Patent Publication Number: US-9844704-B2

Title: Basketball sensing apparatus

Description:
The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/071,384 titled SPORT PERFORMANCE SYSTEM WITH BALL SENSING, and filed on Nov. 4, 2013, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/724,668 filed on Nov. 9, 2012. The present application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 61/798,738, 61/788,304, 61/799,851 and 61/800,972, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The present invention also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/891,487 filed on Oct. 16, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The present application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 14/204,709, 14/204,794, 14/204,880, 14/204,932 and 14/205,002 filed on the same day herewith, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The game of basketball is growing in popularity throughout the world. The game of basketball may be enjoyed by persons of all ages and may take many forms. The game of basketball may take the form of an organized game between organized teams, a pickup game at a local park or a game of horse in one&#39;s driveway. Regardless of what form the game of basketball takes, to be successful in the game of basketball requires the ability to make shots. Developing a proper shooting stroke and shooting touch is typically obtained through hours, weeks, months and years of practice. Such practice is often tedious and lacks sufficient feedback to facilitate optimal shooting skill improvement. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an example basketball sensing system. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of an example method that may be carried out by the basketball sensing system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of another implementation of the basketball sensing system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of another implementation of the basketball sensing system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of it another implementation of the basketball sensing system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of an example set of shot signatures of the system of  FIGS. 1 and 3-5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram of another example set of shot signatures of the system of  FIGS. 1 and 3-5 . 
         FIG. 7A  is a diagram of an example basketball shot acceleration trace signature for a missed shot. 
         FIG. 7B  is a diagram of another example basketball shot acceleration trace signature for a missed shot. 
         FIG. 7C  is a diagram of an example basketball shot acceleration trace signature for a made shot. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of another example implementation of the basketball sensing system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of an example memory of the system of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a flow diagram of an example calibration method that may be carried out by the system of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of an example portable electronic device of the system of  FIG. 1  presenting a first display screen. 
         FIG. 12  is a front view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 11  presenting a second display screen. 
         FIG. 13  is a front view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 11  presenting a third display screen. 
         FIG. 14  is a front view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 11  presenting a fourth display screen. 
         FIG. 15  is a front view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 11  presenting a fifth display screen. 
         FIG. 16  is a front view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 11  presenting a sixth display screen. 
         FIG. 17  is an exploded perspective view of an example basketball. 
         FIG. 17A  is a schematic illustration of an example electronic circuit chip of the basketball of  FIG. 17 . 
         FIG. 18  is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of an example basketball of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 19  is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of another example basketball of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 20  is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of another example basketball of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 21  is a sectional view of a portion of another example basketball of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 22  is a sectional view of a portion of another example basketball of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 23  is a sectional view of a portion of another example basketball of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 24  is a schematic diagram of an example game maker system. 
         FIG. 25  is a front view of an example portable electronic device presenting a seventh display screen. 
         FIG. 26  is a front view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 25  presenting an eighth display screen. 
         FIG. 27  is a front view of an example ninth display screen presented by the portable electronic device of  FIG. 25 . 
         FIG. 28  is a front view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 25  presenting a 10 th  display screen. 
         FIG. 29  is a front view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 25  transitioning between three example display screens. 
         FIGS. 30A and 30B  are front views of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 25  transitioning between eight example display screens. 
         FIGS. 31A and 31B  are front views of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 25  transitioning between eight example display screens. 
         FIG. 32  is a graph illustrating example linear scoring time profiles. 
         FIG. 33  is a graph illustrating example converging and diverging scoring time profiles. 
         FIG. 34  is a graph illustrating example non-linear scoring time profiles. 
         FIG. 35  is a flow diagram of an example method for implementing a per possession single player game. 
         FIG. 36  is a graph illustrating an example varying possession based scoring profile. 
         FIG. 37  is a front view of an example display screen presented by the portable electronic device of  FIG. 25 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example basketball sensing system  20 . Basketball sensing system  20  determines whether a shot of a basketball is a made basket based upon signals received from at least one sensor located within a basketball. Basketball sensing system  20  allows a player to track his or her performance, to identify and distinguish characteristics of shots that are made versus shots that are missed and, in some implementations, to compare his or her performance with personal goals or performances of other players. The example shown in  FIG. 1  is primarily directed toward basketballs, and many features are unique to basketballs. However, other aspects and features of the illustrated example are applicable to other sports games, such as, for example, American-style footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, baseballs, softballs, lacrosse balls and rugby balls. 
     Basketball sensing system  20  comprises basketball  22  and portable electronic device  24 . Basketball  22  carries at least one electronics package  26  which comprises at least one sensor  28 , a data compression component  29  and at least one signal transmitter  30 . The at least one sensor  28  (referred to as sensor  28 ) senses various attributes of a shot of a basketball towards a basket  40  having a backboard  42 , a rim  44  and a net  46 . In one implementation, sensor  28  senses one or more attributes of a shot such as travel or linear acceleration, spin axis, spin rate, launch velocity, launch direction, launch angle, launch coordinates, backboard vibration, rim vibration and the like. Vibration can be sensed through accelerometers and/or gyrometers wherein accelerations/decelerations, direction changes, or direction changes associated with the rim, backboard, net or lack thereof can be sensed. In one implementation, sensor  28  senses, and signal transmitter  30  outputs, values for attributes of a shot over time, indicating how the attribute is changing over time as a shot progresses through its lifecycle from the initial launch to interaction with one or more of backboard  42 , rim  44  and net  46 , or if the shot is an “airball”, the lack of interaction with the backboard  42 , rim  44  and net  46 . For purposes of this disclosure, the term “raw sensed data” or “raw sensed motion data” means data signals or data values directly generated by sensor  28  with respect to motion of basketball  22 , the positioning of basketball  22  or impact/vibrations experienced by basketball  22 . The terms “raw sensed data” and “raw sensed motion data” encompass both compressed and uncompressed data values. The term “attribute of a shot” encompasses both raw sensed data and data or characteristics that have been derived from the raw sensed data. In one implementation, sensor  28  comprises accelerometers to detect motion such as acceleration and velocity. In one implementation, sensor  28  additionally or alternatively comprises gyrometers to sense spin axis and spin rate. One implementation, sensor  28  additionally or alternatively comprises a magnetometer, a GPS sensor or other device to facilitate position detection or change of direction of basketball  22 . In yet other implementations, sensor  28  may comprise other sensing technologies. 
     Data compression component  29  comprises a device carried by basketball  22  for compression of data representing the sensed attributes of the shot. As a result, signal transmitter  30  more quickly and efficiently transmits larger amounts of data regarding attributes of the shot. In other implementations, data compression component  29  may be omitted. 
     Signal transmitter  30  transmits or outputs the sensed attributes of the shot to portable electronic device  24 . Signal transmitter  30  comprises one or more devices to externally communicate the motion information or motion data sensed by sensor  28 . In one implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises a device to wirelessly transmit signals representing the sensed motion information. For example, in one implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises a Bluetooth device. In another implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises a Wi-Fi or other radiofrequency transmitter. In another implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises an active read/write RFID tag which is written upon with data sensed by sensor  28 , wherein signal transmitter  30  actively transmits signals from the tag. In yet another implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises a passive read/write RFID tag which is written upon with data sent by sensor  28 , wherein signal transmitter  30  is passively read by an external radiofrequency device reader. In another implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises an infrared or other optical communication device. In yet other implementations, signal transmitter  30  may comprise other devices that communicate the sensed motion data to recipients external to basketball  22  in a wireless fashion. 
     In one implementation, electronics  26  carries out at least some data modifications and/or analysis prior to the data being externally transmitted to the portable electronic device. For example, electronics  26  may carry out some analysis or data derivations on the raw sensed motion information or on derived results of the raw sensed motion information prior to transmitting the modified, derived and/or compressed data to the portable electronic device before. For example, in some implementations, electronics  26  may itself analyze the raw sensed motion data to determine whether a particular shot was a made shot or a missed shot, wherein this determination is transmitted to portable electronic device  24  for tracking and further analysis. In other implementations, electronics  26  may transmit, in real time, raw signal data or raw sensed data directly from sensor  28  to the portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device performs analysis or further data derivation using the raw sensed motion data. In such an implementation, because the processing power is more greatly provided by the portable electronic device  24 , rather than electronics  26  of basketball  22 , the cost of basketball  22  may be kept low. 
     As will be described hereafter with respect to other figures, in some implementations, signal transmitter  30  may additionally or alternatively communicate the make/miss determinations or historical data in other fashions. For example, in one implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises a plug-in or port by which the sensed motion data may be communicated externally from basketball  22  in a wired fashion. In another implementation, signal transmitter  30  may additionally or alternatively include one or more output mechanisms carried by basketball  22  for visually and/or audibly communicating information to a person. For example, in one implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises a visual display, such as a digital or light emitting diode (LED) display visibly presenting sensed motion information and make/miss determinations. In another implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises a speaker for producing audible signals communicating the sensed motion information and make/miss determinations. In yet another implementation, signal transmitter  30  comprises a light emitter that emits light that is visible on basketball  22 , wherein the light being emitted changes in response to or based upon the sensed motion information or make/miss determinations. 
     Portable electronic device  24  comprises a device configured to receive signals output from signal transmitter  30  of sensor  26  of basketball  22  and to visibly present information based upon a determination of whether one or more basketball shots were made shots or missed shots. Examples of portable electronic device  24  include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, a flash memory reader (IPOD), a cell phone, a personal data assistant, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, an electronic wrist band, eyewear with display capabilities, a wrist-top computer, a netbook computer and the like. In one implementation, portable electronic device  24  may be configured similar to or provided as part of eyewear such as glasses with the display, a wristwatch, wrist-top computer, or wristband, permitting a player or user to view his or her track results (or the results of a competitor in some implementations) while on the basketball court in real time. In yet another implementation, portable electronic device  24  may be configured similar to or provided as part of a pair of glasses or other eyewear, permitting a player or user to view his or her track results (or the results of a competitor in some implementations) while on the basketball court in real time. 
     As schematically shown in  FIG. 1 , in one implementation, portable electronic device  24  comprises data acquisition device  41 , output  44 , processing unit  48  and memory  52 . Data acquisition device  41  comprises a device to obtain at least one attribute of a shot of the basketball towards basket  40 , wherein the at least one attribute is sensed by sensor  28  or derived from signal output by sensor  28 . In one implementation, data acquisition device  41  obtains raw sensed data directly from signal transmitter  30  of electronics  26  of basketball  22 . In another implementation, data acquisition device  41  obtains information derived from raw sensed data from electronics  26 . In the example illustrated, data acquisition device  41  cooperate with signal transmitter  30  directly receive attributes of a shot from electronics  26 . In another implementation, signal transmitter  30  of electronics  26  may transmit sensed attributes of a shot to an intermediary, such as to a cloud server or other server on a network, wherein data acquisition device  41  obtains at least one attribute of a shot of basketball  22  from the intermediary. 
     As shown by  FIG. 1 , in the example illustrated, data acquisition device  41  obtains various attributes of a shot directly or indirectly from electronics  26  of basketball  22 . Examples of such attributes of a shot comprise shot launch information such as the launch coordinates LCOOR, launch direction LD and launch angle LA. Launch coordinates refers to the location with respect to basket  40  from which a basketball shot is launched. Launch coordinates includes both the linear distance from a shot launch position to basket  40  and the relative angular positioning (directly in front of basket  40  such as at the free-throw line or at a various angular positions on an arc about basket  40 ) of the shot launch with respect to basket  40 . Although distance D is measured from a center point of rim  44  projected onto the floor court, in other implementations, other endpoints or reference points may be utilized. 
     The launch coordinates LCOOR is based upon a predetermined or pre-calibrated coordinate system defining the position of basket  40 . In one implementation, the coordinate system is established using portable electronic device  24 . In another implementation, the coordinate system is pre-established by other electronic devices and retrieved from storage either locally or remotely. In one implementation, portable electronic device  24  provides a person with the option to select which of various modes or methods may be utilized to establish a locational grid or coordinate system for subsequently identifying, using one or more sensors  28  of basketball  22 , where a shot is launched from with respect to basket  40 . In other implementations, the user may be provided with one or less than all of the below described methods for establishing a coordinate system. 
     According to one selectable mode of operation, the coordinate system is established by employing a magnetometer (one of sensors  28 ) in basketball  22 . In such an implementation, the user is prompted to calibrate and establish a baseline for an earth compass direction of the basketball goal or basket  40 . In particular, the user is provided with an output  44  by processor  48  following instructions in memory  52  or is otherwise instructed to shoot, roll or pass the ball in a direction perpendicular to the goal from a known location, such as the basketball free-throw line. Alternatively, this direction may also be obtained from any other known points on the basketball reference court with proper input values as to where this location is in terms of the basket location. The magnetometer (sensor  28 ), using the earth compass, determines and utilizes this known line of shot as a reference to establish a coordinate system for later use in identifying launch coordinates for a shot. The coordinate system or the known line of shot is stored in memory  52  or a remote memory such that no further calibration is needed the next shooting session. 
     According to another selectable mode of operation, the basket coordinate system is established using an RSS timestamp between sensor  28  in basketball  22  and a remote computing device located at a known a predetermined location relative to basket  40  or rim  44 . One implementation, the remote computing device may be located at the corner of a basketball court, the free-throw line or other known location. In one implementation, such remote computing devices may comprise a portable electronic device such as a cell phone, a smart phone, a laptop, a tablet, an electronic wristband, a wrist-top computer and the like. Using an RSS timestamp between sensor  28  and computing device, trigonometry is employed to determine the current position of the basketball and to establish a court system for basket  40  and the playing surface. The establish coordinate system is stored for subsequent use to identify launch coordinates. 
     According to another selectable mode of operation, the basket coordinate system is established using signals from a global positioning system or GPS technology. In particular, signals from a GPS system that was acquired through a GPS sensor (one of sensors  28 ) within basketball  22  at a known location with respect to basket  40  are used to establish a coordinate system for basket  40  and the playing surface for subsequent use in identifying launch coordinates. 
     According to another selectable mode of operation, the basket coordinate system is established using a localized positioning system utilizing antennas located on or near the basketball court at one or more known locations with respect to basket  40 . During calibration, that antennas communicate with sensors  28  and employ trigonometry to determine the current location of the basketball  22  and establish a coordinate system for hoop or rim  44  and the playing surface for subsequent use in identifying launch coordinates. In one implementation, such antennas may be provided by a portable electronic device such as a cell phone, a smart phone, a laptop, a tablet, an electronic wristband, a wrist-top computer and the like. 
     According to yet another selectable mode of operation, the basket coordinate system is established using a localized magnetic field in the court and a known location of the basketball  22  utilizing sensor  28  in basketball  22  to determine a current location of the basketball with respect to basket  40  to establish a coordinate system of hoop or rim  44  and the playing surface. 
     In each of the above described modes of operation where sensors  28  of basketball  22  are used in the establishment of a coordinate system, corresponding sensors of a portable electronic device, such as portable electronic device  24 , may alternatively be utilized in place of the sensors  28 . For example, in one implementation, instead of locating basketball  22  at a known location with respect to basket  40  and using the above-described RSS timestamp triangulation or the above-described antenna triangulation, corresponding sensors of a portable electronic device may alternatively be located at the known location, wherein the established coordinate system is subsequently transmitted from the portable electronic device to basketball  22 , where it is stored for subsequent use when transmitting launch coordinates. 
     Launch direction LD refers to the horizontal angular direction of a basketball shot. Launch angle LA refers to the inclination or vertical angular direction of the basketball shot. 
     Such attributes of a shot further comprise flight or motion information of basketball  22 . Examples of such attributes comprise acceleration over time A(t), velocity over time V(t), spin axis SA, spin rate SR and the general path of basketball  22  such as its maximum height or peak P. Acceleration over time and velocity over time are determined from signals from accelerometers of sensor  28 . Spin axis and spin rate of basketball  22  are driven from signals from one or more gyrometers of sensor  28  which detect the spin S(t) of basketball  22  over time. Each of acceleration over time, velocity over time, spin axis and spin rate are sensed and output as a function of time throughout the life of a shot from launch through a make or miss determination. In other implementations, one or more of acceleration over time, velocity over time, spin axis and spin rate are merely sensed or detected at launch of a shot or at another point in time of a shot, wherein the attributes of the shot at other times during the shot are estimated from the one or more sensed attributes or values. In one implementation, each of such attributes is defined along three coordinates X, Y and Z coordinates. 
     Such attributes of a shot may further comprise impact information with respect to basketball  22 . Examples of such impact information comprise vibration VBB of basketball  22  as it impacts backboard  42  and one or more vibrations VR of basketball  22  as it impacts rim  44 . Such impacts may be detected by pressure sensor wherein pressure variations or differential pressure over time can be monitored, or may be detected by signals from accelerometers and/or gyrometers of sensor  28 . 
     Output  44  comprises one or more devices to present information to a person. Such information can be based on the determination of whether a shot is a made basket, or based upon the determination of which of multiple shots are made baskets or missed baskets. In one implementation, output  44  comprises a display screen. In other implementations, output  44  may additionally or alternatively comprise a speaker. In the example illustrated, output  44  is part of portable electronic device  24 . In other implementations, output  44  may alternatively be provided on a more stationary computing device, such as a desktop computer or monitor, or may be incorporated into basketball  22 . 
     Processing unit  48  comprises one or more processors configured to carry out operations in accordance with instructions contained in memory  52 . For purposes of this application, the term “processing unit” shall mean a presently developed or future developed processing unit that executes sequences of instructions contained in a memory. Execution of the sequences of instructions causes the processing unit to perform steps such as generating control signals. The instructions may be loaded in a random access memory (RAM) for execution by the processing unit from a read only memory (ROM), a mass storage device, or some other persistent storage. In other embodiments, hard wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the functions described. For example, in some implementations, at least portions of processing unit  48  and memory  52  may be embodied as part of one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Unless otherwise specifically noted, operations described as being carried out by processor  48  and memory  52  are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software, nor to any particular source for the instructions executed by the processing unit. 
     Memory  52  comprises a non-transient computer-readable medium or persistent storage device. In the example illustrated, memory  52  stores software, code or computer-readable instructions for directing processor  48  to carry out one or more operations utilizing the one or more attributes of a shot obtained by data acquisition device  41 . The instructions in memory  52  further direct processor  48  in the presentation of make/miss results and/or analysis (statistical analysis and recommendations) on output  44 . In the example illustrated, memory  52  further stores the results as well as various settings, data tables and thresholds employed in the acquisition of shot attributes, the analysis of shot attributes and the output of results. 
     In operation, instructions in memory  52  direct a processing unit  48  to carry out method  100  shown in  FIG. 2 . As indicated by block or step  102  in  FIG. 2 , processor  48  obtains one or more attributes of a basketball shot using data acquisition device  41 . Such attributes are sensed by sensor  28  or derived from output of sensor  28 . 
     As indicated by block or step  104 , processor  48  determines whether a particular shot is a made basket or a missed basket by comparing the at least one attribute of the shot to one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket. Such predetermined signature characteristics are stored in a storage portion of memory  52 . In other implementations, processor  48  may acquire such predetermined signature characteristics from a remote source such as a cloud server or other server on a local area network or wide area network (Internet). In one implementation, the predetermined signature characteristics comprise signature characteristics of a made basket. Processor  48  searches through the various signature characteristics of a made basket to determine if the sensed at least one attribute of the shot match or fall within a predefined proximity range of any of the predetermined signature characteristics to qualify as a made basket. In other words, processor  48  determines whether the sensed attributes of a shot have collective characteristics or form a collective pattern of values that sufficiently matches corresponding collective characteristics or corresponding patterns of previously made shots to determine whether the shot being analyzed is a made basket or a missed basket. 
     In one implementation, processor  48  determines whether a particular shot is a made basket or a missed basket based upon a predetermined portion of a basketball shot. For example, in one implementation, processor  48  determines whether a particular shot is a made basket or a missed basket by looking for shot attributes indicating a particular type of interaction of basketball  22  with net  46 . In particular, as basketball  22  fall through net  46 , the net  46  may exert resistance R against the gravitational acceleration or falling of basketball  22 . This resistance R impacts the acceleration values of ball  22 . In response to receiving acceleration values indicating that ball  22  is likely encountering the signature resistance R that occurs only when basketball  22  is falling through net  46 , processor  48  may determine whether a particular shot is a made basket are missed basket. Because this determination is made based upon attributes that occur at the end of a shot, after a ball  22  has passed through or is in the process of passing through rim  44 , other prior attributes, such as the launch acceleration, launch coordinates, impact with backboard  42  or impact with rim  44  are extraneous and may be disregarded. As a result, processing unit  48  may determine whether a shot is a made basket utilizing fewer shot attributes and shot attributes obtained over a shorter period of time, reducing signal transmission burden of signal transmitter  30 . Because the make/miss determination is achieved using less data, processing demands placed upon processor  48  are also reduced. 
     In other implementations, additional or alternative sensed shot attributes may be utilized by processor  48  to determine whether a particular shot is a made basket or a missed basket. For example, the predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket may indicate that a shot is a made basket if the shot from a particular launch coordinate has a particular set or combination of attributes (either static or over time). For example, a shot from a particular launch coordinate may be deemed a made basket if the shot has, in combination, a particular launch direction, launch angle, and acceleration characteristics. A shot from a particular launch coordinate may be deemed a made basket if the sensed shot attributes indicate a particular shot peak in combination with a particular interaction VBB with backboard  42  and/or a particular interaction VR with rim  44  while basketball  22  has a particular spin rate SR about a particular spin axis SA. In one implementation, the predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket may comprise a table of multiple combinations of different shot attributes/values that equate to a made basket. In another implementation, the predetermined signature characteristics of the made basket may comprise a combination of different ranges for each of different sensed shot attributes that equate to a made basket. The use of multiple sensed shot attributes from different times during a shot may enhance shot determination accuracy of processor  48 . 
     As indicated by step  106  in  FIG. 2 , processing unit  48  generates signals directing output  44  to present to a person information based on the determination of whether the shot is a made basket. Such information may indicate whether the particular shot is a made basket or missed basket. Such information may comprise an update of historical data. For example, such information may comprise a percentage of shot attempts that result in a made basket. This percentage may be an overall percentage or may be make percentages for each of different locations on the basketball court. 
     In one implementation, processor  48  may further present information regarding sensed attributes of the shot that resulted in the made basket. For example, processor  48  may provide an output indicating that when a player imparted a certain spin rate or a spin rate within a certain range of spin rates about a particular axis or range of axes, from a particular distance or range of distances, the shot resulted in a made basket x percent of the time. Processor  48  may provide similar output with respect to other attributes such as launch angle and launch direction. By providing such additional information, system  20  provides an indication to the player person as to how he or she may improve his or her shot accuracy, such as increasing or decreasing the spin that the player imparts to basketball  22 , adjusting the spin axis and/or adjusting the launch angle and/or imparted force/acceleration to adjust the peak or arc of basketball  22 . In some implementations, processor  48  analyzes the make/miss results and the corresponding sensed shot attributes over time to provide the player with specific training or shooting adjustment recommendations on output  44 . For example, processor  48  may provide text, graphics or animations on output  44  instructing the player as how to change his or her shooting habits or style to achieve greater shooting accuracy from a particular range. 
       FIGS. 3-5  schematically illustrate other examples of portable electronic device  24  and basketball sensing system  20 .  FIG. 3  schematically illustrates portable electronic device  124 , a specific example of portable electronic device  24  to be used with basketball  22 . Portable electronic device  124  is similar to portable electronic device  24  except that portable electronic device  124  is specifically illustrated as comprising ball transceiver  140  in lieu of data acquisition device  41  and memory  152  in lieu of memory  52 . Those remaining components of portable electronic device  124  which correspond to components of portable electronic device  24  are numbered similarly. 
     Ball transceiver  140  comprises a device to receive signals from signal transducer  30  of electronics  26 . In one implementation, ball transceiver  140  further transmits signals to ball  22 . In one implementation, ball transceiver  140  communicates with signal transmitter  30  of electronics  26  in a wireless fashion such as through radio frequency signals, optical or infrared signals and the like. In one implementation, ball transceiver  140  receives signals from basketball  22  during entire cycle of the basketball shot. In another implementation, ball transceiver  140  receives signals from basketball  22  during selected portions of the cycle of the basketball shot. For example, signal transmitter  30  may be activated and may start transmitting sensed shot attributes in response to sensor  28  sensing a shot attribute having a particular characteristic, triggering the output of shot attributes by signal transmitter  30 . In such a manner, battery power of basketball  22  is conserved and processing loads placed upon processor  48  are reduced. 
     Memory  152  is similar to memory  52 , but is specifically illustrated as comprising made shot signatures  160 , shot determination module  162 , results storage  164  and output module  166 . Made shot signatures  160  comprises a storage portion of memory  152  containing predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket. In one implementation, made shot signatures  160  may additionally or alternatively comprise signature characteristics of missed basketball attempts, conversely facilitating the identification of made baskets if signals from a shot do not officially match the signatures of missed basketball attempts. Made shot signatures  160  may be uploaded or imported from a remote source or, in other implementations, may be created using signals from basketball  22  itself. As will be described hereafter, in some implementations, made shot signatures  160  may comprise uploaded or imported signatures created during previous testing with other basketballs and on other basketball courts with other baskets  40 , wherein shot signatures  160  are calibrated and adjusted to accommodate unique characteristics of a particular basket  40  and possibly a particular basketball  22  or a particular type, quality or brand of basketball. 
     Shot determination module  162  comprises that code or software in memory  152  which directs processor  48  in the determination of whether a particular shot is a made basket or a missed basket. Determination module  162  directs processor  48  in the comparison of the at least one sensed attribute of a shot with shot signatures  160 . 
     Results storage  164  comprises a storage portion of memory  152  for storing determinations of whether individual shots are made baskets or missed baskets. Results storage  164  may further store one or more of the at least one attributes associated with those shots that are made (or those shots that are missed) for subsequent shot analysis. Because results storage  164  is locally stored in memory  152 , review and analysis of shot results may be achieved without network connection capability. 
