GPS based tracking system

• US 20030048218A1
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sportsmedia Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: James O. Mcguffin, James R. Gloudemans II, Kenneth A. Milnes, Matthew T. Lazar, Roberto J. Peon, Stanley K. Honey
• Inventors: Gloudemans, James R. II, Milnes, Kenneth A., Honey, Stanley K., McGuffin, James O., Lazar, Matthew T., Peon, Roberto J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,744,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.07
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/421 by combining or switching between position solutions or signals derived from different satellite radio beacon positioning systems; by combining or switching between position solutions or signals derived from different modes of operation in a single system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/44 Carrier phase ambiguity resolution; Floating ambiguity; LAMBDA [Least-squares AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment] method
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/485 whereby the further system is an optical system or imaging system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station

Abstract

A system uses GPS receivers and other sensors to acquire data about one or more objects at an event. The data acquired by the GPS receivers and the sensors is used to determine various statistics about the objects and/or enhance a video presentation of the objects. In one embodiment, the acquired data is used to determine three dimensional positions of the objects, determine the positions of images of the objects in a video and enhance the video accordingly. One exemplar use of the present invention is with a system for tracking automobiles at a race. The system determines statistics about the automobiles and enhances a video presentation of the race.

Claims

1. An apparatus for tracking objects, comprising:

GPS receivers mounted in moving objects;

sensors mounted in said moving objects;

a set of one or more base stations;

transmitters/receivers at said base stations;

transmitters/receivers at said moving objects in communication with said transmitters/receivers at said base station;

a GPS reference station in communication with one of said base stations for providing differential GPS information; and

a production center in communication with said base stations.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said moving objects are race cars.

3. A method for tracking objects, comprising the steps of:

using GPS to track a set of objects;

sensing data about said set of objects;

communicating said data and GPS positions from said objects to base stations using wireless technology;

determining a set of statistics about said set of objects;

highlighting images of said set of objects in a video; and

adding said statistics to said video.

4. One or more processor readable storage devices for storing processor readable code, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method for tracking objects, the method comprising the steps of:

using GPS to track a set of objects;

sensing data about said set of objects;

communicating said data and GPS positions from said objects to base stations using wireless technology;

determining a set of statistics about said set of objects;

highlighting images of said set of objects in a video; and

adding said statistics to said video.