TIME STAMPED IMAGERY ASSEMBLY FOR COURSE PERFORMANCE VIDEO REPLAY

• US 20100149331A1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J2M, Llc
• Original Assignee: Esports Promotions, LLC
• Inventors: DiMare, Mark G., DiMare, Joseph F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,224,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/144 Movement detection for video coding H04N19/503; analysis of motion in general G06T7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to video imagery assembly for course oriented activities and provide a method, system and computer program product for time stamped imagery assembly for course performance video replay. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for time stamped imagery assembly can include acquiring different images from different cameras disposed about an activity course traversed by a moving object and time stamping each of the different images. The method also can include repeatedly acquiring position and time stamp data for the moving object as the moving object traverses the activity course. Finally, the method can include assembling the different images acquired from the different cameras in a single sequence of images with positions in the sequence determined by correlating time stamps for each of the images with the acquired position and time stamp data of the moving object.

Claims

1. A method for time stamped imagery assembly comprising:

acquiring different images from different cameras disposed about an activity course traversed by a moving object;

time stamping each of the different images;

repeatedly acquiring position and time stamp data for the moving object as the moving object traverses the activity course; and

,

assembling the different images acquired from the different cameras in a single sequence of images with positions in the sequence determined by correlating time stamps for each of the images with the acquired position and time stamp data of the moving object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring different images from different cameras disposed about an activity course traversed by a moving object, further comprises additionally acquiring images from a camera coupled to the moving object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring different images from different cameras disposed about an activity course traversed by a moving object, further comprises changing a focal length of a lens of at least one of the cameras as the moving object passes within a field of view of the at least one of the cameras.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein time stamping each of the different images, comprises, for each of the different images, extracting a time stamp from a global positioning system (GPS) signal received in an acquiring one of the different cameras.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein repeatedly acquiring position and time stamp data for the moving object as the moving object traverses the activity course, comprises repeatedly acquiring position and time stamp data for the moving object by way of global positioning system data for the moving object as the moving object traverses the activity course.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising replaying the single sequence of images as a video replay of the moving object traversing the activity course.

7. A video assembly data processing system configured for time stamped imagery assembly for course performance video replay, the system comprising:

a host computer supporting execution of an operating system;

an image acquisition application executing in the host operating system acquiring different images with corresponding time stamps from different cameras disposed about an activity course;

a time stamp/position table comprising different time stamps each for a different position of a moving object traversing the activity course; and

,

a time stamped imagery assembly module comprising program code enabled to assemble the different images acquired from the different cameras in a single sequence of images with positions in the sequence determined by correlating time stamps for each of the images with position and time stamp data of the moving object in the time stamp/position table.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the activity course is a race track.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the activity course is a cycling or snow-skiing course.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the cameras is coupled to a global positioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to the moving object and repeatedly providing an acquired position and corresponding time stamp to the time stamp/position table.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium embodying computer usable program code for time stamped imagery assembly, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for acquiring different time stamped images from different cameras disposed about an activity course traversed by a moving object;

computer usable program code for repeatedly acquiring position and time stamp data for the moving object as the moving object traverses the activity course; and

,

computer usable program code for assembling the different images acquired from the different cameras in a single sequence of images with positions in the sequence determined by correlating time stamps for each of the images with the acquired position and time stamp data of the moving object.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for acquiring different images from different cameras disposed about an activity course traversed by a moving object, further comprises computer usable program code for additionally acquiring images from a camera coupled to the moving object.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for acquiring different images from different cameras disposed about an activity course traversed by a moving object, further comprises computer usable program code for changing a focal length of a lens of at least one of the cameras as the moving object passes within a field of view of the at least one of the cameras.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for repeatedly acquiring position and time stamp data for the moving object as the moving object traverses the activity course, comprises computer usable program code for repeatedly acquiring position and time stamp data for the moving object by way of global positioning system data for the moving object as the moving object traverses the activity course.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising computer usable program code for replaying the single sequence of images as a video replay of the moving object traversing the activity course.