System of electronic devices that is designed to assist a football referee

• US 20050162257A1
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harold H. Gonzalez
• Original Assignee: Harold H. Gonzalez
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Harold H.
• Application Number:
  US10/505,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20050162257A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/323.R
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/08 Sport

Abstract

The invention relates to a system of devices that can be integrated into elements that are designed to assist the referee in football, such as the referee'"'"'s whistle, the linesmen'"'"'s flags, the playing area and the ball. The inventive system can also be used for American football and for any other ball sports. The invention makes use of a series of sensor elements, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) or indicator bulbs, vibration indicators, a control console, a laser light and radiofrequency signal transmitter/receiver mechanisms together with the respective microchips thereof, all of which are known in electronics. The aforementioned elements are adapted and used as auxiliary refereeing supports in the standard elements, i.e. the whistle, flags and rectangular playing area, and, in this way, can be used to provide instant correct solutions to playing situations that could give rise to dubious decisions and subsequent disputes.

Claims

1. The system of electronic devices acts as auxiliary arbitrators for soccer games, and function through radio-frequency signal emitter-receiver mechanisms, which are located in:

The horn or whistle of the referee,

The flags of the Assistant referee,

The ball,

The field,

The player'"'"'s uniforms,

A control panel and,

A LASER light beam.

6. According to claims 1, 2, 3, and 5, the LASER signal beam projects on the field an image, in plain view, that points out the exact 9.15 meter distance that should remain free of opposing players during a free kick.

7. According to claims 1, 2, 3, and 5, throughout the course of a soccer game, when a player is found in an “

offside”

position at the exact moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, it is reported in the “

display”

of the referee'"'"'s whistle, in the assistant referee'"'"'s flag, and in the control panel, at the request of the assistant referee, who only has to press a button on his flag for the system to indicate if an “

offside”

situation occurred.

8. According to claims 1, 2, 3, and 5, when an opposing player invades the area of 9.15 meters during a free kick, it is immediately reported in the display of the referee'"'"'s whistle and the control panel.

9. According to claim 1, 2, 3, and 5, when a player invades the area of 16.50 meters during a penalty kick, it is immediately reported to the display of the referee'"'"'s whistle and the control panel (in order to repeat the kick if necessary).

10. According to claims 1, 2, 3, and 5, during the execution of a penalty kick, when a goalie moves forward before the player has kicked the ball, it is immediately reported in the display of the referee'"'"'s whistle and in the control panel (in order to repeat the kick if necessary).

12. According to claims 1, 2, and 10, the transmission between the control panel and the hand held devices of the arbitrators (the whistle and the flags) is wireless by radio-frequency through the field devices (the fixed land unit).

2. According to claim number one, the system utilizes a control panel, which includes software or a program that interprets and transmits different emitted signals by the devices on the field, towards the devices in the whistle and the assistant referee'"'"'s flags.

3. According to claim number one, the location where the electronic devices in the referee'"'"'s whistle especially correspond to:

A radio-frequency emitter-receiver activated by batteries

A LASER signal activator button to mark the 9.15 meter distance for free kicks.

Three illuminated signals (green, yellow and red) to indicate different plays.

A display or screen with an 8-digit capacity to register game incidents or time passed.

Buttons to control the games'"'"' time clock.

A call button to call the attention of the Assistant referee

Internal vibrator to indicate a goal situation when the ball passes the goal line.

4. According to claim number one, the location of the electronic devices in each of the assistant referee'"'"'s flags, corresponds especially to:

A button that retracts the flag into its mast.

A button that activates the order to check for any “

offside”

position.

A light emitter (LED) that indicates the “

offside”

position.

An auditory signal, like beep-beep, to indicate the “

offside”

position.

A button to call the referee through the whistle.

5. According to claim number one, the field devices work with radio-frequency signals connected to the control panel which include:

Fixed Air Units, placed on land level and on the sidelines.

Fixed Goal Units, installed in the goal post.

Fixed Land Unit, situated some 5 centimeters below the center of the field.

LASER signal beam, that is optionally placed on the roof, in the stands, or on a light tower, in order to follow the trajectory of the ball at any location on the field.

11. According to claims one and two, the control panel is connected by fiber optic conductors of identical length to each on of the field devices (with the four fixed aerial units, the fixed goal units, as well as with the fixed land unit that acts as an antenna).

13. According to claims one and two, the control panel incorporates software that, before the beginning of the game (or at any moment in the game), assigns random codes to each moving object (players, whistle, flags, and the ball) to avoid possible interference from third parties.

14. One system of electronic devices that incorporates in the control panel one time discriminator device, which receives signals from the fixed air units, as well as the fixed goal units, takes the first signal that arrives as reference and with the rest, manages to instantly calculate the exact spatial positioning of each one of the mobile devices through triangulation.