Systems and methods for tracking and tagging objects within a broadcast

{
  "publication_number": "US11159854B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Systems and methods for tracking and tagging objects within a broadcast",
  "abstract": "The present disclosure presents an improved system and method for tracking and tagging objects of interest in a broadcast.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for tracking and tagging objects of interest in a broadcast, comprising: utilizing a camera to track a surface of a golf course; matching a three dimensional model of a course from a virtual scan of the course and marrying it to live video; tracking the flight of a golf ball in real time; and rendering graphics in a broadcast over and relative to said golf course, wherein said graphics include a broadcast overlay providing player or course statistics, real time golf ball carry distance, and three dimensional animation of said golf ball during flight, and wherein camera data is incorporated with camera calibration or pixel tracking data, with mapping of graphics to the course, including one or more of hole highlights, yard markers, player identifiers and provision of real time ball carry distance and 3D animation during ball flight.",
    "2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said camera is a lidar camera.",
    "3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein said lidar camera provided data related to topography, distance or scale.",
    "4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising insertion of three dimensional objects, including virtual leaderboards or advertisements.",
    "5. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a picture in picture arrangement, wherein said overlay illustrates one or more of the broadcast overlay items in one of the picture in picture frames.",
    "6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said overlay further provides player status information, a map of a golf course hole with hole features and overlaid shot information, said shot information including two or more of club speed, ball speed, attack angle, face angle, spin rate and ball carry.",
    "7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said overlay further provides ball angle and speed for the three dimensional ball animation.",
    "8. A system for tracking and tagging objects of interest in a broadcast, comprising: at least one camera that is configured to: track one or more of a surface of a golf course, the flight of a golf ball, a golf club swing, and a golf player; and to track the flight of a golf ball in real time; and a computer system, including a processor that is configured to match a three dimensional model of a course from a virtual scan of the course and marry it to live video and to render graphics in a broadcast over and relative to said golf course, wherein said graphics include a broadcast overlay providing player or course statistics, real time golf ball carry distance, and three dimensional animation of said golf ball during flight, wherein camera data is incorporated with camera calibration or pixel tracking data, with mapping of graphics to the course, including one or more of hole highlights, yard markers and player identifiers.",
    "9. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said camera is a lidar camera.",
    "10. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said lidar camera provided data related to topography, distance or scale.",
    "11. A system in accordance with claim 8, further comprising insertion of three dimensional objects, including virtual leaderboards or advertisements.",
    "12. A system in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a picture in picture arrangement, wherein said overlay illustrates one or more of the broadcast overlay items in one of the picture in picture frames.",
    "13. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said overlay further provides player status information, a map of a golf course hole with hole features and overlaid shot information, said shot information including two or more of club speed, ball speed, attack angle, face angle, spin rate and ball carry.",
    "14. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said overlay further provides ball angle and speed for the three dimensional ball animation."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for tracking and tagging of objects within a broadcast. In exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure relates to improved methods for systematically analyzing a broadcast, specifically tracking of players on a sports field and selectively tagging those players during a broadcast.\n\nWhile general identification of objects within a broadcast has been known, there is room in the field for improvement, for example by selectively tracking one or more objects within a broadcast along tagging that object and including additional information with regard to that object, as is described herein.\n\nAccordingly, the following disclosure describes tracking of one or of a plurality of objects, e.g., one or multiple football players on a field during broadcast, along with broadcast animated tracking and provision of information, e.g., statistics, of those one or more players.\n\nThe above described presents an improved system and method for tracking and tagging objects of interest in a broadcast. While the following is described in reference various, the present disclosure is not so limited. Indeed, the present disclosure relates more generally to tracking and tagging of any kind of objects, inclusive of highlighting of objects and overlays of information, such as distance, projected trajectories, and environmental conditions, such as wind, heat and terrain.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04N 21/4781",
    "H04N 21/2187",
    "H04N 21/23418",
    "H04N 21/234318",
    "H04N 21/4312",
    "H04N 21/8126",
    "H04N 21/8133",
    "H04N 21/8146",
    "H04N 21/854"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04N 21/431",
    "H04N 21/478",
    "H04N 21/81",
    "H04N 21/854"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Fox Sports Productions LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Michael Davies",
    "Zachary Fields",
    "David Eric Shanks"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-12-02",
  "publication_date": "2021-10-26",
  "grant_date": "2021-10-26",
  "priority_date": "2014-12-13",
  "application_number": "US-201916700084-A",
  "family_id": "69945300",
  "cited_by_count": 7,
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