WO2007061346A1

WO2007061346A1 - Presentation of a sporting competition

Info

Publication number: WO2007061346A1
Application number: PCT/SE2005/001767
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jonas Glansk; Gustav Wallin; Heikki HÄRKÖNEN; Erik WICKSTRÖM
Original assignee: Hiddenpeaks Racing Ab
Priority date: 2005-11-24
Filing date: 2005-11-24
Publication date: 2007-05-31

Abstract

In a method for presenting and simulating a sporting competition in which competitors or competitive objects are to be moved in the best possible manner according to pre-determined criteria from a starting position, instantaneous positional information for a particular competitor or competitive object is collected at a number of instants in order to determine the motion of a competitor or competitive object during the competition and is distributed for presentation in real-time on a screen. Alternatively, the collected positional information is stored in order to determine the motion of a competitor or competitive object during the competition and the stored information is distributed for presentation on a screen. A corresponding arrangement comprises an means for determining position (2, 4, 6, 14) arranged to determine the instantaneous positional information for competitors or competitive objects (CAR1, CAR2, …, CAR254) at a number of time points during a competition. A data distributor is arranged to distribute the said positional information to at least one screen in order to present the motion of the competitors or competitive objects in real-time during the competition. Alternatively, a data storage means (20) is arranged for the storage of the said positional information for competitors or competitive objects, and a data distributor is arranged to distribute the said positional information to at least one screen in order to present the motion of the competitors or competitive objects during the competition.

Description

PRESENTATION OF A SPORTING COMPETITION

The present invention concerns a method for presenting a sporting competition, in which competitors or competitive objects are to be transported from a starting position in the best possible manner, according to pre-determined criteria. The invention also concerns a corresponding arrangement, comprising means for determining position arranged to determine continuously the instantaneous positional information for competitors or competitive objects on a number of occasions during a competition.

Technology is known within digital TV for enhancing the experience of the viewer when broadcasting, for example, motor races in that a ring is drawn around a certain car on the TV screen in order to draw attention to this particular car. The construction of graphical simulations is also known in such contexts, which simulations result in all cars in a competition being shown at the same time. "Enhanced broadcasting" is the term used to denote broadcasting with the aim of enhancing the experience of a viewer.

The simulation of participants in real sporting competitions with real participants through interactive features for the users is previously known from SE 0202323-2, and a simulation game is described in GB 2 365 360 in order to simulate participation in a real competition.

The collection of data concerning the action during, for example, football matches has also begun. The data collection is in this case carried out by collectors of statistics in the form of spectators who observe and feed the data into a database. Input data is converted with the aid of computers to figures and statistics, which are presented to, for example, a TV viewer in association with the broadcasting of the particular match, or which are used by the team captain or similar in order to analyse future opponents.

The aim of the present invention is to present a sporting competition in real-time or with the use of stored information concerning the motion of the competitors or competitive objects during the competition.

This aim is achieved with a method and an arrangement of the kind defined in the introductory portion and having the characterizing features of claim 1 and claim 6 respectively. The presentation in two or three dimensions of a competition in real-time with the aid of stored data is made possible in this way with the present invention. Collected data concerning positions can also be used for statistical purposes. The invention can be used at all types of competition at which it is a matter of travelling as rapidly as possible from a starting position to a finishing point, and it can also be used at competitions such as golf, jumping and throwing competitions, as will be described in more detail below.

According to one advantageous embodiment of the method and the arrangement according to the invention, positional information is collected from a previous competition or from several previous competitions for the determination of the motion of a competitor or competitive object during the said previous competition or competitions, and a sporting competition is simulated through the simulation of the motion during the competition of the participating competitors or competitive objects during the said sporting competition based on stored positional information concerning the motion of the said participating competitors or competitive objects during the said previous competitions, and a data storage means is arranged for the storage of the said positional information for competitors or competitive objects during several competitions, and a simulation device is arranged to simulate a sporting competition through simulation of the motion of particular competitors or competitive objects during the sporting competition from stored positional information about the said participating competitors or competitive objects from previous competitions.

