Patent Application
20240408474
The present invention relates generally to sports timing and scoring systems, and more particularly, to a basketball goal sensing system.
A basket, or a “goal” is a clock-stopping event in many basketball leagues. For example, current National Basketball Association (“NBA”) rules dictate that goals made in the last minute of the first, second and third period, and in the last two minutes of the fourth or overtime period, are clock-stopping events. Other leagues, such as National Collegiate Athletics Association (“NCAA”) basketball have their own set of rules regarding when goals stop the game clock.
One of the challenges of a goal being a clock-stopping event is the difficulty in ascertaining when exactly the clock should stop. While the rule may be fairly straightforward—for example the clock stops when the basketball clears the bottom of the net—in practice this is difficult. Basketballs pass through the net at different speeds, and an official may not have a clear view of the basketball passing through the net. Based on these and other variables, it is extremely common for officials to have to stop a game, review replay footage, adjust the clock, and resume play in an attempt to fairly apply the rule. This is costly, frustrating to players, fans, coaches and officials, and it results in a loss of momentum during critical game periods.
Another related problem is ascertaining whether a given goal is a clock-stopping event or not. By way of example, a goal in the fourth quarter of a NCAA game isn't a clock-stopping event if the basketball clears the bottom of the net with 1.01 seconds remaining but would be a clock-stopping event with 1.00 seconds remaining. Even with replay, these razor-thin determinations can be both subjective and determinative of the winner.
Given the criticality of ascertaining when a goal registers as a goal, others have attempted to develop goal sensors, but with little success. Problems include visible hardware that is distracting and dangerous to players, “sensors” that are unable to distinguish between basketballs and other objects such as hands, lack of integration with existing game timing systems, and/or the inability to sense some shots, particularly “flat” shots that fail to activate elevated sensors. The NBA currently employs camera-based systems for ball tracking, but these systems are unable to affirmatively establish when a goal has been made.
As can be seen, there is a need for a basketball goal sensing system capable of accurately determining if and when a goal is scored. It is desirable that this system is visually and physically non-obtrusive, and that it can be integrated with a basketball timing system. It is also desirable that this system can be used with a variety of basketball hoop systems.
At least one inventor of the present invention has invented related advances in the field, as set forth in the following references below. These references are incorporated by reference in their entireties.
A basketball goal sensing system includes a sensor assembly that is integrated with the cover plate pad of a commercially available basketball hoop in a manner that doesn't significantly change the aesthetics or functionality of that cover plate pad. The sensor assembly includes a plurality of infrared LEDs and a plurality of sensors for detecting infrared light that reflects off an object passing through the basketball rim and net. A basketball passing through the basketball rim will activate the sensors within certain ranges with respect to the order of sensor activation, speed, reflection, and so forth. This standard profile is programmed into the system. When an object activates sensors of the system, for example by passing through the hoop and/or net, the sensor data is compared to the pre-existing standard profile of a basketball passing through. If the object's profile matches the system's basketball profile within certain tolerances, the system considers the event to be a goal, and transmits a signal to the base station indicating a goal has occurred. If that goal is a clock-stopping event the game clock is stopped. The system is particularly well suited for integration with various sports timing systems conceived of by the applicant.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
The following structure numbers shall apply to the following structures among the various FIGS.:
As used herein, a “goal” is synonymous with “scoring a basket”. A “basketball hoop” shall refer to the assembly including the backboard, rim, net, pole, and ancillary parts. To avoid confusion “goal” will not be used to refer to a basketball hoop, and “basketball hoop” will not be used to refer specifically to a rim, although both usages are common in everyday language.
Broadly, the present invention pertains to a goal sensing system capable of identifying that a basketball goal has occurred and sending a signal to an auxiliary unit such as a base station to time-stamp that goal. In a preferred embodiment the goal sensing system is integrated with a basketball timing system, and most preferably with basketball timing systems and related inventions set forth in the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION section herein.
Referring to
Referring back to
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Activation compliance profiles also require that the time between activation of central sensor 52 and left and right sensors 50, 54 must fall within the range of approximately 2-11 milliseconds. This confirms that the object passing in front of the IR light is traveling at a speed consistent with a basketball going through a hoop, versus for example a beer cup thrown into the rim by a fan. The exit timing of the lower sensor is used for determining the goal event trigger. Another measurement considered by the activation compliance profiles is how much light is reflected into the sensor by the object. This helps ensure that only objects having the characteristic size, shape and material of a basketball can generate a goal.
When an event triggers the microcontrollers of the system to determine that the resulting sensor activations are compliant with pre-established profiles, in other words a goal, signal 17 is amplified by amplifier 45 and transmitted by transmitter 46 to base station 15, as set forth in
It is noted that free throws take place when the clock is not running, and are not clock-stopping events. However, the system is preferably configured to sense when a free throw is made, to signal base station 15 accordingly for logging the event and points earned.
In normal operation during a game, signals are transmitted from sensor assembly 30 to base station 15. However, the system is configured for base station to sensor assembly signal transmission, for example pre-game set up protocols such as assigning basketball hoop identities, for making on-the-fly parameter adjustments, and for initiating soft resets.
Referring back to
It is a significant benefit of the system that it can be used with a variety of basketball hoop systems by employing housings with different geometries. However, simply tilting the entire sensor assembly either upward or downward isn't workable because while central sensor 52 needs to be substantially horizontally aligned, left and right sensors 50, 54 are preferably aligned such that their fields of view are approximately in the mid to lower half of the net. Said another way, the upward and downward tilt of left and right sensors 50, 54 must be independent of central sensor 52, otherwise each basketball hoop system would require a different circuit board so sensors are properly directed.
Another important feature of the present invention is that the technical challenges of using a single circuit board with a variety of housings, while still facilitating independent tilt of the various sensors, has been overcome. Referring to
In a preferred embodiment sensor assembly 30 includes at least one terminal block 47 (
In use base station 15 operated by timekeeper 16 receives signal 17 from goal sensing system 10 when basketball 18 clears net 26. If the goal is a clock-stopping event the base station will stop the game clock. In a preferred embodiment base station 15 is communicatively coupled to scoreboard 19 that displays the game clock time. It is also preferred that the present invention be integrated with ancillary systems such as camera-based ball tracking for goal verification in games and training.
Certain structures and components are disclosed for purposes of describing an embodiment, and setting forth the best mode, but should not be construed as teaching the only possible embodiment. Rather, modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. Examples of modifications include using the goal sensing system with non-breakaway type goals, or goals not standardly equipped with cover plate pads, and modifying by attaching the sensor assembly elsewhere including the directly to the rim or the backboard, to the rim or backboard with a connector, or by adding a cover plate pad-like structure with the sensor assembly. It should be understood that all specifications, unless otherwise stated or contrary to common sense, are +/−10%, and that ranges of values set forth inherently include those values, as well as all increments between. Also, “substantially” as used herein, shall mean generally. By way of example a “substantially planar” surface includes surface imperfections but is generally planar.
