Acoustic Player Tracking via Sound Wave Triangulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tracking systems for player movement in sports, such as Hawk-Eye and Opta, are either expensive, labor-intensive, or ineffective in capturing the precise relative movement of players in fast-paced games due to reliance on human observation and limited ability to track small, fast-moving objects.
Innovation Solution
A player tracking system utilizing at least two transducers to detect sound waves and a sensor attached to sporting equipment, which generates time-stamped information and parameter data to determine absolute positions through acoustic triangulation, providing accurate analysis of player movement within a playing area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple cameras and heavy computing are used to track ball flight and player movement, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical camera-based tracking system with an acoustic detection system using microphones and signal processing. Instead of using multiple cameras to visually track ball flight and player movement, the invention uses acoustic sensors to detect sound waves generated by ball-racket impacts and player movements, converting acoustic energy into positional and movement data through signal processing algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an acoustic copy or representation of the physical tracking problem. Rather than directly observing and tracking physical objects with cameras, the system captures acoustic signatures (sound waves) that copy information about ball trajectory and player position, then processes these acoustic copies to reconstruct movement data.
2Measurement precision
If expert analysts manually track player movement, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service tracking system where acoustic sensors automatically detect and record player movements without human intervention. The system processes sound waves from ball impacts and player movements through algorithms that automatically determine position and trajectory, eliminating the need for expert analysts to manually track and record data while maintaining high precision and enabling simultaneous tracking of multiple players.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual human observation and recording system with an automated acoustic detection and processing system. Instead of relying on expert analysts to visually track and record player positions, the invention uses microphones to capture acoustic signals and automated algorithms to process these signals into positional data, dramatically increasing productivity while maintaining measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If human observers track fast-moving balls, then measurement precision is maintained, but reliability decreases due to limited reaction times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a self-service tracking system where acoustic sensors automatically detect ball-racket impact sounds and player movement sounds without human intervention. The system processes these acoustic signals through algorithms that consistently determine position and trajectory, eliminating variations in human reaction times and maintaining reliable, consistent tracking of fast-moving balls throughout the entire match duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous acoustic monitoring throughout the match, with sensors constantly detecting sound waves and the processing system continuously analyzing signals to track ball and player movements. This continuous operation eliminates gaps in tracking that occur with manual observation, ensuring reliable and consistent data collection for every ball in play and player movement throughout the entire match.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system offers an inexpensive and accurate method to analyze player movement, enabling coaches and analysts to track relative movement and infer tactical strategies, providing insights into player habits and game development.
Implementation Method 1
at least two transducers placed within or adjacent to a playing area having defined dimensions, each transducer configured to detect sound waves
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The system (10) of FIG. 1 uses fixedly-located master and slave smartphone devices (12, 14) to determine a player position of a player (20) within playing arena, such as a tennis court. The master device (12) makes a local determination of the speed of sound using an audible ping to the slave device displaced from the master device by a known distance. The slave device (14) also responds with a time stamp associated with the receipt of one or more pings. Correlation over successive RF-reported time stamps allows the master device (12) to assess, relative to its own internal reference clock, a time offset and drift for a local clock in the slave device (14). A RF connection to a communications circuit and sensor (18) arrangement located in a racket held by a player permits the master device (12) to assess a time offset and drift for a local clock associated with the sensor. The sensor (18) further includes a gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer that cooperate to record movement or orientation of the racket, and which information is uplink reported over the RF connection to the master device. When an amplitude or modelled sound profile for a "hit" event (24) is detected by both the master and slave devices (12, 14) and the hit event time-stamped by the devices in the system and reported to the master by the communications circuits of the racket and slave units, the master unit is able to triangulate the position of the hit event relative to known dimensions of the playing arena. Continuous reporting of movement of the racket relative to the previous hit event can therefore be displayed to show movement of the player around the court relative to detected sound events.