DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This office action is in response to claims in application 19/310,334 filed on 8/26/2025.
The instant application claims benefit to provisional application #63/479,855 with a priority date of 1/13/2023.
The Pre-Grant publication #20250375662 is published on 12/11/2025.
Claims 1-30 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 12194357 B1 Campbell et al.(Campbell).
Claim 1. Campbell teaches a ball feeding system for basketball (Fig.1 elements, 30.34 ball feeder ), comprising:
a ball feeder configured to receive a basketball and launch the basketball for enabling a shooter to shoot the basketball toward a basketball goal ( Fig.4 elements 26,82,94 launch and shot sensor; col.41 lines 53-61 enabling shooter);
a first image sensor mounted on the ball feeder for capturing images of the basketball traveling on a trajectory toward the basketball goal ( col.12 lines 129-35 image sensor mounted at a location for control system to capture trajectory integrated at a ball delivery system for a goal);
at least one processor configured to determine, based on the captured images, at least one trajectory parameter indicative of the trajectory and provide feedback, based on the at least one trajectory parameter (col.10 lines 19-27, col. 11 lines 12-49 determination and feedback for trajectory parameters and adjustments),
indicative of a performance of the shooter in shooting the basketball along the trajectory toward the basketball goal (col.17 lines 53-57 performance could be compared towards a goal); and
an output interface configured to output the feedback (col.3 lines 20-24, 28-30 outputting actual form on display, real-time feedback).
Claim 2. Campbell teaches the system of claim 1, further comprising an arm coupled to the ball feeder, wherein the first image sensor is mounted on the arm (Fig.2 arm, Fig.4 elements120 image sensor mounting on arm depending on controller .
Claim 3. Campbell teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the ball feeder is coupled to a ball capture system configured to capture the basketball as the basketball falls from the basketball goal and guide the basketball to the ball feeder (Fig.4 element 72 Ball feeder sensor guide from falling basketball).
Claim 4. Campbell teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a location of the shooter based on the first image sensor or a second image sensor and control rotation of the ball feeder based on the determined location (col.9 lines 60-66 image sensors and location on graph to include control rotation of ball; Fig.4 element 70 rotation calibration sensor).
Claim 5. Campbell teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the first image sensor comprises a two-dimensional (2D) camera for capturing 2D images of the basketball along the trajectory (col. 16 lines 4-8 multidimensional include 2D images).
Claim 6. Campbell teaches the system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine locations of the basketball along the trajectory in three-dimensional (3D) space based on the 2D images (col. 16 lines 4-8 multidimensional include 2D images converted to three-dimensional (3D) trajectory space).
Claim 7. Campbell teaches the system of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is configured to calculate the trajectory based on the determined locations of the basketball (Col.43 lines 62-64 sensor data with dept data).
Claim 8. Campbell teaches the system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the locations of the basketball along the trajectory in the 3D space without receiving, from the first image sensor, sensor data indicative of a depth of the basketball from the 2D camera (Col.43 lines 62-64 sensor data with dept data).
Claim 9. Campbell teaches the system of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the locations of the basketball along the trajectory in the 3D space based on a direction of the ball feeder (Col.11 lines 17-20 direction of ball feeder) .
Claim 10. Campbell teaches the system of claim 9, further comprising a sensor configured to sense the direction of the ball feeder (col. 10 lines 9-13 directions based ball feeder).
Claim 11. Campbell teaches the system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the direction of the ball feeder based on the 2D images (col.10 lines 4-13 launch ball directions of controller following images and graphics).
Claim 12. Campbell teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to trigger a launch of the basketball by the ball feeder in response to an action by the shooter indicating that the shooter is ready to receive the basketball ( Fig.4 elements 82, 94,120 image sensors, launch drive motor and controller ) .
Claim 13. Campbell teaches the system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive an image of the shooter and trigger the launch of the basketball based on the image (col.12 lines 21-34 image sensor to include player or a shooter).
Claim 14. Campbell teaches the system of claim 13, wherein the image of the shooter is captured by the first image sensor (col.12 lines 25-34 player or shooter image).
Claim 15. Campbell teaches the system of claim 13, wherein the image of the shooter is captured by a second image sensor (col.15 lines 64-65 a second server for second image sensor).
Claim 16. Campbell teaches the system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive a verbal command and trigger the launch of the basketball in response to the verbal command ( col.28 lines 37-40; col. 39 liens 5-64 auditory and verbal feedback could be used for trigger and launching purposes).
