Automated scoring system for table tennis

Abstract

Described are systems and methods for automatically scoring a table tennis game. In particular, a system for automatically scoring a table tennis game may include a sensor, a microcontroller, a display, a speaker, a table tennis net support, and/or a power supply. Methods for automatically scoring a table tennis game comprise indicating that a serve may proceed; detecting a vibration or absence of a vibration formed by contact between a table tennis ball with a table tennis table and/or between a table tennis ball and a table tennis net; determining which player served; determining if a point should be awarded based on detecting a vibration or absence of vibration; modifying the score of a table tennis game; displaying the score of a table tennis game; determining if a sensor is operational; and/or playing a sound effect.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for automatically scoring a table tennis game played on a table tennis table, said system comprising:
 one or more sensors mounted on a table tennis table and net for detecting a vibration or absence of vibration formed by contact between a table tennis ball with a table tennis table or between a table tennis ball and a table tennis net;   a housing comprising one or more displays for displaying the score of a table tennis game;   a microcontroller associated with said housing and operatively connected to said sensors and said one or more displays, said microcontroller programmed with scoring logic for a table tennis game, wherein said microcontroller operates to determine the current game score, to change the game score and to change the displayed game score based on the scoring logic and signals received from said sensors   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more sensors comprises three sensors including a net vibration sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said net vibration sensor is integral to a net support. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said three sensors comprise two table sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said two table sensors comprise vibration sensors. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said vibration sensors are mounted to the underside portions of a table tennis table. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a button to override the scoring logic of the microcontroller to selectively adjust the score of a player. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said table tennis table comprises two halves of a table tennis table with a gap between said two halves and wherein said table tennis net support is configured to arrange a table tennis net over said gap. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said display comprises an alpha-numeric LED display. 
     
     
         10 . A method for automatically scoring a table tennis game played by one or more players, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing one or more sensors mounted on a table tennis table and net for detecting a vibration or absence of vibration formed by contact between a table tennis ball with a table tennis table or between a table tennis ball and a table tennis net;   operatively connecting the sensors with a microcontroller programmed with scoring logic for a table tennis game;   having the microcontroller provide an indication indicating that a serve by a player may proceed;   operating the sensors to detect a vibration or absence of vibration formed by contact between a table tennis ball with a table tennis table or between a table tennis ball and a table tennis net;   applying the scoring logic to determine if a point should be awarded based on detecting a vibration or absence of vibration;   modifying the score of said table tennis game; and   displaying an updated score of said table tennis game.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said indicating that a serve may proceed is performed by flashing the displayed score of the player that is to serve. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising playing a sound effect to indicate an error condition. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising playing a sound effect to indicate that the system is operating properly. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a user may control the microcontroller to select between a two player game and a four player game. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a user may control the microcontroller to select the number of points to be played in said tennis table game. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the microcontroller triggers a sound or light indicator to indicate that a player has won the table tennis game. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising manually overriding the scoring logic of the microcontroller to selectively adjust the score of a player. 
     
     
         18 . A table tennis table comprising:
 a first table section defining half of a table tennis playing surface and having an underside;   a second table section adjacent said first table section and defining half of a table tennis playing surface and having an underside;   a net arranged between said first table section and said second table section;   a first sensor mounted to the underside portion of said first table section, said sensor operable to detect a vibration or absence of a vibration formed by contact between a table tennis ball and said first table section;   a second sensor mounted to the underside portion of said second table section said sensor operable to detect a vibration or absence of a vibration formed by contact between a table tennis ball and said second table section;   a net sensor configured and arranged to detect a vibration or absence of a vibration in said net;   at least one score display to display the current game score; and,   a microcontroller in communication with said first sensor, said second sensor or said net sensor and said at least one display, said microcontroller programmed with scoring logic to determine the current game score, to change the displayed game score based on signals from said sensors and to control the score shown on said display.   
     
     
         19 . The table tennis table of  claim 18 , wherein said table tennis table is a foldable table tennis table. 
     
     
         20 . The table tennis table of  claim 18 , wherein said microcontroller is mounted in a housing the adjacent portions of said first table section and said second table section, wherein said net is mounted to said housing.