The simulation of a future competition from stored data is in this way made possible before the actual competition takes place. The result of a competition can in this way be predicted with greater reliability, something that naturally is of great interest in association with tote betting, other betting, etc. The reliability of the simulated result can be increased by collecting data about the motion of competitors and competitive objects over a long period. It is possible to collect data about, for example, the motion of a harness-racing sulky during all races during a 12-month period, and simulate a future race based on this data. The invention can be used at all types of sporting competition at which is it a matter of travelling as rapidly as possible from a starting position to a finishing point, for example, motor racing such as Formula 1 racing, rallies, harness racing, running races such as the Stockholm Marathon, the New York Marathon, etc. The arrangement according to the invention can be used to simulate also, for example, cycle races such as the Tour de France. The invention can also be used to simulate, for example, golf tournaments, in which it is not a matter of motion as rapidly as possible from a start position to a finishing point, but rather it is a matter for the competitors to displace as rapidly as possible an object from a starting position to a finishing point. "As rapidly as possible" in the case of the golf example does not mean "in as short a time as possible"; but it means moving "with as few strokes as possible" the competitive object, i.e. the golf ball, from its initial position to the hole. The arrangement according to the invention can be used for the simulation also of jumping competitions, whereby it is a matter for the participating competitors to jump as long or as high as possible, in throwing competitions, where it is a matter for the participating competitors to throw an object as far as possible, etc. Thus the invention makes possible the simulation of in practice any competitive sport of the type in question. It is possible also to predict a certain event, such as, for example, to determine the probability that a certain car breaks down on lap 63 of a motor race.

According to one advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, data concerning external conditions during the competition and concerning the track conditions are collected to be used during the simulation. The simulation can be made even more reliable by collecting data concerning external conditions during the competition and concerning the track conditions to be used during the simulation. In this manner it is possible to include in the simulation of, for example, a Formula 1 race such external conditions concerning the competition and the track as "wet track" at a certain part of the competition track, and "dry track" at a second part, "yellow flag", etc., while, for example, air temperature may be significant in harness racing, as may the identity of the driver who drives each sulky, while the reliability of the simulation of a golf tournament can be increased if weather information, such as wind conditions, are included.

It is often difficult, due to an unfavourable viewing angle or an unfavourable camera angle, for spectators who are located around a competition track or who follow a competition on a TV screen to determine who among the competitors is actually leading at any particular moment. This difficulty is particularly clear when the competitors pass through curves, since a competitor in an outer reach of the track has a long er distance to cover to reach a certain reference point, such as the finishing line. According to one advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, whereby the sporting competition is a race around a curved competition track, for this reason the intersection between the inner limit of the track and the normal to the tangent of the motion at the instantaneous position of the competitor is determined, after which the distance along the inner limit of the track between the said point of intersection and a pre-determined reference point on the inner limit of the track is determined. Direct information is in this way obtained about which one of the competitors is actually leading the race. This information can subsequently be presented for the spectators or TV viewers on a TV screen or in another suitable manner.

According to one advantageous embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the arrangement for determining position comprises a GPS system for the determination of position using GPS units with unique identities, intended to be carried by each of the said competitors or of the said competitive objects. In this way it is thus possible to follow the motion of each competitor, or, where relevant, the vehicle of each competitor, or of each of the competitive objects in order to continuously collect and store information about its position in the form of positional information. It may be suitable to store positional information 10 times per second for each horse or sulky for harness racing and for horse racing. The advantage of using a GPS system for the determination of position is that these systems are based on well-known technology. It is also possible, however, to use means for determining position of another type.

In order to improve the precision of the position determination, the means for determining position may, according to another advantageous embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, comprise a DGPS system arranged to receive signals from GPS satellites and a signal from a land-based station in order to correct the GPS units in the determinations of position that have been carried out. The precision can in this way be improved to approximately 50 cm. The advantage of using DGPS for this purpose is that the DGPS technology constitutes available and well-established technology.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, a local base station comprising said means for determining position is arranged in association with the competition track for the determination of the said positional information for competitors or competitive objects. It is an advantage if the base station is placed in the centre of a closed competition track. A very precise determination of position can be achieved with such a base station, with an error that is typically less than 5 cm. If GPRS is used for the determination of position of, for example, cars during a motor race, contact is often lost when the cars drive through a tunnel. Also this problem can be solved with a local base station for the determination of position, located in the tunnel. Also the position of a reference point or reference line, for example, the finishing line, can be determined in a simple manner with a local base station.

