EP0812228B1 - Process for sensing the surface of an object that contacts a contact ground during the practice of a sport - Google Patents

Abstract

A process and device are disclosed for recording and evaluating recorded traces of heat generated between an object (person 4, ball 5) and a contact ground (playing field 2, 9 or field limits 3, 11) during the practice of a sport.

Description

State of the art

The invention is based on a method for detecting the Contact surface of an object present during sport (ball, Players, tires, runners or the like) with a contact reason (Floor, table surface, field boundary or the like) after the Genus of the main claim.

A preferred application of the generic The method is particularly the determination of tennis Balls contact surface with the contact base, for example the floor covering or a net edge. While a tennis game it is sometimes necessary to be precise Position determinations of the contact surface of the ball on the To be able to make contact. For example, it applies determine whether the rebound point (contact surface or impression) of the ball on the ground is still in the playing field, whether it is touches an outside line or whether it is outside the field. It is also desirable to have a previous one To be able to determine the touch of the ball with the net edge.

According to the prior art, the touch coordinates of the Balles on the contact surface by arbitration or line judges certainly. However, this method has the disadvantage that it is inaccurate with the risk of wrong decisions. Moreover it is known to use optical or electromagnetic ball To locate monitoring devices.

In a known device for detecting the position a ball (DE 42 33 341) becomes a detector / transmitter unit in the ball arranged, the receiving / transmitting elements arranged at various points near the line are. The ball is located by evaluating the Reflections of the pulses emitted by active elements at the recipients. This facility to recognize the Position of the ball has the disadvantage that constructive or structural changes to the ball or playing field are required. Also, the ball will stand alone instead of the ball's touch surface monitored on the contact ground.

Another known ball location system (WO 89/00066), which is preferably used in tennis monitoring the passage of a ball a predetermined Line. Here are either below or above on the Floor of the tennis court electromagnetic waves emitting transmitters and / or receivers attached to the a Evaluate the signal reflected by the ball. The tennis ball must have special magnetic properties. Also on this system are constructive changes to the ball as well structural changes to the playing field required. Here too the ball and not the contact surface of the ball on the Contact reason monitored.

Another disadvantage of these known systems is that they too monitoring line, in particular a field border line, as idealized geometric straight line is considered. you however, the actual course often differs Reinstalling the same flooring from one Straight lines considerably. These deviations from the known systems not or only with great effort be taken into account.

Another disadvantage of these known systems is that Result due to the sometimes very high ball speeds is influenced by runtime errors.

Another disadvantage is that the receiving and transmitting systems be negatively influenced by the person hitting the ball can and that a combination with independent TV recordings are hardly possible.

In a method known from the prior art (WO 87/01295), the location of the impact of a tennis ball on the playing field is made visible with the aid of infrared cameras. When it hits the tennis ball, it transfers energy to the surface in the form of heat, which can be recognized in the thermal image of the infrared camera.
It turns out to be disadvantageous here that the markings usually used on tennis courts to limit the playing field in the thermal image of the infrared camera are not so well recognizable that they can also be recognized by the television viewers to whom the thermal image is displayed.

It is therefore the object of the present invention, the reason for contact with markings to be provided which are so well recognizable in the infrared spectral range that they can also be detected by Television viewers are recognized in the thermal image displayed by television can.

The method according to the invention with the characterizing features of claim 1 provides for this that the contact reason is provided with a marking which Contains metal powder. The marking therefore has a different one due to the metal powder thermal energy than the immediate playing field and can therefore clearly be seen in the thermal image Playing field to be separated.

The method according to the invention with the features of the main claim uses the when the object present in sport comes into contact with the Contact due to frictional heat Traces of heat. The method according to the invention measures the Temperature difference between the heat trace and the contact surface, captures them, records them and evaluates them, which makes them Touch surface can be shown on a screen.

Since the inventive method less the position of the determined object in sports, but rather records and evaluates the thermal footprints any contact surfaces - especially the most diverse for example circular, oval tennis ball prints or Traces of car tires in curves, etc. - can be detected. So can a person running on the contact ground or their person Soil impressions are recorded.

