IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,643,025
Granted Patent B2
US 12,643,025 · App. 18/500,342 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Portable basketball game with dunk mode

Inventors: Anthony John Stucker (Peoria, IL); Ben Pollard (Peoria, IL)
Assignee: Pop-A-Shot Enterprise LLC
A63B63/083A63B71/0605A63B71/0622A63B71/0669A63B2063/086A63B2071/0625A63B2210/50
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,643,025
App. No.
18/500,342
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A basketball game includes a controller, first and second sensors, an audio device, a mounting bracket, a backboard mounted to the mounting bracket, and a basketball rim. The first sensor is configured to detect a basketball traveling though the basketball rim and to responsively generate a first signal. The second sensor is configured to detect movement of the basketball rim from a first position to a second position and responsively generating a second signal. The controller is configured to: initiating a game, detecting receipt of the first signal, detecting receipt of the second signal, playing a first audio signal through the audio device if the first signal was detected and the second signal was not detected within a predetermined time period, and, playing a second audio signal through the audio device if the first signal was detected and the second signal was detected within a predetermined time period.

Claims (62)

1 . A portable basketball game, comprising:

a mounting bracket;

a backboard mounted to the mounting bracket;

a basketball rim rotatably coupled to the backboard and being movable between a first position and a second position;

a first sensor configured to detect a basketball traveling though the basketball rim and to responsively generate a first signal;

a second sensor configured to detect movement of the basketball rim from the first position to the second position and to responsively generate a second signal;

an audio device; and,

a controller mounted to the backboard, the first and second sensors and the audio device being electrically coupled to the controller, the controller configured to receive the first and second signals, the controller performing the steps of:

initiating an instance of a game;

detecting receipt of the first signal;

detecting receipt of the second signal;

playing a first audio signal through the audio device if the first signal was detected and the second signal was not detected within a predetermined time period; and

playing a second audio signal through the audio device if the first signal was detected and the second signal was detected within a predetermined time period.

2 . A portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the controller maintains a counter indicative of a number of points made during the game.

3 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the controller resets the counter when the game is initiated.

4 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the controller increments the counter in response to receipt of the first signal.

5 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising a display coupled to the controller, the controller configured to display the counter on the display.

6 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket includes a pair of hooks configured to mount over a door.

7 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 1 , including a basketball rim mounting bracket connected to the basketball backboard, the basketball rim being rotatably coupled to the basketball rim mounting bracket.

8 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the second sensor is a displacement sensor coupled to the basketball rim mounting bracket, the second sensor detects movement of the basketball rim away from the basketball rim mounting bracket.

9 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the controller includes an on/off switch, the controller initiating the instance of the game when the switch is moved from an off position to the on position.

10 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the instance of the game has a predetermined time period.

11 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the predetermined time period is 30 seconds.

12 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the controller counts a number of baskets made during the predetermined time period.

13 . A portable basketball game, comprising:

a mounting bracket;

a backboard mounted to the mounting bracket;

a basketball rim rotatably coupled to the backboard and being movable between a first position and a second position;

a first sensor configured to detect a basketball traveling though the basketball rim and to responsively generate a first signal;

a second sensor configured to detect movement of the basketball rim from the first position to the second position and to responsively generate a second signal;

a display device;

an audio device; and,

a controller mounted to the backboard, the first and second sensors, the display, and the audio device being electrically coupled to the controller, the controller configured to receive the first and second signals, the controller performing the steps of:

initiating an instance of a game;

detecting receipt of the first signal;

detecting receipt of the second signal;

playing a first audio signal through the audio device if the first signal was detected and the second signal was not detected within a predetermined time period;

playing a second audio signal through the audio device if the first signal was detected and the second signal was detected within a predetermined time period; and,

maintaining a counter indicative of a number of points made during the game; and

displaying the counter on the display.

14 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the second sensor is a displacement sensor coupled to the basketball rim mounting bracket, the second sensor detects movement of the basketball rim away from the basketball rim mounting bracket.

15 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the controller includes an on/off switch, the controller initiating the instance of the game when the switch is moved from an off position to the on position.

16 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the instance of the game has a predetermined time period.

17 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the predetermined time period is 30 seconds.

18 . The portable basketball game, as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the controller counts a number of baskets made during the predetermined time period.

19 . A portable basketball game, comprising:

a mounting bracket including a pair of hooks configured to mount over a door;

a backboard mounted to the mounting bracket;

a basketball rim mounting bracket connected to the basketball backboard;

a basketball rim rotatably coupled to the basketball rim mounting bracket and being movable between a first position and a second position;

a first sensor configured to detect a basketball traveling though the basketball rim and to responsively generate a first signal;

a second sensor configured to detect movement of the basketball rim from the first position to the second position and responsively to responsively generate a second signal;

a display device;

an audio device; and,

a controller mounted to the backboard, the first and second sensors, the display, and the audio device being electrically coupled to the controller, the controller including an on/off switch, the controller configured to receive the first and second signals, the controller performing the steps of:

initiating an instance of a game in response to the switch being moved from an off position to an on position, the instance of the game;

detecting receipt of the first signal;

detecting receipt of the second signal;

playing a first audio signal through the audio device if the first signal was detected and the second signal was not detected within a predetermined time period;

playing a second audio signal through the audio device if the first signal was detected and the second signal was detected within a predetermined time period;

maintaining a counter indicative of a number of points made in the game during the predetermined time period; and

displaying the counter on the display.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2023
From: STUCKER, ANTHONY JOHN; POLLARD, BEN
To: POP-A-SHOT ENTERPRISE LLC
Reel/Frame 065434/0291 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250144493A1 · May 8, 2025
References Cited (21)
US 4424968A · Smith · 1984 [cited by examiner]
US 5039977A · Mele · 1991 [cited by examiner]
US 5066006A · Driska · 1991 [cited by examiner]
US 5224699A · Zaruba · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 5300920A · Caselli · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 5318289A · Mahoney · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 6389368B1 · Hampton · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 7214148B2 · Mahoney · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 7899307B1 · Hughes · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 9511278B2 · Lee · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 11484760B2 · Anton · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11701567B2 · Tsai · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 12115428B1 · Anton · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20080254866A1 · Young · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20160193518A1 · Baxter · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20180200595A1 · Givens · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20200086194A1 · Gordon · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20230031488A1 · Gordon · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240399225A1 · Chen · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240408474A1 · Costabile · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20250177839A1 · Chandan · 2025 [cited by examiner]