# US 12,005,338 B2 · Flag football marker > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,338 B2 - Document ID: US12005338B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/158,710 - Filed: 2023-01-24 - Published: 2023-09-07 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-05 - Assignees: AFFL Associates, Inc. - Applicants: AFFL Associates, Inc. - Inventors: Jeffrey Lewis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005338B2 ## CPC - A63B 71/0622: {Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user} - A63B 71/00: Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00 (starting appliances A63K3/02) - A63B 71/0605: {Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration} - A63B 71/0686: {Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means} - A63B 43/004: {electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration} - A63B 2071/0625: {Emitting sound, noise or music} - A63B 2071/0661: {arranged on the user} - A63B 2071/0694: {Visual indication, e.g. Indicia} - A63B 2220/803: Motion sensors - A63B 2225/50: Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry - A63B 2225/74: with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights - A63B 2243/007: American football - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract An electronic sideline marker for use in football comprises a first display configured to display an indication of a down and a second display configured to display one or more timers. The second display may be configured to display a play clock, a go-clock, and/or a throw-clock. A play clock may first be displayed, and the marker may then receive an indication (e.g., a button press) that the football has been snapped, at which point display of the play clock may be replaced with display of a go-clock. The marker may be configured to output indications when the play clock, go-clock, and/or throw-clock expire. The marker may be configured to electronically communicate with one or more other markers for use in the football game, or one or more other remote electronic devices such as sensors in flag football belts, flags, and/or footballs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic sideline marker for use in football, comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause: in accordance with detecting a first input: transmitting, by the electronic sideline marker, a first signal to one or more other electronic sideline markers, wherein the first signal includes instructions for controlling one or more displays on the one or more other electronic sideline markers, and wherein the one or more other electronic sideline markers are configured to receive the first signal but are not configured to transmit signals for controlling displays of any electronic sideline markers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic sideline marker of claim 1, wherein detecting the first input comprises detecting a second signal received from a remote electronic device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electronic sideline marker of claim 2, wherein the remote electronic device is a portable electronic device carried by a user and the second signal is transmitted from the remote electronic device in response to receiving a second input from the user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The electronic sideline marker of claim 2, wherein the remote electronic device is an electronic flag football connector configured to detect when a flag has been disconnected from a player and wherein the second signal is transmitted from the flag football connector in response to detecting that the flag has been disconnected from the player. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electronic sideline marker of claim 4, wherein the second signal comprises an indication of one or both of a time and a location of the flag having been disconnected from the player. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic sideline marker of claim 1, wherein detecting the first input comprises detecting a user pressing a button. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic sideline marker of claim 1, wherein the first signal is configured to cause the one or more displays on the one or more other electronic sideline markers to display the same information displayed on a display of the electronic sideline marker. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic sideline marker of claim 1, wherein the electronic sideline marker comprises a first display configured to display an indication of a down and a second display configured to display one or more timers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electronic sideline marker of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause, in accordance with detecting the first input, ceasing, by the electronic sideline marker, to display a first timer and displaying a second timer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic sideline marker of claim 9, wherein the first timer counts down from a predetermined number of seconds and is associated with a delay of game rule. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The electronic sideline marker of claim 9, wherein the second timer counts up from zero seconds and is associated with one or more of a go-clock rule and a throw-clock rule. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The electronic sideline marker of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause, in response to the first timer expiring, outputting a first indication that the first timer has expired, and transmitting a third signal to the one or more other electronic sideline markers, the third signal comprising instructions to output a first indication that the first timer has expired. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electronic sideline marker of claim 12, wherein outputting the first indication comprises illuminating a first indicator light on the marker and one or more other electronic sideline markers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The electronic sideline marker of claim 12, wherein outputting the first indication comprises outputting a first audible indication via a speaker on the marker and one or more other electronic sideline markers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The electronic sideline marker of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause, in response to the second timer exceeding a first threshold, outputting a second indication that the second timer has exceeded the first threshold, and transmitting a fourth signal to the one or more other electronic sideline markers, the fourth signal comprising instructions to output a second indication that the second timer has exceeded the first threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic marker of claim 15, wherein outputting the second indication comprises illuminating a second indicator light on the marker and one or more other electronic sideline markers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The electronic marker of claim 15, wherein outputting the second indication comprises outputting a second audible indication via a speaker on the marker and one or more other electronic sideline markers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The electronic marker of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause, in response to the second timer exceeding a second threshold greater than the first threshold, outputting a third indication that the second timer has exceeded the second threshold, and transmitting a fifth signal to the one or more other electronic sideline markers, the fifth signal comprising instructions to output a third indication that the second timer has exceeded the second threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electronic marker of claim 18, wherein outputting the third indication comprises illuminating a third indicator light on the marker and one or more other electronic sideline markers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The electronic marker of claim 18, wherein outputting the third indication comprises outputting a third audible indication via a speaker on the marker and one or more other electronic sideline markers. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The electronic sideline marker of claim 1, wherein the first input is received via a radio frequency transmission from a radio-frequency enabled remote device in response to the radio-frequency enabled remote device receiving an instruction transmitted wirelessly from a remote electronic device. ### Claim 22 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by one or more processors, the instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to: at an electronic sideline marker comprising one or more processors: in accordance with detecting a first input: transmit, by the electronic sideline marker, a first signal to one or more other electronic sideline markers, wherein the first signal includes instructions for controlling one or more displays on the one or more other electronic sideline markers, and wherein the one or more other electronic sideline markers are configured to receive the first signal but are not configured to transmit signals for controlling displays of any electronic sideline markers. ### Claim 23 A method for controlling passive electronic sideline markers, comprising: at an electronic sideline marker comprising one or more processors: in accordance with detecting a first input: transmitting, by the first electronic sideline marker, a first signal to one or more other electronic sideline markers, wherein the first signal includes instructions for controlling one or more displays on the one or more other electronic sideline markers and wherein the one or more other electronic sideline markers are configured to receive the first signal but are not configured to transmit signals for controlling displays of any electronic sideline markers.