GPS based spectator and participant sport system and method

• US 7,855,638 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spatial Reality LLC
• Original Assignee: Charles D. Huston
• Inventors: Huston, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US11/456,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20070015586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 342/103
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• 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 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: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted

Abstract

A spectator sport system and method that displays different views of a sporting event and, in particular, uses the spectator'"'"'s GPS position to assist in displaying a view from the spectator'"'"'s position. The spectator, using a personal device, can zoom, pan, tilt and change the view, as well as change the view to another position, such as a finish line, goal, or a participant position. Vital information on the sporting event or a participant can be appended to the view. In some forms, augmented reality can be used, such as a finish line or goal, to enhance the experience. Additional service requests can be made from the personal device.

Claims

1. A system for observing a sporting event comprising:

wherein said sporting event includes a plurality of moving sport participants, and having a positioning mechanism for determining a participant position;

a base station for receiving said participant positions and having a radio for transmitting said participant positions; and

a plurality of portable devices accompanying respective spectators, each portable device including a radio for receiving participant positions and a graphics display selectable by the spectator to display perspective views of the sporting event from different viewing locations, a GPS receiver for determining the spectator'"'"'s location, wherein at least one view includes a rendered graphical representation of a participant, and the sport venue based on participants determined positions, so that at least one of said spectator views selectable on the display is a view form the spectator'"'"'s location based on spectator'"'"'s determined position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said number of portable devices includes a processor for receiving said participant positions and for comparing said participant positions with said spectator'"'"'s location, and is coupled to said graphics display to generate said spectator view from the spectator'"'"'s location of one or more participant positions.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said spectator view from the spectator'"'"'s location is adjustable by the user to zoom in or out.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said spectator'"'"'s different views is an overhead view of the sporting venue.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said spectator'"'"'s different views is an enlarged zoom view.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said spectator'"'"'s different views is a horizontally shifted pan view.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said spectator'"'"'s different views is a view from a participant'"'"'s position.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said positioning mechanism includes a triangulation positioning system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said positioning mechanism includes a GPS receiver for determining a GPS position, and a radio for transmitting said GPS position to said base station.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the view from the spectator position comprises a perspective view and an augmented reality overlay.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the augmented reality overlay includes a highlight of at least one of the participants.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the augmented reality overlay includes information concerning at least one of the participants.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the augmented reality overlay includes information concerning the sporting event venue.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable device comprises glasses.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable device comprises a handheld device.

16. A method for observing a sporting event comprising:

determining a position of one or more participants at the venue of the sporting event;

transmitting the determined position of each participant;

equipping one or more spectators with a device having a graphics display, a GPS receiver for determining a spectator'"'"'s location;

communicating the one or more participant positions to the spectator'"'"'s device; and

viewing on the graphics display of the device a perspective depiction of the one or more participant positions at said venue, whereby the spectator can selectively change the location of the points of view, and said perspective depiction includes a rendered graphical representation of a participant, wherein one of the selectable points of view being not from the spectator'"'"'s location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein one of said points of view being from a participant'"'"'s position.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said participant position determining step comprises equipping a plurality of participants with a GPS receiver to determine participant position.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said participant positions are transmitted to a server, wherein said spectator'"'"'s device authenticates with said server, and wherein said server communicates said participant positions to authenticated devices.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said devices are remote from said venue, and said participant positions are communicated to said devices over a wide area network.

21. The method of claim 16, including communicating advertising messages to the spectator.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said rendered graphical representation comprises an augmented reality overlay of at least one of the participants.

23. A method of viewing a live event in real time by a spectator comprising:

determining the position of the spectator using a GPS receiver;

wirelessly receiving the positions of a number of participants at said live event;

rendering in real time a graphical representation concerning said participant positions at said live event;

viewing in real time the graphical representation from said spectator position, wherein said viewing does not include live video, and wherein said spectator'"'"'s position is not an overhead view of said live event; and

selectively changing the view point of said graphical representation from said spectator position to another position, wherein said spectator position is not a fixed camera location.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein changing the view point of said graphical representation comprises enlarging the graphical information to a zoom view.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein changing the view point of said graphical representation comprises rotating the graphical information in a vertical axis to a tilt view.

26. The method of claim 23, including transmitting service requests from the spectator.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein changing the view point of said graphical representation comprises changing the view point to the location of a participant.

28. The method of claim 23, including communicating information concerning at least one of the participants to the spectator.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said rendered graphical representation includes advertising messages.

30. The method of claim 23, including communicating advertising messages to the spectator.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the graphical information is a 3D graphics rendering of said live event.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the graphical representation comprises an augmented reality overlay.

33. A portable device for observing a live event at a venue comprising:

a radio for receiving positions of moving participants at said live event venue;

a graphics display for displaying perspective views of the live event, wherein the display is selectable to depict perspective views of the live event from different viewing locations at the venue; and

a graphics rendering processor for receiving said participant positions from said radio and rendering a graphical representation on said display of said participants in the received positions at said live event venue, and for rendering the graphical representation of new participant positions as said participants move about the venue.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the graphical representation is an augmented reality overlay that includes a highlight of at least one of the participants.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein the graphical representation includes appended information concerning at least one of the participants.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein the graphics processor presents information concerning the event venue on the graphics display.

37. The device of claim 33, wherein the graphics processor presents advertising messages on the graphics display.