Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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INTROVUCTION ANI) L)ES(~I~IPTION l)F THE. PRIOK AI~T
In the Northern Latitude~ lhe need to ~et vi~orous. en joyable exercise in
mid-winler has given rise to several fascinatillg sports, the toremost of these being ice-
hockey. A key component of the game is the approach to. and defellse of. the net: net-
minding is commonly performed by a human goal-keeper, but the present invention adds
to the enjoyment of hockey players at all levels by providing a comprehensive
replacement for the human ~oal-keeper t`or practice or play si~uations.
Although some attempts have been made to provide a limited type of goal-
keeper replacement in the past. the technolo~y then available provided only a few usa~e
options, even with a great deal of complicated equipment. For instance, U.S. palent
#3.970,310 specifies a set of panels that are illuminated tor a set amount of time. and
which set off a buzzer, and show a score, if a panel is slruck while lil. The mech.lllism lo
re~ister a hit on any panel includes a mechanically-movable direcl current comlect. an
electromagnet, a spring, and a path in an electric rotor device which controls the timing of
the illumination. scorin~. and ma~net. Canadian patent #1.175,458 has only a single
targel, an(l must use a complex system ot solenoi(l and springs lo register lhe distance of
movement of a target struck by a puck in order to provide feedback to the player of how
fast the puck was travellin~. And even at that. oniy incremellls of every lwenly miles per
hour ~40/60/80/10()) are available due to the mechanical nature of the syslem. Both this
and the above patent require substantial battery power. enou~h to move physical objects
and mechanical electroma~netic devices, adding to the weight and cost of the device.
In contrast, the present inventioll uses a microprocessor to control
illumination and to di~itally process the information provided at ~he impact poh~t by
piezo-electric transducers. These transducers are elements with an asymmetric crystalline
structure capable of convertin~ a mechanical (volumetric) change into an electric
potentinl. Thus Ihe impucl of a puck will produce, through the trnnslucer. an electnc
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potellthll which will he re(l(l by lhe micloproce~isor. ~iincc Ihc ampliludc (11 Ihe cl-clric
potential will be proportional to ~he l`orce of imp;lct readill~ oi ~I~e ~pee(l ol ~hc ~-uel; cn
be installtly provided. The ~pectral content of lh~ electric sign.ll will lell how hatd the
impacting object was: thus lhe micloprocessor will know if the target panel has been
struck by a puck or by some other object. And silllple triangulatioll t~chni~luc~ in Ihe
microprocessor can use the information provided by more than one transducer to
determine the exact location of the impact.
The order and lengths of time for illumination of the target arcas, also
microprocessor-controlled in the present invention, can be varied for a wide range Or
situations In an actual game the illumination of target panels woul(l be likely set to
random; but depelldin~ on the ~kill-level of the playcrs~ thc dllr.llion ol lhc lil sl.llc would
vary~ trom a l`raction of a secon(l to several second~i. And in practice situalions. a
particular pattern of lighting would provide repetitive practice t`or particular shots: again
with the option of dift`erellt illulllinalion time length~.
An optional display panel can show the int`ormation available in the
microprocessor immediately afler a shot. or at a later time if memory modules are
provided in the microprocessor. This information includes whether (and how often) the
device has been stmck. whether and how often a target has been struck while illuminated~
what the location and velocity of each puck-strike was. and whether an object other than a
puck has struck the device. For example a player's elbow or stick would n(-t trip the
signal. Naturally, if this information is made audible or visual immediately atter the
impact, i~ can be tabulated in a number of ways that would he usefill a~ feedback either in
a game or practice situation.
Mechanically, the invente(l device consists of a fralne with planar panels
to serve as targets. Behind the panels are a number of lamps which can be illumillated in
any combination to indicate active target areas. Piezo-electric transducers are positioned
behind and touching the panels, to register the vibration wavec from an impact.
