Football interactive simulation trainer
First Claim
1. A sport simulation trainer for detecting movement of an object in an actual playing area and simulating the sport in response to detecting the movement of the object, the sport simulation trainer comprising in combination:
- a video display wall having a view screen for displaying visual images of a simulated playing area;
a field of play including both the actual slaying area, which extends forward of the video display wall, and the simulated playing area, which extends rearward of the video display wall;
a sensing array having a plurality of sensors which are spaced apart around the actual slaying area and directed to establish a region of overlap of the fields of view of the sensors for emitting energy waves into the actual slaying area, detecting reflected returns of the energy waves being reflected from the object within the region of overlap in the actual playing area, and then emitting data signals in response to detecting the reflected returns;
a data processing system connected to the sensing array for receiving the data signals emitted in response to the reflected returns, processing the data signals to determine a trajectory for the movement of the object, projecting the trajectory into the simulated playing area, and generating the visual images of the simulated playing area and movement of the object through the playing area for display on the view screen of the video display wall;
means for determining positions of a training player in the actual playing area during a simulated play; and
wherein the data processing system determines the training players perspective views of the simulated playing area from the positions in the actual playing area, and selects lines of sight and values of magnification of the visual images to display the perspective views of the simulated playing area to the training player at respective ones of the positions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A football interactive simulation trainer for quarterbacks and kickers provides true perspective views of a simulated playing area during practice plays, as would be seen by a training player on a regulation size football field during an actual play. The trainer includes a sonic tracking system which has a plurality of ultrasonic transducers spaced apart around the perimeter of an actual playing area for detecting positions of the training player and motion of the football during a practice play. The transducers are selectively grouped and directed in selected directions to establish regions of overlap so that several of the transducers will simultaneously detect the positions of the training player and several of the transducers will simultaneously detect the motion of the football. A data processing system receives data signals from the transducers, and determines the positions of the training player and the trajectory of the football within the actual playing area. Reactions of the simulated players to the different positions of the training player are determined, and video images are projected onto the video display wall with changing values of magnification and lines of sight to provide the training player with the true perspective views of the simulated playing area. The data processing system also projects the trajectory of the football into the simulated playing area, and video images are projected on the video display wall of the flight of the football, subsequent reactions of the simulated players to the trajectory of the football and the result of the play.
157 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A sport simulation trainer for detecting movement of an object in an actual playing area and simulating the sport in response to detecting the movement of the object, the sport simulation trainer comprising in combination:
-
a video display wall having a view screen for displaying visual images of a simulated playing area; a field of play including both the actual slaying area, which extends forward of the video display wall, and the simulated playing area, which extends rearward of the video display wall; a sensing array having a plurality of sensors which are spaced apart around the actual slaying area and directed to establish a region of overlap of the fields of view of the sensors for emitting energy waves into the actual slaying area, detecting reflected returns of the energy waves being reflected from the object within the region of overlap in the actual playing area, and then emitting data signals in response to detecting the reflected returns; a data processing system connected to the sensing array for receiving the data signals emitted in response to the reflected returns, processing the data signals to determine a trajectory for the movement of the object, projecting the trajectory into the simulated playing area, and generating the visual images of the simulated playing area and movement of the object through the playing area for display on the view screen of the video display wall; means for determining positions of a training player in the actual playing area during a simulated play; and wherein the data processing system determines the training players perspective views of the simulated playing area from the positions in the actual playing area, and selects lines of sight and values of magnification of the visual images to display the perspective views of the simulated playing area to the training player at respective ones of the positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A football simulation trainer for detecting movement of a football in an actual playing area and simulating football plays in a simulated playing area in response to detecting the movement of the football, the football simulation trainer comprising in combination:
-
a video display wall having a view screen for displaying visual images of football plays in the simulated playing area; a field of play including both the actual playing area, which extends forward of the video display wall, and the simulated playing area, which extends rearward of the video display wall; a plurality of sonic transducers spaced apart around the actual playing area for emitting ultrasonic signals into a region of overlap of fields of view of the sonic transducers in the actual playing area, detecting returns of the ultrasonic signals from within the actual playing area, and emitting data signals in response to detecting the returns of the ultrasonic signals; a data processing system connected to the plurality of sonic transducers for receiving the data signals emitted in response to the returns, processing the data signals to determine a trajectory for the movement of the football within the actual playing area, projecting the trajectory into the simulated playing area and generating trajectory data corresponding to the trajectory of the football; a mixer and image generator connected to the data processing system and the video display for generating video signals for display on the view screen as the visual images which simulate the football plays and the trajectory of the football within the simulated playing area in response to the trajectory data; means for tracking positions of a training player in the actual playing area during the football plays; and wherein the data processing system determines the training players perspective views of the simulated playing area from the positions in the actual playing area, and selects lines of sight and values of magnification of the visual images to display the perspective views of the simulated playing area to the training player at respective ones of the positions. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for sports simulation training of the type in which the movement of an object within an actual playing area is detected and simulated within a simulated playing area in response to detecting the movement of the object, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a video display for displaying visual images of a sports play in the simulated slaving area, and a field of play which includes both the actual playing area, which extends forward of the video display, and the simulated playing area, which extends rearward of the video display; further providing a plurality of sonic transducers for emitting ultrasonic signals and for detecting reflected returns of the ultrasonic signals; spacing apart the sonic transducers, directed to face in selected directions to establish a region of overlap of fields of view for the sonic transducers within the actual field of play within which the movement of the object is being determined; driving at least a first portion of the sonic transducers to emit the ultrasonic signals within the region of overlap of the fields of view; detecting returns of the ultrasonic signals from within the region of overlap of the fields of view with at least a second portion of the sonic transducers, and emitting data signals in response to the returns of the ultrasonic signals;
processing the data signals emitted in response to the returns of the ultrasonic signals to determine a trajectory for the movement of the object within the field of play;projecting the trajectory into the simulated slaying area and generating trajectory data corresponding to the trajectory of the object in the field of play; generating video signals and providing the video signals which provide the visual images to the video display to simulate the sports play and the movement of the object within the simulated playing area in response to the trajectory data; tracking positions of a training player within the actual playing area during the sports play; processing the position of the training player to determine the training players perspective views of the simulated playing area from the positions in the actual playing area; and selecting lines of sight and values of magnification of the visual images to display the perspective views of the simulated playing area to the training player at respective ones of the positions. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
Specification