IP Library Granted Patent US 12,465,841
Granted Patent B2
US 12,465,841 · App. 17/947,147 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Basketball architecture

Inventor: Kevin J. Brody (Brecksville, OH)
A63B71/0605A63B24/0021A63B63/083A63B71/0622A63F13/812A63B2024/0028A63B2071/0694A63B2220/05A63B2225/74A63C19/00A63F2300/8011A63F2300/8082
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,465,841
App. No.
17/947,147
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A basketball system comprising a court system having shot locations defined by shot location lines on the play surface and the shot areas defined by shot area lines on the play surface, and a goal system comprising a respective backboard suspended above the play surface at each opposing farthest end of the play surface, an instrumentation system comprises sensors to detect activities within the boundary line of the court system, and a respective penalty box for each team in which players, coaches, and referees can serve a penalty assessed for an infraction.

Claims (37)

1 . A basketball game system, the system comprising:

a court system having a play surface on which gameplay occurs, the play surface defined by a boundary line imposed on the play surface and within which gameplay occurs, the court system comprising:

shot locations and shot areas, the shot locations defined by shot location lines on the play surface and the shot areas defined by shot area lines on the play surface; and

a goal system comprising a respective backboard suspended above the play surface at each opposing farthest end of the play surface;

an instrumentation system of sensors which detects play activities within the boundary line of the court system and non-player activities outside the boundary line of the court system, the instrumentation system derives ball data sensed from ball location and ball heading as a player advances the ball toward a specific goal, the instrumentation system interfaces to the goal system to control features of the respective backboards during the gameplay, the instrumentation system executes rules of gameplay as part of the gameplay, the rules based in part on the ball data, player and non-player activities relative to the court system, the goal system, lines on the play surface, and player interactions relative to each other and the lines during the gameplay, the gameplay employed as part of a virtual game, the virtual game mimics at least one of a game previously played, a game currently being played, or a computing device generated game; and

a respective penalty box for each of two teams participating in the gameplay, each penalty box of a respective team located outside the boundary line, wherein each respective penalty box can accommodate at least one player who has created an infraction, the infraction time-based and after time expiration the one player can be released for further gameplay play or ejected from the game.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual game can be played using consoles, virtual reality glasses and headsets, electronic eyewear, avatars, neural nets, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and television monitors.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual game enables a single user to compete as part of a first virtual team against another virtual team, one or both virtual teams generated by a computing device.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual game and the physical game comprise no more than three periods of agreed-upon timed gameplay.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the gameplay includes at least six players and up to four referees who officiate the gameplay.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a respective penalty box for each of two teams participating in the gameplay, wherein the rules of gameplay include directing at least one of an official, a coach, or a player to the penalty box due to one or more penalties.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the goal system is controlled to display a shot cue on a corresponding backboard based on location and heading of a player currently in control of the basketball, the cue suggests where a ball of a shot made by the player should impact the corresponding backboard to score a goal.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the shot cue is displayed only when attempting a goal which scores at least a predetermined number of points.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the shot cue is displayed only when attempting a goal from a specified location on the court.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the shot cue is prevented from display on the backboard when the player attempting the shot causes an infraction while attempting the shot.

11 . A basketball game system, the system comprising:

a court system having a play surface on which gameplay occurs, the play surface defined by a boundary line imposed on the play surface and within which gameplay occurs, the court system further comprising shot locations and shot areas, the shot locations defined by shot location lines on the play surface and the shot areas defined by shot area lines on the play surface, and a goal system comprising a respective backboard suspended above the play surface at each opposing farthest end of the play surface;

an instrumentation system which comprises sensors to detect activities within the boundary line of the court system, which activities detected comprise ball data sensed from ball location and ball handler identification as the ball handler attempts to advance the ball toward a specific goal, line infraction data obtained relative to play surface lines, player infraction data related to player interactions during gameplay, and shot point data to score relative to a shot location line;