According to still other embodiments of the arrangement according to the invention, a data collection unit is arranged to collect and pre-process positional information in the form of positional data for competitors or competitive objects and to transfer the pre-processed data to a data distribution unit, which formats the said data for storage in a database. The data distribution unit is arranged to transfer on request data stored in the database via a server architecture to a screen or a simulation device and to users of the arrangement. Each server in the server architecture is connected to a number of further servers, whereby the nodes of the architecture are identical. The data collection unit is preferably a PC with suitable software. The data distribution unit may comprise a data parser or a text analyser, which rewrites the data in the format desired. In this way, unnecessary data, among other things, is omitted. In the case in which the positional information has the form of positional coordinates, an absolute position can, for example, be converted or transformed into a relative position. The data is subsequently placed in long-term storage in a database. Data collected during one year can be stored in this manner. It is appropriate that the data distribution unit is a locally located server, of the same type, for example, as the servers that are included in the server architecture. The risk of collected data being lost is reduced to a minimum by the local placement of the distribution server. The database may be located at a freely chosen location. The server architecture may be adapted to the requirements of the particular solution by scaling up or scaling down.

According to other advantageous embodiments of the arrangement according to the invention, the simulation device comprises simulation terminals intended for users of the simulation device. Each one of the simulation terminals comprises a transmission unit in order to convert at least one of positional information and information concerning external conditions during the competition and track conditions into a form that is suitable for the simulation device. Thus, determined positional coordinates, among other data, for competitors or competitive units are converted in this transmission unit into a coordinate system that is suitable for the simulation. Furthermore, it is possible to make the simulation more realistic by including in the simulation of, for example, a Formula 1 race, such external conditions concerning the competition and the track as "wet track" at a certain part of the competition track, and "dry track" at a second part, "yellow flag", etc., or by including weather information, such as wind conditions in the simulation of a golf tournament.

According to yet further advantageous embodiments of the arrangement according to the invention, at least one viewer unit is arranged to create from information received, in the desired manner, a corresponding graphical representation to be displayed on a screen. The viewer unit may comprise any one of the units PC, hand-held computer, mobile telephone, and digital TV receiver. In the case in which the viewer unit comprises a digital TV receiver, the viewer unit is arranged to create a window on the TV screen for display of said graphical representation overlaid the TV image. It is appropriate that this overlaid image is present in a region at the bottom of the TV screen. It is possible to select the display in the overlaid image of, for example, average speed and fuel consumption for a certain car in a motor race that is shown on the TV screen in question, and it is possible to select that other information, such as advertising and sponsor information, may be displayed there.

As has been discussed above, it can often be difficult for spectators around a race track to determine which of the competitors is really leading, in particular when the competitors are passing through curved parts of the race track. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, therefore, the viewer unit is arranged to create from information received about the positions of competitors in the race track an image from above of a selected, curved part of the track, straightened out in order to show the correct relative positions of the competitors. The spectators normally see the competitors principally in a horizontal direction. However, this image is turned through 90° with this embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention such that the race track with the competitors is seen from above, and curved parts of the track are straightened out such that the correct positions of the competitors are made clear. According to yet further advantageous embodiments of the arrangement according to the invention, each one of the transmission units comprises a key unit in order to check each user to whom a pair of keys has been issued, whereby the key unit is arranged to verify a first key in the said pair of keys in order to grant access to a second key in the pair of keys in order to check this, and in order to grant the user access to the arrangement. The key unit is arranged to consume at least one of the keys in the said pair of keys during verification or check, and to replace this with a new key. Each one of the transmission units thus comprises a key unit for checking identity and a unique pair of keys for each user. When use of a simulation terminal is initiated, this is recorded and the associated pair of keys is checked. This provides the opportunity to check identity and it provides protection against illegal copying. The use of pairs of keys as described above, whereby at least one of the keys is consumed when used and is replaced by a new key, makes copies of keys totally useless. The key can be used solely the first time it is used. Thus security against unauthorised use of the arrangement according to the invention is significantly increased by using a pair of keys and by destroying the keys after a single use.

