Multi-media network-based communication system and method for training sports officials

• US 6,311,041 B1
• Filed: 02/29/2000
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christopher J. Goodyear
• Original Assignee: Christopher J. Goodyear
• Inventors: Goodyear, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US09/515,828
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 434/219, 434/307.R, 434/308, 434/247, 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/362, 434/365, 463/1, 463/3, 463/4, 463/16, 463/19, 463/22, 463/29, 463/40-42, 273/139, 273/236, 273/237, 273/242, 273/259, 273/269, 273/284, 273/287, 273/460, 472/89-92, 482/902, 345/156, 345/634, 342/41, 342/386, 342/456, 379/92.03, 379/93.13, 370/260-262, 473/415, 473/454, 473/471, 473/499, 455/2.01, 705/14, 705/219, 707/102, 707/501.1, 707/513, 707/517, 709/202-205, 709/220, 709/225-227, 711/160, 711/171, 717/11
• US Class Current: 434/350
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A system and method provide a site on a network accessible to a staff of officials from a sports league to facilitate more consistent and correct officiating of games played under league rules. The site provides links to digitized game segments demonstrative of lessons to be learned from review of the segments. Each digitized game segment is provided with a comment and/or question intended to instruct the reviewing official as to the lesson to be learned from review of the displayed game play. Additionally provided to the officials over the site are periodic tests and rule clarifications intended to further sharpen their officiating skills. Officials that travel between different sports venues in a given week are able to review the site between games for newly posted training-related materials from prior games.

Claims

1. A method for training a staff of officials from a sports league by employing a computer system to provide a site on a network which includes training-related information posted on the site for review by the officials over remote computer terminals, comprising:

a) receiving over a television signal reception system a televised broadcast of a game played under league rules;

b) recording the broadcasted game on a storage medium;

c) reviewing the recording of the broadcasted game;

d) selecting from the reviewing of the broadcasted game one or more game segments that a training authority finds as valuable for training the officials;

e) employing the computer system to digitize the selected game segments into a form for access over the site;

f) employing the computer system to store the digitized game segments in a database linked to the site; and

g) employing the computer system to post a link on the site for each digitized game segment stored in the database, each link when chosen by an official over a remote computer terminal calling up from the database for review by the official the stored representation of the corresponding digitized game segment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a valuable game segment demonstrates at least one of the following, according to the training authority:

an official'"'"'s call that is inaccurate, a similar game situation that is dissimilarly officiated, a technique that a player in violation of a game rule uses to avoid having an official render a call against them, a game situation which occurs infrequently or involves resolving complex game rules.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the digitized game segments comprise one of video and audio-video files for the selected game segments.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the digitized game segments are posted on the site from a plurality of games that are played during the sports league season.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least some of the officials travel between different sports venues to officiate games, accessing the site between games to review digitized game segments from prior games.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the posting on the site of a comment from the training authority, each comment providing a training-related observation concerning a related digitized game segment.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the posting on the site of a question from the training authority, each question providing a training-related inquiry concerning a related digitized game segment.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a) preparing for the officials a test concerning league rules;

b) posting on the site an electronic form comprising the test for the officials to take;

c) receiving completed tests on the site from the officials; and

d) posting test results on the site.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a) furnishing a rule clarification concerning a league rule; and

b) posting the rule clarification on the site.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the sports league is one of a professional and an amateur sports league.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the network comprises the Internet.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the site establishes a communication link between any two members of the group consisting of:

the officials, the training authority, players of the sport, owners of the league teams, administrators of the league teams, and sports fans.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the posting on the site of electronic forms for receiving from the officials reports required by the training authority which relate to one of a summary of an officiated game and a travel expense report.

14. A method of providing instruction to facilitate more consistent and correct officiating of games played under defined rules of a sports league comprising:

a) providing a site on a network establishing a communication link between those with interest in the instruction;

b) selecting from a game one or more game segments demonstrative of a call made by one or more game officials that has training value;

c) digitizing the selected game segments into a form for posting on the site; and

d) posting for review on the site the digitized game segments, each digitized game segment being linked to one of a displayed comment and question at least suggestive of an instructional point demonstrated by the corresponding digitized game segment.

15. A system facilitating more consistent and correct officiating of games played under defined rules of a sports league, wherein the officiating is performed by a staff of league officials, at least some of which travel between different sports venues to officiate the games, comprising:

a) a site on a network accessible to the staff of officials between the games to review training-related information posted on the site from prior games;

b) a series of digitized game segments posted on the site, each digitized game segment comprising a video segment from a prior game that demonstrates game action having a call under the rules made by one or more game officials; and

c) a series of comments and questions posted on the site, each comment and question being at least suggestive of a lesson demonstrated by the training-related information from a corresponding digitized game segment.