     Output module  166  comprises code or software contained in memory  152  for instructing processor  48  in the output of results on output  44 . As noted above, in one implementation, output module  166  directs processor  48  to present updated historical data regarding overall shot percentages, individual shot percentages from different locations on the basketball court or floor and instruction for improving shot accuracy. In other implementations, output module  166  makes different output based upon one or more determinations of whether one or more shots are made baskets. 
       FIG. 4  schematically illustrates portable electronic device  224 , another example implementation of portable electronic device  24 .  FIG. 4  illustrates portable electronic device  224  use as part of a basketball sensing system  220  which utilizes basketball  22  (shown and described above with respect to system  20 ) and remote facilitators: made shot signatures  260  and results storage  264 . Portable electronic device  224  is similar to portable electronic device  124  except that portable electronic device  224  omits made shot signatures  160  from memory  152  and additionally comprises network transceiver  168 . Those remaining components of portable electronic device  224  which correspond to components of portable electronic device  124  are numbered similarly. 
     Network transceiver  268  comprises a device to communicate across a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. In one implementation, network transceiver  268  facilitates indirect communication with ball  22  via an intermediary, such as an intermediate server or cloud that communicates with both ball  22  and portable electronic device  224 . In one implementation, network transceiver  268  further facilitates the acquisition of data from remote data sources by portable electronic device  224  and facilitates the transmission of sensed shot attributes and/or make/miss results to other remote locations across a LAN or WAN. In the example illustrated, network transceiver  268  facilitates remote storage of made shot signatures  260  and make/miss results  264 , reducing memory consumption of portable electronic device  224 . 
     Made shot signatures  260  are similar to made shot signatures  160  except that made shot signatures  260  are remotely stored with respect to portable electronic device  224 . In one implementation, made shot signatures  260  are remotely stored on a network server or cloud server which is accessible by multiple different users having different portable electronic devices. As a result, made shot signatures  260  facilitate use of a general set of made shot signatures by multiple different users at multiple different locations, wherein the shared made shot signatures  260  may be more frequently and economically adjusted or updated for a large number of users. 
     In one implementation, made shot signatures  260  may comprise multiple sets, with different sets being dedicated to different basketball court environments. For example, made shot signatures  260  may comprise a first set of signatures for an indoor basketball court and a second set of signatures for an outdoor basketball court. Made shot signatures  260  may comprise a first set of signatures for a leather or synthetic leather basketball and a second set of signatures for a lower cost rubber exterior basketball. Made shot signatures  260  may comprise different sets of signatures for different inflation levels of the basketball being used or for different types of back boards  42 , rims  44  or nets  46  being used. In such implementations, the player at a particular basketball court may input inflation level of the basketball, the characteristics of basket  40  or the environment (indoor court, outdoor court, temperature, humidity and/or wind conditions), wherein processor  48  will consult the most appropriate set of made shot signatures based on the user input. In other implementations, basketball  22  may include a sensor to detect an inflation level of the basketball or may include other sensors to detect other environmental attributes, wherein such environmental or inflation factors are transmitted to portable electronic device  224 , allowing processing unit  48  to select the most appropriate set of made shot signatures for use in determining whether a shot is a made basket. In some implementations, portable electronic device  224  may itself sense or detect certain environmental conditions (wind, temperature, humidity etc.) or may retrieve such environmental conditions from a remote network source given user input of the basketball court location or a detected location of the basketball court (such as through GPS). In some implementations, network transceiver  224  may be omitted. 
     Results storage  264  is similar to results storage  164  except the results storage  264  is remote from portable electronic device  224 . In one implementation, results storage  264  is accessible through a network connection. As a result, results storage  264  enables other persons, such as coaches are trainers, to access shooting results across a wide area network. In some implementations, access may be provided to organizations offering rewards or incentives for shot performance or for improvement or practice frequency. For example, in one implementation, a health insurance provider is provided access to results storage  264 , wherein the health insurance provider provides rewards or incentives based upon exercise frequency reflected in the data of results storage  264 . In another implementation, other users are also provided with access to results storage  264  across a network, allowing remote competitions or challenges. 
       FIG. 5  schematically illustrates portable electronic device  324 , another example implementation of portable electronic device  24 . Portable electronic device  324  is illustrated as being utilizes part of a basketball sensing system  320  which utilizes basketball  22  (described above with respect to system  20 ) and remote facilitators: made shot signatures  260 , results storage  264 , processing unit  348  and shot determination module  362 . Those components of basketball sensing system  320  which correspond to components of basket sensing system  220  are numbered similarly. 
     Portable electronic device  324  is similar to portable electronic device  224  except that portable electronic device  324  omits shot determination module  362 . Instead, the determination of whether a particular basketball shot is a made basket or a missed basket is made by a remotely located processing unit  348  following instructions provided by remotely located shot determination module  362 . Shot determination module  362  is similar to shot determination module  162  except that shot determination module  362  is located remote with respect to portable electronic device  324 . In one implementation, shot determination module  362  and the associated processing unit  348  are located on a remotely located network server or cloud server. Because shot determinations are made remote from portable electronic device  324  and merely transmitted to portable electronic device  3244  storage on result storage  164  and for display on output  44 , processing demands placed on portable electronic device  324  are reduced. In other implementations, portable electronic device  324  may additionally include shot determination module  162 , wherein a user may select whether shot determinations are made locally by portable electronic device  324  (potentially faster response times, but greater consumption of memory and processing power locally on portable electronic device  324 ) or shot determinations are made remotely by shot determination module  362  and processor  348 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates made shot signatures  460 , one example of made shot signature  160 ,  260 , for use in determining whether a particular basketball shot is a made basket or a missed basket. In the example illustrated, made shot signatures  460  comprises a lookup table of predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket. Made shot signatures  460  comprise a table of shot attributes for each of multiple shots (0-n) which were made baskets. In the example illustrated, for each made shot, signatures  460  lists values for acceleration over time A(t), and shot peak P. In the example illustrated, signature  460  lists raw sensed data for sensed acceleration of basketball  22  in each of the three axes X, Y and Z is a function of time. In other implementations, signatures  460  may identify acceleration over time in other formats or derivations of raw sensed data. The attribute indicating the peak height of basketball  22  during a shot assist in distinguishing a pass from a shot. For example, if the sensed attributes of an expected shot indicate the shot having a peak lower than a height of rim  44 , the shot is likely not a shot, but is a pass. In the example illustrated, signatures  460  may omit peak P attribute, wherein the detected or determined peak of a basketball shot is first compared to the height of rim  44  by processor  48 ,  348  prior to consulting signatures  460 . If the detected peak of a pass or shot is greater than the height of rim  44 , then further consideration is carried out by processor  48 ,  348 . 
     According to one example implementation, processor  48 ,  348 , under the direction of determination module  162 ,  362  compares the acceleration attributes over time (over the entire cycle of the basketball shot or over a particular predefined time period of a shot, such as when the ball is passing through net  46 ) or the pattern of acceleration values of a particular shot to the signatures  460  to identify whether the particular shot is a made basket or a missed basket. In one implementation, the acceleration values of signatures  460  are taken from when basketball  22  is passing through net  46  (as determined from and triggered by sensed acceleration values indicating when basketball  22  is passing through net  46 ). Because such attributes indicate whether a basket is a made basket or missed basket independent of other attribute such as launch coordinates LCOOR, signatures  460  may omit such extraneous attributes. In one implementation, the acceleration values are taken during a time period when basketball  22  is passing through net  46 , wherein the resistance R of net  46  impacts the acceleration patterns of ball  22 . In one implementation, the acceleration values are taken during a time period when basketball  22  is passing through a lower half of net  46 , after sideways trajectory of basketball  22  has been absorbed by net  46  and basketball  22  is falling along a more vertical path encountering vertical resistance from a lower, constricted portion of net  46 . In one example, if the particular set of acceleration attributes over time does not sufficiently match any of the acceleration values or acceleration patterns Pt0-Ptn, the shot is identified as a missed basket. 
     As shown by  FIG. 6 , in addition to identifying a result R: a made basket or a missed basket, signatures  460  may additionally associate the acceleration patterns Pt0-Ptn with a particular type of made shot: a swish shot, a bank shot, a bank plus rim shot or a rim shot. A swish shot is a shot in which the trajectory or path of basketball  22  is not impacted or affected by backboard  42  or rim  44  such as when ball  22  passes within rim  44  without substantially contacting rim  44 . A bank shot is a shot in which basketball  22  bounces off of or impacts the front face of backboard  42  prior to passing through net  46 . A bank plus rim shot is a shot in which basketball  22  impacts against a front of backboard  42  and further bounces off or against one or more portions of rim  44  part of falling through net  46 . A rim shot is a shot in which basketball  22  is not impact backboard  42 , but impacts or bounces off of rim  44  one or more times prior to falling through net  46 . Other shot combinations are also contemplated, such as, for example, backboard, rim, backboard and in, and rim, rim, rim and in. 
     Because signatures  460  further specifically indicate the type of made basket for each set of shot attributes, basketball sensing system  20 ,  220 ,  320  may further indicate to the player what percentage of his or her shots for a particular location were swish shots, bank shots, bank and rim shots or rim shots. As a result, the player may evaluate not only whether a particular shot was a made basket or missed basket, but evaluate how close the shot was to being a pure shot (a swish) versus a missed shot. A made shot that impacts the backboard  42  or bounces multiple times off of rim  44  prior to falling through net  46  is a less desirable shot as it is closer to being a missed shot (bouncing sideways off the rim rather than through the rim). As a result, even made shots may be improved upon. In one implementation, basketball sensing systems  20 ,  220 ,  320  may analyze differences between shot attributes of made swish shots versus made bank or rim shots from a particular location to identify those shot attributes that resulted in a swish shot than a bank or a rim shot. In one implementation, basketball sensing systems  20 ,  220 ,  320  may output recommendations or suggestions for improving shot mechanics for made shots. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates made shot signatures  560 , another example implementation of made shot signatures  160 ,  260  for use in determining whether a particular basketball shot is a made basket or a missed basket. As shown by  FIG. 7 , in the example illustrated, made shot signatures  560  further facilitates the identification of a type of the made shot, whether it be a swish, bank, bank plus rim or rim shot. In the example illustrated, made shot signatures  560  comprises a lookup table of predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket. Made shot signatures  560  comprises a table of shot attributes for each of multiple shots (0-n) which were made baskets. In the example illustrated, for each made shot, signatures  560  lists values or attributes for acceleration over time A(t), spin axis (spin angle), spin rate, launch direction LD, launch coordinates LCOOR, launch angle, one or more backboard vibrations VBB and one or more rim vibrations VR. In one implementation, each of such attributes is provided for an entire cycle of a shot from launch to the ball completing its passage through net  46 . In another implementation, each as such attributes are provided for one or more discrete portions of a shots cycle. In the example illustrated, signature  560  lists raw sensed data of basketball  22  in each of the three axes X, Y and Z as a function of time. In other implementations, signatures  560  may identify such sensed attributes over time in other formats or with derivations of raw sensed data. 
     In one implementation, made shot signatures  160 ,  260  further comprise signal traces over time of made basketball shots and missed basketball shots from various locations on the court or with respect to the hoop. To determine whether a shot attempt is a made basket or a missed basket, processor  48 ,  348 , under the direction of determination module  162 ,  362  compares the traces resulting from the signals received from sensors  28  to the stored traces of signatures  160 ,  260 . By identifying the signature trace that best matches the pattern or trace of signals received during a basketball shot attempt, system  20  determines whether the shot attempt resulted in a made basket or a missed shot. 
       FIG. 7A  illustrates an example basketball shot acceleration trace signature  568  of a missed basketball shot generated based upon signals received from basketball  22 . In the example illustrated, the initial spikes  570  result from acceleration of the basketball during its release. The spike  572  results from acceleration of the ball impacting the rim  44 . The next subsequent spike  574  results from the basketball impacting the floor. Note that spikes  572  and  574  have no intervening spikes which would otherwise result from the ball being caught by the net if the shot attempt was successful. 
       FIG. 7B  illustrates an example basketball shot acceleration trace signature  578  of another missed basketball shot generated based upon signals received from basketball  22 . In the example illustrated, the initial spikes  580 , similar in appearance to spikes  570 , correspond to acceleration of the basketball during its release during a shot. Spikes  582 A,  582 B and  582 C correspond to and result from the basketball impacting the rim or going around the rim multiple times. The spike  584  corresponds to and results from the basketball impacting the floor. Once again, note that spikes  582 C and  584  have no intervening spike corresponding to the ball being caught by the net if the shot attempt was successful. 
       FIG. 7C  illustrates an example basketball shot acceleration trace signature  588  generated from signals received from basketball  22  during a made basketball shot. In the example illustrated, the initial spikes  590 , similar in appearance to spikes  570 , correspond to acceleration of the basketball during its release during a shot. Spike  592  corresponds to and results from the basketball impacting the rim. The spike  594  corresponds to or results from the basketball impacting the floor. Intervening spikes  596 A,  596 B correspond to and result from the basketball being caught by the net, indicating a basketball shot. After each shot attempt, determination module  162 ,  362  compares the acceleration trace resulting from the shot attempt to basketball shot acceleration trace signatures of shot signatures  160 ,  260  to find the closest matching acceleration trace and to determine whether the just completed shot attempt was a made basket or a missed basket. 
     In implementations where the basketball shot acceleration trace signatures, such as those shown in  FIG. 7A-7C , include impact of the basketball with the floor (spikes  574 ,  584  and  594 ), the user of system  20  is instructed to allow the basketball to hit the floor after each shot attempt. In other implementations, other traces or shot signatures may be utilized which do not require that the basketball be allowed to impact the floor after a shot. In some implementations, determination module  162 ,  362  may utilize both trace comparisons as well as parameter/attribute comparisons (such as the attribute tables described above with respect to signatures  460 ,  560 ) to more accurately determine whether a basketball shot attempt has resulted in a made basketball shot. 
     In one implementation, processor  48 , following instructions contained in memory  52 , continuously updates and validates made shot signatures  160 ,  260 ,  460 ,  560  and/or the traces while in use. In effect, processor  48  and instructions in memory  52  form a neural network by which system  20  continually learns and improves upon its make-miss detection accuracy. For example, system  20  is initially provided with a stalling or default database of signatures for use in determining whether a shot is a made basket or a missed basket. However, such pre-formulated or standardized signatures for shot attempts, provided by the basketball or application provider, may not take into account unique or particular characteristics of the hoop, the shooting style of the user or the inflation characteristics of the ball. For example, a rim may be “soft” or rigid. A particular net may catch the ball differently producing slightly different signals. The rim in a person&#39;s backyard or on a playground may not be exactly at a regulation height or angle. To address such irregularities, in one implementation, after each shot attempt, system  20  outputs an initial determination of whether a shot attempt resulted in a made basket. System  20  further prompts or requests the user to provide feedback regarding the results of the shot through an input device, such as a touchscreen, keypad, keyboard or microphone. Using feedback received from the person shooting the basketball or another person, system  20  confirms the prior determination or corrects the prior determination. As a result, system  20  calibrates and customizes the pre-provided standardized signatures to the unique characteristics of the user&#39;s shooting style, the particular characteristics of the hoop being used or other factors. 
     In one implementation, the user of system  20  may “teach” system  20  and assist system  20  in building a database of make-miss signatures by taking different shots from different locations. During such shots, system  20  senses various attributes of the shot or of the basketball. Following the shot, the user may input to system  20  an indication of whether the shot was a made basket or a missed basket. In some implementations, the user may input to system  20  additional details regarding the shot such as whether the shot impacted the rim and/or impacted the backboard. Utilizing such input information received from the user or from multiple users with respect to multiple shots over time, system  20  compares the received signals from basketball  22  to the feedback from the user to recognize signal patterns, amplitudes or other signal characteristics corresponding to the basketball impacting the rim, the basketball impacting the backboard and the basketball passing through or being caught by the net. As a result, system  20  builds its own database of made and missed shot signatures for subsequent use in determining made shots and miss shots without such user feedback. 
     In one implementation, the user is prompted or instructed to build such shot signature database by taking multiple shots from various locations and speaking or yelling the results of the shot. For example, the user, just prior shooting the ball, may say “shot” which is received by a microphone and recognize my speech recognition software such that data acquisition device  40  polls or receives information from basketball  22 . After completion of the shot, the user is instructed to yell or say either “make” or “miss”, wherein such spoken words are captured by the microphone and recognized or discerned by speech recognition software. The received and discerned words “make” or “miss” trigger the processor  48  to identify the end of the shot, to store the signals pertaining to the just completed shot and to identify the shot as either a made shot or a missed shot. In one implementation, the user may additionally verbalize additional details or feedback to system  24  a shot being sensed such as an approximate distance from the hoop, an orientation of the location with respect to the front of the rim, whether the shot was a bank shot, whether the shot was a swish a whether the shot impacted the rim. Such additional details verbalized by the user are further recognized by speech recognition software, recorded/stored in memory and assigned to the sense shot for later analysis and make-miss “learning”. Through multiple repetitions, system  20  acquires sufficient data to distinguish between made and miss shots based upon different sense characteristics of a shot basketball  22 . 
     In another implementation, the user can take a shot and the system  24  can indicated on output  44 , through an audio message, or through a display projected onto a surface such as a garage door, a backboard, a court surface or a wall, whether the system  24  determined that particular shot to be a made shot or a missed shot. If the user upon recognizing the system&#39;s determination recognizes that the determination of the system  24  was incorrect, the user can instruct the system  24  that the opposite result actually occurred on the particular shot. In this manner, the user does not have to provide feedback on every shot to the system  24 , but only on those shots where the system&#39;s determination was incorrect. The system  24  is configured to allow for such user input to be received and to add the result in the made shot signatures, if appropriate (or a collection of missed shot signatures). In this manner, the accuracy of the system  24  can be efficiently and effectively improved through the collection of sample shots or calibration shots of the ball at a particular location (the user&#39;s driveway, local playground, etc.). 
     In some circumstances, a user may set the rim of the basketball hoop at a lower height than regulation height, such as when the user may lack sufficient strength to shoot a ball to the rim due to the user&#39;s size or youth. In one implementation, system  20  may prompt the user to input the height of the rim of the basketball, wherein system  20  downloads, retrieves or utilizes appropriate shot signatures for the particular type of the basketball chosen. In one implementation, the neural network of system  20  facilitates the creation of a custom shot signature database, as described above, that is specifically based upon previously recorded shots and the hoop having the user selected rim height. As a result, system  20  is well-suited for non-regulation hoops or for hoops that are adjusted or customized to accommodate younger or smaller players. 
       FIG. 8  schematically illustrates basketball sensing system  620 , another example implementation of basketball sensing system  20  shown in  FIG. 1 . Basketball sensing system  620  comprises basketball  22  (shown and described with respect to basketball sensing system  20  and  FIG. 1 ) and portable electronic device  624 . In some implementations, basketball sensing system  620  additionally comprises intermediate facilitators: made shot signature  260 , result storage  264 , remote processing unit  348  and/or shot determination module  362 . 
     Portable electronic device  624  is similar to portable electronic device  124  except that portable electronic device  624  is illustrated as specifically comprising data compressor  629 , input  641 , network transceiver  268  and memory  652 . Those remaining components of portable electronic device  624  which correspond to components of portable electronic device  124 ,  224  or  324  are numbered similarly. 
     Data compressor  629  comprises a module to facilitate compression of data for transmission using network transceiver  268 . Data compressor  629  may comprise a lossy or lossless data compression device. Data compressor  629  reduces bandwidth requirements for electronic device  624  when communicating sometimes large amounts of shot data (raw, derived or results) across a network. In some implementations, data compressor  629  may be omitted. 
     Input  641  comprises one or more devices by which a person may enter data and/or selections or commands to portable electronic device  624 . It should be understood that each of portable electronic device  124 ,  224  and  324 , in some implementations, likewise include input  641 . Examples of input  641  include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a keypad, a touchpad, a stylus, a microphone and associated speech recognition, a mouse and/or a touchscreen. In some implementations, input  641  may be incorporated as part of a display screen serving as output  44 , wherein the display screen is a touch screen. Input  641  facilitates (1) the entry of data, such as data for establishing a basket and court coordinate system, data identifying the player and his or her personal information or data regarding characteristics of basketball  22 , and (2) the entry of commands or selections such as the entry of desired settings or options, display formats, thresholds, confirmations and the like. 
     Network transceiver  268  is described above with respect to portable electronic device  224 . Network transceiver  268  facilitates communication across a network, such as a local area network or a wide area network (Internet). As noted above with respect to basketball sensing systems  220  and  320 , network transceiver  268  may facilitate remote storage of made shot signatures  260 , results  264  and/or the determination of whether a shot is a made shot or miss shot using a remote processing unit  348  in conjunction with a remote determination module  362 . In some implementations, network transceiver  268  may be omitted. 
     Memory  652  comprises a non-transient computer-readable medium containing code configured to direct the processing unit  48  to carry out one or more operations in the sensing of basketball shots.  FIG. 9  illustrates memory  652  in more detail. As shown by  FIG. 9 , memory  652  comprises determination module  162 , result storage  164  and output module  166  described above. Memory  652  further comprises made shot signatures  660 , wherein made shot signatures  660  comprises made shot signatures  460 , made shot signatures  560  or variations thereof. As shown by  FIG. 9 , memory  652  further comprises communication module  670 , coordinate module  672 , coordinate storage  674 , calibration module  675 , comparison module  676  and comparison storage  678 . 
     Communication module  670  comprises software code or programming that provide direct communication between portable electronic device  624  and basketball  22  and/or a remote intermediary such as made shot signatures  260 , result storage  264  and/or processing unit  348  and the associated determination module  362  across a network using one or more servers. Communication module  670  directs processor  48  to utilize network transceiver  268  to acquire any updates of made shot signatures from made shot signature storage  260 , wherein made shot signatures  660  are provided with updated values. Communication module  670  further directs ball transceiver  140  to obtain or acquire sensed shot attributes from basketball  22 , cooperating with signal transmitter  30 . 
     Coordinate module  672  comprises software or code for directing processing unit  48  in the establishment of a basket coordinate system or grid layout. Coordinate module  672  directs processor  48  to provide instructions for establishing such a coordinate system using one or more prompts presented on output  44 . Coordinate module  672  further instructs processor  48  to generate control signals which are transmitted to ball  22  through ball transceiver  142  of ball  22  in the establishment of the basket coordinate system. For example, coordinate module  672  may direct processor  48  to transmit control signals to basketball  22  to instruct basketball  22  in the RSS timestamp or other triangulation to establish a basket coordinate system. As noted above, in some implementations, coordinate module  672  may instead utilize sensors of portable electronic device  624  that correspond to sensors in basketball  22  when determining the basket coordination system, wherein the determined basket coordination system is transmitted to basketball  22  for subsequent use when transmitting launch coordinates. The determined basket coordinates are stored in coordinate storage  674 . 
     Calibration module  675  comprises software or code for directing processor  48  in the calibration of basketball sensing system  620  based upon specific characteristics of the specific basketball being utilized, the specific backboard  42  characteristics, the specific characteristics of rim  44  and the specific characteristics of net  46 . In one implementation, calibration module  675  adjusts settings or values in made shot signatures  660  based upon sensed shot attributes received during made (or missed) calibration shots. In another implementation, calibration module  675  generates or creates at least portions of made shot signatures  660  based upon sensed shot attributes received during made (or missed) calibration shots. 
       FIG. 10  is a flow diagram of an example calibration method  700  that may be carried out by basketball sensing system  620  following instructions provided by calibration module  675 . As indicated by block or step  702 , calibration module  675  directs processor  48  to present one or more prompts on output  44  for a basketball shot. In one implementation, the prompt requests of a specific type of basket such as one of a swish, a bank, a bank and rim or a rim shot. In other implementations, the type of shot may be random and later entered after the shot is made. As indicated by step  704 , calibration module  675  directs processor  48  to obtain sensed shot attributes from basketball  22  using ball transducer  140 . Such sensed shot attributes are stored in memory  652  for analysis. 
     As indicated by step  706 , calibration module  675  directs processor  48  to present a prompt confirming that the calibration shot was a made shot or made basket. As indicated by step  708 , calibration module  675  directs processor  48  to present a prompt confirming the type of shot: swish, a bank, a bank and rim or a rim shot. For example, even if a person is requested to make a bank calibration shot, the actual shot may turn out to be a rim shot or a swish, wherein the user would enter, using input  641 , the actual type of the made shot and wherein the actual type of the shot would be associated with the sensed shot attributes. 
     As indicated by step  710 , based upon one or more such calibration shots, calibration module  675  either generates made shot patterns or signatures which are added to made shot storage  660  or adjusts such values in made shot storage  660 . Calibration module  675  enhances accuracy by generating or adjusting made shot signatures based upon actual environmental, basketball or court conditions. For example, the particular basketball being employed may be underinflated or overinflated, impacting made shot signatures they utilize values for vibrations of the basketball off of the backboard  42  or the rim  44 . The backboard  42  and/or rim  44  may have different stiffness values, surface roughnesses, resiliencies. By way of another example, the particular net  46  of the particular court may be stretched, may be brand-new and more constrictive, or may comprise a chain rather than a cloth net. In such circumstances, calibration module  675  adjusts the values of made shot signatures  660  which utilize such basketball and net interaction attributes (as described above with respect to the resistance exerted upon the following basketball  22  as a basketball  22  passes through the lower half of net  46 ), either alone or with other shot attributes. Still further, the court or playing surface can vary from wood, concrete, asphalt, tiled, etc. resulting in different characteristics upon impacting the ground after a shot. 
     Comparison module  676  comprises software code in memory  652  which directs processing unit  48  to compare results of one or more basketball shots with corresponding results of other players, with previously recorded results by the same person or player or with personal shooting goals of the person. In one implementation, the results of other players or the personal shooting goals of the person which are used for comparison are stored in comparison storage  678 . In one implementation, the results of other players or personal shooting goals of the person may be retrieved from a remote storage sites such as from the other player&#39;s portable electronic device or a generally accessible intermediary such as a Web server. Once the comparison is made, comparison module  676  directs processor  48  to present the comparison results on output  44 . As a result, comparison module  676  facilitates challenges and competitions amongst different players as well as feedback and motivation for achieving one&#39;s personal goals. 
