Video and data capturing system and method

• US 8,228,381 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Central Ice Trust Dated JUNE 18TH 2012
• Original Assignee: Walter Accurso
• Inventors: Accurso, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Dollinger, Tonia L. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): John, Clarence
• Application Number:
  US12/552,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 348148-169
• US Class Current: 348/157
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

A video and data capturing system and method includes a mobile unit having an image sensor and motion sensing equipment connected to a microprocessor. The mobile unit is installed in an object for detecting visual images and motion data associated with the object. The mobile unit communicates with a base unit capable of analyzing the image and motion data and correcting the image data so it is level with the horizon. A foot unit may be used in conjunction with the mobile unit for detection of an athlete'"'"'s foot acceleration for determining when the athlete'"'"'s foot comes in contact with the ground. A field unit may be used in conjunction with the mobile unit and foot unit to determine the location of the foot unit on a playing surface to assist in determining whether an athlete is in or out of bounds, or their location on the playing surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus for capturing images, comprising:

a mobile unit including a mobile unit microcontroller;

a ball including an image sensor having an optical axis, and adapted for generating an image signal, said image sensor operably connected to said mobile unit microcontroller;

a motion sensing unit including a motion sensor for generating a motion signal indicative of movement of said image sensor, said motion sensor operably connected to said mobile unit microcontroller;

said mobile unit microcontroller including a computer readable medium storing said image signal and said motion signal;

said mobile unit computer readable medium further including image correction software stored on said computer readable medium for correcting said image signal;

said mobile unit microcontroller including a microprocessor for processing said image signals and said motion signals, said mobile unit microcontroller generating an output signal comprising said motion signal and said image signal;

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter operably connected to said mobile unit microcontroller, said RF transmitter adapted for transmitting said output signal to said base unit;

a base unit including a base unit microcontroller;

an RF receiver operably connected to said base unit microcontroller, said RF receiver adapted for receiving said mobile unit output signal;

said base unit microcontroller including a computer readable medium storing video editing software and said mobile unit output signal, said base unit microcontroller including a microprocessor for processing said mobile unit output signal; and

said base unit microcontroller generating an output signal comprising a visually perceptible image of said image signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motion sensor further comprises an accelerometer for sensing acceleration of said mobile unit, and a gyroscope for sensing angular rotation of said mobile unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motion sensor further comprises three accelerometers for sensing acceleration of said mobile unit, and a gyroscope for sensing angular rotation of said mobile unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes:

said mobile unit microcontroller analyzing said image signal and said motion signal, and correcting said image signal rotation about said optical axis; and

said output signal comprising an image signal corrected for rotation about said optical axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a switch operably connected to said mobile unit microcontroller for powering said mobile unit on and off;

said base unit RF receiver comprising an RF transceiver for transmitting an adjustment command to said mobile unit;

said mobile unit RF transmitter comprising an RF transceiver for receiving said adjustment command; and

said adjustment command including a mobile unit on and off power command, and a mobile unit microcontroller reset command.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

an object;

said mobile unit disposed within said object; and

a power source operably connected to said mobile unit microcontroller for powering said mobile unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said object is a prolate spheroid.

8. An apparatus for capturing images, comprising:

a mobile unit including a mobile unit microcontroller;

a mobile clock module operably connected to said mobile unit microcontroller, said clock module generating a reference time code;

an image sensor in a ball having an optical axis, and adapted for generating an image signal, said image sensor operably connected to said mobile unit microcontroller;

a motion sensing unit including a motion sensor for generating a motion signal indicative of movement of said image sensor, said motion sensor operably connected to said mobile unit microcontroller;

said mobile unit microcontroller including a computer readable medium storing said image signal, said motion signal, and said reference time code;

said mobile unit computer readable medium further including image correction software stored on said computer readable medium for correcting said image signal;

said mobile unit microcontroller including a microprocessor for processing said image signals and said motion signals, said mobile unit microcontroller generating an output signal comprising said motion signal and said image signal;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver operably connected to said mobile unit microcontroller, said RF transceiver adapted for transmitting said output signal and said reference time code to said base unit;

a base unit including a base unit microcontroller;

an RF transceiver operably connected to said base unit microcontroller, said RF transceiver adapted for receiving said mobile unit output signal and said reference time code;

a base unit clock module operably connected to said base unit microcontroller, said clock module generating a base time code in sync with said reference time code;

said base unit microcontroller including a computer readable medium storing video editing software and said mobile unit output signal;

said base unit microcontroller including a microprocessor for processing said mobile unit output signal, said reference time code, and said base time code;

