ITPN20090029A1 - ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR DETECTION AND SIGNALING OF THE INSTANTANEOUS POSITION OF A ROLLING OBJECT, IN PARTICULAR A FOOTBALL PLAYING BALL. - Google Patents

Description

Description of the industrial invention entitled:

`` ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR THE DETECTION AND SIGNALING OF THE INSTANT POSITION OF A ROLLING OBJECT, IN PARTICULAR A FOOTBALL GAME ...

The invention refers to an electronic control device for detecting and signaling the instantaneous position of a rolling object, in particular a football.

Common type footballs are normally used for games played with professional or amateur footballers, who are sighted people and can therefore identify the trajectories and positions of the ball at any time during the various game phases of each match. This type of sport, therefore, is not suitable to be practiced by people with visual difficulties or blind people, both in the amateur and professional field, as these people are absolutely unable to see the position of the ball and therefore to play with it. itself, and this fact prevents these categories of people from participating in this popular and widely popular game.

The present invention aims to allow even these categories of disadvantaged people to play with soccer balls or balls, thanks to the fact of being able to instantly identify the position of the ball or of the ball during the game phases, by means of sound signals that are emitted by the ball or ball and which are generated by an electronic control device according to the present invention.

This electronic control device is made with the construction characteristics highlighted by the attached claims of this patent.

The invention will be better understood from the following description, by way of non-limiting example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- fig. 1 schematically shows a component part of the electronic control device according to the invention, suitable for detecting and signaling the instantaneous position of a rotating object, in a first embodiment;

- fig. 2 shows the electrical diagram of the component part of fig. 1, and the integrated circuit associated with it;

- fig. 3 shows the component part of fig. 1 applied and associated with the integrated circuit of 2;

- fig. 4 schematically shows a component part of the electronic control device according to the invention, suitable for detecting and signaling the instantaneous position of a rotating object, in a second embodiment;

- fig. 5 shows the electrical diagram of the component part of fig. 4, and the integrated circuit associated with it;

- fig. 6 shows the electrical circuit diagram of the electronic control device according to the invention, including one of the component parts of figs. 2 or 5;

- fig. 7 shows the present electronic control device applied to a ball or a game ball.

In the aforementioned figures, the electronic control device according to the invention is schematically illustrated, suitable for detecting and signaling the instantaneous position of a rolling object, in particular of a football ball, in order to identify the position of the ball during the game phases to people with visual difficulties or blind people.

In figs. 1-5 shows a component part of the present control device, ie a sensor for detecting and signaling the instantaneous position of the rolling object, carried out in a first embodiment in figs. 1-3 and in a second embodiment in figs. 4 and 5, while in fig. 6 shows the complete electrical circuit diagram of the present electronic control device, including one of the component parts (sensors) of figs. 2 or 5, and in fig. 7 this electronic control device applied internally to a ball or a game ball is shown.

With reference to fig. 1, it is noted that in this first embodiment the sensor for detecting and signaling the position of the rolling object is substantially constituted by a traditional capacitive accelerometer 5 with three axes X, Y and Z equidistant to each other in space, which they represent the different directions of displacement and rolling of the rolling body, of which the relative instantaneous spatial position must be detected and signaled.

As is known, an accelerometer is a measuring instrument capable of detecting and / or measuring the acceleration, in this case the acceleration of the rolling body along each of the orthogonal spatial axes X, Y and Z. based on the principle of detecting the inertia of a mass when subjected to an acceleration. In the capacitive accelerometer 5 of fig. 1, each of the X, Y and Z axes comprises a movable mass displaceable with respect to a stable mass, of which the movable mass is formed by a movable electrode 6, interposed between two fixed electrodes 7 and 8, slightly spaced apart, forming the stable mass. The anchoring of the mobile mass (that is, of the mobile electrode 6 of each of the X, Y and Z axes, to the sensor body occurs with two relative elastic mechanical elements 9 and 10 acting as return springs, and also the electrodes fixed electrodes 7 and 8 are anchored to this sensor body. Fig. 3 shows the application of both these mobile masses 6 and elastic elements 9 and 10 and of the fixed electrodes 7 and 8 to the sensor body 11, which in this case is shaped as an integrated circuit 12 consisting of the electronic components that will be described.

