Ball Tracking and Method of Tracking Ball Location During Play

Abstract

A football tracking system used for locating real-time location of a football during play is disclosed. The system includes a tracking chip embedded in the football and a sensor network including a plurality of sensors positioned along at least the sidelines and the goal lines. The chip transmits the location of the football to the sensor network and one or more sensors receive the location of the football. A handheld device is held by one or more referees and the device is adapted to receive the location of the football along with the location of a sensor. A display screen on the device displays the real-time location of the football for enabling the referee to officiate the game.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ball tracking system for spotting a game ball, the ball tracking system comprising:
 a ball including at least one tracking chip embedded inside said ball; and   a sensor network including a plurality of sensors placed on a plurality of boundaries of a playing surface, wherein said sensor network and said plurality of sensors detect said tracking chip in real-time for detecting a position of said ball on said playing surface.   
     
     
         2 . The ball tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein said ball is a football having said at least one tracking chip embedded inside a first end of said football and another chip embedded inside an opposing second end of said football. 
     
     
         3 . The ball tracking system of  claim 2 , wherein said playing surface is a football field and said plurality of boundaries include at least a plurality of sidelines of said playing surface. 
     
     
         4 . The ball tracking system of  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of boundaries include a plurality of goal lines and a plurality of yard markers. 
     
     
         5 . The ball tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein said ball is a soccer ball and said playing surface is a soccer field, and further wherein said plurality of boundaries include at least a plurality of sidelines and a plurality of goal lines of said playing surface. 
     
     
         6 . The ball tracking system of  claim 4 , wherein said plurality of sensors are embedded in the ground of said playing surface. 
     
     
         7 . The ball tracking system of  claim 4 , wherein said plurality of sensors are above said boundaries of said playing surface. 
     
     
         8 . The ball tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein said playing surface is selected from the group consisting of a Cricket field, a billiard table, a Dodgeball court, a Downball field, a Fistball court, a Fives field, a Flickerball court, a Floorball court, a Futsal field, a Rugby field, a Tennis court, a Volleyball court, a soccer field, a football field, a Basketball court, and a Polo field. 
     
     
         9 . The ball tracking system of  claim 8  further comprising a portable location reading device for reading and displaying said position of said ball. 
     
     
         10 . The ball tracking system of  claim 9 , wherein said portable location reading device having a display screen for said displaying of said position of said ball. 
     
     
         11 . The ball tracking system of  claim 10 , wherein said displaying of said position of said ball includes a specified yard position of said ball. 
     
     
         12 . A ball tracking system for spotting a game ball, the ball tracking system comprising:
 a ball;   at least one tracking chip embedded inside said ball; and   a sensor network including a plurality of sensors placed on a plurality of boundaries of a playing surface;   wherein said sensor network and said plurality of sensors detect said tracking chip in real-time for detecting a position of said ball on said playing surface;   wherein said at least one tracking chip having a wireless communication module;   wherein said wireless communication module transmits in real-time said position of said ball location; and   further wherein said wireless communication selected from the group consisting of a RFID, a Bluetooth, a Zigbee, a LoRa (Long Range), a GPS, and a Wi-Fi.   
     
     
         13 . The ball tracking system of  claim 12 , wherein said ball is a football having said at least one tracking chip embedded inside a first end of said football and another chip embedded inside an opposing second end of said football. 
     
     
         14 . The ball tracking system of  claim 13 , wherein said playing surface is a football field and said plurality of boundaries include at least a plurality of sidelines of said playing surface. 
     
     
         15 . The ball tracking system of  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of boundaries include a plurality of goal lines and a plurality of yard markers. 
     
     
         16 . The ball tracking system of  claim 12 , wherein said ball is a soccer ball and said playing surface is a soccer field, and further wherein said plurality of boundaries include at least a plurality of sidelines and a plurality of goal lines of said playing surface. 
     
     
         17 . The ball tracking system of  claim 12 , wherein said playing surface is selected from the group consisting of a Cricket field, a billiard table, a Dodgeball court, a Downball field, a Fistball court, a Fives field, a Flickerball court, a Floorball court, a Futsal field, a Rugby field, a Tennis court, a Volleyball court, a soccer field, a football field, a Basketball court, and a Polo field. 
     
     
         18 . The ball tracking system of  claim 17  further comprising a portable location reading device for reading and displaying said position of said ball, wherein said portable location reading device having a display screen for said displaying of said position of said ball, and further wherein said displaying of said position of said ball includes a specified yard position of said ball. 
     
     
         19 . A ball tracking system for spotting a game ball, the ball tracking system comprising:
 a football tracking system having a football including at least a first tracking chip embedded inside a first end of said football and a second chip embedded inside an opposing second end of said football and a sensor network including a plurality of sensors placed on a plurality of boundaries of a playing surface;   wherein said sensor network and said plurality of sensors detect said first tracking chip and said second tracking chip in real-time for detecting a position of said football on said playing surface; and   further wherein at least one of said first tracking chip and said second tracking chip having an accelerometer for providing speed and movement data about said football.   
     
     
         20 . The ball tracking system of  claim 19  further comprising a portable location reading device for reading and displaying said position of said football, wherein said portable location reading device having a display screen for said displaying of said position of said football.