WO2004112919A1

WO2004112919A1 - Electronic circuit and plaything incorporated

Info

Publication number: WO2004112919A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/002494
Authority: WO
Inventors: Julian Renton
Original assignee: Julian Renton
Priority date: 2003-06-20
Filing date: 2004-06-16
Publication date: 2004-12-29
Also published as: GB0314397D0

Abstract

An electronic circuit and plaything incorporated has a sensing means (4) that detects the connection of an object such as a ball hitting a surface and sends a signal to printed circuit board (6) and electronic components (5) where the signal is processed into information that is shown on display (7) such information typically including an accumulated score of the number of connections in a play session. Switch (10) is provided to connect energy source (9) to the electronic circuit and switch (10), or a further switch, may be used to set the display to zero at the start of a play session and to reset the display to zero at the start of a play session following a previous play session.

Description

Electronic Circmt And Plaything Incorporated

This invention relates to an electronic circuit and plaything incorporated that provides measurement and feedback during play, particularly play involving the hitting of one or more objects such as balls. The process of hitting a ball is not only fun but is also valuable for developing the coordination of the eye with physical movement and control, and also improving physical response and balance. The provision of measurement enables people to assess and compare attainment levels and encourages them to develop and achieve higher levels. Whilst this invention is primarily intended for children it could also be beneficial for older people, particularly people who are physically impaired. The electronic circuit and plaything incorporated can take a variety of forms such as a device for hitting a ball, the ball itself, a target area for hitting a ball against, or any combination thereof. It could also include the features of a bat having a handle attached to at least one surface for hitting a ball.

Considering further an electronic circuit and plaything incorporated whereby it includes the features of a bat, the electronic circuit and plaything could measure and provide feedback on such things as: accuracy, in terms of where on the surface of the bat that the ball connects, how many times a ball can be hit repeatedly within pre- agreed play parameters, and how long in terms of time that play is able to continue without breaching one or more of the pre-agreed parameters. Play parameters may vary widely and place different challenges on the participants. They also define the start and completion of a play session. For example, play parameters might include: not allowing the ball to touch the ground between each connection of ball with the bat or else allowing the ball to touch the ground a limited number of times between each connection of the bat and ball. Completion of a play session is typically when one or more play parameters are breached. Play may involve only one person hitting a ball or a number of people where each person hits their own ball or where one or more balls are hit from one person to another. Each type of play presents its own peculiar mix of challenges. According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic circuit incorporating a sensing means for sensing the connection of a ball, or other shaped projectile, a means for receiving and processing the data from the said sensing means and means for exhibiting in situ and/or remotely visually and/or audibly such processed data, and means for energising the electronic circuit and housing for accommodating the electronic circuit and its component parts, such housing being typically but not necessarily an integral part of the plaything such as the structure of a bat.

In some embodiments the processing of data from said sensing means includes the recording and counting of the number of bits in a typical play session that is then displayed on the display usually in numeric form and displaying information that typically relates to a play session such as the accumulated number of repeated and successful hits achieved during a play session. Information could also include the highest score that has been achieved from previous play sessions. In other embodiments the processing of data could include a clock that can, for example, record the elapsed time between the start and finish of a play session so that the object of the play session could be to achieve as many consecutive hits as possible within a pre-agreed time.. A further measure could be the rate at which hits are scored. Information from the clock could either be displayed on the one display or else, on a further display. In some embodiments the electronic circuit includes an audible sounder that could be used to provide audible feedback of a successful detection by the sensing means of a connection such as between a bat and ball. A sounder could also be used to provide audible recognition of a level of success having been achieved such as a predetermined number of and/or multiple of successful hits. In other embodiments, the sounder could be used to emit audible language to convey information relating to a play session and this may be instead of or in addition to the display.

