Sensor-Based Score Attribution for Sports Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing score tracking systems in sports are prone to errors due to the fast-paced nature of games and multiple players attempting to score, requiring manual and visually based methods for determining which player made a score, which is inaccurate.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing sensing devices and ID readers to detect scoring actions, match projectiles to players based on pre-attempt reads, and determine if the projectile made the goal within a specific time window, ensuring accurate attribution of scores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual visual tracking is used to determine which player made a score, then the system is simple to implement, but the accuracy of score attribution deteriorates due to fast-paced action and multiple players
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a pre-attempt read operation to capture the player's ID before the scoring action occurs. This preliminary capture of identification data allows the system to definitively attribute the score to the correct player, eliminating the ambiguity that plagues manual tracking methods during fast-paced gameplay.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual visual tracking system with an automated electronic system using sensors, RFID readers, and processors. This substitution eliminates human error and subjectivity in score attribution while maintaining system simplicity through the use of off-the-shelf components and straightforward implementation.
2Reliability
If automated sensor systems are used to detect scoring actions, then the accuracy of detecting scoring events improves, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the tracking functionality into separate modular components: sensing devices for detecting actions, RFID readers for identification, goal sensors for verifying scores, and a processor for integration. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall system architecture by distributing functionality across multiple specialized modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multi-functional components that can perform multiple operations. For example, the sensing devices detect various types of actions (shooting, passing, dribbling), the RFID readers both identify players and track projectiles, and the processor integrates data from multiple sources. This universality reduces the total number of specialized components needed, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If pre-attempt read operations are performed to match projectiles to players, then the precision of player identification improves, but the time required for processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the ID reading operation before the scoring attempt occurs, capturing the player's identification data in advance. This preliminary action ensures that when a goal is scored, the system already has the correct player identification stored, eliminating the need for time-consuming post-event analysis and enabling immediate, accurate score attribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the player's own equipment (projectile, uniform, or device) to carry or display their identification information. This self-service approach allows the system to automatically capture and process identification data without requiring external intervention or additional processing steps, thereby minimizing time loss while maintaining high precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Scores made by a player participating in a game can be tracked by using a sensor device coupled to the player to detect when the player attempts to make a score with a ball or other projectile. When a score is made, such as when something enters a goal, it is determined whether the projectile from the player is what made the score so that the score can be properly attributed to the player or another player. Attribution can be based on whether the score occurred within an appropriate time window, which could be computed from data from the sensor device. Attribution can also be based on the use of machine readable identifiers on the projectile, player, and/or goal.