Ball with internal impact detector and an indicator to indicate impact
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.
This application claims priority to provisional Application No. 60/469,601, filed on May 7, 2003.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game ball that contains the number of times a player(s) hits the ball.
2. Prior Art
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.
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 INVENTIONA 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
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.
Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers,
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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.
The controller 22 may also be connected to a light indicator 28 such as the LEDs 16 shown in
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.
As shown in
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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.
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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.
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.
Type: Application
Filed: May 7, 2004
Publication Date: Dec 29, 2005
Inventor: Elliot Rudell (Torrance, CA)
Application Number: 10/841,178