In this capacitive accelerometer 5, therefore, during the advancement and rolling of the rolling body (in the example, of the ball or game ball), a continuous displacement of each mobile mass (that is, of each mobile electrode 6) is determined ) with respect to the relative fixed electrodes 7 and 8, which mobile electrode constitutes an armature of a first electric capacitor, whose other armature is formed by the first fixed electrode 7, and also constitutes an armature of a second capacitor electric, whose other armature is formed by the second fixed electrode 8.

In this way, during the rotation of the ball or balloon, the mobile electrode 6 moves continuously with respect to the relative fixed electrodes 7 and 8, with consequent continuous and instantaneous variation of the capacity of both said first and second electric capacitors, which is detected and measured in the fixed electrodes, as will be described below, and represents the difference between the instantaneous capacities of such first and second capacitors, so that when this instantaneous capacitance variation tends to increase it means that the sensor detects a positive acceleration, that is, an increase in acceleration and therefore in the speed of the ball or ball, and when this variation in instantaneous capacity tends to decrease, it means that the sensor detects a negative acceleration, or a decrease in the acceleration and therefore in the speed of the ball or ball. The instantaneous capacity variations that occur each time are converted into an analog signal of magnitude directly proportional to the acceleration of the rolling object. Referring now to FIG. 2, which illustrates the wiring diagram of the detection and signaling sensor described above, whose component parts are marked with the same numerical references, it is noted that the two fixed electrodes 7 and 8 of the relative spatial axes X, Y and Z they are connected to the inputs 13, 14, 15 of a corresponding operational amplifier 16, 17 and 18, all three made separate from each other and incorporated in the aforementioned integrated circuit 12, as well as powered with a low direct voltage from an autonomous electric battery 19 ( see fig. 6) mounted inside the ball or ball, and provided with a relative outlet 20, 21 and 22.

In this condition, then, the three analog signals generated by the instantaneous capacitance variations produced in the relative spatial axes X, Y and Z are introduced into the corresponding inputs 13, 14 and 15 of these operational amplifiers 16, 17 and 18, where they are amplified and made higher levels available at the relative outputs 20, 21 and 22 of the same operational amplifiers.

These amplified analog signals will then be converted, as will be described, into corresponding digital signals which will be used to power a sound device such as a buzzer, a buzzer 23, etc. of the electrical type (see fig. 6), connected in the present electronic control circuit. and mounted inside the ball or ball, in order to continuously emit sounds proportional to the rotation speed of the rolling body, and therefore of level and with an increasing frequency when the ball or the ball moves with an increasing acceleration, and of level and with a decreasing frequency when the ball or the ball moves with a decreasing acceleration, and to emit sounds with a lower level and frequency than the previous sounds when the ball or the ball is stationary. In all these cases, the sounds emitted indicate to the person playing the direction and the position in which the ball or ball is, so that the person can be guided by these sounds and thus reach the position where he is once. in turn the ball or the ball, to resume the game. Referring now to FIG. 6, in which the electrical circuit diagram of the present electronic control device is illustrated, and also of the electronic detection and signaling sensor described above, it is noted that this electronic control device is constituted by an electronic microprocessor 24 operatively connected with said electronic detection and signaling sensor and comprising, in succession, an electronic analog / digital converter 25, 26 and 27 of the relative analog signals generated in the spatial axes X, Y and Z, an electronic summing circuit 28, an electronic integrator circuit 29 , an electronic comparator circuit 30, an electronic oscillator with controlled voltage 31, an electronic timer 32, and a static electric switch 33, all these components being powered by the aforementioned autonomous electric battery 19, together with the various components of the detection and signaling sensor , through a BUS line 34. Advantagesame nte, the electric battery 19 consists of a high-efficiency lithium battery of both the disposable and rechargeable type.

