| Method of playing a game, triball, and an apparatus -> Monitor Keywords |
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  Method of playing a game, triball, and an apparatusRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Playing Field Or Court Game; Game Element Or Accessory Therefor Other Than Projector Or Projectile, Per SeThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070021241. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Not Applicable FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH [0002] Not Applicable SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM [0003] Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] 1. Field of the Invention [0005] The present invention relates to ball games and game courts for ball games, and particularly to games and game courts, such as soccer (simply known as football throughout most of the world outside the United States of America), indoor soccer and basketball, in which points are scored by placing a ball in contact with, in, or through a goal. [0006] 2. Description of Related Art [0007] The concept of indoor playing fields, or surrounding a court by walls is known in indoor soccer and hockey. Each sport has different needs for the type of surface and enclosure to play the sport. Games such as hockey, soccer and basketball have grown in public appeal over the years as the general public's enthusiasm has increased for fast paced, exciting games. A brief discussion of several patents and a patent application publication pertaining to different types of playing areas will now follow: [0008] Rothman--Patent Application Publication Number US2004/0132558 A1 describes a training aid for a soccer player to rebound a soccer ball off of nets, each capable of having a different orientation in a different plane. The player stands within an enclosure of four nets and practices repeatedly kicking the ball into any one of the nets to increase the players skill in rebounding a ball and ball handling. [0009] Cagle--U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,109 describes a training court for soccer players. The court is about the size of a tennis court. An actual soccer field measures 120 yards by 75 yards, therefore, the Cagle court is substantially smaller than a standard soccer field. [0010] Saunders--U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,470 describes a portable modular playing area that, according to the inventor, can be utilized for ice skating, ice hockey, in-line skating, ball hockey, basketball or in-door arena style soccer. [0011] Erhard--U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,918 B1 describes a playing-field enclosure having individual band elements joined to each other by connecting elements. Net-holding pins are inserted into a connecting rib. The net-holding pins secure a net. [0012] Balbastro--U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,154 describes a method of playing a ball game in which the ball is moved around the playing surface by only using the sides of a players feet. A player scores a goal by successfully shooting a goal from a designated goal shooting area into an elevated goal. [0013] Gordon--U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,546 B2 describes a game court and a method for playing a game that is similar to basketball, but has several differences and has adjacent surface areas with distinctly different properties. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0014] An apparatus for playing a ball game comprising a playing area comprising a playing surface. The playing surface having a generally planar surface and two short sides and two long sides. The playing surface and said two short sides and two long sides forming a generally rectangular shape. The playing surface having two short walls and two long walls. In one embodiment, the walls are made in a conventional fashion, perhaps out of components known to those skilled in the construction arts. In another embodiment each of the short walls is assembled from a plurality of panels, said panels corresponding to and extending upward a certain height from each of said two short sides. Each of the long walls is assembled from a plurality of panels which correspond to and extend upward a certain height from each of said two long sides. A plurality of support portions attach to and support the plurality of panels. The plurality of panels, plurality of support portions and said playing surface join together to form a playing area, wherein each short wall having an elevated goal area located a certain distance from the generally planar surface of said playing surface and located another certain distance from the intersection of one of said two short walls and one of said two long walls, and said a certain distance and said another certain distance is the same for each elevated goal area. [0015] Additionally, the goal area can be integral to an end wall and/or a panel of an end wall. The playing area can be completely enclosed by netting attached to the side walls and end walls which is resilient and capable of rebounding a ball, especially a number three soccer ball. The netting material is attached to a plurality of post and the netting material extends upwards a certain distance from the plurality of panels. The netting can also extend to form a ceiling joining to the netting attached to the wall panels. The goal area of each panel can have netting attached behind to prevent the ball from exiting the playing area. Curved corner panels can be inserted at either one, two, three or all four corners of the playing area. Since each team switches positions on the playing area after each half, each team would have an equal amount of time on each portion of the playing area. This will be discussed in further detail below. The enclosed playing area is defined by the plurality of panels, two short sides, two long sides, the playing surface and the netting as discussed above. The playing surface is a generally planar surface having a range of elasticity that allows for a ball to bounce from the generally planar surface into an elevated goal area, against a wall panel or netting. The playing area further comprising a first corner panel having a certain radius and the first corner panel joining a panel of a short wall and a panel of a long wall. Additional corner panels such as a second corner panel, a third corner panel and a fourth corner panel can be added to the playing area, all