Ball throwing machine and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A soccer ball throwing device comprising:
- a hopper configured to hold a plurality of soccer balls;
a ball delivery device configured to receive the soccer balls from the hopper, the ball delivery device comprising;
one or more wheels configured to impart motion to one of the soccer balls, anda frame attached to the one or more wheels, wherein the frame is positionable to control a trajectory of the ball;
a ball delivery control circuit configured to control the position of the frame and the speed of the one or more wheels; and
a controller in communication with the ball delivery control circuit, the controller comprising one or more processors configured to at least;
cause the soccer ball throwing device to perform an initial training program that comprises a set of one or more ball trapping drills, wherein the controller causes the soccer ball throwing device to pitch one or more of the soccer balls to a player during said one or more ball trapping drills, enabling the player to practice trapping the ball and thereby improve ball control skills;
receive player training data, the player training data comprising information regarding training of the player performed during the initial training program, the player training data being received by one or more of the following;
user input into a user interface, the user input indicating whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls;
oruser voice input received and electronically converted by voice recognition techniques into an indication of whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls;
submit the player training data from the controller over a network to a soccer network application along with a request for feedback from a remote coach through the soccer network application; and
in response to said submission of the training session data, receive a customized training program from the coach via the soccer network application, the customized training program comprising one or more second drills to be executed by the soccer ball throwing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A ball throwing machine can include a hopper for receiving one or more balls and a ball delivery device. The ball delivery device can be used to throw or pitch a ball from the hopper to a user of the machine. The ball delivery device can include wheels to impart speed to the ball and a direction system to control the projection angle of the ball. The direction system can control at least one of the up and down angle and the side to side angle of the ball as it is thrown, among possibly other throwing parameters. A controller may be provided for controlling operation of the ball throwing machine.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A soccer ball throwing device comprising:
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a hopper configured to hold a plurality of soccer balls; a ball delivery device configured to receive the soccer balls from the hopper, the ball delivery device comprising; one or more wheels configured to impart motion to one of the soccer balls, and a frame attached to the one or more wheels, wherein the frame is positionable to control a trajectory of the ball; a ball delivery control circuit configured to control the position of the frame and the speed of the one or more wheels; and a controller in communication with the ball delivery control circuit, the controller comprising one or more processors configured to at least; cause the soccer ball throwing device to perform an initial training program that comprises a set of one or more ball trapping drills, wherein the controller causes the soccer ball throwing device to pitch one or more of the soccer balls to a player during said one or more ball trapping drills, enabling the player to practice trapping the ball and thereby improve ball control skills; receive player training data, the player training data comprising information regarding training of the player performed during the initial training program, the player training data being received by one or more of the following; user input into a user interface, the user input indicating whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls;
oruser voice input received and electronically converted by voice recognition techniques into an indication of whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls; submit the player training data from the controller over a network to a soccer network application along with a request for feedback from a remote coach through the soccer network application; and in response to said submission of the training session data, receive a customized training program from the coach via the soccer network application, the customized training program comprising one or more second drills to be executed by the soccer ball throwing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of controlling a soccer ball throwing device, the method comprising:
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providing a soccer ball throwing device comprising; a hopper configured to hold a plurality of soccer balls, a ball delivery device configured to receive the soccer balls from the hopper, the ball delivery device comprising; one or more wheels configured to impart motion to one of the soccer balls, and a frame attached to the one or more wheels, wherein the frame is positionable to control a trajectory of the ball, and a ball delivery control circuit configured to control the position of the frame and the speed of the one or more wheels; communicating with the soccer ball throwing device via a controller comprising computer hardware; causing the soccer ball throwing device, with the controller, to perform an initial training program that comprises a set of one or more ball trapping drills, wherein the controller causes the soccer ball throwing device to pitch one or more balls to a player during said one or more ball trapping drills, enabling the player to practice trapping the ball and thereby improve ball control skills; receiving player training data, the player training data comprising information regarding training of the player performed during the initial training program, said receiving comprising receiving one or more of the following; user input into a user interface, the user input indicating whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls;
oruser voice input received and electronically converted by voice recognition techniques into an indication of whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls; submitting the player training data from the controller over a network to a soccer network application along with a request for feedback from a remote coach through the soccer network application; and in response to said submitting the training session data, receiving a customized training program from the coach via the soccer network application, the customized training program comprising one or more second drills to be executed by the soccer ball throwing device; wherein said method is implemented by one or more physical processors. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method of controlling a soccer ball throwing device, the method comprising:
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establishing communication between a soccer ball throwing device and a controller comprising computer hardware; causing the soccer ball throwing device, with the controller, to perform an initial training program that comprises a set of one or more ball trapping drills, wherein the controller causes the soccer ball throwing device to pitch balls to a player during said one or more ball trapping drills, enabling the player to practice trapping the balls and thereby improve ball control skills; receiving player training data, the player training data comprising information regarding training of the player performed during the initial training program, said receiving comprising receiving one or more of the following; user input into a user interface, the user input indicating whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls;
oruser voice input received and electronically converted by voice recognition techniques into an indication of whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls; submitting the player training data from the controller over a network to a soccer network application along with a request for feedback from a remote coach through the soccer network application; and in response to said submitting the training session data, receiving a customized training program from the coach via the soccer network application, the customized training program comprising one or more second drills to be executed by the soccer ball throwing device; wherein said method is implemented by one or more physical processors. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for controlling a ball throwing device, the system comprising
a ball machine control module configured to: -
cause a soccer ball throwing device to perform an initial training program that comprises a set of one or more ball trapping drills, wherein the ball machine control module causes the soccer ball throwing device to pitch balls to a player during said one or more ball trapping drills, enabling the player to practice trapping the balls and thereby improve ball control skills; and a training module implemented in one or more processors, the training module configured to; receive player training data, the player training data comprising information regarding training of the player performed during the initial training program, the player training data being received by one or more of the following; user input into a user interface, the user input indicating whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls;
oruser voice input received and electronically converted by voice recognition techniques into an indication of whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls; electronically submit the player training data over a network to a soccer network application along with a request for feedback from a remote coach through the soccer network application, and in response to said electronically submitting the training session data, receive a customized training program from the coach via the soccer network application, the customized training program comprising processor-executable instructions related to one or more second drills to be executed by the soccer ball throwing device; wherein the ball machine control module is further configured to automatically cause the soccer ball throwing device to execute the one or more second drills responsive to the processor-executable instructions. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. Non-transitory physical computer storage comprising instructions stored therein for implementing, in one or more processors, a system for controlling a ball throwing device, the system comprising:
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a ball machine control module configured to cause a soccer ball throwing device to perform an initial training program that comprises a set of one or more ball trapping drills, wherein the ball machine control module causes the soccer ball throwing device to pitch balls to a player during said one or more ball trapping drills, enabling the player to practice trapping the balls and thereby improve ball control skills; and a training module configured to receive player training data, the player training data comprising information regarding training of the player performed during the initial training program, the player training data being received from one or more of the following; user input into a user interface, the user input indicating whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls;
oruser voice input received and electronically converted by voice recognition techniques into an indication of whether the player successfully trapped one or more of the balls; wherein the training module is further configured to electronically submit the player training data over a network to a soccer network application along with a request for feedback from a remote coach through the soccer network application, and in response to said submitting the training session data, receive a customized training program from the coach via the soccer network application, the customized training program comprising one or more second drills to be executed by the soccer ball throwing device.
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Specification