WO2018202940A1

WO2018202940A1 - System and method for practising the shot accuracy and speed of game equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2018202940A1
Application number: PCT/FI2018/050087
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marko AHOSILTA
Original assignee: Ahosilta Marko
Priority date: 2017-05-02
Filing date: 2018-02-07
Publication date: 2018-11-08

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for practising the shooting accuracy and speed of game equipment, the system comprising at least one target goal (11, 50) and at least one monitoring device (20, 24, 25, 51) formed by means of at least one game monitoring element (12 to 14) for measuring the location and/or velocity of the game equipment, as well as a central processing unit (15) connected to at least one game monitoring element (12 to 14) and comprising a data processor for processing measurement results formed by means of the monitoring device (20, 24, 25), and a memory for storing the measurement results for reviewing and processing the measurement results later on. In the system according to the invention, the monitoring device (20, 24, 25) is spaced from the target goal, and the monitoring device (20, 24, 25) is configured to constitute at least one two-dimensional measurement plane (20c, 24a, 24b, 25a, 25b) for measuring the location and/or velocity of the game equipment (30) when the game equipment (30) passes through at least one measurement plane (20c, 24a, 24b, 25a, 25b) formed by the monitoring device (20, 24, 25). The invention also relates to a method for applying the system according to the invention. Each monitoring element may comprise a plurality of light emitters or receivers, defining the measurement plane as an array of parallel light beams. The game equipment such as an ice hockey puck or a ball will interrupt one or more light beams within the measurement plane forming a light curtain.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRACTISING THE SHOT ACCURACY AND

SPEED OF GAME EQUIPMENT

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a system and a method for practising the shot accuracy and speed of game equipment.

Background of the invention

In team games, such as e.g. ice hockey, floorball, soccer, or handball, in which the aim is to bring the game equipment (that is, for example an ice hockey puck, a soccer ball, a floorball ball, or a handball ball) to the goal of the opponent, the accuracy of the shots (that is, hits on the game equipment by kicking or hitting with a stick) by the players towards the goal is an essential factor on the success of the team. Other decisive factors include the player's skill to catch the game equipment in passing situations, as well as the reaction time in these situations. This is particularly important, for example, when playing in the opponent's goal area, because in a situation of attacking the opponent's goal the goalkeeper and the defence of the opponent team normally try to find out the plan of the player to whom the game equipment was passed, and bearing this plan in mind to block the front of the goal as quickly and as well as possible. Therefore, free lines in the attacking zone are normally open for a very short time only, whereby good skill in catching the game equipment and quick response time, as well as shot accuracy, are crucial properties of a player attempting to score a goal in such situations. It has thus been understood that a good fieldsman has to be a quick and accurate shooter, and this is why teams try to practise passing in the attacking area and, as a result of this, shooting towards the goal as much as possible. Improving the shot accuracy, the skills of observing game situations quickly and making quick decisions is also important in view of the motivation and enthusiasm of the player, because it is obvious that good performance in exercises is much easier and development is faster when the training produces positive measurable results. In order to enhance practising shot accuracy and speed, a system is known in ice hockey for practising the receiving of a pass and immediate shooting towards the ice hockey goal. In this known system of practising the shooting in ice hockey, there is a shooting area for a player to wait for a pass from the outside of the playing area. After receiving a puck, the player tries to shoot the puck to a goal placed outside the shooting area as quickly as possible. The goal is equipped with a device in which signal lights indicate the points in the goal at which the player should aim a shot towards the goal. In this known system, a device for measuring the exit velocity of the puck produces a laser beam directed along the surface of the ice or (in the case of a practice area without ice) the ground. When the laser beam is cut off by a puck or the blade of an ice hockey stick, this starts a measurement action which results in determining the time taken by the player from the moment of passing to the shot hitting the goal. The system also comprises a light control device placed in the goal and comprising signal lights which indicate roughly the target range in the goal which should be hit by the shot of the player, as well as a device for meas- uring the hitting range, based on a camera, for determining the point hit by the puck shot by the player from the shooting area. Furthermore, the system comprises a data processing device for processing the measurement results from the measuring devices, and a display device for displaying measurement results representing the player's actions. The system which is based on a laser beam directed only on the ground has, among other things, the drawback that if the game equipment rises to a sufficiently high level above the ground surface, the game equipment may not be detected at all, whereby the system does not function in the desired way. Brief summary of the invention

It is an aim of the invention to provide a novel system suitable for team games based particularly on the passing of the game equipment, for practising the accuracy and speed of shooting the game equipment, wherein the measure- ment of the game equipment is more reliable and secure than before, and wherein different game situations can be practised in a more versatile way than before, and by which more detailed information can be obtained on the performance and development of the player when practising. Furthermore, it is an aim of the invention to present a system by which a thorough analysis of the practice and the presentation of the results can be implemented by a variety of devices suitable for data processing, such as the player's own smart phone or computer, at any time and in any place. Moreover, it is an aim of the invention to present a method applying the system according to the invention.

