U.S. patent application number 11/051843 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-10 for apparatus and method for determining participant contact with a sports object.
This patent application is currently assigned to Avaya Technology Corp.. Invention is credited to Marc William Joseph Coughlan, Alexander Quentin Forbes, Peter Donald Runcie, Alexander Martin Scholte, Ralph Warta.
Application Number | 20060178235 11/051843 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36780644 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060178235 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Coughlan; Marc William Joseph ;
et al. |
August 10, 2006 |
Apparatus and method for determining participant contact with a
sports object
Abstract
A method and apparatus determine contact by a participant with a
sports object by detecting contact of the sports object with the
participant via a personal area network of the participant;
transmitting in response to the detection player identification
information to a central controller; determining that the sports
object has left a field of play by the central controller; and
alerting in response to the determination a sports official to
identify a last participant to contact the sports object via an
official system by the central controller.
Inventors: |
Coughlan; Marc William Joseph;
(Rozelle, AU) ; Forbes; Alexander Quentin;
(Westleigh, AU) ; Runcie; Peter Donald; (Bigola
Plateau, AU) ; Scholte; Alexander Martin; (Phegans
Bay, AU) ; Warta; Ralph; (Lane Cove, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN C. MORAN, ATTORNEY, P.C.
4120 EAST 115 PLACE
THORNTON
CO
80233-2623
US
|
Assignee: |
Avaya Technology Corp.
|
Family ID: |
36780644 |
Appl. No.: |
11/051843 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/438 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2071/0611 20130101;
A63B 71/0605 20130101; A63B 43/004 20130101; A63B 2220/10 20130101;
A63B 2024/0025 20130101; A63B 2243/0025 20130101; A63B 24/0021
20130101; A63B 2024/0028 20130101; A63B 2024/0031 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/438 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/00 20060101
A63B069/00 |
Claims
1. A method for assisting in officiating a sports contest,
comprising the steps of: detecting contact of a sports object with
a participant via a personal area network of the participant;
transmitting in response to the detection participant
identification information to a central controller; determining
that the sports object has left a field of play by the central
controller; and alerting in response to the determination a sports
official to identify a last participant to contact the sports
object via an official system by the central controller.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting contact of
the sports object with a participant comprises the step of
receiving information from the personal area network of the
participant by a body controller of the participant; and the step
of transmitting is executed by the body controller.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprises the steps of determining
a location of the participant on the field of play; transmitting a
message to the central controller for determination if the location
of the participant is a possible violation of official rules.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprises the steps of determining
a location of the participant on the field of play; and calculating
statistical information based on locations of the participant and
contacts by the participant with the sports object.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining comprises
the step of receiving information from the sports official via the
official system.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting contact of
the sports object with a participant comprises the step of
receiving information from the personal area network of the
participant by an object controller of the sports object; and the
step of transmitting is executed by the object controller whereby
the participant identification information is received from the
personal area network.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprises the steps of determining
a location of the participant on the field of play; transmitting a
message to the central controller for determination if the location
of the participant is a possible violation of official rules.
8. The method of claim 6 further comprises the steps of determining
a location of the participant on the field of play; and calculating
statistical information based on locations of the participant and
contacts by the participant with the sports object.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining comprises
the step of receiving information from the sports official via the
official system.
10. An apparatus to assist in officiating a sports contest,
comprising: a central controller; a official system; a body
controller detecting contact with a sports object via a personal
area network for a participant and transmitting a contact message
to the central controller indicating the contact and participant
identification information; and the central controller transmitting
an alerting message to the official system to identify a last
participant to contact the sports object upon receipt of the
contact message and a determination that the sports object has left
a field of play.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprises a participant
locator and the body controller transmitting a participant location
message based on information from the participant locator to the
central controller; and the central controller determining if the
location of the participant is a possible rule violation.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the central controller
further calculating statistical information based on locations of
the participant and contacts by the participant with the sports
object.
13. An apparatus to assist in officiating a sports contest,
comprising: a central controller; a official system; a object
controller detecting contact with a sports object via a personal
area network for a participant and transmitting a contact message
to the central controller indicating the contact and receiving
participant identification information from the personal area
network; and the central controller transmitting an alerting
message to the official system to identify a last participant to
contact the sports object upon receipt of the contact message and a
determination that the sports object has left a field of play.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprises a participant
locator and a body controller; the body controller transmitting a
participant location message based on information from the
participant locator to the central controller; and the central
controller determining if the location of the participant is a
possible rule violation.
