SYSTEM AND METHOD OF RECORDING A VIDEO OF A MOVING OBJECT

Abstract

Provided is a video recording system (10) configured for capturing an object (5) moving along a path (1) including numerous path sections (2, 3, 4). The video recording system (10) includes a first camera (11) operable to capture the object (5) while moving along a first path section (2) of the path (1), a second camera (12) operable to capture the object (5) moving along a second path section (3) of the path (1), and an acquisition unit (31) connected to the first camera (11) and connected to the second camera (12), the acquisition unit (31) being operable to capture a first video stream (51) from the first camera (11) during a first time interval and to capture a second video stream (51′) from the second camera (12) during a second time interval.

Claims

1. A video recording system (10) configured for capturing an object (5) moving along a path (1) comprising numerous path sections (2, 3, 4), the video recording system (10) comprising: a first camera (11) operable to capture the object (5) while moving along a first path section (2) of the path (1), a second camera (12) operable to capture the object (5) moving along a second path section (3) of the path (1), an acquisition unit (31) connected to the first camera (11) and connected to the second camera (12), the acquisition unit (31) being operable to capture a first video stream (51) from the first camera (11) during a first time interval and to capture a second video stream (51′) from the second camera (12) during a second time interval, a motion detector (33) by way of which motion data of the moving object (5) is determined, detected or acquired, said motion detector (33) being provided with a number of receivers (21, 22) arranged along the path (1), wherein the video recording system (10) comprises a tag (40) which comprises a transponder or transmitter (42), a processor (44), a storage (46) in which a unique identifier is stored, and a position or accelerometer sensor (48) to determine a state of momentary movement or acceleration present to the portable electronic tag, to be transmitted by the transponder (42) to the respective receivers (21, 22) and the motion detector (33) in order to gather in real-time information about the momentary status of motion of the object (5) during its movement along the path (1), and in that it comprises a camera controller (32) linked to the motion detector (33) and connected with each of the cameras (11, 12) in order to be activated or deactivated to capture or to record respective first and second video streams.

2. The video recording system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit (31) being further operable to generate a final video sequence (50) by merging or concatenating the first video stream (51) and of the second video stream (51′).

3. The video recording system (10) according to claim 1, the motion detector (33) being operable to gather motion data of the object (5), wherein the motion data comprises at least one of a position, an orientation, a velocity and an acceleration of the object (5) when moving along the path (1).

4. The video recording system (10) according to claim 3, wherein the motion detector (33) is operably connected with at least one of the acquisition unit (31) and the camera controller (32) to control capturing of the first video stream (51) and of the second video stream (51′) on the basis of the motion data of the object (5) transmitted by the transponder (42) on the moving object (5).

5. The video recording system (10) according to claim 3, wherein the motion detector (33) is operably connected to the camera controller (32), wherein at least one of the first camera (11) and the second camera (12) is at least one of movable, pivotable, zoomable or tiltable by the camera controller (32) to dynamically follow the object (5) on the basis of the motion data as provided by the motion detector (33).

6. The video recording system (10) according to claim 3, wherein the acquisition unit (31) is operably connected to the motion detector (33) and wherein the acquisition unit (31) is operable to produce an image overlay (54) comprising motion data of the object (5) extracted from the motion detector (33) and to add the image overlay (54) in at least one of the first video stream (51) and the second video stream (51′).

7. The video recording system (10) according to claim 6, wherein the portable electronic tag (40) comprises the transponder (42) operable to exchange data and/or signals wirelessly with the motion detector (33).

8. The video recording system (10) according to claim 6, wherein the motion detector (33) is operably connected to at least one or several wireless receivers (21, 22, 23) arranged along the path (1) and operable to exchange data with the portable electronic tag (40).

9. The video recording system (10) according to claim 2, further comprising a database (35) connected to the acquisition unit (31), the database (35) being operable to store the final video sequence (50) and to provide the final video sequence (50) via a communication network (36).

10. A method of recording a video sequence of an object (5) moving along a path (1), wherein the path (1) comprises numerous path sections (2, 3, 4) the method comprising the steps of: transmitting from the electronic portable tag (40) a state of momentary movement or acceleration present to the portable electronic tag, to be transmitted by the transponder (42) to the respective receivers (21, 22) and the motion detector (33), capturing a first video stream (51) of the object (5) while moving along a first path section (2) of the path (1) during a first time interval by a first camera (11), capturing a second video stream (51′) of the object (5) while moving along a second path section (3) of the path (1) during a second time interval by a second camera (12) controlling by a camera controller (32) linked to the motion detector (33) cameras (11, 12) in order to be activated or deactivated to capture or to record respective first and second video streams.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of generate a final video sequence (50) by merging or concatenating the first video stream (51) and the second video stream (51′).