An advantage of the method according to the invention is that the detected contact surfaces with themselves on the contact base existing markings, in particular boundary lines, in Relation can be set, or their relative position can be determined to each other. The prerequisite for this is that the markings or lines of the invention Procedures are included. This is due to the imperative different color of the markings and Lines are usually given because of different colors different radiation and heat radiation reflection values have and thus of the inventive method be included. The markings are with Metal powder, especially aluminum powder.

Another advantage of the invention is that neither in sports existing object still the contact reason constructive or would have to be structurally changed.

Another advantage of the invention is that none Measurement inaccuracies due to the relatively high Speed with which the existing in sports Object moves, occur.

Another advantage of the invention is that by the relative slow cooling of the heat traces accurate measurements possible are. After cooling down, a new measurement take place during the previous measurement is also saved for later display. So it is possible Measurements taken at different times in the same place were made to compare with each other. For example the paths chosen by a tennis player and how far this Deviate paths from an ideal path etc.

Another advantage of the invention is that the geometric Accuracy of the course of the surface and the extent of the surface Markings and lines, especially of boundary lines, on the contact surface for the contact surfaces to be recorded are irrelevant.

Another advantage of the invention is that two-dimensional view of the reason for contact with the traces of heat on it no paralax errors can occur, which is related to an exact position determination allows for basic contact markings. To that extent Degree of freedom for the arrangement of the measuring device above the reason for contact is relatively large.

The recorded heat traces are also visible in real time made.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention object existing in sports a ball, the contact reason is the floor covering and / or a net or a network enclosure.

The main sports here are tennis, ice hockey, Table tennis but also thought of billiards, preferably one detectable with a small number of thermographs Total contact area and for which a relatively high Speed of the object takes place with some confusing or difficult to grasp individual situations. While the borderline cases are particularly critical in tennis, whether the ball was still inside the field or touched the line has or whether he was just off the line is with others Ball game types, such as handball and football, possibly interesting to measure whether the goalkeeper deflected ball was already behind the goal line or not yet. The reason for contact in the latter case would be, for example Glove of the goalkeeper, whereby the emerging Trace of heat, although only very briefly present, can be captured.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention is the object that is present in sports itself? Vehicle tire, the contact reason of the surface a street or the like. The problems of registration of individual situations in such a sport, such as Example car racing, consist mainly in the fact that it is mostly long distances, regardless of whether it is a four-wheel vehicle, that is racing cars or the like, or a two-wheeled vehicle, such as a motorcycle or bicycle, acts. The measuring points are mainly in such areas be provided in which borderline situations arise, such as for example, a necessary braking or due to a After drifting or when accelerating suddenly a curve or when a curve ends, a higher one Soil friction arises. Such measurements in borderline situations can be used to analyze accidents , but also for training courses on demonstrating Optimal solutions. However, such are particularly interesting Records when with television recordings can be combined in which the viewer is critical Individual situations can be explained by Superimposing the normal television picture with the Recording by the thermograph. Especially at Car racing is not possible for the viewer at the given high speeds quality differences of Top drivers when driving through a curve or the like evaluate. Even if the television picture is digitized and in Slow motion would be recorded, these are the differences hardly recognizable. If, however, a comparison of the thermographic records of various vehicles takes place, the viewer can very quickly see the qualitative Find differences, both from Viewer interest as well as to learn from it.

According to one embodiment of the invention the object present in sports is at least one a skid located in a winter sports device, the The reason for contact is a mostly frozen floor covering (ice). At such sports as sledding and bobsleighing, there are also extremely high speeds, for example up to 150 km / h and this on a mostly as Ice tube formed track. At these high speeds The ideal line naturally plays a decisive role. Each Deviating from this ideal line means milliseconds of Loss of time, which can then cost victory. Here too due to the length of the web the measuring device of the Heat trace can be arranged in areas where the The risk of deviating from an ideal track is greatest. Also Here you can measure and hold each of the athletes selected track for training reasons, but also for Information from viewers, preferably the Television. Such thermographs can be used in places be arranged, otherwise not accessible to viewers are. Again, by applying the invention, how Even with most other sports, the popularity of the respective sports are increased because of the viewer throughout another way to put himself in the role of the athlete, like it is possible with normal television recordings. Except for the mentioned track recording it is also possible to record or record where the athlete has braked and the athlete can judge for himself whether this Braking was necessary or not.

