AUTOMATED BALL GAME TRAINING AND PLAYING SYSTEM

• US 20070129180A1
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Levy
• Original Assignee: Avery Levy
• Inventors: Levy, Avery
• Granted Patent: US 7,361,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/415
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/001 Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/023 Wound springs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/70 Coin-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/002 Devices for dispensing balls, e.g. from a reservoir automatic teeing devices A63B57/0006; devices for projecting balls A63B69/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 5/11 Trampolines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball

Abstract

A ball game system for training and/or play comprising one or more playing areas suitably large to accommodate running and jumping players each playing area including adjacent surface areas forming a court and having distinctly different properties, such as a first surface suitable for bouncing a ball and a second surface comprised of a deformable elastic material. The system includes an automatic ball feeder and sensors for monitoring the positions and trajectories of one or more players and/or balls on the court. Options include visual displays and/or audio outputs reflective of player performance, and payment-driven operation of the system components, including a means for adjusting the degree of rebound provided by the deformable elastic surface(s).

Claims

1. A ball game system, comprising:

a plurality of playing areas each defined by a respective planar playing surface including a surface adjacent one or more deformable elastic surfaces, each playing area including a hoop dimensioned to receive a ball disposed at an elevated position proximate an end of the respective planar playing surface, each of said respective planar surface being part of a single large planar surface, and the playing areas are further defined by a means for sectioning the single larger planar surface;

means for receiving a payment;

means for adjusting the elasticity provided by the one or more deformable elastic surfaces;

means for controlling the elasticity adjusting means in response to the payment received;

a ball feeder for delivering a ball to a point above the planar playing surface, the delivery controlled by the control means in response to the payment received, the ball feeder allowing selection of ball delivery speed and allowing delivery along a trajectory above the playing surface, wherein the ball feeder includes a ball counter outputting to the control means the number of balls delivered, and wherein the payment entitles a player to a predetermined playing time and a predetermined number of balls delivered from the ball feeder;

a ball collector for conveying balls passing through the hoop to the ball feeder; and

a plurality of sensors outputting to the control means position and trajectory information related to one or more moving players and ball above the planar surface, wherein the control means creates an output responsive to the movement of the one or more players and ball, and wherein the output comprises an indication of player metrics, and wherein the player metrics are presented in relation to a particular deformable elastic surface elasticity.

2. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the sectioning means is a vertical divider preventing the one or more players and ball from entering a different playing area.

3. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of playing areas comprises two contiguous playing areas each having its respective hoop at an end opposite the sectioning means between the respective playing areas.

4. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein each said respective planar surface is adjacent to at least one other planar surface.

5. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the payment is made by one of the following means:

tokens, credits, cash, credit cards and arcade type cards.

6. The ball game system of claim 1, further comprising padding disposed about the perimeter of each of the one or more deformable elastic surfaces.

7. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the deformable elastic surfaces have shapes selected from the group consisting of squares, rectangles, triangles, circles, ellipsoids, trapezoids, hexagons, and octagons.

8. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more of deformable elastic surfaces comprise trampolines, each including a flexible fabric to which is connected about the perimeter of the flexible fabric a plurality of springs providing elastic forces resisting deformation of the flexible fabric; and

the elasticity adjusting means comprises a plurality of hydraulic pistons controllably engaging the plurality of springs so as to oppose the resistive force provided by the plurality of springs.

9. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the elasticity adjusting means further comprises:

one or more pressurizable chambers disposed below each of the deformable elastic surfaces;

pumping means for adjustably pressurizing the chambers to a pressure such that the deformation of the deformable elastic surfaces is resisted; and

pressure releasing means for adjustably returning the one or more chambers to atmospheric pressure.

10. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the ball collector comprises netting disposed circumferentially below the hoop and forming a channel of sufficient diameter to accommodate the balls passing through the hoop.

11. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the ball collector is composed of a segment of flexible polymeric material disposed circumferentially below the hoop and forming a channel of sufficient diameter to accommodate the balls passing through the hoop.

12. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors outputs player differentiation information.

13. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the position and trajectory information includes a vertical height measured from the planar surface to a player jumping from the planar surface.

14. The ball game system of claim 1, further comprising a scoring sensor outputting an indicator to the control means that a ball has passed through the hoop.

15. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the sensors output information related to blocked attempts to place the ball through the hoop.

16. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the metrics consist of one or more metrics selected from the group consisting of:

height jumped, number of jumps, average jump height hang time, number of successful slams, distance from hoop, hoop angle, score, percentage successful slams, percentage successful blocks, and average number of successful slams in per time unit.

17. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the player metrics are presented in relation to a specified time period.

18. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the output comprises sounds responsive to the measured performance of the one or more players.

19. The ball game system of claim 18, wherein the sounds comprise simulated crowd noises.

20. The ball game system of claim 18, wherein the sounds comprise training instructions.

21. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the control means output represents a comparison of the respective performance of one or more players in one of the plurality of playing areas to the respective performance of one or more players in another one of the plurality of playing areas, as indicated by the position and trajectory information measured by the plurality of sensors.

22. The ball game system of claim 1, further comprising a camera controlled by the control means for recording activity occurring on the playing surface.

23. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the hoop position is adjustable.

24. The ball game system of claim 1, wherein the backboard position is adjustable.

25. The ball game system of claim 1, further comprising means for controlling usage of the hoop in response to the payment(s) received, wherein the usage control means comprises one or more mechanism(s) for adjusting the position of each hoop so as to remove it from play.

26. The ball game system of claim 25,

further comprising a backboard disposed at an elevated position proximate the hoop;

and

wherein the usage control means comprises one or more mechanism(s) for adjusting the position of each backboard so as to remove it from play.

27. A ball game system, comprising:

a plurality of playing areas each defined by a respective planar playing surface, each playing area including a hoop dimensioned to receive a ball and disposed at an elevated position proximate an end of the respective planar playing surface;

means for receiving a payment; and

means for controlling usage of the hoop and playing areas in response to the payment(s) received, wherein the usage control means comprises one or more mechanism(s) for adjusting the position of each hoop so as to remove it from play.

28. The ball game system of claim 27,

further comprising, in each playing area, a backboard disposed at an elevated position proximate the respective hoop;

and

wherein the usage control means comprises one or more mechanism(s) for adjusting the position of each backboard so as to remove it from play.

29. A ball game system, comprising:

a planar playing surface;

a hoop dimensioned to receive a ball and disposed at an elevated position proximate an end of the playing surface;

a plurality of sensors outputting position and trajectory information with respect to one or more players and balls above the planar surface;

means for receiving a payment;

means for controlling the operation of the sensors and receiving the position and trajectory information with which the control means creates an output indicative of the motion of the one or more players and ball in response to the payment received; and

a ball feeder for delivering balls to points above the planar playing surface.

30. The ball game system of claim 29, further comprising a second hoop dimensioned to receive the ball and disposed at an elevated position proximate an opposite end of the playing surface.

31. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the payment is made by one of the following means:

tokens, credits, cash, credit cards and arcade-type cards.

32. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the control means controls the delivery of the balls from the ball feeder in response to the payment received.

33. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the payment entitles the one or more players to a predetermined number of balls delivered from the ball feeder.

34. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the payment entitles a player to a predetermined playing time.

35. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the ball feeder allows selection of ball delivery speeds.

36. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the ball feeder allows selection of ball delivery trajectories above the planar playing surface.

37. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the ball feeder includes a ball counter outputting to the control means the number of balls delivered.

38. The ball game system of claim 29, further comprising a ball collector for conveying balls passing through the hoop to the ball feeder.

39. The ball game system of claim 38, wherein the ball collector comprises netting disposed circumferentially below the hoop and forming a channel of sufficient diameter to accommodate balls passing through the hoop.

