Impact-Sensitive Color-Changing Court Surface for Precise Line Calling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current line-calling systems in sports, such as tennis, face challenges in accurately determining whether a ball is 'in' or 'out' due to limitations in existing technologies, including camera-based systems like Hawk-Eye, which can be distracting and prone to errors, and specialized ball treatments that affect bounce characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A variable-color object-impact structure that temporarily changes color upon impact, allowing for precise visual determination of where a ball has contacted the court, with a controller adjusting the color change duration and providing an impact signal, enhancing accuracy and reducing the need for challenges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If camera-based systems like Hawk-Eye are used for line calling, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases due to errors and distractions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color-changing materials that temporarily change color when impacted by the ball, providing immediate visual feedback on impact location. This eliminates the need for complex camera systems and human judges, directly improving measurement precision while enhancing reliability through simple, fail-safe physical chemistry.
2Measurement precision
If specialized ball treatments are used to improve line calling, then measurement precision is improved, but object-generated harmful factors increase due to affected bounce characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of treating the ball itself, the patent applies color-changing materials to the court surface. This allows impact location to be visualized through color changes in the court material, maintaining normal ball bounce characteristics while providing accurate impact location information.
3Device complexity
If traditional line calling methods are used, then device complexity is minimized, but measurement precision deteriorates making it difficult to determine in/out calls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses impact-sensitive color-changing materials embedded in the court surface that automatically indicate impact location through color change. This simple physical chemistry approach provides precise measurement without complex electronics, cameras, or human judgment, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and precision.
4Measurement precision
If color change duration is extended to improve visibility of impact location, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to prolonged color persistence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a controller that dynamically adjusts the color change duration based on impact detection. The color change is temporarily extended when an impact occurs and automatically reverses after a predetermined time, optimizing visibility while limiting time loss through controlled, adaptive duration adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
A variable-color region (106) of an information-presentation structure extends to an exposed surface (102) at a surface zone (112) and normally appears along it as a principal color. An impact-dependent portion (138) of the variable-color region responds to an object (104) impacting the zone at an object-contact area (116) by temporarily appearing along a print area (118) of the zone as changed color materially different from the principal color if the impact meets threshold impact criteria. The print area closely matches the object-contact area in size, shape, and location. The color-change time duration of the impact-dependent portion temporarily appearing as the changed color is in a duration range established prior to the impact. A controller (602) responds to both the impact and subsequent external instruction (608) by controlling the impact-dependent portion so as to adjust the color-change duration subsequent to the impact.