Some embodiments may include a sensing means whereby the sensitivity of such sensing means is limited to a predetermined level. This could be useful in ensuring that hits are only recorded if they conform to pre-arranged criteria such as the ball being hit above a minimum height relative to a bat and/or the ball being hit within a pre-arranged target area on the surface of a bat. Some embodiments may include more than one sensing means that could be located at different positions to sense hits on one surface of a bat or on opposing surfaces of a bat or on more surfaces where a bat may have more than two surfaces for hitting the ball.

The means for energising the electronic circuit could be a battery and or a solar energy device for converting solar power to electrical energy or any other suitable source of energy including a source where energy is derived from movement of a bat and/or a bat hitting the ball.

In some embodiments, the housing may be independent of the structure of a bat and have means for attachment to a variety of existing bats so that, for example, the invention could be used with an existing tennis racket or table tennis bat. Also, in other embodiments, the housing could be an integral part of the ball so that the electronic circuit including energy source and display are housed within the ball. However, in embodiments where the housing is an integral part of a bat, the bat itself could be arranged to provide for different levels of required accuracy in its use to hit balls by arranging the hitting surface area to be large or small or to have a three dimensional shape such as a convex shape that would make it difficult to predict the direction of a ball after a bit unless the ball connects with the centre of the convex form. Different levels of difficulty could be provided in a single bat whereby the bat could have two differently arranged hitting surfaces on either side of the bat. Alternatively, different levels of difficulty could be provided in a range of different bats and some, or all of them, may, or may not, use both sides of the bat to provide different hitting surfaces. Also, in some embodiments, the ball, or other projectile, may be attached to one end of an elongate such as a length of rope or string that may or may not be elastic and the other end of such elongate being attached to a suitable location on the bat so that the ball could not be easily separated from the bat and be lost. In many embodiments, there is a means for connecting and disconnecting the power source particularly if the power source is a battery to avoid the battery being unnecessarily drained. Such means could be a switch that can be operated by a person typically during use of the invention whereby the switch can either connect or disconnect the power source or alternatively, be used only to connect the power source such that disconnection is provided for in the electronic circuit automatically after a predetermined time delay normally following the last detection by the sensing means of a ball connecting with the surface of the bat. A further requirement for a switch, typically operated by a user of the invention, may be to prepare the invention for the start of a new play session and therefore either to clear any data from a previous session or simply to activate the display at the starting level. This switch could be combined with power source connection so that each switch operation connects the power source if this is not already connected and also prepares the display for a new play session. Alternatively, the requirement for connecting and disconnecting the power source and the requirement for preparing the invention for a new play session may involve two or more switches. A further functional requirement for a switch could be to display the highest score achieved from all previous play sessions so that the player is reminded or informed of the highest attainment level achieved in previous sessions and therefore has a target to improve on or to compare progress.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment with the housing being an integral part of a bat and with one surface for hitting a ball.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the embodiment in Figure 1 with the bat casing partially cut away to reveal a typical arrangement of component parts.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of an alternative embodiment whereby the bat surface for hitting the ball is divided into two distinct areas and with two separate sensing means. Figure 4 shows a partially cut away isometric view of a bat embodying the invention utilizing both opposing surfaces of the bat for bitting balls and whereby each surface has its own sensing means.

Figure 5 shows a partially cut away isometric view of a bat embodying the invention utilizing both opposing surfaces of the bat for bitting balls as in Figure 4 but with only one sensing means.

Figure 6 shows a side elevation of a bat embodying the invention utilizing both opposing surfaces for hitting balls and where one surface is substantially flat and the other surface has a three dimensional form.

Figure 7 shows a plan view of an embodiment of the invention whereby the housing means is provided within a ball.

Figure 8 shows plan view of an embodiment of the invention whereby the invention including housing means is attached to an existing bat.

Figure 9 shows an isometric view of an. embodiment of the invention whereby the housing means is provided in a target area onto which a ball can be hit.

