U.S. Pat. No. 9,242,161

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention comprises a method, system and computer program product for improving accuracy and experience of a game. In one embodiment of the present invention, hot zone areas are determined using game rules. Hot zone areas, as used herein, may refer to areas on the playing field where an infraction (e.g., offsides in soccer), successful play (e.g., first down line) or a game ending play (e.g., side line in football) may occur. In other words, “hot zone areas” are areas on the playing field where a call may be made based on the rules of the game. Signals are sent from a computer system to appropriate sensors to activate connected light-emitting fibers that are blended with grass on a playing field to indicate when a player and/or game object enters or exits a hot zone area. The light-emitting fibers are activated in such a manner as to display an image (e.g., footprint) indicating the entrance/exiting of a player and/or game object in/from the hot zone area (e.g., out of bounds line) thereby ensuring the game is fair and accurate and enhancing the experience of the game.

While the following discusses the present invention in connection with sports, the principles of the present invention may be applied to other events, such as half-time shows for a band or a dance team. The principles of the present invention may be applied to any event that uses a field. Further, a person of ordinary skill in the art would be capable of applying the principles of the present invention to any event that uses a playing field. Further, embodiments covering such permutations would fall within the scope of the present invention.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits have been shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part, details considering timing considerations and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

FIGS.1A-B—Game Field Implementing Grass Blended with Fiber Optic Blades

FIG. 1Aillustrates an embodiment of the present invention of a game playing field100(e.g., soccer field, football field) where field100is divided into “trays”101A-X that may be square shaped. Trays101A-X may collectively or individually be referred to as trays101or tray101, respectively. It is noted that trays101may be configured in a different shape than a square and thatFIG. 1Ais illustrative. Further, field100may include any number of trays101(e.g., 1,750 trays) that are interconnected with each other. Each tray101may include thousands of blades of grass102(e.g., polyethylene grass), blended with light-emitting fibers103(e.g., optical fibers), that reflect light upwards from tray101as illustrated inFIG. 1B.

FIG. 1Billustrates one of the thousands of blades of grass102in tray101in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring toFIG. 1B, each blade of grass102may be positioned in or on the soil104or other material. A portion of or all of the thousands of blades of grass102in tray101may each be blended with a light-emitting fiber103. Light-emitting fiber103may be connected to a sensor105configured to detect the obscuring of light thereby indicating the movement of a ball or a player passing light-emitting fiber103. Sensor105may further be configured to activate the connected light-emitting fiber103thereby allowing light-emitting fiber103to provide light of a certain color (including white light). Each sensor105may be connected to a computer106configured to control the activation of light-emitting fibers103in each tray101in field100as discussed further below in connection withFIGS. 3-4. A more detail discussion of computer system106is provided below in connection withFIG. 2.

FIG.2—Computer System

FIG. 2illustrates an embodiment of a hardware configuration of computer system106(FIG. 1B) which is representative of a hardware environment for practicing the present invention. Computer system106may have a processor201coupled to various other components by system bus202. An operating system203may run on processor201and provide control and coordinate the functions of the various components ofFIG. 2. An application204in accordance with the principles of the present invention may run in conjunction with operating system203and provide calls to operating system203where the calls implement the various functions or services to be performed by application204. Application204may include, for example, a program for improving the accuracy and experience of a game by implementing fiber optic field technology as discussed further below in association withFIGS. 3-4.

Referring toFIG. 2, read-only memory (“ROM”)205may be coupled to system bus202and include a basic input/output system (“BIOS”) that controls certain basic functions of computer system106. Random access memory (“RAM”)206and disk adapter207may also be coupled to system bus202. It should be noted that software components including operating system203and application204may be loaded into RAM206, which may be computer system's106main memory for execution. Disk adapter207may be an integrated drive electronics (“IDE”) adapter that communicates with a disk unit208, e.g., disk drive. It is noted that the program for improving the accuracy and experience of a game by implementing fiber optic field technology, as discussed further below in association withFIGS. 3-4, may reside in disk unit208or in application204.