15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the central controller
further calculating statistical information based on locations of
the participant and contacts by the participant with the sports
object.
16. A processor-readable medium for assisting in officiating a
sports contest, comprising processor-executable instructions
configured for: processor-executable instructions for detecting
contact of a sports object with a participant via a personal area
network of the participant; processor-executable instructions
executed by a central controller for transmitting in response to
the detection participant identification information;
processor-executable instructions executed by a central controller
for determining that the sports object has left a field of play;
and processor-executable instructions executed by a central
controller for alerting in response to the determination a sports
official and identifying a last participant to contact the sports
object via an official system.
17. The processor-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the
processor-executable instructions for detecting contact of the
sports object with a participant are executed by a body controller
of the participant with information from the personal area network
of the participant; and the processor-executable instructions for
transmitting are executed by the body controller.
18. The processor-readable medium of claim 16 further comprises the
processor-executable instructions for determining a location of the
participant on the field of play; and processor-executable
instructions for transmitting a message to the central controller
for determination if the location of the participant is a possible
violation of official rules.
19. The processor-readable medium of claim 16 further comprises
processor-executable instructions for determining a location of the
participant on the field of play; and processor-executable
instructions for calculating statistical information based on
locations of the participant and contacts by the participant with
the sports object.
20. An apparatus for implementing the steps of claim 1.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to detection of an object being
touched by a person.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In many sports, it is important to know which player last
touched the game ball. This is particularly true in sports such as
basketball and soccer. Whereas, in soccer, it is possible to review
a play using instant replay using taped video, it greatly slows
down the flow of the game. The problem is not severe in a game such
as football which has a natural stopping point at regular
intervals. But in soccer particularly, the need to stop the game
and review a particular play causes major disruption in the soccer
game itself. This is also true in basketball. By the same token, in
championship play, a mistake by a referee during a soccer game
concerning who was the last player to touch the ball before it went
out of bounds can have serious repercussions not only to the game
but also to the mood of the crowd which have been known to riot.
These considerations are also true for other sports such as rugby,
etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A method and apparatus determine contact by a participant
with a sports object by detecting contact of the sports object with
the participant via a personal area network of the participant;
transmitting in response to the detection participant
identification information to a central controller; determining
that the sports object has left a field of play by the central
controller; and alerting in response to the determination a sports
official to identify a last participant to contact the sports
object via an official system by the central controller.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system;
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a system;
[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of connectors positioned on
a ball;
[0007] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the arrangement of
conductors on a ball;
[0008] FIG. 5 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed
by an embodiment of a body controller;
[0009] FIG. 6 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations of an
embodiment of a central system;
[0010] FIG. 7 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations of another
embodiment of a body controller;
[0011] FIG. 8 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations of an
embodiment of a ball controller;
[0012] FIG. 9 illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of
a body controller;
[0013] FIG. 10 illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of
a central system;
[0014] FIG. 11 illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of
an official system; and
[0015] FIG. 12 illustrates, in block diagram form, a ball
controller.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] In one embodiment, a personal area network (also referred to
as a body area network) is created for each player so that the body
and the clothing of each player becomes a local area network. The
ball or other physical object generates an identification code
which is transmitted to the player's personal area network when the
ball touches the player's body or clothing. The information is
transmitted from the ball to the personal area network via
conductors on the surface of the ball. The personal area network of
the player is under the control of a body controller which then
transmits the information from the ball to a central system. The
central system records the players that touch the ball and analyzes
this information when it determines that the ball has gone out of
the field of play of other game occurrences. This determination may
be made based on an input from a game official. At that time, the
central controller can transmit to a system utilized by an official
of the game (official system), such as a linesman or referee, the
information concerning the last player to touch the ball.
[0017] In addition, another embodiment of the body controller
allows the body controller to determine the position of the player
on the playing field and transmit this information to the central
system. Such location information is important, for example, to
determine offside decisions in a soccer game.
[0018] In also, another embodiment allows the central system to
analysis location and contact information to produce statistical
information such as pass completion rates, percentage of ball
possession, etc.
[0019] In another embodiment, the body controller of a player
transmits the player's identification information to the ball when
the player comes in contact with the ball. The ball controller then
uses the player identification information to transmit this
information to a central system.
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system. Ball
controller 106 is continuously transmitting the ball's
identification information to the outer surface of the ball. When
ball 104 comes into contact with player 102, the ball's
identification information is transferred to the personal area
network of the player's body or clothes that is under control of
body controller 103. The construction of body controller 103 and
its interaction with the personal area network is described in
greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,827 and U.S. Pat. No.
