Games using tangible projectile – Playing field or court game; game element or accessory... – Having at least two different types of game elements used in...
Patent
1997-01-28
2000-02-15
Harrison, Jessica J.
Games using tangible projectile
Playing field or court game; game element or accessory...
Having at least two different types of game elements used in...
A63B 6100
Patent
active
060246588
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring in a ball game the position relative to a reference line at which a game ball strikes a playing surface. The invention has particular reference to the game of tennis, though it is not restricted to that game.
In what follows hereafter, the present invention will be described, for convenience and by way of example only, in the context of a game of tennis.
In the game of tennis, it is important to be able to determine with the greatest accuracy and consistency the position at which a ball on being served first strikes the playing surface relative to the `service line`. That line defines the rearward boundary of the service area in which the served tennis ball must first strike the playing surface. A sevice which results in the ball first striking the playing surface rearward of that service line is a faulty service.
There have been various proposals to provide an apparatus for judging whether a served tennis ball has landed on the playing surface rearward or otherwise of the service line.
For a fuller understanding of the importance of this topic and apparatus, the reader's attention is directed to the following patent specifications which relate to this topic, and which deal at length with the significance of the topic:--U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,944 (CARMONA); U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,986 (SPIELMAN); & EP 0 007 720 (CARLTON ET AL).
However, there still appears to be no commercially available apparatus to reliably assist an umpire in determining whether a service is a good one or a faulty one.
The present invention seeks to provide a different approach to the topic, thereby to overcome the disadvantages of those prior proposals.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of monitoring in a ball game the position, relative to a reference line extending linearly between near and far ends thereof, of the first contact of a game ball with a playing surface carrying said reference line, which method includes the following steps: collimated beam of radiation along said reference line so as to irradiate a predetermined field at said far end of the reference line lying adjacent the reference line, said radiation beam having a transverse cross section such as will be materially but not wholly interrupted by the passage of the game ball through the beam when in play near said reference line; locations in said field respective separate elements of said radiation beam, which locations are disposed in a column and row, or similar, formation; corresponding electrical signals; elements of a storage means for retention therein until reset by the passage of the game ball through the radiation beam, each said storage element when storing a said electrical signal representing an element of said radiation beam which is not interrupted by the game ball, and each said storage element when not so storing a said electrical signal representing an element of said radiation beam which is interrupted by the game ball; upper or a lower peripheral part of the game ball as the game ball impacts and bounces on the playing surface at or near the reference line whilst passing through the radiation beam; first contact of the game ball with the playing surface.
Preferably, step (e) includes the step of energising a visual display means in dependence upon the states of the respective storage elements of the storage means so as to display on a visual display screen thereof said representation of the path of said upper or lower part of the game ball during its passage through the radiation beam.
The method may also include the step of scanning the storage elements to determine a boundary separating those storage elements currently storing a said electric signal and those not so storing a said electric signal, thereby to determine the path of an upper (or a lower) peripheral part of the game ball during its passage through the radiation beam.
From that path the position of the first contact of the game ball with the playing surface may be determined.
For exampl
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Harrison Jessica J.
Paradiso John
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