A system that wirelessly integrates actual drum equipment and singing equipment with a computer and the internet to allow musicians and or singers remotely located from one another to play music and or a competitive real or simulated music and or singing competition. An individual musician may opt to play music solo or practice to improve basic music, drumming, and or singing techniques. The system includes smart music and drum systems, an audio detection system, and drum motion sensing devices, all containing circuits and contact sensors or motion sensors, coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry, thereby wirelessly communicating game performance information to a remote receiver-computer. The computer displays musician and or singing information, and visually simulates and controls a music and or a singing competition between two or more musicians, via the internet, having similar equipment and remotely located from each other. Standard drum sets may be retrofitted with the sensors and associated circuitry to convert such drum sets into smart drum sets for use with the system. Standard microphones may be retrofitted with the sensors and associated circuitry to convert such microphones into smart microphones for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process musician performance data, control the music competition, communicate music and information between musicians and or singers, generate and control visual simulations, and display singer and or musician performance information.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a distance measuring apparatus includes: a display unit and a sound output unit; a location acquiring sensor configured to acquire a current location; a slope sensor configured to measure a tilt angle; a distance measuring sensor configured to measure the straight line distance to a target; and a control unit configured to calculate a height of the target by using the tilt angle and the straight line distance, to calculate an attack distance by using a relationship between the height of the target, a landing angle, and the attack distance, and to output the attack distance to at least one of the display unit and the sound output unit.

Players of tournament games require a network for them to play with one another remotely. But, in order for play to occur simultaneously, players must be informed that a game is ongoing or underway. Similarly, if one player wishes another player to join, the one player must invite the other, by in part, informing the other player of the time and location of play as well as information specific to the game the one player is participating in or forming. Accordingly, a communication means is required to bring players together. A communication means for remote players does not exist for players of real-world games where players use physical instruments where game data is based at least in part on sensor-acquired data.

A golf ball comprising an electrical component is disclosed herein. The electrical component comprises an integrated circuit having a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a BLUETOOTH low energy (BTLE) radio, and at least one battery. A body is composed of an epoxy material, and the body encompasses the electrical component.

A multifunctional self-contained system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer providing critical feedback to improve all aspects of a player's game, and also allows players to play an actual competitive real or visually simulated game or sports with one or more players. Therefore, an individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic golfing skills and techniques. The system includes sport implements that include, but are not limited to, smart golf clubs, a golf ball receptacle and a golf club motion sensing device, all containing circuits with contact sensors and or motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry to wirelessly communicate game status and performance parameters to a remote receiver and computer. The computer then optionally displays important parameters such as proximity of a sports implement contact face to an object, the impact of a sports implement with a sports equipment item, wherein the contact force, contact time, impact location, face angle, spatial orientation of a sports implement in motion, and the subsequent energy, velocity, and trajectory of game projectile such as a golf ball. The sports implements can be further equipped with motion sensing devices, and its motion and swing trajectory is visually simulated on the computer display. Standard sport implements which include, but are not limited to, golf clubs may be retrofitted with the device sensors and associated electronic circuitry to convert such clubs into smart clubs for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information to players, generate and control visual simulations, and display player performance information.

A multifunctional self-contained system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer providing critical feedback to improve all aspects of a player's game, and also allows players to play an actual competitive real and or visually simulated game or sports with one or more players. Therefore, an individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic golfing skills and techniques. The system employs specially developed sports computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information and status to players, generate and control visual simulations, and display player performance information for standalone and multiplayer game play both on and off the Internet. The system includes sport implements that include, but are not limited to, smart golf clubs, a golf ball receptacle and a golf club motion sensing device, among other sports implements, all containing circuits with contact sensors and or motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter and or receiver circuitry to wirelessly communicate game status and performance parameters to a remote receiver and computer. The computer then optionally displays important parameters such as proximity of a sports implement contact face to an object, the impact of a sports equipment item with a sports implement, wherein the contact force, contact time, impact location, face angle, the spatial orientation of a sports implement in motion, and the subsequent energy, velocity, and trajectory of a game projectile such as a golf ball. The sports implements can be further equipped with motion sensing devices, and its motion and or swing trajectory is visually simulated on the computer display. Standard sport implements which include, but are not limited to, golf clubs may be retrofitted with the device sensors and associated electronic circuitry to convert such clubs into smart clubs for use with the system.