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of gathering motion data of the moving object (5) by the motion detector (33), wherein the motion data comprises at least one of a position, an orientation, a velocity or acceleration of the object (5) when moving along the path (1).

13. A computer program configured for a video recording system (10) according to claim 1 and comprising computer readable instructions, which when executed by a controller (30) of the video recording system (10) cause the controller (30) to carry out the steps of the method according to claim 10.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] In the following, numerous examples of the system and the method of tracking an item of a sports activity are illustrated in greater detail by making reference to the drawings, in which:

[0052] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a block diagram of the video recording system,

[0053] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a block diagram of a portable electronic tag attachable to the moving object,

[0054] FIG. 3 is indicative of a final video sequence as provided or automatically edited by the video recording system,

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a video stream with embedded image overlay, and

[0056] FIG. 5 is illustrative of a flowchart of executing the method of recording a video sequence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] In the illustration of FIG. 1, there is shown a video recording system 10 operable to capture or to record movement of an object 5 along a path 1. As illustrated, the path 1 is divided in numerous path sections 2, 3, 4. The path section 2 is a first path section defined by the ramp or hill of a ski jumping arena. The path section 3 represents a second path section, namely the jumping hill and the path section 4 represents a third path section, namely a landing zone.

[0058] The video recording system 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a first camera 11, a second camera 12 and a third camera 13. The first camera 11 is operable to capture the first path section 2. The second camera 12 is operable to capture the second path section 3 and the third camera 13 is operable to capture the third path section 4.

[0059] In the illustration of FIG. 1, an athlete, hence an object 5 is shown in four different states of movement. At the beginning the object 5 is at or near a starting point and is hence in a phase of an inrun. The object 5′ illustrates the athlete at the end of the ramp and short before take off. The object 5″ shows the athlete at the beginning of the flight phase. At the end of the flight phase the athlete is shown as 5′″ and in the landing zone the athlete 5″″ has reached the end of the path 1.

[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the first camera 11 is operable to capture the movement of the object 5 as it moves along the first path section 2. The second camera 12 is configured to capture the moving object 5″ and the object 5′″ as it moves along the second path section 3 and the further camera 13 is configured to capture and to record movement of the object 5′″ in the third path section 4 and hence during the landing.

[0061] The video recording system 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a controller 30 by way of which the individual cameras 11, 12, 13 can be controlled in order to generate an edited final video sequence 50 as illustrated in FIG. 3 showing the object 5 during the different phases of movement along the path 1 at different times t. The controller 30 comprises a camera controller 32 connected with each of the cameras 11, 12, 13. By way of the camera controller 32, the individual cameras 11, 12, 13 may be activated or deactivated to capture or to record respective video streams.

[0062] The camera controller 32 may be further operable to move or to reconfigure at least one of the cameras 11, 12, 13. When the cameras 11, 12, 13 are implemented as an actively movable, pivotable, zoomable or tiltable camera, the camera controller 32 may submit respective controlling signals so as to modify the respective camera configurations, e.g. in terms of a zoom configuration, a position and an orientation or tilt. The controller 30 may be further coupled with a high-speed camera 14. For this, the camera controller 30 may be provided with a respective high-speed acquisition unit 34. The high-speed camera 14 and/or the acquisition unit 34 may be also controlled by the camera controller 32.

[0063] The controller 30 further comprises an acquisition unit 31. The acquisition unit is connected to the cameras 11, 12, 13 and optionally also with the high-speed camera 14. The acquisition unit 31 is operable to capture or to receive the individual video streams 51, 51′ as generated and provided by the individual cameras 11, 12, 13. The acquisition unit 31 is further coupled or connected in a signal transmitting way with a database 35.

[0064] The database 35 provides storage space for storing the finals video sequence 50 as provided by the acquisition unit 31. The acquisition unit 31 is typically implemented to select individual video streams 51, 51′ as provided by the at least two cameras 11, 12 and to switch between e.g. a first video stream 51 one as provided by the first camera 11 and a second video stream 51′ as provided by the second camera.

