive and process the asynchronous event data sent by the wrist tracker and net tracker, and to automatically tabulate, store and/or display the basketball player's shooting statistics (such as total shots taken, total shots made, shooting percentage, shot locations, and the like).

Abstract: A basketball shot-tracking system comprising a wrist tracker, a net tracker, and a shot-tracking mobile application. The wrist tracker is worn on the wrist or arm of a basketball player and the net tracker is attached to the net of the basketball hoop. The wrist tracker and net tracker automatically detect shot-attempt and made-shot events, respectively, and asynchronously transmit messages to the shot-tracking mobile application reporting these events. The shot-tracking mobile application, which runs on a mobile device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer, includes program instructions that, when executed by the CPU of the wireless mobile device, causes the wireless mobile device to automatically receive and process the asynchronous event data sent by the wrist tracker and net tracker, and to automatically tabulate, store and/or display the basketball player's shooting statistics (such as total shots taken, total shots made, shooting percentage, shot locations, and the like).

Abstract: A basketball shot-tracking system comprising a wrist tracker, a net tracker, and a shot-tracking mobile application. The wrist tracker is worn on the wrist or arm of a basketball player and the net tracker is attached to the net of the basketball hoop. The wrist tracker and net tracker automatically detect shot-attempt and made-shot events, respectively, and asynchronously transmit messages to the shot-tracking mobile application reporting these events. The shot-tracking mobile application, which runs on a mobile device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer, includes program instructions that, when executed by the CPU of the wireless mobile device, causes the wireless mobile device to automatically receive and process the asynchronous event data sent by the wrist tracker and net tracker, and to automatically tabulate, store and/or display the basketball player's shooting statistics (such as total shots taken, total shots made, shooting percentage, shot locations, and the like).

Abstract: A basketball shot-tracking system comprising a wrist tracker, a net tracker, and a shot-tracking mobile application. The wrist tracker is worn on the wrist or arm of a basketball player and the net tracker is attached to the net of the basketball hoop. The wrist tracker and net tracker automatically detect shot-attempt and made-shot events, respectively, and asynchronously transmit messages to the shot-tracking mobile application reporting these events. The shot-tracking mobile application, which runs on a mobile device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer, includes program instructions that, when executed by the CPU of the wireless mobile device, causes the wireless mobile device to automatically receive and process the asynchronous event data sent by the wrist tracker and net tracker, and to automatically tabulate, store and/or display the basketball player's shooting statistics (such as total shots taken, total shots made, shooting percentage, shot locations, and the like).

Abstract: A basketball shot-tracking system comprising a wrist tracker, a net tracker, and a shot-tracking mobile application. The wrist tracker is worn on the wrist or arm of a basketball player and the net tracker is attached to the net of the basketball hoop. The wrist tracker and net tracker automatically detect shot-attempt and made-shot events, respectively, and asynchronously transmit messages to the shot-tracking mobile application reporting these events. The shot-tracking mobile application, which runs on a mobile device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer, includes program instructions that, when executed by the CPU of the wireless mobile device, causes the wireless mobile device to automatically receive and process the asynchronous event data sent by the wrist tracker and net tracker, and to automatically tabulate, store and/or display the basketball player's shooting statistics (such as total shots taken, total shots made, shooting percentage, shot locations, and the like).

Abstract: A basketball shot-tracking system comprising a wrist tracker, a net tracker, and a shot-tracking mobile application. The wrist tracker is worn on the wrist or arm of a basketball player and the net tracker is attached to the net of the basketball hoop. The wrist tracker and net tracker automatically detect shot-attempt and made-shot events, respectively, and asynchronously transmit messages to the shot-tracking mobile application reporting these events. The shot-tracking mobile application, which runs on a mobile device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer, includes program instructions that, when executed by the CPU of the wireless mobile device, causes the wireless mobile device to automatically receive and process the asynchronous event data sent by the wrist tracker and net tracker, and to automatically tabulate, store and/or display the basketball player's shooting statistics (such as total shots taken, total shots made, shooting percentage, shot locations, and the like).