Methods, devices, and systems for facilitating the officiating of a baseball game and a lacrosse game

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods, devices, and systems for facilitating a baseball game and a lacrosse game. According to one embodiment, a mobile device is disclosed for facilitating an official of a lacrosse game. The mobile device is configured for receiving a reset shot clock to change of possession selection via a user interface; upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession selection via the user interface, transmitting a reset shot clock to change of possession device message via a wireless transceiver to an access point; receiving a reset shot clock to change of possession access point acknowledgment message from the access point; and upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession access point acknowledgment message, momentarily activating the haptic feedback device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile device for facilitating an official of a lacrosse game, the mobile device comprising:
 a processor;   a memory electrically coupled with the processor;   a user interface electrically coupled with the processor;   a haptic feedback device electrically coupled with the processor; and   a wireless transceiver electrically coupled with the processor, wherein the processor is configured for:
 receiving a reset shot clock to change of possession selection via the user interface; 
 upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession selection via the user interface, transmitting a reset shot clock to change of possession device message via the wireless transceiver to an access point; 
 receiving a reset shot clock to change of possession access point acknowledgment message from the access point; 
 upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession access point acknowledgment message, momentarily activating the haptic feedback device, wherein: 
 the access point is electrically coupled with a scoreboard controller; and 
 the access point is configured for at least one of:
 resetting a shot clock timer on the scoreboard controller to a change of possession time interval upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession device message; and 
 resetting a shot clock timer within the access point to a change of possession time interval upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession device message; 
 
 receiving a check-for-failure-to-advance-midfield message from the access point; and 
 momentarily activating the haptic feedback device upon receiving the check-for-failure-to-advance-midfield message, wherein the check-for-failure-to-advance-midfield message is transmitted from the access point based on a first shot clock elapsed time interval after receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession device message. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user interface includes a reset shot clock to change of possession momentary switch;   the processor is further configured for receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession selection via the reset shot clock to change of possession momentary switch; and   the reset shot clock to change of possession momentary switch is positioned on a bottom side portion of the mobile device.   
     
     
         3 . The mobile device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the change of possession time interval is eighty seconds for a men's league change of possession clock time requirement; and   the first shot clock elapsed time interval is twenty seconds.   
     
     
         4 . The mobile device of  claim 2 , wherein the change of possession time interval is ninety seconds for a women's league change of possession clock time requirement. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
 receiving a reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession selection via the user interface;   upon receiving the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession selection via the user interface, transmitting a reset shot clock to offensive rebound device message via the wireless transceiver to the access point;   receiving a reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession access point acknowledgment message from the access point; and   upon receiving the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession access point acknowledgment message, momentarily activating the haptic feedback device, wherein the access point is further configured for at least one of:
 resetting the shot clock timer on the scoreboard controller to an offensive rebound possession time interval upon receiving the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession device message; and 
 resetting the shot clock timer within the access point to an offensive rebound possession time interval upon receiving the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession device message. 
   
     
     
         6 . The mobile device of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the user interface includes a reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession momentary switch;   the processor is further configured for receiving the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession selection via the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession momentary switch; and   the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession time interval momentary switch is positioned on a left side portion of the mobile device.   
     
     
         7 . The mobile device of  claim 6 , wherein the offensive rebound possession time interval is sixty seconds for a league offensive rebound possession clock time requirement. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile device of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
 receiving a stop shot clock selection via the user interface;   upon receiving the stop shot clock selection via the user interface, transmitting a stop shot clock device message via the wireless transceiver to the access point;   receiving a stop shot clock access point acknowledgment message from the access point; and   upon receiving the stop shot clock access point acknowledgment message, momentarily activating the haptic feedback device, wherein the access point is further configured for at least one of:
 stopping the shot clock timer on the scoreboard controller upon receiving the stop shot clock device message; and 
 stopping the shot clock timer within the access point upon receiving the stop shot clock device message. 
   
     
     
         9 . The mobile device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the user interface includes a stop shot clock momentary switch;   the processor is further configured for receiving the stop shot clock selection via the stop shot clock momentary switch; and   the stop shot clock momentary switch is positioned on a top side portion of the mobile device.   
     