40. The ball game system of claim 38, wherein the ball collector is composed of a segment of flexible polymeric material disposed circumferentially below the hoop and forming a channel of sufficient diameter to accommodate the balls passing through the hoop.

41. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the planar playing surface comprises a resilient surface adjacent one or more deformable elastic surfaces.

42. The ball game system of claim 41, further comprising padding disposed about the perimeter of the one or more deformable elastic surfaces.

43. The ball game system of claim 41, wherein the deformable elastic surfaces exhibit shapes selected from the croup consisting of squares, rectangles, triangles, circles, ellipsoids, trapezoids, hexagons, and octagons.

44. The ball game system of claim 41, further comprising means for adjusting the elasticity provided by the one or more deformable elastic surfaces.

45. The ball game system of claim 44, wherein the control means controls the elasticity adjusting means in response to the payment received.

46. The ball game system of claim 41, wherein:

the one or more of deformable elastic surfaces comprise trampolines, each including a flexible fabric to which is connected about the perimeter of the flexible fabric a plurality of springs providing elastic forces resisting deformation of the flexible fabric; and

the elasticity adjusting means comprises a plurality of hydraulic pistons controllably engaging the plurality of springs so as to reduce the resistive force provided by the plurality of springs.

47. The ball game system of claim 44, wherein the elasticity adjusting means further comprises:

one or more pressurizable chambers disposed below each of the deformable elastic surfaces;

pumping means for adjustably pressurizing the chambers to a pressure such that the deformation of the deformable elastic surfaces is resisted; and

pressure releasing means for adjustably returning the one or more chambers to atmospheric pressure.

48. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein one or more of each plurality of sensors outputs player differentiation information.

49. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the position and trajectory information includes a vertical height measured from the planar surface to a player jumping from the planar surface.

50. The ball game system of claim 29, further comprising a scoring sensor outputting an indicator to the control means that a ball has passed through the hoop.

51. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the sensors output information related to blocked attempts to place the balls through the hoop.

52. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the control means output comprises a visual display of player metrics for each of one or more players above the planar playing surfaces.

53. The ball game system of claim 52, wherein the player metrics consist of one or more metrics selected from the group consisting of:

vertical height jumped, number of jumps, average jump height, hang time, number of successful slams, distance from hoop, hoop angle, score, percentage successful slams, percentage successful blocks, and average number of successful slams in per time unit.

54. The ball game system of claim 52, wherein the player metrics are presented in relation to a specified time period.

55. The ball game system of claim 52, wherein the player metrics are presented in relation to a particular deformable elastic surface elasticity.

56. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the control means output comprises sounds responsive to the performance of the one or more players, as indicated by the position and trajectory information measured by the plurality of sensors.

57. The ball game system of claim 56, wherein the sounds comprise simulated crowd noises.

58. The ball game system of claim 56, wherein the sounds comprise training instructions.

59. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the control means output represents a comparison of the respective performance of a first group of one or more players to the respective performance of a second group of one or more players on the planar playing surface, as indicated by the position and trajectory information measured by the plurality of sensors in each respective playing area.

60. The ball game system of claim 29, wherein the hoop position is adjustable.

61. The ball game system of claim 29, further comprising a backboard at an elevated position proximate the hoop, the position of the backboard being adjustable.

62. The ball game system of claim 29, further comprising a camera controlled by the control means for recording activity occurring on the playing surface.

63. The ball game system of claim 29, further comprising means for controlling usage of the hoop in response to the payment(s) received, wherein the usage control means comprises one or more mechanism(s) for adjusting the position of each hoop so as to remove it from play.

64. The ball game system of claim 63,

further comprising a backboard disposed at an elevated position proximate the hoop;

and

wherein the usage control means comprises one or more mechanism(s) for adjusting the position of each backboard so as to remove it from play.