208~2~
.~ince piczo-electric ~ralls(lucers and microprocessors char.lcteristically
draw very little power relative to e~rlier technolo~ie~s that perl`orme(l similar~ albcit more
limited, functit)ns, the current invenlion will require less power th.ln the prior ~Irt, an-l will
therefore be cheaper to manufactllre and run. As well. an operator control panel will
allow the user to choose t`rom amonf~ ~he various proZ~ramme(l fealures
An object of the present invention is to provide a device for autom.ltically
minding an ice-hockey net, the device comprising: (a) a vertical planar area; (b) a
plurality of tar~et areas within the planar area: (c) means to indicate to a hockey player or
other user that one or more tar~et areas are active, that is. are to be struck with a puck: (d)
e~ectric pick-up means communicatin~ with the active areas to ascertain whethcr an
active target area has been struck with an object, including a pus~k: and (e) means to
si~nal that such a strike has occurred.
It is also an object to provide t`or such a device which includes as well a
microprocessor, which will choose which tar~et areas are aclive at a given time. proce~ss
intormation provided by the electric pick-up means. and signal when strikes haveoccurred.
It i~i also an object lo provide for such a device in which the electric pick-
up means ascertains characteristics of the strike includin~ ~speed and hardness of the
striking object and exact loca~ion of the strike. and t`urther in which means exists to si~nal
some or all of these characteristics to a user.
It is aiso an object to provi(le an automatic ~oal-tendin~ device for ice-
hockey. designed for both play and practice. which chooses and indicates to the hockey
players active planar areas within a ~oal-mouth that are to be aime(l for, sigllals when a
strike has occurred a~ainst such an area discerns whether a hockey puck was the strikin~
object~ and, if so, what velocity it struck with; this device comprisin~: (a) a regulation
hockey ~oal t`rame. or other sur port stmc~ture: (b) backin~ ot` planar plywood or other
similar stiff planar substance. sized approximately to fit withhl the ~oal mouth of the
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I`rame or to be aft`ixed to other support structure: (c) target areas oi planar plexiglass or
o~her transparent stil'f har(l substance al'fixed in frol~t of the backing: (d) an~i-vibratioll
mounts at`fixed between the perhneter of ~he target areas and the backillg; (e) one piezo-
electric transducer communicating with each target area; (f) illuminating lighls for each
target area, to be on when an area is active; thal is. when an area is to be aimed l`or; (g) a
microprocessor, situated in a housing behind the backing, electrically ccnnected to each
piezo-electric transducer and each illuminating light; the microprocessor using pre-
programmed data and electrical int`ormation f`rom the trans(lucers to accomplish the
actions of choosing, hldicating, signalling. and discerning described earlier in this
paragraph; and (h) power to run the microprocessor. transdllcers. and ligh~s fiom n b.lltery
or other electric source.
It is also an object to provide t`or such a device hl which: (i) the
microprocessor can be user-accessed to allow lhe user to choose amollg various pre-
programmed functions: (ii) the user can choose times of activation ol target areas al leasi
from the group consisting of: long, and short; and can choose sequences of activation of
tar~et areas at least from the group consisting of: random and pre-selected: (iii) the
microprocessor controls an electrical display for communicating the characteristics of a
strike, including the velocity of a strikin~ puck; (iv) the microprocessor has a memory
and can record characteristics of a strike; said characteristics being accessed by a u~er
either immediately or at a later time.
Finally, it is an object to provide for such a device in which each piezo-
electric transducer is connected to a signal conditioning unit to give the electrical si~nal
from the transducer a desired voltage, current, phase. envelope, or other characteristic;
and also connected to a signal sampling unit. to transform the electrical signal to a digitai
format; and connected also to a central signal multiplexor. to combine the signals in a
pre-programmed manner; and further in which the multiplexor is connected to the
microprocessor. an(l in which the microprocessor is connected to lamp and horn drivers
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which drive indivi(Jual lamp~i and horn~ lo convey micro-processe(l inlonnation to users
l)ETAILED DESCRIPT ION OF THE INVENTION
l~or this description. refer to the followillg diagrams. wherein like
numerals reter to like parts:
Figure 1, an example of the invented goalkeeper, front elevation;
Figure 2, invented goalkeeper, side elevation: and
Figure 3, impact signal path through microproce~ssor tor the invented
goalkeeper, block diagram.