The aim of the invention is achieved by a novel system and a novel method, because at least one two-dimensional measurement plane is formed by means of at least one target goal and/or at least one monitoring device formed by at least one game monitoring element, placed around the area for shooting practice, and is capable of detecting the game equipment in a two-dimensional area of a given size, comprising all such trajectories of the game equipment, via which the game equipment thrust from the shooting area hits the goal. In other words, in the system according to the present invention, the game monitoring elements cannot be bypassed in a normal situation without the game equipment passing through a measurement plane formed by a monitoring device at some point of the measurement plane. For this reason, at least the moment when the game equipment passed through the two-dimensional measurement plane formed by a monitoring device in the area of shooting practice, is always found out from the trajectory of the game equipment. Furthermore, in most cases it is also possible to determine the velocity of the game equipment when it passes through at least one two-dimensional measurement plane formed by a monitoring device. To put it more precisely, the system according to the invention is characterized in what will be presented in the independent claim 1 . The method according to the invention is characterized in what will be presented in the independent claim 14. Dependent claims 2 to 13 disclose some preferred embodiments of the system according to the invention, and dependent claims 15 to 18 disclose preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention.

It is an advantage of the system according to the invention that the measurement of the location and/or velocity of the game equipment on the two-dimen- sional measurement planes formed by the monitoring devices is reliable and accurate, and it can be used for generating measurement data on different game situations in a versatile way, for example, on receiving the game equipment passed, and on shooting immediately after this, as well as on the durations of time taken for these steps in the game. The system and the method enabled by it can be applied to various team games, because it is not limited to measuring the game equipment in a narrow area only, but the measurement by means of monitoring devices formed by a target goal and/or game monitoring elements covers a large area in both the horizontal and the vertical direction. Simpler embodiments of the system may also be used in more limited areas indoors, because in the simplest way, the system may be implemented by means of only one game monitoring element or one target goal and a central processing unit connected to it.

Description of the drawings

In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows an ice hockey shooting practice area equipped with an embodiment of the system according to the invention, seen in a top view;

Fig. 2 shows the shooting practice area according to Fig. 1 in a slanted view from behind the shooting practice area;

Fig. 3 shows a game monitoring element to be used in the system according to Figs. 1 and 2, in a slanted view from above;

Fig. 4 shows a target goal for use in the system according to Figs. 1 and 2, seen in a front view;

Fig. 5 shows one goal opening of the target goal of Fig. 4 in a more detailed view; and

Fig. 6 shows another target goal, for use in another embodiment of the system according to the invention, in a front view.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

The system shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is designed for practising attacking situations in ice hockey, and particularly the receiving of a pass and the speed and accuracy of immediate shooting towards a goal. However, a corresponding system could also be applied in connection with other games with sticks, or ball games, in which a player of the game receives the game equipment from another player of the same team for the purpose of thrusting the game equip- ment by means of a stick, or other equipment for hitting the game equipment, by throwing or in another way, to a goal or another target defined by a frame, side posts, or other structures with predetermined dimensions. For this, the system is implemented in such a way that the different components of the system can be placed on a game field for the game to be practised, or in another suitable space where it is possible to practice said game.

The device shown in Fig. 1 and intended for practising attacking situations in ice hockey comprises at least the following system components: a goal 10, a target goal 1 1 placed in the goal, two or more game monitoring elements 12 to 14, and a central processing unit 15. The game monitoring elements 12 to 14 and the target goal 1 1 are electronic components, each comprising a separate control unit and being, in this case, connected to the central processing unit 15 of the system in a wireless manner.

In this embodiment, the goal 10 is an ice hockey goal according to the rules of the ice hockey game, having a frame 10a made of metal tubes, the side and rear parts being covered with a goal net 10b.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5, the target goal 1 1 is a so-called "multiple target goal" formed of a sheet fastened to the front part of the frame 10a of the goal 10 so as to cover the goal in other parts except for, in this case, several goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e in the target goal. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5, the target goal is provided with the goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e in the upper right corner (1 1 a), the upper left corner (1 1 b), the lower right corner (1 1 c), the lower left corner (1 1 d), and at the lower center (1 1 e), as if between the legs of the goaltender, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. However, the number of goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e may vary in such a target goal; in other words, it may be only one, or in another case it may be greater than in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e of the target goal 1 1 are equipped with signal lights 21 at regular intervals, for indicating the goal opening 1 1 a to 1 1 e which the player should try to hit by the game equipment, to the player 22 practising the shooting. In this embodiment, the signal lights 21 are LEDs emitting visible light. For controlling the signal lights 21 , the target goal 1 1 comprises a control unit and a power source (not shown). The power source may be, for example, batteries, one or more accumulators, or in some cases also mains current. The signal lights 21 placed around the edges of the goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e may be configured to operate so that they are lit one by one from the moment when the game equipment 30 passed to the area 23 of shooting practice passes through the first measurement planes 24a and 24b, to the moment when the game equipment 30 passes through the second measurement planes 25a and 25b measuring the game equipment 30 thrust towards the goal. Thus, the number of signal lights 21 lit represents the time taken by the player 22 practising shooting, from receiving a pass to succeeding in shooting the game equipment 30 towards the goal 10. The colour of the signal lights 21 may be e.g. white, red, yellow, or green. The signal lights 21 may also change in colour, or each goal opening 1 1 a to 1 1 e may be surrounded by signal lights 21 of three different colours so that the signal lights 21 lit first are green, the ones lit next are yellow, and the ones lit last are red. Thus, the colour of the signal lights 21 represents the shooting speed of the player, for example so that green indicates a good result, yellow a satisfactory result, and red a poor result.

