Patent ID: 8043175
Filing Date: 2011-10-25
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. A sensing home plate, comprising: a home plate main body, having a standard shape of home plate used in baseball, and an appropriate thickness; a sensing device, installed in an interior of the home plate main body, the sensing device forming a sensing area defining a strike zone with adjustable range size on an upper side of the home plate main body from wireless signals, so that if a baseball passes through or contacts the sensing area causing interference therewith, then the sensing device uses sound and light emitting devices which indicate the baseball is in the strike zone; the sensing home plate accurately determining whether the baseball is a strike (good pitch) or ball (bad pitch), thereby assisting a chief umpire in making decisions, and reducing judgmental errors; wherein the sensing device comprises: a power supply circuit, the power supply circuit provides the power required for the sensing device system to operate; a signal transmitting circuit, used to transmit signals, forming the sensing area on the upper side of the home plate main body; a fine tuning circuit, used to adjust the width, upper height and lower height of the sensing area to form a strike zone; a signal receiving circuit, used to receive interference signals from the sensing area, whereby when a baseball passes through or contacts the sensing area from an incoming ball direction causing interference therewith, then a signal is received by the signal receiving circuit and transmitted to an acousto-optic circuit; and the acousto-optic circuit, comprising a sound producing unit, and a light-emitting unit, whereby as soon as the receiving circuit receives an interference signal caused by the baseball passing through or contacting the sensing area, then the acousto-optic circuit emits sound and light to indicate whether the baseball is in the strike zone.