     In one implementation, comparison storage  678  stores shooting results for elite or celebrity basketball players. For purposes of this disclosure, a “celebrity” shall mean a person who has attained notoriety or an elite status for his or her performance in the sport. Examples of such celebrities include college and professional basketball players. Although comparison module  676  may utilize comparison storage  678  serving as a celebrity storage for storing user data pertaining to travel of the ball, in other implementations, comparison module  676  may obtain shooting results or results from a remote location using network transceiver  268 . For example, celebrity ball travel results or characteristics may be alternatively provided at a remote server which may be accessed across a local or wide area network. 
     Based upon signals received from sensor  28 , comparison module  676  directs processor  48  to compare a person&#39;s results with that of a celebrity and to output and/or store the comparison results. 
     In some implementations, comparison module  676  may additionally provide comparisons of one or more selected shot attributes. For example, in one implementation, comparison module  676  may not only compare the percentage of shots made from a particular distance or from a particular location on the basketball court (i.e., Three-point range from a side of the basket), but may also compare shot attributes such as statistics regarding the height or arc of such shots, statistics regarding the amount of backspin placed on the ball by players during such shots, statistics regarding the launch angle of shots, statistics regarding the distribution of made shots between those that are swish shots, those that a bank shots and those that impact the rim prior to being made. In implementations where the comparison is made with respect to a celebrity basketball player, the user of basketball sensing system  620  may discover that a particular professional or college basketball player may have a better shot percentage due to the celebrity player having a greater arc or applying backspin within a particular range. The comparison results are also stored in comparison storage  678  for subsequent retrieval for subsequent comparisons. 
       FIGS. 11-16  illustrate portable electronic device  824 , an example implementation of portable electronic device  624  as employed in a basketball sensing system  820  which further comprises one or more basketballs  22 . Portable electronic device  824  comprises processor  48 , ball transceiver  140 , network transceiver  268 , data compression device  629 , input  641 , and memory  652  (illustrated and described above with respect to portable electronic device  620 ). In the example illustrated, portable electronic device  824  comprises a single transceiver which serves as both ball transceiver  140  and network transceiver  268 . In other implementations, portable electronic device  824  may comprise separate transceivers for communicating with ball  22  and a network. 
     As shown by  FIG. 11 , communication module  670  of memory  652  (shown in  FIG. 9 ) directs processor  48  to identify nearby basketballs  22  configured to communicate with portable electronic device  824  using ball transceiver  140 . The identified basketballs are then presented on output  44  and provided with unique identifications (#482 &amp; #58) in the example shown. The status for the identified balls is further presented on output  44 . In the example illustrated, the distance of each of the identified balls from portable electronic device  824  is indicated and the current sensed power level or battery charge of each of the identified balls is presented on output  44 . In one implementation, processor  48  transmits status request signals to ball  22  through ball transducer  140 , wherein each of the basketballs  22  answers inquiries with information such as the charge or “ball life” remaining. 
     As shown by  FIG. 12 , in response to receiving input through input  641  (the touch screen provided by output  44 ) requesting that the identified ball be “added”, communication module  670  directs processor  48  to indicate that the selected basketball  22  is “connected” such that signals representing sensed shot attributes will be transmitted by the particular basketball  22  and received by portable electronic device  824  of basketball sensing system  820 . More than one of the identified balls may be connected to portable electronic device  824  and employed as part of basketball sensing system  820 , allowing a player to shoot multiple shots with multiple balls at a higher frequency for enhanced practice efficiency. 
     As shown by  FIGS. 13 and 14 , upon one or more of basketballs  22  being connected to or synced with portable electronic device  824  and in response to an input indicating that shooting is to start (“SHOOT NOW”), shot determination module  162  begin sensing shot attributes received from the one or more balls  22  using ball transducer  140 . In the example illustrated, output module  166  depicts a representation of the basketball court on output  44 , the identification of the connected basketballs  22  and the current location of the basketballs, including the basketball  22  about to be shot. In the example illustrated, output module  166  further displays an elapsed time (using an internal timer or time of portable electronic device  824 ) since the beginning of shooting. In one implementation, output module  166  may present a countdown from a predetermined time. 
     Shot determination module  162  directs processor  48  to identify the beginning and completion of each shot using the sensed shot attributes and to compare one or more of the sensed shot attributes from each shot with made shot signatures  660 . Based upon this comparison, processor  48  identifies or determines whether the individual shot is a made basket and stores the result in result storage  164 . As shown by  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the tracked results for those shots during the particular session are presented on output  44  by processor  48  following instructions provided by output module  166  on output  44 . In the example illustrated, output module  166  provides an indication of the total number of shots that were attempted by (163) along with a further breakdown of the number of shots taken as field-goal shots (131) and the number of shots attempted as free throws (32). For those shots that are field-goal attempts, output module  166  further presents a breakdown of information indicating the number of attempts made from various distances (close, midrange, long-range). For each category, upper module  166  indicates the percentage of made shots. In the example illustrated, output module  166  provides a bar graph along with and alphanumeric indication of the shooting percentage. In one implementation, output module  166  may provide each of the bars with a distinct color, brightness or frequency providing other indications such as whether or not the current shooting percentage is satisfying the players personal shooting goals, whether the current shooting percentage is an improvement over prior results from prior shooting sessions or based upon a comparison of the shooting results with a shooting result of a celebrity basketball player. 
     In the particular example illustrated, determination module  162  further directs processing unit  48  to analyze signals received from basketball  22  prior to launch of the particular basketball shot to determine whether the basketball shot was “from dribble”. For example, by sensing signals produced by the one or more accelerometers of sensors  28 , processor  48  may determine if the ball was dribbled prior to launching of the particular basketball shot. As shown by  FIG. 14 , the determination of whether the shot was dribbled prior to a shot is stored in results storage  164  and is presented on output  44  by output module  166 . In the example illustrated, output module  166  provides an indication of whether the shot performance or shot accuracy improved or worsened following dribbling of basketball  22 . In the example illustrated, output module  166  provides a shooting percentage increase or decrease that occurred when basketball  22  was dribbled prior to the launch of a shot versus when basketball  22  is not dribbled prior to the launch of a shot. As noted above, depending upon the selected settings or modes of operation for basketball sensing system  820  and portable electronic device  824 , output module  166  may present additional or alternative information on output  44 , examples including, but not limited to, the percentage of time or distribution for each type of shot (swish, bank, rim, bank and rim), statistics regarding the spin applied to basketball  22  overall or for each shot category or distance category, statistics regarding the arc (maximum peak P) applied to basketball  22  overall or for each shot category or distance category, launch angle of the basketball for each shot category or distance category. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates an additional output screen or output mode of basketball sensing system  820 . In the example illustrated, output module  166  directs processor  48  to present a graphical representation on output  44  of at least a portion of a basketball court and an indication of shooting percentages at and from different locations on the depicted basketball court. In the example illustrated, the indications form a heat map  880  (a shot map or shot mapping), wherein the shooting percentage at different locations on the court is indicated by different heat intensity colors. In the example illustrated, those regions that have a greater or higher shooting percentage had a more intense heat indication (red versus yellow or green). As a result, a player may visually see what locations of the court he or she has a greater shooting accuracy versus those other areas of the court from which a basket is less likely to be made or for which improvement is needed. In other implementations, other indications of shooting percentages or other sensed shot attributes may be provided at different locations on the depicted basketball court. For example, alphanumeric symbols may be provided at different locations on the depicted basketball court, where the alphanumeric symbols indicate one or more of the number of shots attempted, the number of shots made, the percentage of shots made, the percentage of shots missed, the average backspin applied to a shot, the average or range of shooting height or arc of shots from a particular distance and the like. In other implementations, colors or different symbols or graphics may be used at different locations of the depicted court to indicate different shot attributes or shot results. 
     In the example illustrated, output module  166  records how shot percentages from different locations on the court change over time during a practice or shooting session. As shown by  FIG. 15 , a person may input a pause button, a play button or rewind button when viewing the changing animation of the shot percentages from different locations of the court. In such a manner, a player may visually determine how his or her shooting percentages changed over time during a practice session, indicating that a person&#39;s shooting performance may have improved during the practice session due to a change in shooting mechanics or focus or indicating that a person shooting performance may have declined due to a change in shooting mechanics, a change in focus or fatigue. Or, if outside, a change in ambient temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, amount of daylight, etc. may affect the performance of the player over time. In the example illustrated, output module  166  further presents an indication of the total number of shots taken, an indication of number of shots made, an indication the number of shots missed and an indication of the overall shooting percentage. In the example illustrated, and animated bar graph is presented indicating overall shooting percentage, wherein the bar graph has a bar that extends and retracts based upon the ever-changing shooting percentage during the shooting session. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates basketball sensing system  820  in one mode of operation where a player may enter a competition (a virtual tournament) with other players or participants. In the example illustrated, comparison module  676  directs processing unit  48  to obtain shooting results from other participates in the challenge or competition. In one implementation, the other participant shooting results may be obtained directly from the portable electronic devices of the other participants. In another implementation or according to another mode, the other participant shooting results may be obtained through an intermediary such as from a Web server, cloud server or the like. For example, the other participants&#39; results may be retrieved from a host server that is hosting the Challenger tournament or from the other participants&#39; personal social webpage (i.e., FACEBOOK page). Upon retrieving such information, output module  166  presents the other participant shooting results for comparison. In the example illustrated, the challenge is to score 50 long-range shots (beyond the three-point arc) in the shortest amount of time. In other implementations, various other challenges or competitions may be facilitated by basketball sensing system  820 . For example, shooting games of “horse” or “pig” may be carried out in a virtual manner by participants at different locations on different basketball courts. 
       FIG. 17  illustrates basketball  1310 , another example of basketball  22 . The basketball  1310  is a generally spheroidal shaped inflatable object. The basketball  1310  is configured to be grasped, dribbled, passed and shot by a player during use. As shown by  FIG. 18 , basketball  1310  comprises bladder  1314  ( FIG. 18 ), windings  1315 , cover  1316 , and electronics  1318  ( FIG. 17 ). In some embodiments, the basketball  1310  can also include one or more logos  1322 . 
     Bladder  1314  comprises an inflatable sphere formed from materials such as butyl rubber, natural rubber, a combination of butyl and natural rubber and other elastic materials. In one implementation, bladder  1314  is made from 80% butyl rubber and 20% natural rubber. As will be described hereafter, in some implementations, some portions of bladder  1314  or windows formed in bladder  1314  may be formed from one or more transparent or translucent materials. The bladder  1314  can be a formed of a single layer or can be formed of two or more layers. 
     Windings  1315  comprise a layer of wound reinforcing thread wound about or over bladder  1314 . In one implementation, prior to the application of cover  1316 , the reinforcing thread may be further coded or covered with a viscous material, such as a latex or adhesive. In one implementation, the reinforcing thread is passed through a viscous adhesive material prior to being wound about bladder  1314 . In one implementation, the thread forming windings  1315  comprises nylon 66. In other implementations, the thread are material forming windings  1315  may comprise other materials. As will be described hereafter, in some implementations, at least portions of the layer of windings  1315  are translucent or transparent. In one implementation, the windings  1315  can be replaced with a layer of woven or unwoven fabric patches that are placed about the bladder and attached to each other by an adhesive. 
     Cover  1316  comprises a layer of elastic material over and about windings  1315 . In one implementation, cover  1316  comprises a natural rubber, a butyl rubber, a sponge rubber or a combination thereof as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,233. In one implementation, cover  1316  is formed by laying panels or sheets of material over windings  1315  and by molding or fusing the panels into a continuous integral unitary homogenous layer over windings  1315 . In another implementation, cover  1316  formed by injection molding or other fabrication techniques. As shown by  FIG. 18 , in one implementation, during the formation of cover  1316  by molding or melting, the exterior surface of cover  1316  is molded are shaped to include valleys  1317  defined by inner edges of cover  1316 . In one implementation in which cover  1316  also serves as the exterior surface of basketball  1310 , the valleys  1317  forming cover  316  provide grooves  319  (shown in  FIG. 17 ) on the exterior of basketball  310  to facilitate gripping. In such an implementation where cover  1316  serves as the exterior surface basketball  310 , the exterior service of cover  1316  may additionally have molded thereon outwardly projecting pebbles between valleys  1317  and logo  1322 . In  FIG. 18 , the ball can also be referred to as a carcass, and the cover  1316  can be the outer surface of the carcass. 
       FIG. 19  is a sectional view of another implementation of basketball  1310 , wherein basketball  1310  comprises cover  1316 ′ in lieu of cover  1316  and additionally comprises outer cover panel  1320 . In the implementation of basketball  1310  shown in  FIG. 19 , bladder  1314 , windings  1315  and the alternative cover  1316 ′ serve as a carcass for supporting the outer cover panel  1320  which provide a majority of the outer surface of basketball  1310  shown in  FIG. 17 . Cover  1316 ′ is similar to cover  1316  except that exterior surface of cover  1316 ′ can be alternatively shaped or molded to include outwardly or radially projecting walls, ribs or dividers  1321  in place of valleys  1317 . Dividers  1321  partition the exterior of cover  1316  into recesses, cavities or channels receiving outer cover panel  1320 . In such an implementation where outer cover panel  1320  extend over cover  1316 ′, the formation of pebbles in cover  1316 ′ may be omitted. As with cover  1316 , portions of cover  1316 ′ are translucent or transparent in some implementations. In one implementation, those portions of cover  1316  forming one or more of dividers  1321  are transparent or translucent to allow light to pass through dividers  1321  while other portions of cover  1316  are opaque or have different light transmissive properties. 
     Outer cover panel  1320  comprises panels of material secured within the channels or cavities formed by dividers  1321  along an exterior of basketball  1310 . In one implementation, cover panel  1320  is formed from materials such as leather, synthetic leather, rubber and the like. In one implementation, the exterior surface of such cover panels  1320  includes a pebbled texture. Each cover panel may additionally comprise the fabric backing coated with an adhesive prior to being secured to cover  1316  which may also be alternatively coated with an adhesive. In some implementations, at least portions of one or more of cover panel  1320  are translucent or transparent. 
       FIG. 20  is a sectional view of yet another implementation of basketball  1310 , wherein basketball  1310  is similar to the basketball shown in  FIG. 19 , but additionally comprises outer cover panels  1320  and strips  1325 . In the implementation of basketball  1310  shown in  FIG. 20 , bladder  1314 , windings  1315  and cover  1316  serve as a carcass for supporting the outer cover panels  1320  and strips  1325  which provide the outer surface of basketball  1310  shown in  FIG. 18 . 
     Outer cover panels  1320  comprise panels of material secured to cover  1316  between valleys  1317  along an exterior of basketball  1310 . One implementation, cover panels  1320  are formed from materials such as leather, synthetic leather, rubber and the like. In one implementation, the exterior surface of such cover panels  1320  includes a pebbled texture. Each cover panel may additionally comprise the fabric backing coated with an adhesive prior to being secured to cover  1316  which may also be alternatively coated with an adhesive. In some implementations, at least portions of one or more of cover panel  1320  are translucent or transparent. 
     Strips  1325  comprise elongate bands, tubes, cords or the like secured within valleys  1317  and extending upwardly along adjacent opposite sides of cover panel  1320 . The material of strips  1325  has good grip-ability and relatively high coefficient of friction. One implementation, material of the strips  1325  is chosen to match grip and feel of cover panels  1320  so that the grooves  1319  of the basketball  1310  do not include areas of reduced grip-ability on the surface of basketball  1310 . The color of the material of strips  1325  can contrast the color of the cover panel  1320  provide visible evidence of grooves  1319 . One implementation, strips  1325  are black. In one implementation, strips  1325  comprise urethane-coated microfiber having a thickness of about 1.5 mm. In one implementation, the bottom of such strips  1325  is coated with adhesive so as to adhere to cover  1316  (or carcass) during a final molding step. In one implementation, the material of strips  1325  is translucent or transparent. 
     As shown by  FIG. 17 , basketball  1310  additionally comprises a valve assembly  1322  secured to an exterior bladder  1314  (shown in  FIGS. 18-20 ) and terminating at an inflation tube  1323  which extends from the valve assembly  1322  through cover  1316  and through cover panels  1320  (if provided as seen in  FIGS. 19 and 20 ). The valve assembly  1322  is configured to allow air to enter the bladder through use of an inflation needle (not shown) and, when removed, retain the air within the bladder  1314 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 17 , electronics or circuit electronics  1318  is shown in association with the basketball  310 . The electronics  1318  is configured to actively transmit one or more electronic signals used to indicate the location, movement, speed, acceleration, deceleration, rotation and/or temperature of the basketball. Alternatively, electronics  1318  can include a passive circuit that allows for the detection of the location, movement, speed, acceleration, deceleration, rotation and/or temperature of the basketball to be ascertained when subjected to a magnetic field or other sensing system. The electronic  1318  has a weight of less than 1 ounce, and more preferably, a weight of less than 0.5 ounce. 
       FIG. 17A  schematically illustrates one example of electronics  1318 . As shown by  FIG. 17A , in one implementation, electronics  1318  comprises a substrate  1120 , battery  1122 , timer  1123 , light emitters  1324 A,  1324 B,  1324 C (collectively referred to as light emitters  1324 ), sound emitter  1326 , motion sensor  1328 , pressure sensor  1330 , location sensor  1331 , gripping sensor  1332 , transmitter  1133 , and controller  1334 . Substrate  1120  comprises a chip, platform or panel to support one or more of battery  1122 , light emitters  1324 , sound emitter  1326 , light sensors  1127 , motion sensor  1328 , pressure sensor  1330 , transmitter  1133  and controller  1334 . In one implementation, substrate  1120  includes several distinct portions which collectively support the aforementioned components. In one implementation, one or more of such components are supported independent of substrate  1120 . For example, in one implementation, controller  1334  may be supported by electronics  1318 , wherein light emitters  1324  are supported by different structures at different locations within or throughout basketball  1310 . 
     Battery  1122  comprises an energy storage device with supplies electrical power to one or more of the remaining electronics  1318 , such as light emitters  1124 . In one implementation, battery  1122  comprises one or more rechargeable electrical storage devices, such as one or more capacitors, supported by substrate  1120  and in electrical connection with light emitters  1124 , either directly through one or more electrical wires or traces or through controller  1134 . In another implementation, battery  1122  may comprise a battery that is not rechargeable. In one implementation, battery  1122  comprises a removable disposable battery supported independent of substrate  1120  and electrically connected to one or more components supported by substrate  1120 . 
     Timer  1123  comprises one or more devices that track the passage of time. In one implementation, timer  1123  comprises timer circuitry which electronically or digitally tracks time. Although illustrated as being supported by substrate  1120 , in other implementations, timer  1123  may comprise a separate component provided as part of basketball  1310 , but in communication with electronics  1318 . In one implementation, timer  1123  may be manually or automatically synced with other timers associated with a basketball game, scrimmage, practice or the like. In some implementations, timer  1123  may serve as the main or sole timer for a basketball game. In some implementations, timer  1123  functions similar to a stopwatch, being started and stopped in response to signals received through transceiver  1133  or in response to sensed inputs received through grip sensor  1332 . As will be described hereafter, signals from timer  1123  or times indicated by timer  1123  may be used by controller  1334  as a basis for adjusting lighting characteristics of light emitters  1324  or output by sound emitter  1326 . In some implementations, timer  1123  may be omitted. 
     Light emitters  1324  comprise devices configured to emit visible light or electromagnetic radiation, wherein the emitted visible light illuminates portions of basketball  1310 . In one implementation, light emitters  1324  are supported by substrate  1128  and comprise lighting elements such as light emitting diodes. In other implementations, light emitters  1324  comprise other light emitting elements using other light emitting technologies. Although basketball  1310  is illustrated as including three distinct light emitters  1324 , in other implementations, basketball  1310  may include a greater or fewer of such light emitters  1324 . Although illustrated as being supported on support substrate  1120 , in other implementations, light emitters  1324  may be supported distinct from substrate  1120 , such as along an electrical wire, an electrical trace or an electrical string supported elsewhere by basketball  1310 . 
     In the example illustrated, each of light emitters  1324  is configured to emit a different wavelength or different color of visible light. For example, in one implementation, light emitter  1324 A emits a red light, light emitter  1324 B emits a green light and light emitter  1324 C emits a blue light. In one implementation, light emitters  1324  generate different colors of light. In another implementation, light emitters  1324  generate a white light, wherein each of light emitted from the emitter  1324  includes a different filter such that each light emitter  1324  emits a different color of light as a result of the different filters. In one implementation, one of light emitters  1324  includes a diffusion covering which diffuses the generated light to illuminate an expansive area basketball  1310 . In one implementation, one of light emitters  1324  includes a light focusing or concentrating covering which focuses the generated light onto a distinct predefined exterior portion of basketball  1310 . 
     In one implementation, one or more of light emitters  1324  may additionally be configured to emit light in a controlled fashion. For example, light emitters  1324  may emit light in a continuous fashion when on or in intermittent or flashing fashion when on. In one implementation, the frequency of the light emitted by light emitters  1324  is fixed, wherein different light emitters  1324  emit light at different frequencies. In one implementation, the frequency of light emitted by light emitters  1324  is adjustable and is under the control of controller  1334 . 
     In various implementations, selected portions of basketball  1310  are formed from materials to facilitate the transmission of light generated by the one or more of light emitters  1324 . For example, in one implementation, light emitters  1324  are supported within a central portion or interior of basketball  1310 , within bladder  1314 . In such an implementation, at least portions of bladder  1314  are formed from one or more materials so as to be translucent or transparent to the light emitted by light emitters  1324 . In one implementation, the entirety of bladder  1314  or substantially and entirety of bladder  1314  is translucent or transparent. In another implementation, selected portions of bladder  1314  are translucent or transparent. 
     In yet other implementations, one or more of light emitters  1324  are configured to emit a display of images or text using light. For example, in one implementation, one or more of light emitters  1324  comprise a liquid crystal display receipt of protected within basketball  1310 , but viewable through translucent or transparent portions of basketball  1310 . In one implementation, one or more of light emitters  1324  comprise part of an array of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) to provide a flexible display within or near a surface of basketball  1310 . In such implementations where one or more of light emitters  1324  may display or directly present information, graphics and text may be presented on basketball  1310 . Information may be directly communicated instead of indirectly communicating information through the use of colors, intensities, and pulse frequency and duration. In yet other implementations, one or more of light emitters  1324  may comprise other display technologies. 
     In such implementations where light emitters  1324  are supported within an interior basketball  1310  defined by bladder  1314 , at least portions of which are translucent or transparent, portions of windings  1315 , cover  1316  (and panels  1320 ) are also at least partially formed from one or more translucent or transparent materials. As a result bladder  114 , winding  1315 , cover  1316  and optional cover panel  1320  allow light emitted by light emitters  1324  to pass there through. In one implementation, the entirety of basketball  1310  is translucent or transparent. 
     In another implementation, selected portions of basketball  1310  are translucent or transparent. In one implementation, the carcass formed by bladder  1314 , winding  1315  and cover  1316  is translucent while particular panels  1320  are translucent or transparent and other of panels  1320  are not translucent or transparent. In one implementation, the layers of materials along grooves  1319  are translucent or transparent such that light is only emitted through such grooves  1319  or such that the light seen along such grooves  1319  has different characteristics, such as a different color or different brightness, as compared to light passing through other portions of basketball  1310 . The illumination of individual covers or panel  1321  or grooves  1319  visibly indicates rotation of basketball  1310 . 
     In another implementation, stylized portions of basketball  1310  are translucent or transparent while adjacent portions of basketball  1310  are opaque, blocking light. As a result, when light emitters  1324  are emitting light, the stylized portions are emphasized and highlighted. In the example illustrated, basketball  1310  includes a stylized portion shown as a logo  1322  of alpha-numeric characters. In one implementation, logo  1322  is translucent or transparent while adjacent portions adjacent to logo  1322  are not translucent or transparent. In other implementations, basketball  1310  may be provided with other stylized portions which are translucent or transparent while surrounding adjacent portions are opaque. Such stylized portions may be in the form of other logos, designs, graphics, phrases and the like. In one implementation, portions of basketball  1310  adjacent to logo  1322  may also be translucent or transparent, wherein those portions of basketball  310  adjacent logo  322  have a different degree, level or light transmissive characteristic as compared to the surrounding portions. For example, logo  1322  and adjacent portions of basketball  1310  may transmit light to different degrees or may change the color or wavelength of the light differently as compared to one another. 
     In each of the aforementioned implementations, light emitters  1324  may alternatively be supported external to bladder  1314 , between bladder  1314  and the exterior of basketball  1310 . In such implementations, light emitters may be supported adjacent or in near vicinity to those particular portions of basketball  1310  which are translucent or transparent. In some implementations, light emitters  1324  are supported directly along the exterior surface of basketball  1310  or within and interior portion of basketball  1310 , wherein at least portions of basketball  1310  outside of the light emitter are translucent or transparent. 
     In one implementation, the outermost surface of basketball  1310  (whether it be cover  1316  as shown in  FIG. 18  or cover panels  1320  as shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20 ) is formed therein a depressed or recessed portion  1336  in the shape of the stylized portion or logo. In such an implementation, basketball  1310  additionally comprises light emitter  1324 D and protective overlay  1337 . Light emitter  1324 D comprises a patch or substrate, also in the shape of the stylized portion and the shape of recessed  1336 , that supports a plurality of light emitting points such as a plurality of light emitting diodes or other individual light emitters. Light emitter  1324 D is secured within recess  1336  and receives power from battery  1122  under the control of controller  1334 . Protective overlay  1337  has the shape corresponding to the stylized shaped recess  1336  and is secured within recess  1336  over light emitter  1324 D to protect light emitter  1324 D. In other implementations, recessed portion  1336 , light emitter  1324 D and overlay  1337  have different shapes and may have shapes different than one another. In some implementations, light emitter  324 D failed to provide a string of lights simply deposited are secured within recess  1336  without the underlying substrate support. Another implementation, overlay  1337  may be omitted, wherein light emitter  1324 D is coated with a protective layer or is otherwise sufficiently durable to withstand wear during use of basketball  1310 . 
