WO2019245511A2

WO2019245511A2 - An image capturing system in the determined regions of a sports field with drones

Info

Publication number: WO2019245511A2
Application number: PCT/TR2019/050327
Authority: WO
Inventors: Suleyman CATLI
Original assignee: Catliogullari Kurumsal Is Elbiseleri Ve Aksesuarlari Ayakkabi Tekstil Mobilya San. Tic. Ltd. Sti.
Priority date: 2018-06-22
Filing date: 2019-05-14
Publication date: 2019-12-26
Also published as: TR201808858A2; WO2019245511A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for tracking the footballs in defined and segmented areas within the field and providing images via an integrated camera and sending the received images for remote monitoring with at least one drone.

Description

AN IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM IN THE DETERMINED REGIONS OF A SPORTS

FIELD WITH DRONES

TECHNICAL FIELD

PRIOR ART

Drone is actively used by many different sectors. Especially in recent years, the drones which have managed to gain popularity, can undertake various tasks. In areas such as security, search and rescue, drones are being used effectively. These systems, which can be controlled by remote control, have a complex structure because they contain many different technologies according to their usage area. Therefore, there is a technical difference between the drones designed for photography and video shooting and the drones to be used for transportation. But basically these products consist of a body, a control card, a motor, a multiple of propellers, a battery, a receiver and a remote control equipment. In addition drones can be equipped with various additional tools such as cameras, GPS guided missiles, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), navigation systems, sensors and so on.

The drones are used in many fields as well as in sporting events. It works with a system for capturing or monitoring data in games or training. Drone is used to capture information such as performance data or images of players during the sporting event.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Contrary to the fixed cameras, the invention relates to a system that can follow a specific object (the ball used in the field) without human intervention in sporting competitions, thereby enabling it to be used to determine critical positions and to provide detailed analysis.

The system according to the invention comprises two parts. The first part contains the object to be followed (the ball) and the second part contains the unit (Drone) to follow. Communication between the first part and the second part is provided by wireless communication protocols.

The ball (object) to be followed in the first section contains a position sensor which will send a signal to the unit to follow and guide it in determining its course. The ball (object) to be followed in the first part contains a position sensor which will send a signal to the unit which will follow and guide it to determine its course. This position sensor contains an ID number of the ball inserted into it and allows the following unit to be locked to this sensor, eliminating the possibility of changing direction if another possible sensor is detected. In the second part, the drone, which is the tracking unit, is programmed to follow the position sensor to be inserted in the ball. And at least one drone will be assigned in the field. Thus, the field to be monitored can be divided into sections, and in the positions where the ball moves faster than the drone, the closest drone to the ball can be triggered by the sensor in order to obtain the image at the optimum angle.

While tracking with a single drone, it is necessary to stay constant at a certain angle. Or even if the angle is wanted to be changed, an angle change cannot be obtained at the speed that will capture the details of the position because the position develops very fast. Furthermore, in a tracking with a single drone, the ball will have to be followed and events occurring in other parts of the field will not be recorded. In the system described in our invention, this problem will be solved by triggering the closest drone to the position by the sensor. For example; it is known that the ball is displaced within a range of 70 to 80 meters in seconds, in a situation where the goal keeper kicks the ball to start the game. Moreover, at the point where the ball landed, there may be a momentary act of intentional foul or another event that would require the game to be stopped. In this case, the drone will be expected to reach a position where it can take images at an angle that will clarify the relevant position by taking the distance in seconds. With today's technology this is not possible. Even if a drone with the technology to take the distance is available, the position to be taken would already have been over in the time when drone takes the appropriate angle. This will prevent the drone from serving its intended purpose.

The drones to be used in the system can be very close to the playing area while tracking the position sensor placed object. Thus, a result can be seen where the object crashes into the drone. In order to avoid this, the drone will change its position with a distance sensor on it if it detects any object that is approaching more than 3 meters (this can be a bird). Drone will be able to define the best shooting angle to record the small area in which the game is played. This can be exemplified as follows; if the ball reaches the other end of the field quickly after a position in the other corner of the field, the image taken by a drone which is shooting from the corner point will not be satisfactory for the audience. Drone will be able to determine the angle of arrival of the ball and the area assigned to it by the software it contains, and will be able to determine the angle to include the ball and the maximum detected area in the image with the software that comprises the image processing technique. Thus, the ideal viewing angle for each position will be determined.

In order to overcome all of the above-mentioned problems, at least one drone is used in our invention which can draw the boundaries of the field and track any object in which the position sensor is inserted within these boundaries. To exemplify without any intent to limitation, the drones can be placed in three areas in a football match, to the both penalty areas and the center area of the field. Thus, no matter how long the ball travels, it will be followed by the drone functions in the area when the object containing the position sensor passes from one area to another. This means a recording is obtained in which no position and no angle are missed that should be seen. The drone, which quickly reaches the position point due to limited movement areas and low distance to go, will find time to change the shooting angle when necessary. This is the part which has not been mentioned in the prior art. However, when the object to be followed exits the tracking area, the events that will occur in this area and the athletes who continue to play will be recorded as the drone will still be on record and will continue to record the area allocated to it. This will provide the necessary data for out-of-game analysis.

With the above-mentioned technique, our invention continuously records the object to be tracked and makes an alternative record even if the object is not in its own area. In addition, when requested by the referee, the displayed and recorded images can be transferred immediately to a display device includes wireless connection protocols which is worn by the referee. Apart from the referee, image transfer can also be made to an authorized unit, which can request an image, either instantaneously or collectively.

Claims

1. An image capturing system in the determined regions of a sports field with drones characterized by comprising;

- an object to be tracked that contains a position sensor that will send a signal to the unit to follow and which will guide it in determining its route and include the ID information of the object,

- at least one drone that can divide the play field into areas and programmed to follow the position sensor in the object and being activated by the sensor inside the closest object in these areas,

- a wireless communication protocols that enable communication between the object and the drone.

2. The drone of Claim 1 characterized in that comprising a distance sensor which detects any object that is approaching more than 3 meters in order to avoid the object from crashing into the drone.

3. The drone of Claim 2 characterized in that comprising a software contains an image processing technique which detects the angle to include the ball and the maximum detected area in the image and detects an object that approaches the drone which can be a danger by means of the distance sensor because of being able to detect the angle of arrival of the ball and the area assigned to it.