Zone based wireless player communications

• US 9,635,506 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prosports Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Prosports Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Cronin, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US14/732,400
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 4554563
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a wireless coach-to-player communications system based on specific locales of players on the field. A combination of location based services and wireless access points and hubs tasked with communicating with particular players or particular zones where players are present (as determined through the use of location based services) is implemented as a part of the communications system. As a result of dedicating communication from certain access points and hubs to certain players or zones, coaches may communicate openly with some or all of their players in a particular region of the field. The system may also be used for targeted communications with fans and spectators attending a sporting event.

Claims

1. A method for providing location-based communication, the method comprising:

receiving location information identifying locations of a plurality of recipient devices within a venue divided into a plurality of zones, wherein each zone is specific to a wireless transmitter in the venue that transmits into the respective zone;

receiving a message and an indication regarding a target from the plurality of recipient devices;

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor;

identifies, based on the location information, in which of the plurality of zones the target is located, and

routes the message to a wireless transmitter identified as corresponding to the identified zone where the target is located; and

transmitting the message to the target in the identified zone via the identified wireless transmitter that corresponds to the identified zone.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the message to one or more other recipient devices identified as one or more secondary targets, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor:

identifies, based on the location information, in which of the plurality of zones each of the secondary targets is located, and

identifies that the secondary targets are located in the same identified zone as the target.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is generated using a plurality of global positioning system tracking devices associated with the plurality of recipient devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the message to the target via the identified wireless transmitter includes transmitting the message via a radio channel that correlates to the target.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the message to the target via the identified wireless transmitter includes transmitting the message using a communication header that correlates to the target.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, based on updated location information, that the target is now located in a different zone; and

transmitting the message to the target via a wireless transmitter corresponding to the different zone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the venue is a sports venue.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each wireless transmitter of the plurality of wireless transmitters is configured to transmit into a different zone of the plurality of zones.

9. A system for providing location-based communication, the system comprising:

a communication interface that communicates over a communication network, wherein the communication interface receives location information identifying locations of a plurality of recipient devices within a venue divided into a plurality of zones, wherein each zone is specific to a wireless transmitter in the venue that transmits into the respective zone;

an input interface to receive a message and an indication regarding a target from the plurality of recipient devices; and

a processor, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the system to;

identify, based on the location information, in which of the plurality of zones the target is located, and

route the message to a wireless transmitter identified as corresponding to the identified zone where the target is located, wherein the identified wireless transmitter transmits the message to the target in the identified zone.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the identified wireless transmitter transmits the message to one or more other recipient devices identified as secondary targets, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the system to:

identify, based on the location information, in which of the plurality of zones each of secondary targets is located, and

identify that the secondary targets are located in the same identified zone as the target.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the location information is generated using a plurality of global positioning system tracking devices coupled to the plurality of recipient devices.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the identified wireless transmitter transmits the message to the target in the identified zone via a first radio channel that correlates to the target.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the identified wireless transmitter transmits the message to the target in the identified zone using a first communication header that correlates to the target.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor executes further instructions to identify, based on updated location information, that the target is now located in a different zone, and to initiate transmission of the message to the target via a wireless transmitter corresponding to the different zone.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the venue is a sports venue.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for providing location-based communication, the method comprising:

receiving location information identifying locations of a plurality of recipient devices within a venue divided into a plurality of zones, wherein each zone is specific to a wireless transmitter in the venue that transmits into the respective zone;

receiving a message and an indication regarding a target from the plurality of recipient devices;

identifying, based on the location information, in which of the plurality of zones the target is located;

routing the message to a wireless transmitter identified as corresponding to the identified zone where the target is located; and

transmitting the message to the target via the identified wireless transmitter corresponding to the identified zone.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising additional instructions executable to transmit the message to one or more other recipient devices identified as secondary targets, wherein execution of the additional instructions by the processor:

identifies, based on the location information, in which of the plurality of zones each of the secondary targets is located,

identifies that the secondary targets are located in the same identified zone as the target.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the location information is generated using a plurality of global positioning system tracking devices coupled to the plurality of recipient devices.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein transmitting the message to the target via the identified wireless transmitter includes transmitting the message using one of a first radio channel that correlates to the target or a first communication header that correlates to the target.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising additional instructions executable to:

identify, based on updated location information, that the target is now located in a different zone; and

route the message to the target to a wireless transmitter identified as corresponding to the different zone.