Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02414439 2002-12-11
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to game balls and, more particularly,
recreational sport balls having clocks or timers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In many sports activities, timing or counts can be important. For example,
in a professional basketball game, officials have a shot clock that provides a
specific amount of time for the offensive team to take a shot. In recreational
basketball games, often times participants wish to simulate the shot clock.
Similarly, in recreational football games, often a "pass rusher" counts off a
number of seconds prior to rushing the passer to simulate the time a
professional
quarterback would have to stand in, for example, the pocket prior to throwing
a
pass.
In some case, such as the basketball shot clock, timers can be used off the
court. Alternatively, the basketball hoop can be modified to incorporate a
timer
that resets after each basket. However, even simple timers require equipment
to
be attached to the basket or carried from court to court. This is difficult as
conventional timers are relatively non-portable. Thus, it would be desirous to
provide a ball with a clock or timer to perform these and other functions of
timers.
24 SUM1VIARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention
will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred
embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Further, the advantages and purpose of the invention will be realized and
attained .
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CA 02414439 2002-12-11
by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
To attain the advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the
invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, balls having a timer
integrated into the ball are provided. The balls also have a sound generator.
The
timer is capable of measuring at Ieast one time period and the sound generator
can provide a sound indicating the end of the at least one time period.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a
part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention,
and
together with the description, serve to explain the principles thereof. Like
items
in the drawings are referred to using the same numerical reference.
FIG. 1 shows a game ball having a timer in accordance with a possible
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows another game ball having a timer in accordance with a
possible embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 3 shows a possible control panel 30 in accordance with the present
invention;
FIGS. 4A and 4B show possible cross-sectional views of control panel 30;
FIG. 5 shows another possible control panel SO in accordance with the
present invention; arid
FIGS. 6A and 6B show possible cross-sectional views of control panel 50.
DETAILED DESCRIFTiON
Some embodiments of the present invention are described with reference
to FIGS. 1 and 2. In particular, FIG. 1 shows a basketball I O having a timer
12,
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CA 02414439 2002-12-11
a control panel 14, and a sound generator 16. Not specifically shown,
basketball
would also have a power source, which could be any conventional power
source, such as, for example, conventional double A or triple A batteries.
Basketball 10 can be ariy type of basketball, such as, for example, a NBA
5 regulation basketball, other conventional basketballs, or other basketballs,
such
as a foam ball (like a NERF~ ball), synthetic leather balls, plastic balls,
etc.
Timer 12 could be a conventional clock circuit, a microprocessor, a microchip,
or other type of device capable of measuring time or counts. Control panel 14
could be simply a reset device for the timer to reset the timer for the next
period.
10 However, control panel 14, which will be explained in more detail below, is
not
necessary. Sound generator 16 could be a microprocessor, microchip, or other
device capable of generating sound. Generally, sound generator 16 would have a
speaker (not specifically shown) associated with it that could be mounted on
the
control panel 14 or elsewhere on the ball. Further, sound generator could be
more complex, such as a voice synthesizer, or less complex, such as a buzzer.
Also, while timer 12 and sound generator 16 are shown separately for
convenience, they could be combined into a single unit. Similarly, FIG. 2
shows
a football 20 having a timer 22, a control panel 24, and a sound generator 26.
While the present invention is shown incorporated into a basketball and
football,
one of ordinary skill in the art on reading the disclosure would understand
that
other balls could be used.
Further, while FIGS: 1 and 2 shoe the timer, sound generator, and/or
control panel on one side of the game ball, it is possible to arrange the
pieces
along a geometric axis of the ball for proper weight and balance of the ball.
In
other words, the speaker and timer may be on one side of the ball, the power
source (not shown) close to the center, and the access port (also not shown)
to
the power source on the opposite side of the speaker. Further, it is better to
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CA 02414439 2002-12-11
__
place the equipment as close to the geometric center of the ball as possible,
again
for weight and balance. To the extent the timer, sound generator, and/or
control
panel cause weight and balance issues with the ball, those issues can be
corrected
with a sufficient counter balance.
In operation, a player would reset the timer 12, which will be further
explained in conjunction with the control panel description below, at the
start of
the desired count period. The timer 12 would begin counting, in this case,
seconds until the shot clock period expires. At the end of the time period,
the
timer would send a signal to sound generator I6 that would generate a sound,
such as a buzzer, indicating the end of the period. In more complex
arrangements, the timer 12 could send a signal to sound generator 15 that
causes
sound generator 16 to make audible all or some portion of the countdown
period,
i.e:, sound generator I6 could produce a 10, 9, 8, . . . countdown to the end
of the
period. The count down could be a voice synthesis countdown or simply clicks
that start at the 10 second point (or some other point such as 5 second).
Moreover, the countdown could be a combination of clicks or voice synthesis,
such as a verbal I0, 9, 8 . . . and a buzzer at zero.
For a "pass rush" application in football, it may be desirable to provide a
random feature to the timer 22 to simulate, for example, a blitz. In other
words,
the timer 22 may be capable of counting several periods, and each actuation of
the counting, which will be explained in more detail below, caused timer 22 to
randomly select various time periods. To provide the random feature, a
randomize could be integrated into timer 22 or provided separately (not shown
in
the drawings). In one example, the timer 22 may be able to selectively count
between a 5 second normal rush period; a 3 second speed rush, and a I second
blitz rush. Other time periods, of course, could be possible: Thus, on each
actuation of the timer 22, the actual period prior to rushing would be
unknown,
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CA 02414439 2002-12-11
.,
which would further simulate an actual football game. Also, as one of ordinary
skill in the art would recognize on reading the disclosure, the random feature
of
timer 22 could be a pure randomizer or, alternatively, it could be based some
predetermined pattern.
