Automatic basketball game having scoring indicator and time limitation

• US 4,013,292 A
• Filed: 09/22/1975
• Issued: 03/22/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shoot The Hoops Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shoot The Hoops Incorporated
• Inventors: Cohen, Monroe, Dorothea, Gale
• Primary Examiner(s): Lowe, Delbert B.
• Application Number:
  US05/615,876
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 194/9 T, 273/1 E, 273/26 C, 273/29 A, 273/95 R, 273/95 D, 273/101.1, 273/101.2, 273/102.2 R, 273/85 R, 273/102.1 G, 273/201, 273/11 C, 273/30, 272/65
• US Class Current: 273/371
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/001 Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/14 Coin operated
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0204 Targets therefor for ball games A63B63/00

Abstract

A basketball game having a coin operated switch to release basketballs to a player and to initiate a timing circuit. The player attempts to convert as many baskets as possible during the time interval of the game. The basketball hoop has means to indicate when a score has been made. Visual display means are provided to indicate the score made, the time interval remaining in which the player can attempt to score and the number of successively won games. In one embodiment, the game ends when the time interval expires. In another embodiment, the game ends when the time interval expires or when a predetermined number of balls have been thrown, whichever occurs first. Solid state circuits may reset the game for free rounds of play and control the dispensing of prize tickets as a function of the game score and of the number of successively won games.

Claims

1. For use with a game wherein balls are dispensed to a player who attempts to win the game by throwing a certain number of balls into a target area, a control system comprising:

a. a token-operated switch for producing a start pulse upon insertion of a token;

b. a countdown clock for producing a time over signal at the end of a fixed time period, said clock comprising;

i. a multistage counter for providing a signal at a predetermined count,

ii. a pulse source for applying a stream of pulses to said multistage counter, and

iii. a clock control circuit having a first input, a second input from said multistage counter and a third input, said circuit being adapted to enable said pulse source in response to a signal on said first input and to disable said pulse source in response to a signal on said second input or a signal on said third input, whichever is first to occur;

c. a thrown-ball sensing subsystem for counting the number of balls actually thrown by the player to generate a third signal to be applied to said clock control circuit when a predetermined number of balls have been counted;

d. a score subsystem for registering the number of balls entering the target area, said score subsystem including an output terminal for carrying a win-indicating output signal;

e. a logic gate connected to said output terminal and to said thrown-ball sensing subsystem and responsive to a win-indicating output signal or to a predetermined thrown-ball count, whichever is first to occur, to inhibit any further registration of balls entering the target area; and

f. a game sequence subsystem connected to said thrown-ball sensing subsystem and to said countdown clock, said subsystem being responsive to a predetermined thrown-ball count or to the time-over signal, whichever is first to occur, to reset the game, said game sequence subsystem further including;

i. start logic connected to said token-operated switch and responsive to a start pulse to reset said ball sensing subsystem, and

ii. game sequence logic connected to said countdown clock and responsive to a start pulse to generate the pulse source enabling first signal at the end of a time delay period sufficient to permit delivery of the balls to the player.

2. A control system for a game as recited in claim 1 further including reset logic connected to the output terminal of said score subsystem and to said start logic, said reset logic being responsive to a win-indicating output signal to apply a start pulse to said start logic.

3. A control system for a game as recited in claim 2 further including:

a. a win score counter for counting the successive win-indicating output signals appearing on the output terminal of said score subsystem; and

b. game-limiting logic circuits connected to said win score counter and responsive to a predetermined count therein to disable said reset logic thereby limiting the number of free games available to a player.

4. For use with a game wherein balls are dispensed to a player who attempts to win each game by throwing a certain number of balls into a target area, a control system for ticket dispensers comprising:

a. a score subsystem for registering the number of balls entering the target area, said score subsystem including;

i. a ball detecting means for producing a score signal each time a ball enters the target area;

ii. A counter having an input from said ball detecting means and outputs representing different scores attainable within a game, one of said outputs carrying a win-indicating signal;

b. a win-score counter connected to the win-indicating output of said score subsystem for counting the number of successive win-indicating output signals;

c. ticket dispenser control logic connected to said score subsystem and to said win-score counter for producing dispenser-actuating output signals as a function of the score attained in the most recent game and of the number of successively won games; and

d. mode select circuitry for permitting an operator to inhibit any output from said ticket dispenser control logic.

5. A control system for ticket dispensers as recited in claim 4 wherein said multistage counter further comprises:

a. a multistage binary counter consisting of series-connected flip-flops, the first of which is coupled to said ball detecting means; and

b. a decoder having inputs from said binary counter and outputs representing the decimal equivalents of the contents of said binary counter.

6. A control system for ticket dispensers as recited in claim 5 wherein said ticket dispenser control logic further includes bonus ticket dispenser control logic comprising:

a. a pulse source for applying a stream of dispense pulses to a ticket dispenser;

b. logic circuitry for enabling said pulse source upon each win and for disabling said pulse source after generation of different numbers of pulses depending upon the number of games won in succession.

7. A control system for ticket dispensers as recited in claim 6 wherein said logic circuitry further comprises:

a. a multistage counter having output leads representing different counts in a repetitive counting cycle;

b. a plurality of AND gates, each having an input representing a different number of successively won games and an input from a different one of the output leads of said multistage counter.

c. A bistable element having a set input from said win score counter, a clear input from said plurality of AND gates and outputs to said pulse source and to said multistage counter, said bistable element being set by a win-indicating signal to enable said pulse source and said multistage counter and being reset to disable said pulse source and said multistage counter at different counts from said multistage counter, the number of counts being a function of the number of successively won games.

8. For use with a game wherein balls are dispensed to a player who attempts to win each game by throwing a certain number of balls into a target area, a control system comprising:

a. means for resetting the game at the end of a predetermined time period or when a predetermined number of balls have been thrown, whichever is first to occur;

b. means connected to the resetting means for registering the number of balls entering the target area prior to the operation of said resetting means to provide a game score;

c. means connected to said registering means for counting the number of successive games during each of which a predetermined score was attained; and

d. means connected to said counting means and to said registering means and responsive to the score attained during the most recent game and to the count in said counting means to actuate coupon dispensers.