Referring toFIG. 2, computer system106may further include a communications adapter209coupled to bus202. Communications adapter209may interconnect bus202with a network (e.g., local area network (“LAN”), wide area network (“WAN”)) to allow computer system106to communicate with sensors105(FIG. 1B).

Computer system106may further include a radio frequency identification receiver210(indicated as “RFID RXVR” inFIG. 2) configured to receive data sent from a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) chip or tag that may be placed on an object (e.g., soccer ball), on a player or in a player's equipment (e.g., football helmet, player's shoe). The RFID chip or tag stores data that may be thought of as an “electronic label” or a “code plate” that uniquely identifies items or players. Hence, upon RFID RXVR210receiving radio frequency identification tag data, application204may be configured to read the tag data and determine the object (e.g., soccer ball) or player (e.g., Joe Smith) associated with the tag data.

In connection with receiving the tag data, computer system106may further receive geographic information via a geographic data receiver211(indicated as “Geographic Data RXVR” inFIG. 2). The geographic information may include global positioning system (“GPS”) data from a GPS receiver which may be placed inside a ball (e.g., football, soccer ball) or on a player or in a player's equipment (e.g., football helmet, player's shoe). As is commonly known in the art, the GPS receiver uses triangulation to determine its location. The GPS receiver may relay position data to geographic data receiver211, such as by using the NMEA 0183 protocol. Upon receiving the position data along with the tag data, computer system106is able to determine the position of the ball or the identified player on field100(FIG. 1A).

Referring toFIG. 2, input/output (“I/O”) devices may also be connected to computer system106via a user interface adapter222and a display adapter236. Keyboard224, mouse226and speaker230may all be interconnected to bus202through user interface adapter222. Data may be inputted to computer system106through any of these devices. A display monitor238may be connected to system bus202by display adapter236. In this manner, a user is capable of inputting to computer system106through keyboard224or mouse226and receiving output from computer system106via display238or speaker230.

The various aspects, features, embodiments or implementations of the invention described herein can be used alone or in various combinations. The methods of the present invention can be implemented by software, hardware or a combination of hardware and software. The present invention can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium is any data storage device that can store data which can thereafter be read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable medium include read-only memory, random access memory, CD-ROMs, flash memory cards, DVDs, magnetic tape, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves. The computer readable medium can also be distributed over network-coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

As stated in the Background Information section, technology is playing an important role in sports, whether applied to an athlete's health, the athlete's technique, equipment's characteristics or even ensuring a fair game. For example, a system referred to as “instant replay” has been implemented in several sports (e.g., football, hockey, college football, basketball, tennis, rugby, etc.) where plays in a sporting match can be reviewed (or replayed) using recorded video feeds of the sporting match in order to ensure that the correct call is made on the play. However, instant replay is usually limited to being used in certain situations. Hence, many calls are still subject to human error. Further, even with instant replay, mistakes may still occur as usually a referee, a replay judge, etc., can only overturn a call if the call is clearly in error. Hence, a call may be incorrect but if there is not enough evidence to show the call to be clearly incorrect, the call will stand. Recently, a synthetic turf system used on a game field has been developed that includes blades of polyethylene grass blended with light-emitting fibers with the capability of reflecting light upwards. The fiber-optical laden blades are supposed to have the same look, feel and durability as non-illuminated blades. This system is commonly being referred to as “Turf TV” as the fiber-optical blades can be used to display team logos and even commercial viewing. As technology continues to play an important role in sports, it would be desirable if this fiber optic field technology could be used to ensure the game is even more fair and accurate than under the current system of instant replay thereby enhancing the experience of the game. The fiber optic field technology, as discussed in connection withFIGS. 1A-B, is used to ensure the game is more fair and accurate than the current system of instant replay as discussed further below in connection withFIGS. 3-4.FIG. 3is a flowchart of a method for indicating on the field when a player and/or game object enters or leaves a “hot zone area” (discussed further below) and providing an indication on the field to highlight the actions of the play or game object in the hot zone area.FIG. 4illustrates displaying on the field the footprints of a player entering the hot zone area.