The target goal of Figs. 4 and 5 also comprises monitoring devices 20 for determining the hitting of the game equipment 30 in the goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e of the target goal 1 1 . In this case, the operation of the monitoring device 20 is based on optical sensors (20a and 20b) similar to the game monitoring elements 12 to 14. The monitoring device 20 may be used for determining the point hit by the game equipment e.g. so that light emitters 20a and light receivers 20b are provided at the edges of the goal opening, arrayed in two rows perpendicular or (e.g. depending on the shape of the goal opening) inclined to each other. Thus, the monitoring device 20 may be used to determine the point hit by the game equipment 30 in a plane parallel with the goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e of the target goal 1 1 , because the plurality of sensor pairs of the monitoring device 20, formed by the light emitters 20a and light receivers 20b in different directions, constitute a kind of an "optical coordinate system". Thus, those light receivers 20b which generate a voltage that is changed when the game equipment 30 hits a selected goal opening 1 1 a to 1 1 e, determine the point within the goal opening in a two-dimensional measurement plane, at which the game equipment 30 passes through the measurement plane 20c formed by the light emitters 20a and the light receivers 20b. The measurement planes 20c in the goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e may also be used for determining the velocity of the game equipment 20 by measuring the duration of the change in the voltage generated by the light receivers 20b, and by comparing this duration with the dimensions of the game equipment 30, to obtain an estimate on the velocity of the game equipment. Therefore, light emitters 20a and light receives 20b of the monitoring device 20 are, in this case, provided in only one plane in the goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e of the target goal (in other words, there is no need for two successive measurement planes in the direction of movement of the game equipment, as in the game monitoring elements 12 to 14). This requires, e.g. in the case of ice hockey (in which the game equipment has an asymmetric shape), that the position of the game equipment should be determined by measurements when it hits the measurement plane, because the position influences the duration of the change in the voltage generated by the light receivers 20b. Furthermore, e.g. a high-speed camera 40, as shown e.g. in Figs. 1 and 2, may be placed outside the target goal 1 1 , to be used, in addition to the light emitters and the light receivers, for determining the point hit by the game equipment 30, and for imaging the trajectory of the game equipment from the player's stick to the indicated goal opening 1 1 a to 1 1 d of the target goal. The signal lights 21 are controlled and the monitoring devices 20 in the goal openings are operated by a control unit which is placed in a suitable location in the target goal 1 1 and which is a programmable logic, a computer, or another suitable electronic device for processing electronic data. The control unit is configured to select, randomly or e.g. under control by the central processing unit 15, the goal opening 1 1 a to 1 1 e whose signal lights 21 , light emitters 20a and light receivers 20b it controls. The control unit starts to switch on signal lights 21 of the selected goal opening immediately after the game equipment 30 has passed the second measurement planes 25a and 25b formed by the game monitoring elements 12 to 14. In this embodiment, the control unit for the target goal 1 1 is wirelessly connected to the central processing unit 15 which in this case gives the control unit for the target goal 1 1 a command to start and stop the light control of the target goal 1 1 and the measurement by the monitoring devices 20 in the goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e. In principle, the command could also be given directly by e.g. the game monitoring elements 12 to 14, but in such a case the control unit for the target goal 1 1 and the control units for the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 should be directly connected to each other.

The game monitoring elements 12 to 14 comprise a frame 16 comprising sup- port means 16a and 16b for supporting the frame in a vertical position on the floor or on ice in the shooting practice area LH. Furthermore, the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 include monitoring devices 24 and 25 formed of several light emitters 17 and light receivers 18 on top of each other, and a power source, a control unit, and a radio transmitter for transmitting the measurement results of the game monitoring element to the central processing unit 15 of the system. Furthermore, a signal light 19 may be provided on top of the game monitoring element 12 to 14 to indicate when the light emitters 17 of the light emitting game monitoring element (in the case of Fig. 1 , the game monitoring elements 12 and 13) focus the light sufficiently precisely on the light receivers 18 of the game monitoring element used as the light receiver (in the system of Fig. 1 , the game monitoring elements 13 and 14) . The signal light normally functions in such a way that it is lit if the light emitters 17 and light receivers 18 of the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 are not correctly focused on other, and is turned off when the light receivers receive light transmitted by the light emitters as intended. In some embodiment, however, it may also function in the opposite way; that is, the signal light 19 is lit when the light emitters 17 are correctly focused on the light receivers 18.

The frame 16 of the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 is, in this case, formed of a hollow cylindrical piece made of plastic, plastic-coated thin metal sheet, glass fibre, wood, composite, or another suitable material and having a tapered upper end. The support means 16a and 16b extend from the lower end of the side wall of the frame outwards, wherein the game monitoring element 12 to 14 may be placed on a flat ice or floor surface so that the tapering upper end of its frame 16 points vertically upwards. A signalling device 16c is provided at the top end of the frame to indicate when the light emitters 17 are focused on the light receivers 18 of the game monitoring element. At the end of the frame 16 coming against the ice surface, one or more ice picks, or the like, may be provided, to be pressed into the ice upon mounting the game monitoring ele- ment 12 to 14 on the ice. Thus, the game monitoring element 12 to 14 remains stationary even if the game equipment 30, passed to the shooting practice area 23 or e.g. bouncing off the goal, hit the game monitoring element 12 to 14. The game monitoring element 12 to 14 may also be equipped with a flexible shield or cushion fixed on the outer surface of its frame 16, for cushioning impacts caused by hits of the game equipment 30, and thereby preventing displace- ment of the game monitoring elements during the shooting practice.

In this embodiment, the light emitters 17 are LEDs emitting coherent infrared light. The light receivers 18, in turn, are photovoltaic cells which generate a voltage when they are exposed to coherent infrared light generated by a light emitter 17. The control unit of the game monitoring element 12 to 14 is e.g. a programmable logic, a computer, or another suitable electronic device for processing electronic data, configured to operate so that it measures the voltage generated by the light receivers 18 and transmits the measured data to the central processing unit 15 of the system at a measuring frequency securing that the game equipment 30 cannot pass through the measurement planes 24a and 24b, and 25a and 25b, formed by the game monitoring elements, without being detected by the system.

