REAL-TIME EVENT MONITORING SYSTEM FOR BASKETBALL-RELATED ACTIVITIES
First Claim
1. A real-time event monitoring system for a basketball-related activity involving basketball goat, a plurality of players, and a basketball equipped with an RFID tag configured to transmit a radio frequency signal encoded with a ball ID for the basketball, the real-time event monitoring system comprising:
- a) a mobile computing device comprising a wireless communications interface, a microprocessor, a memory, an event monitoring program stored in the memory, and a set of data objects stored in the memory, the set of data objects arranged to store for each player in the plurality of players, a player ID, a player tracker ID, a ball ID and a player performance statistic;
b) a plurality of player tracking devices configured to be worn by the plurality of players, respectively, each player tracking device including a player radio frequency transceiver for wireless communication with the mobile computing device, a player RFID reader configured to detect and decode the radio frequency signal transmitted by the RFID tag on the basketball if the basketball is in reading range of the player RFID reader, and a player data processing unit programmed to (i) determine that the player wearing the player tracking device has gained or lost possession of the basketball based on an output from the player RFID reader, and (ii) transmit a possession change event message to the mobile computing device via the player radio frequency transceiver indicating that the player has gained or lost possession of the basketball, the possession change event message including the player ID for the player, the ball ID and a possession change event type; and
c) a goal tracking device, configured for attachment to the basketball goal, the goal tracking device comprising a goal radio frequency transceiver for wireless communication with the mobile computing device, a goal RFID reader configured to detect and decode the radio frequency signal transmitted by the RFID tag of the basketball if the basketball is in reading range of the goal RFID reader, and a goal data processing unit programmed to (i) determine that a shot has been taken based on an output from the goal RFID reader, and (ii) transmit a shot event message to the mobile computing device via the goal radio frequency transceiver, the shot event message indicating that the shot has been taken and including the goal ID and the ball ID;
d) wherein the event monitoring program on the mobile computing device includes program instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, will cause the microprocessor (i) to determine which player in the plurality of players shot the basketball on the basketball goal based on the possession change event message, the shot event message, and one or more values stored in the set of data objects in the memory, and (ii) to record a change in the player performance statistic for the player who shot the basketball.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An event monitoring system for tracking, tabulating and displaying in real-time player and team performance statistics and events (such as scores, shot percentages, ball possessions, steals, rebounds and turnovers) during a basketball game or basketball-related activity involving a basketball goal, a plurality of players, and a basketball equipped with active or passive RFID tags. The system includes a plurality of wireless ball trackers worn on the wrists of participating players and officials, or attached to the goals, and a wireless mobile computing device with an event monitoring program and a set of data objects configured to store data representing current and historical events and performance statistics associated with the basketball activity and participants. The event and performance data may be displayed on a display screen associated with the mobile computing device in real-time and/or uploaded to and displayed on a connected scoreboard or cloud-based server.
40 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A real-time event monitoring system for a basketball-related activity involving basketball goat, a plurality of players, and a basketball equipped with an RFID tag configured to transmit a radio frequency signal encoded with a ball ID for the basketball, the real-time event monitoring system comprising:
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a) a mobile computing device comprising a wireless communications interface, a microprocessor, a memory, an event monitoring program stored in the memory, and a set of data objects stored in the memory, the set of data objects arranged to store for each player in the plurality of players, a player ID, a player tracker ID, a ball ID and a player performance statistic; b) a plurality of player tracking devices configured to be worn by the plurality of players, respectively, each player tracking device including a player radio frequency transceiver for wireless communication with the mobile computing device, a player RFID reader configured to detect and decode the radio frequency signal transmitted by the RFID tag on the basketball if the basketball is in reading range of the player RFID reader, and a player data processing unit programmed to (i) determine that the player wearing the player tracking device has gained or lost possession of the basketball based on an output from the player RFID reader, and (ii) transmit a possession change event message to the mobile computing device via the player radio frequency transceiver indicating that the player has gained or lost possession of the basketball, the possession change event message including the player ID for the player, the ball ID and a possession change event type; and c) a goal tracking device, configured for attachment to the basketball goal, the goal tracking device comprising a goal radio frequency transceiver for wireless communication with the mobile computing device, a goal RFID reader configured to detect and decode the radio frequency signal transmitted by the RFID tag of the basketball if the basketball is in reading range of the goal RFID reader, and a goal data processing unit programmed to (i) determine that a shot has been taken based on an output from the goal RFID reader, and (ii) transmit a shot event message to the mobile computing device via the goal radio frequency transceiver, the shot event message indicating that the shot has been taken and including the goal ID and the ball ID; d) wherein the event monitoring program on the mobile computing device includes program instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, will cause the microprocessor (i) to determine which player in the plurality of players shot the basketball on the basketball goal based on the possession change event message, the shot event message, and one or more values stored in the set of data objects in the memory, and (ii) to record a change in the player performance statistic for the player who shot the basketball. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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16. The event monitoring system of claim wherein the event monitoring program on the mobile computing device comprises program instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, will cause the microprocessor to determine, based on the possession change event type, the shot event message, and said one or more values in the set of data objects, that one player in the plurality of players has assisted a made shot taken by another player with the basketball.
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25. A real-time event monitoring system for a basketball-related activity involving a basketball goal, a plurality of players, and a basketball equipped with an RFID tag configured to transmit a radio frequency signal encoded with a ball ID for the basketball, the real-time event monitoring system comprising:
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a) a mobile computing device comprising a wireless communications interface, a microprocessor, a memory, an event monitoring program stored in the memory, and a set of data objects stored in the memory, the set of data objects arranged to store for each player in the plurality of players, a player ID, a player tracker ID, a ball ID and a player performance statistic; b) a plurality of player tracking devices configured to be worn by the plurality of players, respectively, each player tracking device including a player radio frequency transceiver for wireless communication with the mobile computing device, a player RFID reader configured to detect and decode the radio frequency signal transmitted by the RFID tag on the basketball whenever the basketball is in reading range of the player RFID reader, and a player data processing unit programmed to (i) determine that the player wearing the player tracking device has gained or lost possession of the basketball based on an output from the player RFID reader, and (ii) transmit a possession change event message to the mobile computing device via the player radio frequency transceiver indicating that the player has gained or lost possession of the basketball, the possession change event message including the player ID for the player, the ball ID and a possession change event type; and c) a goal tracking device, configured for attachment to the basketball goal, the goal tracking device comprising a goal radio frequency transceiver for wireless communication with the mobile computing device, a goal RFID reader configured to detect and decode the radio frequency signal transmitted by the RFID tag of the basketball whenever the basketball is in reading range of the goal RFID reader, and a goal data processing unit, programmed to transmit a shot event message to the mobile computing device via the goal radio frequency transceiver whenever the goal RFID reader succeeds in detecting and decoding the radio frequency signal transmitted by the RFID tag of the basketball, the shot event message including the goal ID and the ball ID; d) wherein, when the mobile computing device has not received a shot event message within a predetermined time period after receiving a possession change event message, the event monitoring program on the mobile computing device includes program instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, will cause the microprocessor (i) to determine which player in the plurality of players gained or lost possession of the basketball based on the possession change event message and one or more values stored in the set of data objects in the memory, and (ii) to record a change in the player performance statistic for the player who gained or lost possession of the basketball. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification