Automatic basketball game having scoring indicator and time limitation

Claim 1

For use with a game wherein balls are dispensed to a player who attempts to win the game by throwing a certain number of balls into a target area, a control system comprising: a. a token-operated switch for producing a start pulse upon insertion of a token; b. a countdown clock for producing a time over signal at the end of a fixed time period, said clock comprising; i. a multistage counter for providing a signal at a predetermined count, ii. a pulse source for applying a stream of pulses to said multistage counter, and iii. a clock control circuit having a first input, a second input from said multistage counter and a third input, said circuit being adapted to enable said pulse source in response to a signal on said first input and to disable said pulse source in response to a signal on said second input or a signal on said third input, whichever is first to occur; c. a thrown-ball sensing subsystem for counting the number of balls actually thrown by the player to generate a third signal to be applied to said clock control circuit when a predetermined number of balls have been counted; d. a score subsystem for registering the number of balls entering the target area, said score subsystem including an output terminal for carrying a win-indicating output signal; e. a logic gate connected to said output terminal and to said thrown-ball sensing subsystem and responsive to a win-indicating output signal or to a predetermined thrown-ball count, whichever is first to occur, to inhibit any further registration of balls entering the target area; and f. a game sequence subsystem connected to said thrown-ball sensing subsystem and to said countdown clock, said subsystem being responsive to a predetermined thrown-ball count or to the time-over signal, whichever is first to occur, to reset the game, said game sequence subsystem further including; i. start logic connected to said token-operated switch and responsive to a start pulse to reset said ball sensing subsystem, and ii. game sequence logic connected to said countdown clock and responsive to a start pulse to generate the pulse source enabling first signal at the end of a time delay period sufficient to permit delivery of the balls to the player.