     In some implementations, light emitters  1324  may be supported at different locations in or with respect to basketball  1310 . For example, in one implementation, light emitter  1324 A is supported along grooves  1319 , light emitter  1324 B is supported within an interior of bladder  1314  and light emitter  1324 C is supported between bladder  1314  and the exterior of basketball  1310  at a particular region of basketball  1310 , such as adjacent to stylized portion  1322 . For example, light emitter  1324 A may comprise a string of light emitters extending along one or more of grooves  1319 . As noted above, the different light emitters may output or emit light in different fashions with respect to one another depending upon location of such light emitters. For example, in one implementation, grooves  1319  may be more brightly illuminated as compared to cover panels  1320  or stylized portion  1322 , providing enhanced illumination of basketball  1310  and highlighting rotation of basketball  1310 . Logo  1322  may be illuminated with a different color as compared to cover panels  1320  or grooves  1319 . In one implementation, one or more of cover panels  1320 , grooves  1319  or stylized portion  1322  may be illuminated at different frequencies (continuous or intermittent). For example, grooves  319  may be intermittently illuminated at a first frequency, cover panels  1320  may be intermittently illuminated at a second different frequency and stylized portion  1322  may be continuously illuminated. By intermittently illuminating a selected portion or portions of basketball  1310  or providing such portions with a lower level of illumination, battery power may be conserved. Moreover, by intermittently illuminating selected portions of basketball  1310  or providing such portions with a lower level of illumination as compared to other portions, distractive impacts occurring when certain portions of basketball  1310  are illuminated may be avoided or reduced. 
     Sound emitter  1326  comprises a device, such as a speaker, to emit auditable sounds in response to control signals from controller  1334 . In one implementation, sound emitter  1326  emits beeps. In another implementation, sound emitter  1326  emits speech or words. For example, in one implementation, sound emitter  326  may emit a beep or predefined series or pattern of beeps in response to a particular characteristic detected by either motion sensor  328  or pressure sensor  130 , or in response to signals received via transceiver  133 . In another implementation, sound emitter  1326  may emit words, such as words of status, such as whether the shot was a made shot or a missed shot, a number indicating a rotational speed of basketball  1310 , words of encouragement such as “nice shot” or words of instruction such as “change grip”, “increase backspin”, or “inflate” in response to a control signals from controller  1334  based upon sensed values from motion sensor  1328 , pressure sensor  1130 , location sensor  1331 , or in response to signals received via transceiver  1133 . In some implementations, sound emitter  1326  is omitted from basketball  1310 , wherein sounds are not generated or wherein separate and distinct sound emitters outside of basketball  1310  and remote from basketball  1310  are utilized to emit sounds in response to signals transmitted by basketball  1310 . 
     Light sensors  1127  comprise one or more light sensors that detect ambient lighting with respect to basketball  1310 . The detected lighting is transmitted to controller  1334 . One implementation, light sensors  1127  may be located or supported along the exterior surface of basketball  1310 . In other implementations, light sensors  1127  may be embedded below external surface of basketball  1310 , wherein overlying portions are transparent or translucent. Ambient lighting conditions detected by light sensors  1127  are communicated to controller  334  for controlling an on-off-state of light emitters  1324  or for adjusting the brightness of light provided by light emitters  1324 . In some implementations, light sensors  1127  may be omitted. 
     Motion sensor  1328  comprises one or more sensors to detect motion of basketball  1310 . In one implementation, sensor  1328  comprises an accelerometer, such as a dual axis accelerometer. In one implementation, sensor  1328  comprises a sensor to detect 6 degrees of freedom or motion. Conditions detected by sensor  1328  are transmitted to controller  1334 . Signals from motion sensor  1328  may indicate a rotation or spin of basketball  1310 , its travel arc, arc height and the like. 
     Pressure sensor  1130  comprises one or more sensors to detect an internal pressure within bladder  1314 . One implementation, sensor  1130  comprises a pneumatic sensor that detects air pressure changes within bladder  1314 . The sensor  1130  can be used to monitor air pressure within the bladder  1314  and serve to activate the electronic circuit when a pressure fluctuation is sensed. In this manner, the sensor  130  can be used as part of the control logic of the electronics  1318  to maximize available battery life of the electronic sensor and/or circuit. The electronics  1318  can include shutdown logic that places the electronics of the electronics  1318  into a standby or sleep mode until the basketball  310  is put into play. When the basketball  1310  is moved, passed, kicked or punted, the air pressure within the basketball  1310  can fluctuate or change. This change in air pressure is sensed by the sensor  1130 , which then activates the electronics  1318  and places it in an operating mode. In an alternative example implementation, the sensor  1130  can be a piezoelectric sensor 
     The air pressure sensor  1130  can also be used to indicate the air pressure within the bladder  1314  and therefore the pressure of the basketball  1310  itself. The signal produced through the sensor  1130  and from the electronic chip  1318  can be used to confirm that the air pressure is within a desired range or at a specific desired setting. For example, NBA basketballs have a recommended air pressure of 9.5 psi. If the game balls have the pressure sensor  1130 , one could use this information to select the most properly inflated basketball. The electronic chip  1318  can also include a temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of the basketball  1310 . In some implementations, pressure sensor  1130  is omitted. 
     Location sensor  1331  comprises one or more sensors to detect a location of basketball  1310 . In one implementation, location sensor  1331  comprises a global positioning system (GPS) sensor/receiver. In another implementation, location sensor  331  may additionally or alternatively comprise a magnetometer which sensors magnetic fields or polar magnetic fields to determine a location or position of basketball  1310 , in accordance with the determined basket coordinate system (described above) 
     In one implementation, the user is instructed to stand at the approximate distance from a ferromagnetic basketball rim or other ferromagnetic reference structure. The user indicates where he or she is located or distance from the ferromagnetic reference structure. The user is then instructed to shoot the basket towards the ferromagnetic reference structure. The system uses the first location as a reference point and the first shot as reference throw (alternatively, the user can also indicate where the ferromagnetic reference structure is located). With the reference shot, the system knows when it reaches the reference structure (the magnetometer senses the polar magnetic field, but also field from the metallic reference structure). The ferromagnetic reference structure creates the equivalent of some noise or alters the polar magnetic force slightly. 
     Once the system knows the initial shot position. It knows that the user was facing the reference structure at a known distance feet away, and that the user was directly in front of the reference structure. The location and shot are subsequently utilized as a reference. Then, with all subsequent positions for basketball  1310 , such references are used to determine subsequent locations of the basketball. In one implementation, subsequent shots are analyzed using 6 degree of freedom sensors (one sensor covers  3  directions of ball movement with respect to the x, y and z axes, the second sensor is referencing gravitational pull with respect to the x, y and z axes, and the distance to the ground, and the magnetometer measures the strength of the magnetic field to know where it is in relation to north) and the magnetometer. In some implementations, one or more of motion sensor  1328 , position sensor  1330 , or location sensor  1331  are omitted. 
     Grip sensor  1332  comprises one or more sensors located in or on basketball  310  to detect manual gripping of basketball  1310 . For example, in one implementation, grip sensors  1332  comprise pressure, contact other types of sensors on the surface of or within grooves  1318 . Such sensors provide electrical signals to electronics  1318  and controller  1334  indicating that basketball  1310  is being manually gripped along grooves  1318  or how grooves  1318  are currently being contacted or gripped by a person&#39;s hand. In other implementations, gripping sensors  1332  may be omitted. 
     Transceiver  1133  comprises a device to transmit and receive signals with respect to a device distinct from basketball  1310 . In one implementation, transceiver  1133  facilitates communication between controller  1134  and a local or wide area network such as a phone network or the Internet. In one implementation, transceiver  1133  additionally or alternatively facilitates communication between controller  1134  and a portable electronic device, such as a cell phone, a smart phone, a flash player, a personal data assistant, a notebook, a netbook or laptop computer or the like. In one implementation, portable electronic device  24  may be configured similar to or provided as part of a wristwatch, wrist-top computer, or wristband. Such communication may comprise the transmission of selections or commands to controller  1334  and basketball  1310  or the output of data from basketball  1310  for remote or external analysis, storage and visual or graphical representation, such as on one of portable electronic devices  24 ,  124 ,  324 ,  624  or  824 . In one implementation, transceiver  1133  may comprise a Bluetooth transceiver. In another implementation, transceiver  1133  may comprise a radiofrequency transceiver. In some implementations, transceiver  1133  may be omitted. 
     Controller  1334  comprises one or more integrated circuits or processing units to generate control signals directing the operation of light emitters  1324  and sound emitter  1326  based upon information received from sensors  1127 ,  1328 ,  1330 ,  1331 ,  1332  and control or data signals received through transceiver  1133 . In one implementation, controller  1334  transmits signals from motion sensor  1328  representing sensed shot attributes to portable electronic device  124 ,  224 ,  324 ,  64 ,  824 , wherein the portable electronic device determines the result of the shot, whether the shot is a made or missed basket as described above. 
     In another implementation, controller  1334  comprises a shot determination module  162  directs processor or processing unit in basketball  1310  to determine whether the shot is just been completed was a made basket or a missed basket. In such an implementation, controller  1334  utilizes the make/miss determination to control the operation of light emitters  1324  and sound emitter  1326 . In such an implementation, controller  1334  may transmit the make/miss determinations to portable electronic device  124 ,  224 ,  324 ,  624 ,  824  are further output on output  44  as described above. 
     In one implementation, controller  1334  generates control signals that control the emission of light by light emitters  1324 . According to a first mode of operation, controller  1334  actuates light emitters  1324 A from an off state to an on state in response to control inputs from a person to illuminate basketball  1310  as desired in lowlight conditions. For example, in response to receiving inputs through grip sensors  1332 , controller  1334  may turn on light emitters  1324 A. In another implementation, controller  1334  generates control signals for light emitters  1324 A in response to or based upon signals received from light sensors  1127  to provide overall lighting for basketball  1310 . For example, in response to receiving signals from light sensor  1127  indicating that ambient lighting or environmental lighting has fallen below a predefined threshold, controller  1334  may generate control signals turning on light emitters  1324 A. In some implementations, in response to receiving signals from light sensors  1127 , controller  1334  may actuate light emitters  1324 A between one of multiple different lighting levels. For example, as ambient lighting darkens below each of a series of thresholds, controller  1334  may generate control signals increasing the brightness or intensity of light being emitted by light emitters  1324 A in a stepwise or continuous fashion. This may be achieved by increasing the wattage of the light being emitted or by increasing the number of light emitting diodes or other lighting elements that are providing light. Similar adjustments to the brightness or intensity of light being emitted by any of the light emitters of basketball  1310  may made by controller  1334  based upon the sensed a detected ambient lighting conditions. As ambient lighting conditions become darker, controller  1334  may generate control signals causing the light emitted by any of the various light emitters of basketball  1310  to be brighter. 
     In one implementation, controller  1334  generates control signals causing light emitter  1324 A to turn on and emit light in response to signals from motion sensor  1328  indicating motion of basketball  310  satisfying a predefined criteria or threshold. For example, in one implementation, controller  1334  generates control signals causing light emitter  1324 A (or additional light emitters  1324 ) to begin to emit light during a basketball shot or free-throw when basketball  1310  is rotating about its axis above a predefined minimum velocity or backspin. 
     In one implementation, controller  1334  first determines whether basketball  1310  is being shot, such as during a field goal attempt or during a free-throw, versus when basketball  1310  is merely being dribbled or passed. In one implementation, controller  1334  determines whether travel of a ball is a shot or such travel is merely the ball being dribbled or being passed based upon whether the ball is traveling to a parabolic path having an arc that satisfies a predefined threshold. In another implementation, controller  1334  determines whether travel of a ball is a shot or whether such travel is merely the result of ball being dribbled or being passed, based upon a maximum height of the ball travel. For example, controller  1334  may identify travel of the ball as a shot of the ball if controller  1334  receives signals from motion sensor  1328  or location sensor  1331  indicating that the ball is above a height of the basketball rim or has a trajectory estimated by controller  1334  to achieve a height above the basketball rim. 
     Once controller  1334  has determined that the travel of the ball is a shot, versus a dribble or pass, controller  1334  utilizes additional signals from motion sensor  1328  to determine a rotational velocity and/or backspin of basketball  1310 . When the rotational velocity or backspin of basketball  1310  falls below the predefined threshold, controller  334  terminates emission of light by light emitter  1324 A. For example, in one implementation, controller  334  may generate control signals causing light emitter  1324 A to emit light when the detected backspin from motion sensor  1328  is greater than five RPMs. 
     In one implementation, controller  1334  adjusts the non-zero emission of light by light emitter  1324 A dependent upon signals from motion sensor  1328 . For example, controller  1334  may generate control signals causing light emitter  1324 A to increase an intensity of light being emitted as the speed of backspin increases. This light intensity adjustment may be made in a continuous ramped fashion or may be made in a stepwise fashion as predefined thresholds are satisfied. 
     In yet another implementation, controller  1334  adjusts the frequency or duration of pulses of light emitted by light emitter  1324 A (and/or other light emitters  1324 ) dependent upon the sensed motion of basketball  1310 . For example, controller  1334  may generate control signals causing light emitter  1324 A to emit light pulses having a frequency or duration upon a predefined minimum rotational velocity being detected. In such an implementation, controller  1334  may further generate control signals causing the intensity and/or duration of the light pulses to be increased as the rotational velocity or backspin of basketball  1310  increases. 
     In one implementation, controller  1334  generates control signals adjusting both the pulse frequency/duration and the light brightness or intensity to indicate different detected characteristics. For example, in one implementation, controller  1334  may adjust or control the frequency/duration of the pulses based upon rotational velocity and the brightness or intensity of such pulses based upon a detected arc or parabolic path of basketball  1310 . In other implementations, controller  1334  may adjust or control the frequency/duration of pulses based upon the detected arc of basketball  1310  and the brightness or intensity of such pulses based upon rotational velocity or backspin. 
     In yet another implementation, controller  1334  generates control signals controlling a color of light being emitted by light emitters  1324  based upon detected motion of basketball  1310 . For example, controller  1334  may cause light emitters  1324  to emit a first color of light upon a predefined threshold for rotational velocity or backspin being satisfied and may cause light emitters  1324  to emit different colors of light as different rotational velocity or backspin thresholds are satisfied. Similarly, in another implementation, controller  1334  may cause light emitters  1124  to emit a first color of light upon a predefined threshold for arc being satisfied and may cause light emitters  1324  to emit different colors of light as different arc thresholds are satisfied or exceeded. In some implementations, each of light intensity/brightness, pulse duration/frequency and light color may be controlled and adjusted to indicate when each of different predefined motion thresholds (velocity, arc of travel and the like) are being satisfied. 
     In one implementation, controller  1334  generates control signals causing light emitter  1324 B to differently emit light based upon signals received from pressure sensor  1130 . For example, in response to receiving signals from pressure sensor  1130  indicating the internal pressure within bladder  1314 , controller  1334  may generate control signals causing light emitter  1324 B to emit different colors of light dependent upon inflation level of bladder  1314 . Controller  1334  may cause light emitter  324 B to emit a red light when basketball  1310  has a pressure below a predefined minimum to indicate basketball  1310  being underinflated. Similarly, controller  334  may cause light emitter  324 B to emit a green light when basketball  1310  other pressure above the predefined minimum to indicate basketball  1310  being appropriately inflated. In a similar fashion, controller  1334  may alternatively control light intensity or pulse/duration characteristics to indicate inflation levels for bladder  1314  and basketball  1310 . 
     In one implementation, controller  1334  generates control signals causing light emitter  1324 C to differently emit light based upon a detective positioning of basketball  1310 , based at least partially upon signals received from location sensor  1331 . For example, controller  1334  may generate control signals adjusting an on-off state, a light brightness, a color or a pulse frequency/duration dependent upon the momentary positioning of basketball  1310  (horizontal distance or height) or traveling velocity of basketball  1310 . In one implementation, controller  1134  generates control signals causing light emitter  1324 C to turn on and emit light for a predefined period of time when signals from location sensor  1331  indicate that basketball  1310  has satisfied a predetermined location threshold, such as when basketball  1310  has passed through the rim/hoop. In another implementation, controller  1134  generates control signals causing the light emitted by light emitter  1124 C to change in brightness, color or pulse frequency/duration, for a predetermined time period, after such location thresholds have been satisfied. For example, based upon signals received from motion sensor  1328  and motion of basketball  1310 , controller  1334  may determine the initiation of a shot. If controller  1334  further receives signals from location sensor  1331  (and a determination by determination module  162  and/or  362 , which is part of controller  1334 ) indicating that basketball  310  has traveled through the hoop or rim, controller  1334  may generate control signals causing basketball  1310  (or portions of basketball  1310 ) to change from a darkened to an illuminated state, to change from a continuous illumination to a flashing illumination, to change from a first color to a second color or to change from a first brightness to a second brightness, or combinations thereof. 
     In yet other implementations, controller  1334  may include an internal timer or may receive signals from transducer  1133  indicating time periods associated with the game being played. Based upon such signals, controller  1334  generates control signals adjusting illumination provided by one or more of light emitters  1324 . For example, in one implementation, controller  334  generates control signals adjusting illumination provided by light emitter  1324 B based upon shot clock timing. For example, controller  1334  may change the color of light being an emitted from one or more portions of basketball  1310  as an end of a shot clock period is approaching. In another implementation, controller  1334  may adjust a frequency or duration a light pulses being emitted by basketball  1310  as an end of a shot clock time period approaches. Similar adjustments may be made by controller  1334  based upon time allotments for inbounding a basketball or based upon approaching end of a quarter or half. In yet other implementations, controller  1334  may additionally or alternatively generate control signals making light adjustments that indicate the actual end of a time period, such as the end of a shot clock time period or the end of a quarter or half. In such an implementation, basketball  1310  may be utilized to provide shot clock timing, ball possession limitations or game timing for informal basketball games at playgrounds or other basketball court facilities where shot clock or game clocks may not be available. In such an implementation, controller  1334  may receive inputs through transceiver  1133  or through contact sensors on ball  1310  establishing a custom shot clock time period or game. 
     In some implementations, controller  1134  may adjust lighting characteristics of basketball  1310  based upon a comparison of detected motion or travel of basketball  1310  (as determined using signals from motion sensor  1328 , pressure sensor  1330  and location sensor  1331 ) or shot accuracy or results (described above) with stored or obtained ball travel results achieved by a celebrity. Although controller  1334  may include a memory serving as a celebrity storage for storing user data pertaining to travel of the ball, in other implementations, controller  1334  may obtain celebrity ball travel characteristics or results from a remote location using transceiver  1133 . For example, celebrity ball travel results are characteristics may be alternatively provided at a remote server which may be accessed across a local or wide area network. 
     Based upon signals received from one or more of motion sensor  1328 , pressure sensor  1330  and location sensor  1331 , compares a person&#39;s results with that of a celebrity and adjust lighting characteristics of basketball  1310  accordingly. For example, in one implementation, controller  1334  may compare detected parameters or characteristics of a user&#39;s backspin and/or arc of a basketball with a celebrity&#39;s shot of the basketball. For example, controller  334  may compare of a user&#39;s basketball shot with the basketball shot by a popular basketball celebrity such as Lebron James of the Miami Heat or former player Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls. Based upon this comparison, controller  1334  generates control signals causing one or more lighting characteristics of basketball  1310  to be adjusted. For example, if a particular basketball shot by user has characteristics that satisfy predefined thresholds typical of a celebrity college or professional basketball player, controller  1334  may change the color of light being emitted by basketball  310  during the basketball shot and/or for a predetermined period of time following the basketball shot, providing a user with a reward or complement and encouragement. In such an implementation, controller  334  and the light being emitted by basketball  1310  provide a user with a motivational tool by allowing the user to visually determine or see how his or her individual parameters pertaining to travel of the basketball compare to the same individual parameters of a celebrity having above-average skills in the sport. Similar implementations may be made with respect to other aspects such as free throws. 
     In some implementations, controller  1334  stores and keeps track of results, wherein controller  1334  adjusts lighting characteristics of basketball  1310  as different predetermined thresholds or milestones are met. For example, in one implementation, controller  1334  tracks free-throw makes versus attempts, wherein controller  1334  generates different control signals causing basketball  1310  to emit a different characteristic light (such as a different color, frequency, brightness etc.) based upon the current free-throw percentage of a person using basketball  1310 . For example, when a player achieves a free-throw percentage of at least 50%, controller  1334  generates control signals causing a first color light to emitted by basketball  1310  and when the player achieves a second greater free-throw percentage of say, at least, 60%, controller  334  generates control signals causing a second different color light to be emitted by basketball  1310 . If a player&#39;s free-throw percentage falls below a predefined threshold, controller  1334  generate control signals once again changing the color of light emitted by basketball  1310 . In such an implementation, the color, pulse frequency, brightness etc. of basketball  1310  provides the player with a visual motivational tool. In some implementations, the visible color may further indicate to others, such as a player&#39;s coach, the current free-throw percentage, offering additional opportunities for encouragement. In addition to tracking free throw percentages, controller  1334  may be configured to track and adjust lighting characteristics based upon other statistics such as three point shot percentage and two point shot/field goal percentages. 
     In one implementation, transceiver  1133  is configured to read or receive player identification signals, wherein controller  1334  associates and stores data for multiple players in a game or practice. For example, in one implementation, each of multiple players may include a distinct radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. Transceiver  1133  or another RFID reading device provided as part of basketball  1310  is configured to read the particular player RFID tag when the particular player is currently handling basketball  1310 . If the particular player shoots the basketball, data such as make/miss, backspin, arc and the like, sensed by one or more sensors of basketball  1310 , is stored in a memory on electronics  1318 . Such data may be subsequently transmitted by transceiver  1133  to an external or remote portable electronic device for further statistical analysis and visual representation. As a result, basketball  1310  allows individual players in a practice or an informal pickup game to later view their statistics (shot attempts, field-goal percentage, three-point shots, free-throw percentage, shot mapping) on their portable electronic devices, on a website or computer. 
     In some implementations, basketball  1310  may have dedicated portions of cover  1312  which are translucent or transparent for outwardly transmitting light indicative of different sensed parameter characteristics. For example, in one implementation, basketball  1310  may have a translucent or transparent portion dedicated for transmitting light indicating the current pressure level of bladder  1314  of basketball  1310 . For example, logo  1322  may be translucent or transparent so as to transmit light by light emitter  1324 B indicating a current pressure within bladder  1314 , wherein other transparent or translucent portions of basketball  1310  do not emit light from light emitter  1324 B indicating pressure, but emit light from other light emitters  1324  to provide other information. Similarly, other particular portions of the basketball  1310  may be dedicated to present particular predefined information. For example, in one implementation, grooves  1319  may transmit light from a light emitter  1324 A indicating rotational velocity or spiral efficiency. 
     In one implementation, controller  1134  additionally controls one or more light emitters  1324  based upon signals received from grip sensor  1332 . In one implementation, in response to receiving signals indicating that grooves  1318  are being manually contacted or gripped, controller  1334  actuates one or more of sensors  1328 ,  1330 ,  1331  from a standby or sleep mode or state to an active state, effectively turning on several the functions of basketball  1310 . In such an implementation, battery power is conserved. In one implementation, in response to receiving signals indicating grooves  1319  are no longer being manually contacted or gripped, controller  1334  initiates or begins countdown of a timer counting down to termination of lighting of one or more of light emitters  1324 . In such an implementation, after prolonged periods of nonuse or undetected gripping of grooves  1318  or other portions of basketball  1310 , light emitters  324  are turned off to conserve power. 
     In yet other implementations, controller  1334  may utilize signals received from grip sensor  1332  for receiving input, commands or selections. For example, grip sensor  1332  may comprise a plurality of individual pressure or contact sensors, wherein different combinations of touches (as detected by pressure or contact) correspond to different commands or selections. In one implementation, controller  1334  may offer a person with a variety of selectable options or settings such as options as to predefined sets of settings based upon a person&#39;s current skill level (beginner, amateur, high school, college, professional), wherein a person may select one of the set of settings by contacting grooves  1319  in a predefined manner at predefined locations or in a predefined order during a setup phase. In another implementation, controller  1134  may offer a person with a variety of selectable options or settings as to how information is communicated (if at all) through light emitters  1324  or sound emitter  1326 , whether through changes in on-off states, color, duration, pulse frequency or duration, sound and the like, wherein a person may select one or more of the communication options using an input, such as input  641  on portable electronic device  624  in a setup or adjustment phase. In another implementation, controller  1334  may alternatively or additionally offer a person with a variety of selectable officer settings as to what portions of basketball  1310  are illuminated or as to what portion of basketball  1310  is assigned to communicating particular information through illumination, wherein a person may select one or more of the basketball portion illumination options by contacting grooves  1319  or logo  1322  in a predefined matter at predefined locations or in a predefined order during a setup phase. For example, by contacting logo  1322  in a first particular manner during a setup phase, a person may establish a first setting wherein grooves  1319  communicate backspin and logo  1322  communicates shot clock information through illumination and by contacting logo  1322  in a second different particular manner during a setup phase, a person may establish a second setting wherein lighting of grooves  1319  communicate shot clock information while logo  1322  communicates backspin or arc information through illumination. In such implementations, once selections or commands are made, controller  1334  may generate control signals causing light emitters  1324  or sound emitter  1326  to confirm the selection using illumination or sound. 
     Transceiver  133  comprises a device to transmit and receive communication signals. In one implementation, transceiver  1133  is configured to facilitate communication between controller  334  and an external electronic device. In one implementation, transceiver  1133  is configured to facilitate communication between controller  1334  and a portable electronic device, such as a smart phone, cellular phone, personal data assistant, notebook, tablet computer, laptop computer, display eyewear, an electronic wrist band, a wrist-top computer, flash memory player (IPOD) and the like using radiofrequency (RF) waves, radio waves, Bluetooth, a ZigBee low power digital radio signals, Wi-Fi, near field communication and the like. In one implementation, controller  1334  utilizes transceiver  1133  to communicate with a portable electronic device so as to allow a person to receive data or information regarding basketball  1310  and to further potentially store such information for later review or analysis. For example, controller  1334  may utilize transceiver  1133  to communicate information pertaining to motion of basketball  310  such as backspin or arc, inflated pressure of bladder  1314  of basketball  1310 , the success of the free-throw or other shot, allowing correlation between motion of basketball  1310  (such as backspin and/or arc) to success of a shot or free-throw. 