According to an advantageous embodiment According to the invention, the object present in sports is a ski, the contact ground is a snow slope. Of course you can Such a slope may also be icy or it is in most Cases. It is particularly the case with the shorter downhill routes possible with relatively few thermographs Record heat traces left by the ski on the slopes. Again, this recording method can be used for Training purposes used and be of great advantage. she but above all can give television viewers the opportunity give to compare the quality of different top athletes. The invention makes it possible to determine whether the Skier lifting too much Loss of friction generated on departure, or whether he by clever weight distribution or other division of the Swinging a better ideal line and higher Can achieve speeds. It can also be determined which driving styles are particularly risky and one Include risk of injury. So you can also by Invention determine what pressure the ski jumper when Leaving the opportunity and how it turns out may affect flight length.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention are attached in or on the contact surface Infrared range made visible characters recognizable. Apart from the fact that this means any comparative values, which should otherwise be invisible to the viewer, This method can also be made recognizable find application in advertising so that through normal Unrecognizable advertisements by overlaying the eye Recording by thermograph on the television screen become visible.

According to an essential embodiment of the invention, how already mentioned above, the recorded heat traces of Accessible to the public, both about the Projection on big screens as well as over that of Public television broadcasting can be done. The invention overcomes the bias, the records of heat traces in sports not only the To make it accessible to the public, but above all with the recording process via television cameras connect. This is done in particular through oversubscription or overlap of one on the one hand Thermographs and on the other hand by a television camera recorded data.

Further advantages and advantageous configurations of the Invention are the following description of the drawing and removable from the claims.

drawing

Fig. 1

die Anwendung der Erfindung bei einer Tennisanlage;

Fig. 2

ein Tennisfeld in der Draufsicht,

Fig. 3

Ball- und Bodenberührung in der Draufsicht,

Fig. 4

die Anwendung bei einer Bobbahn und

Fig. 5

die Anwendung bei einer Rennstrecke.

Several embodiments of the object of the invention are shown in the drawing and described in more detail below. Show it:

Fig. 1

the application of the invention to a tennis facility;

Fig. 2

a tennis court in top view,

Fig. 3

Ball and ground contact in top view,

Fig. 4

use on a bobsleigh track and

Fig. 5

the application on a racetrack.

Description of the embodiments

In Fig. 1 is the application of the invention for tennis shown and as a greatly simplified perspective Presentation. On a tennis court 1 there is a playing field 2 in Usually determined by boundary lines 3. The strong simplified represented player 4 play with a ball 5, the can be beaten accordingly via a tennis net 6 and where the known rules of tennis are to be followed. On a referee platform 7 sits a referee 8, the Compliance with the rules is monitored and accordingly in the game can intervene. He is usually assisted by linesmen who must watch if the ball 5 is still inside the field 2 was or just touched the line, or if he got out of the field. This observation is As is well known, very difficult because the ball, especially when can have an extremely high speed, so that in borderline cases even a trained line judge has problems determine whether the ball was still on the boundary line 3 or already outside the field 2. So is that Linesman to see if the ball is still in an intermediate field 9 or its boundary line 11 or whether he had already landed in field 2. Even one At these high speeds, the television camera can the actual impact point can hardly be recorded.

According to the invention are approximately in the middle of each Halves of the field and cameras 12 arranged, which are held here on cantilever constructions 13. These cameras work with infrared and can also do one have digital or other recording options. In In any case, this recording can be made via a screen device 14 are reproduced, being a television can act. The referee 8 is on his Referee podium 7 with a corresponding more special trained screen device 15 equipped with which respective recording recorded and therefore at any time is repeatable. So this record is not just for that Referee 8 to control player errors related to the touch of the ball with the ground, but the recording can also at any time for television programs by the viewer be understood and this, for example, in connection with an advertisement.

