Paintball device and method of use

Abstract

The present invention discloses a device and method for wireless communication between a paintball marker or gun and it's associated paintball loading device. This wireless communication, whether bidirectional or unidirectional, allows for the transmission of “load” commands and various other useful information between the paintball marker and the paintball feeding device. When the “load” command, which is much more responsive than the “passive” communication found in the prior art, is wirelessly received by the paintball feeding device, the paintball feeding device loads a singular or plurality of paintballs into the paintball marker of appropriate conduit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A paintball device comprising:
 a) a paintball marker or gun (“marker”) with a circuit board, a wireless transceiver and trigger each electronically connected to said marker circuit board, said marker including electronic tagging information; 
 b) a paintball loading device (“loader”) which is physically attached to the marker, said loader having a wireless transceiver but not otherwise electronically connected to said marker, said loader further having a circuit board; 
 c) a means in which the marker can wirelessly transmit information to the loader which the loader may act upon, and cause paintballs to be loaded into the marker, said means including software in said marker circuit board that, when said marker circuit board receives an input, sends an output to said marker transceiver reflecting at least one or more paintballs, and said marker transceiver adapted to broadcast at least one signal including at least information representing said number and said marker tagging information, and said loader transceiver adapted to receive said at least one broadcast signal, and said loader circuit board being programmed to process any broadcast signal including said marker tagging information to cause said number of paintballs to be loaded into said marker, and to ignore any broadcast signal that does not include said marker tagging information. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1  wherein the wireless transmission is digital, analog or optical. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said output reflecting at least one or more paintballs is a desired rate of fire for said marker. 
     
     
       4. A paintball device, comprising:
 a paintball marker; 
 a paintball loader connected to said marker; 
 wherein said marker has a trigger electronically connected to an internal electronic circuit board, said circuit board programmed with a number of shots to be fired for each trigger activation, said circuit board further having transceiver integrated therein and tagging information identifying a relationship between said marker and said loader, said marker circuit board adapted to accept an electronic input representing a trigger activation and send one or more signals based on said electronic input to said marker transceiver reflecting at least said number, and 
 wherein said loader has a motor for feeding paintballs and an internal electronic circuit board with an integrated transceiver, said loader circuit board programmed to recognize said tagging information of said marker, and said loader having tagging information identifying a relationship between said loader and said marker, 
 wherein said marker transceiver is adapted to broadcast at least one signal that represents said number and includes said marker tagging information, 
 wherein said loader transceiver is adapted to receive over-the-air signals including said at least one broadcast signal, said loader circuit board being adapted to accept and process signals having said marker tagging information and to ignore at least some signals that do not have said marker tagging information, and to act on said at least one broadcast signal from said marker so that said motor feeds said number of paintballs. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said loader transceiver is adapted to broadcast at least one acknowledgment signal that acknowledges said at least one broadcast signal from said marker and includes said loader tagging information, and wherein said marker transceiver is adapted to receive said at least one acknowledgment signal. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said marker circuit board programming includes software to determine a number of paintball shots to be fired for each trigger activation. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said marker tagging information is information identifying said marker. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said marker includes a solenoid and the output of said solenoid causes said marker to fire, and wherein said circuit board is adapted to send one or more signals to said solenoid based on said electronic input so as to fire one or more paintballs. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said marker tagging information and said loader tagging information are at least substantially identical. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said marker tagging information is an address reflecting said marker and said loader tagging information is an address reflecting said loader. 
     
     
       11. A method comprising:
 providing a paintball marker having an internal circuit board and a solenoid, said solenoid for controlling firing of said marker; 
 providing a paintball loader having an internal circuit board; 
 establishing tagging information identifying a relationship between said marker and said loader, and providing said tagging information to said marker and loader; 
 when said marker circuit board receives a firing input signal, said circuit board of said marker sends a first output of one or more signals to said marker solenoid to fire a number of paintballs from said marker, and a second output of one or more signals and indicating said number of paintballs is sent to said marker transceiver; 
 broadcasting a first signal from said marker transceiver, said first signal including tagging information and information regarding said second output; 
 receiving one or more broadcast signals including said first signal by said loader transceiver; 
 analyzing said broadcast signals by said loader circuit board to determine whether said tagging information is present, and process any signals including said first signal that includes said tagging information, resulting in feeding said number of paintballs toward or into said marker. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising broadcasting a second signal from said loader transceiver, said second signal including said tagging information and information regarding said processing of said first signal. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  whereby the entire process for operation of the paintball device may be started, aborted, or repeated at any point throughout the marker's firing cycle. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  whereby the entire process may be started, completed, or aborted a plurality of times per singular firing cycle. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12  whereby wireless signal initiation is from a transceiver wired among the primary paintball marker circuit board(s) or the paintball marker's solenoid(s). 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving said second signal by said marker transceiver, wherein said marker transceiver analyzes said second signal for said tagging information, and processes said second signal. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said marker circuit board sends said second output. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said second output is an output of said solenoid. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second outputs occur substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said second output occurs prior to said first output. 
     
     
       21. A paintball system, comprising:
 a paintball marker having a trigger electronically connected to an electronic circuit board, said circuit board programmable with a number of shots to fire for each trigger activation, said marker further having a wireless transmitting component and tagging information identifying said marker;   a paintball loader connected to said marker, said loader having a receiving component, a motor for feeding paintballs and an electronic circuit board, said loader programmed to recognize said marker tagging information,   wherein said transmitting component is adapted to transmit at least one signal following activation of said trigger that represents a number of paintballs fired by the activation of said trigger and said marker tagging information,   wherein the receiving component is adapted to receive said at least one signal, and said loader is adapted to recognize said marker tagging information and instruct said motor to feed said number of paintballs based on the signal.    
     
     
       22. The paintball system of claim 21, wherein said transmitting component is at least one of a transceiver and a transmitter.  
     
     
       23. The paintball system of claim 21, wherein said receiving component is at least one of a transceiver and a receiver.  
     
     
       24. The paintball system of claim 21, wherein said transmitting component is a part of said marker circuit board.  
     
     
       25. The paintball system of claim 21, wherein said receiving component is a part of said loader circuit board.  
     
     
       26. A paintball device comprising:
 a paintball marker with a circuit, a wireless transmitting component and trigger each electronically connected to said marker circuit, said marker including electronic tagging information;   wherein when said marker circuit receives an input from said trigger, said marker circuit sends an output to said marker transmitting component reflecting operational data of said marker, and said marker transmitting component adapted to transmit at least one signal including at least information representing said operational data and said marker tagging information.    
     
     
       27. The paintball device of claim 26, wherein at least one of said circuit and said transmitting component is part of a circuit board.  
     
     
       28. The paintball device of claim 26, further comprising a loader that is physically attached to the marker, said loader having a circuit and a wireless receiving component.  
     
     
       29. The paintball device of claim 28, wherein said receiving component is at least one of a receiver and transceiver.  
     
     
       30. The paintball device of claim 26, wherein said transmitting component is at least one of a transmitter and transceiver.  
     
     
       31. The paintball device of claim 26, wherein said operational data includes at least an indication of a number of paintballs fired resulting from a particular activation of said trigger.