Basketball launching apparatus providing multiple types of basketball passes, related systems and methods

A basketball launching machine providing multiple types of basketball passes, said system comprising:

• a structural framework, including a frame;
• netting supported by the frame;
• a throwing mechanism supported by said structural framework and configured for pivoting movement, said throwing mechanism comprising a catapult arm having a basketball holder provided at a first end of the catapult arm and a spring having a first end connected to a second end of the catapult arm;
• a linear actuator supported by said structural framework and connected to a second end of the spring such that operation of the linear actuator adjusts a length of the spring and thereby a launching speed and/or force of basketballs thrown by the catapult arm;
• a housing supported by the structural framework and at least partially enclosing the throwing mechanism and the linear actuator;
• a user interface comprising a touch sensitive electronic display supported by housing and/or the structural framework;
• a controller supported by the structural framework and in electronic connection with said throwing mechanism, said linear actuator, and said user interface, wherein said controller is configured to:
• generate, at the user interface, one or more prompts requesting a user to select pass receipt locations and one or more options for the user to select a pass type, said one or more prompts comprising a rendering of a basketball three-point arc and of a basketball launching machine, said pass type comprising a chest pass and a bounce pass;
• receive data from the user interface indicating user input provided in response to the one or more prompts and any selection of the one or more options, said data including an indication of position of touched locations at the rendering relative to the rendering of the basketball launching machine to identify the user selected pass receipt locations;
• cause an icon to be displayed at the rendering at the user interface for each of locations touched at the position touched to indicate the user selected pass receipt locations;
• select the chest pass by default, such that the bounce pass is provided only where indicated in the data received from the user interface;
• and
• command the throwing mechanism to launch at least one basketball to each of the user selected pass receipt locations, operate the linear actuator to adjust a launching speed and/or force of the basketballs at the throwing mechanism in accordance with the position of the touched locations at the rendering relative to a predetermined reference point at the user interface such that a length of the spring is increased where the position of the touched locations at the rendering relative to the rendering of the basketball launching machine is relatively larger and the length of the spring is decreased where the position of the touched locations at the rendering relative to the rendering of the basketball launching machine is relatively smaller, and operate the linear actuator to adjust the launching speed and/or force of the basketballs at the throwing mechanism in accordance with the selection of the one or more options, where provided, such that the actuator is operated to decrease the length of the spring where the bounce pass is selected and to increase the length of the spring where the chest pass is selected.

A basketball launching machine providing multiple types of basketball passes, said machine comprising:

• a structural framework;
• a user interface connected to said structural framework;
• a throwing mechanism connected to said structural framework for pivoting movement, said throwing mechanism comprising a spring-operated launch arm;
• a distance adjustment mechanism connected to said structural framework and comprising a liner actuator connected to a spring of said spring-operated launch arm to adjust a length of said spring;
• and
• a controller connected to said structural framework and in electronic connection with said throwing mechanism, said distance adjustment mechanism, and said user interface, wherein said controller is configured to:
• generate, at the user interface, one or more prompts requesting a user to select pass receipt locations and one or more options for the user to select a pass type;
• receive data from the user interface indicating user input provided in response to the one or more prompts and any selection of the one or more options;
• analyze the data from the user interface to determine a first impulse level to provide to said throwing mechanism and a second impulse level to provide to said distance adjustment mechanism;
• and
• command the throwing mechanism to launch at least one basketball to each of the user selected pass receipt locations, including commanding the throwing mechanism to pivot in accordance with an angular position of touched locations at the user interface and commanding the linear actuator to move in accordance with a liner distance of the touched locations and the selection of the one or more options, where provided, regarding the pass type.

A basketball launching system providing multiple types of basketball passes, said system comprising:

• a user interface;
• a structural framework;
• a throwing mechanism connected to said structural framework;
• and
• a controller in electronic connection with said throwing mechanism and said user interface, wherein said controller is configured to:
• generate, at the user interface, one or more prompts requesting a user to select pass receipt locations and one or more options for the user to select a pass type;
• receive data from the user interface indicating user input provided in response to the one or more prompts and any selection of the one or more options;
• and
• command the throwing mechanism to launch at least one basketball to each of the user selected pass receipt locations, including commanding the basketballs to be launched in accordance with the selection of the one or more options, where provided, regarding the pass type said one or more options including a bounce type pass and a chest pass, wherein the chest pass is a default selection.

A basketball launching system providing multiple types of basketball passes, said system comprising:

• a user interface;
• a structural framework;
• a throwing mechanism connected to said structural framework;
• a distance adjustment mechanism supported by the structural framework;
• and
• a controller in electronic connection with said throwing mechanism, said distance adjustment mechanism, and said user interface, wherein said controller is configured to:
• generate, at the user interface, one or more prompts requesting a user to select pass receipt locations and one or more options for the user to select a pass type including a rendering of a basketball three-point arc and of a basketball launching machine;
• receive data from the user interface indicating user input provided in response to the one or more prompts and any selection of the one or more options, including an indication of position of touched locations at the rendering relative to a predetermined reference point of the user interface, said predetermined reference point corresponding to at least one predetermined pixel of the user interface;
• cause an icon to be displayed at the rendering at the user interface for each of locations touched, at the touched location, to indicate the user selected pass receipt locations;
• determine an angular position and linear distance of each of the touched locations relative to the predetermined reference point;
• and
• command the throwing mechanism to launch at least one basketball to each of the user selected pass receipt locations, including in accordance with the selection of the one or more options, where provided, regarding the pass type, including operating the throwing mechanism and the distance adjustment mechanism to pass the basketballs to the user selected pass receipt locations based, at least in part, on the angular position and the linear distance of each of the touched locations, respectively relative to the predetermined reference point.