said base unit microprocessor synchronizing said mobile unit output signal based on said reference time code and said base time code; and

said base unit microcontroller generating an output signal comprising a visually perceptible image of said image signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a foot unit including a foot unit microcontroller;

a transducer operably connected to said foot unit microcontroller, said transducer adapted for generating an acceleration signal;

a clock module operably connected to said foot unit microcontroller, said clock module generating a foot unit time code in sync with said reference time code;

said foot unit microcontroller including a computer readable medium storing said acceleration signal and said foot unit time code signal;

said foot unit microcontroller including a microprocessor for processing said acceleration signal and said foot unit time code;

said foot unit microcontroller generating an output signal comprising said acceleration signal and said foot unit time code signal;

an RF transmitter operably connected to said foot unit microcontroller, said RF transmitter adapted for transmitting said acceleration signal and said foot unit time code to said foot unit;

said mobile unit RF transceiver adapted for receiving said acceleration signal and said foot unit time code;

said mobile unit RF transceiver transmitting said acceleration signal and said foot unit time code to said base unit; and

said base unit RF transceiver adapted for receiving said acceleration signal and said foot unit time code.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a shoe; and

said foot unit located in said shoe.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a surface unit including a surface unit microcontroller;

a proximity sensor operably connected to said surface unit microcontroller, said proximity sensor adapted for generating a proximity signal corresponding to the distance of said foot unit from said proximity sensor;

said surface unit microcontroller including a computer readable medium storing said proximity signal;

said surface unit microcontroller including a microprocessor for processing said proximity signal, said surface unit microcontroller generating an output signal comprising said proximity signal;

an RF transmitter operably connected to said surface unit microcontroller, said RF transmitter adapted for transmitting said proximity signal to said base unit; and

said base unit RF transceiver adapted for receiving said surface unit output signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a playing surface; and

said proximity sensor disposed on said playing surface.

13. A method of video and data capturing, which comprises:

providing an object with a mobile unit microcontroller having program memory;

providing an image sensor in a ball;

detecting an image with the image sensor having rotation with the image sensor;

generating an image signal with the image sensor;

providing a motion sensor;

detecting motion of the image sensor with the motion sensor;

generating a motion signal with the image sensor;

storing the image signal and the motion signal on the mobile unit program memory;

analyzing the image signal and the motion signal;

editing the image signal using image correction software for creating a corrected signal;

generating an output signal comprising the corrected image signal and the motion signal;

providing a base unit microcontroller having program memory;

transmitting the mobile unit output signal to the base unit;

receiving the mobile unit output signal at the base unit;

storing the mobile unit output signal on the base unit program memory;

analyzing the mobile unit output signal at the base unit;

providing image correction software at the base unit;

correcting the rotation of the mobile unit image signal; and

generating a base unit output signal comprising a visually perceptible image corrected for rotation.

14. The method according to claim 13, which includes the additional steps of:

detecting the acceleration of the image sensor with the motion sensor; and

detecting the angular rotation of the image sensor with the motion sensor.

15. The method according to claim 14, which includes the additional steps of:

providing the mobile unit with a clock module;

generating a reference time code from the mobile unit clock module;

providing a shoe with a foot unit microcontroller having program memory;

providing the microcontroller with a transducer and a clock module;

detecting acceleration of the shoe with the transducer;

generating an acceleration signal with the transducer;

generating a foot unit time code in sync with the mobile unit reference code;

storing the acceleration signal and foot unit time code on the foot unit program memory;

transmitting the foot unit acceleration signal and foot unit time code to the mobile unit;

receiving the foot unit acceleration signal and foot unit time code at the mobile unit;

transmitting the foot unit acceleration signal and foot unit time code from the mobile unit to the base unit; and

receiving the acceleration signal and foot unit time code at the base unit.

16. The method according to claim 15, which includes the additional steps of:

providing a playing surface with a surface unit microcontroller having program memory;

providing the playing surface with a proximity sensor;

detecting the proximity of the shoe to the proximity sensor;

generating a proximity signal with the proximity sensor corresponding to the proximity of the shoe to the proximity sensor;

storing the proximity signal on the surface unit program memory;

processing the proximity signal;

transmitting the proximity signal to the base unit;

receiving the proximity signal at the mobile unit;

analyzing the acceleration signal, foot unit time code, and proximity signal at the mobile unit; and

determining the location of the shoe on the playing surface.

17. The method according to claim 16, which includes the additional steps of:

providing the playing surface with field lines and boundary lines; and

positioning the proximity sensors within the boundary lines and field lines.