Detection unit for detecting the occurrence of an event a detection system and a method for controlling such a detection unit or detection system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a detection unit comprising detection means for detecting the occurrence of an event. The detection unit further comprises processing means for controlling the operation of the detection unit and communication means for transmitting and receiving activation signals for interacting with further detection units. The processing means are designed for placing the detection unit into active mode upon receipt of an incoming activation signal, and furthermore for transmitting, in the active mode, an outgoing activation signal to at least one of said further detection units upon detection of an event and placing the detection unit into passive mode. The invention further relates to a detection system comprising a multitude of detection units as described and to a method for controlling a detection unit.

Claims

1. A detection unit comprising detection means for detecting the occurrence of an event, processing means for controlling the operation of the detection unit, and communication means for transmitting and receiving activation signals for interacting with further detection units, wherein the processing means are designed for placing the detection unit into active mode upon receipt of an incoming activation signal, wherein said detection unit operates in a decentralized system, and an active mode of said detection unit is indicated with at least one of sound, light signals, vibrations, heat, movements of parts, and communication to a module worn by a player, and in that detection unit is arranged for selecting, randomly or making use of selection rules, a destination detection unit for passing the active mode thereto, and the processing means are further designed for transmitting, in the active mode, an outgoing activation signal to at least one of said further detection units upon detection of an event for switching said at least one of said further detection units to active mode, and placing the detection unit into passive mode.

2. A detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the processing means are designed for recognizing incoming activation signals intended for the detection unit, which are to place the detection unit into active mode.

3. A detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the processing means are designed for transmitting identification signals via the communication means for the purpose of identifying said detection unit to the further detection units.

4. A detection unit according claim 1, further comprising memory means for storing identification data from received identification signals.

5. A detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the processing means of the detection unit are designed to transmit, in the active mode, an outgoing request signal upon detection of the event.

6. A detection unit according to claim 1, in which the processing means are designed to select at least one destination detection unit from said further detection units as said destination detection unit for transmitting the outgoing activation signal thereto.

7. A detection unit according to claim 6, in which the processing means are designed to select the at least one destination detection unit on the basis of at least one selection rule.

8. A detection unit according to claim 1, in which the detection means comprise at least one element from a group comprising means for detecting the distance from an object to detection means, in response to passage of an object through a detection gate, means for detecting physical contact between an object and the detection means, means for detecting physical contact between a multitude of objects, as in the case of a change in the possession of a game object between players during a game, touch-sensitive sensors, capacitive sensors, sound sensors, light sensors: means for detecting electromagnetic radiation, vibration sensors, means for detecting electromagnetic signals, and means for detecting time, motion sensors, direction-sensitive motion sensors, light sensors: image sensors or sound pattern recognition sensors, or combinations of several detection means from this group.

9. A detection unit according to claim 1, in which the processing means are designed for examining an incoming activation signal upon receipt thereof and placing the detection unit into one desired active mode in dependence on a content of said activation signal, said one desired active mode being selected from a group of a multitude of active modes.

10. A detection unit according to claim 9, in which the processing means are further designed for providing the outgoing activation signal with data for the activation of the desired active mode being selected from said group of a multitude of active modes of said destination detection unit.

11. A detection unit according to claim 9, in which the available active modes comprise a standby mode, in which the processing unit is designed for transmitting, after said destination detection unit has been selected, an outgoing feed forward activation signal for placing said at least one destination detection unit into standby mode.

12. A detection system comprising one or more detection units according to claim 1.

13. A detection system according to claim 12: further comprising a control unit for setting the operating conditions of the detection system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of a few, non-limitative, specific embodiments thereof with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a detection unit according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a detection unit according to the present invention; and

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a situation in the game in which a detection system according to the present invention is used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(5) FIG. 1 schematically shows a detection unit according to the present invention (generally indicated at 1). The detection unit comprises two parts, part 2 and part 3, which are each provided with an identifiable post 6, 7. Located between said parts 2 and 3 is a sensor part 5, which is capable of detecting the passage of, for example, the ball between the posts 6 and 7. The detection unit is further provided with indication lighting 8 and 9, which functions to indicate to a player that the detection unit in question is active.

(6) The invention is not limited to sound and/or light signals for indicating the active mode. Other ways of indication, for example by means of vibrations, heat, movements of parts, or (wireless) communication to a module worn by a player are also possible.

(7) One embodiment of the detection unit is schematically shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the detection unit 13, which comprises a microprocessing unit 16, which controls the various parts of the detection unit 13. The microprocessing unit 16 is connected to communication means 17, detection means 19 and an internal memory 20. The communication means 17 comprise transmitter means 21 and receiver means 22, which are connected to an antenna 27. The detection means 19 may furthermore be connected to, for example, a microphone 23 for detecting sound signals or to receiver means 22 for detecting control signals that may be delivered by a trainer for influencing the operation of the detection unit by means of a remote control unit. The microprocessing unit 16 is furthermore connected to an indication lighting unit 29, by means of which the active or passive mode can be indicated (lighting on means active and lighting of means passive, or conversely, if desired). The microprocessing unit 16 may furthermore be connected to a loudspeaker 24 for producing sound signals, if this should be desired. Other indication means are also possible, for example a display screen (for example alphanumeric) or different lighting colours.

(8) The detection means may be provided with capacitive sensors, sensors for detecting electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields, vibration sensors, optical sensors, motion sensors and the like, by means of which the occurrence of events can be detected. Thus, FIG. 1 shows a detection gate, but a detection unit may also be configured as a goal plate, against which a ball is to be shot. The detection unit is in that case provided with, for example, a vibration sensor.