     In one implementation, controller  1334  further utilizes transceiver  1133  to additionally receive commands or settings. For example, in one implementation, controller  1334  may offer a person with a variety of selectable options or settings such as options as to predefined sets of settings based upon a person&#39;s current skill level (beginner, amateur, high school, college, professional), wherein a person may select one of the set of settings using a portable electronic device which is in communication with controller  1334  using transceiver  1133 . Each of the different skill levels may have different thresholds for triggering light characteristic adjustments by controller  1334 . In another implementation, controller  1334  may offer a person with a variety of selectable options or settings as to how information is communicated (if at all) through light emitters  1324  or sound emitter  1326 , whether through changes in on-off states, color, duration, pulse frequency or duration, sound and the like, wherein a person may select one or more of the communication options by communicating with controller  1334  using transceiver  1133  and a portable electronic device or another communication device. In another implementation, controller  1334  may alternatively or additionally offer a person with a variety of selectable options are settings as to what portions of basketball  1310  are illuminated or as to what portion of basketball  1310  is assigned to communicating particular information through illumination, wherein a person may select one or more of the basketball portion illumination options by communicating to controller  1334  using transceiver  1133 . For example, a person may establish a first setting wherein grooves  1319  communicate backspin and logo  1322  communicates inflation pressure through illumination and a second setting wherein grooves  1319  communicate backspin while logo  1322  communicates detected arc of a shot/free-throw through illumination. In such implementations, once selections or commands are made, controller  334  may generate control signals causing light emitters  1324  or sound emitter  1326  to confirm the selection using illumination or sound. 
     In other implementations, in lieu of communicating with external or remote electronic devices in a wireless fashion, transceiver  1133  may alternatively facilitate communication using contact or induction. For example, transceiver  133  and alternatively to indicate using an RFID tag or through an electrical jack or plug. In one implementation, an electrical contact may be situated along or about inflation port  1322  (or a separate independent port), allowing a jack or plug-in to be inserted into port  322  and into contact with the electrical contacts to facilitate “wired” communication with controller  1334 . In other implementations, transceiver  1133  may be omitted. 
       FIG. 21  is a sectional view illustrating a portion of basketball  1410 , an example implementation of basketball  1310 . Basketball  1410  is similar basketball  1310  except that basketball  1410  is illustrated as specifically including bladder  1414  in lieu of bladder  1314  and additionally comprises chip mounting system  1417 . Although not illustrated in  FIG. 21 , basketball  1410  additionally comprises one of the basketball configurations shown in  FIGS. 18-20 . 
     Bladder  1414  is similar to bladder  1314  except the bladder  1414  comprises a spherical inflatable outer wall  1420  and an internal tubular portion  1422 . Internal tubular portion  1422  comprises a flexible tubing extending through an intersecting a center point of basketball  1410  and outer wall  1420 . As a result, outer wall  1420  and tubular portion  1422  form a donut-like inflatable interior which encircles tubular portion  1422 . Tubular portion  1342  is sized receive electronic components, such as circuit electronics  1318  (described above). Tubular portion  1422  facilitates insertion of circuit electronics  1318  within basketball  1410  after bladder  1414  has been inflated. As a result, in some implementations, the positioning of circuit electronics  1318  within basketball  1410  may be performed after one or more of cover  1316 ,  1316 ″ and panels  1320  have been formed upon the inflated bladder  1414 . As a result, circuit electronics  1318  may avoid being subjected to substantially high temperatures during the forming of cover  1316 ,  1316 ″ and panels  1320 . Because tubular portion  1422  continuously extends from a first side of bladder  1414  to a second opposite side of bladder  1414 , circuit electronics  1318  and chip mounting system  1417  may be strong through bladder  1414 . In other implementations, tubular portion  1422  may comprise a blind tubular member or a tubular member having one closed off end, wherein the closed off end is secured in place within bladder  1414 . 
     In implementations where circuit electronics  1318  comprises one or more of light emitters  1324  such that light emitters  1324  are located within tubular portion  1422 , those portions of tubular portion  1422  about circuit electronics  1318  or adjacent to the one or more light emitters  1324  are translucent or transparent. As a result, light emitted by such light emitters  1324  a pass-through tubular portion  1422  and illuminate the interior bladder  1414 , wherein at least portions of wall  1420  of bladder  1414  are also translucent or transparent. In implementations where light emitters  1324  are omitted, tubular portion  1422  may be opaque. 
     Chip mounting system  1417  mounts and supports electronic component or electronics  1318  within bladder  1414  and within tubular portion  1422 . Chip mounting system  1417  comprises plugs  1426  and flexible member  1428 . Plugs  1426  are configured to be inserted and retained in opposite ends of tubular member  1422  proximate an exterior of bladder  1414 . Plugs  1426  are each connected to an opposite end of flexible member  1428 . In the example illustrated, each of plugs  1426  comprises a hook  1432  about which flexible member  1428  extends. In other implementations, plugs  1426  may be secured to flexible member  1428  in other fashions. 
     Flexible member  1428  comprises an elongate flexible string, line, band, strap, cable, rope, wire or the like extending between plugs  1426 . Flexible member  1428  supports circuit electronics  1318  at a central location within tubular portion  1422 . In one implementation, flexible member  1428  comprises a resiliently stretchable member, which when taught, resiliently holds circuit electronics  1318  in place. In other implementations, other structures which are not necessarily flexible or resilient may be positioned within tubular portion  1422  to retain circuit electronics  1318  centrally in place within tubular portion  1422 . In some implementations, flexible member  1428  may be omitted, wherein circuit electronics  1318  is positioned within tubular portion  1422  and wherein, upon stretching of tubular portion  1422 , tubular portion  1422  constricts about and into gripping contact with circuit electronics  1318  to retain circuit electronics  1318  in place. 
     In the example illustrated, chip mounting system  1417  additionally comprises multi-lead wire  1437 . Multi-lead wire  1437  extends from the electronics  1318 , through tubular portion  1422 , between tubular portion  1422  and plug  1426  and along an exterior of bladder  1414  to light emitter  1324 D and any grip sensors  1132 . In one implementation, wire were  1437  extends along and in contact with exterior surface of bladder  1414 . In another implementation, wire  1437  extends between any of the various layers between bladder  1414  and outer cover  1312  (shown in  FIG. 17 ). As shown by  FIGS. 17 a    and  21 , tubular portion  1422  of bladder  1414  facilitates location of light emitters  1324  and electronics  1318  at a central portion within basketball  1410  and facilitates communication between electronics  1318  and light emitter  324 D and/or grip sensor  332 , external to bladder  1414 , without wire  1437  passing through wall of bladder  1414 . As a result, wire  1437  is less likely to impair the structural integrity of bladder  1414 . 
       FIG. 22  is a sectional view illustrating basketball  1510 , another example implementation of basketball  1310 . Basketball  1510  is similar to basketball  1310  except that basketball  1510  is specifically illustrated as having circuit electronics  1318  located external to bladder  1314 . In the example illustrated, circuit electronics  1318  is supported adjacent to windings  1315  within recesses formed within cover  1316 ′ and cover panel  1320 . In some implementations, depending upon a thickness of cover  1316 ′ and cover  1318 , circuit electronics  1318  may be supported entirely within a recess of cover  1316 ′ or of cover panel  1320 . In one implementation, circuit electronics  1318  and light emitters  1324  are located behind logo  1322 . In one implementation, light emitters  1324  may illuminate an entire region of at least one of panels  1320 . In some implementations, the circuit electronics  1318  shown in  FIG. 17  may be added to basketball  1410  shown in  FIG. 21 , where basketball  1410  comprises two circuits or electronics  1318  or wherein basketball  1410  comprises two separate light emitters at different locations, one light emitter centrally located within tubular portion  1422  and other light emitter outwardly located between winding  1315  and cover panel  1320 . 
     In one implementation, basketball  1410  is formed by molding recess  1512  within cover  1316 ′ and forming recess  1514  in panel  1320  such that circuit electronics  1318  is captured between cover  1316 ′ (or windings  1315  where recess  1512  extends completely through cover  1316 ′) and cover panel  1320 . In other implementations, circuit electronics  1318  may be secured adjacent to bladder  1414 , wherein windings  1315  extend about and over circuit electronics  1318 . In yet other implementations, circuit electronics  1318  and/or light emitters  1324  may be secured at other locations. 
       FIG. 23  is a sectional view illustrating basketball  1610 , another example implementation of basketball  1310 . Basketball  1610  is similar to basketball  1310  except that basketball  1510  is specifically illustrated as having circuit electronics  1318  located external to cover  1316  and is having a light emitter  1324 E within valley  1317  below strip  1325 . In the example illustrated, circuit electronics  1318  is supported adjacent to cover panel  1320  within recesses formed within cover panel  1320 . In one implementation, circuit electronics  1318  and light emitters  1324  are located behind logo  1322  (shown in  FIG. 17 ). 
     Light emitter  1324 E comprises a device to emit light in response to control signals from controller  1334  located on circuit electronics  1318 . In the example illustrated, light emitter  1324 E is located within valley  1317  (described above with respect to  FIG. 17 ) below strip  1325  so as to illuminate groove  1318 . In such an implementation, at least portions of strip  1325  are translucent or transparent. In one implementation, light emitter  1324 E (schematically shown) comprises a string of multiple light emitting elements such as a string of light emitting diodes. Although basketball  1610  is illustrated as including light emitter  1324 E in a single groove  1318 , light emitters may also be provided in other grooves  1319  of basketball  1610 . 
     In some implementations, basketball  1610  may additionally comprise the circuit electronics  1318  and chip mounting system  1417  shown and described above with respect to  FIG. 21 . In such an implementation, light emitters provided on the centrally located circuit electronics  1318  within tubular portion  1422  illuminates larger more expansive areas while light emitters located within groove  1318  or adjacent to cover  1320  may illuminate specific designated portions of basketball  1610 . 
       FIG. 24  is a diagram illustrating basketball game maker system  2000 . Basketball game maker system  2000  facilitates shooting games between different persons/users  2002 A,  2002 B (collectively referred to as users  2002 ) at the same or different locations, basketball courts or basketball hoops  2003 A,  2003 B (collectively referred to as hoops  2003 ) remote from one another. Basketball game maker system  2000  comprises one or more basketball make-miss detection devices  2008 A 1 ,  2008 A 2 ,  2008 A 3  (collectively referred to as make-miss detection devices  2008 A), make-miss detection devices  2008 B 1 ,  2008 B 2  and  2008 B 3  (collectively referred to as make-miss detection devices  2008 B) (make-miss detection device  2008 A and  2008 B collectively referred to as make-miss detection devices  2008 ), mobile or portable electronic devices  2010 A,  2010 B (collectively referred to as portable electronic devices  2010 ) and game maker hub  2012 . 
     Although basketball game maker system  2000  is illustrated as facilitating a basketball challenge or basketball game between two different users at two different locations or basketball hoops, in other implementations, with additional sets of components (other than hub  2012 ), basketball game maker system  2000  may facilitate basketball challenges or basketball games amongst three or more different users at three or more different basketball facilities or hoops. Although basketball game maker system  2000  is illustrated in a mode of operation that facilitates competition between two different individual persons or players, in other implementations or selected modes of operation, basketball game maker system  2000  may facilitate basketball games or other competitions between multiple users or teams at different locations or different hoops. For example, in one mode of operation using hub  2012 , two users at a first location on a first hoop may compete against one another while the same time also competing against a third user at a different location. In another mode of operation using hub  2012 , two users at the first location may compete as a team, alternating or otherwise sharing the shooting of the basketball, against a different user or a different group of users at a second location. In yet another implementation, two or more users at a single location may compete against one another utilizing system  2012 . In such an implementation, each user at the same location may have their own portable electronic device  2010  or two or more of such users may utilize a single portable electronic device  2010 . In some circumstances in which a single portable electronic device  2010  is utilized and in which a game timer and score tracker are provided in the portable electronic device, hub  2012  may be omitted or may be inactive. For purposes of this disclosure, unless specifically designated as an individual person or individual user, the term “user” refers to both an individual person or a group of persons. 
     In the example illustrated, system  2000  facilitates either synchronous or asynchronous multiplayer games. In synchronous multiplayer games, the two or more users are concurrently attempting basketball shots and the cumulative score (the total number of current made baskets or points scored by each of the users) is continuously being updated and outputted by system  2000 . In asynchronous multiplayer games, one or more of the users competing in the game have started their shooting session at a prior distinct time as compared to other users competing in the game. In an asynchronous multiplayer game, the shooting characteristics and/or scoring characteristics of the prior completed shooting session are stored in a memory and later replayed during the subsequent user&#39;s shooting session as part of the asynchronous game. In one implementation, the subsequent user is not informed of the end scoring or end result of the prior user&#39;s shooting session, but is only kept apprised of the other prior user&#39;s scoring at the current game time or based on the current possession number (in a possession based game) during the live shooting session of the subsequent user. 
     For example, in a time-based game, at a three minute mark in an asynchronous game, system  2000  outputs and presents to the subsequent user partaking in the subsequent live shooting session the prior cumulative score that the prior user had at the three minute mark of the prior stored shooting session. At the four-minute mark in the time-based asynchronous game, system  2000  outputs and presents to the user partaking in the subsequent live shooting session the prior cumulative score that the prior user had at the four-minute mark of the prior stored shooting session. In a possession based game, system  2000  outputs and presents to the user currently partaking in a live shooting session, the prior ongoing score of the prior user following a possession number corresponding to the current possession number of the user currently partaking in the live shooting session. For example, upon completion of a 20th shot attempt by a current user or just prior to a user beginning a 20th shot attempt, system  20  outputs to the current user the score of the other user&#39;s previously recorded shooting session at the time that the other person completed his or her 20th shot attempt. 
     Make-miss detection devices  2008  comprise devices configured to produce signals that facilitate the determination of whether a basketball shot attempt is a success, a made shot passing through the rim, or a failure (a missed shot attempt). In the example illustrated, multiple make-miss detection devices  2008 A and  2008 B are associated with each of hoops  2003 A,  2003 B, respectively. Such redundancy may facilitate enhanced make-miss detection accuracy and may provide additional user feedback. In other implementations, a greater or fewer of such detection devices  2008  may be utilized. In some implementations, a single one of detection devices  2008  may be employed at each location or hoop  2003 . For example, one implementation, system  2000  merely comprises make-miss detection devices  2008 A 1  and  2008 B 1  for outputting signals which are used to indicate whether a basketball shot was successful. 
     Make-miss detection devices  2008 A 1  and  2008 B 1  each comprise one or more sensors carried by a basketball that is being shot at hoops  2003 A and  2003 B, respectively. In the example illustrated, each of the locations associated with each of hoops  2003 A,  2003 B comprises one or more basketballs caring such make-miss detection devices. In the example illustrated, make-miss detection devices  2008 A 1 ,  2008 B 1  are each provided as part of a basketball  1310  described above. In the example illustrated, motion sensor  1328 , pressure sensor  1330 , location sensor  1331  and gripping sensor  1332  described above as part of basketball  1310  form each make-miss detection device  2008 A 1 ,  2008 B 1  and produce signals utilized to facilitate determination of whether a shot attempt is successful. In other implementations, make-miss detection devices  2008 A 1  and  2008 B 1  may each comprise less than each of the noted sensors or may comprise additional sensors for determining whether a shot attempt is a success. For example, in one implementation, make-miss detection devices  2008 A 1  and  2008 B 1  alternatively comprise just motion sensor  1328  and location sensor  1331 . In some implementations, make-miss detection devices  2008 A 1  and  2008 B 1  merely comprise electronics package  26  described above with respect to  FIG. 11 n    yet other implementations, make-miss detection devices  2008 A 1 ,  2008 B 1  are provided as part of basketballs  22 ,  1410 ,  1510  or  1610  (described above) provided at each of hoops  2003 . 
     As noted above with respect to basketball  22 , determination module  162  in memory  652  determines whether a shot is a made basket or a missed basket utilizing signals from basketball  1310 . In one implementation, determination module  162  utilizes both signatures for made and missed shots represented in the form of tables as well as signatures in the form of traces, such as acceleration traces shown in  FIGS. 7A-7C . In some implementations, determination module  162  may determine a made and/or missed shot using only one type of such signatures. 
     In one implementation, the user is prompted or instructed to build a new shot signature database or to calibrate an existing shot signature database to adapt the signature database to the particular hoop being utilized. By taking multiple shots from various locations and speaking are yelling the results of the shot. For example, the user, just prior shooting the ball, may say “shot” which is received by a microphone of input  2050  or a microphone of input  2066  and recognized by speech recognition software contained a memory  652  such that data acquisition device  40  polls or receives information from basketball  1310 . After completion of the shot, the user is instructed to yell or say either “make” or “miss”, wherein such spoken words are captured by the microphone of input  2050  or input  2066  and recognized through speech recognition software. The received and discerned words “make” or “miss” triggers the processor  2056  to identify the end of the shot, to store the signals pertaining to the just completed shot and to identify the shot as either a made shot or a missed shot. In one implementation, the user may additionally verbalize additional details or feedback to system  24  a shot being sensed such as an approximate distance from the hoop, an orientation of the location with respect to the front of the rim, whether the shot was a bank shot, whether the shot was a swish a whether the shot impacted the rim. Such additional details verbalized by the user are further recognized by speech recognition software, recorded/stored in memory and assigned to the sense shot for later analysis and make-miss “learning”. Through multiple repetitions, system  2000  acquires sufficient data to distinguish between made and miss shots based upon different sense characteristics of a shot basketball  1310 . 
     Make-miss detection devices  2008 A 2 ,  2008 B 2  comprise sensors mounted to one or more structures in close proximity to backboard  42 , rim  44  or net  46 , wherein such sensors output signals which facilitate the determination of whether a basketball shot was successful. Examples of such sensors include, but are not limited to, vibration sensors, sound sensors, impact or force sensors and the like which produce signals when the basketball is bouncing off backboard  42 , impacting rim  44  and/or passing through net  46 , wherein such signals are used to determine whether a basketball shot is successful. For example, in one implementation, make-miss detection devices  2008 A 2  and  2008 B 2  each comprise a pivoting arm mounted to backboard  42 , rim  44  or net  46 , wherein the pivoting arm is located within the “cylinder” of rim  44  or net  46  and wherein the arm pivots in response to the ball passing through rim  44  and/or net  46  so as to close or open an electrical switch to produce a signal indicating that the basketball shot has been successful. In other implementations, such sensors may produce logical signals representing vibration traces or patterns which are used to indicate whether a basketball shot has been successful. 
     Make-miss detection devices  2008 A 3 ,  2008 B 3  comprise optical sensors configured to output signals that facilitate the determination of whether a basketball shot has been successful. In one implementation, detection devices  2008 A 3  and  2008 B 3  comprise one or more photo emitter-detector pairs mounted or supported such that a basketball shot results in the basketball interrupting one or more light or electromagnetic radiation beams of the emitter-detector pairs to produce signals that may be used by determination module  162  to determine whether a basketball shot has been a success. For example, detection device  2008 A 3  and  2008 B 3  may comprise emitter-detector pairs mounted within or to rim  44 , within or to net  46  or within or on backboard  42 . In another implementation, detection devices  2008 A 3 ,  2008 B 3  comprise cameras mounted are supported proximate to rim  44  or supported elsewhere, but focused on the space about rim  44 , wherein such cameras are configured to capture video or images about rim  44  and wherein the images constitute signals that may be analyzed to determine whether a basketball shot is been successful. In one implementation, such cameras comprise motion triggered cameras, wherein since movement of a basketball in proximity to rim  44  triggers the operation of such cameras. Although detection devices  2008 A 3 ,  2008 B 3  are illustrated as optical detection devices, such as cameras, separate from portable electronic devices  2010 A,  2010 B, in some implementations, such optical detection devices  2008 A 3 ,  2008 B 3  may be provided by cameras incorporated as part of portable electronic devices  2010 A,  2010 B, wherein such portable electronic devices  2010 A,  2010 B include stands or are utilized with stands or mounts which support or mount the cameras of the portable electronic device  2010 A,  2010 B so as to capture images or video of basketball shots facilitating image analysis to determine whether a shot attempt resulted in a made basket or a missed basket. 
     In some implementations, system  2000  may facilitate games using one or more basketballs which do not include or do not carry sensors. For example, in some implementations, system  2000  may rely upon signals from detection devices  2008 A 2 ,  2008 B 2  and/or  2008 A 3 ,  2008 B 3 . In yet other implementations, system  2000  may alternatively rely upon the user  2002  indicating to system  2000  whether a shot was a made basket or a missed basket. For example, in one implementation, after each shot attempt, a user  2002  may verbally indicate whether they shot attempt was a success or failure by speaking words such as “make” or “miss” which is picked up by a speaker of input device  2066 , wherein speech recognition software in portable electronic device  2010 A discerns such words and transmits signals indicating whether the shot was a made basket or a missed basket to score tracker  20078  for updating the score of the user during an ongoing single player or multiplayer game. In one implementation, the user may also verbalize whether the shot was a two-point shot or a three-point shot, wherein speech recognition software in portable electronic device  2010 A discerns such words and transmits signals based upon such feedback to facilitate appropriate scoring for the made basket. 
     Portable electronic devices  2010  comprise mobile electronic devices configured to be manually transported to basketball courts or basketball facilities. In one implementation, portable electronic devices  2010  are battery-powered, avoiding and the need for being plugged in during use. In one implementation, portable electronic device  2010  comprise portable hand-held electronic devices capable of wirelessly receiving and transmitting data signals, examples of which include, but are not limited to, smart phones, personal data assistants, tablet computers, flash memory players, such as IPODs available from Apple, and the like. In one implementation, portable electronic devices  2010  are configured to be worn by users  2002 A and  2002 B, examples of which include, but are not limited to, wristbands, wrist-top computers, headsets, eyewear such as glasses, and patches or clip-ons. In some implementations, portable electronic device  2010  may comprise laptop or notebook computers which may be supported alongside the basketball court during use. 
     In the example illustrated, each of portable electronic devices  2010  comprises display  2046 , audio device  2048 , input  2050 , transceiver  2052 , network transceiver  2054 , processor  2056  and memory  652 . Display  2046  comprises a display or monitor by which information is visibly presented. In one implementation, display  2046  also serves as an input, comprising a touchscreen. In one implementation, display  2046  is supported as part of eyewear in a person&#39;s glasses or goggles or is alternatively supported on a person&#39;s wrist in the form of a wristband or watch. Display  2046  facilitates presentation of results of an ongoing competition as well as time remaining or the number of possessions remaining in a game. In some implementations, display  2046  is omitted. 
     Audio device  2048  comprises a device, such as a speaker, by which audible sounds are produced. Some implementations, audio device  2048  may be omitted. Input  2050  comprise a device by which commands, selections or data may be inputted to the particular electronic device  2010  and system  2000 . In one implementation, input  2050  is incorporated as part of display  2046  in the form of a touchscreen with graphical user interfaces. In another implementation, input  2050  comprises a keyboard, keypad, touchpad, stylists, mouse or microphone with speech recognition software. 
     Transceivers  2052  comprise one or more devices to communicate with local components of system  2000 . In one implementation, transceivers  2052  communicate in a wireless fashion with local components of system  2000 . In one implementation, transceivers  2052  communicate using infrared, Bluetooth or other optical signals. In another implementation, transceivers  2052  communicate using radiofrequency signals. 
     Transceivers  2052  comprise one or more devices to communicate with make-miss detection devices  2008 . In the example illustrated, transceiver  2052  is further configured to communicate with various optional additional output devices at each of hoops  2003 A and  2003 B. In the example illustrated, transceiver  2052  communicates with output devices  2060 ,  2062 , audio device  2064  and input device  2066 . 
     Output devices  2060 ,  2062  comprise devices by which information is visibly presented to users  2002  while the user is on the court taking basketball shots. Output devices  2060 ,  2062  each comprise display screens  2064  by which information, such as the current score and/or time of a game and/or possession number is presented to a person while playing. Each of display screens  2064  present information in a horizontal direction or face in a horizontal direction, allowing the users  2002  to quickly and easily see the score and remaining time. In one implementation, display screens  2064  comprise low resolution light emitting diode display panels having multiple LED elements that are selectively actuated to present alphanumeric characters. In another implementation, display screens  2064  comprise higher resolution display screens capable of presenting graphics and images. In the example illustrated, output device  2060  is supported at a height proximate to backboard  42 . In one implementation, output device  2060  is supported behind backboard  42 , where backboard  42  is transparent, or above backboard  42 . Output device  2062  is supported on the ground, table or other surface at or below eye level. In some implementations, one or both of output devices  2060 ,  2062  are omitted. 
     Audio devices  2064  comprise a supplemental audio device configured to provide audible sound for being heard by users  2002  when portable electronic devices  2010  are not being held or worn. In one implementation, audio devices  2064  comprise one or more speakers positioned alongside the basketball court. In some implementations, audio devices  2064  may be incorporated as part of output devices  2060 ,  2064 . In some implementations, audio device  2064  may comprise a pair of earphones or a headset worn by each of users  2002  while playing in the game. In some implementations, audio devices  2048  of portable electronic devices  2010  may be utilized in lieu of or in addition to audio devices  2064 . 
     Input devices  2066  comprise devices by which each of users  2002  may provide input to system  2000  without substantially interrupting gameplay. In one implementation, each of input devices  2006  comprises a microphone device supported courtside, attached to clothes of a user or worn by the user as part of a headset or the like, wherein each of input devices  2006  allow the user to verbally provide input such as requesting a timeout, foul request, stall request or the like. In yet another implementation, each of inputs  2006  may comprise a manually actuated switch, touchscreen or other manual input device from which signals are transmitted to the one or more portable electronic devices  2010  when the user is making a request, such as requesting a timeout, foul or stall. 