The invention also concerns a software product that, when executed on any one of the units PC, hand-held computer, mobile telephone and digital TV receiver, creates a viewer unit as has been described above.

In order to explain the invention in more detail, selected embodiments of the arrangement according to the invention will be described in more detail as examples, with reference to the attached drawings in which Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention used for the simulation of a motor race, Figure 2 illustrates an example at a race track for harness-racing sulkys with position-sensitive arrangements at suitable positions, Figure 3 is a block diagram for an embodiment for the collection, processing, storage and distribution of data for an arrangement according to the invention, Figure 4 shows an example of a server architecture for the distribution of data for the arrangement according to the invention, Figure 5 illustrates the determination of relative positions of competitors during a race along a curved track according to an embodiment of the invention, and Figures 6 and 7 show examples of possibilities provided by a viewer unit in an embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention used for the simulation of a motor race. A number of racing cars CAR1 , CAR2, CAR254, are located on a race track, and each of these is provided with a unit for (2, 4 6) for determining its position. The means for determining position may be constituted by a GPS system.

The GPS units 2, 4, ..., 6, which are of the nature of slave units, communicate with a master unit 8 and a gateway 10, possibly through repeaters 12, if the transmission distance between the cars CAR1 , CAR2, ..., CAR254 and the gateway 10 exceeds 32 km, using high-frequency radio links, an appropriate frequency of which being 2.4 GHz, with a transfer speed of 115.2 kbit/s. It is appropriate that this transfer takes place using TDMA technology.

The GPS units 2, 4, ..., 6 receive positioning signals from up to 12 GPS satellites at any one time, and they calculate the position of the carrier of a unit with a precision of approximately 5 metres.

A DGPS system 14, which receives the same signals from the GPS satellites as the GPS units 2, 4, ..., 6 and which also receives a signal from a land-based station and subsequently calculates the error in the GPS signal, is used to improve the precision. Error correction information is transmitted to all GPS units 2, 4, ..., 6, which carry out a corrected calculation of position and transfer this corrected positional information to the gateway 10. The precision of the determination of position is in this manner improved to approximately 50 cm.

It is appropriate that the communication between the master unit 8 and the gateway 10, and the communication between the DGPS system 14 and the gateway 10, takes place using the RS232 protocol.

The means for determining position may also use another suitable technology for determining position than GPS. Thus the means for determining position may be arranged in a local base station, located in association with the competition track. It may be an advantage, for example, to place the base station in the centre of a closed competition track. A very precise determination of position can be carried out with such a local base station, typically with an error that is less than 5 cm. If GPRS is used for the determination of position of, for example, cars during a motor race, contact is often lost when the cars drive through a tunnel. Also this problem can be solved with a local base station for the determination of position, located in the tunnel. Furthermore, the position of a reference point or reference line, for example, the finishing line, at a competition track can be determined in a simple manner with a local base station, as is described with reference to Figure 4 below. The competitors or competitive objects such as, for example, the golf ball, whose position is to be continuously determined for the collection of positional data can be provided with, for example, a suitable electronic chip, in order to achieve this purpose. Since such chips have very small dimensions, the ability of the competitor or of the competitive object to move is not affected by the chip.

The technology described above for precise determination of position can be used also in industrial environments, such as for monitoring the positions of driverless trucks, for monitoring the movements of boats in crowded harbour entries where the traffic is intense, for monitoring the ground activity at airports, etc.