In this embodiment, each game monitoring element 12 to 14 comprises two vertical rows of several light emitters 1 7 and several light receivers 18 on top of each other. Thus, two measurement planes spaced from each other (in succession in the travel direction of the game equipment) can be formed between each two game monitoring element 12 to 14 placed in the game area, namely the measurement planes 24a and 24b for the monitoring device 24, or the measurement planes 25a and 25b of the monitoring device 25. The measurement planes 24a and 25b or 25a and 25b of the system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are presented in a view from above in Fig 3 which illustrates the second game monitoring element 13 of the system. Thus, two successive measurement planes (i.e. the first measurement planes 24a and 24b) are formed between the first game monitoring element 12 and the second game monitoring element 13, and two successive measurement planes (i.e. the second measurement planes 25a and 25b) are also formed between the second game monitoring element 13 and the third game monitoring element 14. By a measurement using two successive measurement planes 24a and 25b, or 25a and 25b, it is possible to determine the location of the game equipment 30 by means of two points whose distance is known, when a sufficiently high meas- uring frequency is used. The accuracy of the measurement data obtained is quite sufficient for determining the velocity of the game equipment 30 when it passes through the successive measurement planes 24a and 24b, or 25a and 25b, formed by means of the game monitoring elements 12 to 14. In the way shown in Fig. 3, the light emitters 17 are placed at one location in the direction of the circumference of the frame, and the light receivers 18 are at another location at an (adjustable) angle of about 45^° to 135^° from said location. Thanks to the adjustability of the angle between the light emitters 17 and the light receivers 18 in the same game monitoring element 12 to 14, the game moni- toring elements may be placed more easily so that the measurement planes 24a and 24b, or 25a and 25b, formed by them constitute different angles to each other. This makes it possible to take measurements in different game situations and in practice sites having different areas, because the shape of the area to be encircled by the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 may vary more freely than in a case where the angle between the light emitters and the light receivers were not adjustable.

When the game equipment or another piece of a sufficiently large size passes through the measurement planes 24a and 24b of the monitoring device 24 or the measurement planes 25a and 25b of the monitoring device 25 of the game monitoring elements 12 to 14, a change is induced in the voltage generated by the photovoltaic cells used as the light receivers 18. When the system is in operation, the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 collect the measurement data (e.g. voltage) formed by the light emitters 17 and the light receivers 18, and transmit it to the central processing unit 15. On the basis of the measurement data received by it, the central processing unit 15 determines if an object has passed through the monitoring devices 24 or 25, for example, an ice hockey puck used as the game equipment 30 for shooting practice in the case of Figs. 1 to 4. The central processing unit 15 may be programmed to ignore a change in the measurement data if measurement data formed by merely one light receiver 18 deviates from the measurement data formed by an adjacent upper or lower light receiver 18. Such a line of action prevents interference which might otherwise be caused by objects clearly smaller than the game equipment 30, such as mosquitoes or flies, passing through the measurement planes. The number of light receivers 18, whose measurement data should show a change in order to be interpreted as the game equipment, may vary in different embodiments. This may depend on e.g. the type of the game equipment, for which the system is intended or set by programming. For example for a soccer ball, the requirement may be a change in a larger number of light receivers than for an ice hockey puck.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5, the same game monitoring element 12 to 14 may be used both as a light emitter and as a light receiver 18, because the same game monitoring element 12 to 14 comprises both light emitters 17 and light receivers 18. When the game monitoring element 12 to 14 is used as a light emitter 17, it is placed on the floor or ice of the shooting practice area 23 in such a way that, for forming e.g. the measurement planes 24a and 24b of the monitoring device 24, the light emitters 17 of the first game monitoring element 12 are focused on the second game monitoring element 13 to be placed at the other end of the measurement planes 24a and 24b, the light receivers 18 of the second game monitoring element 13 being oriented towards the first game monitoring element 12 used as the light emitter. The light emitters 17 of the first game monitoring element 12, which are LEDs emitting infrared light, are used as light emitters and are activated by adjusting their directional angle to make the measurement planes 24a and 25b ready for operation. The readiness is confirmed when the signal light 16c on top of the game monitoring element 13 is turned off as a result of the adjustment. Thus, the directional angle of the first game monitoring element 12 used as the light emitter is correct with respect to the directional angle of the second game monitoring element 13 used as the light receiver.