[0065] Additionally, there is provided a motion detector 33 by way of which motion data of the moving object 5 can be determined, detected or acquired. Typically, the motion detector 33 is provided with a number of receivers 21, 22, 23. The receivers are arranged along the path 1. In the present illustration the receiver 21 is arranged at or close to the first path section 2. The receiver 22 is arranged at or close to the second path 3 and the receiver 23 is arranged at or close to the third path section 4 of the path 1.

[0066] The receivers 21, 22, 23 are operable to communicate with a portable electronic tag 40 attached to the moving object 5. In this way, the movement of the moving object 5 can be tracked and quantitatively measured by the receivers 21, 22, 23 and by the motion detector 33. Typically, the motion detector 33 is operable to gather motion data of the object 5 as the object moves along the path 1. Motion data comprises at least one of a position, an orientation, a velocity and an acceleration of the object 5.

[0067] With some examples, the portable electronic tag 40 is attached to the athlete. With other examples, the portable electronic tag is implemented in or attached to the sports gear. Similarly, there is provided not only one but also several portable electronic tags, e.g. implemented in a left ski and a right ski.

[0068] In FIG. 2, a block diagram of a tag 40 is schematically illustrated. The tag 40 comprises a transponder or transmitter 42 and a processor 44. The tag 40 may further comprise a storage 46 and a sensor 48. In the storage 46 there may be provided or stored a unique identifier by way of which the tag 40 can be identified by the motion detector 33. The sensor 48 may be implemented as a position or acceleration sensor. In this way a state of momentary movement or acceleration present to the portable electronic tag can be precisely measured. Measurement signals of the motion sensor 48 can be directly transmitted by the transponder 42 to the respective receivers 21, 22, 23. In this way there can be gathered real-time information about the momentary status of motion of the object during its movement along the path 1.

[0069] The motion data and/or identification data captured by the motion detector 33 may comprise data such as name, nation of the athlete and time of date, a velocity, a distance, a height over ground an angle of attack of a left ski and/or of a right ski, an opening angle of the skis, a roll angle of the skis as well as wind and gate information that may be present to the controller 30.

[0070] An example of final video sequence 50 generated by the acquisition unit 31 and stored in the database 35 is illustrated in FIG. 3. Here, it is explicitly shown, that during a first time interval the video sequence 50 comprises a first video stream 51 as provided by the first camera 11. Thereafter, there follows a second video stream 51′ as captured by the second camera 12 and finally there follows another video stream 51″ as recorded by the third camera 13.

[0071] In FIG. 4, an image overlay 54 in the final video sequence 50 is schematically illustrated. Based on the motion data as gathered by the motion detector 33 respective information about the athlete or moving object 5 can be overlaid in the final video sequence 50 or in any of the individual video streams 51, 51′, 51″.

[0072] Finally and in FIG. 5, an exemplary flowchart of a method of recording a video sequence is illustrated. Here, in a first step 100 the moving object 5 is detected by the motion detector 33. In a subsequent step 102 motion data as captured by the motion detector 33 is evaluated and analyzed. Based on this analysis it is then determined in which one of the path sections 2, 3, 4 the moving object 5 is currently located. Based on the motion data, e.g. based on the position of the moving object 5 one of a number of available cameras 11, 12, 13 is selected and/or activated for image or video stream acquisition in step 104, 106, 108. Here, in step 104, the first camera 11 is selected. Alternatively, in step 106 the second camera 12 is selected and further alternatively in step 108 the third camera 13 is selected.

[0073] Thereafter and in step 110, a video stream generated and provided by the selected camera 11, 12, 13 is transmitted to the acquisition unit 31 and is recorded in the final video sequence 50. Thereafter, the method returns to step 100 and the procedure continues as long as the object 5 is located in the same path section. If it should be determined in step 102 that the object 5 has left the path section, e.g. path section 2 and enters another path section, e.g. path section 3, there will then be selected another camera 12 to capture a respective video stream 51′ from this newly selected path section 3.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0074] 1 path [0075] 2 path section [0076] 3 path section [0077] 4 path section [0078] 5 object [0079] 10 recording system [0080] 11 camera [0081] 12 camera [0082] 13 camera [0083] 14 high-speed camera [0084] 21 receiver [0085] 22 receiver [0086] 23 receiver [0087] 30 controller [0088] 31 acquisition unit [0089] 32 camera controller [0090] 33 motion detector [0091] 34 high-speed acquisition unit [0092] 35 database [0093] 40 tag [0094] 42 transponder [0095] 44 processor [0096] 46 storage [0097] 48 sensor [0098] 50 video sequence [0099] 51 video stream [0100] 54 image overlay