As shown in figures 1 and 2, bat 1 has a hitting surface 2 for hitting ball 3. Bat 1 provides a housing that at least partially accommodates an electronic circuit and components. This comprises sensing means 4 that senses when ball 3 connects with hitting surface 2. Sensing means 4 is attached to the underside of hitting surface 2. In practice, it has been found that a sound transducer such as the ceramic piezo type is effective at sensing the connection of a ball with a hitting surface because of its ability to detect sound. Ceramic piezo type transducers are also readily available and cost effective. In order to achieve a reliable and consistent response to such a connection, it has been found that the transducer type sensing means is ideally securely attached to the underside of the hitting surface at or close to the centre of the surface. However, sensing means 4 could be any other suitable means for sensing connection of ball 3 with hitting surface 2. The electronic circuit also includes components 5 typically mounted on a printed circuit board 6 for^' receiving data from sensing means 4 and processing the data to provide a useful output to display 7 to enable users of the invention to receive and read the processed data. In order to be able to read display 7, the display is viewable from outside bat 1 and may be positioned anywhere on the bat although it is preferable that it should be placed outside the hitting area such as on the handle or between the handle and the hitting area in order to avoid damaging the display device.

In many play sessions with the invention, the player is concerned to know how many times he or she has managed to hit the ball repeatedly on the bat surface within predetermined parameters. Some parameters may define a play session as requiring the ball to be hit repeatedly without it touching the ground until an attempt to hit the ball fails and the play session is deemed to have ended. Other parameters may allow the ball to hit the ground one or more times between hits. Therefore, a typical function of the invention is for the electronic circuit to receive data from sensing means 4 and to process the data such that each successful hit of the ball detected by sensing means 4 is then added to the accumulation of previously successful hits within the same play session and this is then sent to display 7 enabling the player to see how many successful hits he or she has achieved either during or at the end of a play session. Display 7 is usually of the digital type with the ability to display numeric or alphanumeric information. In practice, the liquid crystal display has been found to be both cost effective and compact although display 7 could be of any other suitable type.

Sounder 8 may also be included in the electronic circuit in order to give an audible indication that sensing means 4 has detected a successful hit of ball 3 on hitting surface 2. There are various ways that the us.e of sounder 8 can be elaborated. For example, sounder 8 could emit a distinct audible sounder to indicate a predetermined number and/or multiples of successful hits. In some more elaborate embodiments, sounder 8 could emit spoken language to indicate the number of hits. This would require one or more further processing components on printed circuit board 6. Sounders emitting spoken language are common on children's toys and have the advantage that they may obviate the heed for a display because information to the player could all be provided audibly rather than visually. However, such a sounder has disadvantages that include the need to provide translations for different languages, the need to be heard above ambient noise when using the invention and the possible disturbance to people who are close to the invention but not involved in its use.

In figure 2, battery 9 is shown as a conventional type battery to perform the function of energising the electronic circuit and enclosed within the handle of bat 1. In practice, there would be an aperture and cover for fitting a new battery and replacing it when it is exhausted. The handle is a convenient location for enclosing a conventional battery partly because of its shape and also because of the desirability of keeping weight distribution away from the bat hitting surface to ensure ease of use and handling. Battery 9 however, could be fitted in any other convenient locatio and the battery could be a physically smaller type so that much of the size and weight limitations with respect to its location are removed. An alternative energy source that is commonly used on many portable products converts light to electrical power. Such an energy source could be incorporated into the electronic circuit as a replacement for battery 9 or as an additional energy source to battery 9. The disadvantage with using light energy is that the invention would need a good supply of light energy to function effectively. However, the combination of a light energy source and battery would help to prolong the time before needing to replace the battery.

