Abstract:
A freely positionable tennis court practice target has a plurality of areas each of which generates a signal when impacted by a ball. A counter-display is responsive to signals from each area to numerically display the number of hits to each area. Lights and/or speakers may be included to provide an indication when each target area is impacted.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/931,908 filed on May 26, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention concerns tennis and more particularly targets for practicing shots on tennis courts. 
         [0003]    It has heretofore been proposed to provide detectors for determining if a shot impacts the court within bounds by electronically detecting the point of impact of a tennis ball, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,342,042; 4,855,711; 3,982,759; 4,092,634 and 4,365,805 for example. Targets have also been devised for recording impacts when a tennis ball strikes the target; as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,908,194; 3,874,664; 6,715,760; 5,419,565 and 4,659,090. 
         [0004]    Such tennis court targets and displays have not provided any scoring capability such that practicing using the target are not particularly entertaining and this is lack not particularly conducive to extended practice sessions, nor to engaging in competitive activity during practice with another player. 
         [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a tennis court target and display which provides a scoring scheme which provides added interest for practice sessions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The above recited object as well as other objects which will be appreciated upon a reading of the following specification and claims are achieved by a portable target placeable anywhere on the court surface, and having multiple areas of progressively smaller size, numeric displays are also provided each giving the total number of times a given target area is impacted in a practice session. A total score numeric display is also provided based on impacted cause tallying of correspondingly different point values for each area in which the increasing size of the target area has a inverse smaller point value. The counter-display is configured so as to be readily viewable on the court by a player. The total score point numeric display provided, tallying the cumulative points scored in any turn provides a basis for engaging in a contest between two or more players during a practice session. 
         [0007]    Thus, the practice sessions are given enhanced entertainment value and allow a game like contest such that longer and more intense practices will likely result. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of a tennis court having target-display arrangement installed thereon. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of the target and counter-display depicting the major features. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of the target shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  lying on a court surface. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged front view of the counter-display component shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]    In the following detailed description, certain specific terminology will be employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in accordance with the requirements of 35 USC 112, but it is to be understood that the same is not intended to be limiting and should not be so construed inasmuch as the invention is capable of taking many forms and variations within the scope of the appended claims. 
         [0013]    Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a conventional tennis court  10  with a multiple area target  12 , here taking the form of a bullseye defined by concentric circular areas  14 A- 14 D of progressively greater diameter. The target  12  comprises a portable plastic mat which can be disposed at any desired location on the court surface and is made of weather resistant material such as durable plastic. 
         [0014]    A counter-display  16  is pedestal mounted to be able to be supported elevated above the court as at the net or along the sidelines  28 A- 28 D for easy viewing by a player. The counter-display  16  comprises a rectangular case having a front face provided with a series of colored lights and numeric displays  30 A- 30 D which are activated by a tennis ball impacting one of the target areas  14 A- 14 D to provide a visual indication of hitting the target and cumulative numeric display correspondingly to such impacts during a practice session as described below in further detail. 
         [0015]    Ball impacts on each of the target areas  14 A- 14 D generate electrical signals which are transmitted to the counter-display  16 , preferably by a wireless transmitter  18  associated with the target  12 , and processed therein by suitable circuitry to activate display lights and numeric displays as described in further detail below. The target would typically include rechargeable batteries  19 , terminals, etc. (not shown) as necessary to be powered. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the target  12  is comprised of areas progressively smaller  14 A- 14 B, each which are individually impact sensitive, i.e., generate an electrical signal when impacted by a tennis ball. This can be accomplished by various means known in the art including piezoelectric or other well known impact sensitive panels such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,394,824; 4,824,107; 4,855,711; 5,908,194 and 3,874,664. 
         [0017]    The electrical signals are generated by ball impacts on each of the target areas  14 A- 14 D are transmitted via electrical leads to a wireless transmitter  18 , which differentiates the signals from each target area  14 A- 14 D, and transmits a coded signal corresponding to each area  14 A- 14 D to the counter-display  16 . 
         [0018]    The target  12  preferably comprises a weather resistant flexible plastic mat which lies flat on the court surface  10  as seen in  FIG. 3 , and may be foldable as in half along a fold line  20 , bringing perimeter handles  22  together for ease in carrying. 
         [0019]    The counter-display  16  includes a wireless receiver element  24  receiving coded signals from the transmitter  18 . Such wireless communication devices utilizing various wave energy such as RF, infrared sonic, etc. are well known for this purpose. 
         [0020]    The counter-target display  16  may include case  26  mounting at the front corresponding colored lights  28 A, B, C, and D matching the coloring of each target area  14 A- 14 D. Each light  28 A, B, C, or D is illuminated briefly when a tennis ball impacts the respective target area. 
         [0021]    In addition, a respective numeric display  30 A, B, C, D is located adjacent each lights  28 A- 28 D which displays the total count of impacts of the corresponding target area  14 A- 14 D in a given session. 
         [0022]    A cumulative point total display  32  is provided at the center of the case  26 . Different point values may be assigned to the target areas  14 A- 14 D and the point totals summed in a suitable counter-processor  40  contained in the case  26  operating the lights and also speakers  36 . 
         [0023]    This enables use as a competitive game played by two or more players 
         [0024]    A reset button  34  can be used to clear the counter displays  30 A- 30 D and  32 . 
         [0025]    The speakers  36  can also optionally be provided, which can broadcast particular song excerpts corresponding to each target area  14 A- 14 D when a given area is hit. Such song excerpts or other sounds can be selectively prerecorded in a memory in the case  26 , with volume controls  38  also optionally provided. 
         [0026]    A switch  42  can be included to switch from sound to lights and vice versa, or to turn off both. 
         [0027]    Accordingly, a more entertaining tennis practice target display system is provided which will motivate players to carry out more intensive practice sessions.