TRACKING SYSTEM USING PROXIMITY AND/OR PRESENCE

• US 20110205077A1
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sportsmedia Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sportvision, Inc. (Sportsmedia Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: McGuffin, James Orville, Borton, John Roy, Cavallaro, Richard H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,786,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/004 Multiple detectors or sensors each defining a different zone
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0804 Shutters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/14 wherein a voltage or current pulse is initiated and terminated in accordance with the pulse transmission and echo reception respectively, e.g. using counters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/18 : wherein range gates are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 : Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/48 : Active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/58 : Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/74 : Systems using reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 : using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 5/22 : the subordinate centre not permitting interconnection of subscribers connected thereto

Abstract

A system simultaneously tracks multiple objects. All or a subset of the objects includes a wireless receiver and a transmitter for providing an output. The system includes one or more wireless transmitters that send commands to the wireless receivers of the multiple objects instructing different subsets of the multiple objects to output (via their respective transmitter) at different times. The system also includes object sensors that receive output from the transmitters of the multiple objects and a computer system in communication with the object sensors. The computer system calculates locations of the multiple objects based on the sensed output from the multiple objects. In some embodiments, the system can also track an item based on proximity of that item to one or more of the objects. In such embodiments, the multiple objects each includes one or more local sensors. The local sensors detect presence of the item and the items'"'"' transmitters communicate presence of the item based on respective one or more local sensors. The computer system identifies a location of the item based on communications from one or more of the objects indicating presence of the item and the calculated locations of the multiple objects detecting the item.

Claims

1. A method for tracking, comprising:

automatically determining locations of multiple moving objects;

automatically sensing that a first object of the multiple moving objects is in proximity of an item;

identifying and storing a location of the first object as a first location of the entity;

automatically sensing that a second object of the multiple moving objects is in proximity of the item; and

identifying and storing a location of the second object as a second location of the item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interpolating one or more intermediate locations between the first location of the object and the second location of the object; and

reporting the one or more intermediate locations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically determining the location of multiple moving entities comprises:

wirelessly sending commands to the multiple moving objects instructing different subsets of the multiple moving objects to output at different times;

sensing wireless output from multiple movable objects; and

calculating locations of the multiple objects based on the sensed wireless output.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the wirelessly sending commands, sensing and calculating are performed in multiple iterations during an event; and

the commands change dynamically during the event by adding or removing one or more objects from the commands associated with a particular iteration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the automatically sensing is performed by an RFID reader sensing a presence of an RFID tag for the item.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting an indication of the sensing that the first object is in proximity of the item from the first object to one or more wireless receivers;

transmitting the indication of the sensing that the first object is in proximity of the item from the wireless receiver to a computing system;

wirelessly transmitting an indication of the sensing that the second object is in proximity of the item from the second object to one or more wireless receiver; and

transmitting the indication of the sensing that the second object is in proximity of the item from the wireless receiver to the computing system, the identifying and storing the location of the first entity as the first location of the object and the identifying and storing the location of the second entity as the second location of the object is performed by the computing system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the automatically determining locations of multiple moving objects includes determining location of multiple players during a sporting event; and

the automatically sensing that the first object of the multiple moving objects is in proximity of the item includes determining that a first player of the multiple players is in possession of a ball.

8. An apparatus for tracking, comprising:

multiple objects each of which includes one or more local sensors and a transmitter, the sensors detect presence of an item, the transmitters communicate presence of the item based on respective one or more local sensors;

one or more object sensors that sense position information about the multiple objects;

one or more receivers that receive one or more communications from one or more of the objects indicating presence of the item; and

a computer system in communication with the one or more receivers and the one or more object sensors, the computer system calculates locations of the multiple objects based on the sensed position information, the computer system identifies a location of the item based on communications from one or more of the objects indicating presence of the item and the calculated locations of the multiple objects.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the computer system receives an indication that the item is in proximity to a first object and, in response, identifies and stores a first location of the first object as a first location of the item; and

the computer system receives an indication that the item is in proximity to a second object and, in response, identifies and stores a second location of the second object as a second location of the item.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the computer system interpolates one or more intermediate locations between the first location of the item and the second location of the item, the computer system reports the one or more intermediate locations.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a system transmitter, the computer system calculates the location of multiple moving objects by instructing the system transmitter to send commands to the multiple objects instructing different subsets of the objects to output at different times, the one or more object sensors sense the output and the computer system calculates locations of the objects based on the sensed output, the output is a wireless signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the commands are sent to the objects in multiple iterations during an event; and

the commands change dynamically during the event by adding or removing one or more objects from the commands associated with a particular iteration.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the one or more local sensors include an RFID reader.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein

the transmitter on each object is a wireless transmitter;

and

the one or more object sensors wirelessly receive electromagnetic signals from the objects, the electromagnetic signals are not visible.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the item is a ball used at a sporting event; and

the objects are players, or equipment worn by players, participating in the sporting event.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the ball includes an RFID tag;

the players are wearing equipment; and

each player has an RFID reader attached to the respective equipment.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

each player has the transmitter mounted in a helmet.

18. An apparatus for tracking, comprising:

means for automatically determining locations of multiple moving objects;

means for automatically sensing that a first object of the multiple moving objects is in proximity of an item and subsequently automatically sensing that a second object of the multiple moving objects is in proximity of the item; and

means for identifying and storing a location of the first object as a first location of the item in response to sensing that the first object of the multiple moving objects is in proximity of the item, and for identifying and storing a location of the second object as a second location of the item in response to sensing that the second object of the multiple moving objects is in proximity of the item.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for interpolating one or more intermediate locations between the first location of the object and the second location of the object, and reporting the one or more intermediate locations.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the moving objects are players participating in a sporting event; and

the item is a ball.