IP Library › Granted Patent US 12708819

Granted Patent B1

US 12708819 · App. 18/792,092 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Ball return system and device

Inventors: Johnny Hargrove (Council Bluffs, IA); Reza Gholi Mirghahari (Cordova, TN)

Assignee: GLOBAL SOCCER LLC

A63B47/021 A63B43/00 A63B2047/022

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12708819
App. No.: 18/792,092
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B1

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

The device and system for returning a ball drives the ball to a return location. The ball communicates with a return device that identifies the return location to which the ball will travel. The return device transmits a wireless signal to the ball identifying the return location. Actuators, such as motors, within the ball rotate drive wheels that drive the ball. The drive wheels contact an inner surface of the ball and direct the ball to the return location. A guidance system within the ball operates the wheels to drive the ball to the return location.

Claims (59)

1 . A system for returning a ball to a return location, the system comprising:

a first drive wheel positioned within the ball, wherein the first drive wheel rotates in a first direction;

a second drive wheel positioned within the ball, wherein the second drive wheel rotates in a second direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction;

a drive system that drives the first drive wheel to rotate in the first direction and drives the second drive wheel in the second direction;

a first motor of the drive system, wherein the first motor drives the first drive wheel.

2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a guidance system that instructs operation of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel, wherein the guidance system instructs the drive system to drive the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel drive the ball through reaction torque without contacting an interior of the ball.

4 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a return device that communicates with a guidance system, wherein the return device instructs the guidance system of the return location.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the return device transmits a GPS location to the guidance system.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the GPS location is a location at which the return device is currently located.

7 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the return device transmits a return signal to the guidance system, wherein the guidance system directs the ball toward the return signal from the return device.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel contact an interior of the ball to drive the ball.

9 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a housing located within the ball, wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are connected to the housing;

a first pair of drive wheels that rotate in the first direction, wherein the first drive wheel is a drive wheel of the first pair of drive wheels;

a second pair of drive wheels that rotate in the first direction, wherein the first pair of drive wheels that rotate in the first direction axially align with the second pair of drive wheels that rotate in the first direction;

a first pair of drive wheels that rotate in the second direction, wherein the second drive wheel is a drive wheel of the second pair of drive wheels;

a second pair of drive wheels that rotate in the second direction, wherein the first pair of drive wheels that rotate in the second direction axially align with the second pair of drive wheels that rotate in the second direction.

10 . The system of claim 9 further comprising:

an attachment point located on the housing between the first pair of drive wheels that rotate in the first direction, wherein the first pair of drive wheels that rotate in the first direction attach to the attachment point;

wherein suspensions secure the first pair of drive wheels that rotate in the first direction to the attachment point.

11 . A system for returning a ball to a return location, the system comprising:

a first drive wheel positioned within the ball, wherein the first drive wheel rotates along a first axis;

a second drive wheel positioned within the ball, wherein the second drive wheel rotates along a second axis, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis;

a drive system that drives the first drive wheel to rotate along the first axis and drives the second drive wheel to rotate along the second axis;

a return device that communicates with a guidance system, wherein the return device instructs the guidance system of the return location.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the return device transmits a GPS location to the guidance system.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the GPS location is a location at which the return device is currently located.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the return device transmits a return signal to the guidance system, wherein the guidance system directs the ball toward the return signal from the return device.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel contact an interior of the ball to drive the ball.

16 . The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a third drive wheel positioned within the ball, wherein the third drive wheel rotates along a third axis;

wherein the first axis is an x-axis;

wherein the second axis is a y-axis;

wherein the third axis is a z-axis;

wherein the first drive wheel, the second drive wheel, and the third drive wheel drive the ball through reaction torque without contacting an interior of the ball.

17 . A system for returning a ball to a return location, the system comprising:

a first drive wheel positioned within the ball, wherein the first drive wheel rotates along a first axis;

a second drive wheel positioned within the ball, wherein the second drive wheel rotates along a second axis, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis;

a drive system that drives the first drive wheel to rotate along the first axis and drives the second drive wheel to rotate along the second axis;

a return device that communicates with a guidance system, wherein the return device instructs the guidance system of the return location to which the drive system drives the ball; and

a housing positioned centrally within the ball, wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are connected to the housing.

18 . The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a first pair of drive wheels that rotate in the first direction, wherein the first drive wheel is a drive wheel of the first pair of drive wheels;

a first pair of drive wheels that rotate in the second direction, wherein the second drive wheel is a drive wheel of the second pair of drive wheels;

wherein the first pair and the second pair of drive wheels that rotate in the first direction and the first pair and the second pair of drive wheels that rotate in the second direction position the housing centrally in the ball.

19 . The system of claim 17 further comprising:

further comprising:

a third drive wheel positioned within the ball, wherein the third drive wheel rotates along a third axis;

wherein the first axis is an x-axis;

wherein the second axis is a y-axis;

wherein the third axis is a z-axis;

wherein the first drive wheel, the second drive wheel, and the third drive wheel drive the ball through reaction torque without contacting an interior of the ball.

20 . The system of claim 19 further comprising:

a first elastic support and a second elastic support securing the housing to an interior of the ball, wherein the first elastic support and the second elastic support suspend the housing within the ball.