Virtual umpire system

Abstract

A virtual umpire system operates using data captured from one or more fixtures positioned proximate to a playing surface. Each fixture includes: a support; a radar system positioned to capture radar data for an area that includes the playing surface; and a local controller stack. The stack includes control circuitry for controlling the radar system and will, in response to receiving a command to provide a virtual umpire service: (a) cause the radar system to capture the radar data for the area during a time period; (b) process the radar data to identify, in the radar data, a specified object; (c) determine whether the object is within or outside of a boundary of the playing surface; and (d) send a result of the determining to another device of the system. Systems and methods for processing the data captured by the system are also disclosed.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of fixtures positioned proximate to a playing surface, wherein each of the fixtures comprises:
 a support, 
 a radar system connected to and supported by the support and positioned to capture radar data for an area that includes the playing surface, and 
 a local controller stack connected to the support, and that includes control circuitry for controlling the radar system and a memory containing local programming instructions that will, upon execution, cause a processor of the system to, in response to receiving a command to provide a virtual umpire service:
 cause the radar system to capture the radar data for the area during a time period, 
 process the radar data to identify, in the radar data, a specified object, 
 determine whether a position of the specified object is within or outside of a boundary of the playing surface, and 
 send a result of the determining to another device of the system. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is a local processor that is included in the local controller stack. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a luminaire attached to the fixture,   wherein at least some of the control circuitry of the local controller stack is also for controlling the luminaire.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions to send the result of the determining to another device of the system comprise instructions to cause the luminaire to change one or more characteristics of light output by the luminaire in response to the result. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions to send the result of the determining to another device of the system comprise instructions to send the result to a scoreboard that is installed proximate to the playing surface for causing the scoreboard to update information displayed in response to the result. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a gateway controller that is positioned proximate to the playing surface and that will, in operation, receive data from each of the local controller stacks and send commands to each of the local controller stacks for operation of the radar systems. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the instructions to send the result of the determining comprise instructions to send the radar data to the gateway controller; and   the gateway controller comprises a memory and programming instructions that will cause the gateway controller to:
 receive first radar data from the radar system, 
 receive additional radar data from one or more additional radar systems that are installed on one or more additional fixtures positioned proximate the playing surface, and 
 process the first radar data and the additional radar data to further determine whether the position of the specified object is within or outside of the boundary. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a luminaire attached to the fixture,   wherein at least some of the control circuitry of the local controller stack is also for controlling the luminaire.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a server that comprises a server processor and programming instructions that will, upon execution, cause the server to, in response to receiving a request from a mobile electronic device:
 send, to the mobile electronic device for output on a user interface, a user-selectable prompt to trigger operation of the virtual umpire service; and   in response to receiving both a user selection of the prompt and payment information for the virtual umpire service from the mobile electronic device, generate the command to operate the virtual umpire service sending the command to the local controller stack.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising additional programming instructions to cause the server to, in response to receiving the request:
 determine whether an administrator is exercising control of the system at the time the request is received; and   only generatiethe command to provide the virtual umpire service after confirming that the administrator is not exercising control of the system at the time the user interface request is received.   
     
     
         11 . A method of providing a virtual umpire service, the method comprising:
 by a processor of a local controller stack that is connected to a fixture that includes a radar system that is positioned to capture radar data for an area that includes a playing surface, in response to receiving a command to provide the virtual umpire service:
 cause the radar system to capture the radar data for the area during a time period; 
 process the radar data to identify, in the radar data, a specified object; 
 determine whether a position of the specified object is within or outside of a boundary of the playing surface; and 
 send a result of the determining to another device of the system. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the fixture further comprises a luminaire; and   the method also comprises, by the processor in response to the command also comprising a command to operate the luminaire, controlling the luminaire while also providing the virtual umpire service.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein sending the result of the determining to another device of the system comprises causing the luminaire to change one or more characteristics of light output by the luminaire in response to the result. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein sending the result of the determining to another device of the system comprises sending the result to a scoreboard that is installed proximate to the playing surface for causing the scoreboard to update information displayed in response to the result. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, by a gateway controller that is positioned proximate to the playing surface:
 receiving data from the local controller stack and one or more additional local controller stacks of additional fixtures that include additional radar systems that are positioned to capture radar data for an area that includes the playing surface; and   sending commands to each of the local controller stacks for operation of their corresponding radar systems.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 sending the result of the determining comprise sending the radar data to the gateway controller; and   the method further comprises, by the gateway controller in response to receiving the radar first radar data from the radar system and additional radar data from the additional radar systems, processing the first radar data and the additional radar data to further determine whether the position of the specified object is within or outside of the boundary.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the fixture further comprises a luminaire; and   the method also comprises, by the processor in response to the command also comprising a command to operate the luminaire, controlling the luminaire while also providing the virtual umpire service.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising, by a server in response to receiving a request from a mobile electronic device:
 sending, to the mobile electronic device for output on a user interface, a user-selectable prompt to trigger operation of the virtual umpire service; and 
 in response to receiving both a user selection of the prompt and payment information for the virtual umpire service from the mobile electronic device, generating the command to operate the virtual umpire service sending the command to the local controller stack. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising, by the server in response to receiving the request:
 determining whether an administrator is exercising control of the system at the time the request is received; and 
 only generating the command to provide the virtual umpire service after confirming that the administrator is not exercising control of the system at the time the user interface request is received. 
 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory memory device storing programming instructions that will, upon execution, cause a processor of a fixture that includes a radar system, in response to receiving a command to provide a virtual umpire service:
 cause the radar system to capture the radar data for an area that includes a playing surface during a time period;   process the radar data to identify, in the radar data, a specified object;   determine whether a position of the specified object is within or outside of a boundary of the playing surface; and   send a result of the determining to another device of the system.