US 2010/0134614 A1 · SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR TRANSLATING SPORTS TRACKING DATA INTO STATISTICS AND PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS

Abstract

A system and methods for automatically determining the states of game object possession, including those of free, under contention and in possession, for sporting contests. The system uses the minimum necessary and sufficient data 100, including the predefined tracking layout 110, the current official game time-in versus time-out data 122, the current centroid location of each player matched with their identity data 124 and the current centroid location of the game object data 126 which is then converted deterministically into at least clock states 150, game object movement states 160, and optionally into game object location states 170 and game object heading direction states 180. The system and methods also disclose the further combining of these states 150, 160, 170 and 180 into the determination of the cycle of possession flow 200, including the events of gaming control 210, exchanging control 220 and relinquishing control 230. For determining the states of possession of the game object, the system and methods disclose using either an instantaneous or average measured distance between each player and the game object R in combination with a minimum radius MmR defining each player's area of influence and a minimum time MmT necessary for the game object to be within this area before possession can be assigned. Variations include using instantaneous R or average R, using a dynamically calculated MmT based upon any combination of game object and player trajectory and velocity. Also taught is a variation for assigning possession based upon a minimum alteration in the game object's trajectory and/or acceleration once it has entered a players area of influence and is also outside all other player's area of influence.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A system for automatically determining the states of game object possession, including those of free, under contention and in possession, for sporting contests conducted within a predefined area of pre-known layout, comprising:

a system for tracking the on going changes to the official game time so as to detect time-in play versus time-out of play;
a system for tracking the on going locations of each player, matched to their identity, at least within the predefined area in accordance with the pre-known layout,
a system for tracking the on going locations of the game object, at least within the predefined area in accordance with the pre-known layout,
a computer for receiving the time-in and time-out data, the player location by identity data as well as the game object location data, in coordination for given instants of measurement, and
an algorithm operative on the computer for determining the game object states including free, under contention and in possession, for each instant of received data by measuring the distance between each player and the game object, for comparing this distance to some minimum radius per player beyond which the game object cannot be in their possession, for setting the state of the game object to a classification of free if it lies outside of the minimum radius of all players, for setting the state of the game object to a classification of under contention if in the previous state it was free or not assigned to any one player's possession and it now lies within the minimum radius of one or more players, for setting the state of the game object to a classification of in the possession of any player for which the game object has remained within that player's minimum radius for some minimum time during which some other player may have been under contention but no longer is within reach of the game object.

2 more elements

A method for automatically determining the states of game object possession including the states of free, under contention and in possession, for sporting contests conducted within a predefined area of pre-known layout, using information systems that provide continuous data concerning game time-in versus time out, concerning player locations matched to identity, and concerning game object locations, comprising the steps of:

bounding a player's area of potential influence to be some distance from their current location at least within their forwardly accessible area of movement, where the player remains within the pre-known playing area;
determining for any given instant that the game object is free if it lies outside of all players' areas of influence during game time-in;
determining for any given instant that the game object is under contention if it lies within at least one player's area of influence for the current moment, but has not been within this area for more than some consecutive minimum time during game time-in, and
determining for any given instant that the game object is in possession of a player if it has remained within their area of influence for at least some minimum time during game time-in while it does not also at this moment lie within another player's area of influence.

1 more element

A method for automatically determining the states of possession flow, as well as the statistics combinable from these determinations, for team sports conducted within a predefined area of pre-known layout, including and differentiating between gaining control, exchanging control and relinquishing control, using any one or more information systems that provide continuous data concerning game time-in versus time-out, concerning player locations matched to identity, and concerning game object locations, comprising the steps of:

using the game time data to set game clock states to be either time-in or time-out;
combining the current location of each player matched to their identity with the current location of the game object and the clock states, in order to set game object movement states to be at least:
free, in possession of the home team, in possession of the away team, or optionally under contention between both teams;
optionally using the location of the game object along with the pre-known layout of the playing area to uniquely assign game object starting and ending path states to be either of two or more specific playing areas or zones.
optionally using the location of the game object to determine its path of travel with respect to both home team and away team players as well as the playing area and specifically those areas defined to be enterable by the game object for the scoring of game points, in order to set game object heading states to be towards a teammate, towards an opponent, towards an open area or towards the home team or away team scoring area, and
using the unique combinations of at least the clock states and game object movement states, as well as optionally either or both the game object starting and ending area states and the heading states to detect over time the conditions of a team gaining control, exchanging control, and relinquishing control.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and methods for translating sports tracking data into statistics and performance measurements

Life of this patent

System and methods for translating sports tracking data into statistics and performance measurements

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25