T-Net Records
name: label: Creator
content: Fanning, Michael
topic: label: Topic
content: Inventions -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: Recreation
label: Topic
content: Sports
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The collection was donated by Michael Fanning on October 24, 2011.
creator: label: Creator
content: Fanning, Michael
setName: label: See more items in
content: T-Net Records
abstract: label: Summary
content: The collection documents through correspondence, marketing materials, patent materials, photographs, and newspaper clippings, the development of T-Net, a sport that combines electronic game technology with a diamond-shaped court the length of a tennis court and "invisible" nets created by inventor Michael Fanning.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: T-Net (standing for transparent net) was invented by Michael Fanning.  Fanning's idea for the game came from hitting a tennis ball over a telephone wire. In 1993, Fanning was issued US Patent 5,259,625 for an apparatus and method for playing a court game.  Fanning's company, Tnnnnt (www.tnnnt.net), manufactures and promotes the game. 
 
The T-Net court/field is divided in two equal halves with three scoring zones on each side.  Games can include up to three players per team or be played one-on-one. The objective is to land the flyer in one of your opponent's three scoring zones, and to catch the flyer to prevent the opponent from scoring. Players move freely on their side of the court but cannot cross the center line. Pole- mounted transmitting devices on each side send light beams across the court creating an electronic net (an electronic sensing beam) for each of the three scoring zones. Players must throw a light-reflective projectile (called a "flyer") through the light field and into one of the scoring zones to get a point. When the projectile passes through the beam, a beep is emitted. If the projectile lands on the ground the pole-mounted device flashes a red light and beeps to confirm a score. Players get one point for activating the middle zone, two points for the back zone and three points for setting off both zones. The first team to achieve twenty-one points wins the game.  There are six games per set, three sets per match. The game can be played on a variety of surfaces--pavement, turf, composite, snow, carpet, glass, grass, sand, hardwood or over a swimming pool, and it can be played at night in low light conditions.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 0.05 Cubic feet (1 box)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1983-2003
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1255
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Correspondence
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Clippings
label: Type
content: Patents
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into seven series.

Series 1, Correspondence, 1993-1996

Series 2, Financial Materials, 1989-2003

Series 3, Manufacturing Materials, 1993

Series 4, Marketing Materials, 1995 and undated

Series 5, Patent Materials, 1983-2003

Series 6, Photographs, circa 1980s-990s and undated

Series 7, Newspaper Clippings, 1993
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, October 2011.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Clippings
label: Genre/Form
content: Patents
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The collection documents through correspondence, marketing materials, patent materials, photographs, and newspaper clippings the development of T-Net, a sport that combines electronic game technology with a diamond-shaped court the length of a tennis court and "invisible" nets created by inventor Michael Fanning.  

Series 1, Correspondence, 1993-1996, consists of incoming and outgoing letters.  Fanning, the inventor of T-Net, corresponds with corporations and investment companies, such as Reebok, Blockbuster Entertainment, Family Dollar and Turner Sports, Inc. to solicit interest and/or financial backing in his product. 

Series 2, Financial Materials, 1989-2003, consists of correspondence, invoices, purchase orders, Internal Revenue Service papers, and documentation for incorporating a business. 

Series 3, Manufacturing Materials, 1993, consists of handwritten notes and sketches about materials used and lists of potential companies to consult for fabricating the product. 

Series 4, Marketing Materials, 1995 and undated, consists of sketches and documentation describing the T-Net system for potential customers.  

Series 5, Patent Materials, 1983-2003, consists primarily of correspondence with patent attorneys (Shefte, Pinckney & Sawyer of Charlotte, North Carolina) to patent the T-Net system. Also included are patent-related expenses incurred by Fanning and patents issued to other inventors that are similar to the T-Net system.

Series 6, Photographs, 1980-1990s, consists of color prints showing the T-Net system in use and laid out on a field. 

Series 7, Newspaper Clippings, 1993, consists of one folder of photocopied newspaper clippings related to T-Net.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Materials at the National Museum of American History

The Division of Culture and the Arts (now Division of Cultural and Community Life)  holds related artifacts.  See accession 2011.0234.