a respective penalty box for each team in which to serve a time-based penalty assessed for an infraction, the respective penalty box located outside the boundary line and proximate to a corresponding team, each respective penalty box can accommodate at least one player assessed with the time-based penalty, such that after expiration of the associated penalty time, the at least one player can be released for further gameplay play or ejected from the game; and

a computing device which generates the basketball game and game play as a virtual game based on data of the sensors of the instrumentation system, the virtual game mimics at least one of a previous game played, a game currently being played, or a computing device generated game, the virtual game enables a single user to compete as part of a first virtual team against another virtual team, one or both virtual teams generated by a computing device, the virtual game played using at least one of consoles, virtual reality glasses, virtual reality headsets, avatars, artificial intelligence, or augmented reality technology.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a penalty assessed and to serve in the penalty box relates to a break-away foul, a single technical foul, two single technical fouls, and a double technical foul.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the penalty assessed for a single technical foul after a prior double technical foul or a double technical foul after a prior single technical foul, is ejection from the game.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a penalty assessed for a single flagrant foul is equivalent to a single technical foul, which is two minutes in the penalty box.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a penalty assessed for a second flagrant foul is equivalent to a double technical foul, which is five minutes in the penalty box.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a player serving time in the penalty box can return to play only when there is an official stoppage of play.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a coach is subject to an assessed infraction by serving time in the penalty box.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the coach is subject to an assessed additional infraction for coaching while in the penalty box, which time associated with the additional infraction is served while the coach is in the penalty box for a prior infraction.

19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a referee is subject to an assessed infraction and penalized by serving time in the penalty box.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the line infraction data is processed to determine when a shot attempt by a player is to be a specific point value.

21 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the virtual game played using at least one of electronic eyewear, neural nets, or television monitors, the virtual game enables a single user to compete as part of a first virtual team against another virtual team, one or both virtual teams generated by a computing device.

22 . A basketball game system, the system comprising:

a court system having a play surface on which gameplay occurs, the play surface defined by a boundary line imposed on the play surface and within which gameplay occurs, the court system further comprising shot locations and shot areas, the shot locations defined by shot location lines on the play surface and the shot areas defined by shot area lines on the play surface, and a goal system comprising a respective backboard suspended above the play surface at each opposing farthest end of the play surface;

an instrumentation system which comprises sensors to detect activities within the boundary line of the court system, which activities detected comprise ball data sensed from ball location and ball handler identification as the ball handler attempts to advance the ball toward a specific goal, line infraction data obtained relative to play surface lines, player infraction data related to player interactions during gameplay, and shot point data to score relative to a shot location line, the gameplay employed as part of a virtual game, the virtual game mimics at least one of a game previously played, a game currently being played, or a computing device generated game; and

a respective penalty box for each team in which to serve a time-based penalty assessed for an infraction, the respective penalty box located outside the boundary line and proximate to a corresponding team, each respective penalty box can accommodate at least one player assessed with an infraction, the infraction time-based such that after expiration of the associated infraction time, the at least one player can be released for further gameplay play or ejected from the game.

23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the instrumentation system further comprises a shot location system which detects on the play surface from where a shot attempt of a specific point amount has occurred, a shot detection system which detects on the play surface when a shot is taken, a goal indication system which detects which of several goal indications to activate based on a made or missed goal, an image recognition system which detects the player who attempted the shot, and a floor sensing system which detects location of the ball and players relative to lines on the play surface.

24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the image recognition system further detects activities on and off the court as relate to behavior of players and non-players, the players and non-players can be assessed penalties associated with the activities.

25 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the basketball game system is employed as a virtual game the virtual game played using at least one of consoles, virtual reality glasses and headsets, electronic eyewear, avatars, neural nets, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, or television monitors, the virtual game enables a single user to compete as part of a first virtual team against another virtual team, one or both virtual teams generated by a computing device.

Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 17088554 · Nov 3, 2020
Related Publication 20230012632A1 · Jan 19, 2023
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