(9) The operation of the unit 13 is as follows. The unit 13 is as standard in passive mode upon being switched on. The detection unit 13 will be distributed over a playing field together with a multitude of similar detection units. When the detection units are switched on, an identification signal may optionally be transmitted by each of the detection units, which signal can be picked up by each of the other detection units. On the basis of identification signals received via the antenna 27 and the receiver means 22, the microprocessing unit 13 in the detection unit 13 can store in the memory 20 which detection units are located in the vicinity and are switched on (and thus take part in the game).

(10) The trainer can switch one of the detection units to active mode, for example by pressing a button on one of the detection units or by transmitting a starting signal. In active mode, the microprocessing unit will wait for a signal from the detection means, which shows that a specific event has occurred. This may be the passage of a ball, the occurrence of a control signal (for example a whistle-signal from a trainer or an electromagnetic control signal transmitted by means of a remote control unit), for example, or another event to be measured. When the occurrence of an event is detected by the detection means 19, a signal will be transmitted to the microprocessing unit 16, and a destination detection unit will be selected by the microprocessing unit 16 from the available detection units whose identification codes are stored in the internal memory 20, for example. The selection of a destination detection unit can take place at random from the available detection units, but it is also possible for the microprocessing unit 16 to apply selection rules. Said selection rules may also be stored in the internal memory 20. The selection rules may for example be aimed at selecting preferably one specific detection unit in relation to the detection unit 13, so that each time a detection unit 13 has been active, the active mode is passed to a further detection unit which is present at a location on the playing field that is difficult to reach from the detection unit 13. Furthermore, the selection rules may be aimed at selecting detection units from a subgroup of available detection units. Selection rules can be freely set by the user. If more than one selection rule is set, the rules may be prioritized in relation to each other.

(11) Once a destination detection unit has been selected by the microprocessing unit 16, the microprocessing unit 16 will transmit an activation signal to the destination detection unit via the transmitter means 21 and the antenna 27. The microprocessing unit 16 will also switch the detection unit 13 to passive mode, switching off the indication lighting 29 to indicate to the player that the detection unit is no longer in active mode. If possible, the microprocessing unit 16 can deliver a sound signal via the loudspeaker 24.

(12) FIG. 3 shows a possible game situation, in which the present invention is used. FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a playing field, in which numerals I-VII indicate the sequence in which the detection units are switched to active mode. In other words, a selection rule is implemented in detection unit 36 to select preferably detection unit 37 from an active mode. Detection unit 37 has an implemented selection rule to select detection unit 38 as the destination detection unit. In detection unit 38, detection unit 39 is preferably to be selected from the active mode, and detection unit 39 has an implemented selection rule to pass the active mode from this detection unit to detection unit 40. Detection unit 40 has an implemented selection rule to select detection unit 41, and detection unit 41 uses an implemented selection rule to preferably select detection unit 42 from this detection unit.

(13) In an alternative embodiment, no selection rules are implemented in the detection units, and the active mode is passed to a randomly selected further detection unit 36-42 in the playing field upon detection of an event.

(14) The training session is started by placing the detection unit 36 into active mode. This can be done by means of a control button on the detection unit or, for example, by means of a remote control unit. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there other possibilities are available for placing the detection unit 36 into active mode, for example by making use of the detection means in the detection unit. Thus, a detection unit can be forced into active mode, if desired, by causing the occurrence of an event to be detected one or more times. The player to be trained is schematically indicated by the football 33.

(15) Since detection gate 36 is active, player 33 will have to play the ball through the detection gate 36 in step A. Upon detecting this event, the detection gate 36 will transmit an activation signal to the detection unit 37, which has been selected on the basis of selection rule 36, so that the active mode is passed to detection gate 37 (indicated II in the sequence). The detection unit 36 will then switch to passive mode. The detection unit 37 will subsequently be in active mode. The player 33 will then play the ball to detection gate 37 in step B, which gate, upon detecting this event, will pass the active mode to detection unit 38. In this way the player 33 will play the ball through detection gates 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42 in steps A, B, C, D, E, F and G.

(16) Noticeable is the fact that by arranging the detection gates 41 and 42, which take up positions VI and VII in the sequence, right after one another, the player is forced to play the ball through the gates 41 and 42 in the direction indicated in step G. A trainer can utilise this, for example when specific difficult direction changes or situations must be trained. In an alternative embodiment, the detection means may also be arranged for detecting not only passage of the ball but also the direction in which said passage takes place. This can for example be achieved by providing the detection unit with two suitable sensors for detection the passage of a ball past two locations, for example two motion sensors.

(17) In the example shown in FIG. 3 and described above, the active mode is passed by the detection units 36-42 upon detecting the passage of a ball through the detection gates. The player 33 can complete the course at his own pace. If the trainer also wants to train speed, he has the option of setting the detection units 36-42 so that the detection means will also detect the elapse of a predetermined period of time. The processing means will in that case send an activation signal to the next detection unit either when the ball has been played through the detection unit or when the predetermined period has elapsed. In this case, the player only has a predetermined period of time for playing from gate to gate and completing the entire course. If the player does not succeed in completing step D from detection unit 38 to detection unit 39 within the set period of time, the detection unit 39 will switch to passive mode again and send the activation signal to the detection unit 40, so that the play must change direction halfway step D, for example, and play the ball through the detection unit 40 for completing the rest of the course.

(18) A detection system according to the invention consisting of several detection units operates according to the decentralization principle. That is, each detection unit functions independently and in principle there is no need for a central control unit (for example a computer) which decides on mode changes of detection units. Certain embodiments of the system may be provided with a central unit by means of which the operation parameters can be set, but the operation of the system is not dependent on the presence of such central unit. Central control is optional for the system, but not essential. It facilitates control thereof.

(19) The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive principle described in the foregoing can also be modified in ways that will be obvious. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.