Methods of determining performance information for individuals and sports objects

Abstract

Methods for determining performance information for an object located within an area include obtaining magnetic field information for the area, measuring first magnetic field data when the object is located at a first position within the area, and determining performance information for the object within the area based on the magnetic field information for the area and the first magnetic field data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for mapping a magnetic field of an athletic field area, the method comprising:
 measuring magnetic field data at a plurality of locations within the athletic field area during a mapping session; and   generating a map of the magnetic field of the athletic field area based on the measured magnetic field data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locations are equally spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of locations within the area comprises a boundary of the field of play. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of locations within the area comprises a goal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recording the mapping session using a video camera to generate video data for the athletic field area; and   correlating the magnetic field data and the video data.   
     
     
         6 . A method for tracking a first object and a second object within an area during a period of time, the method comprising:
 obtaining magnetic field data for the first object within the area during the period of time from a first sensor coupled to the first object;   obtaining magnetic field data for the second object within the area during the period of time from a second sensor coupled to the second object; and   tracking positions of the first object and the second object based on the obtained magnetic field data for the first and second object respectively received from the first and second sensors.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first object and the second object are tracked in real time as they move about the area. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the area comprises an athletic field. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising displaying a heat map that is indicative how much time the first object and the second object spent at various positions in the area. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising obtaining magnetic field data for the area. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 applying a constraint to one of the first and the second magnetic field data; and   determining a location of one of the first and second object at a time during the period of time based on the constraint.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the constraint comprises factoring in physical space constraints of the area. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the constraint comprises factoring in motion dynamics constraints of the object. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first and the second magnetic field data both comprise one of magnetic field intensity data and magnetic field direction data. 
     
     
         15 . A method for locating an object within a mapped magnetic field of an athletic field area, the method comprising:
 measuring magnetic field data at a plurality of locations within the athletic field area during a mapping session;   generating a map of the magnetic field of the athletic field area based on the measured magnetic field data; and   comparing the map of the magnetic field of the athletic field area to a magnetic field data of the object to locate the position of the object within the athletic field area.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of locations are equally spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the plurality of locations within the area comprises a boundary of a playing field of the athletic field area. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the plurality of locations within the area comprises a goal. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 recording the mapping session using a video camera to generate video data for the athletic field area; and   correlating the magnetic field data and the video data.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 recording the measured magnetic field data; and   updating the magnetic field map based on the measured magnetic field data.