6,104,913, these patents are hereby incorporated by reference. In
addition, the incorporated patents disclose the transfer of
information from an external object, such as ball 104, to the
personal area network.
[0021] Body controller 103 then transmits the fact that ball 104
has touched player 102 to central system 101. Central system 101
analyzes this information and determines if it should be
transmitted to official system 111. The transmission of information
from central system 101 is to official controller 107. Official
controller 107 may choose to provide this information to a game
official via input-output device 108 or display device 109. In one
embodiment, the identity of player 102 is always displayed on 109
so that the official can determine the last player to touch the
ball before it went out of play. In another embodiment, the
official can request this information from central system 101.
Input-output device 108 can consist of an audio transducer so that
the information from central system 101 can be provided to the
official as audio output.
[0022] Body controller 103 also has a location positioning
mechanism so as to determine the location of player 102 on the
playing field. This location positioning mechanism may utilize
global positioning satellite techniques or may utilize gyroscopic
positioning techniques as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,381
which is hereby incorporated by reference. Body controller 103
transmits the location information to central system 101.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a system. In FIG.
2, body controller 203 is continuously generating the
identification information for player 202 and placing this
information on the personal area network of player 202. When player
202 comes in contact with ball 204, the identification of player
202 is transferred to ball controller 206 via the conductors on the
surface of ball 204 from the personal area network.
[0024] Ball controller 206 then transmits the identification of
player 202 to central system 201. Central system 201 after
analyzing the information may transfer the information to official
system 211 via official controller 207. Official controller 207 can
choose to utilize input-output device 208 or display device 209 to
inform the official of the last person to touch ball 204.
[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the exterior of ball
204. The exterior surface of ball 204 comprises a plurality of
electrode pairs 301-304 which are utilized by ball controller 206
to receive or transmit information to a player. These pairs of
electrodes are arranged on the surface of ball 204 and interconnect
to ball controller 206. In one embodiment, ball controller 206 may
be a thin film circuit or other miniaturized circuit type on the
inner-surface of ball 204. In addition, ball controller 206 may be
duplicated for reliability.
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the arrangement of
conductors along the surface of ball 204. Electrodes 401 are
arranged along the exterior surface of the ball. Electrodes 402 are
isolated from the surface of the ball but just below the outer skin
of the ball. In this embodiment, ball controller 206 may be a thin
film circuit or other miniaturized circuit type on the
inner-surface of the ball 204. In addition, ball controller 206 may
be duplicated for reliability.
[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations of an
embodiment of a body controller such as body controller 103 of FIG.
1. After being started in block 501, decision block 502 determines
if it is time to transmit position information defining the
location of player 102 on the playing field. If the answer is no,
control is transferred to decision block 504. If the answer is yes
in decision block 502, block 503 transmits the position information
to central system 101 before transferring control to decision block
504. The latter decision block determines if the ball ID is being
received because of contact of ball 104 with player 102. If the
answer is no in decision block 504, control is transferred back to
decision block 502. If the answer is yes in decision block 504,
block 506 transmits the indication of which player is in contact
with the ball to central system 101 before transferring control
back to decision block 502.
[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed
by an embodiment of a central system such as central system 101 or
201. After being started in block 601, decision block 602
determines if player position information has been received. If the
answer is no, control is transferred to decision block 607. If the
answer is yes, block 603 stores the position information along with
the identity of the player. Next, decision block 604 determines,
based on the rules of the game, whether there is a possibility that
the player's position constitutes a possible violation. If the
answer is no, control is transferred to decision block 607. If the
answer is yes in decision block 604, block 606 transmits a signal
along with the identification of the player to the official system
indicating a possible violation before transferring control to
decision block 607.
[0029] Decision block 607 determines if player identification
information is being received from either a body controller or a
ball depending on the particular embodiment. If the answer is no,
control is transferred to decision block 609. If the answer is yes
in decision block 607, block 608 stores the identification
information before transferring control to decision block 609.
Decision block 609 determines if there is a request for the last
player contact either generated by the central system or being
requested by the official via official system such as official
system 111 or 211. If the answer is no, control is transferred back
to decision block 602. If the answer in decision block 609 is yes,
block 611 transmits the identity of the last player to contact the
ball to the official system before returning control back to
decision block 602.
