Goal recognition system and method for recognizing a goal

• US 9,924,108 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goalcontrol GmbH
• Original Assignee: Goalcontrol GmbH
• Inventors: Lindner, Bjoern, Philipps, Juergen, Beaujean, Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jeffery
• Application Number:
  US14/299,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20140285669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 348157
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/12 with mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30224 Ball; Puck
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A system and a method for goal recognition, in which a plurality of cameras monitor a goal line plane that is generated by a framework for a goal, wherein at least one camera module is provided which can be used to monitor a sector outside the goal laterally adjacent to the framework or in front of the framework in the direction of a playing field in order to determine a trajectory for a playing body in the region of the playing field in the direction of the goal, wherein the operation of the cameras for monitoring the goal line plane and/or the evaluation of the image data therefrom can be controlled on the basis of the image data from the camera module.

Claims

1. A goal recognition system comprising:

a plurality of cameras with which a goal line plane spanned through a framework of a goal is monitored; and

at least one camera module with which a sector laterally adjacent to the framework or a sector of a playing field region outside of the goal in front of the framework is used to determine a trajectory of a playing body in a direction of the goal,

wherein a operation of the camera for monitoring the goal line plane and/or evaluation of image data is controlled as a function of the image data of the camera module,

wherein the camera module monitors a reference plane in a sector, and wherein the plane is coplanar with the goal line plane, and wherein the reference plane is adjacent to a post of the framework, and

wherein the image data of the plurality of cameras for monitoring the goal line plane is disregarded if the camera module detects that the playing body has completely crossed the reference plane from the direction of the playing field.

2. The goal recognition system according to claim 1, wherein a mirror module, which aligns a beam path of the camera along the goal line plane, is assigned to at least camera with which the goal line plane is monitored.

3. The goal recognition system according to claim 1, wherein at least one camera module is provided with which a sector outside of the goal laterally adjacent to the framework or a sector of a playing field region in front of the framework for determining a trajectory of a playing body in the direction of the goal is monitored, and wherein the operation of the plurality of cameras for monitoring the goal line plane and/or the evaluation of their image data are controlled as a function of the image data of the camera module.

4. The goal recognition system according to claim 1, wherein the sector which is monitored outside of the goal by the at least one camera module in front of the framework is used to detect a predetermined playing field region with a maximum distance from the goal, wherein the plurality of cameras for monitoring the goal line plane are operated in a predetermined mode if a camera module detects that the playing body is moving in a predetermined playing field region in the direction of the goal line plane.

5. The goal recognition system according to claim 1, wherein the cameras for monitoring the goal line plane and/or the at least one camera module are disposed at least partially in or on the framework of a goal, wherein the framework has an opening for the beam path of a camera and/or a camera of at least one camera module.

6. The goal recognition system according to claim 1, wherein a mirror module is assigned to at least one camera module, the mirror module aligning the beam path of a camera system of the camera module in the sector outside of the goal laterally adjacent to the framework or in a playing field region in front of the framework.

7. The goal recognition system according to claim 5, wherein at least one camera for monitoring the goal line plane and/or one camera of the camera module is disposed with its longitudinal axis essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of a post or a crossbar of the framework.

8. The goal recognition system according to claim 2, wherein the mirror module together with a camera for monitoring the goal line plane and/or together with the camera module forms a structural unit which is mounted completely inside a part of the framework.

9. The goal recognition system according to claim 5, wherein at least one camera for monitoring the goal line plane and/or at least one camera module is attached to the framework by a damping element so that vibrations of the framework are transferred to the camera and/or to the camera module only in diminished form or not at all.

10. The goal recognition system according to claim 2, wherein the mirror module has a main mirror that aligns the beam path of a camera assigned to it along the goal line plane and/or in the sector outside of the framework with at least one additional mirror, which aligns the beam path of the camera with the main mirror, provided between the main mirror and the camera assigned to the mirror module.

11. The goal recognition system according to claim 1, wherein a computation unit with which the cameras for monitoring the goal line plane and the at least one camera module is controlled and/or their image data are analyzed is provided, wherein a goal decision signal is generated on the basis of the image data of the cameras for monitoring the goal line plane when the playing body has completely crossed the goal line plane from the direction of the playing field, or on the basis of the image data of the camera of the at least one camera module, a decision signal indicating that this is not a goal is generated when the playing body has completely crossed the reference plane from the direction of the playing field.

12. The goal recognition system according to claim 11, wherein the goal decision signal or nondecision signal is transmitted over a transmission link to a reception unit or a mobile reception unit and is displayed.

13. The goal recognition system according to claim 1, wherein the image data of an image, which is generated by a camera and/or a camera module and recorded at a point in time when a playing body had completely crossed the goal line plane and/or the reference plane from the direction of the playing field, is transmitted over a transmission link to a mobile reception unit.