All the aforementioned electronic components of the microprocessor 24 are mounted in a board.In particular, the electronic converters 25, 26 and 27 are connected with their respective inputs and 37 with the corresponding outputs 20, 21 and 22 of said operational amplifiers 16, 17 and 18, and with their respective outputs 38, 39 and 40 with the relative inputs 41, 42 and 43 of the summing circuit 28. Each electronic converter 25, 26 and 27 is designed to convert the analog signals coming from the relative outputs 20, 21 and 22 of said operational amplifiers 16, 17 and 18 in corresponding binary digital signals with a fixed resolution, in the example with a resolution of 12 bits., and the digital signals thus generated are also proportional to the acceleration of the object rolling in each of the spatial axes X, Y and Z, and are simultaneously transmitted to the relative inputs 41, 42 and 43 of the adder circuit 28. All electronic converters 25, 26 and 27, moreover and, are calibrated to detect in their respective inputs 35, 36 and 37 the analog signals with minimum predetermined levels, in the example starting from the minimum level of 1.6 V, which signals are generated as described above and come from the corresponding outputs 20, 21 and 22 of said operational amplifiers 16, 17 and 18, and this in order to produce subsequently, as described, some sounds audible through the buzzer, buzzer, etc. 23. In turn, the summing circuit 28 is set up to add algebraically all the digital signals received at its inputs 41, 42 and 43 by said electronic converters 25, 26 and 27, and to form a single digital signal which from the single output 44 of said summing circuit 28 is transmitted to the Single input 45 of the electronic integrator circuit 29, which smooths and smoothes the peaks of this digital signal, also generating a digital signal which from the output 46 of the electronic integrator circuit 29 is transmitted simultaneously to input 47 of the controlled voltage electronic oscillator 31 and to input 48 of the electronic comparator circuit 30. The purpose of this last circuit is to compare the level of the digital signal received at its input 48 and coming from the output 46 of said electronic integrator circuit, with a predetermined reference signal level set in this electronic comparator circuit 30, so that from this comparison it can be detected whether the level of the digital signal is greater than or identical to said reference level.

This reference level is chosen in such a way that, if its level is reached either by the level of said digital signal, the latter is able to generate in the buzzer, buzzer 23, etc., in the way that will be described , an audible sound, albeit of different intensity and frequencies, in the condition in which the ball or ball is in motion, or is stationary, which sound is automatically terminated after a predetermined time in which the ball or ball is stationary. The output 46 of the electronic integrator circuit 29 and the input 48 of the electronic comparator circuit 30 are also connected to the single input 47 of the controlled voltage electronic oscillator 31, whose single output 49 is connected to the sound device such as buzzer, buzzer 23, etc., while in turn the only output 50 of the electronic comparator circuit 30 is connected through the electronic timer 32 with the static electric switch 33, in turn connected to the electric battery 19 and able to be closed or opened respectively to supply or not the BUS line 34, and therefore all the remaining electronic circuits of the present device, together with the various components of the aforementioned detection and signaling sensor. This static electric switch 33 is closed with the aid of a start button 51 connected to it and is opened automatically by means of the electronic timer 32.

When the electronic comparator 30 detects, from the comparison between the predetermined reference signal level and the level of the digital signal applied to the comparator input 48, that this digital signal is greater than this reference level, the digital signal is sent only to input 47 of the controlled voltage electronic oscillator 31, which generates a square wave response signal, with a frequency proportional to the level of the digital signal and therefore also to the speed of movement of the rolling body. When the frequency of the square waves of the square wave signal is high and close, in the condition in which the level of said digital signal is greater than said reference level, and the rolling body moves with a high, increasing or decreasing speed , the response signal to activate the buzzer, buzzer 23 etc. .. so that it produces a sound of intensity and with

high, proportional to the relative speed of movement of the rolling body.

In the example taken into consideration, when the rolling body moves at maximum speed, the square wave signal has a maximum level of 255 bit / sec.

When the frequency of the square waves of the square wave signal is less high and close, in the condition in which the level of said digital signal is lower than the previous level and is in any case higher than said reference level, and the rolling body moves with a speed lower than the previous one, increasing or decreasing, the response signal to activate the buzzer, buzzer 23 etc. .. so that it produces a sound of intensity and with lower frequencies than the previous ones, always proportional to the speed of movement of the rolling body. In the example taken into consideration, when the rolling body moves at the aforementioned speed, the square wave signal has an average level of 127 bits / sec.

