Smart net for ball sports

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a smart net for net-based sports, including a net that includes strands that are woven into a pattern; and one or more sensors that are disposed within one or more of the strands, and methods of using and manufacturing thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A smart sports net for net-based sports comprising:
 a sports net that includes one or more strands that are woven into a pattern;   one or more sensors that are combined with at least some of the one or more strands; and   a controller in data communication with the one or more sensors, the controller operable to perform steps including:
 receive sensor data from at least one of the one or more sensors; and 
 determine, using at least some of the sensor data and in response to an object interacting with the sports net, a shot parameter. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sports net of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are disposed within the one or more strands. 
     
     
         3 . The sports net of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more strands are the one or more sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The sports net of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern has a dimension that is smaller than the object. 
     
     
         5 . The sports net of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise sensors that output sensor data that indicate a deformation of at least one sensor of the one or more sensors, and the controller is configured to determine the shot parameter based on the indication of the deformation of the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The sports net of  claim 1 , wherein the sports net comprises an emitter configured to emit a signal, and wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a receiver configured to receive the emitted signal, wherein the sensor data comprises an indication that the receiver ceases to receive the emitted signal, and the controller is configured to determine the shot parameter using the indication that the receiver ceases to receive the emitted signal. 
     
     
         7 . The sports net of  claim 1 , comprising an interface configured to provide the data communication between the controller and the one or more sensors. 
     
     
         8 . The sports net of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the shot parameter comprises determining whether the shot was successful, a trajectory of the object, a location of a player who interacted with the object, a spin of the object, an arc of release of the object, or any combination of these. 
     
     
         9 . A smart net adaptive kit, comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to be disposed within one or more of strands of a sports net; and   a controller in data communication with the one or more sensors, the controller operable to perform steps including:
 receive sensor data from one or more sensors that are placed within strings of the sports net; and 
 determine, using at least some of the sensor data and in response to an object interacting with the sports net, a shot parameter. 
   
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 9 , further comprising a rim configured to provide an interface between the one or more sensors and the controller. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 10 , comprising one or more different sensors configured to combine with the rim and the controller, wherein the controller is in data communication with the one or more sensors, the controller operable to perform steps including:
 receive different sensor data from the one or more different sensors, and   determine, using at least some of the sensor data, at least some of the different sensor data, and in response to the object interacting with the sports net, the shot parameter.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method performed on one or more processors, comprising:
 receiving sensor data from one or more sensors that are combined with strings of a sports net; and   determining, using at least some of the sensor data and in response to an object interacting with the sports net, a shot parameter.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the shot parameter comprises whether the shot was successful, a shot direction, an incoming vector, a shot distance, an indication of contact, a ball velocity, a ball energy, a ball rotational speed, a shot location, a maximum shot height, or a launch angle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise electrical circuits, and wherein determining whether the shot was successful comprises evaluating a change in electrical characteristic of electricity passing through the electrical circuits. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising determining locations associated with the sensors that are placed within the strings of the net. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the determining whether a shot was successful is further based on the determined locations associated with the sensors. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining the shot parameter comprises providing the at least some of the sensor data to a machine learning model trained to determine the shot parameter using the at least some sensor data, and receiving, from the machine learning model, the shot parameter. 
     
     
         18 . One or more computer storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 obtaining string material;   obtaining the one or more sensors;   combining the one or more sensors with the string material; and   forming the sports net by intertwining the combined one or more sensors and the string material thus providing a smart net.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising
 obtaining a controller;   configuring the controller to receive sensor data from the one or more sensors; and   configuring the controller to determine, using at least some of the sensor data and in response to an object interacting with the sports net, a shot parameter.