# US 8,784,268 B2 · Athletic performance monitoring systems and methods in a team sports environment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,268 B2 - Document ID: US8784268B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/054,997 - Filed: 2013-10-16 - Published: 2014-02-13 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-05 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: James Molyneux; Aaron B. Weast; Brandon S. Burroughs; Scott R. Berggren; Clayton J. Lindsay; Jordan M. Rice; Bert B. Buxton; Edward S. Lowe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784268B2 ## CPC - A63B 24/0062: {Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance} - A43B 1/0054: {provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances} - A43B 3/34: with electrical or electronic arrangements - A43B 5/02: Football boots {or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby} - A63B 24/0021: {Tracking a path or terminating locations} - A63B 43/004: {electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration} - A63B 71/0605: {Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration} - A63B 71/0619: {Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills} - G01S 13/34: using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal - G01S 13/751: {wherein the responder or reflector radiates a coded signal} - G01S 13/82: wherein continuous-type signals are transmitted - G06V 40/23: {Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training} - H01Q 1/273: {Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals} - H01Q 1/44: using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna {, e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspect}(H01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence) - A63B 43/00: Balls with special arrangements - A63B 2024/0025: {Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game} - A63B 2024/0028: {Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch} - A63B 2024/0071: {Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed} - A63B 2102/02: Tennis - A63B 2102/14: Lacrosse - A63B 2102/18: Baseball, rounders or similar games - A63B 2102/20: Cricket - A63B 2102/22: {Field} hockey - A63B 2102/24: Ice hockey - A63B 2102/32: Golf - A63B 2220/12: Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS - A63B 2220/13: Relative positions - A63B 2220/40: Acceleration - A63B 2220/53: Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch - A63B 2220/56: Pressure - A63B 2220/58: Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means - A63B 2220/833: Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement - A63B 2220/836: Sensors arranged on the body of the user - A63B 2220/89: Field sensors, e.g. radar systems - A63B 2225/50: Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry - A63B 2225/54: Transponders, e.g. RFID - A63B 2230/06: heartbeat rate only - A63B 2243/0025: Football - A63B 2243/0066: Rugby; American football - A63B 2243/007: American football - Y10S 482/901: having computer circuitry - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract Systems, apparatuses, and methods estimate the distance between a player and a ball by transmitting a chirp (sweep signal) to a radio tag located on the ball. During the chirp, the frequency of the transmitted signal is changed in a predetermined fashion. The radio tag doubles the transmitted frequency and returns the processed signal to a transceiver typically located on the player. The currently transmitted frequency is then compared with the received frequency to obtain a difference frequency from which an apparatus may estimate the distance. The apparatus may simultaneously receive the processed signal from the radio tag while transmitting the sweep signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for determining a distance between a player and a ball in a game, the method comprising: starting transmission of a sweep signal from a sensor worn by a player to a radio tag on the ball, a sweep frequency of the sweep signal changing in accordance with a predetermined pattern; simultaneously receiving a return signal from the radio tag while transmitting the sweep signal; comparing at an on-body transceiver a received frequency of the return signal with a current sweep frequency to obtain a frequency difference; estimating the distance between the player and the ball from the frequency difference; and transmitting from the on-body transceiver to a remote computer system the distance between the player and the ball. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing comprises: doubling the current sweep frequency to obtain a second harmonic signal; and mixing the second harmonic signal with the return signal to obtain a mixer output, the mixer output characterized by the difference frequency. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising: determining when to start the sweep signal to reduce interference by another transceiver, the other transceiver associated with another player. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating comprises: determining an estimated distance between the player and the ball from a plurality of measurements of the frequency difference. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, the method further comprising: when a variability of the plurality of measurements is greater than a predetermined threshold, generating a subsequent sweep signal to approximate the distance between the player and the ball. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the radio tag comprising: a frequency doubler circuit configured to generate the return signal at the different frequency while simultaneously receiving the sweep signal, wherein the different frequency equals twice the sweep frequency. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, the radio tag further comprising: an antenna for receiving at the transmit frequency and for transmitting at twice the sweep frequency. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, the on-body transceiver comprising: a mixer configured to mix the return signal with a second harmonic of the sweep signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, the antenna comprising a cross magnetic slotted dipole. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, the on-body transceiver further comprising: a filter having a bandwidth to accommodate a mixer output generated by the mixer. ### Claim 11 A tangible computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that when executed cause and apparatus to perform the steps comprising: starting transmission of a sweep signal from a sensor worn by a player to a radio tag on the ball, a sweep frequency of the sweep signal changing in accordance with a predetermined pattern; simultaneously receiving a return signal from the radio tag while transmitting the sweep signal; comparing at an on-body transceiver received frequency of the return signal with a current sweep frequency to obtain a frequency difference; estimating the distance between the player and the ball from the frequency difference; and transmitting from the on-body transceiver to a remote computer system the distance between the player and the ball. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the comparing comprises: doubling the current sweep frequency to obtain a second harmonic signal; and mixing the second harmonic signal with the return signal to obtain a mixer output, the mixer output characterized by the difference frequency. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to perform the step comprising: determining when to start the sweep signal to reduce interference by another transceiver, the other transceiver associated with another player. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the estimating comprises: determining an estimated distance between the player and the ball from a plurality of measurements of the frequency difference. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to perform the step comprising: when a variability of the plurality of measurements is greater than a predetermined threshold, generating a subsequent sweep signal to approximate the distance between the player and the ball. ### Claim 16 A computer device comprising: a processor; a tangible computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the computer device to perform the steps comprising: starting transmission of a sweep signal from a sensor worn by a player to a radio tag on the ball, a sweep frequency of the sweep signal changing in accordance with a predetermined pattern; simultaneously receiving a return signal from the radio tag while transmitting the sweep signal; comparing at an on-body receiver a received frequency of the return signal with a current sweep frequency to obtain a frequency difference; estimating the distance between the player and the ball from the frequency difference; and transmitting from the on-body transceiver to a remote computer system the distance between the player and the ball. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer device of claim 16, wherein the comparing comprises: doubling the current sweep frequency to obtain a second harmonic signal; and mixing the second harmonic signal with the return signal to obtain a mixer output, the mixer output characterized by the difference frequency. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer device of claim 16, wherein the tangible computer-readable medium further contains computer-executable instructions that cause the computer device to perform the step comprising: determining when to start the sweep signal to reduce interference by another transceiver, the other transceiver associated with another player. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The computer device of claim 16, wherein the estimating comprises: determining an estimated distance between the player and the ball from a plurality of measurements of the frequency difference. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer device of claim 16, wherein the tangible computer-readable medium further contains computer-executable instructions that cause the computer device to perform the step comprising: when a variability of the plurality of measurements is greater than a predetermined threshold, generating a subsequent sweep signal to approximate the distance between the player and the ball.