Patents by Inventor Richard H. Cavallaro
Richard H. Cavallaro has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20110205022Abstract: A system simultaneously tracks multiple objects. All or a subset of the objects includes a wireless receiver and a transmitter for providing an output. The system includes one or more wireless transmitters that send commands to the wireless receivers of the multiple objects instructing different subsets of the multiple objects to output (via their respective transmitter) at different times. The system also includes object sensors that receive output from the transmitters of the multiple objects and a computer system in communication with the object sensors. The computer system calculates locations of the multiple objects based on the sensed output from the multiple objects. In some embodiments, the system can also track an item based on proximity of that item to one or more of the objects. In such embodiments, the multiple objects each includes one or more local sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2010Publication date: August 25, 2011Inventors: Richard H. Cavallaro, James Orville McGuffin, John Roy Borton
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Patent number: 7928976Abstract: A telestrator system is disclosed that allows a broadcaster to annotate video during or after an event. For example, while televising a sporting event, an announcer (or other user) can use the present invention to draw over the video of the event to highlight one or more actions, features, etc. In one embodiment, when the announcer draws over the video, it appears that the announcer is drawing on the field or location of the event. Such an appearance can be performed by mapping the pixels location from the user's drawing to three dimensional locations at the event. Other embodiments include drawing on the video without obscuring persons and/or other specified objects, and/or smoothing the drawings in real time.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2010Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Sportvision, Inc.Inventors: Kevin R Meier, Walter Hsiao, James R Gloudemans, Marvin S White, Richard H Cavallaro, Stanley K Honey
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Publication number: 20100238163Abstract: A telestrator system is disclosed that allows a broadcaster to annotate video during or after an event. For example, while televising a sporting event, an announcer (or other user) can use the present invention to draw over the video of the event to highlight one or more actions, features, etc. In one embodiment, when the announcer draws over the video, it appears that the announcer is drawing on the field or location of the event. Such an appearance can be performed by mapping the pixels location from the user's drawing to three dimensional locations at the event. Other embodiments include drawing on the video without obscuring persons and/or other specified objects, and/or smoothing the drawings in real time.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2010Publication date: September 23, 2010Applicant: SPORTVISION, INC.Inventors: Kevin R. Meier, Walter Hsiao, James R. Gloudemans, Marvin S. White, Richard H. Cavallaro, Stanley K. Honey
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Patent number: 7750901Abstract: A telestrator system is disclosed that allows a broadcaster to annotate video during or after an event. For example, while televising a sporting event, an announcer (or other user) can use the present invention to draw over the video of the event to highlight one or more actions, features, etc. In one embodiment, when the announcer draws over the video, it appears that the announcer is drawing on the field or location of the event. Such an appearance can be performed by mapping the pixels location from the user's drawing to three dimensional locations at the event. Other embodiments include drawing on the video without obscuring persons and/or other specified objects, and/or smoothing the drawings in real time.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2009Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: Sportvision, Inc.Inventors: Kevin R Meier, Walter Hsiao, James R Gloudemans, Marvin S White, Richard H Cavallaro, Stanley K Honey
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Publication number: 20090128580Abstract: A telestrator system is disclosed that allows a broadcaster to annotate video during or after an event. For example, while televising a sporting event, an announcer (or other user) can use the present invention to draw over the video of the event to highlight one or more actions, features, etc. In one embodiment, when the announcer draws over the video, it appears that the announcer is drawing on the field or location of the event. Such an appearance can be performed by mapping the pixels location from the user's drawing to three dimensional locations at the event. Other embodiments include drawing on the video without obscuring persons and/or other specified objects, and/or smoothing the drawings in real time.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: May 21, 2009Applicant: Sportvision, Inc.Inventors: Kevin R. Meier, Walter Hsiao, James R. Gloudemans, Marvin S. White, Richard H. Cavallaro, Stanley K. Honey
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Patent number: 7492363Abstract: A telestrator system is disclosed that allows a broadcaster to annotate video during or after an event. For example, while televising a sporting event, an announcer (or other user) can use the present invention to draw over the video of the event to highlight one or more actions, features, etc. In one embodiment, when the announcer draws over the video, it appears that the announcer is drawing on the field or location of the event. Such an appearance can be performed by mapping the pixels location from the user's drawing to three dimensional locations at the event. Other embodiments include drawing on the video without obscuring persons and/or other specified objects, and/or smoothing the drawings in real time.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2005Date of Patent: February 17, 2009Assignee: Sportsvision, Inc.Inventors: Kevin R. Meier, Walter Hsiao, James R. Gloudemans, Marvin S. White, Richard H. Cavallaro, Stanley K. Honey
