IP Library Patent Application 18500995
Patent Application
App. No. 18/500,995

Systems and Methods for Determining Ball-Throwing Machine Operability

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
18/500,995
Abstract

A computerized method for determining an operability status of a ball-throwing machine is disclosed. The computerized method includes operations of obtaining data from operational sensors of the ball-throwing machine collected during operation thereof, and determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine from the collected data. The operational sensors may be disposed on the ball-throwing machine. Operation of the ball-throwing machine includes performance of a series of ball-launch sequences resulting in launching a series of balls according to a training program. The ball-throwing machine may include one or more launch wheels configured to launch one or more balls by imparting motion thereto, a frame to which the one or more launch wheels are coupled, and a control circuit configured to control the one or more launch wheels and including a processor.

Claims (44)

1 . A computerized method for determining an operability status of a ball-throwing machine, the computerized method comprising:

obtaining data from the one or more operational sensors collected during operation of the ball-throwing machine, wherein the one or more operational sensors are disposed on the ball-throwing machine, wherein the operation of the ball-throwing machine includes performance of a series of ball-launch sequences resulting in launching a series of balls in accordance with a training program, and wherein the ball-throwing machine includes:

one or more launch wheels configured to launch one or more balls by imparting motion thereto,

a frame to which the one or more launch wheels are coupled, and

a control circuit configured to control the one or more launch wheels; and

determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine from the data collected by the one or more operational sensors.

2 . The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein the performance of a first ball-launch sequence includes a motor of the ball-throwing machine spinning the one or more launch wheels at a spin rate configured to impart motion to a first ball at a specified speed.

3 . The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operational sensors include at least one of an accelerometer configured to detect vibration data, a microphone configured to detect audio data, a temperature sensor configured to detect ambient temperature of the control circuit, or a current sensor configured to detect current drawn by at least a first launch wheel.

4 . The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine includes analyzing the collected data resulting in detection of a variability in the collected data, and detecting whether the variability in the collected data is consistent with an expected variability based on the training program.

5 . The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine includes parsing the collected data into segments based on a variability in the collected data.

6 . The computerized method of claim 5 , wherein determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine further includes comparing the segments of the collected data to signatures of known actions comprising the training program, and detecting whether a time-based ordering of the segments is consistent with an expected set of actions based on the training program.

7 . The computerized method of claim 1 , wherein the operations further include:

generating an alert indicating that the ball-throwing machine is operating abnormally, and

causing display of the alert on a display of a network device.

8 . A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

obtaining data from one or more operational sensors collected during operation of an ball-throwing machine, wherein the one or more operational sensors are disposed on the ball-throwing machine, wherein the operation of the ball-throwing machine includes performance of a series of ball-launch sequences resulting in launching a series of balls in accordance with a training program, and wherein the ball-throwing machine includes:

one or more launch wheels configured to launch one or more balls by imparting motion thereto,

a frame to which the one or more launch wheels are coupled, and

a control circuit configured to control the one or more launch wheels; and

determining an operability status of the ball-throwing machine from the data collected by the one or more operational sensors.

9 . The computerized method of claim 8 , wherein the performance of a first ball-launch sequence includes a motor of the ball-throwing machine spinning the one or more launch wheels at a spin rate configured to impart motion to a first ball at a specified speed.

10 . The computerized method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more operational sensors include at least one of an accelerometer configured to detect vibration data, a microphone configured to detect audio data, a temperature sensor configured to detect ambient temperature of the control circuit, or a current sensor configured to detect current drawn by at least a first launch wheel.

11 . The computerized method of claim 8 , wherein determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine includes analyzing the collected data resulting in detection of a variability in the collected data, and detecting whether the variability in the collected data is consistent with an expected variability based on the training program.

12 . The computerized method of claim 8 , wherein determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine includes parsing the collected data into segments based on a variability in the collected data.

13 . The computerized method of claim 12 , wherein determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine further includes comparing the segments of the collected data to signatures of known actions comprising the training program, and detecting whether a time-based ordering of the segments is consistent with an expected set of actions based on the training program.

14 . The computerized method of claim 8 , wherein the operations further include:

generating an alert indicating that the ball-throwing machine is operating abnormally, and

causing display of the alert on a display of a network device.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

obtaining data from the one or more operational sensors collected during operation of the ball-throwing machine, wherein the one or more operational sensors are disposed on the ball-throwing machine, wherein the operation of the ball-throwing machine includes performance of a series of ball-launch sequences resulting in launching a series of balls in accordance with a training program, and wherein the ball-throwing machine includes:

one or more launch wheels configured to launch one or more balls by imparting motion thereto,

a frame to which the one or more launch wheels are coupled, and

a control circuit configured to control the one or more launch wheels; and

determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine from the data collected by the one or more operational sensors.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the performance of a first ball-launch sequence includes a motor of the ball-throwing machine spinning the one or more launch wheels at a spin rate configured to impart motion to a first ball at a specified speed.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more operational sensors include at least one of an accelerometer configured to detect vibration data, a microphone configured to detect audio data, a temperature sensor configured to detect ambient temperature of the control circuit, or a current sensor configured to detect current drawn by at least a first launch wheel.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine includes analyzing the collected data resulting in detection of a variability in the collected data, and detecting whether the variability in the collected data is consistent with an expected variability based on the training program.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine includes parsing the collected data into segments based on a variability in the collected data, and

wherein determining the operability status of the ball-throwing machine further includes comparing the segments of the collected data to signatures of known actions comprising the training program, and detecting whether a time-based ordering of the segments is consistent with an expected set of actions based on the training program.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further include:

generating an alert indicating that the ball-throwing machine is operating abnormally, and

causing display of the alert on a display of a network device.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2025
From: TOCA FOOTBALL, INC.
To: ACP REDSTONE CREDIT, LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 073327/0558 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2025
From: TOCA FOOTBALL, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 070019/0032 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2023
From: RAPP, WAYNE MORTON; BAKER, LINDON ALFORD; GROS, RICHARD ALAN; MURPHY, DANIEL TAYLOR
To: TOCA FOOTBALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 065490/0579 →