The directional angle between the light emitters 17 and the light receivers 18 in the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 may be configured to be adjusted e.g. manually by means of a screw. The adjustment may be configured so that all the light emitters 17 are adjusted by turning one adjusting screw, and all the light receivers 18 by turning another screw. The adjustment may also be implemented electronically, wherein the system may comprise e.g. a separate remote controller for fine adjustment of the orientation of the light emitters and light receivers after the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 have been arranged in a desired way with respect to each other in the shooting practice area 23. The game monitoring elements 12 to 14 may comprise, for example, three temper screws to be placed against the ground surface, for adjusting the game monitoring elements in a precisely vertical position. Furthermore, a spirit level may be installed in the frame 16 or the largest supporting member 16a of the game monitoring element 12 to 14 to show the verticality of the game monitoring element 12 to 14 with respect to the ground surface. The light emitters 17 and light receivers 18 may also be adjustable in groups of defined sizes so that e.g. the 5 to 10 lowermost light emitters 17 and light receivers 18 constitute the first group, and the next higher 5 to 10 light emitters and light receivers constitute the second group, and so on. The central processing unit 15 of the system is a computer with a memory (a main storage and e.g. an SSD hard disc, or the like) into which all the measurement data of the game monitoring elements and the target goal are transferred in a wireless manner from the control units of the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 and the target goal 1 1 during the shooting practice. The com- puter used as the central processing unit 15 is connected to the Internet, whereby the measurement data transferred to the central processing unit 15 may be reviewed, during or after the practice, by applying any other device connected to the Internet and suitable for data processing and presentation, such as a smart phone, a tablet or a portable computer. The connections between the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 and the central processing unit 15, as well as between the target goal 1 1 and the central processing unit 15, may also be implemented in a wired manner, although in the case of e.g. an ice hockey game it is clearly more difficult to implement wired connections than wireless connections, without affecting the game. On the other hand, e.g. in a football game, wires running on the game field are probably less harmful. The central processing unit 15 may also be provided with a display, a keypad and a mouse, by which the system may be programmed for different situations at the game practice site, although this may also be arranged by a separate computer via an Internet connection.

When the system according to Figs. 1 to 5 is used for shooting practice in ice hockey as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 are placed on the game field or, for example, on the floor of a practice hall with an ice hockey goal so that a shooting practice area 23 may be formed on the site, limited on one side and in the front direction of the goal by measurement planes 24a and 24b, and 25a and 25b, provided between the light emitters 17 and light receivers 18 of the monitoring devices 24 and 25 formed by means of the game monitoring elements 12 to 14. After this, the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 are used to form the measurement planes 24a and 24b as well as 25a and 25b by adjusting the direction of the light emitters 17 in the first game monitoring element 12 and the light emitters 17 of the second game monitoring element 13 so that they are focused on the light receivers 18 of the second game monitoring element 13 and the third game monitoring element 14, respectively. Next, the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 are connected by a radio transmitter provided in them (or by e.g. a Bluetooth connection) to a central processing unit 15 placed in a suitable location outside the shooting practice area 23 (for example, the edge of the game area or another suitable place, as shown in Fig. 1 ). Thus, the central processing unit 15 receives measurement data (e.g. voltage data) from the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 used as receivers, on whether the light emitted from the light emitters 17 is received by the light receivers 18; in other words, if the game equipment 30, i.e. in this case the puck, passes through the measurement planes 24a and 24b or 25a and 25b formed by the game monitoring elements 12 to 14, this will cause a change in the measurement data (i.e. voltage) produced by the light emitters 18. This change is interpreted, by the central processing unit 15, as the game equipment 30 passing through the measurement planes 24a and 24b, or 25a and 25b. Because there are always two measurement planes 24a and 24b, as well as 25a and 25b, one after the other, in the travel direction of the game equipment 30, the central processing unit 15 receives two successive changes in the measurement data, with a short time interval. On the basis of these changes in the measurement data, the central processing unit 15 can compute the velocity of the game equipment passed through the measurement planes 24a and 24b, or 25a and 25b, when the distance between the measurement planes 24a and 24b, or 25a and 25b, is known. As shown in Fig. 1 , shooting in e.g. ice hockey may be practised by using the system shown therein, for example so that a player 22 practising shooting is positioned in the shooting practice area 23 so that the game equipment 30 (i.e. the puck) can be passed to the player 22 in the shooting practice area, whereby the first measurement planes 24a and 24a of the monitoring device 24 between the first game monitoring element 12 and the second game monitoring element 13 record the velocity of the puck passed to the player 22 and the moment when the puck passes through the measurement planes 24a and 24b of the monitoring device 24. Having received the pass, the player 22 attempts to shoot the game equipment 30 towards the goal 10, and a specific goal opening 1 1 a to 1 1 e of the target goal 1 1 in it, as quickly as possible. After the shot has gone off, the game equipment 30 passes the measurement planes 25a and 25b of the monitoring device 25 formed by the second game monitoring element 13 and the third game monitoring element 14 defining the goal side of the game practice area 23. Thus, the measurement planes 25a and 25b of the monitoring device 25 record the velocity of the puck and the moment of time when the puck passed through the measurement planes 25a and 25b of the monitoring device 25. This data may be used by the central processing unit 15 to determine not only the velocity of the game equipment 30 but also the time taken by the player 22 between receiving the pass and shooting the game equipment 30 towards the goal opening 1 1 a to 1 1 e of the target goal 1 1 determined by the central processing unit 15. Furthermore, the monitoring devices 20 in the goal openings of the target goal 1 1 , and possibly a high-speed camera 40 continuously imaging the target goal and connected to the central processing unit, may be used to determine the point hit by the game equipment 30 in the goal opening 1 1 a to 1 1 e determined by the central processing unit 15, or another point in the target goal 1 1 if the game equipment 30 does not hit the goal opening 1 1 a to 1 1 e indicated by the signal lights 21 . By means of this measurement data, the central processing unit 15 of the system produces measurement results representing the success of the shooting practice, such as the time taken for shooting, the velocity of the game equip- ment 30 before receiving a pass, the velocity of the game equipment 30 during a shot towards the goal 10, and a score on the hitting accuracy. On the basis of the measurement results formed, an overview of the skills of the player 22 practising shooting is obtained when passes are made from different directions and at different velocities of passing the puck. The measurement results may also be provided with e.g. written or graphic feedback generated by the central processing unit 15 (or another server connected to the central processing unit via the Internet) and presented on its display. The measurement results and/or the written and/or graphic feedback are stored in the memory of the central processing unit 15 and may be transferred, manually or automatically, to a cloud server in the Internet, from where the data may be read by other data processing devices connected to the Internet, such as a smart phone, a tablet or a personal computer.

