System and method for integrating physical, moving targets into a game, sport, or other activity

Abstract

The invention generally relates to a system and method for integrating physical, moving targets into a game, sport, or other activity, including the specific method of how to track the moving target and the interaction of one or more users as the target moves. The system and method for integrating physical, moving targets into a game, sport or other activity enables a plurality of users to simultaneously attempt to hit a moving target in the field of play with a moving object while tracking the moving target and moving object using a combination of sensors located on or around the field of play and on or around the moving target and/or moving object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for integrating physical, moving targets into a game, sport or other activity, said system comprising:
 a field of play extending from a plurality of bays;   a plurality of moving targets and a plurality of moving objects traversing said field of play during the game, sport, or other activity;   a tracking system, comprising:
 at least one moving target sensor for detecting a coordinate position and a time stamp of each of said moving targets traversing said field of play during the game, sport, or other activity; 
 at least one moving object sensor for detecting a coordinate position and a time stamp of each of said moving objects traversing said field of play during the game, sport, or other activity; and 
 at least one tracking computer in electronic communication with said moving target sensor and said moving object sensor, said tracking computer configured to determine a collision between at least one of said moving objects and at least one of said moving targets. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the target sensor is a plurality of moving target sensors and wherein the moving object sensor is a plurality of moving object sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the moving targets traversing the field of play during the game, sport, or other activity are controlled by a human, a movement computer, the tracking computer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein each of the moving targets traversing the field of play during the game, sport, or other activity have a varying movement path or a predetermined movement path about the field of play. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the varying movement path, the predetermined movement path, and a movement speed of each of the moving targets is changed to account for a particular user skill level. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein one or more of said moving targets comprises a reflective fiducial. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the moving target comprises carts, flying drones, cabled objects, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a stationary target positioned on said field of play, and wherein said tracking computer is configured to store a coordinate position of said stationary target on said field of play. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one monitor in each of said bays, and said monitor configured to display the coordinate position of the moving objects and the coordinate position of the moving targets. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one monitor in each of said bays, said monitor in communication with said tracking computer, said monitor configured to display a notification upon the tracking computer determining the collision between the at least one of said moving object and the at least one of said moving targets. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising the moving target sensors mounted to a structure, around the field of play, one or more of the moving targets, or a combination thereof 
     
     
         12 . A method for integrating physical, moving targets into a game, sport or other activity using the system of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method for integrating physical, moving targets into a game, sport, or other activity, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. electronically detecting with one or more moving target sensors coordinate positions and time stamps of a plurality of moving targets traversing a field of play;   b. electronically detecting with one or more moving object sensors coordinate positions and time stamps of a plurality of moving objects traversing said field of play;   c. electronically communicating said coordinate positions and time stamps of said moving targets and said coordinate positions and time stamps of said moving objects to a tracking computer;   d. controlling movement of the moving targets traversing the field of play during the game, sport, or other activity by a human, a movement computer, the tracking computer, or a combination thereof;   e. electronically determining a collision between at least one of said moving objects and at least one of said moving targets using the tracking computer; and   f. displaying said coordinate positions of said moving targets and said coordinate positions of said moving objects on at least one monitor that is in electronic communication with said tracking computer.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of:
 communicating said coordinate positions of said moving targets and said coordinate positions of said moving objects to one or more monitors located in said bays. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of:
 displaying a notification on said monitor upon the tracking computer determining the collision between the at least one of said moving objects and the at least one of said moving targets. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of:
 storing a coordinate position of a stationary target on said field of play in said tracking computer. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein one or more of said moving targets comprises a reflective fiducial. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the moving targets comprise carts, flying drones, cabled objects, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A range for a game, sport, or other activity, said range comprising:
 a field of play extending from a plurality of bays;   a plurality of moving targets traversing said field of play during the game, sport, or other activity;   a plurality of moving objects traversing said field of play during the game, sport, or other activity;   a plurality of moving target sensors for detecting a coordinate position and a time stamp of each of said moving targets traversing said field of play during the game, sport, or other activity, the moving target sensors mounted to a structure, around the field of play, on one or more of the moving targets, or a combination thereof;   a plurality of moving object sensors for detecting a coordinate position and a time stamp of each of said moving objects traversing said field of play during the game, sport, or other activity; and   a tracking computer in electronic communication with said moving target sensors and said moving object sensors, said tracking computer configured to determine a collision between at least one of said moving objects and at least one of said moving targets;   wherein the moving targets traversing the field of play during the game, sport, or other activity are controlled by a human, a movement computer, the tracking computer, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         20 . The range of  claim 18  wherein each of the moving targets traversing the field of play during the game, sport, or other activity have a varying movement path or a predetermined movement path about the field of play. 
     
     
         21 . The range of  claim 19  wherein the varying movement path, the predetermined movement path, and a movement speed of each of the moving targets is changed to account for a particular user skill level. 
     
     
         22 . The range of  claim 18  wherein one or more of said moving targets comprises a reflective fiducial. 
     
     
         23 . The range of  claim 18  wherein the moving targets comprise carts, flying drones, cabled objects, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The range of  claim 18  further comprising a stationary target positioned on said field of play, and wherein said tracking computer is configured to store a coordinate position of said stationary target on said field of play. 
     
     
         25 . The range of  claim 18  further comprising at least one monitor in each of said bays, and said monitor configured to display the coordinate position of the moving objects and the coordinate position of the moving targets. 
     
     
         26 . The range of  claim 24  wherein the monitor is configured to display a notification upon the tracking computer determining the collision between the at least one of said moving object and the at least one of said moving targets. 
     
     
         27 . A method for integrating physical, moving targets into a game, sport or other activity using the range of  claim 18 .