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

Abstract

System and methods for automatically determining states of game object possession for sporting contests. The system uses the minimum necessary and sufficient data, including the predefined tracking layout, official game time-in versus time-out data, centroid location of each player matched with their identity data and centroid location of the game object data which is then converted deterministically into at least clock states and game object movement states. The system and methods also disclose the further combining of these states into the determination of the cycle of possession flow. 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 in combination with a minimum radius defining each player's area of influence and a minimum time necessary for the game object to be within this area before possession can be assigned.

1 . 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 . The system of  claim 1  where the system for tracking at least the on going locations of each player, matched to their identity, and optionally the on going locations of the game object, uses active energy emitters placed on the player and optionally within or to the game object, such as but not limited to systems currently sold by Trakus, Inc. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  where the system for tracking the on going locations of the game object uses active energy emitters placed within the game object, such as but not limited to systems currently owned by Fox Sports. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  where the system for tracking both the on going locations of each player, matched to their identity, as well as the on going locations of the game object uses a grid of two or more object tracking cameras placed substantially overhead of the playing area. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  where the algorithm operative on the computer for determining the states of game object possession, alternatively sets the state of the game object to a classification of in the possession of any player if either the game object's trajectory or it's acceleration has been detected to have been altered by at least some minimum amount after it enters the minimum radius of that player, where the detected change optionally relies upon a predicted game object location that is not achieved in order to assume that the trajectory or acceleration has been altered by that player, and where this detected change is also outside of the minimum radius of all other players. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  where the distance between each player and the game object that is used to compare to that player's minimum radius is either based upon a single measurement for a given instant, or is alternatively based upon an average of this same measurement over at least two or more instants. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  where the minimum time used to determine if the game object is now in the state of possession is dynamically adjusted based upon any combination of the trajectory or velocity of the game object as well as the trajectory or velocity of the player for which possession is being considered. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  where the system for tracking the on going locations of each player, matched to their identity, also determine the orientation of each player. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  where the area within the circle defined by the minimum radius within which a player is considered to be either potentially in possession of the game object, or to be putting the game object under contention, is further constricted based upon the detected orientation of the player to be some reduced sector of the circle, generally covering the area in the forward direction of that player's orientation. 
     
     
         10 . 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.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  where the step for determining that the game object is in possession of a player alternately assigns possession to any player if either the game object's trajectory or it's acceleration is detected to have been altered by at least some minimum amount after it enters the area of influence of that player, where the detected change optionally relies upon a predicted game object location that is not achieved in order to assume that the trajectory or acceleration has been altered by that player, and where this detected change is also outside of the area of influence of all other players. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  where the step for determining for any given instant that the game object is free uses either a instantaneous measurement of distance between each player and the game object as the basis for this comparison or it uses an average of two or more distance measurements over two or more instants, likewise between the same player and the game object. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  where the step of determining game object contention as well as the step of determining game object possession both use some minimum time that is dynamically adjusted based upon any combination of the trajectory or velocity of the game object as well as the trajectory or velocity of the player under consideration. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  where system that provides continuous data concerning player locations matched to their identity further provides each player's orientation, comprising the additional step of:
 constricting a player's area of potential influence to be a sector of the circle centered about the player's location that is aligned to match the player's orientation. 
 
     
     
         15 . 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.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  where the step of setting the game object movement states further comprises 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. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  where the step for determining that the game object is in possession of a player alternately assigns possession to any player if either the game object's trajectory or it's acceleration is detected to have been altered by at least some minimum amount after it enters the area of influence of that player, where the detected change optionally relies upon a predicted game object location that is not achieved in order to assume that the trajectory or acceleration has been altered by that player, and where this detected change is also outside of the area of influence of all other players. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  where the step for determining for any given instant that the game object is free uses either a instantaneous measurement of distance between each player and the game object as the basis for this comparison or it uses an average of two or more distance measurements over two or more instants, likewise between the same player and the game object. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  where the step of determining game object contention as well as the step of determining game object possession both use some minimum time that is dynamically adjusted based upon any combination of the trajectory or velocity of the game object as well as the trajectory or velocity of the player under consideration. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  where system that provides continuous data concerning player locations matched to their identity further provides each player's orientation, comprising the additional step of:
 constricting a player's area of potential influence to be a sector of the circle centered about the player's location that is aligned to match the player's orientation.