     Network transceivers  2054  comprise devices facilitating communication between portable electronic device  2010  and game maker hub  2012 . In one implementation, network transceivers facilitate communication across a network, such as a local area network or a wide area network (Internet) in a wired or wireless fashion. In some implementations, network transceivers  2054  further communicate with local components, such as detection devices  2008 , output device  2060 ,  2062  and/or audio device  2064 , reducing the burden upon transceiver  2052  or eliminating the need for transceiver  2052 . 
     Processor  2056  comprises one or more processing units configured to carry out instructions contained in memory  652 . Memory  652  is described above with respect to system  620  and  FIG. 9 . As described above, memory  652  includes computer-readable programming, code or circuitry for directing a processor, such as processor  2056 , to calibrate and establish a coordinate system for the location of basketball  1310  (or another basketball such as basketball  22 ,  1410 ,  1510 ,  1610 ) with respect to the particular hoop  2003 , to determine whether a basketball shot results in a completed or made basket, to store the results, to compare the results to prior results or to specific of well-known players, to store the comparisons and to output the results and comparisons. 
     Game maker hub  2012  comprises a central computing system which facilitates intercommunication between different portable electronic devices  2010  at different locations such that a relationship of the number of made baskets or the scores of different persons  2002  at different locations may be determined and output while at least one person is in the midst of partaking in a shooting session. In one implementation, game maker hub  2012  is provided by a network server, such as a local area network website or a wide area network (Internet) website. Game maker hub  2012  comprises network transceiver  2070 , processor  2072  and memory  2074 . Network transceiver  2070  comprises a device by which hub  2012  communicates with multiple portable electronic devices  2010  across a network, such as a local area network or wide area network (such as the Internet). 
     Processor  2072  comprises one or more processing units to carry out instructions provided by computer-readable programming or code contained in memory  2074 . Memory  2074  comprises timer module  2076  and score tracker module  2078 . Timer module  2076  comprises computerize readable code or circuitry directing processor  2072  to provide a clock that tracks time for a game being implemented amongst different portable electronic devices  2010 . For example, timer module  276  may utilize internal clock of the computer system as a basis for tracking time of a game. In one implementation, timer module  2076  tracks a wind down of time as well as a lapse of time during such a game. In one implementation, timer module  2076  is configured to facilitate temporary time stoppages during the game such as when one of users  2002  initiates a “timeout”. Although illustrated as part of hub  2012 , in other implementations, timer module  2076  may alternatively be provided at one or more of devices  2010 , wherein such local timer modules directed their associated processors to track game time and wherein the tracking of time at the different locations such as at the different portable electronic devices  2010  are synced. 
     Score tracker  2078  comprises computer-readable programming or code to direct processor  2072 , for each of users  2002 , two determine a number of points resulting from a made basketball shot by a particular user, to add the determined number of points to the particular user&#39;s ongoing cumulative score and to transmit at least the ongoing cumulative score for each of the users to portable electronic devices  2010  for output. In one implementation or user selectable mode of operation, each made basketball shot is worth a predefined number of points regardless of the position from which a shot originated. In another implementation or user selectable mode of operation for scoring tracker  2078 , each made basketball shot is worth a varying number of points depending upon the location from which the shot originated. In another implementation or user selectable mode of operation for scoring tracker  2078 , each made basketball shot is worth a varying number of points depending upon the type of shot that was made as detected by one or more of the detectors  2008 . For example, different points may be awarded for different shots such as bank shots, shot set bounced off the rim and shot that hit nothing but net. In yet another implementation or user selectable mode for scoring tracker  2078 , different number of points may be awarded for a made shot depending upon the number of consecutive made shots. For example, each consecutive made shot without any intervening miss (a shot of a shooting streak) may be worth a greater number of points as compared to the previous made shot. In yet other implementations are user selectable modes for scoring tracker  2078 , the same shots by different users  2002  may be awarded different points so as to form a handicapping system taking due account the different skill levels of the different users, facilitating challenging games between different users of different skill levels. As will be described hereafter, in some implementations, a user score may additionally be supplemented by a virtual user assist. 
     In the example illustrated, score tracker  2078  is illustrated as part of hub  2012 . In other implementations, score tracker  2078  may alternatively be provided at each of or at least one of electronic devices  2010 . In some implementations, hub  2012  may merely serve as a conduit for intercommunication between devices  2010 , wherein device  2010  perform make-miss determinations as well as game clock control and score determinations and tracking. In yet other implementations, each of the aforementioned functions may alternatively be provided at hub  2012 , facilitating cloud computing, wherein hub  2012  performs make-miss determinations, game clock control and score determinations and tracking. As illustrated by broken lines, in some implementations, hub  2012  may comprise memory  652  in lieu of or in addition to the individual portable electronic devices  2010  including memory  652  and its associated modules and storage portions. 
     In operation according to one example implementation, users  2002  request or select a game using inputs  2050  on their respective portable electronic devices  2010 . In response to a requested game, portable electronic devices  2010  transmit signals to hub  2012  requesting the basketball game. During this initial game set up phase, users  2000  are asked to select or choose modes of operation for game maker system  2000 . For example, such user selectable settings include how made baskets are to be scored for each of users  2002 , the duration of the game and/or the number of points for a victory. For example, one game might be for a certain period of time while another game might until a person scores a predefined number of points regardless of time. Another game might be terminated when the first person makes at least a predefined number of shots from a predetermined distance or range from the hoop. In yet another game option, the game is based upon a predefined number of shot attempts by each of users  2002  (alternating attempts by each of users  2002  in one mode or non-alternating shot attempts in another mode), wherein the first person to score a predefined number of points or wherein the person having the highest score at the completion of the predefined number of shot attempts is the winner. In such an implementation, game time module  2076  may be inactive. In still another user selectable game option, the winner is determined based upon which user scored the most number of points or the most number of baskets in the shortest period of time (the highest scoring density or frequency). During this initial game set up phase, it is presumed that each of users  2002  has already synced or linked at least one of their respective basketball(s)  1310  to the particular electronic device  2010 . 
     Once the initial game parameters have been established by users  2002  through inputs  2050 , the game is initiated through the output of a start indicator by hub  2012  and/or by portable electronic devices  2010 . The start indicator is output on at least one of display  2046 , audio device  2048 , upper devices  2060 ,  2062  or audio device  2064 . During the ongoing game, basketball shot attempts by each of users  2002  results in transceivers  2052  receiving signals from which a determination is made as to whether the shot attempt has resulted in a made basket or made shot. Using such signals and following instructions contained memory  652 , processor  2056  determines whether a shot attempt has been successful. Successful shot attempts result in signals being transmitted to hub  2012 . Score tracker  2078  of hub  2012  determines a score awarded for each made basket depending upon the current game settings. As noted above, different scores may be based upon the originating location of a shot as well as other handicapping or scoring schemes. After each made shot, score tracker  2078  updates the ongoing cumulative score during the game. The updated ongoing cumulative score is then transmitted back to each of portable electronic devices  2010  for display on display  2046  or for further output on output devices  2060 ,  2064  or for output on audio device  2048  and/or audio device  2064 . As a result, each of users  2002  is presented with an ongoing cumulative score for themselves as well as the other users against which they are competing. At the same time, game timer module  2076  output signals to portable electronic devices  2010  (or directly to output devices  2060 ,  2062  or audio devices  2064 ) indicating the amount of time left in the game or the amount of game time that has elapsed. Electronic devices  2010  further output the time values to one or more of outputs  2060 ,  2062  and/or audio devices  2048 ,  2064 . In game modes in which the shooting session or game is not timed, the number of shot attempts (possessions) as well as whose turn it is to take the next shot may be output in lieu of time. 
     During an ongoing game, one of users  2002  may request a break by calling a “timeout”. Such a request may be made using input  2066  and/or input  2050 . For example, during a game, one of users  2002  may say “timeout” which is captured by a speaker of input  2066 , wherein speech recognition software associated with the corresponding electronic device  2010  discerns the spoken request and transmits signals indicating the request for the timeout to processor  2056  which further transmits such signals or the determined request for a timeout to hub  2012 . In another implementation, during the game, one of the users  2002  may select an icon or other graphical user interface on display  2046  or on another display requesting such a timeout, wherein timeout signals are transmitted to processor  2056  and to hub  2012 . In response to receiving signals indicating such a request, game time module  2076  pauses the running of the game clock and transmits signals to the portable electronic device  2010  of the other user or users notifying them of the requested timeout and temporary game stoppage. In addition to providing a break, a timeout may be utilized to set up a quick shot with little time remaining. For example, if a user is down by two points with a second left and no time to get in position to attempt a basketball shot worth at least two points, the user may call a timeout, wherein immediately upon resumption of the clock running, the user may attempt a shot from the appropriate location so as to tie or win the game. In game options where both users are concurrently taking shots, the other user who did not call a timeout may also set up for a final shot. In one implementation, each user is permitted a predefined number of timeouts. 
     In one game mode, game maker system  2000  additionally randomly called “fouls” or calls such “fouls” as part of a handicapping system. In such a game mode, one of the users is notified of a called “foul” on display  2046 , an output devices  2060 ,  262  or through audio on audio devices  2048  or  2064 . After such a foul call, the running of the game clock by timer module  2076  is paused and one of the users is permitted to take free throws, wherein system  2000  determines whether the free throws are successful and awards the shooter with a point for each free-throw. In one implementation, rather than awarding one of the users  2002  with two free throws, the foul is deemed a “one and one” circumstance in which the person is granted a first free-throw and is granted a second follow-up free-throw only if the first free-throw is successful. After the awarded free-throw attempts have been made, running of the clock and continuation of the game resumes. 
     In one game mode, during gameplay, processing unit  2072  following instructions contained in score tracker  2078  additionally generates control signals providing audio to one or both of users  2002  based upon the relationship of the scores of the multiple users, a streak of completed or made baskets, a tight or close score with respect to the remaining time in the game or the like. For example, in one implementation or user selected mode of operation, audible sounds such as game commentary regarding the ongoing game may be output through audio device  2048  or audio device  2064 . For example, in one implementation, famous game commentators/announcers, such as Dick Vitale, may have recorded audio comments, stored in memory  2074 , that are played in response to certain triggering events such as a streak of the predefined number of made shots, a completed shot beyond a threshold distance from the associated hoop, or a clutch shot made at the end of a game or half. In one implementation or user selected mode of operation, audible sound such as cheering fans or heckling fans may be output through audio devices  2048  and/or audio device  2064  to one or both of users  2002 . In one implementation, the volume of such audible sounds may vary depending upon how close the game is or the number of consecutive shots being made. For example, cheering by fans may increase as each shot of a streak of made shots is completed. In one implementation, as time is winding down during the game, the users may be audibly notified by a countdown. In one implementation, stored audible encouragement or plays (requests for the next shot to be attempted from a certain location) by famous coaches may be audibly output at certain points in the game through audio device  2048  or audio device  2064 . In one implementation, bonus points may be awarded for a user making a shot from a point on the court requested by the coach&#39;s “play” announced through the audio device  2048  or audio device  2064 . 
     In some implementations, the user may be additionally provided with an opportunity to select a replay mode which is presented on display  2046 , wherein cameras are recording the game at each of the hoops  2003 . In such a replay mode, a last-second shot that won the game may be viewed on display  2046 . In one implementation, portable electronic devices  2010  further comprise cameras for capturing video of the game. For example, in one implementation, portable electronic devices  2010  are mounted or supported on or by a vertical stand or other support such that displays  2046  face in a horizontal direction and may be seen by a person partaking in a game while playing the game and such that the camera associated with the portable electronic device  2010  is able to capture gameplay. 
       FIG. 25  illustrates portable electronic device  2010 A in which an introductory display screen  2100  is presented on display  2046  by processor  2056  according to instructions contained in memory  652 . As shown by  FIG. 25 , display screen  2100  presents several icons providing the user with information or serving as graphic user interfaces which serve as a menu from which a user may select features are options. In the example illustrated, display screen  2100  presents ball pairing indicator  2102 , name and stat icon  2104 , level indicator  2105 , achievement icon  2106 , an app store icon  2108 , training mode icon  2110  and game mode icon  2112 . Ball pairing icon  2102  indicates when portable electronic device  2010 A has been linked or synced to basketball  1310  (or another basketball) such that transceiver  2052  is in communication with basketball  1310 , receiving signals from basketball  1310  to facilitate make-miss determinations. In circumstance where a basketball is out of range or loss connection with portable electronic device  2010 A, icon  2102  may be transparent, may be of a different color or may be missing. In one implementation, the particular basketball  1310  which is currently in communication with device  2010 A is identified as well by icon  2102 . 
     Name and stat icon  2104  identifies the current user for which make-miss determinations and statistics are being made and stored in memory  652 . In the example illustrated, icon  2104  identifies the name of the user. In the example illustrated, icon  2104  is customizable allowing the user to select a color, number or other information. In some implementations, the user may be allowed to purchase or otherwise download or install add-ons allowing the depicted jersey to be of the same color or logo of a real-world organized basketball team (high school, college, professional). In addition to identifying the current user for which make-miss determinations are to be made and stored, icon  2104  serves as a graphic user interface, which upon being selected, changes display  2046  to a different display screen presenting statistics or comparisons of shooting performance of the user. 
       FIG. 26  illustrates an example display screen  2200  that may be presented on display  2046  in response to icon  2104  being selected or clicked upon. In the example “film room” being presented on display  2046 , the user is provided with a breakdown of statistics from prior shooting sessions or games as well as lifetime shooting statistics. Display screen  2200  comprises statistics window  2202 , recordings window  2204 , tutorial window  2206 , recommended drill window  2208 , ranking or leaderboard window  2210  and experience points indicator  2212 . Statistics window  2002  comprises a graphical summary of shooting performance of the user. Clicking on, touching or otherwise selecting portions of statistics window  2202  brings up additional or more detail statistical information on display  2046  such as statistics display screen  2250  shown in  FIG. 27 . As shown by  FIG. 27 , statistics such as game pace in points per second, skill index, game time, opponent strength ratios, shot attempts from different differences are types (free throws, three point shots, two point shots, free-throw percentage, two point shots percentage, three-point field-goal percentage and scoring game flow statistics are presented by processor  2056  and display  2046  according to instructions provided memory  652  and stored data contained in memory  652  or other remote storage memories. 
     Recordings window  2204  present multiple selectable graphic user interfaces by which a user may select and view shooting footage of the user if so recorded. Upon a particular dated video being selected in window  2204 , processor  2056  retrieves a video and presents the video on display  2046 . As a result, a user is permitted to view and analyze prior shooting performances. 
     Tutorial window  2206  comprises an icon or a video window by which the user may view tutorials regarding basketball skills such as free-throw shooting, three-point shooting and the like. Recommended drill window  2208  comprises a set of selectable graphical user interfaces identifying various drills which are recommended for the user based upon his or her recorded shooting performances as analyzed by processor  2056  according to instructions contained in memory  652 . For example, statistics for the user may indicate a weakness in free-throw shooting. As a result, processor  2056  may automatically identify particular drills to assist the user in improving his or her free-throw shooting skills. Such identified drills provide a description of how the drill should be completed. In one implementation, tutorial window  2206  may be linked to drill window  2208  to provide a tutorial explaining such drills. In one implementation, as such drills are being practiced, processor  2056  receive signals from basketball  1310  or other sensors and stores the improvement in shooting results made over time with such shooting drills. 
     Leaderboard window  2210  comprises a window on display screen  2200  by which portable electronic device  2010  presents the users relative ranking or scores with respect to other users of game maker system  2000 . The other users for which rankings are provided in window  2210  may be local users, other users who are acquaintances or friends, teammates with the user, or users who are participating in an ongoing competition such as a league or the like, wherein leaderboard window  2210  presents the current standings in the competition. 
     Experience points window  2212  serves as an indicator of the user&#39;s current advancement towards the next skill level or ranking. Different skill levels or rankings are achievable based upon certain predetermined achievement thresholds being satisfied such as shooting percentages, training time thresholds, game wins and the like. In the example illustrated, different rankings are achieved based upon experience points that have been earned by training or through wins in competitions. Such experience points are additionally redeemable for various purchases as described below with respect to an app purchase icon  2108  shown in  FIG. 25 . 
     As further shown by  FIG. 25 , achievements icon  2106  serves as a graphic user interface, which upon being selected, presents on display  2046  the various achievements of the user. Examples of such achievements may be determined wins, overall winning records, highest scores, largest margin of victory and the like. 
     In app purchase icon  2108  comprises a graphical user interface, which upon being selected, presents various options, add-ons, game advantages of the like that may be purchased with earned or purchased experience points.  FIG. 28  illustrates display screen  2300  presented on display  2046  by processor  2056  following instructions contained in memory  652 . In the example illustrated, display screen  2300 , referred to as the “pro-shop” screen, is presented in response to a user selecting in app purchase icon  2108  on display screen  2100  in  FIG. 25 . Display screen  2300  comprises user account window  2302 , advantage purchases window  2304 , individual single player tournaments purchase window  2306  and alternating shot tournaments purchase window  2308 . User account window  2302  identifies a current number of experience points briefly earned by the user and available for the purchase of various add-ons, advantages, tournaments and the like. Such experience points comprise virtual currency, tokens or the like which may maybe earned or collected for completing various activities, which may be purchased with real-world currency (e.g., US dollars) and which may be redeemed or spent to purchase advantages or games identified in windows  2304 ,  2306  and  2308 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 28 , windows  2304 ,  2306  and  2308  identify different items which may be purchased through the redemption or spending of experience points. Window  2304  identifies various game advantage tokens which may be purchased. Such a game advantage tokens will be described hereafter. Window  2306  identifies different tournaments in which users compete against one another or compete against virtual opponents as will be described hereafter. Window  2308  lists selectable alternate shot games are tournaments, such as “horse” or “around the world”, for which a person may purchase and play. As noted above, pro-shop display screen  2300  may include other items for purchase as well such as actual voice recordings of famous basketball announcers for use during games (multiplayer or single player), real-world team scoring profiles (described hereafter), real-world team colors, jerseys or other licensed material. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 25 , training mode icon  2110  comprises a user selectable graphical user interface for transitioning display  2046  to various training options by which a person may improve his or her shooting skills through the completion of drills and by which the user may earn experience points.  FIG. 29  illustrates an example transition from display screen  2100  to display screen  2400  and subsequently to display screen  2500 . Upon selection of training mode icon  2110 , processor  2056  presents display screen  2400 . Display screen  2400  provides a variety of user selectable drop-down menus by which the user may select settings for different shooting challenges. Such settings may include the type of shots to be made (icon  2402 ), the time limit of the challenge (icon  2404 ), the shot limit of the challenge (icon  2406 ) or may comprise default predefined challenges (icon  2408 ). Upon the challenge being initiated by selection of the “begin challenge” icon  2410 , processor  2056 , following instructions contained a memory  652 , presents display screen  2500 . Display screen  2500  comprises a timed challenge in which the user is instructed to carry out various training or shooting challenges/drills, such as shooting various shots from different locations. In response to completing such challenges/drills or passing certain thresholds, processor  2056 , following instructions contained in memory  652 , awards experience points to the user which are stored in the user&#39;s virtual experience points account either on portable electronic device  2110  or at a remote storage site. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 25 , game mode icon  2112  comprises a user selectable graphical user interface by which a user may transition electronic device  2010 A to a multiplayer game mode (described above) or a single player game mode in which the user competes directly against a virtual/simulated/computer opponent. In a single player-single user mode, the user alone competes against a virtual opponent. In a single player-multiuser mode, two or more users compete against the same virtual opponent, wherein a winner is selected from the two or more users based upon which of the two or more users beats their virtual opponent or has the largest margin of victory against their virtual opponent. In one implementation, the two or more users compete against the same virtual opponent concurrently. In another implementation, the two or more users compete against the same virtual opponent at distinct times. By facilitating a competition between the two or more users in the single player-multi user mode, system  2000  further facilitates tournaments and leagues amongst multiple users in the single player game mode. 
       FIG. 30  illustrates an example progression of display screens following selection of the game mode icon  2112  in  FIG. 25 . Upon selection of the game mode icon  2112 , display screen  2600  is presented, providing the user with a choice between the multiplayer mode (described above with respect to  FIG. 24 ) or the single player mode in which the user competes against a virtual component. In response to the user selecting the multiplayer player mode, portable electronic device  2010 A transitions to display screen  2610 . Display screen  2610  presents various selections to the user for multiplayer games. In the example illustrated, display screen  2610  presents practice game icon  2612 , league game icon  2614 , tournament game icon  2616  and mini game icon  2618 . Each of icons  2610 - 2618  comprises user selectable graphic user interfaces having different characteristics. For example, a practice game is a regular game against another opponent, but is not part of any league tournament play. A mini-game is a shortened regular game. League games and tournament games comprise regular games, wherein a league game is a round robin series of games with a group of users through a season while a tournament game is a winner versus winner bracket progression of games. 
       FIG. 30  illustrates an example progression in which the user selects the league game icon  2614 . In response to the league game icon  2614  being selected followed by the “begin challenge” icon  2619  being selected, processor  2056  (shown in  FIG. 24 ) transitions to display screen  2620  in the multiplayer mode. As shown by display screen  2620 , in the example illustrated, two users, Jake R. and Allen W. are competing in a game with both users concurrently taking basketball shots and scoring. One user is designated as a home team while the other users designated as the away team. Display screen  2620  further identifies each user&#39;s current win or loss streak In other implementations, display screen  2620  may additionally or alternatively display each user&#39;s standing in the league or seeding in a tournament (in the tournament mode). 
     As further shown by  FIG. 30 , display screen  2620  presents the inventory of advantage tokens (described hereafter) owned by each user. Once a game has begun, either of the users  2002  may return to screen  2620  to view what remaining inventory of advantage tokens are available for use. In the example illustrated, display screen  2620  also displays remaining time in the ongoing game (four minutes in the example shown). In other implementations, display screen  2620  may additionally or alternatively display each users standing in the league or seating in a tournament (in the tournament mode). 
     Once a game has begun, electronic device  2010 A transitions to the game state display screen  2630 . Game state display screen  2630  on display  2046  presents to each user competing in the game the current ongoing to live score of each user (75 to 79, the time remaining in the game (2:53), the current shooting streak of each user (represented by bar graphs which rise as a shooting streak is increased) and the number of advantage tokens that have been utilized (or that remain) thus far in the game. As noted above, in some implementations, illumination on ball  1310  may additionally or alternatively change so as to reflect the ongoing to live score-which of the users  2002  is leading in which of the users  2002  is trailing. The extent of the lead or extent that a user is trailing may be reflected by the color, brightness or frequency of the illumination on ball  1310 . In other implementations, such illumination to indicate game score may be omitted. 
     In the particular game illustrated, each user is permitted to redeem up to two advantage tokens. In one implementation, the user on his or her portable electronic device  2010  toggles back to display screen  2620  during a timeout or during play and selects an advantage token for redemption. Upon receiving signals that an advantage token on display screen  2620  has been selected, processor  2056  transitions to a display screen, such as display screen  2650  describing the selected advantage token. From the particular display screen, the display screen  2650 , the user may decide whether or not to use the advantage token by selecting the “use advantage” icon  2652 . The use of the advantage token is reflected on display screen  2630 , allowing the users to be continuously apprised of the number of remaining advantage tokens that they may redeem. 
     In one user selectable game mode, following instructions in score tracker  2078 , processor  2056  (or processor  2078 ) interrupts the flow of the game by calling a “foul” on one of the users and instructing the other of the users to shoot free throws from a free-throw line while the clock is stopped. In the example illustrated, both or each of portable electronic devices  2010 A,  2010 B are transitioned to display screen  2670  notifying the user that a foul is been committed. Thereafter, the portable electronic device  2010 A of the user that is permitted to shoot free throws transitions to display screen  2672  whereby the users instructed to shoot free throws. In one implementation or user selectable game mode, the instructed user is permitted to attempt two free throws. In another implementation or user selectable game mode, the instructed user is given a one-and-one wherein the user is permitted to attempt a first free-throw and is only permitted a second free-throw if the first free-throw was successful. 
     In yet an alternative implementation or user selectable game mode, “fouls” are called on both users such that both or each of users  2002  (potentially three or more users depending upon the number of users competing) are concurrently given the opportunity to shoot free throws. In such an implementation or game mode, like in real world games, free throws become an integral part of the game, motivating the users to practice and improve their individual free-throw shooting skills. In one implementation or game mode, each of users given an equal opportunity with an equal number of fouls and an equal number of free-throw attempts to maintain game balance. In yet another implementation or game mode, different users may be given different numbers of free-throw attempts as a way of balancing out a game or handicapping again between players of different skill levels. In one implementation or user selectable game mode, such fouls are called by game maker system  2000  at randomly chosen times (using a random number generator). In another implementation or user selected will game mode, game maker system  2000  calls such fouls at moments during game according to one or more game circumstances or algorithms. 
     In one implementation or user selectable game mode, to more closely resemble a real-world basketball game, each user, during the game, may select or request to “foul” the other user. The requesting of a foul may be made by selecting a foul request icon on display  2046  or through speech commands received through input  2066 , wherein speech recognition software recognizes the request. In such an implementation or mode, game maker system  2000  presents a display screen notifying the fouled user of the foul and instructing the fouled user to attempt free throws. After such free free-throw attempts are completed by the fouled user, the game continues with the recently fouled user not being permitted to score for a predefined period of time. For example, game maker system  2000  may not acknowledge made shots or scores by the just fouled user upon resumption of the game. In such an implementation or mode, a user who is behind towards the end of the game may request to foul the other user, hoping that the other user misses his or her free-throw attempts while also providing the user who committed/selected the foul with opportunity to narrow the score margin by making his or her shots during the predefined window of time during the game (while the clock is running) that the fouled user cannot score. In one implementation, game maker system  2000  tracks the number of selected/requested/committed fouls by each user and adjusts the number of free-throw attempts based upon the number of fouls. For example, in one implementation, game maker system  2000  initially provides the fouled user with one-and-one free-throw situations for each selected/committed foul by the other user until a predefined selected/committed foul threshold has been met, wherein the fouled user is subsequently provided with automatic two free-throw attempts (a “double bonus” situation) for each selected/committed foul. 