FIG.3—Method for Indicating when a Player and/or Game Object Enters or Exits a Hot Zone Area

FIG. 3is a method300for indicating when a player and/or game object (e.g., soccer ball) enters or exits a hot zone area (e.g., out of bounds, offside line) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 3, in conjunction withFIGS. 1-2, in step301, computer system106receives geographic information and radio frequency identification tag data from a player on field100. For example, the player's equipment (e.g., helmet, shoe) may be equipped with both a global positioning system receiver and a radio frequency tag. Both the global positioning system receiver and the radio frequency tag may be configured to transmit geographic and radio frequency identification tag data, respectively, to computer system106.

In step302, computer system106receives geographic information and radio frequency identification tag data from a ball on field100. For example, a football may be equipped with both a global positioning system receiver and a radio frequency tag. Both the global positioning system receiver and the radio frequency tag may be configured to transmit geographic and radio frequency identification tag data, respectively, to computer system106.

In step303, computer system106further receives indications from sensors105that light has been obscured. Light may be obscured when a player or game object moves over glass blade102blended with light-emitting fiber103. For example, suppose a shoe of a player passed over a section of field100. Sensors105detect the obscuring of light under the shoe as the player moves along field100. Computer system106may receive these indications to more accurately determine the position of the player or game object. As stated above, computer system106receives geographic information and radio frequency identification tag data from a player and game object in steps301,302, respectively. The geographic information provides information as to the location of the player or game object where the player or game object is identified by the received radio frequency identification tag data. However, in order to improve the accuracy of the location of the player and/or game object, computer system106may receive information from sensors105that indicates the obscuring of light. Computer system106may correlate the information from sensors105with the received geographic information and radio frequency identification tag data thereby more accurately determining the location of the player and/or game object. For example, computer system106may determine that the pattern resulting from the obscuring of light from a particular set of sensors105corresponds to the footprint of a particular player.

In step304, computer system106determines the location of the player on field100based on the geographic information and radio frequency identification tag data received from the player in step301as well as based on the received indications from sensor105in step303.

In step305, computer system106determines the location of the game object (e.g., soccer ball) on field100based on the geographic information and radio frequency identification tag data received from the game object in step302as well as based on the received indications from sensor105in step303.

In step306, computer system106determines “hot zone areas” according to the game rules. “Hot zone areas,” as used herein, may refer to areas on field100where an infraction (e.g., offsides in soccer), successful play (e.g., first down line) or a game ending play (e.g., side line in football) may occur. In other words, “hot zone areas” are areas on field100where a call may be made based on the rules of the game. Hot zone areas may be dynamic. For example, the offside line in soccer may move in connection with the movement of the defenders.

In step307, computer system106determines whether a player (e.g., goalie) or game object entered or exited a hot zone area (e.g., goalie box). If a player or game object did not enter or leave a hot zone area, then, in step301, computer system106receives additional geographic information and radio frequency identification tag data from a player on field100.

If, however, a player and/or game object entered or exited a hot zone area, then, in step308, computer system106sends signals to the appropriate sensors105, that had light obscured at the time a player and/or game object entered or exited a hot zone area, to activate those connected light-emitting fibers103in grass blades102in a manner that gives an indication that a player and/or game object entered or exited a hot zone area. In step309, the appropriate light-emitting fibers103in grass blades102are activated to give off light.

