System and method for throwing a football

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 a route desired to be executed. A processor accesses a visual illustration of the route from a storage media and displays the visual illustration on the display. A data retrieval system accesses data regarding launch variables which include a lateral orientation, an angle of elevation, and an output speed corresponding to a selected route. The display plots a motion of a 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 to propel a football, separated by a space in which a football is 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 include a lateral orientation, a launch angle, and a launch speed;   wherein said plurality of football routes include 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, the loading bay adapted to hold one of the footballs received from said storage receptacle at a lower height; 
 a pair of coacting wheels positioned on opposing sides of the loading bay and adapted to propel one of the footballs positioned in the loading bay; 
 a loading mechanism adapted to move one of the footballs 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; and 
 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 the user. 
     
     
         3 . The football throwing system of  claim 2 , wherein the user input includes a touchscreen interface. 
     
     
         4 . The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said memory includes a database of a plurality of routes and one or more launch variables corresponding to the plurality of 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 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 one or more electric motors. 
     
     
         9 . The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein said loading mechanism includes a linearly reciprocating device adapted to move one of the footballs 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 frictionally 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 . The football throwing system of  claim 13 , wherein said selected football route has a designated time a receiver has to run the selected football route. 
     
     
         15 . The football throwing system of  claim 13 , wherein said CPU will be programmed with the specific timing of said routes to deliver the football to the designated spot at the end of each route. 
     
     
         16 . The football throwing system of  claim 13 , wherein said football throwing system moves or turns-up to a 25 degree angle from facing forward. 
     
     
         17 . The football throwing system of  claim 13 , wherein the football throwing system that will throw all routes at a correct speed to a correct spot after the receiver runs the set route. 
     
     
         18 . The football throwing system of  claim 1 , wherein the display screen is removed or amended to say the display screen is there so the users record themselves running the routes and then connect to the display screen to watch a playback. 
     
     
         19 . A method for launching a football with an automated football throwing system, comprising:
 providing an automated football throwing system;   receiving a route selection via a user input of the automated football throwing system;   adjusting an angle and position of a display and a launch device via a launch controller;   displaying the route on the display;   launching one of the footballs from a loading bay via the coacting wheels;   sensing via a camera and a sensor, a position over time of a user; and   displaying the position over time of the user on the display overlaying the displayed route.