Football Throwing System and Method

Abstract

An automated football throwing system includes a route input system and display, a launch controller, and a football throwing device. In operation, a user inputs the route desired to be executed. A processor accesses a visual illustration of the route from the storage media and displays the visual illustration on the display. The data retrieval system accesses data regarding the launch variables which may include the lateral orientation, angle of elevation, and output speed corresponding to a selected route. The display plots the motion of the runner determined by a sensor to compare to the route for accuracy. The launch controller adjusts the football throwing device and the display screen in accordance with the launch variables for the specific route. The football throwing device includes a pair of coacting wheels adapted to propel a football, separated by a space in which a football may be inserted from a loading mechanism.

I claim: 
     
         1 ) An automated football throwing system, comprising:
 a CPU operably connected to a user input, a memory, and a launch controller;   a plurality of football routes stored on said memory;   said plurality of football routes each including a lateral orientation, a launch angle, and a launch speed;   wherein said plurality of football routes comprise a slant, a drag, a corner, a post, and a streak;   a football throwing device comprising:
 a storage receptacle adapted to hold a plurality of footballs; 
 a loading bay adjacent the storage receptacle and at a lower height, the loading bay adapted to hold a football received from said storage receptacle; 
 a pair of coacting wheels positioned on opposing sides of the loading bay and adapted to propel a football positioned in the loading bay; 
 a loading mechanism adapted to move a football placed in said loading bay into said space between said pair of coacting wheels; 
 an adjustable support operably connected to said launch controller, the adjustable support housing said loading bay, wherein said adjustable support is adapted to adjust the positioning and orientation of the football throwing device corresponding to a football route selected from the plurality of football routes; 
 a camera and a sensor operably connected to the CPU and the launch controller, the camera and the sensor configured to sense a position over time of a user; 
 a display operably connected to the CPU and the launch controller, such that adjustment of the launch controller in a particular orientation or direction results in a corresponding adjustment of the orientation or direction of the display; 
 wherein the display is configured to show a visual representation of a football route of said plurality of football routes overlaid with a visual representation of the sensed position over time of the user. 
   
     
     
         2 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user input device operably connected to said memory, the user input device configured to allow said plurality of football routes to be accessed by a user. 
     
     
         3 ) The football throwing system of  claim 2 , wherein the user input comprises a touchscreen interface. 
     
     
         4 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said memory comprises a database of routes and one or more launch variables corresponding to said routes. 
     
     
         5 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein the CPU accesses data in said memory corresponding to a user input selection of a particular route, and communicates said data regarding the lateral orientation, the launch angle, and the launch speed to the launch controller. 
     
     
         6 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said adjustable support is adapted to adjust said football throwing device by means of one or more pneumatic systems. 
     
     
         7 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said adjustable support is adapted to adjust said football throwing device by means of one or more hydraulic systems. 
     
     
         8 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said adjustable support is adapted to adjust said football throwing device by means of one or more electric motors. 
     
     
         9 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said loading mechanism comprises a linearly reciprocating device adapted to move a football located in said loading bay into said space between said pair of coacting wheels. 
     
     
         10 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said loading bay has a concave upper surface. 
     
     
         11 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said storage receptacle is further adapted to feed one or more footballs into said loading bay. 
     
     
         12 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a movable divider configured to fictionally engage an interior surface of the storage receptacle. 
     
     
         13 ) The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said visual representation of one of said selected football routes includes a recording of a simulated football player demonstrating a selected football route. 
     
     
         14 ) A method of launching a football with an automated football throwing system, comprising:
 providing an automated football throwing system, comprising:
 a CPU operably connected to a user input, a memory, and a launch controller; 
 a plurality of football routes stored on said memory; 
 said plurality of football routes each including a lateral orientation, a launch angle, and a launch speed; 
 wherein said plurality of football routes comprise a slant, a drag, a corner, a post, and a streak; 
 a football throwing device comprising:
 a storage receptacle adapted to hold a plurality of footballs; 
 a loading bay adjacent the storage receptacle and at a lower height, the loading bay adapted to hold a football received from said storage receptacle; 
 a pair of coacting wheels positioned on opposing sides of the loading bay and adapted to propel a football positioned in the loading bay; 
 a loading mechanism adapted to move a football placed in said loading bay into said space between said pair of coacting wheels; 
 an adjustable support operably connected to said launch controller, the adjustable support housing said loading bay, wherein said adjustable support is adapted to adjust the positioning and orientation of the football throwing device corresponding to a football route selected from the plurality of football routes; 
 a camera and a sensor operably connected to the CPU and the launch controller, the camera and the sensor configured to sense a position over time of a user; 
 a display operably connected to the CPU and the launch controller, such that adjustment of the launch controller in a particular orientation or direction results in a corresponding adjustment of the orientation or direction of the display; 
 wherein the display is configured to show a visual representation of a football route of said plurality of football routes overlaid with a visual representation of the sensed position over time of the user. 
 
   receiving a route selection via the user input;   adjusting the angle and position of the display and the launch device via the launch controller;   displaying the route on the display;   launching a football from the loading bay via the coacting wheels;   sensing, via the camera and the sensor, a position over time of a user;   displaying the position over time of the user on the display overlaying the displayed route.