As shown in Fig. 1 , in the case of Fig. 1 the game equipment is passed by players 31 and 32 located outside the shooting practice area 23, who may pass the game equipment 30 to each other before passing it to the player 22 positioned in the shooting practice area 23. The game equipment 30 may also be passed by a so-called puck passing machine, in which case there is no need for players 31 and 32 positioned outside the shooting practice area 23.

The shooting practice area 23 shown in Fig. 1 may be, in many ways, different from that shown in Fig. 1 . For example, the placing of the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 may be such that the first measurement planes 24a and 24b formed by the first game monitoring element 12 and the second game moni- toring element 13 are in a position deviating from the straight angle shown in Fig. 1 . Furthermore, more than three game monitoring elements 12 to 14 may be provided. For example, if a fourth game monitoring element similar to the other game monitoring elements is included in the system of Fig. 1 , a shooting practice area is provided which is fully enclosed by the game monitoring ele- ments. In this case, a pass may be given to the player 22 practising shooting from any direction around the shooting practice area.

In many other respects as well, the system and the method according to the invention may be implemented in a manner deviating from the example embodiment presented above. In its simplest form, the system may only comprise a target goal, a central processing unit (e.g. one similar to the central processing unit 15), and one two-dimensional measurement plane formed by a single game monitoring element and spaced from the target goal. In this case, the target goal may, in the simplest form, be a target which is placed downstream of the measurement plane formed by the game monitoring elements and which the person practising shooting aims at. Such a target goal may further comprise at least one two-dimensional measurement plane which is formed by e.g. light emitters and light receivers and coupled to the central processing unit of the system and by which the hitting point and/or the velocity of the game equipment can be determined. However, the target goal may also be a "cold" target goal comprising no electronic measurement devices (that is, for example the above mentioned two-dimensional measurement plane formed by light emitters and light receivers) and no connection to the central processing unit of the system. Moreover, the target goal used in the system does not need to be a "multi target goal" similar to the target goal 1 1 shown in Figs. 4 and 5, but it may be e.g. a "circular target goal" 50 comprising only one goal opening, as shown in Fig. 6. With respect to its mechanical structure and way of fastening, the target goal 50 according to Fig. 6 is similar to the target goal presented in the appli- cant's earlier Finnish patent application Fl 20160292. A difference to the target goal presented in said application is the feature that the target goal 50 according to Fig. 6 comprises a control unit placed in the metal tube, as well as a monitoring device 51 formed by one or more light emitters 51 a and light receivers 51 b, configured to constitute a measurement plane 51 c similar to the measurement plane formed by the game monitoring elements 12 to 14 of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5, in the area inside a tube ring 52 used as the frame of the target goal, so that game equipment thrust into the tube ring 52 can be detected and the velocity of the game equipment can be measured. In such an embodiment of the system, the target goal 50 is connected (in a wireless or wired manner) to a central processing unit, whereby measurement data can be obtained on all the items of game equipment that have hit the target goal 50, which data can be stored in the memory of the central processing unit, presented on the display of the system, and transferred to a cloud server in the Internet, from where the results may be retrieved by e.g. any computer or smart phone connected to the Internet. In some embodiments, in which the system comprises game monitoring elements, the system may comprise game monitoring elements comprising only light emitters or light receivers, or some of the game monitoring elements may be similar to the example embodiment above, comprising both light emitters and light receivers. In the first mentioned system, a shooting practice area as shown in Fig. 1 is provided, comprising measurement planes generated by light emitters and light receivers, whereby two game monitoring elements comprising light emitters and two game monitoring elements comprising light receivers are provided. In the second mentioned case, a shooting practice area 23 of the type shown in Fig. 1 is provided where the first game monitoring element comprises merely light emitters, the second game monitoring element comprises both light receivers and light emitters, and the third game monitoring element comprises merely light receivers. In a simpler embodiment of the system according to the invention, one game monitoring element may comprise only one row of light emitters or light receivers on top of each other. In such a case, for measuring the velocity of the game equipment, it is possible to apply a velocity measurement system similar to the monitoring devices 20 in the goal openings 1 1 a to 1 1 e of the target goal shown in Figs. 4 and 5, for measuring the time taken by the game equipment when it passes through the single measurement plane between the game monitoring elements. From this measured time, the velocity of the game equipment may be computed by the central processing unit when the dimensions of the game equipment have been entered in advance. Furthermore, in an embodiment, the system does not comprise the measurement of the velocity of the game equipment as described above, or this is arranged in another way (e.g. by means of a radar or a camera/cameras).

In various embodiments of the system and the method of the invention, similar to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5, e.g. the number of light emitters and light receivers in the game monitoring elements, as well as their distance from each other, may vary as well. For example, in a system intended for practising soc- cer the distance between the light emitters and the light receivers in the vertical direction may be greater than in a system intended for practising ice hockey. On the other hand, in the case of soccer, the game monitoring elements should be higher, because a soccer goal is significantly higher than an ice hockey goal, and a soccer ball kicked towards the goal may typically fly much higher than a puck thrust by an ice hockey stick towards the goal.

