Goal Determination Using Remotely Detected Location in Space and Magnetic Flux-Based Goal-Proximity Sensing

Abstract

A location-and-event-tracking system includes radio-enabled anchors and tags on a field of play, and magnets attached to a goal (e.g., a basketball net). Tags are attached to players and to balls (“game-play objects”), and a magnetometer is embedded within the ball. The system uses the radio-enabled tags to track the position of player and the ball in space, and the system determines whether a basket (i.e., a goal) has been made using both the location of the ball in space and magnetic flux-related data received from the magnetometer. The system also determines whether the ball has gone out of bounds, and it sends a STOP message to the game-clock control system if the ball goes out of bounds or if a shot is made successfully.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is related to and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from U.S. provisional patent application No. 62 / 596,264 filed Dec. 8, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to games of sport, and more particularly to a system that uses remote sensors to track various objects in space (e.g., players, balls, goals, etc.) and identify in “real time” one or more game-related events as they occur.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]For most, if not all, sports activities, detailed review and analysis of how an individual player and / or a team of players is / are performing is crucial in order to improve performance. Therefore, tools that enhance the ability to identify and analyze various events that occur on a field of play (e.g., a basketball court, hockey rink, etc.) are desirable. Additionally, it can be difficult for some fans of a fast-paced sport, suc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]The inventive method and system enable highly accurate, wireless tracking of the location of balls or other game-play objects on a field of play, with highly precise determination as to whether a goal has been scored. Additionally, whether the game-play object has left the field of play is determined wirelessly and remotely, and a command is automatically sent to stop the game clo

Problems solved by technology

Additionally, it can be difficult for some fans of a fast-paced sport, such as basketball, to see clearly everything that is going on all at once, given that the games may have many players and the ball (a “game-play object”) all moving simultaneously.

This procedure can easily take several minutes to complete, and often kil

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