Digital representation of a live event

• US 20050207617A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Pictures Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Pictures Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sarnoff, Tim
• Application Number:
  US11/018,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20050207617A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for implementing a system for building a digital representation of captured motion, such as from a live event. In one implementation, a representation system includes: a marker to emit a signal indicating marker information; a receiver to receive said signal from said marker; a data collector, connected to said receiver, to store said marker information; and a model generator, connected to said data collector, to generate a position model using said stored marker information.

Claims

1. A representation system, comprising:

a marker to emit a signal indicating marker information;

a receiver to receive said signal from said marker;

a data collector, connected to said receiver, to store said marker information; and

a model generator, connected to said data collector, to generate a position model using said stored marker information.

2. The representation system of claim 1, wherein:

said signal is emitted using electromagnetic radiation.

3. The representation system of claim 2, wherein:

said signal is a radio signal.

4. The representation system of claim 1, wherein:

said signal is a magnetic signal.

5. The representation system of claim 1, wherein:

said marker information includes position information indicating the position of said marker.

6. The representation system of claim 5, wherein:

said position information is GPS information.

7. The representation system of claim 1, wherein:

said marker information includes identification information identifying said marker.

8. The representation system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one additional marker, each additional marker emitting a respective signal indicating respective marker information.

9. The representation system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one additional receiver.

10. The representation system of claim 1, wherein:

each of multiple receivers generates respective reception information based on receiving said signal;

said data collector receives reception information from at least two receivers;

said data collector determines a position of said marker using said received reception information.

11. The representation system of claim 10, wherein:

said reception information indicates when the receiver received the signal.

12. The representation system of claim 10, wherein:

said reception information indicates the signal strength of the received signal.

13. The representation system of claim 1, wherein:

said data collector determines a position of said marker using said marker information.

14. The representation system of claim 1, wherein:

said receiver generates reception information based on receiving said signal,

said data collector determines a position of said marker using said reception information.

15. The representation system of claim 14, wherein:

said reception information indicates when the receiver received the signal.

16. The representation system of claim 14, wherein:

said reception information indicates the signal strength of the received signal.

17. The representation system of claim 1, wherein:

said position model indicates the position of said marker over time.

18. The representation system of claim 1, wherein:

said position model is a three-dimensional model.

19. The representation system of claim 1, further comprising:

an image generator to generate an image using said position model.

20. The representation system of claim 19, wherein:

said image is a video image presenting the motion of said marker.

21. The representation system of claim 19, wherein:

said image generator receives said position model from an article of removable media.

22. The representation system of claim 19, wherein:

said image generator receives said position model through a network connection.

23. The representation system of claim 19, further comprising:

a display device, connected to said image generator, to display said image.

24. A method of generating a model representing motion of a marker, comprising:

receiving from a marker a marker signal indicating marker information;

storing said marker information;

generating a position model using said stored marker information;

wherein said position model indicates the position of said marker at the time said signal was received.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

sending a request signal to said marker.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein:

said signal is emitted using electromagnetic radiation.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein:

said marker signal is a radio signal.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein:

said marker signal is a magnetic signal.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein:

said marker information includes position information indicating the position of said marker.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein:

said position information is GPS information.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein:

said marker information includes identification information identifying said marker.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein:

receiving said marker signal includes receiving said marker signal at multiple receivers.

33. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

generating reception information based on receiving said marker signal.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein:

said reception information indicates when the signal was received.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein:

said reception information indicates the signal strength of the received signal.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein:

generating said position model includes using said reception information.

37. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

generating an image representing said position model.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

displaying said image.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein:

generating said image includes using input received from a user.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein:

said input includes data indicating what type of image to use to represent an object corresponding to said marker.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein:

said input includes data indicating what camera angle to use to generate said image.

42. The method of claim 24, wherein:

said position model indicates the position of said marker over time using multiple received signals.

43. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

combining said position model with input received from a user.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein:

said input includes data input to an executing video game software application indicating an action taken by said user.

45. A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in generating a model representing motion of a marker, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

process a marker signal indicating marker information received from a marker;

store said marker information;

generate a position model using said stored marker information;

wherein said position model indicates the position of said marker at the time said signal was received.

46. A system for generating a model representing motion of a marker, comprising:

means for receiving from a marker a marker signal indicating marker information;

means for storing said marker information;

means for generating a position model using said stored marker information;

wherein said position model indicates the position of said marker at the time said signal was received.