A server 16 is further arranged to receive information concerning external conditions at the competition and concerning track conditions, such as environmental and weather conditions. In this way, information, such as, for example, "wet race track" at a certain part of the track and "dry race track" in another part can be included in the simulation of a Formula 1 race in order to make the simulation more realistic. It is also possible at, for example, motor sport events to collect and include data about engine rates of revolution and gravitation in the simulation, while such parameters as, for example, temperature may be highly significant in other types of simulation, and it is significant during harness races and horse races which driver or rider is driving or riding which horse, etc.

Information that has been collected is transferred from the gateway 10 and the server 16 to a central computer or server 18 for modification to a form that is appropriate for the specific application. A database 20 for long-term storage is also arranged at the central computer 18. It is appropriate that the communication of the gateway 10 and server 16 with the computer 18 takes place over the Internet, but any other suitable form of communication can be used as an alternative.

The gateway 10 and the server 16 are two separate units in the embodiment shown in Figure 1. It can be an advantage, however, if the gateway and this server are the same server.

The information is transferred, appropriately over the Internet, from the computer 18 to simulation terminals 22 intended for users, in the form of, for example, PCs or gaming terminals. The PCs 22 are provided with appropriate simulation software, and they are connected using broadband technology.

Each of the simulation terminals has been assigned a transmitter unit for receiving the information from the central computer 18. The positional coordinates determined for each competitor or competitive object are converted by this transmission unit into a coordinate system that is suitable for use in the simulation. Such conversion between different coordinate systems is well-known and will not be described in more detail here.

The transmission units comprise also a key unit with a key function. Each key unit, and thus each transmission unit, has been assigned a unique key. Each time the use of a simulation terminal is initiated, this is recorded in a server and the associated key is checked. In this way, the system checks that several users of the same key do not exist, and it provides protection against illegal copying.

It is an advantage that each user is assigned a key in the form of a pair of keys. Each key comprises a set of characters, in the normal manner. The key unit is arranged to verify a first key in each pair of keys in order to grant access to a second key in the pair of keys such that this can be checked before the user is granted access to the arrangement. Furthermore, the key unit is arranged to consume at least one of the keys during verification or check, and to replace it with a new key. Thus each transmission unit comprises a key unit for the check of a unique pair of keys for each user. When the use of a simulation terminal is initiated, this is recorded and the associated pair of keys is checked. The use of pairs of keys as described above, whereby at least one of the keys is consumed when used and is replaced by a new key, makes copies of keys totally useless. The key can be used only the first time it is used. Thus security against unauthorised use of the arrangement according to the invention is significantly increased by using a pair of keys and by destroying the keys after a single use.

The transmission units may be given also an identifying function, which makes it possible to identify by name not only actual competitors but also users of simulation terminals.

The arrangement according to the invention may advantageously comprise one or several simulation servers 24, in order to create multi-user environments. These simulation servers 24 receive information from the central computer 18, through either the Internet or through another suitable communication channel, and they synchronise and transfer this information simultaneously to several simulation terminals 22 in order to make possible simultaneous simulation by several users. These simulation servers 24 normally comprise the simulation software that is required. Thus, a number of users can carry out simulation simultaneously with the aid of such simulation servers. These simulation servers 24 can, through use of the Internet or another communication channel, support up to 32 players per server and the arrangement in its totality can comprise a large number of such simulation servers 24. The simulation servers 24 can be installed by individual suppliers of the simulation services, by broadband operators, or they can be installed in gaming portals.

The communication between the simulation servers 24 and the simulation terminals 22 can take place in a number of different ways, following different communication protocols, over the Internet, over a fixed line, or in a wireless manner.

The arrangement according to the invention can also use digital TV technology. In this case, the positional information is transferred from the central computer to the simulation device over a digital TV channel and the simulation device comprises simulation terminals that use digital TV technology.

Instead of, or in addition to, the simulation terminals shown, the arrangement described can comprise a viewer unit with a suitable screen in order to present the competition from the data collected from the cars, either in real-time or as a recorded competition, with the aid of stored data.

Figure 2 shows an example of a race track 82 for racing units, such as racing cars. A number or antennas 84 are placed along the track 82 in order to detect the positions and movements of the racing units. This detected information is relayed to antennas 86 located in the centre of the track in order to be transmitted to a server (not shown in the drawing) for further distribution to screens for viewing and, possibly, also to simulation arrangements.

