Methods, systems and software programs for enhanced sports analytics and applications

Abstract

A system for enhanced sports analytics and/or content creation includes: an object tracking system that generates coordinate data corresponding to object motion in a sports event; a data processing module that receives the coordinate data from the object tracking system, analyzes the coordinate data with an event recognition algorithm that identifies and characterizes events and outcomes of interest, and catalogs the data in accordance with the identified events and outcomes into event profile data; a database that receives and stores the event profile data generated by the data processing module; a user application that accesses the event profile data from the database; and at least one processing unit that executes instructions stored in at least one non-transitory medium to implement at least one of the object tracking system, the data processing module, or the user application.

1 - 209 . (canceled) 
     
     
         210 . A method of distributing output data for use by a user, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving raw data representative of real time positions of objects using at least one processing unit;   filtering the raw data, using the at least one processing unit, to identify missing data or errors in the raw data;   correcting the errors in the raw data using the at least one processing unit;   filling in data for the missing data using the at least one processing unit;   filtering the corrected data through algorithms that reduce total data in the corrected data, using at least one processing unit, by selectively outputting data which is relevant to at least one of pre-selected situations, times, or other criteria related to the pre-selected situations;   placing the filtered data into a data store that is queryable by users; and   distributing at least a portion of the filtered data from the data store to users via at least one social media application or online application.   
     
     
         211 . A method of distributing data according to  claim 210  wherein the distributed data relates to a sporting event. 
     
     
         212 . A method of distributing data according to  claim 211  wherein the distributed data comprises a continuous narrative of the sporting event. 
     
     
         213 . A method of distributing data according to  claim 210  wherein the distributed data is automatically distributed via at least one of live micro-blog messages, a blog, an e-mail and a string of emails. 
     
     
         214 . A method of distributing data according to  claim 210  wherein the distributed data is automatically distributed in response to the occurrence of predetermined events related to the raw data. 
     
     
         215 . A method of distributing data according to  claim 210  wherein the distributed data is distributed via a first screen which is integrated into a second screen to enable the user to see the data in conjunction with real time events. 
     
     
         216 . A method of distributing data according to  claim 215  wherein the second screen is video of a sporting event. 
     
     
         217 . A method of distributing data according to  claim 210 , further comprising generating a comparative analysis or similarity tool. 
     
     
         218 . A method of distributing output data for use by a user, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving raw data representative of real time position of objects using at least one processor;   filtering the raw data, using the at least one processing unit, to identify missing data or errors in the raw data;   correcting the errors in the raw data, using the at least one processing unit;   filling in data for the missing data, using the at least one processing unit;   filtering the corrected data through algorithms which reduce total data in the corrected data, using the at least one processing unit, by selectively outputting data which is relevant to at least one of pre-selected situations, times, or other criteria related to the pre-selected situations;   placing the filtered data into a data store, using the at least one processing unit, that is queryable by users; and   distributing at least a portion of the filtered data in the data store to users via at least one web application or mobile application.   
     
     
         219 . A method of distributing data according to  claim 218  wherein the distributed data relates to a sporting event and wherein the distributed data provides an overview of the rate and efficiency of players in various game situations in the sporting event. 
     
     
         220 . A method of distributing output data according to  claim 218  wherein the output is distributed via an automated narrative. 
     
     
         221 . A method of distributing output data according to  claim 220  wherein the automated narrative is made available to the user through a social media channel. 
     
     
         222 . A method of distributing output data according to  claim 218  wherein all content is generated automatically. 
     
     
         223 . A method of distributing output data according to  claim 218  wherein the distributed data is distributed via an automated figure generator. 
     
     
         224 . A method of distributing output data according to  claim 223  wherein figures generated by the automated figure generator contain visuals containing the distributed data. 
     
     
         225 . A software application product for enhanced viewing of a sporting event, comprising:
 a data processing module that receives object tracking coordinate data associated with a sporting event, applies an event recognition algorithm to automatically identify and characterize events and outcomes of interest from the object tracking coordinate data as event profile data, and compare the event profile data associated with the sporting event with archived event profile data from previous sporting events; and   at least one non-transitory medium storing instructions executable by at least one processing unit to implement the data processing module;   wherein the software application generates at least one of enhanced analytics or created content from the comparison of the event profile data associated with the sporting event with the archived event profile data.   
     
     
         226 . The software application product for enhanced viewing of a sporting event of  claim 225  wherein the enhanced analytics generated by the software application comprise outcome probabilities or most likely outcomes. 
     
     
         227 . The software application product for enhanced viewing of a sporting event of  claim 226  wherein the outcome probabilities or most likely outcomes generated by the software application comprise team win/loss probabilities. 
     
     
         228 . The software application product for enhanced viewing of a sporting event of  claim 226  wherein the outcome probabilities or most likely outcomes generated by the software application comprise player performance probabilities. 
     
     
         229 . The software application product for enhanced viewing of a sporting event of  claim 228  wherein the player performance probabilities generated by the software application comprise player matchup probabilities. 
     
     
         230 . The software application product for enhanced viewing of a sporting event of  claim 228  wherein the player performance probabilities generated by the software application comprise identifying desirable or undesirable player matchups. 
     
     
         231 . The software application product for enhanced viewing of a sporting event of  claim 226  wherein the outcome probabilities or most likely outcomes are distributed via social media. 
     
     
         232 . The software application product for enhanced viewing of a sporting event of  claim 225  wherein the enhanced analytics generated by the software application are applicable to sports gaming. 
     
     
         233 . The software application product for enhanced viewing of a sporting event of  claim 225  wherein the enhanced analytics generated contemporaneously with the sporting event are displayed on a mobile device.