Claim 17. Campbell teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a direction of the ball feeder, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the trajectory based on the direction of the ball feeder (col.42 lines 45-52 direction based feeder).
Claim 18. Campbell teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a direction of a shot location from which the basketball is launched toward the basketball goal along the trajectory, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the trajectory based on the direction of the shot location (col.12 lines 4-20 trajectory adjustment and direction of delivered balls shot location).
Claim 19. Campbell teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the direction of the shot location based on images captured by a second image sensor (col.15 lines 64-65 second server for second image sensor shots).
Claim 20. Campbell teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the direction of the shot location based on images captured by the first image sensor (col.10 lines 9-19 ball delivery images configuration could be used).
Claim 21. Campbell teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a direction of the ball feeder, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the direction of the shot location based on the direction of the ball feeder (col.10 lines 49-51 ball feeder and delivery).
Claim 22. Campbell teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a direction of the trajectory based on images captured by a second image sensor, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to rotate the first image sensor based on the determined direction of the trajectory (col.11 lines 12-20 rotational management of the balls).
Claim 23. Campbell teaches the system of claim 1, further comprising a viewing device mounted on the ball feeder, wherein the at least one processor is configured to display information indicative of the trajectory via the viewing device (col.10 lines 4-30 ball feeder responsive to delivery machine and trajectory).
Claim 24. Campbell teaches a method, comprising: receiving a basketball with a ball feeder (Fig.1 elements, 30.34 ball feeder); launching the basketball from a ball feeder for enabling a shooter to shoot the basketball toward a basketball goa ( Fig.4 elements 26,82,94 launch and shot sensor; col.41 lines 53-61 enabling shooter ); capturing, with a first image sensor mounted on the ball feeder, images of the basketball traveling on a trajectory toward the basketball goal (col.12 lines 129-35 image sensor mounted at a location for control system to capture trajectory integrated at a ball delivery system for a goal); determine, with at least one processor based on the captured images, at least one trajectory parameter indicative of the trajectory col.10 lines 19-27, col. 11 lines 12-49 determination and feedback for trajectory parameters and adjustments); providing, with the at least one processor based on the at least one trajectory parameter, feedback indicative of a performance of the shooter in shooting the basketball along the trajectory toward the basketball goal (col.17 lines 53-57 performance could be compared towards a goal); and outputting the feedback to a least one user (col.3 lines 20-24, 28-30 outputting actual form on display).
Claim 25. Campbell teaches the method of claim 24, wherein the first image sensor is mounted on an arm that is coupled to the ball feeder (Fig.2 arm, Fig.4 elements120 image sensor mounting on arm depending on feeder).
Claim 26. Campbell teaches the method of claim 24, further comprising: determining a location of the shooter with the at least one processor based on the first image sensor or a second image sensor; and controlling rotation of the ball feeder based on the determined location (col.9 lines 60-66 image sensors and location on graph to include control rotation of ball; Fig.4 element 70 rotation calibration sensor).
Claim 27. Campbell teaches the method of claim 24, further comprising triggering, with the at least one processor, a launch of the basketball by the ball feeder in response to an action by the shooter indicating that the shooter is ready to receive the basketball (col. 10 lines 9-13 directions based basketball launching).
Claim 28. Campbell teaches the method of claim 24, further comprising: determining a direction of the ball feeder with the at least one processor; and determining, with the at least one processor, the trajectory based on the direction of the ball feeder (Col.11 lines 17-20 direction of ball feeder).
Claim 29. Campbell teaches the method of claim 24, further comprising determining, with the at least one processor, a direction of a shot location from which the basketball is launched toward the basketball goal along the trajectory, wherein the determining the trajectory is based on the direction of the shot location (col.12 lines 4-20 trajectory adjustment and direction of delivered balls shot location).
Claim 30. Campbell teaches the method of claim 24, further comprising displaying information indicative of the trajectory with a viewing device mounted on the ball feeder (Fig.2 col.10 lines 47-51, col.35 lines 26-30 ball delivery machine and feeder that could display trajectory video) .
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 9039547 B2 Yeager; Michael
Sports simulation robot for playing games and drills on standard court or field, has player interactive system arranged in communication with simulation service operable for indicating game or drill to be played.
US 11826616 B2 Legg; Lawrence George et al.
Ball retrieval system and method.
US 11778244 B2 Jayaram; Vivek et al.
Determining tactical relevance and similarity of video sequences.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SADARUZ ZAMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3137. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm CST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Xuan Thai can be reached at (571) 272-7147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/S.Z/Examiner, Art Unit 3715 December 27, 2025
/XUAN M THAI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3715