In one embodiment, the appropriate light-emitting fibers103are activated in such a manner as to give off light which causes an image to be displayed on field100. In one embodiment, each player or game object may be associated with a unique image. For example, each player may be associated with a unique set of footprints. These footprints may be stored in a separate database (not shown in any Figures) accessible by computer system106. Using these unique set of footprints, the activated light-emitting fibers103may display images of a set of footprints showing the associated player entering or exiting the hot zone as illustrated inFIG. 4.FIG. 4illustrates displaying on field100the footprints of a player entering the hot zone area in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 4,FIG. 4illustrates a snapshot401of a hot zone area (e.g., side line of a football game) depicting images of footprints displayed by the activated light-emitting fibers103showing the player entering the hot zone area. In one embodiment, the images of footprints may be displayed in a different color or shade illustrating the entrance of a hot zone area. For example, snapshot401illustrates the entire footprint entering the hot zone area having a different shade. In one embodiment, the shading and coloring illuminated by light-emitting fibers103may be controlled by sensors105. Computer system106may instruct appropriate sensors105to activate light-emitting fibers103in a manner to illuminate in a different color than other activated light-emitting fibers103thereby highlighting the entrance of the hot zone area. Alternatively, a portion of a footprint may be displayed in a different color or shade illustrating the actual breaching of a hot zone area as illustrated in snapshot402.

By providing images on field100to indicate the entrance/exiting of a player and/or game object (e.g., football) entering/leaving the hot zone area, referees can accurately determine if an infraction, successful play, etc. has occurred thereby ensuring the game is fair and accurate and enhancing the experience of the game.

In one embodiment, the images displayed on field100by light-emitting fibers103may persist for a specified period of time. In another embodiment, the images displayed on field100by light-emitting fibers103may remain on field100to aid the officials in determining the exact position of the player and/or game object.

In one embodiment, the images displayed on field100may correspond to the actual imprint made by the game object and/or player based on the obscuring of light. For example, suppose a shoe of a player passed over a section of field100. Sensors105detect the obscuring of light under the shoe as the player moves along field100. Sensors105that are located in soil104under the shoe of the player will then send indications of the obscuring of light to computer system106which will then determine the pattern of the shoe of the player based on which sensors105sent the indications of the obscuring of light. This pattern may later be used by computer system106to activate the appropriate light-emitting fibers105so that the image of the actual shoe of the player is used to highlight the entrance of or exiting from a hot zone area.

Further, it is noted that not everything in the hot zone area is necessarily displayed on field100. Computer system106may selectively display via activation of the appropriate light-emitting fibers103an image(s) associated with a player(s) and/or a game object to highlight the important aspects related to a call to be made based on the player(s) and/or game object entering or exiting the hot zone area.

Returning toFIG. 3, in addition to displaying an image on field100to “highlight” a player and/or game object entering or exiting a hot zone area, computer system106, in step310, activates an alert to indicate that a player or game object entered or exited a hot zone area. For example, a noise may be played indicating that a player is offsides. In another example, additional lines may be drawn on field100via activating the appropriate light-emitting fibers103to “highlight” the entrance of a hot zone area.

WhileFIG. 3was discussed in connection with an example of displaying footprints to highlight a player entering or exiting a hot zone area, the principles of the present invention ofFIG. 3may be applied to displaying other images, such as an image of a ball (e.g., football) entering or exiting a hot zone area (e.g., goal line). It is noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art would be capable of applying the principles of the present invention ofFIG. 3to displaying other images, such as an image of a ball (e.g., football) entering or exiting a hot zone area (e.g., goal line). Further, embodiments covering such permutations would fall within the scope of the present invention.

Method300may include other and/or additional steps that, for clarity, are not depicted. Further, method300may be executed in a different order presented and that the order presented in the discussion ofFIG. 3is illustrative. Additionally, certain steps (e.g., steps301-303;304-305) in method300may be executed in a substantially simultaneous manner or may be omitted.

Although the method, system and computer program product are described in connection with several embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It is noted that the headings are used only for organizational purposes and not meant to limit the scope of the description or claims.