     In one implementation and/or user selectable game mode, a user is also presented with the option of selecting a “four corners” or stall request or command. As with selection of a “foul” request, the request for a stall may be made by the user touching or otherwise selecting a user selectable graphic user interface on display  2046  or by voicing a “stall” command which is received by input  2066  or input  2050  and is recognized by each recognition software contained in memory  652  of portable electronic device  2010 A,  2010 B. The identified “stall” command is further transmitted to hub  2012 . In response to receiving a “stall” command, for a predefined amount of time, processor  2056  and/or processor  2072 , following instructions contained in memory  652 , adjusts the ongoing game such that no users are permitted to score as a clock runs down (any made shots, if any, during the clock run down time are not acknowledged). In one implementation or mode, remaining time in the game is automatically and immediately reduced for the predefined amount of time without either user having to wait for the time to expire. 
     In another implementation or mode, the other user is provided with an option to counter the stall request. In one implementation or mode, while the time is being run down following the stalled request and while neither user is permitted to score, the user who did not request the stall command may input a “foul” request (as described above), wherein the running down of the clock is stopped, wherein the “fouled” user (the user who inputted the stalled request) shoots free throws and wherein after the free-throw attempts are completed, the clock resumes from the point in time that the foul request was made with the fouled user not being able to score for a predefined period of time and with the user who requested the foul having an opportunity to score during this predefined period of time. In essence, a user who has a large lead may input a stall request to run out time on the clock; however, the user who is trailing may counter the stall request by fouling the stalling user by requesting a foul. 
     Upon completion of a game, game maker system  2000  and portable electronic devices  2010  transitioned to display screen  2680  in which each user is presented with information regarding any experience levels/badges or experience points that have been earned. In the example illustrated, one user has been awarded a “level III rainmaker badge” for making a clutch three-pointer to win the game. The user is also awarded with 2300 experience points. The user is presented with user selectable graphical user interfaces to return the user or locker room (display screen  2100  shown in  FIG. 25 ) or the “film room” (display screen  2200  shown in  FIG. 26 ) for a more in-depth analysis of the user&#39;s performance. 
     In the example described above, the game between the two users is a time-based game, continuing for a predetermined allotted amount of time. In other implementations or other user selectable game modes, the multiplayer game may alternatively operate under an alternating possession format. In the alternating possession format, each user takes turns attempting a basketball shot, wherein game maker system  2000  automatically determines whether the shot was successful and updates the ongoing cumulative scores for the two users. In one implementation or mode, the game is finished after expiration of the predefined amount of total time during which the users take turns shooting. In another implementation or mode, the game is finished after each user has completed a predetermined number of shot attempts. In one implementation or user selectable game mode, system  2000  assigns or allots a predefined maximum amount of time (similar to a shot clock) for the person to complete his or her shot attempt during a turn or “possession”. In one implementation or game mode, the different users may be allotted different amounts of time during a turn based upon skill level or based upon which user is currently leading or the extent of the lead. In one implementation or game mode, the amount of time allotted by system  2000  for each user&#39;s turn is varied by system  2000  in a random fashion or based upon the possession number or turn number. For example, initial turns or possessions may be allotted a larger amount of time to complete a shot attempt while later turns or possessions towards the end of the game may be allotted a much lesser amount of time to complete a shot attempt. 
       FIG. 31  illustrates an example progression of display screens following selection of the single player game mode on display screen  2600  in which the user competes against a virtual component. In response to the user selecting the single player mode, portable electronic device  2010 A transitions to display screen  2710 . Display screen  2710  presents various selections to the user for single player games. In the example illustrated, display screen  2710  presents practice game icon  2712 , league game icon  2714 , tournament game icon  2716  and mini game icon  2718 . Each of icons  2710 - 2718  comprise user selectable graphic user interfaces for games having different characteristics. For example, a practice game is a regular game against a virtual opponent, but is not part of any league tournament play. A mini-game is a shortened regular game against a virtual opponent. League games and tournament games comprise regular games, wherein a league game is a round robin series of games with a group of users who each individually compete again the same or different virtual opponents through a season while a tournament game is a winner versus winner bracket progression of games in which different user place in a bracket, competing against the same or different virtual opponents. 
       FIG. 31  illustrates an example progression in which the user selects the tournament game icon  2716 . In response to the tournament game icon  2716  being selected followed by the “begin challenge” icon  2719  being selected, processor  2056  (shown in  FIG. 24 ) transitions to display screen  2720  in the single player mode. As shown by display screen  2720 , in the example illustrated, a single-user Jake R. is competing in a simulated or virtual game with a virtual opponent, “V1”. In the example illustrated, display screen  2720  additionally displays at least a portion of the bracket of the tournament which the user is competing. In the example illustrated, the user is competing against virtual opponent V1. Should the user win, the user will then be against the winner of V2 and V3, two alternative virtual opponents. Each virtual opponent may have different simulated shooting characteristics, percentages such that as the user progresses in the tournament, the competition stiffens. In one implementation, each virtual opponent comprises a computer-generated score profile. In yet another implementation, each virtual opponent has a scoring profile corresponding to a real-world organized basketball team, whether it be a high school, college or professional team. 
     A “scoring profile” of a virtual opponent refers to the rate, make-miss percentages for different free throws and different shots and/or timing of scores for the virtual opponent. A scoring profile may comprise a scoring time profile which is a timing at which a person or team scores each pointer points during a game. A scoring profile may alternatively or additionally comprise shooting statistics for a team during a game such as the average number of points per possession, the percent likely that a team will score in a possession, the free-throw shooting percentage of a team and the like. Such system is takes maybe for an entire game or may vary for different portions of a game. For example, a team may have a greater average number of points per possession earlier on the game as compared to later on in the game when the team may be fatiguing. 
     Game maker system  2000  utilizes the scoring profile of the virtual opponent to simulate scoring for the virtual opponent during a game with the user.  FIGS. 32-35  illustrate different example scoring time profiles stored in memory  2074  or memory  652  for use by score tracker  2078  in determining simulate scoring for the virtual opponent. Although such scoring time profiles are illustrated graphically as line graphs, in some implementations, such scoring time profiles may be represented as mathematical equations or algorithms stored in memory  2074  or memory  652 . 
       FIG. 32  illustrates different scoring time profiles that are linear in which the cumulative ongoing score of the virtual opponent is a linear function of elapsed game-time. For example, in one implementation on virtual opponent may score at a linear rate of 0.5 points per second.  FIG. 32  illustrates linear scoring time profiles  2810 ,  2812 ,  2814  and  2816 . Profile  2810  is the slowest linear rate of scoring for the virtual opponent while profile  2816  has the greatest or highest rate of scoring for the virtual opponent. As a user progresses in a tournament, a scoring profile having a higher rate of scoring may be utilized for the particular virtual opponent being faced to increase the challenge or difficulty for the user. Likewise, depending upon a skill level of the user, computing components of game maker system  2000  (at least one processor following instructions contained in at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium) may automatically select an appropriate virtual opponent scoring profile for the virtual opponent facing the user to best challenge the user. 
     In one implementation, one or more of scoring time profiles  2810 - 2816  correspond to average scoring rates of prior completed games. In one implementation, scoring time profiles  2810 - 2816  comprise stored and retrieved scoring profiles of a person from a prior completed game. In one implementation, scoring time profiles  2810 - 2816  each comprise the average scoring rate of the user from a prior completed single player or multiplayer game using game maker system  2000 . In such a manner, the user may compete against his or her prior performances. In one implementation, scoring time profiles  2810 - 2816  each comprise the average scoring rate of a different user from a prior completed single player multiplier game using game maker system  2000 . In such a mode, the user may repeatedly repeat games against other users against which the user competed or against other users against which the user has never previously competed. 
     In still other implementations or user selectable game modes, scoring time profiles  2810 - 2816  each comprise the average linear scoring rate of a team for a prior completed real-world game. For example, scoring time profile  2812  may be based upon the average scoring rate of a high school, college or professional basketball team during a particular game. In yet other implementations are user selectable game modes, scoring profiles  2810 - 2816  each comprise the average linear scoring rate of the team during a plurality of prior completed real-world games, such as during a particular season, a particular season&#39;s playoffs, a particular NCAA or high school tournament or the like. In one implementation, different scoring time profiles for historical real-world games, real-world teams or real-world seasons are selectable, purchasable and/or downloadable in the “Pro shop” display screen  2300  shown in  FIG. 28 . As a result, the user may choose a real-world team for establishing the characteristics of the virtual opponent being faced by the user. 
       FIG. 33  illustrates scoring time profiles for the virtual opponent that are based at least in part upon or which react to the current scoring by the user during a game. An example illustrated, line  2820  represents user scoring (the cumulative ongoing score of the user) during a game. In one implementation are user selectable game mode, the virtual opponent may score according to scoring profile  2822 . Scoring profile  2822  comprises non-linear convergence scoring algorithm by which the virtual opponents scoring is driven based upon scoring by the user just to stay close, within a predefined determined range) of the user&#39;s ongoing cumulative score. Scoring time profile  2824  comprises a non-linear divergent scoring algorithm which drives scoring by the virtual opponent based upon scoring by the user such that the virtual opponent scoring stays above the user&#39;s cumulative score by a predetermined amount. In yet another implementation, scoring time profile  2824  may comprise a non-linear divergent scoring algorithm which drives virtual opponent scoring so as to stay below the user&#39;s cumulative score by a predetermined amount. 
     In still other implementations or user selectable game modes, score tracker  2078  implements a game flow algorithm by which scoring by the virtual opponent reacts to user scoring based upon momentum shifts in the game. For example, virtual opponent scoring may slow during game in response to a shooting streak (a streak of made baskets) by the user). In still other implementations or user selectable game modes, score tracker  2078  randomly adjust the rate at which the virtual opponent scores. For example, score tracker  2078  may temporarily slow virtual opponent scoring an output a notification on display  2046  that the virtual opponent team has suffered an injury to a key player. 
       FIG. 34  illustrates scoring profiles  2830  and  2832  which may be utilized to control an output the scoring of the virtual opponent against which the user is competing. Like a real game, scoring may occur in fits and spurts. Scoring time profiles  2830  and  2832  are for scoring that occurs in fits and spurts. As a result, the virtual opponent will also score in fits and spurts, in contrast to the uniform scoring by the virtual opponent under scoring profiles  2810 - 2816  described above. In one implementation, scoring time profiles  2830  and  2832  comprise the scoring profile of a team for a prior completed or historical real-world game. For example, scoring time profile  2812  may be based upon the rate and timing of scores by a high school, college or professional basketball team during a particular game. For example a team in a prior completed game may have had multiple hot shooting strings in which the team scored quickly and often and/or multiple cold shooting streaks in which the team failed to score or stored very infrequently. Based upon this historical scoring time profile of a historical game, score tracker  2078  determines scoring for the virtual opponent. In circumstances where the scoring profile chosen for serving as a basis for virtual opponent scoring is from a historical game having a much longer duration then the duration of the virtual game being played, score tracker  2078  may automatically scale the timing of scores of the scoring profile to fit the time of the virtual game. For example, the historical scoring time profile of the historical game lasting 40 minutes may include a cold shooting period beginning at a midpoint of the game and ending when ¾th of the game is completed. Score tracker  2078  may likewise implement corresponding cold shooting periods for the virtual opponent during the same corresponding portion virtual despite the fact that the virtual game may only last 30 minutes. In yet another implementation, score tracker  2078  randomly selects a portion of the scoring profile for a portion of a historical game for use in controlling scoring by the virtual opponent. For example, if a virtual game is to last 15 minutes, score tracker  2078  may randomly select a 15 minute portion of the historical game and its corresponding scoring profile for one of the teams for use as a basis for determining when and how often the virtual opponent scores. In another implementation are user selectable game mode, the user is permitted to select which portion of a historical game and its corresponding scoring profile is to be used as a basis for determining the timing of scoring by the virtual opponent. For example, the user may select the final half of a historical game and a team scoring time profile during the final half of the game to serve as a basis for use in determining when and how often a virtual opponent scores during the virtual game. 
     In yet other implementations or user selectable game modes, scoring profiles  2830 ,  2832  each comprise a scoring time profile that is based upon a statistic generated from a plurality of scoring time profiles from a plurality of prior completed real-world games of and organize basketball team, such as a high school, college or professional basketball team. In one implementation, different scoring profiles for historical real-world games, real-world teams, real-world seasons, real-world events (NBA playoffs, NBA championship series, NCAA tournament, state high school championships or the like are selectable, purchasable and/or downloadable in the “Pro shop” display screen  2300  shown in  FIG. 28 . As a result, the user may choose a real-world team for establishing the characteristics of the virtual opponent being faced by the user. 
     As noted above, in some implementations or user selectable game modes, the scoring profile additionally comprises a free-throw percentage. This free-throw percentage may be randomly generated by game maker system  2000 , may be selected input by the user or may be based upon the free throw percentage of the same real-world team from a historical game or historical group of games from which the scoring time profile is derived. In such an implementation or mode, a “foul” occurring during the game will result in the virtual opponent taking free throws. The likelihood of the virtual opponent making a free-throw is utilized by score tracker  2078  to simulate whether or not the virtual opponent scores when taking such free-throw attempts during the virtual game. 
     In one implementation or user selectable mode, the user is permitted to input a request to foul the virtual opponent or to input a request to stall the game as discussed above with respect to a multiplayer game. The implementation of fouls and four corner stalls in a single player virtual game is identical to the implementation of fouls and four corner stalls described above with respect to multiplayer games except that rather than the other competing user attempting free throws upon being fouled, score tracker  2078  automatically determines whether the virtual opponent makes or misses such free-throws based upon the free-throw percentage of the scoring profile being used for the virtual opponent. 
     In one implementation or user selectable “user assist” or “virtual assist” game mode, system  2000  supplements scoring of the user. In effect, system  2000  provides virtual teammates which add to the user&#39;s score during a game. For example, in a single player game against a virtual opponent, computing components of system  2000  artificially add points to the cumulative ongoing score of the user during a game to assist the user against the virtual opponent. In one implementation or mode, the user or virtual assist as points to the user&#39;s ongoing cumulative score at a rate which is at a deficit to the rate at which the virtual opponent is scoring. In addition to being selectable for use in a single player game, the virtual assist mode may additionally be selected by the two or more users in a multiplayer game to serve as a handicap for the lesser skilled user. The rate at which the user or virtual assist adds points to the user&#39;s ongoing cumulative score may be varied by system  2000  depending upon the skill level of the user or user selected difficulty for the game. For example in one implementation in which the user is participating in a simulated tournament, the extent to which the user is assisted by the virtual assist, the rate at which the user score is supplemented by the virtual assist, may decrease as the user progresses in the tournament. 
     In the example illustrated, game maker system  2000  additionally offers a selectable game mode between the user and a virtual opponent, wherein the game is not time-based, but is instead based upon basketball possessions. In one gameplay mode in the basketball possession mode, after each shot attempt by the user, whether it be a score or no score, the computing device of game maker system  2000  (one or more processing units following instructions contained in a non-transitory computer readable medium) automatically determines whether and what number of points a virtual opponent during the next possession of the virtual opponent. In one implementation or mode, the determination of whether and what number points a virtual opponent scores during its possession following a shot attempt by the user is based upon a per possession scoring profile comprising the percent likelihood that a team will score a certain number of points are in a certain fashion during its possession. 
     As with scoring time profiles and free-throw percentage profiles, per possession scoring profiles may correspond to per possession scoring profiles of real-world teams taken from high school, college or professional ranks. Such per possession scoring profiles may be taken from a single historical game of a real-world team or may be statistically determined from a plurality of group of games by a real-world team or from a plurality or group of games by a group of different teams (e.g., a per possession scoring statistic for all Division I NCAA basketball teams during the regular season, a per possession scoring statistic for all teams participating in a historical NCAA tournament, a per possession scoring statistic for all teams advancing during a particular round of a historical NCAA tournament). For example, in one scenario, the user may have purchased a final four tournament application in which the user competes in a hypothetical NCAA tournament. As part of the tournament application, the application may utilize per possession scoring statistics/per possession scoring profiles from one or more historical NCAA tournaments for the virtual opponent being faced by the user. In one implementation, game tracker system  2000  utilizes a scoring profile for the virtual opponent which is dependent upon the round of the NCAA tournament being played by the user. For example, if the users game in the tournament application is a first round game in the tournament, game tracker system  2000  retrieves or determine a per possession scoring statistic for all teams (or a subset of teams, such as those teams that advanced) in the first round of one or more historical NCAA tournaments and utilizes statistic as the per possession scoring profile for the virtual opponent being faced by the user in the first round of the term and application. As user progresses through successive rounds in the tournament application, the per possession scoring profiles will vary. 
       FIG. 35  is a flow diagram of an example method  2900  that may be earned out by the computing components of game maker system  2000 , such a score tracker  2078  for providing a single player possession based game. As indicated by block  2910 , upon receiving signals indicating that a single player possession based game has been selected, the computing device of game maker system  2000  determines, retrieves or otherwise obtained a per possession scoring profile for the virtual opponent to be played by the user. In one implementation, system  2000  may provide the user with the option of choosing or selecting a particular real-world historical game or games, team or teams, tournament, playoff, championship series or the like to serve as a basis for the per possession scoring profile of the virtual opponent. In one implementation, system  2000  retrieves, from a database or from publicly available sports statistics on the Internet, actual statistics from the historical data and calculates the per possession scoring profile to be used for the virtual opponent. In another implementation, such scoring profiles are briefly determined and stored in a local or remote database, wherein the scoring profiles are simply retrieved. 
     As indicated by block  2912 , the per possession scoring profiles provide a percent likelihood of scoring during a single possession by the virtual opponent. In the example illustrated in block  2912 , the virtual opponent has an A % chance of scoring 3 points during a possession. Such three-pointers scored with a three point play or by a two-point shot followed by a one point free-throw (fouled in the act of shooting). In other implementations, the scoring profile may be additionally broken down to statistics distinguishing when the three-pointers scored from a three-point possession versus the three points being a traditional three-point play with a two-point basket followed by a one point free-throw. In one game mode, such a distinction may be beneficial in that the computing components of game maker system  2000  may additionally output visible or audible commentary or information to the user indicating how the simulated virtual opponent scored during its possession. 
     As further indicated by block  2912 , the virtual opponent has a B % chance of scoring two points during possession, a C % chance of scoring a two point free-throw during a possession and a D % chance of scoring a single free-throw point during a possession. Such statistics do not necessarily correspond to field-goal percentage or three-point shooting percentages, but depend upon the total number of possessions during a game and number of times a team scored in a certain fashion. For example, statistics may reveal that a team had 100 possessions during which 10 three-pointers were made, 25 two point field goals were made, six instances where two free throws are made and 4 instances where one free-throw was made such that the team statistically scored three points 10% of the possessions, two point field goals 25% of the possessions, two free-throw points 6% of the possessions, one free-throw 4 percent of the possessions and no points during 65% of the possessions. 
     In the example illustrated, the per possession scoring profile depicted in block  2912  distinguishes between a two-point field-goal and two free throws be made during a possession. As a result, the computing components of game maker system  2000  may notify the user through audible or visible notices, such as on display  2046 , as to how the virtual opponent scored, by free throws or by a two-point field-goal. In other implementations, the per possession profile may not distinguish between two free throws or two point field goals, wherein statistics for both two-point field-goals and two point free throw possessions are grouped together. In yet other implementations, the per possession scoring profile retrieved in step  2910  may have other statistical per possession breakdowns or a greater or fewer number of such per possession scoring breakdowns. 
     As indicated by block  2914 , the computing components of game maker system  2000  determine whether the user or the virtual opponent has the starting possession (i.e., which team wins the tipoff). This may be done using a random number generator or the like. In other implementations, this may default to either the virtual opponent or the user always having the first possession. 
     As indicated by blocks  2916  and  2918  should the user have possession, game maker system  2000  continues and periodically determines whether the user has made a shot attempt. Such a determination may be made based upon signals received from basketball  1310  and/or other detection devices  2008 . As indicated by block  2920 , upon receiving signals at a shot attempt has been made, the computing components of game maker system  2000  determine whether the shot attempt was successful. This determination may be made in one of various fashions described above. As indicated by block  2922 , if the computing components of game maker system  2000  determine that the shot attempt has been successful, score tracker  2078  determines a number of points made and adds the number points to the ongoing cumulative score for the user. In one mode, the number of points awarded to the user may be fixed, or in another mode, may vary based upon the location from which the shot was attempted and made, based upon the type of shot-a field-goal or a free-throw, and/or based upon any other handicap or advantage factors being applied. Following a made shot, the virtual opponent assumes the next possession as indicated by block  2924 . 
     As indicated by block  2926 , the computing components of game maker system  2000  determine whether the virtual opponent has a defensive rebound and assumes possession. Alternatively, game maker system  2000  may determine whether the user has an offense of rebound. In one implementation, such a determination may be randomly determined or may be based upon a predefined percentage for the virtual opponent assuming possession. In yet another implementation or game mode, the determination of whether the virtual opponent has a defensive rebound is based upon rebound statistics from a real-world historical game, a real-world historical team or a real-world historical group of games or group of teams. In one implementation, the defensive rebound statistics are taken from the same real-world historical game, team alike from which the per possession scoring profile was determined. If the virtual opponent has a defensive rebound, the virtual opponent assumes possession in block  2924 . Alternatively, if the virtual opponent is determined not to have a defensive rebound such that the user is deemed to have an offense rebound, the user once again retains possession as indicated in block  2916 . In other implementations or user selectable game modes, the rebound determination in block  2926  may be omitted, wherein the virtual opponent is automatically takes possession of the basketball after each missed shot attempt by the user. 
     As indicated by block  2928 , upon the virtual opponent assuming “possession”, the computing components of game maker system  2000  determines whether the virtual opponent will score and what the number of points will be for the possession of the virtual opponent. In the example illustrated, the computing components of game maker system  2000  generate a random number X (between zero and 0.99 in the example). As indicated by blocks  2930 ,  2932  and  2934 , if the random number X is less than A, game maker system  2000  assigns a score of three to the particular possession of the virtual opponent, adds the score to the virtual opponent cumulative outputs the updated cumulative score. In one implementation, the computing components of game maker system  2000  additionally output commentary such as by a famous game announcer (i.e. Dick Vitale) commenting on the score. In game modes where the scoring profile is based upon a real-world historical team, such comments may identify a real-world historical player on the real-world historical team as making the shot, enhancing realism of the simulated game. In a similar fashion, the computing components of game maker system  2000  may output similar commentary following the awarding of points to the user in block  2922 . 
     As indicated by blocks  2940 ,  2942  and  2944 , if the random number X is less than A+B, game maker system  2000  assigns a score of two to the particular possession of the virtual opponent, adds the score to the virtual opponent cumulative score and outputs the updated cumulative score. System  2000  additionally output audible or visible commentary noting that the two points are made as a result of field goal and possibly indicating what real-world historical player made the shot. As an example, if the historical team was the Boston Celtics and upon a two-point score by a virtual opponent having a per possession scoring profile of the Boston Celtics, the computing components of gaming systems  2000  may output an audible game announcer comment, “Larry Bird hits a fall away jumper from 18 feet”. Other appropriate outputs of commentary may be made for other types of scores or misses by the virtual opponent in blocks  2934 ,  2954 ,  2964  and  2974  to add color and realism to the simulated game. 
     As indicated by blocks  2950 ,  2952  and  2954 , if the random number X is less than A+B+C, game maker system  2000  assigns a score of two to the particular possession of the virtual opponent, adds the score to the virtual opponent cumulative score, outputs the updated cumulative score and indicates that the two points are made by the virtual opponent making two free throws following a foul. As indicated by blocks  2960 ,  2962  and  2964 , if the random number X is less than A+B+C+D, game maker system  2000  assigns a score of one to the particular possession of the virtual opponent, adds the score to the virtual opponent cumulative score, outputs the updated cumulative score and indicates that the virtual opponent made one of two free throws following a foul. As indicated by block  2974 , if the random number X is greater than A+B+C+D, game maker system  2000  determines that the virtual opponent does not score during its possession and that the user has assumed the next possession in block  2916 . 
     In one implementation or user selectable game mode, the per possession scoring profile itself varies during the game. For example, a team may be more likely to score 3 point shots at beginning parts of the game or earlier possessions when the players&#39; legs are fresh and may be more likely to score free throws in latter parts of the game or later possessions.  FIG. 35  illustrates a per possession scoring profile in which the present likelihood for scoring different points are shot per possession varies based upon the possession number. In the example illustrated, the per possession scoring profile has varying percentages for each of 3 point shots, two-point shots, two-point free throws, one point free throw and no scoring possessions. In the example illustrated, during possessions numbers 41-60, the likelihood of the team scoring a three point shot is highest, but is lowest in possession 0-20. In the example illustrated, likelihood that the team does not score on a possession is highest during possessions 21-40 (the 21st possession through the 40th possession of the virtual opponent). In such an implementation, method  2900  shown in  FIG. 35  may include the step of tracking the possession number for the virtual opponent and retrieving an appropriate as per possession scoring profile for the different shots depending upon the possession number for the virtual opponent. In other implementations or modes, other per possession scoring profiles having other breakdowns may be utilized by system  2000 . In each of the above examples, the per possession scoring profiles may be scaled by system  2000  depending upon game length—the overall time of the game or the number of possessions allotted to each team during the game. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 31 , display screen  2720  additionally presents the inventory of advantage tokens (described hereafter) owned by each user. Once a game has begun, user  2002  may return to screen  2720  to view what remaining inventory of advantage tokens are available for use. As noted above, advantage tokens may be earned and/or purchased such as while the user is viewing display screen  2300  (shown in  FIG. 28 ). In one mode of gameplay, a user is permitted to redeem up to two advantage tokens during a single game. 
       FIG. 37  illustrates display screen  3000  which is presented by computing components of game maker system  2000  on display  2046  in response to a user selecting a “view all advantages” icon on display screen  2300  in  FIG. 28 . Display screen  3000  graphic identifies available advantage tokens that maybe earned or purchased with experience points and provides a brief description of each advantage token. In addition to being usable in a single player time baser time driven game, some of the advantage tokens are also usable in or as part of single player possession based game or in a multiplayer time based or possession based game. In the example illustrated, the user may redeem advantage tokens  3010 ,  3012  and  3014 , which adjust the virtual assistant scoring (described above) during a game. The user may redeem advantage tokens  3016  and  3018  to adjust virtual opponent scoring for different predetermined time periods. The user may redeem advantage token  3020  stop the clock and set up a three point shot attempt. 
