SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING GROUPS OF LASERS TO PROJECT A VISIBLE LINE OF DEMARCATION WITHIN DISCRETE REGIONS OF AN ATHLETIC FIELD

• US 20040111904A1
• Filed: 03/10/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thought Development, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alan Amron, Brian K. Dinicola
• Inventors: Amron, Alan, Dinicola, Brian K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,751,880 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/289
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/065 Line markings, e.g. tapes; Methods therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2019/067 Machines for marking
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/12 Electrically powered or heated
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/14 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/22 Radio waves emitting or receiving, e.g. remote control, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors

Abstract

The surface of an athletic field is divided into multiple regions or zones. A first of these zones is served by a first group of laser sources. A second of the zones is served by a second group of laser sources. Each group includes at least two lasers arranged to project visible light onto the field from opposite lateral sides of the field. The output from each group is focused onto the field so as to form a composite line across the field—anywhere within the associated zone. A controller is operative, in response to receipt of a command from either a keyboard terminal or a wireless, hand held user interface device, to select one of the first group of laser sources and the second group of laser sources to project a composite temporary visible line. The zones may be contiguous or may be separated by one or more intermediate zones, with each intermediate zone having its own associated group of laser sources.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing at least one temporary visible reference line on a non-smooth surface characterized by a tendency to scatter incident visible light in random and non-uniform manner, comprising:

a first group of laser sources, including

a first laser source disposed at a first elevated location relative to the surface, said first laser source being operative to emit a first laser beam having a wavelength of between 400 nm and 750 nm and to direct visible light from said beam along a selectable path upon the surface so as to form a temporary visible line anywhere within a first region of the surface, and

a second laser source disposed at a second elevated location relative to the surface, said second laser source being operative to emit a second laser beam having a wavelength of between 400 nm and 750 nm and to direct visible light from said second laser beam along the selected path so as to form, with light from said first laser beam, a composite temporary visible line within the first region;

a second group of laser sources, including

a third laser source disposed at a third elevated location relative to the surface and to the same lateral side of the surface as said first laser source, said third laser source being operative to emit a third laser beam having a wavelength of between 400 nm and 750 nm and to direct visible light from said third laser beam along a selectable path upon the surface so as to form a temporary visible line anywhere within a second region of the surface, and

a fourth laser source disposed at a fourth elevated location relative to the surface and at the same lateral side of the surface as said second laser source, said fourth laser source being operative to emit a fourth laser beam having a wavelength of between 400 nm and 750 nm and to direct visible light from said fourth laser beam along the selected path so as to form, with light from said third laser beam, a composite temporary visible line anywhere within the second region; and

a controller, responsive to line projection commands, adapted to selectively operate either the first group of laser sources or the second group of laser sources so as to project a composite temporary visible line on the non-smooth surface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each respective laser source comprises a scanner for sweeping a corresponding beam across the surface at a rate of at least 30 Hz.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first laser source and said second laser source includes a frequency doubled, Q-switched Nd:

YAG laser adapted to generate laser pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said laser sources is adapted to generate a beam of at least 40 W.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller is responsive to user input commands to move the composite temporary line from a first selectable path on a portion of the surface within the first region to a second selectable path on a portion of the surface within the second region.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first region and the second region are contiguous.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the beam output by said first laser source is of a wavelength different than the beam output by said second laser source.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first laser source and the second laser source are located on opposite lateral sides of the first region of the surface, and wherein the third laser source and fourth laser source are located on opposite lateral sides of first region of the surface.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the composite temporary line projected by the first group of laser sources is a straight line having a length of about fifty three yards and a width of from about four to about eight inches.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a visible line formed upon the first region of the surface by the first laser source is a first series of individual line segments and a visible line formed upon the surface by said second laser source is a second series of individual line segments, said first and second laser sources being operable to form collinear, offset line segments with overlapping edges, whereby said composite temporary line is visible as a contiguous solid line along a substantial portion of its length.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a wireless transceiver adapted to receive encrypted line projection command signals from a remote, hand held device.

12. A method of projecting at least one temporary visible reference line onto a non-smooth surface characterized by a tendency to scatter incident visible light in random and non-uniform manner, comprising the steps of:

in a first receiving step, receiving a first line projection command;

in a first operating step, operating only a first group of laser sources to project a visible line only in a first region of the non-smooth surface in accordance with the received first line projection command;

in a second receiving step, receiving a second line projection command; and

in a second operating step, operating only a second group of laser sources to project a visible line only in a second region of the non-smooth surface in accordance with the received second line projection command.

13. The method of claim 12, further including a step of transmitting a signal representative of the first line projection command via a wireless link.

14. The method of claim 13, further including a step of encrypting the first line projection command prior to said transmitting step.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said first operating step includes operating said first group of laser sources to sweep at least two coherent beams each having a wavelength of from 400 nm to 750 nm across the first region of the surface at a rate of at least 30 Hz.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said second operating step includes operating said second group of laser sources to sweep at least two coherent beams each having a wavelength of from 400 nm to 750 nm across the first region of the surface at a rate of at least 30 Hz.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the visible line projected during the first operating step has substantially the same length and width as the visible line projected during the second operating step.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the visible line projected during each of the first and second operating steps has a length of about fifty three yards and a width of about from four to eight inches.