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Publication number: 20090028385Abstract: A representation of an object in a live event is detected in an image of the event. A location of the object in the live event is translated to an estimated location in the image based on camera sensor and/or registration data. A search area is determined around the estimated location in the image. A direction of motion of the object in the image is also determined. A representation of the object is identified in the search area by detecting edges of the object, e.g., perpendicular to the direction of motion and parallel to the direction of motion, performing morphological processing, and matching against a model or other template of the object. Based on the position of the representation of the object, the camera sensor and/or registration data can be updated, and a graphic can be located in the image substantially in real time.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: SPORTVISION, INC.Inventors: Richard H. Cavallaro, Vidya Elangovan
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Publication number: 20090028440Abstract: A representation of an object in an image of a live event is detected by matching potential representation of the object against multiple types of templates. For example, the templates can include monochrome data, chrominance and/or luminance data, pixel data of the object from an earlier image, e.g., as a video template, an edge and morphology based template, a model of the object, or a predetermined static texture which is based on an appearance of the object. A weighting function may also be used. In one possible approach, a first type of template is used in an initial search area, and a second type of template is used in a smaller region of the initial search area. Based on a position of the optimum representation of the object in the image, a graphic can be provided in the image, or sensor and/or registration data of a camera can be updated.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: SPORTVISION, INC.Inventors: Vidya Elangovan, Richard H. Cavallaro, Marvin S. White, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Publication number: 20090027494Abstract: A video broadcast of a live event is enhanced by providing graphics in the video in real time to depict the fluid flow around a moving object in the event and to provide other informative graphics regarding aerodynamic forces on the object. A detailed flow field around the object is calculated before the event, on an offline basis, for different speeds of the object and different locations of other nearby objects. The fluid flow data is represented by baseline data and modification factors or adjustments which are based on the speed of the object and the locations of the other objects. During the event, the modification factors are applied to the baseline data to determine fluid flow in real time, as the event is captured on video. In an example implementation, the objects are race cars which transmit their location and/or speed to a processing facility which provides the video.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: SPORTVISION, INC.Inventors: Richard H. Cavallaro, Alina Alt, Vidya Elangovan, James O. McGuffin, Timothy P. Heidmann, Reuben Halper
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Publication number: 20090028425Abstract: A representation of an object in an image of a live event is obtained by determining a color profile of the object. The color profile may be determined from the image in real time and compared to stored color profiles to determine a best match. For example, the color profile of the representation of the object can be obtained by classifying color data of the representation of the object into different bins of a color space, in a histogram of color data. The stored color profiles may be indexed to object identifiers, object viewpoints, or object orientations. Color data which is common to different objects or to a background color may be excluded. Further, a template can be used as an additional aid in identifying the representation of the object. The template can include, e.g., a model of the object or pixel data of the object from a prior image.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: SPORTVISION, INC.Inventors: Richard H. Cavallaro, Vidya Elangovan, Marvin S. White, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Publication number: 20090027500Abstract: An object is detected in images of a live event by storing and indexing templates based on representations of the object from previous images. For example, the object may be a vehicle which repeatedly traverses a course. A first set of images of the live event is captured when the object is at different locations in the live event. A representation of the object in each image is obtained, such as by image recognition techniques, and a corresponding template is stored. When the object again traverses the course, for each location, the stored template which is indexed to the location can be retrieved for use in detecting the object in a current image. The object's current location may be obtained from GPS data from the object, for instance, or from camera sensor data, e.g., pan, tilt and zoom, which indicates a direction in which the camera is pointed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: SPORTVISION, INC.Inventors: Vidya Elangovan, Richard H. Cavallaro, Timothy P. Heidmann, Marvin S. White, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Publication number: 20090028439Abstract: Camera registration and/or sensor data is updated during a live event by determining a difference between an estimated position of an object in an image and an actual position of the object in the image. The estimated position of the object in the image can be based on an estimated position of the object in the live event, e.g., based on GPS or other location data. This position is transformed to the image space using current camera registration and/or sensor data. The actual position of the object in the image can be determined by template matching which accounts for an orientation of the object, a shape of the object, an estimated size of the representation of the object in the image, and the estimated position of the object in the image. The updated camera registration/sensor data can be used in detecting an object in a subsequent image.