BALL TRACKER CAMERA

[0001] The present patent application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application 62/023,400 filed Jul. 11, 2014 and titled “NFL-0007 Ball Tracker Camera,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention generally relates to camera control. More specifically, the present invention relates to ball tracker camera control.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Many events may be filmed for live (e.g., real-time) or recorded broadcast. Such events may include a variety of athletic and sporting events involving such equipment as balls, bats, pucks, etc. As the outcome of such athletic and sporting events depends on actions involving such equipment (e.g., a football), a camera (or multiple cameras) may often follow the ball as it is moving during the course of the event. Each such camera is generally controlled by a cameraperson who adjusts the focus and position of the camera as necessary to follow a moving ball.

[0006] There may be instances where a cameraperson may lose track of the ball (or other type of equipment). For example, the game may be moving very quickly, or the athletes may be executing a play that involves misdirection. In such instances, the camera may be unable to capture the current state of the ball, resulting in gaps in the action of the event. Audiences—both those viewing remotely and those present in-person, but may be relying on the camera for close-ups—may then become unhappy or dissatisfied as a result of being unable to view the entirety of the event.

[0007] There is, therefore, a need in the art for improved systems and methods for improved system and methods of managing smart tickets.

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for ball tracking. An identification processor may be coupled to a ball and may generate wireless signals as the ball is moving. At least three triangulation antennas may be distributed at different locations within an event venue. Such triangulation antennas may receive the wireless signals from the identification processor in real-time. Such signals may be used to determine a real-time location of the ball within the event venue. A controller may then adjust a gimbal to point the camera at the determined real-time location of the ball.

[0009] Various embodiments may further include methods for ball tracking. Such methods may include broadcasting wireless signals from a ball as the ball is moving via an identification processor coupled to the ball, receiving the wireless signals via at least three triangulation antennas distributed at different locations within an event venue, determining a real-time location of the ball within the event venue based on the wireless signals received by each of the at least three triangulation antennas at the different locations, and adjusting a camera based on the determined real-time location of the ball.

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for ball tracking. An identification processor may be coupled to a ball and may generate wireless signals as the ball is moving. At least three triangulation antennas may be distributed at different locations within an event venue. Such triangulation antennas may receive the wireless signals from the identification processor in real-time. Such signals may be used to determine a real-time location of the ball within the event venue. A controller may then adjust a gimbal to point the camera at the determined real-time location of the ball.

[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary environment in which a system for ball tracking may be implemented. As illustrated, the environment may include a ball tracking system 105 having an antenna 110 and a connection 115 to a camera 120 (with ability to zoom 125) on a gimbal 130. Such camera 120 may be part of an existing camera system 135. In addition, ball tracking system 105 may be connected via wireless connection 140 to a ball 145 with an identification processor 150. There may also be a plurality (at least three) of triangulation antennas 155A-C distributed at different locations around the event venue (e.g., field 160).

[0017] In an exemplary implementation, the ball 105 (and its onboard identification processor 150) may be in play on the field 160. As the ball 105 moves, the identification processor 150 may send out wireless signals, which may be received by the triangulation antennas 155A-C. Information regarding such wireless signals may be provided by triangulation antennas 155A-C to the ball tracking system 105, which may receive such information via antenna 110 over wireless connection 140. Based on the information from each of the at least three triangulation antennas 155A-C, a real-time location of the identification processor 150 (and ball 145) may be determined.

[0018] The ball tracking system 105 may provide the real-time location via connection 115 to camera 120 and/or automatic gimbal 130. Automatic gimbal 130 may reposition the camera 120 as needed to align the line-of-sight of the camera 120 with the determined real-time location of the ball 145. Further, camera 120 may adjust its zoom mechanism 125 to zoom in and focus on the determined real-time location of the ball 145. As such, the camera 120 may be able to automatically follow the ball 145 in real-time, regardless of the speed of play or player misdirection.

[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary identification processor 150 that may be used in a system for ball tracking. Such identification processor 150 may include a broadcast antenna 210, a communication module 220, an amplifier 230, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 240 (with associated antenna 250), and power source 260.

[0020] The RFID tag 240 allows for unique identification of the ball 145. As the ball 145 is moving, the ball 145 (as identified by RFID tag 240) may be broadcast a signal, which is amplified by amplifier 230 and sent via communication module 220 and broadcast antenna 210 to the triangulation antennas 155A-C around the field. Power source 260 may include any type of battery or portable power storage known in the art.

