Camera Timing Zone Detection for Accurate Sports Passing Times
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vision-based sports timing systems face challenges in accurately and reliably determining the passing times and identities of participants, especially in mass events, due to the inclusion of non-participating individuals in captured scenes and privacy concerns related to biometric data usage.
Innovation Solution
A camera system with depth information and virtual timing zones is used to filter out non-participating individuals by detecting objects within a calibrated virtual timing zone, allowing accurate timing and identification of athletes by applying feature analysis algorithms, including machine learning techniques for object detection and identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual timing methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and reliability deteriorate due to human reaction time errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical timing operations with an automated camera-based optical system. The camera captures images at regular intervals, and a computer automatically determines object position and calculates speed, eliminating human reaction time errors and providing precise, objective measurements without requiring complex manual coordination between multiple observers
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates visual copies (images) of the moving object at different time points using a camera. These image copies are then analyzed by computer software to determine position and calculate speed, allowing multiple measurements to be made from static copies rather than requiring continuous real-time observation and measurement
2Measurement precision
If multiple stopwatches and manual coordination are used, then measurement capability is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen due to coordination difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple stopwatches and multiple observers into a single integrated camera system controlled by computer software. The camera automatically captures all necessary positional data at regular intervals, and the computer performs all calculations, eliminating the need for multiple operators to coordinate their timing and measurements
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically capturing images, determining object position from the images, calculating speed, and generating results without requiring manual intervention. The computer software automatically processes the image data and performs all timing and calculation functions that would otherwise require multiple human operators
3Reliability
If manual timing with human observers is used, then device complexity is minimized, but reliability deteriorates due to human error and inconsistency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces human observers and manual timing devices with an automated optical measurement system. The camera captures images objectively without human intervention, and computer algorithms automatically determine position and calculate speed, eliminating sources of human error such as reaction time variability, attention lapses, and inconsistent judgment while maintaining system simplicity through automation
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems for determining a passing time of an object passing a timing line across a sports track are described, wherein a method may comprise receiving video frames captured by a calibrated camera system, each video frame representing a picture of scene including one or more objects moving along a track, each video frame being associated with a time instance; determining or receiving calibration data, the calibration data defining a virtual timing zone positioned at a predetermined distance from the calibrated camera system, the virtual timing zone extending across the track and along the track and including a virtual timing line across the track; detecting objects in the video frames using an object detection algorithm, the objects detected by the detection algorithm defining detected objects; determining depth information for at least part of the video frames, the depth information comprising information regarding a distance between detected objects and the calibrated camera system; determining detected objects that are positioned within the virtual timing zone based on the calibration data and the depth information; and, determining a passing time for detected objects in the virtual timing zone based on one or more time instances of one or more video frames comprising the at least one detected object passing the timing line.