System and Method For Event Timing and Photography

• US 20160307042A1
• Filed: 11/30/2014
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Todd Martin
• Original Assignee: Todd Martin
• Inventors: MARTIN, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 10,489,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5846 using extracted text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/42 of sport video content
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A system and method for identifying and timing an athlete during a timed sporting event. The athlete is timed using image recognition technology in which one or more images of the athlete taken during the sporting event by a camera (106a, 106b, or 106c) is time-stamped to generate a finish time for the athlete. The athlete is identified by comparing one of the images taken during the sporting event with a profile image of the athlete.

Claims

1. A system for identifying and timing an athlete during a timed sporting event in which the athlete is participating, said system comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image of the athlete;

a media database for storing images captured by said camera; and

a processor configured to compare a profile image of the athlete stored in said media database with an image of the athlete captured during the sporting event, said processor being configured to associate a time with the athlete'"'"'s performance in the sporting event based on the comparison between the profile image and the image captured during the sporting event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to associate a placing with the athlete'"'"'s performance in the sporting event based on the comparison between the profile image and the image captured during the sporting event.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sporting event has a start and a finish, further comprising a second camera, said camera being positioned at the start of the sporting event, said second camera being positioned at the finish of the sporting event.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine a finish time of the athlete without using a bib number wearable by the athlete.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine a finish time of the athlete without using a timing chip wearable by the athlete.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine a finish time of the athlete using solely a comparison of the images of the athlete in combination with a race system clock.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to use one or more facial features of the athlete to identify the athlete in the images.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to use one or more facial features of the athlete and at least one non-facial feature of the athlete to identify the athlete in the images.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one non-facial feature includes a portion of an article of clothing worn by the athlete during the sporting event.

10. A method for timing an athlete participating in a sporting event, the method comprising:

capturing a digital profile image of the athlete prior to commencement of the sporting event;

associating, with a microprocessor, identification data of the athlete with the athlete'"'"'s profile image;

capturing a digital commencement image of the athlete as the athlete commences the sporting event;

assigning a commencement time with athlete'"'"'s commencement image;

capturing a digital finish image of the athlete as the athlete finishes the sporting event;

assigning a finish time with the athlete'"'"'s finish image;

determining the athlete'"'"'s race time with the microprocessor by comparing the commencement image and commencement time of the athlete with the finish image and finish time of the athlete; and

identifying the athlete with the microprocessor by comparing the profile image of the athlete with at least one of the athlete'"'"'s commencement and finish images.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of identifying is conducted without use of a wearable timing chip.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of identifying is conducted using only image recognition technology.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising forwarding at least one of the images captured during the sporting event to the athlete identified in the image over a communications network.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising forwarding a link to the athlete identified in one of the images captured during the sporting event and providing the athlete with an opportunity to purchase at least one image of the athlete identified in the image.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising storing a purchased image of the athlete in an online database restrictively accessible by the athlete.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the commencement time and the finish time are each based on an over-all race clock time.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the commencement time and the finish time are each based on a time of day.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of assigning a finish time includes time-stamping the athlete'"'"'s finish image with the clock time of the athlete'"'"'s finish.

19. A system for matching unpublished digital images created by a third party at an athletic event with a participant in the event, said system comprising:

an electronic database for maintaining a plurality of user profiles of users registered to access said database, each user profile including a profile image of the user; and

a processor configured to receive the unpublished digital images created at the athletic event, compare the unpublished images from the athletic event with the profile images of the registered users maintained by said database, and generate a match list of participants whose images appear in the unpublished digital images created at the athletic event and who are registered users.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said processor is configured to send an electronic communication to a registered user to notify the registered user that the digital image showing the registered user'"'"'s image is available for viewing by the registered user, the electronic communication being sent to the registered user based on contact details stored in the user profile.