Patent ID: 7891666
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: A63B,G01S

Abstract:
1. A device for measuring a shot force exerted on a movable game ball and the rotational speed of a movable game ball, comprising: a processor integrated within said movable game ball; a time curve provider within said movable game ball for providing a time curve for an attribute of a game ball when the game ball is impacted by an object with a shot force, wherein said attribute is selected from among an acceleration acting upon the object, and an internal pressure of the game ball; wherein said processor is configured for processing the time curve of the acceleration or the time curve of the internal pressure to obtain an energy measure which depends on an energy transferred onto the object by the shot force, wherein the processor is further configured to provide information about an internal pressure of the game ball at rest prior to or after the shot, and wherein the processor is configured to integrate a pressure change of the pressure over the pressure at rest in order to obtain the energy measure; wherein the time curve provider further comprises a memory having information about a previously determined group of curves stored therein, information about curves being stored for various pressures, wherein at least one curve includes a connection between a shot force and an energy measure, wherein the time curve provider is configured to select a curve on the basis of the pressure at rest and to provide, on the basis of the energy measure, a shot force indicated by the curve selected; a Hall sensor device integrated within said movable game ball and operatively coupled with said processor, said Hall sensor device configured to measure the earth's magnetic field, determine a magnetic field strength, and generate a voltage in proportion to said magnetic field strength; an amplifier operatively coupled with said Hall sensor, said amplifier configured for amplifying said voltage; wherein the magnetic field strength is modulated upon rotation of said movable game ball, thereby altering said voltage; wherein said processor is further configured for determining the rotational speed of said game ball by analyzing said voltage and alterations thereof; and an information provider for providing information about the shot force on the basis of the energy measure and for providing information about the rotational speed on the basis of said voltage analysis.