Finally, when the frequency of the square waves of the square wave signal is minimum, in the condition in which the level of said digital signal is minimum and identical to said reference level, and the rolling body is stationary, the response signal will proceed to activate the buzzer, buzzer 23 etc .. so that it produces a sound of intensity and with minimum frequencies.

In the example taken into consideration, when the rolling body is stationary, the square wave signal has a minimum level of 1 bit / sec.

This minimum level of the digital signal is detected by the electronic comparator 30 which proceeds to transmit this digital signal to the electronic timer 32, which is calibrated to remain closed for a predetermined duration after the application of this digital signal, thus keeping the buzzer, buzzer 23 etc .., which emits sounds with minimum intensity and frequencies and, after this predetermined duration has elapsed, said electronic timer 32 opens automatically thus disconnecting the buzzer, buzzer etc .. with consequent termination sounds. In this way, the electrical power supply of the sound device is always interrupted when the ball or the ball is stationary, preventing the battery from discharging in this condition, with consequent interruption of the power supply of all the detection and signaling sensors 5 and of the external interfaces, thus minimizing the electrical consumption of the electronic control device conforming to the invention.

To restore the operation of this control device, an appropriate mechanical or magnetic action is exerted on the outside of the balloon.

In the second embodiment of the present electronic control device, shown in figs. 4 and 5, the detection and signaling sensors still consist of the same capacitors described above, the component parts of which are marked with the same previous numerical references and are connected to each other in the electrical circuit shown in fig. 5, identical to the circuit of fig. 2, and in this case these capacitors are suitably inserted and supported in the interior of related shaped bodies 52, 53 and 54 identical to each other, in the example formed by prisms, said bodies being supported by the sensor body 11 in equidistant positions between them in space, so as to be able to rotate freely around their axes of rotation X, Y and Z in one or the other direction of rotation, with accelerations and speeds proportional to the speed of movement and rolling of the ball or balloon, determining also in this case, as before, the variations of the capacities of the relative electric capacitors and therefore of the corresponding analogue electric signals proportional to these accelerations and speeds, which are transmitted and processed through the same electric circuit illustrated in fig. 6, to always obtain audible sounds through the sound device 23 or the like. These sensors therefore act as a gyroscopic accelerometer. Finally, in fig. 7 it is noted that the electronic board 55, in which all the sensors 5 and the electronic microprocessor 24 with its various component parts are mounted, is supported by suitable support means 56 which are inserted and suitably fixed in a ball or balloon 57.

Claims (7)