As mentioned above, in its simplest form the system only requires one game monitoring element. In such an embodiment, the same game monitoring element may comprise, for example, light emitters and light receivers on top of each other. In this case, the light receivers are configured to receive light reflected from a light reflecting object (e.g. a mirror or another sufficiently light reflecting surface placed in a suitable position) which is covered by the game equipment when it passes the game monitoring element at the position where its light emitters and light receivers are placed. Thus, the light receivers of the game monitoring element detect the game equipment in the same way as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5, and may also measure its velocity. A similar game monitoring element may also be based on the reflection of light from the game equipment, whereby by utilizing so-called optical triangulation it is also possible to determine the distance of the location by-passed by the game equipment, from the game monitoring element. In simpler systems, the central processing unit may also be placed within a game monitoring element or a target goal, or integrated in the control unit of the game monitoring element or the target goal. Thus, in its simplest form, the system only requires the single game monitoring element and the target goal. Furthermore, it should be noted that the central processing unit may also be installed in connection with the game monitoring element or the target goal when more than one game monitoring elements and/or target goals are provided.

The system and the method according to the invention may naturally be applied in various game situations as well. The target, to which the game equipment is attempted to be hit during the practice, may also be a different target goal than the goal normally belonging to said game and a target goal placed in connection with it. For example in connection with ice hockey, shooting accuracy could be practised by attempting to aim at a pin, a post, a ring target goal comprising a single goal opening as shown in Fig. 6, or another suitable target used as a target goal different from the ice hockey goal complying with the rules of the ice hockey game. In an embodiment, the game monitoring elements may also be used to determine the point between the game monitoring elements, at which the game equipment passed through the measurement planes. This is possible e.g. in such a way that the location of the starting point of the game equipment, with respect to the game monitoring elements, is known, and the game monitoring elements are positioned in such a way with respect to this starting point that the measurement planes between them are placed at an oblique angle to the starting point (seen from above). Thus, on the basis of the time interval between the of time measured by the game monitoring elements and the set-off time of the game equipment, and the velocity of the game equipment, it is possible to determine the travel distance of the game equipment after leaving the starting point before it has reached the point of passing through the measurement planes. By comparing this distance with the distances between the game monitoring elements and the starting point of the game equipment, it is possible to compute the point passed by the game equipment in the measurement planes between the game monitoring elements. Such an arrangement provides data which can be used for generating, e.g. in the case of practising shooting in ice hockey, a graph showing the location where game equipment was passed with respect to the player in the shooting practice area, and the direction of motion of the game equipment during the pass. Moreover, if the game monitoring elements between the shooting practice area and the goal are used to determine the direction of motion of the game equipment (this is obtained, because the point hit by the puck in the target goal in the goal is known, for example in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 ), it is possible to generate a complete graphic representation showing how the game equipment left the passer and how it was shot towards the target goal by the player receiving the pass and practising shooting. Furthermore, if the player practising shooting were imaged by a video camera of sufficient quality (a high-speed camera) from a suitable direction (e.g. from above), it would be possible to compare the player's move- ments with the trajectories of the game equipment shot at the goal. For increasing the versatility of such data, more game monitoring elements could be included in the shooting practice area, thereby producing more versatile data, for example, for practising various game situations by using a single system formed by several game monitoring elements, various target goals, high- speed cameras, and a central processing unit.

The embodiment utilizing cameras in the system according to the invention might comprise e.g. one or more cameras for imaging game situations, for imaging the performance/actions of a player/players in the shooting practice area. The cameras may be video and/or still cameras connected to the central processing unit in a wired or wireless manner, whereby the central processing unit, the camera, or another device (e.g. mobile smart device, portable computer, tablet, or the like) connected to the central processing unit may generate, automatically or entirely or partly manually by the user, a real-time or pre- viously recorded video or image show where the results of the shooting practice by the player/players are shown in a desired way, for example, in combination with video or single images taken by a normal and/or high-speed camera. The video or single images may thus comprise e.g. close-up and/or slow- motion images on the most crucial points in the shooting practice, for example on the moment when the player practising shooting receives the game equipment, shoots it towards the target goal, and/or when the game equipment hits the target goal or another predetermined or undetermined target. In the representation formed of the measurement results and the images, it would be possible to display e.g. velocities of the game equipment, player reaction times, and summaries and/or statistics on the results obtained by the player in ques- tion, as well as comparisons with, for example, the average results of all players in a given group, obtained in corresponding game situations, in connection with the images and/or the video. Such combinations of images and measurement data provide valuable information which may be utilized in the training of the players, for example in such a way that future practices may be focused better than before on exactly those subareas of the performance which may have been hampering the development of the player in question, or in which the properties and skills of an advanced player in controlling the game equipment can be further improved. However, the system and the method according to the invention should not be limited to the example embodiments presented above, but they should be considered to also comprise many other different embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims:

1 . A system for practising the shooting accuracy and speed of game equipment, the system comprising at least one target goal (1 1 , 50) and at least one monitoring device (20, 24, 25) formed by means of at least one game monitoring element (12 to 14), for measuring the location and/or velocity of the game equipment (30), as well as a central processing unit (15) connected to at least one game monitoring element (12 to 14) and comprising a data processor for processing measurement results produced by the monitoring device (20, 24, 25), and a memory for storing the measurement results for reviewing and processing the measurement results later on, characterized in that the monitoring device (20, 24, 25) is placed at a distance from the target goal (1 1 , 50), and that the monitoring device (20, 24, 25) is configured to form at least one two- dimensional measurement plane (20c, 24a, 24b, 25a, 25b), for measuring the location and/or velocity of the game equipment (30) when it passes through the at least one measurement plane (20c, 24a, 24b, 25a, 25c) formed by the monitoring device (20, 24, 25).