Very accurate determination of position can be carried out through such an arrangement of detecting antennas and base stations in the form of servers inside the track. The problem of loss of contact with racing units during passage through, for example, tunnels is also eliminated by such a suitable location of detective arrangement, and the determination of the position of a reference line, such as the finishing line, is simplified.

Figure 3 illustrates in the form of a block diagram an embodiment of the arrangements for collection, processing, storage and distribution of data for the arrangement according to the invention. Streams 31 of raw data (Raw Data) are collected in a collector service 30 (Collector Service) from external units for the determination of position, such as GPS units and DGPS units. This raw positional data is pre-processed and converted into a well-defined format, and it is refined and sent to a unit 33 (Transformer Service). The data that have been received are transformed in this unit 33 into a defined stream of data. This data conversion operation may be delegated to handlers. Examples of such handlers are geomapping from longitude/latitude to x/y coordinates, the calculation of speed for racing units, gaming, and add-ons for the names of cars or drivers.

A Data Manager Service unit comprises a Data Manager 35 that functions as an owner of a data stream for, for example, one race, for the distribution to a distribution system through a Distribution Manager unit 37. Data may be also converted into an off-line format for, for example, storage in a database. The Data Manager Service unit also comprises an Offline Manager 39 for the reception of external information concerning, for example, web gaming 41 (Web Game) and gaming information over TCP/IP 43 (TCP/IP Game).

A Distribution Service unit 36, appropriately in the form of a distribution server, distributes data streams to clients, for example, in real-time over TCP/IP 45. The Distribution Service unit 36 comprises also a cache memory for the data stream for subsequent connection without dual streaming.

A Client Service unit 47 handles all client communication, such as security, login and logout from, for example, the real-time client 49 (Real Time Client), lists of data streams, gaming lists, and update services when, for example, new clients are established.

A gateway service unit 51 provides a simple interface for external applications 53 (External Applications) in order to consume data streams. Examples of gateways are an XML/TV gateway, mapping services to achieve large on-screen real-time maps of the positions of racing units.

The Distribution Manager 37, as has been described above, handles all distribution clusters, selects the best cluster for the client-stream combination, checks the loading and the availability of the clusters.

The Management unit 55 provides services that are used by all other services in the system that has been described. The Security Service 57 comprises such security services as, for example, protecting against electronic eavesdropping or other violation. The Service Administrator 59 concerns maintenance of the system and management of the services available. The Directory Service 61 provides the name and type for various look-up services. Positional data can be transferred from the Distribution Service unit 36 over a server architecture to users of the arrangement (not shown in Figure 3) and possibly also to a simulation arrangement. Each server 38 in the server architecture is connected to a number of other servers, as shown in Figure 4, whereby the nodes of the architecture are identical. Thus the server architecture comprises several layers of server 38.

The server architecture can be adapted to the needs of a particular application by scaling up or scaling down.

It is preferable that the data collector 30 mentioned above is a PC with the appropriate software. Data can, after it has been processed and converted, be placed into long-term storage in a database whose location may be freely chosen. It is possible in this manner to store data that has been collected during a period of the order of one year, for statistical purposes or for simulation.

It is often difficult, due to unfavourable viewing angle or unfavourable camera angle, for spectators who are located around a competition track or who follow a competition on a TV screen to determine who among the competitors is actually leading at any particular moment. This difficulty is particularly clear when the competitors pass through curves, since a competitor in an outer reach of the track, in a second or third lane, has a longer distance to cover to reach a certain reference point, such as the finishing line. Figure 5 illustrates how the relative positions of competitors along a curved track are calculated according to one embodiment of the invention. We assume, as an example, that two harness-racing sulkys 40, 42 race along an elliptical race track 44. The sulky 40 travels further out in the track 44 than the sulky 42 and thus travels a greater distance, and this makes it difficult for spectators around the track to determine which sulky is actually leading the race. For this reason, therefore, according to the invention, the points 46, 48 of intersection between the inner limit 50 of the track and the normals 52, 54 to the tangents of the motion at the point of the instantaneous positions or the racing sulkys 40, 42 are determined. Thus, the positions of all sulkys 40, 42 are projected onto the inner limit 50 of the track. The distances are subsequently determined along the inner limit 50 between the said points 46, 48 of intersection and a pre-determined reference point 56 on the inner limit 50 of the track 44, such as, for example, on a finishing line 58. In this way, direct information is obtained about which of the racing sulkys 40, 42 is leading the race. This information can be subsequently presented for spectators or for TV viewers on TV screens or in another suitable manner.

