Electronic basketball game

Abstract

An electronic basketball skill monitoring and developing system and method, particularly suited for children and young adults that would make solo and group participation more interesting and enjoyable and includes an electronic basketball game system using a basketball having a controller including a registration subsystem, an indicator subsystem, and a timing subsystem, the controller responsive to a physical impact on the registration subsystem to generate an activity signal, the timing system, responsive to the activity system and to the timing signal, that records a number of the physical impacts on the registration subsystem in one or more activity periods; and a plurality of markers, one for each of a plurality of basketball shot locations referenced by the indicator subsystem.

1 . An electronic basketball game system using a basketball, comprising:
 a controller including a registration subsystem, an indicator subsystem, and a timing subsystem, said controller responsive to a physical impact on the registration subsystem to generate an activity signal, said timing subsystem, responsive to said activity subsystem and to said timing signal, that records a number of said physical impacts on said registration subsystem in one or more activity periods; and   a plurality of markers, one for each of a plurality of basketball shot locations referenced by said indicator subsystem.   
   
   
       2 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 1  wherein said registration system is responsive to being bounced on by said basketball. 
   
   
       3 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 1  wherein said registration system is responsive to being stepped on by a user. 
   
   
       4 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 1  wherein said indicator subsystem includes an audio system for generating an audio signal at a conclusion of each of said one or more activity periods, said audio signal including said number of said physical impacts for each of said one or more activity periods. 
   
   
       5 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 4  wherein said indicator subsystem includes an audio system for generating an audio signal, said audio signal including a motivational message. 
   
   
       6 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 1  wherein said indicator subsystem includes an audio system for generating an audio signal, said audio signal including basketball ambiance audio. 
   
   
       7 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 1  wherein said timing subsystem generates an elapsed time signal and wherein said indicator subsystem indicates at least periodically a value of said elapsed time signal. 
   
   
       8 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 7  wherein said value is a count-up signal to a predetermined value. 
   
   
       9 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 7  wherein said value is a count-down signal to a predetermined value. 
   
   
       10 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 1  wherein said indicator subsystem includes an audio system, said audio signal including an announcement of a first particular one of said plurality of markers. 
   
   
       11 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 10  wherein said audio signal announces said first particular marker and thereafter, responsive to said physical impact, a second particular one of said plurality of markers. 
   
   
       12 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 11  wherein said indicator subsystem includes an audio system for generating an audio signal at a conclusion of each of said one or more activity periods, said audio signal including said number of said physical impacts for each of said one or more activity periods. 
   
   
       13 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 1  wherein said indicator subsystem includes a visual readout of said physical impacts. 
   
   
       14 . The electronic basketball game system of  claim 1  wherein said indicator subsystem includes a visual readout of a time period for at least one of said one or more activity periods. 
   
   
       15 . An electronic basketball game system using a basketball, comprising:
 a controller including a registration subsystem, an indicator subsystem, and a timing subsystem, said controller responsive to a physical impact on the registration subsystem to generate an activity signal, said timing subsystem, responsive to said activity subsystem and to said timing signal, that records a number of said physical impacts on said registration subsystem in one or more activity periods; and   a plurality of maneuvers prerecorded in said controller, one for each of a plurality of basketball shot types referenced by said indicator subsystem.   
   
   
       16 . The electronic game system of  claim 15  wherein said plurality of maneuvers includes maneuvers selected from one or more of the group consisting of jump shot, hook shot, layup, from the corner, free throw, and combinations thereof.