2. The system according to claim 1 for practising the accuracy and speed of shooting game equipment, in which system the target goal (50) comprises at least one monitoring device (51 ) formed by one or more light emitters (51 a) and light receivers (51 b) and connected to the central processing unit (15), and configured to form a measurement plane (51 c) for determining the velocity and/or the hitting point of game equipment having hit the target goal.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the system comprises a shooting practice area (23) to be monitored by a monitoring device (24, 25) formed by at least two game monitoring elements (12 to 14), wherein the monitoring devices (24, 25) formed by the game monitoring elements (12 to 14) are configured to detect the game equipment (30) and to measure the velocity of the game equipment (30) when it passes through the measurement plane (24a, 24b, 25a, 25b) formed between at least two game monitoring elements (12 to 14) spaced from each other.

4. The system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the monitoring device (20, 24, 25, 51 ) formed by the target goal (1 1 , 50) and/or at least one game monitoring element (12 to 14) comprises at least one light emitter (17, 20a, 51 a) and/or at least one light receiver (18, 20b, 51 b).

5. The system according to claim 4, comprising game monitoring elements (12 to 14), wherein the game monitoring elements (12 to 14) are placed in the shooting practice area (23) so that the light emitted from the light emitters (17) of the first game monitoring element (12, 13) can be focused on the light receivers of the second game monitoring element (13, 14), the game monitoring elements (12 to 14) being spaced from each other.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the monitoring device (24, 25) formed by the game monitoring elements (12 to 14) comprises two successive sets of light emitters formed by light emitters (17) placed on top of each other, and two successive sets of light receivers formed by light receivers (18) placed on top of each other, whereby two successive measurement planes (24a, 24b, 25a, 25b) can be formed between the two game monitoring elements (12 to 14), for determining the velocity of the game equipment (30).

7. The system according to claim 5 or 6, comprising at least three game monitoring elements (12 to 14), wherein the light emitters (17) of the first game monitoring element (12) are focused on the light receivers (18) of the second game monitoring element (13), and the light emitters (17) of the second game monitoring element (13) are focused on the light receivers (18) of the third game monitoring element (14).

8. The system according to any of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the game monitoring element (12 to 14) comprises a frame (16), and wherein the light emitters (17) and/or the light receivers (18) are fastened to the frame (16) to be pivotable with respect to at least one axis, wherein the light emitters (17) and/or the light receivers (18) are pivotable to different positions with respect to said at least one axis on the frame (16).

9. The system according to claim 8, comprising a game monitoring element (12 to 14) with a pivoting device by which all the light emitters (17) and/or all the light receivers (18) are pivotable simultaneously with respect to said at least one axis.

10. The system according to any of the claims 1 to 9, wherein the system comprises a goal (10) and a target goal (1 1 ) placed in the goal, comprising at least one display device (21 ) for indicating an aiming target (1 1 a to 1 1 e) and for displaying the time taken for aiming.

1 1 . The system according to any of the claims 1 to 10, wherein the central processing unit (15) is coupled to at least one target goal (1 1 , 50) and/or at least one game monitoring element (12 to 14) as well as the Internet network in a wireless manner, and is configured to store measurement data produced by the game monitoring elements (12 to 14) in a cloud server in the Internet data network.

12. The system according to any of the claims 1 to 1 1 , wherein the system comprises at least one camera and/or video camera.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the camera and/or video camera is connected to the central processing unit and is configured to generate, at least partly manually and/or fully automatically, an image and/or video presentation, wherein measurement results and/or data formed by the system are presented in connection with the single images and/or video taken by the at least one camera and/or video camera in the system.

14. A method for practising the shooting accuracy and speed of game equip- ment, the method comprising at least one target goal (1 1 , 50), and wherein the location and/or velocity of the game equipment used in the game is measured by at least one monitoring device (20, 24, 25) formed by at least one game monitoring element (12 to 14), and wherein the measurement results obtained by the monitoring device (20, 24, 25, 51 ) are transferred from the at least one game monitoring element (12 to 14) to a central processing unit (15) comprising a data processor for processing the measurement results, and a memory for storing the measurement results formed by the at least one monitoring device (20, 24, 25, 51 ) for later reviewing and processing of the measurement results, characterized in that the method applies the system according to any of the claims 1 to 13.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the location and/or the velocity of the game equipment is further measured by at least one light emitter (20a, 51 a) and/or at least one light receiver (20b, 51 b) placed in the target goal (1 1 , 50).

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the location and/or the velocity of the game equipment is measured by a light emitter (17) and/or a light receiver (18) placed in at least one game monitoring element (12 to 14).

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the location and/or the velocity of the game equipment (30) is measured by two game monitoring elements (12 to 14), of which the first one (12, 13) comprises at least one light emitter (17), and the second one (13, 14) comprises at least one light receiver (18) configured to receive light emitted by the light emitter (17) provided in the first game monitoring element (12, 13).

18. The method according to any of the claims 14 to 17, wherein

- the location and/or the velocity of the game equipment (30) is measured by at least two game monitoring elements (12 to 14),

- the game equipment (30) is passed to a player (22) practising shooting, from the outside of the shooting practice area (23),

- the system is used for measuring the time between the receiving of the game equipment (30) and the thrusting of the game equipment (30) towards the target goal (1 1 a to 1 1 e), and

- the target goal (1 1 a to 1 1 e), to which the game equipment (30) should be thrust after receiving a pass, is indicated to the player (22) practising shooting, on a display device (21 ) after the game equipment (30) has arrived in the shooting practice area (23).