[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary ball tracking system 105. Such ball tracking system 105 may include one or more antennas 310A-C, triangulation program 320, known X, Y, Z ball position data, geometric processor 340, automatic gimbal controller 350, and camera operator 360 (which may be integrated or separate from ball tracking system 105).

[0022] In some embodiments, ball tracking system 105 may have an antenna 310A-C corresponding to each of the triangulation antennas 155A-C on the field 160. Each antenna 310 may receive information regarding the real-time wireless signals as received by the associated triangulation antenna 155. Such information may be provided to triangulation program 320, which uses known triangulation techniques to identify a real-time X, Y, Z location of the ball on the field 160. Such data may be provided and maintaining in a database for known X, Y, Z ball position data 330. Such data may further be provided to geometric processor 340, which may use known interpolation techniques to determine the current location (including a determined path) of the ball 145 so as to determine where to point the camera 120. Such real-time location information may therefore be provided to automatic gimbal control 350, which may then reposition the camera 120 to keep the ball 145 within a line-of-sight or field of view. In addition, the real-time location information may also be provided to an associated camera operator 360, which may control zooming functions. Additional camera control options (e.g., panning, tilting) may also be controlled based on the real-time location information.

[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary automatic gimbal 130 that may be used in a system for ball tracking. Automatic gimbal 130 may include a pan motor 410, a tilt motor 420, and zoom controls 430. Pan motor 410 allows for panning views of the field 160, while tilt motor 420 allows for tilting of the camera 120, and zooming controls 430 may allow for the camera shot to zoom in or out. As noted above, zooming controls 430 may be already part of a camera operator 360 that may be part of or associated with an existing camera system 135.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for ball tracking. The method of FIG. 5 (and other methods discussed herein) may be embodied as executable instructions in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium including but not limited to a CD, DVD, or non-volatile memory such as a hard drive. The instructions of the storage medium may be executed by a processor (or processors) to cause various hardware components of a computing device hosting or otherwise accessing the storage medium to effectuate the method. The steps identified in the method of FIG. 5 (and other methods discussed herein), as well as the order thereof, are exemplary and may include various alternatives, equivalents, or derivations thereof including but not limited to the order of execution of the same.

[0025] In step 510, a ball 145 (or other piece of sports equipment) may be provided with an identification processor 150, and the field 160 may be provided with at least three triangulation antennas 155 A-C distributed at different locations around the field 160. In addition, a ball tracking system 105 may be provided that allows for control of camera 120 and/or automatic gimbal 130.

[0026] In step 520, the ball 145 is put into play on the field 160. As such, ball 145 may be thrown, kicked, hit, or otherwise made to move around the field 160. In step 530, the identification processor 150 associated with the ball 145 may broadcast wireless signals that may be detected by triangulation antennas 155A-C. In step 540, the ball tracking system 105 may be provided with information regarding the wireless signals by the triangulation antennas 155A-C in real-time. In step 550, the ball tracking system 105 may use such signal information to triangulate the real-time position of the ball 145. Such real-time position may be expressed as X, Y, Z ball position data within the field 160.

[0027] In step 560, the real-time position information of the ball 145 may be used to generate commands to camera 120 and/or automatic gimbal 130. Camera 120 and/or automatic gimbal 130 may be programmed to respond to the real-time position of the ball 145 by performing such actions as panning, tilting, and/or zooming. In optional step 570, a user or human camera operator may be allowed to control the zoom of the camera 120.

[0028] The present invention may be implemented in an application that may be operable using a variety of devices. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media refer to any medium or media that participate in providing instructions to a central processing unit (CPU) for execution. Such media can take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile and volatile media such as optical or magnetic disks and dynamic memory, respectively. Common forms of non-transitory computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM disk, digital video disk (DVD), any other optical medium, RAM, PROM, EPROM, a FLASHEPROM, and any other memory chip or cartridge.

[0029] Various forms of transmission media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a CPU for execution. A bus carries the data to system RAM, from which a CPU retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by system RAM can optionally be stored on a fixed disk either before or after execution by a CPU. Various forms of storage may likewise be implemented as well as the necessary network interfaces and network topologies to implement the same.

[0030] While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. The descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth herein. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the above description is illustrative and not restrictive. To the contrary, the present descriptions are intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and otherwise appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.