Referring to Figure 1, an example of the invented goalkeeper is indicated
at l(); goal trame 12 surrounds transparent panels 14, here shown nine in numher(although more or less could equally well be used). These panels 14 are constnJcted of a
break-resistant plastic, such as plexiglass. Illumination li~hts 16 will be lit when a panel
14 is chosen by the microprocessor 2(~ (shown in gho~;t lines on Figure 2). Anti-vibra~ion
mounts 18, seen on Figure I behind the perimeter of each panel 14, ensure that there is
minimal mechanical transmission of energy from one panel 14 to another or *om the
frame 12 or backing 17 to the panels 14. Plywood backing 17 is painted white to show the
lit area~ and is seen in Figure I through transparent panels 14: backing 17 supports Ihe
other elements (backing 17 is also shown end-on in Figure 2.) Piezo-electric transducers
19. shown in Figure I placed centrally on each panel 14. pick up mechanical evidence of
impact (of a puck or o~her object; object~ not shown) and translate it to an electrical
current~ which is fed to microprocessor 2() inside protective housing 22. as seen on Figure
2; the housing 22 is constructed of sturdy wood or suitable similar strong substance.
Battery 24 may sit inside. or. as shown, outside housing 22.
In a variation, not shown, only one sheet of plexi~lass or other hard
material. such as a plastic-laminated wood. will comprise the entire target surface: a small
nurnber of sensors, say four piezo-electric tMnsducers, will be distributed over the area;
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and oplionally a larger number of lil areas will he defined. say twenty-two. Thlls the
~Ji microprocessor in this case will trian, ul.lte the impact information t`rom Ihe sens~lrs. even
if ~hey are not in the illuminated tar~et area, and correctly discern alld optionally displ.ly
f~ the characteristics of the hit.
Block diagram in(Jicate(l at 3() in Figure 3 lollows th~ .si~nal resul~in~ from
a puck (or other object) impact through various stages: naturally all the possihilities
inherent in processing the signal are not intended to be covered by this dia~ram.
Nonetheless, it may be helpful to conceptualize the signal as proceedin~ from any numher
of sensors such as piezo-electric transducers 31, (shown as 31 A? 31 B, and so forth, up to
whatever number desi~ned) to signal conditioning 33 (a~ain. 33A. 33B. and so forth)
which will give the signal a desired voltage, current, phase, envelope, or otherf,f characteristic; then lo signal sampling 35 (35A, 35B, and so forth) which will transform
the signal to a digital format: then to signal multiplexor 36. which will comhine the
signals in a pre-programlned manner. dependen~ t`or example on the physical distribution
of the transdueers in the target areas. After this the microprocessor 37 will analyze the
information provided digilally from multiplexor ~i6 and. in comparison with pre-progMmmed information including the plaeement of the transdueers. the mass and
hardness of a puck, and the expected signal resulting from an impact of such a puck in a
ran~e of velocities. will compute further inf~rrnation and execute certain actions.
ineluding aetivating lamp and horn drivers 3X. This aetivntion could include specific
detailed int`ormation to be displayed on the lamps. such as speed of impact. place o1
impact, score, and so forth. Finally, step 39 generally indicates lhat individual lamps and
horn will be lit and blown, respeetively. (Lamps and horn are not shown dia~ramatically~.
~, As will be evident to those skilled in the art. the automatic ~oal-keeeper
deseribed above may be easily reprogMmmed for use in broomball, streethockey, lacrosse
or the like.
Note thal it the mieroproeeisor 37 conlnins memory (not indieated) and it
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appropriately progralnmed, movement of the signal to lamp and horn (Jrivers ~ may
- occur at a laler timc, optionally user-choosahle: in other words Ihe inlormatioll--or
selected palts of the int`ormation--pro(lucelJ in microprocessor ~7 coukl he store(l and
retrieved when needed.
,. The foregoing is by example only. and the scope ot` the invention ~houkl
be limited only by the appended claims.
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