After the count period, if the game ball has a control panel, the player can
reset the timer I2 to being the next period. Alternatively, the timer could
simply
being the next period after the end of the previous period without need for a
reset. If the timer 12 did not get reset, but rather started counting the next
period
at the end of the pervious period, the entire control panel could be
eliminated if
desired. Instead of a manual reset on a control panel, a reset device could be
mounted in, for example, the basketball hoop that would automatically reset
the
timer I2 when the basketball comes within a predetermined distance of the
reset
device. Alternatively, a remote control style device could be used to reset
the
timer 12. Also, the timer I2 could be voice- activated by commands such as,
for
example, start, stop, shot, etc. to start, stop, or even pause the timer
period. If
voice actuation is employed, it may be desirous to use a microphone, which
could be mounted on the control panel or elsewhere.
FIG. 3 shows a possible control panel 30 for timer or clock. As explained
above, the.features of control panel 30 are not necessary for the present
invention. Generally; control panel 3p may have a reset 34 and a count period
select 36. . Control panel 3Q may also have a display ,3.2. If a display is
used, the
display could receive a signal from the time to display the current tizrie,
the time
.period select length (i.e., 24 second shot clock, 5 second rush count, etc.)
Also,
depending on the application, the display may be configured tp count up or
down
with the timer.
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the reset 34 and count period select 36
could either be raised or depressed. In order to inhibit inadvertent resets
andlor
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CA 02414439 2002-12-11
count period selections, a protective cover could be implemented (not shown)
to
cover the reset 34 and count period select 36. In this ease, actuating reset
34
would reset the timer 12 to the beginning of the count period. Similarly,
actuating count period select 36 would cycle through the available choices in
the
count period. For example, the count period could be originally set for 24
seconds, but include options for count periods of 30, 32, and I5 seconds
(notice
the period length is arbitrary and a matter of design or customer choice).
Actuating count period select 36 could cycle the count period between the
various choices. In other words, the first time count period select 36 is
actuated,
the count period would change from 24 seconds to 30 seconds, the second time
to
32 seconds, the third time to 15 seconds and the fourth time back to 24
seconds,
etc. A display 32 would facilitate the selection by displaying the count
period
length on the display each time the count period select 36 is actuated.
FIG. 5 shows another possible control panel 5Q. Control panel 50 has a
display 52, a reset 54, and a count period select 56. In this case, reset 54
and
count period select 56 have more of a slide actuation than a press 'actuation.
One
advantage of the slide actuation is that the count period select 56 could have
predefined spats on the slide to select time periods instead of cycling
through
time periods. In other words, count period select 56 could have 5 predefined
positions for time period, such as, a first position for 15 seconds, a second
position far, 24 seconds, ete. As one of ordinary skill in the art would
reccagnize
on reading the disclosure, resets 34 and 54 arid count period selects 36 and
56
could be any style of actuator. Mor.eaver, resets and count period selects
could
be the same.or different types of actuators.
The above reset and count period select controls are described in relation
to simply single action style actuators or switches with multiple presets. It
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CA 02414439 2002-12-11
would be possible to incorporate a keyboard into the control panels. The
keyboard could be a conventional alpha, numeric or alphanumeric keyboard.
As one of skill in the art would recognize on reading this disclosure, while
the timers 12 and 22, and sound generators I6 and 26 are shown mounted
internal to the balls I0 and 20, they could be mounted on the surface of the
balls.
Moreover, the timers and sound generators could be incorporated into the
control
panel. Alternatively, the control panels 14 and 24 could be removed and the
timers 12 and 22, and sound generators 16 and Z6 could mounted on the surface
or internal to the balls 10 and 20.
If a control panel is not used, timers I2 and 22 and sound generators I6
and 26 could be preset to particular counts periods and sounds or preset to
random count periods and sounds, etc. Alternatively, a receiver (not shown)
could be incorporated into the balls to receive control signals from a remote
control device. The remote control device would operate similar to the control
panels 30 and 50 discussed above.. The timers and sound generators could also
respond to proximity. signals (such as a reset for the shot clock when the
shot is
close to the.basket), or motion detectors (such as the pass rush counting
beginning on the snap motion). In other words, many types of control schemes
are possible using the present invention, but only a few illustrative examples
are
given.
For actuation of the timer one particular embodiment of the invention
includes a target area oi- strike surface; not shown. Using football 20 as ari
example, a player using the football 20 would snap the football 20 into his
palm,
hitting the target or strike surface. The snap and abrupt stop would cause
timer
22 to begin counting a timer period. The time period counted could be preset
to,
for example, a 5 mississippi count so that each actuation produces a 5
mississippi
time period, a random mississippi count so that each actuation produces a
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,,
random mississippi count between predetermined counts (i.e., a random 0 to 10
mississippi count), or a cycling mississippi count so that the mississippi
count
depends on what point in the cycle the user actuates the timer.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with
reference to some embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled
in
the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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