Operations with instrumented game ball

Abstract

An instrumented athletic sporting device that can be handled by a user, such as a basketball or soccer ball, includes electronics that can detect motion and magnetic fields. For example, an instrumented basketball can be used in conjunction with a magnetic basketball goal net such that made and missed shots can be detected.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A magnetic net for a basketball goal, the magnetic net comprising:
 a standard basketball net; and   one or more magnets coupled to the standard basketball net.   
     
     
         2 . The magnetic net of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets are configured to be removed from the basketball net and recoupled to the standard basketball net without damaging the standard basketball net. 
     
     
         3 . The magnetic net of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets are disposed within an open space within strings of the standard basketball net such that the one or more magnets are not directly visible. 
     
     
         4 . The magnetic net of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets comprise four or more magnets. 
     
     
         5 . An athletic game ball system, comprising:
 an athletic game ball comprising:
 a multi-layer ball shell sealed from an area around the ball shell; and 
 one or more electronic sensors located within a periphery of the athletic game ball; and 
   a magnetic basketball goal net, the magnetic basketball goal net comprising:
 a standard basketball goal net; and 
 one or more magnets coupled to the standard basketball goal net. 
   
     
     
         6 . The athletic game ball system of  claim 5 , further comprising a circuit board supporting the one or more electronic sensors and associated circuitry for monitoring motion of the athletic game ball and magnetic field signals near the athletic game ball. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic game ball system of  claim 6 , wherein the associated circuitry comprises a wireless communication chip or chip set. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic game ball system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more electronic sensors comprise (i) an accelerometer or angular rate sensor, (ii) a magnetometer, and (iii) a near field communications sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The athletic gaming ball system of  claim 8 , wherein the associated electronics are programmed to identify disturbances in a magnetic field of the earth around the athletic game ball so as to identify when the athletic game ball has contacted or passed near a rim of a basketball goal. 
     
     
         10 . The athletic gaming ball system of  claim 8 , wherein the associated electronics are programmed to identify a magnetic field of the one or more magnets coupled to the standard basketball goal net so as to identify when the athletic game ball has passed through the magnetic basketball goal net. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 identifying, with a computer system located in a sporting device, data captured from one or more sensors positioned within the sporting device and configured to sense a magnetic field around the sporting device as part of an actual sporting occurrence;   analyzing the data, by the computer system, to identify a temporary change in the magnetic field around the sporting device; and   determining, by the computer system, that the temporary change in the magnetic field around the sporting device indicates that the sporting device passed through a magnetic goal net.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein analyzing the data comprises identifying changes in the magnetic field around the sporting device that are equal to or greater than a predefined threshold value. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising analyzing inertial data, by the computer system, to identify a motion of the sporting device. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining, by the computer system, that the motion of the sporting device indicates that the sporting device impacted a goal rim before the sporting device passed through the magnetic goal net. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining, by the computer system, that the motion of the sporting device indicates that the sporting device did not impact a goal rim before the sporting device passed through the magnetic goal net. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the sporting device is a basketball that comprises a magnetometer. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting data from the sporting device to an external computing device that is configured to display an indication that the sporting device passed through the magnetic goal net.