As shown in FIG. 2, the two cameras 12 are each centered of the two halves of the playing fields 2, the Ball contact can be detected through these central measuring points. The infrared image shows automatically when developing Frictional heat and their location. Already after the frictional heat of the contact surface is a few seconds dissolved. The speed of the ball has none Influence on the result, since only the remaining one Frictional heat is detected and not the ball itself. The Measuring accuracy is in the range of one millimeter.

In Fig. 3 is a plan view for comparison on the left in the picture Tennis ball and on the right in the picture a possible contact surface the same shown on the field. This contact surface is oval, firstly because the ball is flattened on the serve and secondly a certain distance glides over the ground. At a inelastic object would be a line.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is the ice channel 16 of a bobsled run, in the two different tracks 17 and 18 of bobs by thermal cameras were recorded and thereby in the manner shown can be played back later. Here can be clearly seen that the track 18 largely in the Ideal line runs, whereas the track 17 shows that the corresponding bob was driven out a bit and thereby not only has a longer lane that takes time, but also possibly a higher frictional heat. Here too is the particular advantage that such track records retrospectively and also superimposed on the television recording can be shown on television in order to do this on the one hand to give the athlete the opportunity to criticize and on the other hand to be able to explain to the viewer why the one or the other has not won.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5 a racing car 19 on the road 21 on the road his tires leave traces of heat 22. As clearly shown here is recognizable, these heat traces have changes 23, that are due to braking, drifting or accelerating are, what each a different friction heat development for Can have consequences. In this way, both the Track recording as well as the other vehicle-bound Records deficiencies and benefits of driving behavior removable. For example, a trace of heat interrupted the moment the vehicle hit the ground takes off.

All of the description, claims and drawing removable features can be used both individually and in any combination with each other be essential to the invention.

List of reference numbers

1

Tennis court

2nd

matchfield

3rd

Boundary lines

4th

player

5

ball

6

Tennis net

7

Referee podium

8th

referee

9

Intermediate field

10th 11

Boundary line of 9

12th

camera

13

Cantilever constructions

14

Monitor

15

Referee device

16

Ice channel

17th

traces

18th

traces

19th

race car

20th 21

Racetrack

22

Traces of heat

23

Change from 22

Claims (11)

1. A process for detecting and displaying the contact surface between the ground and a used object (5, 19) or between a sportsman (4) with the respective contact ground (2, 9, 21) during field sports,
   whence the heat generated between the said contact ground (2, 9, 21) and either the object (5, 10) or the sportsman (4) is evaluated,
   characterised in that

   the contacting ground is provided with markings (3) containing metal powder visible in the infrared spectral range,

   and the heat detected by a thermograph via an image evaluation or processing system is evaluated or processed to obtain final images that are visible to the observer, and then displayed together with the contact ground markings.
2. A process according to Claim 1, characterised in that the boundary lines (3) predetermined during sports are provided with a marking that is visible in the infrared spectral range.
3. A process according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a net or the edge of a net is provided with marking that is visible in the infrared spectral range.
4. A process according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that signs in or on the contact ground are provided with marking that is visible in the infrared spectral range.
5. A process according to one of the Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the markings made on the contact ground are applied with paints that are visible in the infrared range.
6. A process according to one of the Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the markings made on the contact ground are applied with aluminium powder that is visible in the infrared range.
7. A process according to one of the Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the object (5) is a ball and the contact ground is the flooring of the play field (2, 9) in a played-ball type of sport.
8. A process according to one of the Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the object is a tyre on a vehicle (19) and the contact ground is the road surface (21) or something similar.
9. A process according to one of the Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the object is at least a skid on a winter sports equipment and the contact ground is ice (16).
10. A process according to one of the Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the object is a ski and the contact ground is ski-run (16).
11. A process according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the final images are made accessible to the public.

Images