Figure 2 shows switch 10, which is operable by users of the invention from outside bat 1 and which interacts with the electronic circuit to provide a variety of functions. At the start of a play session with the invention, switch 10 may be used to connect the energy source such as battery 9 to energise the electronic circuit. This would also energise display 7 so that it would typically display a starting score of zero. As the play session proceeds, display 7 would show the accumulated score of successful hits. However, at the start of a new play session, switch 10, or a further switch, could be operated in order to return display 7 to read the starting score of zero. Disconnecting the energy source from the electronic circuit in figure 2 can be arranged without requiring a switch but where, instead, the circuit disconnects automatically after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the invention was last used. This is common on other low power portable devices such as calculators and removes the need for a separate power disconnection switch. The advantages of disconnecting the power source are that it saves the battery from unnecessary power drain and can prolong the life of the display. However, if the power source is based on light energy alone then the invention may operate without any power disconnection facility.

In more elaborate embodiments of the invention there may be one or more further switches in addition to switch 10 that are operable by users of the invention. For example, it is often useful for the user of the invention to know the highest previous score that has been achieved with the current bat so that he or she has an effective target to be surpassed and therefore has a useful incentive to attain higher levels. It may be difficult to access this information as well as perform all other necessary functions with only one switch and so there may be a need for one or more further switches. Also, the switch may be needed from time to time to delete a highest previous score history if a new player becomes the predominant user of a current bat.

In figure 3, bat 31 has two designated hitting surface areas 12 and 14 that each has its own sensing means 11 and 13 respectively. This enables a more sophisticated level of use of the invention that could involve the hitting of balls to connect alternately on surfaces 12 and 14. For example, the processing components in the electronic circuit could be configured such that a hit on surface 14 is only successfully detected if it follows a hit on surface 12. In practice, the bat has to be carefully constructed in order to avoid confused data response between the sensors and also the hitting surfaces because of their close proximity.

Figure 4 shows bat 41 having two opposing hitting surfaces 18 and 19 and with sensing means 20 and 21 attached to the underside of each surface 18 and 19 respectively. With this type of bat, with two independent sensors, play can be arranged on both sides of the bat in various ways. For example, the parameters in a play session could be that the bat has to be turned after each hit so that a hit is only successfully detected if it follows a hit on the opposite side of the bat. Alternatively, the bat could be simply usable on both sides and successful hits are detected irrespective of which side of the bat that the ball is hit. However, this could be achieved more simply with an arrangement such as in figure 5 where bat 51 has only one sensing means 22 that is effectively attached and trapped between the undersides of both hitting surfaces 23 and 24.

Figure 6 shows bat 61 having two opposing hitting surfaces 25 and 26 but where hitting surface 26 has a concave form. A concave form would be useful in adding further challenge to the degree of difficulty of using the invention because the further away from the centre of the bat that the ball connects with the bat surface the greater the change in direction of the ball on reflection from the bat surface. For example, a ball moving towards the bat in the direction of arrow 27 would tend to leave the bat in the direction of arrow 28 whereas a ball moving towards the centre of the bat would tend to leave the bat in the same direction as shown by arrow 29. In figure 6, bat 61 is shown with surface 26 being concave whilst surface 25 is substantially flat. This has the advantage of providing a development path for users of the invention beginning with the relatively easy surface 25 and then progressing to the more challenging concave surface 26.

Figure 7 shows an embodiment whereby the invention, instead of being integrated into a bat, is integrated into ball 34. Ball 34 could be any ball or other shaped projectile. In practice, a ball is subject to considerably more abuse than a bat and may land, after being struck, in all sorts of unwelcome terrain such as rivers and lakes. Therefore, the invention as integrated in to the ball would need to be exceptionally robust and weather resistant. However, the advantages of this arrangement are that the invention could be used with a variety of bats and with any number of players.

Figure 8 shows an embodiment whereby the invention is housed independently of either the bat or the ball but has the means to be attached to any existing bat such as the tennis racket 32 shown. With this arrangement, it will be important to ensure that the sensing means is suitable located to sense the ball striking on the surface of various types of bat or alternatively that there are various embodiments particularly arranged to suit different types of bat.

