Interactive sports ball and sports management system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional monitoring and detection systems in sports, such as basketball and volleyball, lack accuracy in determining various types of ball contacts and game clock management, leading to inefficiencies and imprecise game management.
Innovation Solution
An interactive sports ball equipped with sensors to measure acceleration and rotation, coupled with a processing unit and communication module, detects contact events by calculating variance in sensor data, and a sports management system synchronizes this data with visual information to manage game clock precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional video review systems are used to detect ball contacts and manage game clock, then the system complexity remains low, but the measurement precision and reliability of contact detection are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/video-based detection system with an electronic sensor system embedded in the ball. Accelerometers and gyroscopes detect contact events through motion detection, substituting visual review with electronic measurement. This resolves the contradiction by providing precise contact detection through electronic sensors while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a processing unit as an intermediary between the sensors and the game management system. The processing unit analyzes sensor data, calculates variance to detect contacts, and communicates results to referees. This intermediary layer enables precise measurement while managing system complexity through modular data processing.
2Loss of time
If referees rely on visual cues to control game clock, then the device complexity remains low, but the loss of time and measurement precision increase due to human delay
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system where sensors continuously monitor ball motion and provide real-time data to the processing unit. When contact events are detected, the system immediately communicates this information to control the game clock automatically. This closed-loop feedback eliminates human reaction delay and enables precise, real-time game clock management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service automation where the sensor-processed data automatically triggers game clock events without requiring referee intervention. The processing unit independently analyzes sensor data and controls the game clock based on detected contacts, eliminating human delay while keeping the system relatively simple through automated decision-making.
3Reliability
If video analysis is used to determine contact events, then the ease of operation remains high, but the reliability and productivity of game management decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces subjective video analysis with objective electronic sensor detection. Accelerometers and gyroscopes provide quantitative measurement of ball motion and contacts, eliminating human judgment errors. This substitution significantly improves reliability by providing consistent, objective contact detection while maintaining ease of operation through automated processing and clear signal output to referees.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables real-time, accurate detection of ball contacts and precise game clock control, enhancing game transparency and fairness by eliminating human error and time lag.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor, embedded within the body, to measure acceleration data associated with the ball
Implementation Method 2
a second sensor, embedded within the body, to measure rotational data associated with the ball
Data Source
AI summary
An interactive sports ball. The interactive sports ball includes a body: a sensor arrangement having a first sensor, embedded within the body, to measure acceleration data associated with the ball, and a second sensor, embedded within the body, to measure rotational data associated with the ball; and a communication module operatively coupled to the sensor arrangement and configured to transmit the measured acceleration and rotational data to a processing unit. The processing unit generates a series of sequential measurements corresponding to the measured acceleration and rotational data, calculates a variance using a set of sequential measurements from the series of sequential measurements, and detects a contact event if the calculated variance exceeds a predefined event threshold. Disclosed also is a sports management system.