Incorporation of Computing Hardware that Captures and Conveys the Shape and Relative Position of Sporting Equipment Without Affecting its Required Physical Performance

Abstract

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to sport's equipment comprising of “thin film” and “flexible electronics” that mimic and conform to the assembly components of traditional, non-interactive, sport's equipment. The layers of the equipment contain electrical and computing circuits in the form of one or more of an active mesh, active stitching, and/or active piping that mimics components otherwise made of leather, fabric, yarn or other non-conductive materials of a sport's equipment. Further provided for is the use of a suitable wireless technology to transmit the data collected by the digitally active implements to an external computer, which is capable of receiving the data to perform a simulation or computation for a sporting exercise.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An artifact of play integrated with an electronic device comprising of a thin and/or flexible layer of computing, communication, sensor and/or battery components formed in one or more of a smart yarn, smart weave or smart pipping, wherein said electronic device is capable of conveying at least one of the artifact's (or another artifact's) shape and/or relative position within a field of play to an external computer, and wherein the integrated electronic device does not adversely alter or affect the performance requirements of the artifact. 
     
     
         2 . The artifact of play of  claim 1  being comprised of a player's attire. 
     
     
         3 . The artifact of play of  claim 1  being comprised of a field of play. 
     
     
         4 . The artifact of play of  claim 1  being comprised of an object of play such as but not limited to a soccer ball, an American football, a tennis ball, a racket among others. 
     
     
         5 . The artifact of play of  claim 1  being comprised of a constituent of a field of play such as a netting, a goal post, a field marker, among others. 
     
     
         6 . The artifact of play of  claim 1 , wherein said smart yarn forms the threading for the layers and/or parts of the artifact. 
     
     
         7 . The artifact of play of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic device or its parts comprise of one or more sensors. 
     
     
         8 . The artifact of play of  claim 7 , wherein said one or more sensors is capable of sensing the presence of at least one second artifact. 
     
     
         9 . The artifact of play of  claim 8 , wherein said second artifact is integrated with an electronic device as the first artifact. 
     
     
         10 . The artifact of play of  claim 8 , wherein said second artifact is not integrated with an electronic device as the first artifact. 
     
     
         11 . The artifact of play of  claim 1 , wherein said a smart yarn, smart weave or smart pipping are formed inside layers of the artifact. 
     
     
         12 . The artifact of play of  claim 1 , wherein said a smart yarn, smart weave or smart pipping are formed inside layers of the artifact. 
     
     
         13 . The artifact of play of  claim 1 , wherein said a smart yarn, smart weave or smart pipping are cast, inserted, or adhered to layers inside or outside of the artifact. 
     
     
         14 . The artifact of play of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprise of a data communication device including one or more of RFID, Bluetooth, internet, GPS, Zigbee, and in any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The artifact of play of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises of a woven conductive circuitry making up a smart yarn. 
     
     
         16 . The artifact of play of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises of a woven computer boards and/or communication devices making up a smart weave. 
     
     
         17 . The artifact of play of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises of thin batteries making up a smart piping. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacture of an artifact of play integrated with an electronic device, the method comprising of:
 embedding a thin and/or flexible layer of computing, communication, sensor and/or battery components formed in one or more of a smart yarn, smart weave or smart pipping into an artifact of play, wherein the integration of the electronic device enables the artifact to convey at least one of the artifact's (or another artifact's) shape and/or relative position to an external computer, and wherein the integrated electronic device does not adversely alter or affect the performance requirements of the artifact.   
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacture of  18 , further comprising the threading of layers and/or parts of the artifact by a smart yarn. 
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacture of  18 , wherein said smart yarn, smart weave or smart pipping are formed inside layers of the artifact. 
     
     
         21 . The method of manufacture of  18 , wherein said a smart yarn, smart weave or smart pipping are cast, inserted, or adhered to layers inside or outside of the artifact.