Teacher:In this task, you are given a question and a context passage. You have to answer the question based on the given passage.
Teacher: Now, understand the problem? Solve this instance: What was a necessary component of his request?, Context: On September 30, 1987, Foster filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to patent his invented sport. The patent application covered the rules of the game, specifically detailing the goalposts and rebound netting and their impact on gameplay. Foster's application was granted on March 27, 1990. The patent expired on September 30, 2007.
Student:
the rules of the game