Field goal indicator for video presentation

• US 9,684,971 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Presencia En Medios Sa De CV
• Original Assignee: Presencia En Medios Sa De CV
• Inventors: Sonabend, Roberto, Almeida, Jose Luis
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Tracy Y
• Application Number:
  US14/442,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20150296272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• 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 7/223 using block-matching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A method is described for indicating an outcome of a sports action by determining a trajectory of a game-object. In football, the trajectory of the football determines the outcome of a field goal attempt. A television viewer has difficulty seeing if the ball passes between the uprights or not, especially if the ball is kicked higher than the uprights. By tracking the trajectory, virtual insertions such as extended goal posts, or goal posts colored to reflect the success or not of the attempt, can be inserted in a video feed. By tracking the flight of the ball from the time it is set in motion, the balls future trajectory is predicted after a short elapsed time, and the television audience is informed of the outcome before it has happened.

Claims

1. A method of indicating an outcome of a football field goal attempt in a broadcast video of an event, comprising:

locating a position of a football placement on a playing field relative to a position of a goal post being aimed at;

obtaining, after a predetermined elapsed time after the football is kicked, a three-dimension position of said kicked football relative to said position of football placement on the playing field;

using said single three dimensional position of said kicked football to predict whether not said kicked football will pass through an imaginary success rectangle defined by goal post being aimed at; and

if said prediction is indicative of a successful field goal kick, immediately displaying indicia indicative of said success using pattern recognition technology to insert said indicia as a virtual graphic element appearing to be a part of the scene being broadcast.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said indicia of success is to display said goal posts in a particular color.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising extending the goal posts.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said trajectory is calculated using a vector equation:

ma=−

mgj−

bvv where m is the mass of the football, a is the acceleration vector, g is the gravitational constant, v is the initial velocity, v is the unit velocity vector, b is a constant representing air resistance and wind direction and j is the unit vector in the vertical direction.