Pitch Count Tracking System with Independent Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pitch count regulations in baseball and softball rely on self-compliance and self-reporting, which can be unreliable, and lack a mechanism to ensure teams adhere to pitch limits, leading to potential player injuries due to overuse.
Innovation Solution
A comprehensive pitch count system that uses a server-connected electronic device system to track and verify pitch counts, allowing real-time monitoring and reporting, including independent verification processes to ensure accuracy and compliance with regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If self-compliance and self-reporting methods are used for pitch count tracking, then the system complexity is low and ease of operation is high, but reliability is poor and measurement precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism where a second electronic device (such as a league official or opposing team device) independently verifies the pitch count data reported by the first electronic device. This intermediary acts as a mediator to confirm the accuracy of pitch count reporting without requiring a complex centralized monitoring system, thus improving reliability while keeping system complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where pitch count data is reported, verified independently, and then confirmed or corrected based on the verification results. This feedback mechanism ensures that inaccurate self-reported data is corrected, improving measurement precision and reliability while maintaining a relatively simple system structure through iterative verification rather than complex continuous monitoring.
2Measurement precision
If independent verification processes are implemented to ensure pitch count accuracy, then measurement precision and reliability improve, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The verification system is designed to be self-service in nature, where the electronic devices automatically perform verification procedures without requiring manual intervention from coaches or officials. The system autonomously compares reported pitch counts, identifies discrepancies, and requests corrections, thereby maintaining ease of operation while achieving high measurement precision through automated verification processes.
3Reliability
If real-time monitoring and verification of pitch counts is implemented, then reliability and measurement precision improve, but loss of time increases due to verification processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification actions by continuously monitoring and pre-validating pitch count data as it is reported, rather than conducting extensive verification after the fact. This allows the system to identify and correct potential inaccuracies in real-time, maintaining high reliability while minimizing time loss through proactive rather than reactive verification.
4Reliability
If comprehensive verification and oversight mechanisms are added to ensure regulatory compliance, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The verification system is segmented into modular components: a reporting module on the first electronic device, a verification module on the second electronic device, and a communication protocol for data exchange. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function independently, improving reliability through specialized verification while keeping overall system complexity manageable through modular design that can be implemented incrementally.
Data Source
AI summary
A pitch count system monitors pitch count data for baseball and softball pitchers so that coaches, officials and team administrators can know when a team's pitcher is approaching or has reached pitch count limits. The system may register information upon game completion and/or enable live updating during game play, and may make updated pitch count information available to each team. The system may allow coaches to view their opponents' reports so that coaches can know who is not eligible to pitch against them on a certain day, or after a certain point in time as a game progresses. Further, the system may provide leagues and governing associations with an oversight mechanism to ensure that teams are adhering to the prescribed pitch count regulations.