     Lastly, user may redeem either of advantage tokens  3024  or  3026  to switch the “momentum” for different periods of time. In one implementation or game mode, user is awarded “momentum” by the computing components of system  2000  in response to a determination that the user has made a predefined number of shots in a row, has trimmed a prior score deficit by a predefined amount or to within a predefined margin and/or has extended a lead to above a predefined amount or predefined margin or the like. In one implementation or game mode, thresholds for achieving or earning such “momentum” may differ depending upon whether the user is designated as playing “at home” or “away”. System  2000  provides the user with such “momentum” for a predefined period of time depending upon how the momentum was earned. The computing components of system  20  reward the user possessing such “momentum” by assisting the user. For example, the user or virtual assist rate of scoring may be increased by system  20  while the user has momentum or the rate of scoring, free-throw percentage or the like of a virtual opponent may be reduced by system  20  while the user has momentum. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 31 , once a game has begun, electronic device  2010 A transitions to the game state display screen  2730 . Game state display screen  2730  on display  2046  presents to the user competing in the game the current ongoing score of the virtual opponent and the user (75 to 79), the time remaining in the game (2:53) (or which team currently has possession in a possession based game) and the number of advantage tokens that have been utilized thus far in the game. As noted above, in some implementations, illumination on ball  1310  may additionally or alternatively change so as to reflect whether the user or the virtual opponent is leading the game. The extent of the lead or extent that a user is trailing or leading may be reflected by the color, brightness or frequency of the illumination on ball  1310 . In other implementations, such illumination to indicate game score may be omitted. 
     In the particular game illustrated, each user is permitted to redeem up to two advantage tokens. In one implementation, user on his or her portable electronic device  2010  toggles back to display screen  2720  during a timeout or during play and selects an advantage token for redemption. Upon receiving signals that an advantage token on display screen  2720  has been selected, processor  2056  transitions to a display screen, such as display screen  2750  describing the selected advantage token. From the particular display screen, the display screen  2750 , the user may decide whether or not to use the advantage token by selecting the “use advantage” icon  2752 . The use of the advantage token is reflected on display screen  2730 , allowing the users to be continuously apprised of the number of remaining advantage tokens that they may redeem. 
     In one user selectable game mode, following instructions in score tracker  2078 , processor  2056  (or processor  2078 ) interrupts the flow of the game by calling a “foul” on the virtual opponent (as presented on display screen  2770 ) and instructing the user to shoot free throws from a free-throw line (as presented on display screen  2772 ) while the clock is stopped. In one implementation or user selectable game mode, the user is permitted to attempt two free throws. In another implementation or user selectable game mode, the user is given a one-and-one wherein the user is permitted to attempt a first free-throw and is only permitted a second free-throw if the first free-throw was successful. In one implementation, processor  2056  (or processor  2078 ) interrupts the flow of the game by calling a “foul” on the user, whereby the clock is stopped (a time based game) and whereby the virtual opponent scores one or two points based upon the free-throw shooting percentage of the scoring profile for the virtual opponent. 
     In one implementation or user selectable game mode, to more closely resemble a real-world basketball game, the user, during the game, may select or request to “foul” the virtual opponent. The requesting of a foul may be made by selecting a foul request icon on display  2046  or through speech commands received through input  2066 , wherein speech recognition software recognizes the request. In such an implementation or mode, game maker system  2000  presents a display screen notifying the user that the virtual opponent is attempting the free-throw shots. After such free free-throw attempts are completed by the virtual opponent and the virtual opponent scores updated, the game continues with the virtual opponent user not being permitted to score for a predefined period of time. In such an implementation or mode, a user who is behind towards the end of the game may request to foul the virtual opponent, hoping that the virtual opponent misses the free-throw attempts (based upon the virtual opponent&#39;s free-throw percentage in the scoring profile of the virtual opponent) while also providing the user who committed/selected the foul with opportunity to narrow the score margin by making his or her shots during the predefined window of time during the game (while the clock is running) that the virtual opponent cannot score. In one implementation, game maker system  2000  tracks the number of selected/requested/committed fouls by the user adjusts the number of free-throw attempts based upon the number of fouls. For example, in one implementation, game maker system  2000  initially provides the virtual opponent with one-and-one free-throw situations for each selected/committed foul by the user until a predefined selected/committed foul threshold has been met, wherein the virtual opponent is subsequently provided with automatic two free-throw attempts (a “double bonus” situation) for each selected/committed foul. 
     In one implementation, the computing components of system  2000  may automatically foul the user based upon predefined criteria or thresholds such as remaining time in a game and the extent of the lead by the user over the virtual opponent. In circumstances where the computing point the system  2000  cause a virtual opponent to foul the user, the operation of system  2000  identical as described above with respect to the user requesting a foul except that the user shoots free throws and is prohibited from scoring for the predefined period of time upon resumption of the game. 
     In one implementation and/or user selectable game mode, a user is also presented with the option of selecting a “four corners” or stall request or command. As with selection of a “foul” request, the request for a stall may be made by the user touching or otherwise selecting a user selectable graphic user interface on display  2046  or by voicing a “stall” command which is received by input  2066  or input  2050  and is recognized by each recognition software contained in memory  652  of portable electronic device  2010 A,  2010 B. The identified “stall” command is further transmitted to hub  2012 . In response to receiving a “stall” command, for a predefined amount of time, processor  2056  and/or processor  2072 , following instructions contained in memory  652 , adjusts the ongoing game such that neither the user nor the virtual opponent are permitted to score as a clock runs down (any made shots, if any, during the clock run down time are not acknowledged). In one implementation or mode, remaining time in the game is automatically and immediately reduced for the predefined amount of time without the user having to wait for the time to expire. In one implementation, the computing components of system  2008  automatically go into the “stall” state as described above using predefined criteria or thresholds such as remaining time in a game and the extent of lead by the virtual opponent over the user. In such an implementation, the user may counter the stall state by requesting a foul on the virtual opponent. 
     In another implementation or mode, the virtual opponent is permitted to counter the stall request. In one implementation or mode, while the time is being run down following the stalled request and while neither user is permitted to score, the computing device of system  2000  may output signals indicating that the virtual opponent has fouled the user, wherein the running down of the clock is stopped, wherein the “fouled” user (the user who inputted the stalled request) shoots free throws and wherein after the free-throw attempts are completed, the clock resumes from the point in time that the foul request was made with the fouled user not being able to score for a predefined period of time and with the virtual opponent having an opportunity to score during this predefined period of time. In essence, a user who has a large lead may input a stall request to run out time on the clock; however, the virtual opponent which is trailing, under control of game maker system  2000 , may counter the stall request by fouling the stalling user by requesting a foul. 
     Upon completion of a game, game maker system  2000  and portable electronic devices  2010  transitioned to display screen  2780  in which each user is presented with information regarding any experience levels/badges or experience points that have been earned. In the example illustrated, one user has been worn a level III rainmaker badge for making a clutch three-pointer to win the game. The user has further been awarded with 2300 experience points. The user is further presented with user selectable graphical user interfaces to return the user to either of room” (display screen  2100  shown in  FIG. 25 ) or the “film room” (display screen  2200  shown in  FIG. 26 ) for a more in-depth analysis of the user&#39;s performance. 
     Group I: 
     1. An apparatus comprising: 
     a data acquisition device to obtain at least one attribute of a shot of a basketball towards a basket, the at least one attribute being sensed by at least one sensor carried by the basketball or derived from signal output by the at least one sensor; 
     a processing unit; 
     a memory containing instructions to direct the processing unit to determine whether the shot is a made basket by comparing the at least one attribute of the shot to one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket; and 
     an output device to present output to a person based on the determination of whether the shot is a made basket. 
     2. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions to direct the processing unit to identify one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket shot based upon signals received from the at least one sensor carried by the basketball during at least one made basket calibration shot. 
     3. The apparatus of claim  2 , wherein the at least one made basket calibration shot comprises at least one of a made bank shot, a made swish shot and a made rim shot. 
     4. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket shot comprises a characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor as the basketball passes through a net of the basket. 
     5. The apparatus of claim  4 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket shot comprises a sensed characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor as the basketball passes through a lower half of the net. 
     6. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket shot comprises a characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least on sensor as the basketball travels from the net to the ground. 
     7. The apparatus of claim  2 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket shot comprises at least one sensed characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor during a period of time consisting of a time that begins while the basketball is passing through a net of the basket. 
     8. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket shot comprises a sensed deceleration of the basketball within a predetermined range as the basketball is passing through a net of the basket. 
     9. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket shot comprises a plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball in combination during the made basket shot. 
     10. The apparatus of claim  9 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball in combination comprises at least one of a spin of the basketball, a maximum height of a parabolic path of the basketball, a velocity of the basketball, and a distance traveled by the basketball until encountering resistance. 
     11. The apparatus of claim  9 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball during the made basket shot further comprises a sensed vibration of the basketball corresponding to impact of the basketball with a backboard of the basket. 
     12. The apparatus of claim  11 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball during the made basket shot further comprises a sensed vibration of the basketball corresponding to impact of the basketball with a rim of the basket. 
     13. The apparatus of claim  12 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball during the made basket shot further comprises a spin of the basketball during the made basket shot. 
     14. The apparatus of claim  9 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball during the made basket shot comprises a sensed vibration of the basketball corresponding to impact of the basketball with a rim of the basket. 
     15. The apparatus of claim  14 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristic of the basketball during the made basket shot further comprises a spin of the basketball during the made basket shot. 
     16. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket shot comprises at least one characteristic of the made basket as a function of time. 
     17. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions to direct the processing unit to calibrate and establish a directional coordinate system for the basket. 
     18. The apparatus of claim  17 , wherein the instructions to calibrate and establish directional coordinate system for the basket comprise instructions to calibrate and establish a baseline for an earth compass direction of the basket with respect to the basketball using a magnetometer carried by the basketball. 
     19. The apparatus of claim  18 , wherein the instructions prompt a person to move the basketball in a direction of the basket from a free-throw line perpendicular to the free-throw line. 
     20. The apparatus of claim  17 , wherein the instructions prompt input of values as to a location of a current location the basketball with respect to a location of the basket. 
     21. The apparatus of claim  17 , wherein the instructions direct the processing unit to utilize a localized magnetic field in a basketball court containing the basket to calibrate and establish a directional coordinate system for the basket. 
     22. The apparatus of claim  17 , wherein the instructions direct the processing unit to utilize a global positioning system to calibrate and establish a directional coordinate system for the basket. 
     Group II: 
     1. An apparatus comprising: 
     a data acquisition device to obtain at least one attribute of a shot of a basketball towards a basket, the at least one attribute being sensed by at least one sensor carried by the basketball or derived from signal output by the at least one sensor; 
     a processing unit; 
     an output device; and 
     a memory containing instructions to direct the processing unit to determine whether the shot is a made basket by comparing the at least one attribute of the shot to one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket, and to present on the output device to a person an output based on the determination of whether the shot is a made basket, and other information regarding the shot. 
     2. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the other information comprises information from a plurality of shots by the person. 
     3. The apparatus of claim  2 , wherein the other information includes a shooting percentage. 
     4. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions for directing the processing unit to present a graphical representation on the output device, and wherein the graphical representation comprises a diagram of at least a portion of a basketball court and a representation of shooting percentages from different locations on the basketball court. 
     5. The apparatus of claim  4 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises an indication of a number of shot attempts from different locations on the basketball court. 
     6. The apparatus of claim  4 , wherein the graphical representation comprises a heat map of made and missed shots on the basketball court. 
     7. The apparatus of claim  6 , wherein the heat map includes colors that vary depending upon the shooting percentage of the person at the different locations on the basketball court. 
     8. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the memory comprise instructions for directing the processing unit to present a statistical comparison on the output device indicating differences of at least one of shot release speed, launch angle, shot direction, and spin for made shots and missed shots. 
     9. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions for directing the processing unit to track shooting percentages, to compare the tracked shooting percentages with corresponding shooting percentages of a celebrity basketball player and to output the comparison on the output device. 
     10. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions for directing the processing unit to present at least one of audio and video of a celebrity basketball player. 
     11. The apparatus of claim  10 , wherein the at least one audio and video of the celebrity basketball player comprises at least one of training or shooting recommendations. 
     12. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the memory comprise instructions for directing the processing unit to share shooting results to a social media forum. 
     13. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions for directing the processing unit to track shooting percentages, to compare the tracked shooting percentages with corresponding shooting percentages of another person and to output the comparison on the output device. 
     14. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the data acquisition device, processing unit, the memory and the output device are part of a phone. 
     15. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the data acquisition device, processing unit and memory are part of a basketball. 
     16. The apparatus of claim  1  further comprising a made shot signature storage containing the one or more predetermined signature characteristics of the made shot. 
     17. The apparatus of claim  16 , wherein the output device is part of a portable electronic device, and wherein the made shot signature storage is remote from the portable electronic device. 
     18. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the processing unit and the memory containing instructions to direct the processing unit to determine whether the shot is a made basket are remote from the portable electronic device and are in communication with the portable electronic device across a network. 
     19. The apparatus of claim  16 , wherein the made shot signature storage is part of a portable electronic device including the output device. 
     20. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the memory contains instructions to direct the processor to determine a type of the shot that is a made basket based upon the at least one attribute of the shot and to store the determined type of the shot. 
     Group III: 
     1. A method comprising: 
     obtaining at least one attribute of a shot of a basketball towards a basket, the at least one attribute being sensed by at least one sensor carried by the basketball or derived from signal output by the at least one sensor; 
     determining whether the shot is a made basket by comparing the at least one attribute of the shot to one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket; and 
     presenting the determination of whether the shot is a made basket. 
     2. The method of claim  1  further comprising identifying one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket based upon signals received from the at least one sensor carried by the basketball during at least one made basket calibration shot. 
     3. The method of claim  2 , wherein the at least one made basket calibration shot comprises a made bank shot, a made swish shot and a made rim shot. 
     4. The method of claim  3 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises a characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor as a basketball passes through a net of the basket. 
     5. The method of claim  4 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises a sensed characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor as the basketball passes through a lower half of the net. 
     6. The method of claim  3 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises at least one sensed characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor during a period of time consisting of when the basketball is passing through the net. 
     7. The method of claim  3 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises at least one sensed characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor during a period of time consisting of a time that begins while the basketball is passing through the net. 
     8. The method of claim  2 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises a characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor as a basketball passes through a net of the basket. 
     9. The method of claim  8 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises a sensed characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor as the basketball passes through a lower half of the net. 
     10. The method of claim  2 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises at least one sensed characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor during a period of time consisting of when the basketball is passing through a net of the basket. 
     11. The method of claim  2 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises at least one sensed characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor during a period of time consisting of a time that begins while the basketball is passing through a net of the basket. 
     12. The method of claim  2 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises at least one sensed characteristic of the basketball sensed by the at least one sensor during a period of time consisting of a time that begins while the basketball is passing through a lower half of a net of the basket. 
     13. The method of claim  2 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises a sensed deceleration of the basketball within a predetermined range as the basketball is passing through a net of the basket. 
     14. The method of claim  2 , wherein the at least one signature characteristic of a made basket comprises a plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball in combination during the made basket. 
     15. The method of claim  14 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball in combination comprise a maximum height of a parabolic path of the basketball during the made basket, a velocity of the basketball during the made basket and a distance traveled by the basketball during the made basket until encountering resistance. 
     16. The method of claim  15 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball during the made basket further comprises a sensed vibration of the basketball corresponding to impact of the basketball with a backboard of the basket. 
     17. The method of claim  16 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball during the made basket further comprises a sensed vibration of the basketball corresponding to impact of the basketball with a rim of the basket. 
     18. The method of claim  17 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristic of the basketball during the made basket further comprises a spin of the basketball during the made basket. 
     19. The method of claim  15 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristics of the basketball during the made basket further comprises a sensed vibration of the basketball corresponding to impact of the basketball with a rim of the basket. 
     20. The method of claim  17 , wherein the plurality of sensed characteristic of the basketball during the made basket further comprises a spin of the basketball during the made basket. 
     21. The method of claim  1  further comprising calibrating and establishing a directional coordinate system for the basket. 
     22. The method of claim  21 , wherein the calibrating of establishing a directional coordinate system for the basket comprises calibrating and establishing a baseline for an earth compress direction of the basket with respect to the basketball using a magnetometer carried by the basketball. 
     23. The method of claim  21  further comprising prompting a person to move the basketball in a direction of the basket from a free-throw line perpendicular to the free-throw line. 
     24. The method of claim  21  further comprising prompting a person to input values to an electronic device as to a location of a current location the basketball with respect to a location of the basket. 
     25. The method of claim  20  further comprising utilizing a localized magnetic field in a basketball court containing the basket to calibrate and establish a directional coordinate system for the basket. 
     26. The method of claim  20  further comprising utilizing a global positioning system to calibrate and establish a directional coordinate system for the basket. 
     27. The method of claim  20  further comprising utilizing a localized positioning system comprising antennas located on or near a basketball court containing the basket to calibrate and establish a directional coordinate system for the basket. 
     28. The method of claim  20  further comprising presenting a graphical representation on the output device, the graphical representation comprising a diagram of at least a portion of a basketball court and shooting percentages from different locations on the basketball court. 
     29. The method of claim  28 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises an indication of a number of shot attempts from different locations on the basketball court. 
     30. The method of claim  29 , wherein the graphical representation comprises a heat map of made in missed shots on the basketball court. 
     31. The method of claim  1  further comprising presenting a statistical comparison on the output device indicating differences of shot release speed, launch angle, direction and spin for made shots and missed shots. 
     32. The method of claim  1  further comprising: 
     tracking shooting percentages; 
     comparing the tracked shooting percentages with corresponding shooting percentages of a celebrity basketball player; and 
     presenting the comparison on an output device. 
     33. The method of claim  32  further comprising presenting at least one of audio and video of the celebrity basketball player. 
     34. The method of claim  33 , wherein the at least one audio and video of the celebrity basketball player comprises at least one of training or shooting recommendations. 
     35. The method of claim  1  further comprising sharing shooting results to a social media forum. 
     36. The method of claim  1  further comprising: 
     tracking shooting percentages; 
     storing to compare the tracked shooting percentages with corresponding shooting percentages of another person; and 
     outputting the comparison on an output device. 
     37. The method of claim  1  further comprising determining a type of the shot that is a made basket based upon the at least one attribute of the shot based upon signals from at least one sensor carried by the basketball or derived from the signals from the at least one sensor. 
     Group IV: 
     1. A basketball shot determination system for use with a basket and a portable electronic device including a data acquisition device, a processing unit, a memory and an output device, the system comprising: 
     a basketball; 
     at least one sensor carried by the basketball; 
     a non-transient computer-readable medium containing code to direct the processor to: 
     obtain at least one attribute of a shot of the basketball towards the basket from the data acquisition device, the at least one attribute being sensed by the at least one sensor or derived from signal output by the at least one sensor; 
     determine whether the shot is a made basket shot or a missed basket shot by comparing the at least one attribute of the shot to one or more predetermined signature characteristics of a made basket; and 
     present output to a person based on the determination of whether the shot is a made basket shot or a missed basket shot. 
     2. The system of claim  1 , wherein the code further directs the processor to display information regarding a plurality of shots by the person. 
     3. The system of claim  2 , wherein the other information includes a shooting percentage. 
     4. The system of claim  1 , wherein the code includes instructions for directing the processing unit to present a graphical representation on the output device, and wherein the graphical representation comprises a diagram of at least a portion of a basketball court and a representation of shooting percentages from different locations on the basketball court. 
     5. The system of claim  4 , wherein the graphical representation further comprises an indication of a number of shot attempts from different locations on the basketball court. 
     6. The system of claim  4 , wherein the graphical representation comprises a heat map of made and missed shots on the basketball court. 
     7. The system of claim  6 , wherein the heat map includes colors that vary depending upon the shooting percentage of the person at the different locations on the basketball court. 
     8. The system of claim  1 , wherein the code includes instructions for directing the processing unit to present a statistical comparison on the output device indicating differences of at least one of shot release speed, launch angle, shot direction, and spin for made shots and missed shots. 
     9. The system of claim  1 , wherein the code includes instructions for directing the processing unit to track shooting percentages, to compare the tracked shooting percentages with corresponding shooting percentages of a celebrity basketball player and to output the comparison on the output device. 
     10. The system of claim  1 , wherein the code includes instructions for directing the processing unit to present at least one of audio and video of a celebrity basketball player. 
     11. The system of claim  10 , wherein the at least one audio and video of the celebrity basketball player comprises at least one of training or shooting recommendations. 
     12. The system of claim  1 , wherein the code includes instructions for directing the processing unit to share shooting results to a social media forum. 
     13. The system of claim  1 , wherein the code includes instructions for directing the processing unit to track shooting percentages, to compare the tracked shooting percentages with corresponding shooting percentages of another person and to output the comparison on the output device. 
     14. The system of claim  1 , wherein the data acquisition device, processing unit, the memory and the output device are part of a phone. 
     15. The system of claim  1  further comprising a made shot signature storage containing the one or more predetermined signature characteristics of the made shot. 
     16. The system of claim  15 , wherein the made shot signature storage is remote from the portable electronic device. 
     17. The system of claim  1 , wherein the code includes instructions to direct the processing unit to determine whether the shot is a made basket are remote from the portable electronic device and are in communication with the portable electronic device across a network. 
     18. The system of claim  15 , wherein the made shot signature storage is part of the portable electronic device. 
     19. The system of claim  1 , wherein the code includes instructions to direct the processor to determine a type of the shot that is a made basket based upon the at least one attribute of the shot and to store the determined type of the shot. 
     Group V: 
     1. An apparatus comprising: 
     a non-transitory computer-readable medium to direct a processor to: 
     receive first signals indicating a made basketball shot or a missed basketball shot by a first person during a first basketball shooting session; 
     receive second signals indicating a made basketball shot or a missed basketball shot by a second person during a second basketball shooting session; 
     track a number of made basketball shots by the first person and the second person; and 
     output an indicator of a relationship of the number of made basketball shots by the first person to the number of made basketball shots by the second person at least after each made shot by of the second person while the second person is partaking in the second basketball shooting session producing the second signals. 
     2. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the indicator comprises a visible indicator on a display screen. 
     3. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the indicator comprises a visible indicator on a basketball being shot by the second person. 
     4. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the indicator indicates the relationship between the number of made basketball shots by the second person and the number of made basketball shots by the first person at a corresponding points in time during the first basketball shooting session and the second basketball shooting session. 
     5. The apparatus of claim  1  further comprising a light emitter, the light emitter producing the visible indicator, wherein the light emitter is configured to be supported to provide for viewing while the second person is partaking in the second basketball shooting session. 
     6. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the indicator comprises an audible indicator. 
     7. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the first basketball shooting session and the second basketball shooting session occur simultaneous in real time. 
     8. The apparatus of claim  7 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further directs the processor to output a second indicator of the number of made basketball shots by the second person to number of made basketball shots by the first person at least after each made shot by the first person while the first person is partaking in the first basketball shooting session producing the first signals. 
     9. The apparatus of claim  8 , wherein the second indicator indicates a relationship between the number of made basketball shots by the first person and the number of made basketball shots by the second person at a corresponding points in time during the first basketball shooting session and the second basketball shooting session. 
     10. The apparatus of claim  8  further comprising a light emitter, the light emitter producing the visible indicator, wherein the light emitter is configured to be supported to face a horizontal direction for viewing while the first person is partaking in the first basketball shooting session. 
     11. The apparatus of claim  8 , wherein the indicator comprises an audible indicator. 
     12. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the first signals are received from at least one sensor carried by a first basketball being shot by the first person and wherein the second signals are received from at least one sensor carried by a second basketball being shot by the second person. 
     13. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the indicator indicates a relationship between the number of made basketball shots by the second person and the number of made basketball shots by the first person at a corresponding points in time during the first basketball shooting session and the second basketball shooting session. 
     14. The apparatus of claim  13 , wherein the corresponding points in time are selected from a group of corresponding points in time consisting of: corresponding points of elapsed time during the first basketball shooting session and the second basketball shooting session; and completion of a corresponding number of shot attempts during the first basketball shooting session and the second basketball shooting session. 
     15. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is further to direct the processing unit to output audible comments to the second person based upon at least one of the relationship and consecutive made basketball shots by either the first person or the second person. 
     16. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is to store shot by shot shooting results of the first person, wherein the second basketball shooting session by the second person is later than the first basketball shooting session by the first person. 
     17. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the indicator is the number of made basketball shots by the first person and the number of made basketball shots by the second person. 
     18. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is further to direct the processor to receive signals indicating locations from which made basketball shots by the first person and made basketball shots by the second person are made and to determine a first score of the first person and a second score of the second person after each completed shot, wherein the first score and the second score are based upon the locations from which basketball shots are made. 
     19. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the received signals originate from at least one sensor carried by the basketball. 
     20. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the first shooting session and the second shooting session occur simultaneously on a same basketball hoop. 
     21. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the first shooting session and the second shooting session occur at different locations on different basketball hoops. 
     22. The apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is further to direct an audio device to output audio based upon at least one of made basketball shots by the second person and the relationship, the audio selected from a group of audio consisting of: fan cheering, fan heckling, game commentary, and make-miss sound effects. 
     Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to example embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. For example, although different example embodiments may have been described as including one or more features providing one or more benefits, it is contemplated that the described features may be interchanged with one another or alternatively be combined with one another in the described example embodiments or in other alternative embodiments. Because the technology of the present disclosure is relatively complex, not all changes in the technology are foreseeable. The present disclosure described with reference to the example embodiments and set forth in the following claims is manifestly intended to be as broad as possible. For example, unless specifically otherwise noted, the claims reciting a single particular element also encompass a plurality of such particular elements.