The arrangement according to the invention comprises also a viewer unit arrangement to create in a requested manner from the information that has been received a corresponding graphical representation, for display on a screen. The viewer unit comprises in practice any one of the units PC, hand-held computer, mobile telephone and digital TV receiver, programmed in a suitable manner. The viewer unit can be given such a design and such dimensions that it is possible to select one's location as a spectator, in the spectator stands or on the ground inside of, for example, a running track. In the case in which the viewer unit comprises a digital TV receiver, and the current competition is being shown on such a TV receiver in real-time, other information can be displayed overlaid on the TV image, for example, in a window at the bottom of the screen, with the aid of the viewer unit, as shown in Figure 6. Thus, Figure 6 shows schematically a TV screen 60 with a general image of a race track 62 with racing cars 64. A certain car 64, here labelled 66, is selected and, for example, its average speed and fuel consumption are calculated and shown in windows in the lower part of the screen, at 68 in Figure 6. Advertising and sponsor information, where relevant, are other examples of information that can be overlaid the TV image in windows 68. TV companies often acquire the broadcasting rights for sporting events, such as Formula 1 races. Information is sent in this case to the TV company and any advertising space on the TV screen is purchased from the TV company.

As the general view of the race track 62 shown in Figure 6 makes clear, the race track is curved. A curved portion of track, labelled 70 in Figure 6, can, with the aid of the viewer unit, be selected and displayed straightened out, overlaid on the TV image in the lower part, 72 in Figure 7, of this image. A clear image is immediately received in this window 72 of the relative positions of the racing cars 64.

The present invention makes it possible, as has been mentioned, to present a competition with the aid of definite positional data for competitors or competitive objects. It makes also possible the simulation of a competition from collected data, principally positional data for competitors or competitive objects from previous competitions. The invention can be used for all forms of competition that involve the motion in the best possible manner according to predetermined criteria of the competitor or a competitive object from a starting position. It may, for example, be a matter of moving as rapidly as possible either oneself or a competitive object from a starting position to a finishing position, as is the case in motor sport, cycle races, running races, golf tournaments, etc.

The arrangement according to the invention may be supplemented also with accessories that make it possible to place bets in association with the simulated competition.

The invention should principally find its application for individual sports, but it is of interest also for team sports. Patterns of motion of players in team sports such as football are currently mapped in a manual manner with "spies" from, for example, a future opponent, who observe from the spectator stands the behaviour of the players during the match. Players in a team sport can be identified with the aid of optical contour recognition, and data concerning their motion during a match can be collected. Such contour recognition can be achieved with the aid of 8-10 video cameras directed onto the playing area. It is also possible to equip the competitors with chips for the measurement of oxygen intake, pulse, etc. If the sum of these data is calculated for all players in a team, an indication of the capacity and the physical strength of the team are obtained, which may be parameters that it is important to include in a simulation.

Claims

1. A method for presenting and simulating a sporting competition in which competitors or competitive objects are to be moved in the best possible manner according to pre-determined criteria from a starting position, whereby instantaneous positional information for a particular competitor or competitive object is collected at a number of instants in order to determine the motion of a competitor or competitive object during the competition and is stored and distributed for presentation on a screen, characterised in that positional information is collected and stored from one or several previous competitions in order to determine the motion of the competitor or competitive object during the said previous competition or competitions, and in that a sporting competition is simulated through the simulation of the motion of participating competitors or competitive objects in the said sporting competition during the sporting competition from stored positional information concerning the motion of the competitor or competitive object during the said previous competitions.