Description of the industrial invention entitled: â € ̃ ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR DETECTION AND SIGNALING OF THE INSTANT POSITION OF A ROLLING OBJECT, IN PARTICULAR A SOCCER BALLâ € CLAIMS 1. Electronic control device for detecting and signaling the instantaneous position of a rolling object, in particular a football ball, in order to allow people with visual or blind difficulties, characterized by sensor means (5) for detecting and signaling the position of the rolling object, designed to detect the position and speed of the movement and rolling of the rolling object along three directions according to three axes X, Y and Z equidistant from each other in space, generating at least a corresponding first, second and third electrical signal relating to said three directions X, Y and Z, the levels of which have quantities proportional to the respective speed of movement and rolling of said body rolling along the same three directions X, Y and Z; and characterized by summing means (28) connected to said sensor means (5) and adapted to algebraically add said first, second and third electrical signals and to generate a single electrical signal; by comparator means (30) connected with said summing means (28) and able to compare the level of said single electrical signal with a predetermined reference signal level, set in the comparator means themselves, said comparator means (30) being also connected through controlled voltage oscillating means (31) with signaling means (ccalino, buzzer 23, etc.), and being able to activate the latter, with consequent signaling of the position of the rolling body, which moves with an increasing or decreasing speed proportional to the level of said single electrical signal, when said predetermined reference level is reached or exceeded by the level of said single electrical signal; and finally characterized by timing means (32) connected with said comparator means (30) and with switch means (33) adapted to switch on or off the electrical power supply of the device, said comparator means (30) being calibrated in such a way that, when said single electrical signal has a higher level than that of said reference signal, said signaling means (23) emit signals of intensity and frequencies proportional to the speed of movement and rolling of said rolling body and, when said single electrical signal has the same same level as that of said reference signal, in the condition in which said rolling body is stationary, said signaling means (23) continue to emit signals of minimum intensity and frequencies for a duration predetermined by the calibration of said timing means (32), and such signals are terminated when said predetermined duration has elapsed and said timing means (32) yes they open, thus disconnecting the power supply of the device in question, which power supply is restored again by means of a mechanical or magnetic action to the F of said rolling body. 2. Electronic control device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor means (5) comprise at least one capacitive accelerometer with three axes X, Y and Z, each of which comprises a movable mass which can be displaced with respect to a stable mass, of which the mobile mass is formed by a mobile electrode (6) interposed between a first and a second fixed electrode (7, 8), slightly spaced apart, forming the stable mass, said mobile electrodes (6) of the axes X, Y and Z being anchored to the sensor body (11) by means of a relative pair of elastic mechanical elements (9, 10) acting as return springs, and all said fixed electrodes (7, 8) also being anchored to said sensor body (11 ), said mobile electrodes (6) constituting with the relative first and second fixed electrodes (7, 8) a corresponding first and second electric capacitor, the arrangement being such that during the rotation of said rolling body each electrode (6) moves continuously with respect to the relative said first and second fixed electrodes (7, 8), with consequent continuous and instantaneous variation of the capacitance of all the series of said first and second capacitors, so that when this instantaneous capacitance variation tends to increase means that said sensor means (5) detect a positive acceleration or an increase in the acceleration and therefore in the speed of said rolling body, and when this variation of instantaneous capacity tends to decrease it means that said sensor means (5) they detect a negative acceleration or a decrease in the acceleration and therefore in the speed of said rolling body, called instantaneous capacity variations which are produced from time to time being converted into analog signals of magnitude directly proportional to the acceleration of said rolling object. 3. Electronic control device according to claim 2, characterized in that said sensor means (5) comprise at least one gyroscopic accelerometer formed by three identical shaped strokes (52, 53, 54), said bodies containing the series of said first and second electric capacitor and being supported by the body (11) of the relative sensor means in equidistant positions in space, so as to be able to rotate freely around their axes of rotation X, Y and Z in one or the other direction of rotation, with accelerations and speeds proportional to the speed of movement and rolling of said rolling object. 4. Electronic control device according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that said fixed electrodes (7, 8) of each said accelerometer (5) are connected to a respective operational amplifier (16, 17, 18), separated from each other and incorporated in an integrated circuit (12), each of said operational amplifiers (16, 17, 18) being calibrated to detect analog signals with predetermined minimum levels, in order to subsequently produce signals detectable by said signaling means (23), and being able to amplify the levels of these analog signals, and being also connected with its relative output (20, 21, 22) to a corresponding input (35, 36, 37) of a relative analog / digital converter (25, 26, 27), adapted to convert the amplified analog signals into corresponding binary digital signals with a fixed resolution, which are also proportional to the acceleration of the rolling object in each of said as space X, Y and Z and are transmitted simultaneously from the relative outputs (38, 39, 40) of said analog / digital converters (25, 26, 27) to the corresponding inputs (41, 42, 43) of said summing means (28 ). 5. Electronic control device according to claim 4, characterized in that said summing means (28) are connected with their output (44) to the single input (45) of an electronic integrating circuit (29), suitable for receiving the single digital signal generated and transmitted by said summing means (28) and to smooth and level the peaks of this digital signal, also generating a digital signal which from the output (46) of said electronic integrator circuit (29) is transmitted simultaneously to the input (47) of said controlled voltage oscillating means (31) and to the input (48) of said comparator means (30), which are provided with an output (50) connected to said timing means ( 32), and capable of transmitting to the latter an activation signal thereof, when the level of the digital signal at the input of said comparator means (30) is minimum and identical to said predetermined reference signal. 6. Electronic control device according to claim 5, characterized by electronic control means (electronic microprocessor 24) comprising said analog / digital converters (25, 26, 27), said summing means (28), said electronic integrator circuit (29) , said comparator means (30), said controlled voltage oscillator means (31), said timer means (32) and said switch means (33). 7. Electronic control device according to claim 6, characterized by at least one electronic card (55) comprising said sensor means (5), and said electronic control means (24), which is supported by support means (56) which are inserted and suitably fixed in the interior of said rolling body (57).