Apparatus, system and method for wide area networking through a last mile infrastructure having a different primary purpose, and apparatus and method for electronic scoring, score reporting, and broadcasting

• US 20020044045A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Inventors: Crookham, Joe P., Rivera, Antonio
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/323R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system for electronic scoring and score reporting of a sporting event wherein an electronic scorebook is connected to an electronic scoreboard and electronic storage of the scoring information is provided. In one embodiment, a network is used, sending or receiving information to or from the scorebook, the scoreboard or the electronic storage. In other embodiments, the Internet is used as a conduit to communicate to and from the location of sports field lighting, to control operation of the lighting, or monitor the lighting or other events at the location. The network can also be used for last mile connectivity of end users to the Internet, and to compile information from sporting events at the locations and allow access to information about the game via the Internet.

Claims

1. A system for remote control of a sports light comprising:

a sports field light;

an electronic controller electrically connected to the sports light;

a remote station;

a network communication device operatively connected to the electronic controller;

a communication channel operatively connecting the remote station and the network communication device;

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications channel is a broadband transmission.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the network is a wide area network.

4. The system of claim 1 where in the network is the Internet.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more sensors electrically connected to the Internet communication device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the Internet communication device is further used for:

receiving signals from the sensors processing the signal into status information and sending the status information to the remote station.

10. The electronic scoring system of claim 1 further comprising a communications network, wherein the communications network is capable of connecting to the scoreboard, the scoring entry unit, or the memory or the storage unit of a web site which is accessible via a last mile connection system that is otherwise useable for the sports field for operational purposes of control of the facility.

7. A method of control of sport field lighting comprising the steps of:

sending a command from an Internet connected remote station;

receiving the command with an Internet communication device;

creating a control signal based on the command;

applying the control signal to a sports light.

8. A method of providing high speed Internet access to a plurality of geographical areas comprising:

utilizing existing or newly constructed members for elevating lights to elevate a wireless transceiver;

rating a communications link between the wireless transceiver and the Internet;

operating the wireless transceiver as an Internet hub for wireless Internet communications to a range of locations relative to the wireless transceiver.

9. An electronic scoring system comprising:

a scoreboard for displaying scoring information and other message information;

a scoring entry unit for entering scoring information;

a non-volatile memory for storing scoring information;

wherein the scoreboard is electrically connected to the scoring entry unit and the non-volatile memory is electrically connected to the scoring unit.

11. A sports field light capable of remote control from a distant location, the sports field light comprising:

at least one lighting element for providing illumination to a sports field;

an electronic controller operatively connected to the at least one lighting element for controlling operation of the at least one lighting element;

a network communication device operatively connected to the electronic controller for receiving control instructions from the distant location over a network and sending the control instructions to the electronic controller over the network.

12. The sports field light of claim 11 wherein the electronic controller is adapted to send status information to the network communication device.

13. The sports field light of claim 12 wherein the network communication device is adapted to send status information to the distant location.

14. The sports field light of claim 11 further comprising a support structure, the at least one lighting element operatively mounted on the support structure.

15. The sports field light of claim 14 wherein the support structure includes a light pole.

16. The sports field light of claim 11 wherein the network communication device is an Internet communication device adapted for TCP/IP communications.

17. The sports field light of claim 11 further comprising at least one sensor operatively connected to the electronic controller, the electronic controller adapted to receive a signal from the at least one sensor.

18. The sports fields light of claim 17 wherein the electronic controller provides sensor information to the network communication device and the network communication device is adapted to send the sensor information over the network.

19. The sports field light of claim 17 wherein the sensor is an environment sensor.

20. The sports field light of claim 19 wherein the environment sensor is selected from the set comprising a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, a windspeed sensor, and a precipitation sensor.

21. The sports field light of claim 17 wherein the sensor is an image sensor.

22. The sports field light of claim 21 wherein the image sensor is selected from the set comprising an imaging element, a COD camera, and a video camera.

23. The sports field light of claim 17 wherein the sensor is a transducer.

24. The sports field light of claim 23 wherein the transducer is selected from the set comprising an audio transducer, a microphone, and a pressure transducer.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the communications channel is a broadband transmission.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the network is a wide area network.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the network communication device is an Internet communication device and the network is the Internet.

29. The system of claim 25 further comprising:

one or more sensors electrically connected to the network communication device.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the network communication device is further used for receiving signals from the sensors processing the signal into status information and sending the status information to the remote station.

31. The system of claim 25 further comprising a scoring unit in operative communication with the network communication device.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein the remote station is a scoring unit.

33. The system of claim 25 further comprising a scoreboard in operative communication with the network communication device.

34. The system of claim 25 further comprising a scoring unit in operative communication with the network communication device and a scoreboard in operative communication with the network device, the scoring unit adapted to receive sporting event information and send sporting event information to the network device, the scoreboard adapted to operatively receive sporting event information from the scoring unit.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the sports light command activates one or more lighting elements within the sports light.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the sports light command deactivates one or more lighting elements within the sports light.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein the sports light command queries one or more sensors within the sports light.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein the sports light command sets one or more timers within the sports light.

40. The method of claim 35 further comprising receiving a verification signal from the sports light after the step of applying the sports light control signal.

25. A system for remote control of a sports light comprising:

a sports field light;

an electronic controller operatively connected to the sports field light;

a network communication device operatively connected to the electronic controller;

a remote station positioned at a distance from the sports field light; and

a communication channel operatively connecting the remote station and the network communication device.

35. A method of control of sport field lighting comprising the steps of:

sending a sports light command from an Internet connected remote station;

receiving the sports light command with an Internet communication device;

creating a sports light control signal based on the sports light command;

applying the sports light control signal to a sports light.

41. A method of providing high speed Internet access to a plurality of geographical areas comprising:

utilizing existing or newly constructed structures for elevating lights to elevate a wireless transceiver;

creating a communications link between the wireless transceiver and the Internet; and

operating the wireless transceiver as an Internet hub for wireless Internet communications to a range of locations relative to the wireless transceiver.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising:

sending Internet communications over the communications link to the wireless receiver for controlling the lights.

43. The method of claim 41 further comprising:

sending Internet communications over the communications link from the wireless receiver containing the state of the lights.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the lights are sports field lights associated with a sports field.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising sending sports information associated with the sports field over the communications link.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the sports information is selected from the set comprising sports scores, player information, team information, sports statistics, and sports updates.