[0030] FIG. 7 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed
by a body controller in another embodiment such as body controller
203. Note, that FIG. 7 only illustrates the operations being
performed with respect to the central system. Body controller 203
is constantly transmitting the identification of the player via the
personal area network in case a ball should come in contact with
the player. After being started in block 701, decision block 702
determines if it is time to transmit the position information of
the player. If the answer is no, control is transferred back to
decision block 702. If the answer is yes, block 703 transmits the
position information with the identity of the player to the central
system before returning control back to decision block 702.
[0031] FIG. 8 illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed
by an embodiment of a ball controller, such as ball controller 206.
The operations illustrated in FIG. 8 are only those performed with
respect to central system 201. The ball controller is continuously
testing to see if the player identification is being received
because the ball has contacted a player. After being started in
block 801, decision block 802 determines if a player ID is being
received. If the answer is no, decision block 802 is re-executed.
If the answer is yes, block 803 transmits the identification of the
player and an indication that the player is in contact with the
ball before returning control back to decision block 802.
[0032] FIG. 9 illustrates, in block diagram form, a body
controller. Processor 903, by executing programs in memory 906,
provides the overall control. Positioning unit 901, which may be a
global positioning system or a gyroscope system, provides location
information to processor 903. Processor 903 transmits and receives
data via the personal area network via PAN interface 902. Radio
unit 904 provides the reception and transmission of radio signals
with the central system.
[0033] PAN routine 907 collects and utilizes information from the
PAN. Positioning routine 908 accepts location information from
positioning unit 901 and transmits this information to the central
system. Data is stored in data 909. Operating system 911 provides
the overall control.
[0034] FIG. 10 illustrates, in block diagram form, a central
system, such as central system 101 or 201. Processor 1003 provides
overall control of the system by execution of routines in memory
1006. Radio unit 1004 provides communications with the body
controllers and the ball controller.
[0035] Player position routine 1007 is responsible for receiving
player positions and determining whether these positions violate
the rules of the game. The last contact routine 1008 provides for
the determination of which player last contacted the ball. Data is
stored in data 1009. Operating system 1011 provides overall
control.
[0036] FIG. 11 illustrates, in block diagram form, an official
system such as official system 111 or 211. Processor 1103 receives
and transmits information with the central system via radio unit
1104. The user utilizes user interface 1102 to input information
into processor 1103, and processor 1103 displays information to the
user via display 1101. Processor 1103 performs these activities by
the execution of routines and applications in memory 1106.
[0037] User interface routine 1107 provides for receiving and
utilizing input from the user from user interface 1102. Display
control 1108 not only displays information on display 1101 but also
makes the necessary analysis before displaying this information.
Data is stored in data 1109. Operating system 1111 provides overall
control.
[0038] FIG. 12 illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of
a ball controller such as ball controller 106 or 206. Processor
1203 provides overall control by execution of routines in memory
1206. Electrodes interface 1202 provides the interface to
electrodes 1201 that are arranged on the ball as illustrated in
FIGS. 3 or 4. Radio unit 1204 provides the communication link with
the central system. Player detection routine 1207 provides the
control for the detection of the player and the transmission of
this information to the central system. Data is stored in data
1209, and operating system 1211 provides overall control.
[0039] When the operations of the body controller, ball controller,
central system or official system are implemented in software, it
should be noted that the software can be stored on any
computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with any
computer related system or method. In the context of this document,
a computer-readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or
other physical device or means that can contain or store a computer
program for use by or in connection with a computer related system
or method. The software can be embodied in any computer-readable
medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution
system, apparatus, or device such as a computer-based system,
processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the
instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or
device and execute the instructions. In the context of this
document, a "computer-readable medium" can be any means that can
store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by
or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus,
or device. For example, the computer-readable medium can be, but is
not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic,
infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or
propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list)
of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an
electrical connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a
portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM)
(electronic), a read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), an erasable
programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash memory)
(electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact
disc read-only memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the
computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable
medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be
electronically captured via optical scanning of the paper or other
medium and then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a
suitable manner, if necessary, and stored in a computer memory.
[0040] In an alternative embodiment, where the body controller,
ball controller, central system or official system is implemented
in hardware, the body controller, ball controller, central system
or official system can be implemented with any or a combination of
the following technologies, which are each well known in the art: a
discrete logic circuit(s) having logic gates for implementing logic
functions upon data signals, an application specific integrated
circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinational logic gates, a
programmable gate array(s) (PGA), a field programmable gate array
(FPGA), etc.
[0041] Of course, various changes and modifications to the
illustrated embodiments described above would be apparent to those
skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and
without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore
intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the
following claims except in so far as limited by the prior art.
* * * * *