     
         10 . The mobile device of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
 receiving a start shot clock selection via the user interface;   upon receiving the start shot clock selection via the user interface, transmitting a start shot clock device message via the wireless transceiver to the access point;   receiving a start shot clock access point acknowledgment message from the access point; and   upon receiving the start shot clock access point acknowledgment message, momentarily activating the haptic feedback device, wherein the access point is further configured for at least one of:
 starting the shot clock timer on the scoreboard controller upon receiving the start shot clock device message; and 
 starting the shot clock timer within the access point upon receiving the start shot clock device message. 
   
     
     
         11 . The mobile device of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the user interface includes a start shot clock momentary switch;   the processor is further configured for receiving the start shot clock selection via the start shot clock momentary switch; and   the start shot clock momentary switch is positioned on a right side portion of the mobile device.   
     
     
         12 . An access point for facilitating a plurality of officials of a lacrosse game, the access point comprising:
 a processor;   a memory electrically coupled with the processor;   a user interface electrically coupled with the processor;   a scoreboard controller interface electrically coupled with the processor; and   a wireless transceiver electrically coupled with the processor, wherein:
 the wireless transceiver is configured for transmitting and receiving signals from a plurality of mobile devices operated by the plurality of officials; and 
 the processor is configured for:
 receiving a reset shot clock to change of possession device message via the wireless transceiver from any one of the plurality of mobile devices; 
 upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession device message from any one of the plurality of mobile devices, transmitting a reset shot clock to change of possession access point acknowledgment message via the wireless transceiver to the plurality of mobile devices, wherein each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices is configured for momentarily activating a haptic feedback device upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession access point acknowledgment message; 
 receiving a reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession device message via the wireless transceiver from any one of the plurality of mobile devices; and 
 upon receiving the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession device message from any one of the plurality of mobile devices, transmitting a reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession access point acknowledgment message via the wireless transceiver to the plurality of mobile devices, wherein each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices is configured for momentarily activating a haptic feedback device upon receiving the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession access point acknowledgment message. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The access point of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the processor is further configured for at least one of:
 resetting a shot clock timer on a scoreboard controller via the scoreboard controller interface to a change of possession time interval upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession device message; and 
 resetting a shot clock timer within the access point to change of possession time interval upon receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession device message; and 
   the processor is further configured for at least one of:
 resetting a shot clock timer on the scoreboard controller via the scoreboard controller interface to a offensive rebound possession time interval upon receiving the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession device message; and 
 resetting a shot clock timer within the access point to an offensive rebound possession time interval time interval upon receiving the reset shot clock to offensive rebound possession time interval device message. 
   
     
     
         14 . The access point of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the change of possession time interval is eighty seconds for a men's league change of possession clock time requirement; and   the offensive rebound possession time interval is sixty seconds for a men's league offensive rebound possession clock time requirement.   
     
     
         15 . The access point of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the change of possession time interval is ninety seconds for a women's league change of possession clock time requirement; and   the offensive rebound possession time interval is sixty seconds for a womens's league offensive rebound possession clock time requirement.   
     
     
         16 . The access point of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the processor is further configured for at least one of:
 determining a first shot clock elapsed time interval via the shot clock timer within the access point after receiving the reset shot clock to change of possession device message; and 
 determining a first shot clock elapsed time interval upon receiving a check-for-failure-to-advance-midfield scoreboard message from the scoreboard controller interface; 
   and   the processor is further configured for transmitting a check-for-failure-to-advance-midfield message to the plurality of mobile devices, wherein each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices is configured for momentarily activating a haptic feedback device upon receiving the check-for-failure-to-advance-midfield device message.   
     
     
         17 . The access point of  claim 16 , wherein the first shot clock elapsed time interval is twenty seconds. 
     
     
         18 . The access point of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for at least one of:
 stopping the shot clock timer on the scoreboard controller via the scoreboard controller interface upon receiving a stop shot clock device message via the wireless transceiver from any one of the plurality of mobile devices; and   stopping the shot clock timer within the access point upon receiving the stop shot clock device message via the wireless transceiver from any one of the plurality of mobile devices.   
     
     
         19 . The access point of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured for at least one of:
 starting the shot clock timer on the scoreboard controller via the scoreboard controller interface upon receiving a start shot clock device message via the wireless transceiver from any one of the plurality of mobile devices; and   starting the shot clock timer within the access point upon receiving the start shot clock device message via the wireless transceiver from any one of the plurality of mobile devices.   
     
     
         20 . The access point of  claim 12 , wherein the wireless transceiver is a wide-band direct sequence spread spectrum (WBDSSS) wireless transceiver.