Patent Application
20080293522
This invention concerns tennis and more particularly targets for practicing shots on tennis courts.
It has heretofore been proposed to provide detectors for determining if a shot impacts the court within bounds by electronically detecting the point of impact of a tennis ball, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,342,042; 4,855,711; 3,982,759; 4,092,634 and 4,365,805 for example. Targets have also been devised for recording impacts when a tennis ball strikes the target; as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,908,194; 3,874,664; 6,715,760; 5,419,565 and 4,659,090.
Such tennis court targets and displays have not provided any scoring capability such that practicing using the target are not particularly entertaining and this is lack not particularly conducive to extended practice sessions, nor to engaging in competitive activity during practice with another player.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tennis court target and display which provides a scoring scheme which provides added interest for practice sessions.
The above recited object as well as other objects which will be appreciated upon a reading of the following specification and claims are achieved by a portable target placeable anywhere on the court surface, and having multiple areas of progressively smaller size, numeric displays are also provided each giving the total number of times a given target area is impacted in a practice session. A total score numeric display is also provided based on impacted cause tallying of correspondingly different point values for each area in which the increasing size of the target area has a inverse smaller point value. The counter-display is configured so as to be readily viewable on the court by a player. The total score point numeric display provided, tallying the cumulative points scored in any turn provides a basis for engaging in a contest between two or more players during a practice session.
Thus, the practice sessions are given enhanced entertainment value and allow a game like contest such that longer and more intense practices will likely result.
In the following detailed description, certain specific terminology will be employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in accordance with the requirements of 35 USC 112, but it is to be understood that the same is not intended to be limiting and should not be so construed inasmuch as the invention is capable of taking many forms and variations within the scope of the appended claims.
Referring to the drawings,
A counter-display 16 is pedestal mounted to be able to be supported elevated above the court as at the net or along the sidelines 28A-28D for easy viewing by a player. The counter-display 16 comprises a rectangular case having a front face provided with a series of colored lights and numeric displays 30A-30D which are activated by a tennis ball impacting one of the target areas 14A-14D to provide a visual indication of hitting the target and cumulative numeric display correspondingly to such impacts during a practice session as described below in further detail.
Ball impacts on each of the target areas 14A-14D generate electrical signals which are transmitted to the counter-display 16, preferably by a wireless transmitter 18 associated with the target 12, and processed therein by suitable circuitry to activate display lights and numeric displays as described in further detail below. The target would typically include rechargeable batteries 19, terminals, etc. (not shown) as necessary to be powered.
Referring to
The electrical signals are generated by ball impacts on each of the target areas 14A-14D are transmitted via electrical leads to a wireless transmitter 18, which differentiates the signals from each target area 14A-14D, and transmits a coded signal corresponding to each area 14A-14D to the counter-display 16.
The target 12 preferably comprises a weather resistant flexible plastic mat which lies flat on the court surface 10 as seen in
The counter-display 16 includes a wireless receiver element 24 receiving coded signals from the transmitter 18. Such wireless communication devices utilizing various wave energy such as RF, infrared sonic, etc. are well known for this purpose.
The counter-target display 16 may include case 26 mounting at the front corresponding colored lights 28A, B, C, and D matching the coloring of each target area 14A-14D. Each light 28A, B, C, or D is illuminated briefly when a tennis ball impacts the respective target area.
In addition, a respective numeric display 30A, B, C, D is located adjacent each lights 28A-28D which displays the total count of impacts of the corresponding target area 14A-14D in a given session.
A cumulative point total display 32 is provided at the center of the case 26. Different point values may be assigned to the target areas 14A-14D and the point totals summed in a suitable counter-processor 40 contained in the case 26 operating the lights and also speakers 36.
This enables use as a competitive game played by two or more players
A reset button 34 can be used to clear the counter displays 30A-30D and 32.
The speakers 36 can also optionally be provided, which can broadcast particular song excerpts corresponding to each target area 14A-14D when a given area is hit. Such song excerpts or other sounds can be selectively prerecorded in a memory in the case 26, with volume controls 38 also optionally provided.
A switch 42 can be included to switch from sound to lights and vice versa, or to turn off both.
Accordingly, a more entertaining tennis practice target display system is provided which will motivate players to carry out more intensive practice sessions.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/931,908 filed on May 26, 2007.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60931908 | May 2007 | US |
