# US 11,110,335 B2 · Delivery system for targeted launching of sports projectile > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,110,335 B2 - Document ID: US11110335B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/893,172 - Filed: 2020-06-04 - Published: 2020-09-24 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-24 - Assignees: Monarc Inc. - Applicants: Monarc, Inc. - Inventors: Bhargav Maganti; Igor Karlicic; Nathan Pierotti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11110335B2 ## CPC - A63B 69/406: {with rotating discs, wheels or pulleys gripping and propelling the balls or bodies by friction} - A63B 24/0021: {Tracking a path or terminating locations} - A63B 24/0087: {Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load} - A63B 47/002: {Devices for dispensing balls, e.g. from a reservoir (automatic teeing devices A63B57/0006; devices for projecting balls A63B69/40)} - A63B 69/00: Training appliances or apparatus for special sports (training of parachutists B64D23/00) - A63B 69/002: {for football (American-football dummies A63B69/34)} - A63B 71/0622: {Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user} - A63B 71/0619: {Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills} - A63B 2024/0025: {Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game} - A63B 2071/025: {on rollers or wheels} - A63B 2071/0625: {Emitting sound, noise or music} - A63B 2071/0655: {Tactile feedback} - A63B 2071/0691: {Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps} - A63B 2102/00: Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity {; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like} - A63B 2209/08: magnetic - A63B 2210/50: Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport - A63B 2220/12: Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS - A63B 2220/62: Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal - A63B 2225/09: Adjustable dimensions - A63B 2225/30: Maintenance - A63B 2225/50: Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry - A63B 2243/0025: Football - A63B 2243/007: American football - F41B 4/00: Friction-wheel operated launchers - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - F41B: WEAPONS FOR PROJECTING MISSILES WITHOUT USE OF EXPLOSIVE OR COMBUSTIBLE PROPELLANT CHARGE; WEAPONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (projectiles for fishing, e.g. fish-spears, A01K81/00; sports implements for throwing A63B65/00, e.g. boomerangs A63B65/08; stationary apparatus for projecting sports balls, e.g. tennis balls, A63B69/40; throwing or slinging toys A63H33/18; knives, axes B26B; projectiles or missiles other than those incorporating springs as projecting means F42B6/00) ## Abstract A sports projectile delivery system may control the operation of a launcher to cause an American football or other sports projectile to be delivered to a target location on a field. In some aspects, the system can track player movements on the field, e.g., through the use of a tracking device mounted on the player, enabling the ball etc. to be launched to a player in anticipation of where the player will go. The system may include additional customization and/or logging options, e.g., permitting a player to designate a body position (e.g., above the head or near the knees) for delivery of the ball, designate a speed or hang time for delivery, or provide player data and analytics to an online or otherwise connected database. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sports projectile delivery system, comprising: a launcher; a user interface comprising an input device configured to receive an indication of a target location for a sports projectile to be launched by the launcher, the target location being relative to at least one of the launcher or a sports field associated with the launcher; a location sensor configured to provide information about a starting player position of a player relative to the launcher or a field associated with the launcher; and a controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions to cause the processor to: determine a ball time to target in response to the indication of the target location received via the user interface; determine a player time to target in response to the information about the starting player position provided by the location sensor; and determine for the launcher, based on the ball time to target and the player time to target, a firing time or a delay until firing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions further cause the processor to control the launcher to launch the sports projectile at the firing time or after the delay until firing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 1, wherein the location sensor is at least partially incorporated into a player tag configured to be wearable by the player. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the user interface is incorporated on a player tag configured to be wearable by the player. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a component for receiving user input to indicate when the player is ready for a drill. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises an input device configured to receive an indication of the target location on a virtual representation of an area relative to at least one the launcher or a sports field. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 1, wherein the launcher is configurable between: a manual mode in which the launcher is controlled in response to the indication of the target location received through the user interface; and a robotic mode in which the launcher is controlled in response to tracking the player. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 1, further comprising: a base supporting the launcher; and an aiming system configured for changing an orientation of the launcher relative to the base; and wherein the processor-executable instructions further cause the processor to: determine a target orientation of the launcher for delivering the sports projectile to the target location via the launcher; and control the aiming system to move the launcher to the target orientation for delivering the sports projectile to the target location via the launcher. ### Claim 9 A sports projectile delivery system, comprising: a launcher; a user interface comprising one or more input devices configured to receive: an indication of a target location for a sports projectile to be launched by the launcher, the target location being relative to at least one of the launcher or a sports field associated with the launcher; and a designation of a delay amount; and a controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions to cause the processor to determine for the launcher, based on the indication of the target location received via the user interface and the designation of a delay amount received via the user interface, a firing time or delay until firing to deliver the sports projectile to the target location. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 9, wherein the processor-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine a ball time to target in response to the indication of the target location received via the user interface, wherein the firing time or delay until firing is determined at least in part on the ball time to target. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 9, wherein the user interface comprises an input device configured to receive an indication of the target location on a virtual representation of an area relative to at least one the launcher or a sports field. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 9, wherein the user interface comprises an input device configured to receive an indication by movement of a slider on a virtual representation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 9, wherein the delay amount corresponds to an amount of time until firing of the launcher. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 9, wherein the delay amount corresponds to an amount of time until the sports projectile arrives at the target location. ### Claim 15 A sports projectile delivery system, comprising: a launcher; a user interface comprising one or more input devices configured to receive: an indication of a target location for a sports projectile to be launched by the launcher, the target location being relative to at least one of the launcher or a sports field associated with the launcher; and an indication that a player is ready for a drill; and a controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions to cause the processor to: determine an adjustable delay amount to be implemented between the indication that the player is ready for the drill and operation of the launcher; and determine, based on the adjustable delay amount, a firing time for the launcher for delivery of the sports projectile to the target location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 15, wherein the adjustable delay amount is determined or updated in response to an amount input via the user interface or based on a position sensed for the player. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 15, wherein the user interface comprises a screen configured to provide a virtual representation of an area relative to at least one the launcher or a sports field. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 15, wherein the user interface comprises a player tag wearable by the player and having a button or other component for receiving user input. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 15, wherein the user interface comprises: a first input device configured to receive the indication of the target location on a virtual representation of an area relative to at least one the launcher or a sports field; and a second input device comprising a player tag wearable by the player and having a button or other component for receiving user input to provide the indication that the player is ready for the drill. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The sports projectile delivery system of claim 15, further comprising a database; wherein the processor-executable instructions further cause the processor to: retrieve, from the database, information corresponding to the player to affect the target location for the sports projectile determined; or update, in the database, information corresponding to the player based at least in part on information gathered about the player through a player tag associated with the player.