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Instrumented sports paraphernalia system

  • US 8,959,555 B2
  • Filed: 06/04/2013
  • Issued: 02/17/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system installed at a sporting venue for delivering audio and video of a sporting event, comprising:

  • at least one of a fixed instrumented sports paraphernalia object and a dynamic instrumented sports paraphernalia object;

    whereinsaid fixed instrumented sports paraphernalia object, integrated into a playing area of the sporting venue, comprising;

    integrated devices comprising at least one first video camera and at least one first microphone, anda bi-directional communication link configured to transmit first media content captured by said first video camera and said first microphone;

    said dynamic instrumented sports paraphernalia object, different from the fixed instrumented sports paraphernalia object, comprising;

    a package assembly containing at least one second video camera and at least one second microphone, anda bi-directional communication link configured to transmit second media content captured by said second video camera and second microphone;

    at least one antenna array relay junction configured for receiving at least one of said first media content and said second media content;

    at least one base station configured to receive from at least one of said fixed instrumented sports paraphernalia object and said dynamic instrumented sports paraphernalia object, via at least one of a wired communication link and wireless communication link through said antenna relay junction, at least one of said first media content and second media content,wherein said base station comprises;

    processing circuitry configured to process at least one of said first media content and second media content to produce processed media content, wherein said base station is configured to transmit said processed media content to at least one of a live TV viewing audience and a steaming Internet audience, andwherein said base station is further configured to transmit command and control signals to at least one of the fixed instrumented sports paraphernalia object and the dynamic instrumented sports paraphernalia object to control functions associated with at least one of said first video camera and said second video camera;

    wherein at least one of said first video camera and said second video camera comprises an image sensor chip comprised of a flat image sensor array of pixel elements disposed in a circular shape in the x-y image plane of said sensor chip centered around the optical z-axis of said first video camera and said second video camera for capturing at least one of said first media content and said second media content and enabling said base station to process upright images no matter what arbitrary direction is selected in the x-y plane for the image of an object in the playing area;

    wherein the diameter of said circular shape is a predetermined value sufficient to cover the field of view of the playing area;

    said image sensor'"'"'s circular shape eliminating the need for an electro-mechanical actuator to produce upright media content;

    wherein when said fixed instrumented sports paraphernalia object comprises at least four said first cameras, said base station is configured with software enabling selection of a first interpupillary distance by selecting a first camera pair comprising two of said four said first video cameras, wherein said first interpupillary distance, comprising the distance between the selected said first camera pair, is selected for increasing or decreasing the 3-D effects to the TV audience;

    wherein when said dynamic instrumented sports paraphernalia object comprises at least four said second cameras, said base station is configured with software enabling selection of a second interpupillary distance by selecting a second camera pair comprising two of said four said second video cameras, wherein said second interpupillary distance, comprising the distance between the selected said second camera pair, is selected for increasing or decreasing the 3-D effects to the TV audience;

    wherein said package assembly further comprises a gyroscope transducer configured to obtain orientation information comprising pitch, roll, and yaw data related to the dynamic instrumented sports paraphernalia object, the package assembly further configured to encode and transmit said orientation information to said base station, wherein said base station utilizes said orientation information to stabilize said received second media content;

    wherein said base station is configured for processing at least one of said first media content and said second media to produce stabilized upright images of the playing area;

    wherein said base station is further configured to generate stabilized audio by processing audio signals received from said second microphone to remove effects of spin imparted on said dynamic instrumented sports paraphernalia object, said stabilized audio being fixed to a reference point that is the direction of forward motion of the dynamic instrumented sports paraphernalia object, and wherein said stabilized audio is combined with said processed media content and delivered to said live TV viewing audience and said streaming internet audience.

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