RFID-BASED LOCATION IDENTIFICATION IN ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT AND ATHLETIC PLAYING FIELDS

• US 20180193694A1
• Filed: 01/08/2018
• Published: 07/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rick C. Bergman
• Original Assignee: Rick C. Bergman
• Inventors: Bergman, Rick C.
• Application Number:
  US15/864,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20180193694A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• 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 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/125 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/00 Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0095 Volleyball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 : Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00 : Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles heavy throwing balls A63B65/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/00 : Hollow non-inflatable balls , i.e. having no valves rigid balls A63B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 : Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 : Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 : with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 : Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/1225 : for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/065 : Line markings, e.g. tapes; Methods therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/22 : Radio waves emitting or receiving, e.g. remote control, RFID

Abstract

A system for determining a position of one or more pieces of athletic equipment on an athletic playing surface is provided. The system includes one or more pieces of athletic equipment each including therein an RFID chip, the RFID chip comprising an electronic circuit configured to produce and transmit an RF signal. The system also includes an array of sensors positioned on or in proximity to the athletic playing surface and configured to receive RF signals from the RFID chip of each of the one or more pieces of athletic equipment. The system also includes a processing system operably connected to the array of sensors to receive data from the array of sensors, the processing system programmed to process the data from the array of sensors to determine a position of each of the one or more pieces of athletic equipment on the athletic playing surface.

Claims

1. A system for determining a position of one or more pieces of athletic equipment on an athletic playing surface, the system comprising:

one or more pieces of athletic equipment each including therein a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, the RFID chip comprising an electronic circuit configured to produce and transmit an radio-frequency (RF) signal;

an array of sensors positioned on or in proximity to the athletic playing surface and configured to receive RF signals from the RFID chip of each of the one or more pieces of athletic equipment; and

a processing system operably connected to the array of sensors to receive data from the array of sensors, the processing system programmed to process the data from the array of sensors to determine a position of each of the one or more pieces of athletic equipment on the athletic playing surface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further programmed to process the data from the array of sensors to track movement of each of the one or more pieces of athletic equipment on the athletic playing surface.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more pieces of athletic equipment comprises shoes worn by players competing on the athletic playing surface.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the RFID chip in the shoe comprises RFID chips embedded in the shoe in a top-front portion of the shoe, a heel of the shoe, and in an outer edge of the shoe, so as to enable positional determination of a player'"'"'s toes, heel, and sidefoot on the athletic playing surface relative to an out-of-bounds line.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more pieces of athletic equipment comprises kneepads worn by players competing on the athletic playing surface.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the RFID chip in the kneepads enable determination of a vertical positioning of the kneepads relative to the athletic playing surface, so as to enable determination of when a player'"'"'s knee contacts the athletic playing surface.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more pieces of athletic equipment comprises one of a football, basketball, volleyball, soccer ball, baseball, softball, lacrosse ball, tennis ball, hockey puck, or rugby ball.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein, when the one or more pieces of athletic equipment comprises a football or rugby ball, the RFID chip comprises RFID chips embedded in the football or rugby ball at locations generally corresponding to ends of the football or rugby ball and each of four sides of the football or rugby ball, so as to enable determining of the position of each end and surface of the football or rugby ball on the athletic playing surface.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the athletic playing surface comprises one of a football field and a rugby field that includes goal posts thereon, and wherein the RFID chips in the football or rugby ball, and the interaction thereof with the array of sensors, enable the processing system to determine when the football or rugby ball passes through the goal posts during a kick.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein a weight of the RFID chip is less than 1 ounce, and wherein the weight and a size of the RFID chip does not affect performance of the ball or puck during use.

11. A wearable location tag system comprising:

a wearable article comprising a shoe or kneepad worn by a football player; and

one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) chips incorporated into the wearable article and configured to produce and transmit an radio-frequency (RF) signal therefrom;

wherein each of the one or more RFID chips comprises an electronic circuit that includes;

a processor configured to store data, instructions, and programs thereon, including timing instructions for generating RF signals to be transmitted; and

a transceiver and antenna operably connected to the processor to send and receive RF signals to exchange information and data with one or more remote outside sensors incorporated into a football field; and

wherein interaction of the one or more RFID chips with the one or more remote outside sensors enables determination of a position of the wearable article on the football field.

12. The wearable location tag system of claim 11 wherein, when the wearable article is a shoe, the interaction of the one or more RFID chips with the one or more remote outside sensors enables positional determination of a shoe'"'"'s toe, heel, and sidefoot on the football field relative to an out-of-bounds line.

13. The wearable location tag system of claim 11 wherein, when the wearable article is a kneepad, the interaction of the one or more RFID chips with the one or more remote outside sensors enables determination of a vertical positioning of the kneepad relative to the football field, so as to enable determination of when the kneepad contacts the football field.

14. An athletic ball comprising:

an outer layer; and

one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) chips embedded in the athletic ball under the outer layer and configured to produce and transmit an radio-frequency (RF) signal therefrom;

wherein each of the one or more RFID chips comprises an electronic circuit that includes;

a processor configured to store data, instructions, and programs thereon, including timing instructions for generating RF signals to be transmitted; and

a transceiver and antenna operably connected to the processor to send and receive RF signals to exchange information and data with one or more remote outside sensors incorporated into an athletic playing surface; and

wherein interaction of the one or more RFID chips with the one or more remote outside sensors enables determination of a position of the athletic ball on the athletic playing surface.

15. The athletic ball of claim 14 wherein the athletic ball comprises one of a football, basketball, volleyball, soccer ball, baseball, softball, lacrosse ball, tennis ball, hockey puck, or rugby ball.

16. The athletic ball of claim 14 wherein interaction of the one or more RFID chips with the one or more remote outside sensors enables positional determination of the athletic ball relative to an out-of-bounds line or other boundary line on the athletic playing surface.