Ball pressure measurement system and method

Abstract

A system and method wherein pressure and location(s) of such pressure on a ball can be determined over a series of time increments and are determined according to an electronic circuit that can include pressure sensing module(s) and may be configured for data processing, storage, or transmission.

1 . A system for measuring surface pressure comprising:
 a housing body comprising:
 an exterior surface layer; 
 an internal core; 
   a sensor assembly disposed between said exterior surface layer and said internal core, wherein said sensor assembly is configured to produce sensor data, wherein said sensor data represents pressure-related activity on said exterior surface layer;   a processing assembly comprising:
 a local memory; 
 a communications element configured to transmit sensor data; and 
 a microcontroller configured to process sensor data. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said sensor assembly is a fabric sensor mesh. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said processing assembly further comprises:
 a first processing unit disposed within said housing body and having said local memory, said communications element, and said microcontroller; and 
 a second processing unit external relative said housing body, wherein said first processing unit and said second processing unit are communicably coupled, wherein said second processing unit is configured to store data received from said first processing unit in an external memory. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said housing body is a baseball. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said processing assembly is configured to analyze said sensor data to generate time and location-coded pressure data which represents a player's exertion of pressure at one or more locations on said exterior surface layer. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said sensor assembly is at least one discrete sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said processing assembly further comprises:
 a first processing unit disposed within said housing body and having said local memory, said communications element, and said microcontroller; and 
 a second processing unit external relative said housing body, wherein said first processing unit and said second processing unit are communicably coupled, wherein said second processing unit is configured to store data received from said first processing unit in an external memory. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said housing body is a baseball. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said processing assembly is configured to analyze said sensor data to generate time and location-coded pressure data which represents a player's exertion of pressure at one or more locations on said exterior surface layer. 
     
     
         10 . A system for measuring surface pressure comprising:
 a substantially spherical housing body comprising:   an exterior surface layer;   an internal core;   a sensor assembly disposed between said exterior surface layer and said internal core, wherein said sensor assembly is a sensor mesh configured to produce sensor data, wherein said sensor data represents pressure-related activity on said exterior surface layer;   a processing assembly operably coupled to said sensor assembly comprising:
 a first processing unit disposed within said housing body and comprising:
 a local memory; 
 a communications element configured to transmit sensor data; 
 a microcontroller configured to process sensor data; 
 
 a second processing unit external relative said housing body, wherein said first processing unit and said second processing unit are communicably coupled, wherein said second processing unit is configured to store received data from said first processing unit in an external memory.