Method and apparatus for monitoring and determining the position of a football

Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus for tracking the position of a game ball relative to a playing field during a game. It allows game officials to selectively record and store position information for the game ball in response to events during play and further allows game officials to reposition the ball accurately at the recorded and stored location.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for tracking the position of a ball, such as a football, relative to a playing field during a game, for selectively recording the position of the ball at times during the game and thereafter providing location information about the game ball to a game official. [0003] 2. Related Art [0004] Football is a game in which play frequently is temporarily stopped by game officials and the ball used for the game may be repositioned prior to the resumption of play. A ball is placed in an initial position, which is the same at the beginning of every game. Thereafter, the ball is kicked downfield to the opposing team which tries to return the football to the end of the field from which it was kicked. Once the receiving team gets the football, the player with the ball may run until such time as he is tackled by the kicking team, the player runs out of bounds, or some other ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] In addition, it is an object and advantage of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for recording and relaying to the game official the location of the ball and players at any given moment during a game.

Problems solved by technology

One problem is inherent, however, in traditional methods of positioning the ball in the game of football, and in many other sports: often the game official's view of the ball is obscured.

Similarly, it is sometimes difficult to discern when a player has stepped out of bounds and where the ball was located when the player went out of bounds.

While the game official may have a general idea of where the ball should be positioned, relying on the discretion of the official remains an inaccurate method of locating the ball.

A mistake of only a couple of inches in positioning the ball could affect the outcome of the game and thus affect the amount of money earned or lost by parties with an interest in the game.

Several such methods, however, allow only for locating of ball relative to its previous placement.

Further, these methods of locating objects still require a game official to exercise discretion in “spotting” or positioning the ball relative to the field.

Since such methods do not allow for the live tracking of the ball and continue to require the discretion of the gaming official in positioning the football or other object after a break in live action, the accuracy of the placement or “spotting” of the ball is not improved.

These inventions lack the ability to record and relay to game officials the location of the ball or similar object at any given moment during the game.

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