A hitting system for sports training includes a ball attached to a flexible mast. The flexible mast may be mounted to a base with more than five sidewalls, which inhibits movement of the system in any one direction after the ball is struck by the user. The mast may project upward from the base. Some embodiments include a weighted basket, which may be filled for example with a plurality of the same type of ball mounted to the flexible mast. Some embodiments may be configured for training with lightweight balls, for example pickle balls. The mast may include a securing mechanism which attaches around one of the pre-existing holes of the ball's shell. In some embodiments, the mast may be modular including a mechanism to detach from and reattach to the basket at the user's will. When detached, the mast becomes a hand-held hitting system.

A multifunctional self-contained system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer providing critical feedback to improve all aspects of a player's game, and also allows players to play an actual competitive real or visually simulated game or sports with one or more players. Therefore, an individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic golfing skills and techniques. The system includes sport implements that include, but are not limited to, smart golf clubs, a golf ball receptacle and a golf club motion sensing device, all containing circuits with contact sensors and or motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry to wirelessly communicate game status and performance parameters to a remote receiver and computer. The computer then optionally displays important parameters such as proximity of a sports implement contact face to an object, the impact of a sports implement with a sports equipment item, wherein the contact force, contact time, impact location, face angle, spatial orientation of a sports implement in motion, and the subsequent energy, velocity, and trajectory of game projectile such as a golf ball. The sports implements can be further equipped with motion sensing devices, and its motion and swing trajectory is visually simulated on the computer display. Standard sport implements which include, but are not limited to, golf clubs may be retrofitted with the device sensors and associated electronic circuitry to convert such clubs into smart clubs for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information to players, generate and control real-time audio-video visual simulations, and display player performance information.

A multifunctional self-contained system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer providing critical feedback to improve all aspects of a player's game, and also allows players to play an actual competitive real or visually simulated game or sports with one or more players. Therefore, an individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic golfing skills and techniques. The system includes sport implements that include, but are not limited to, smart golf clubs, a golf ball receptacle and a golf club motion sensing device, all containing circuits with contact sensors and or motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry to wirelessly communicate game status and performance parameters to a remote receiver and computer. The computer then optionally displays important parameters such as proximity of a sports implement contact face to an object, the impact of a sports implement with a sports equipment item, wherein the contact force, contact time, impact location, face angle, spatial orientation of a sports implement in motion, and the subsequent energy, velocity, and trajectory of game projectile such as a golf ball. The sports implements can be further equipped with motion sensing devices, and its motion and swing trajectory is visually simulated on the computer display. Standard sport implements which include, but are not limited to, golf clubs may be retrofitted with the device sensors and associated electronic circuitry to convert such clubs into smart clubs for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information to players, generate and control visual simulations, and display player performance information.

A system that wirelessly integrates actual game equipment with a computer and the internet to allow players remotely located from one another to play a competitive real or simulated sports game such as golf. An individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic sports techniques. The system includes, but is not limited to, golf clubs, and motion sensing devices, all containing circuits, contact and or noncontact motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry to wirelessly communicate game data performance information to a remote receiver-computer. The computer displays player information and visually simulates and controls a game between one or more local players or via the internet having similar equipment and remotely located from each other. This invention uses the electric field of a capacitive plate for sensing object proximity, motion, and geometry. More particularly, the invention relates to a system wherein the physical geometry in part of an object, and or its spatial orientation, motion, and an environmental change of state can be detected due to signal variances and or from a change in the dielectric of a capacitor array. The invention also uses the coupling of sports equipment and a computer to communicate information wirelessly to a remote computer, and thereby, if desired, to the internet. Standard golf clubs may be retrofitted with the sensors and associated circuitry to convert such clubs into smart clubs for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information between local and remote players, generate and control visual simulations, and display player performance information and dynamic motion parameters.