Interactive Sports Training System

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus, including a program encoded on computer-readable medium, for interactive training or entertainment. Each of multiple platform components interconnects with at least one other platform component and includes visual indicators, a detector substantially adjacent to each indicator for detecting a proximate game accessory, and a detector microcontroller. A main control unit receives data frames from the detectors and determines a quantity of detectors in an interconnected set of platform components based on data contained in the data frames. A memory stores a plurality of routines. The main control unit is adapted to execute a selected routine based at least in part on the determined quantity of detectors. The selected routine defines a sequence of activation of the indicators in the interconnected set of platform components.

1 . An interactive training apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of platform components having a substantially flat upper surface, with each platform component adapted to interconnect with at least one of the other platform components, wherein each of the platform components includes:
 one or more visual indicators attached to the platform component and situated at or below the upper surface of the platform component; and 
 a detector attached to the platform component substantially adjacent to each of the one or more indicators, wherein the detector is adapted to detect a presence of a game accessory in proximity to the detector; 
   a main control unit, wherein the main control unit is adapted to receive data frames from the detectors in the plurality of platform components and to determine a quantity of detectors in an interconnected set of platform components based on data contained in the data frames;   a memory communicably connected to the main control unit, wherein the memory stores a plurality of routines; and   wherein the main control unit is adapted to execute a selected routine based at least in part on the determined quantity of detectors, with the selected routine defining a sequence of activation of the indicators in the interconnected set of platform components.   
     
     
         2 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the detectors in the plurality of platform components communicate with the main control unit via at least one communication bus. 
     
     
         3 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the detectors in the plurality of platform components communicate with the main control unit via a daisy chain configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the main control unit is adapted to identify a configuration of the interconnected set of platform components based on at least one of the data contained in the data frames received from the detectors in the plurality of platform components or data received from a connector. 
     
     
         5 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of the detectors comprises one of a reed switch or a hall effect sensor adapted to detect a game accessory that includes an embedded magnet. 
     
     
         6 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of the detectors is adapted to detect a game accessory that includes at least one of an embedded radio frequency identification chip or an embedded near field communication chip. 
     
     
         7 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the main control unit is adapted to:
 receive data identifying a sequence and timing of the detector detecting a presence of a game accessory in proximity to the detector during execution of the selected routine; and 
 store data relating to a degree of correspondence between the identified sequence and timing of the detection of the presence of a game accessory in proximity to the detector and the sequence of activation of the indicators in the interconnected set of platform components. 
 
     
     
         8 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the main control unit is adapted to wirelessly communicate with a software application installed on a mobile device to:
 receive an identification of a selected routine from a subset of available routines identified based at least in part on the determined quantity of detectors; 
 receive instructions for initiating the selected routine; and 
 communicate data relating to the degree of correspondence between the identified sequence and timing of the detection of the presence of a game accessory in proximity to the detector and the sequence of activation of the indicators in the interconnected set of platform components. 
 
     
     
         9 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising at least one platform attachment adapted to connect to the platform, wherein the main control unit is adapted to detect a presence of the at least one platform attachment and to execute a selected routine based at least in part on the presence of the at least one platform attachment based on data received from a platform attachment detector adapted to detect a presence of the at least one platform attachment. 
     
     
         10 . An interactive training apparatus comprising:
 one or more indicators embedded in a platform;   a plurality of detectors embedded in the platform substantially adjacent to each of the one or more indicators, wherein each detector is adapted to detect a presence of a game accessory in proximity to the detector;   a main control unit adapted to receive data indicating a presence of a game accessory in proximity to each of the detectors;   a memory communicably connected to the main control unit, wherein the memory stores one or more routines;   wherein the main control unit is further adapted to:
 wirelessly communicate with a mobile device executing a software application adapted to communicate with the main control unit; 
 execute a selected routine defining a sequence of activation of the indicators in the platform; and 
 communicate, to the mobile device, results data relating to a degree of correspondence between the detection of the presence of a game accessory in proximity to the detector and the activation of the indicators in the platform; and 
   wherein the selected routine defines a sequence of activation of the indicators that causes at least two indicators to provide different indications, wherein a detection of the presence of a game accessory in proximity to a detector associated with an indicator having a first indication results in a different scoring impact than a detection of the presence of the game accessory in proximity to a detector associated with an indicator having a second indication.   
     
     
         11 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the main control unit is further adapted to wirelessly link to the software application using a short-range wireless connection to authenticate a mobile device. 
     
     
         12 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the main control unit is adapted to receive one or more routines from the software application. 
     
     
         13 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the software application is adapted to communicate with at least one remote server to obtain the one or more routines. 
     
     
         14 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the software application is adapted to enable a user to generate the one or more routines. 
     
     
         15 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the software application is adapted to transmit the results data to a remote server for at least one of storage or analysis. 
     
     
         16 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the selected routine is selected in response to one or more commands from the software application identifying the selected routine. 
     
     
         17 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the identification of the selected routine identifies the selected routine from a plurality of available routines stored on one of a memory connected to the main control unit or the mobile device in wireless communication with the main control unit. 
     
     
         18 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the selected routine is selected from a subset of the plurality of available routines, with the subset of available routines identified based on a set of parameters selected by a user. 
     
     
         19 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the selected routine is selected from a subset of the plurality of available routines, with the subset of available routines identified based on a configuration of the platform identified by the main control unit. 
     
     
         20 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the main control unit is adapted to detect a configuration of the platform based at least in part, on data contained in data frames received from the plurality of detectors.