# US 10,500,474 B2 · Data-collecting play object, system and method

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- Number: US 10,500,474 B2
- Document ID: US10500474B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/763,958
- Filed: 2016-09-30
- Published: 2018-10-11
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-30
- Assignees: Intellisports Inc.
- Applicants: Intellisports Inc.
- Inventors: Jonathan Guillemette
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500474B2

## CPC

- A63B 71/0619: {Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills}
- A63B 24/0062: {Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance}
- A63B 39/00: Hollow non-inflatable balls {, i.e. having no valves (rigid balls A63B37/00)}
- A63B 59/70: with bent or angled lower parts for hitting a ball on the ground, on an ice-covered surface, or in the air, e.g. for hockey or hurling
- A63B 67/14: Curling stone; Shuffleboard; Similar sliding games
- A63H 33/18: Throwing or slinging toys, {e.g. flying disc toys (discs used in athletics A63B65/10)}(as part of a game A63F9/02; sling weapons F41B3/00; spring toy guns F41B7/08)
- G01C 22/00: Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers
- G01C 22/02: by conversion into electric waveforms and subsequent integration, e.g. using tachometer generator {(G01C22/002, G01C22/004, G01C22/006 take precedence)}
- G01D 21/02: Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
- G01P 1/127: {for acceleration values}
- G01P 15/00: Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
- A63B 43/004: {electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration}
- A63B 69/0026: {for ice-hockey}
- A63B 71/0622: {Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user}
- A63B 71/146: {Golf gloves}
- A63B 2024/0068: {Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals}
- A63B 2102/14: Lacrosse
- A63B 2102/18: Baseball, rounders or similar games
- A63B 2102/182: {Softball}
- A63B 2102/20: Cricket
- A63B 2102/24: Ice hockey
- A63B 2102/32: Golf
- A63B 2220/30: Speed
- A63B 2220/34: Angular speed
- A63B 2220/40: Acceleration
- A63B 2220/44: Angular acceleration
- A63B 2220/803: Motion sensors
- A63B 2220/833: Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
- A63B 2225/15: with identification means that can be read by electronic means
- A63B 2225/20: with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
- A63B 2225/50: Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
- A63B 2225/54: Transponders, e.g. RFID
- A63B 2243/0025: Football
- A63B 2243/0037: Basketball
- A63B 2243/0054: Bowling, i.e. ten-pin bowling
- A63B 2243/007: American football
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- A63H: TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G})

## Abstract

A data-collecting play object. The play object includes a body manipulated by a player. A data-collecting unit is disposed in the interior of the body. The data-collecting unit includes an accelerometer unit measuring acceleration values along at least one translational degree of freedom, a gyroscope unit measuring rotation values about at least one rotational degree of freedom, and a processor in communication with the accelerometer unit and with the gyroscope unit. The processor obtains the acceleration values from the accelerometer unit and the rotation values from the gyroscope unit. The processor wirelessly transmits the acceleration and rotation values at discrete intervals. A power source supplies electrical power to the accelerometer unit, the gyroscope unit, and the processor. The play object being used in combination with an identification tag attached to a play accessory is also disclosed. A system and a method are also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A play object in combination with an identification tag, the identification tag being attachable to a play accessory for engaging the play object, the play object and identification tag comprising:
a body of the play object having an outer surface to be engaged by the play accessory upon a player using the play accessory, the body having an interior;
a transceiver of the play object attached to the body and operable to emit an activation signal at least upon the body being engaged by the play accessory, and to receive signals from the identification tag;
the identification tag on the play accessory being operable to receive the activation signal from the transceiver and to emit in response thereto an identification signal to the transceiver, the identification signal comprising information on the player using the play accessory; and
a data-collecting unit of the play object disposed in the interior of the body and operable during at least movement of the play object, the data-collecting unit comprising:
an accelerometer unit measuring acceleration values of the play object along at least one translational degree of freedom;
a gyroscope unit measuring rotation values of the play object about at least one rotational degree of freedom;
a processor in communication with the transceiver, the accelerometer unit, and the gyroscope unit, the processor obtaining the acceleration values from the accelerometer unit, the rotation values from the gyroscope unit, and the identification signal from the transceiver, the processor wirelessly transmitting the acceleration values, the rotation values, and the identification signal; and
a power source supplying electrical power to the transceiver, the accelerometer unit, the gyroscope unit, and the processor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The play object as defined in claim 1, wherein the transceiver is operable to emit the activation signal upon the accelerometer unit measuring an acceleration value exceeding a threshold value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The play object as defined in claim 1, wherein the transceiver is operable to actively emit the activation signal, and the identification tag is operable to passively receive the activation signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The play object as defined in claim 3, wherein the identification tag is free of an electrical power source.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A plurality of play objects in combination with a plurality of identification tags as defined in claim 1, each identification tag being attachable to a single corresponding play accessory, the identification signal emitted by each identification tag comprising information on the identity of the player using said single play accessory.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The play object as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the accelerometer and gyroscope units is operable to measure the acceleration and rotation values at a sampling frequency, and wherein the processor is operable to wirelessly transmit the acceleration and rotation values at a transmission frequency, the sampling frequency being greater than the transmission frequency.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The play object as defined in claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to deactivate at least one of the accelerometer unit and the gyroscope unit to stop measurement of the acceleration or rotation values along at least one of the translational or rotational degrees of freedom.