Athletic performance monitoring systems and methods in a team sports environment

• US 9,452,319 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2014
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Molyneux, James, Weast, Aaron B., Burroughs, Brandon S., Berggren, Scott R., Lindsay, Clayton J., Rice, Jordan M., Buxton, Bert B., Lowe, Edward S.
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US14/297,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20140358261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0054 provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• 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 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/20 Cricket
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/58 Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 : Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 : Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 : Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 : Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 : Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 : American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 : Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 : Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 : electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 : Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 : Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 : using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/751 : wherein the responder or reflector radiates a coded signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/82 : wherein continuous-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 : Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 : using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 : having computer circuitry

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods estimate the distance between a player and a ball by transmitting a chirp (sweep signal) to a radio tag located on the ball. During the chirp, the frequency of the transmitted signal is changed in a predetermined fashion. The radio tag doubles the transmitted frequency and returns the processed signal to a transceiver typically located on the player. The currently transmitted frequency is then compared with the received frequency to obtain a difference frequency from which an apparatus may estimate the distance. The apparatus may simultaneously receive the processed signal from the radio tag while transmitting the sweep signal.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause a computer device to perform at least:

receive information from at least a first set of transceivers and a second set of transceivers of a plurality of body-worn transceivers that are respectively configured to be attached to a plurality of players and communicate with a radio tag of a ball;

based, at least in part, on the received information from the first set of transceivers, identifying players associated with the first set of transceivers as being within a first proximity threshold to the ball;

based, at least in part, on the first set of transceivers being within the first proximity threshold, identifying the corresponding plurality of players as being on a first team;

after identifying players associated with the first set of transceivers as being on the first team, identifying players associated with the second set of transceivers as being within the first proximity threshold to the ball; and

based, at least in part, on the second set of transceivers being with the first proximity threshold, identifying the corresponding plurality of players as being on a second team.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable medium comprises computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause a computer device to perform at least:

receive electronic information corresponding to an interaction between the radio tag of the ball and one of the plurality of body-worn transceivers indicative of a controlled behavior; and

transmitting an indication that the ball has transitioned to at least a first player associated with an opposing team.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the controlled behavior comprises squeezing the ball.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the controlled behavior comprises picking up the ball.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the controlled behavior comprises throwing the ball.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the controlled behavior comprises kicking the ball.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the controlled behavior comprises passing the ball to each team member.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the received information includes pass frequency information, and wherein the computer-readable medium comprises computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause a computer device to perform at least:

determining a first set of player preferences for a first player in the plurality of player based in part on the pass frequency information.

9. A method comprising:

receiving information from at least a first set of transceivers and a second set of transceivers of a plurality of body-worn transceivers that are respectively configured to be attached to a plurality of players and communicate with a radio tag of a ball;

based, at least in part, on the received information from the first set of transceivers, identifying players associated with the first set of transceivers as being within a first proximity threshold to the ball;

based, at least in part, on the first set of transceivers being within the first proximity threshold, identifying the corresponding plurality of players as being on a first team;

after identifying player associated with the first set of transceivers as being on the first team, identifying players associated with the second set of transceivers as being within the first proximity threshold to the ball; and

based, at least in part, on the second set of transceivers being within the first proximity threshold, identifying the corresponding plurality of players as being on a second team.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving electronic information corresponding to an interaction between the radio tag of the ball and one of the plurality of body-worn transceivers indicative of a controlled behavior; and

transmitting an indication that the ball has transitioned to at least a first player associated with an opposing team.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the controlled behavior comprises squeezing the ball.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the controlled behavior comprises picking up the ball.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the controlled behavior comprises throwing the ball.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the controlled behavior comprises kicking the ball.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the controlled behavior comprises passing the ball to each team member.

16. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system at least to;

receive information from at least a first set of transceivers and a second set of transceivers of a plurality of body-worn transceivers that are respectively configured to be attached to a corresponding plurality of players and communicate with a radio tag of a ball;

based, at least in part, on the received information from the first set of transceivers, identifying players associated with the first set of transceivers as being within a first proximity threshold to the ball;

based, at least in part, on the first set of transceivers being within the first proximity threshold, identifying the corresponding plurality of players as being on a first team

after identifying players associated with the first set of transceivers as being on the first team, identify players associated with the second set of transceivers as being with the first proximity threshold to the ball; and

based, al least in part, on the second set of transceivers being within the first proximity threshold, identify the corresponding plurality of players as being on a second team.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to perform at least:

receive electronic information corresponding to an interaction between the radio tag of the ball and one of the plurality of body-worn transceivers indicative of a controlled behavior; and

transmit an indication that the ball has transitioned to at least a first player associated with an opposing team.