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 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An interactive training apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of platform components, each platform component configured to interconnect with at least one of the other platform components to form a planar playing surface of the interactive training apparatus, wherein each of the platform components comprises a plurality of interactive targets, each interactive target comprising:
 one or more visual indicators; and 
 a detector configured to detect a presence of a game accessory in proximity to the detector; 
   a main control unit; and   one or more memory units storing instructions that, when executed by the main control unit, cause the main control unit to perform operations comprising:
 receiving data frames from the interactive targets of the plurality of platform components; 
 determining a quantity of detectors in an interconnected set of platform components based on data contained in the data frames; and 
 executing a selected routine of a plurality of routines stored in the one or more memory units based at least in part on the determined quantity of detectors, wherein the selected routine defines a sequence of activation of the visual indicators in the interconnected set of platform components. 
   
     
     
         22 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein each particular interactive target comprises a microcontroller unit configured to control activation and deactivation of the one or more visual indicators of the particular interactive target. 
     
     
         23 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein each platform component comprises an interconnection mechanism along one edge of the platform component, the interconnection mechanism configured to physically couple the platform component to an adjacent platform component. 
     
     
         24 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the interconnection mechanism comprises a plurality of tabs and a plurality of slots. 
     
     
         25 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the interconnection mechanism comprises a physical cable interconnection that provides an electrical connection between the platform component and the adjacent platform component. 
     
     
         26 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 wirelessly communicating with a software application installed on a mobile device;   receiving an identification of a particular routine from a subset of available routines identified based at least in part on the determined quantity of detectors;   sending one or more scores to the software application; and   sending performance data to the software application.   
     
     
         27 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein
 the detectors in the plurality of platform components communicate with the main control unit via at least one communication bus; or   the detectors in the plurality of platform components communicate with the main control unit via a daisy chain configuration.   
     
     
         28 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein:
 each of the detectors comprises one of a reed switch or a hall effect sensor; and   the game accessory comprises an embedded magnet.   
     
     
         29 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the game accessory comprises an embedded radio frequency identification chip or an embedded near field communication chip; and   each of the detectors is configured to detect the radio frequency identification chip or the embedded near field communication chip.   
     
     
         30 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 21 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving data identifying a sequence and timing of the detector detecting a presence of the game accessory in proximity to the detector during execution of the selected routine; and   storing data relating to a degree of correspondence between the identified sequence and timing of the detection of the presence of the game accessory in proximity to the detector and the sequence of activation of the indicators in the interconnected set of platform components.   
     
     
         31 . An interactive training apparatus comprising:
 a platform comprising a planar playing surface of the interactive training apparatus;   a plurality of interactive targets embedded in the planar playing surface, each interactive target comprising:
 one or more visual indicators; and 
 a detector configured to detect a presence of a game accessory in proximity to the detector; 
   a wireless module configured to transmit and receive wireless signals;   a main control unit; and   one or more memory units storing instructions that, when executed by the main control unit, cause the main control unit to perform operations comprising:
 receiving data indicating a presence of the game accessory in proximity to one or more of the interactive targets; 
 wirelessly communicating with a software application executed on a mobile device using the wireless module; 
 executing a routine defining a sequence of activation of the visual indicators; and 
 communicating using the wireless module, to the software application executed on a mobile device, results data relating to a degree of correspondence between the detection of the presence of the game accessory in proximity to the one or more interactive targets and the activation of the visual indicators. 
   
     
     
         32 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 31 , the operations further comprising wirelessly linking to the software application using a short-range wireless connection to authenticate the mobile device. 
     
     
         33 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein wirelessly communicating with the software application executed on the mobile device comprises utilizing Bluetooth. 
     
     
         34 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein wirelessly communicating with the software application executed on the mobile device comprises utilizing WiFi. 
     
     
         35 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 31 , the operations further comprising wirelessly communicating, with the software application using the wireless module, a current configuration of the interactive training apparatus, the current configuration indicating a number of interconnected platform components forming the planar playing surface. 
     
     
         36 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 35 , the operations further comprising wirelessly communicating, with the software application using the wireless module, a status of whether the platform components are properly interconnected to one another. 
     
     
         37 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the routine defining the sequence of activation of the visual indicators is received from the software application. 
     
     
         38 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 31 , the operations further comprising receiving data frames from the plurality of interactive targets. 
     
     
         39 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 38 , the operations further comprising determining a quantity of detectors in an interconnected set of platform components based on data contained in the data frames. 
     
     
         40 . The interactive training apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the routine defining the sequence of activation of the visual indicators is based on the determined quantity of detectors.