Figure 9 shows an embodiment whereby the invention, instead of being integrated into a bat, is integrated into target 35 onto which a ball can be hit. Such a target can be mounted on a wall, ceiling or floor or angled with a stand such as that shown supported by support 39 and with provision for varying the angle. The target could have areas such as 36, 37 and 38 with the possibility of a number of sensing means to sense a particular area. This enables the possibility of a game whereby a hit close to the centre of the target area such as area 38 could have a higher score than a hit further away from the centre such as area 36. The target surface is shown as being substantially flat but it could, instead, be shaped in three dimensions such as concave to make it more difficult to predict the direction of a ball after it rebounds from the target and therefore make the game more challenging.

In the above embodiments as illustrated in Figures 1 to 9, the sensing means 4 in the form of a ceramic piezo transducer, display 7, sounder 8, all switches, timer and counting electronic circuitry and all other electronic circuitry for receiving, processing and displaying data, are typically comprised of standard and currently available components.

The described embodiments differ in their details but they are linked by common operating principles. Accordingly, it will be understood by the person skilled in the art that the technical features described with reference to one embodiment will normally be applicable to other embodiments.

Where the invention has been specifically described above with reference to these specific embodiments, it will be understood by the person skilled in the art that these are merely illustrative although variations are possible within the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising sensing means for sensing engagement with an object, processing means for processing data from the sensing means, exhibiting means for providing an output of the processed data and means for energising the electronic circuit.

2. An electronic device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processing means incorporates a counting circuit for counting the number of engagements with the object.

3. An electronic device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the processing means incorporates a timer circuit.

4. An electronic device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the processing means incorporates a memory to recall previous data.

5. An electronic device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the sensitivity of the sensing means is variable.

6. An electronic device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the sensing means comprises one or more sound transducers such as ceramic piezo transducers.

7. An electronic device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the energising means is in the form of conventional batteries, solar batteries or kinetic batteries or any combination thereof

8. A plaything comprising an electronic circuit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 and a housing.

9. A plaything as claimed in claim 8 wherein the housing accommodates the sensing, processing and energising means.

10. A plaything as claimed in claim 9 wherein the housing accommodates the exhibiting means.

11.A plaything as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein a visual display is provided and the output is visible on the display.

12. A plaything as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein a sounder is provided and the output is audible via the sounder.

13. A plaything as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12 wherein the sensing means is located adjacent an inside surface of the housing.

14. A plaything as claimed in claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13 wherein the housing is in the form of a bat having a handle portion and a hitting portion.

15. A plaything as claimed in claim 14 wherein the hitting portion has major surfaces, at least one of which is contoured.

16. A plaything as claimed in claim 15 wherein the or each contoured surface is concave or convex.

17. A plaything as claimed in claim 14 wherein the hitting portion has oppositely disposed major surfaces which are substantially planar.

18. A plaything as claimed in any one claims 14 to 17 wherein the sensing means is disposed between the major surfaces.

19. A plaything as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 18 wherein the sensing means provides at least one target area on the hitting portion of the bat.

20. A plaything as claimed in claim 19 in conjunction with claim 17 wherein a target area is provided at each major surface.

21. A plaything as claimed in claim 20 wherein more than one target area is provided at each major surface.

22. A plaything as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 21 wherein the means for energising incorporates a switch.

23. A plaything as claimed in claim 15 wherein the switch is automatic such that the electronic device is switched off automatically after a predetermined period of inactivity.

24. A plaything as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23 wherein there is also provided selectable control means to determine the operative mode of the plaything.

25. A plaything as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 24 in conjunction with claim 7 wherein the batteries are provided in the handle portion.

26. A plaything as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 25 in conjunction with claim 14 wherein the object is a ball which is attached to the bat by means of a flexible, elongate cord.

27. A plaything as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13 wherein the housing is in the form of a ball.

28. A plaything as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13 wherein the housing is in the form of a target at which the object is aimed.

29.A plaything as claimed in claim 28 wherein different scoring areas of the target are associated with different target areas of the sensing means.