of the corner panels having a certain radius which is equal to the radius of said first corner panel. Each goal panel has an elevated goal area having a generally rectangular shape and a depth defining an empty space of sufficient size to allow a ball to travel through and out of said playing area. The elevated goal area is integral to each of the two short walls, and the panel that it is located on. However, it is possible to design the elevated goal area to locate it a distance away from the goal panel in a parallel plane. Besides netting, clear acrylic, tempered glass or any number of resilient materials known to those in the art can be used to completely enclose the playing area. [0016] A method of playing a game of Triball comprising the steps of providing a playing area of a rectangular configuration having a predetermined length and width having a resilient playing surface and providing a plurality of side wall and end wall having a certain height that are supported by support portions and with the playing area form an enclosed rectangular playing area. Arranging the playing surface by dividing the playing area lengthwise into two halves by a middle line; marking the middle line; providing a middle point located at a mid point of the middle line; marking the middle point; providing a goal area on each end wall of the rectangular playing area; providing a small area on the playing surface and located near each said goal area of said each end wall; marking a perimeter of the small area. The game would start by providing a ball; placing a ball on the middle point; providing a team and an opposing team, each said team having a preselected number of players and assigning each said team and said opposing team to a different one of the two halves of the playing area. A referee would officiate the game, a coach for each team would provide guidance for his team, providing a time keeping means; establishing a duration of the game as consisting of two halves; typically the game would last ten minutes, five minutes per half, with a one minute rest interval in between the halves. The game is started by the referee signaling the start of game; upon the signal, for example, a whistle, at least one of a player of each said team and said opposing team moving to posses the ball; having said at least one of a player attempting to cause the ball to enter an opposing team goal area; having the team not in possession of the ball attempting to prevent entry of the ball into its goal area; and having the team not in possession of the ball attempting to acquire possession of the ball, and if successful at acquiring the ball, having at least one of a player from said team attempting to cause the ball to enter an opposing team goal area; having the referee keeping track of the scoring of the number of goals scored by each team. Time lost due to play stoppage would be added back at the end of each half. Similar to soccer, the ball would be moved with the feet primarily, and the body, but not the hands. Therefore, players would strive to make no-hands contact with the ball in moving it along the playing surface. [0017] Each half is started by placing the ball on the middle point. A winning team is determined as the team with the most goals scored. If each team has the same number of goals scored or each team has no goals scored, then a winner is determined by having each team taking two consecutive penalty kicks and the team having a higher amount of goals scored by penalty kicks is declared the winner by the referee. If the teams have the same number of goals scored by penalty kicks, then each team will take one penalty kick until one team outscores the other team, the team with more penalty kick goals being declared the winner. [0018] Additionally, penalties for various reasons will occur during the course of the game and methods and rules for handling have to be developed. The referee will determine penalizing a player for committing a foul that is careless, reckless or excessive use of force wherein said foul is selected from the group consisting of kicking or attempting to kick an opponent, tripping or attempting to trip an opponent, jumping at an opponent, charging at an opponent, striking or attempting to strike at an opponent, pushing an opponent. As a result of the foul, the referee awards a free kick to the opposing team. The defending team selects the position of the ball on the perimeter of the small area. The players of the defending team must be a certain distance from the ball. Typically, this certain distance from the ball is on the other half of the middle line, that is one their own half of the playing area. [0019] Other penalties can occur. For example, penalizing a player for committing a foul as determined by the referee wherein said foul is selected from the group consisting of tackling an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with an opponent before touching the ball, holding an opponent, spitting at an opponent, intentionally handling the ball, playing in a dangerous manner, impeding the progress of an opponent, attempting to score a goal with any part of a players body being inside the small area, dribbling through the small area. The referee then awards a free kick to the opposing team. The defending team positions the ball on the perimeter of the small area. The players of the defending team must be a certain distance from the ball. Typically, this certain distance from the ball is on the other half of the middle line, that is one their own half of the playing area. The referee can also penalize a player for an occurrence of any of the following event as determined by the referee wherein said event is selected from the group consisting of a defending player standing in the small area, a defending player blocking a kick with any part of said defending player's body located within said small area, an intentional hand-ball, the game ends in a tie. The referee then awards a penalty kick to an opposing team wherein the ball is positioned on the middle point and all said players are located on the half of the playing area not having the goal area of said opposing team. Continue reading... Full patent description for Method of playing a game, triball, and an apparatus Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method of playing a game, triball, and an apparatus patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. 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