2. The method according to claim 1 , characterised in that data about external conditions at the competition and concerning track conditions are collected for use during the simulation.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, said sporting competition being a race along a curved race track, characterised in that the point of intersection between the inner limit of the track and the normal to the tangent of the motion at the point of the competitor's instantaneous position is determined, and in that the distance along the said inner limit between said point of intersection and a predetermined reference point on the inner limit of the track is determined.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterised in that the said reference point is determined with the aid of a local base station for the determination of position, arranged in association with the race track.

5. An arrangement for presenting and simulating a sporting competition in which competitors or competitive objects are to be moved in the best possible manner according to pre-determined criteria from a starting position, which arrangement comprises means for determining position arranged to continuously determine the instantaneous positional information for competitors or competitive objects on a number of occasions during a competition, a data storage means arranged to store said positional information of competitors and competitive objects, and a data distributor arranged to distribute the said positional information to at least one screen for the presentation of the motion of the competitors or competitive objects during the competition, characterised in that the data storage means is arranged to store the said positional information for competitors or competitive objects during several competitions, and in that a simulation device is arranged to simulate a sporting competition through simulation of the motion of participating competitors or competitive objects during this, from stored positional information concerning the said participating competitor or competitive object from previous competitions.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5, characterised in that said means for determining position comprise a GPS system for determining position with GPS units with unique identities, intended to be carried by each of the said competitors or of the said competitive objects.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, characterised in that said means for determining position comprise a DGPS system, arranged to receive signals from GPS satellites and a signal from a land-based station in order to correct the determinations of position carried out by the GPS units.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, characterised in that said DGPS system is arranged to transfer information for correcting position to the GPS units, which units are arranged to carry out corrected determinations of position that depend on the correcting information received.

9. The arrangement according to claim 5, characterised in that a local base station comprising said means for determining position is intended to be arranged in association with a competition track for the determination of the said positional information for competitors or competitive objects.

10. The arrangement according to any one of claims 5-9, characterised in that a data collector is arranged to collect and pre-process said positional information in the form of positional data of competitors or competitive objects and to transfer pre-processed data to the data distributor, which formats said data for storage in a database.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, characterised in that said data distributor is arranged to transmit on request data stored in the database via a server architecture to a screen or to a simulation device and users of the arrangement.

12. The arrangement according to claim 11 , characterised in that in said server architecture each server is connected to a number of further servers, nodes of said architecture being identical.

13. The arrangement according to claims 11 or 12, characterised in that the simulation device comprises simulation terminals intended for users of the simulation device.

14. The arrangement according to claim 13, characterised in that each one of said simulation terminals comprises a transmission unit in order to transmit stored positional information and/or information about external conditions at the competition and conditions at the track into a form that is suitable for use in the simulation device.

15. The arrangement according to any one of claims 5-14, characterised in that at least one viewer unit is arranged to create, in a desired manner, from the information received a corresponding graphical representation for display on a screen.

16. The arrangement according to claim 15, characterised in that the viewer unit comprises any one of the units PC, hand-held computer, mobile telephone or digital TV receiver.

17. The arrangement according to claim 16, said viewer unit comprising a digital TV receiver, characterised in that the viewer unit is arranged to create a window on the TV screen for display of the said graphical representation overlaid on the TV image.

18. The arrangement according to any one of claims 15-17, said sporting competition being a race along a curved race track, characterised in that the viewer unit is arranged to create from information received about the positions of the competitors an image from above of a selected curved part of the track, straightened in order to show the correct relative positions of the competitors.

19. The arrangement according to any one of claims 14-18, characterised in that each of the transmission units comprises a key unit in order to check each pair of keys issued to users, whereby the key unit is arranged to verify a first key of said pair of keys in order to grant access to a second key in the pair of keys in order to check this in order to grant the user access to the arrangement.

20. The arrangement according to claim 19, characterised in that said key unit is arranged to consume at least one of the keys in the said pair of keys during verification or checking, and to replace this with a new key.