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: SPORTVISION, INC.Inventors: Vidya Elangovan, Richard H. Cavallaro, Marvin S. White, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Publication number: 20080219504Abstract: An automated system for measuring information about a target image in a video is described. One embodiment includes receiving a set of one or more video images for the video, automatically finding the target image in at least a subset of the video images, determining one or more statistics regarding the target image being in the video, and reporting the one or more statistics.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2008Publication date: September 11, 2008Inventors: Henry W. Adams, Marvin S. White, Richard H. Cavallaro, Rand Pendleton
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Patent number: 7341530Abstract: A system adds a graphical image of the strike zone to a video or other image of a baseball game. The system determines location of the strike zone and the ball in real space. The locations of the strike zone and the ball are depicted in the video. Based on knowing the locations of the strike zone and the ball, the system can determines whether the pitch was a strike or a ball.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2002Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Sportvision, Inc.Inventors: Richard H. Cavallaro, Eric Steinberg, Andre Gueziec, Alon Mozes
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Publication number: 20080049123Abstract: A video effect is created that provides an experience to a viewer of freezing time during an event that is the subject of a video presentation, investigating the event during that frozen moment in time, and (optionally) resuming the action of the event. During that frozen moment in time, the video can move around the scene of the event and/or zoom in (or out) to better highlight an aspect of the event. In one embodiment, there will be a transition from video captured by a broadcast camera (or another camera) to a high resolution still image, movement around the high resolution still image, and a transition from the high resolution still image back to video from the broadcast camera (or another camera).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: SPORTVISION, INC.Inventors: James R. Gloudemans, Walter Hsiao, John LaCroix, Richard H. Cavallaro, Marvin S. White
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Patent number: 7154540Abstract: Pan, tilt and zoom sensors are coupled to a broadcast camera in order to determine the field of view of the broadcast camera and to make a rough estimate of a target's location in the broadcast camera's field of view. Pattern recognition techniques can be used to determine the exact location of the target in the broadcast camera's field of view. If a preselected target is at least partially within the field of view of the broadcast camera, all or part of the target's image is enhanced. The enhancements include replacing the target image with a second image, overlaying the target image or highlighting the target image. Examples of a target include a billboard, a portion of a playing field or another location at a live event. The enhancements made to the target's image can be seen by the television viewer but are not visible to persons at the live event.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2001Date of Patent: December 26, 2006Assignee: Fox Sports Productions, Inc.Inventors: Stanley K. Honey, Richard H. Cavallaro, Jerry Neil Gepner, Edward Gerald Goren, David Blyth Hill
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Patent number: 7075556Abstract: A telestrator system is disclosed that allows a broadcaster to annotate video during or after an event. For example, while televising a sporting event, an announcer (or other user) can use the present invention to draw over the video of the event to highlight one or more actions, features, etc. In one embodiment, when the announcer draws over the video, it appears that the announcer is drawing on the field or location of the event. Such an appearance can be performed by mapping the pixels location from the user's drawing to three dimensional locations at the event. Other embodiments include drawing on the video without obscuring persons and/or other specified objects, and/or smoothing the drawings in real time.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1999Date of Patent: July 11, 2006Assignee: Sportvision, Inc.Inventors: Kevin R. Meier, Walter Hsiao, James R. Gloudemans, Marvin S. White, Richard H. Cavallaro, Stanley K. Honey
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Patent number: 6965397Abstract: A system is disclosed for using camera attitude sensors with a camera. A camera assembly includes a tripod base, a tripod head interface mounted on the tripod base, a tripod head mounted on the tripod head interface and a camera mounted on the tripod head. The tripod head enables the camera to pan and tilt. The system also includes a first optical encoder for detecting the amount that the camera has been panned and a second optical encoder for detecting the amount that the camera has been tilted. Two inclinometers are mounted on the tripod head interface to measure attitude of the tripod head. Two gyroscopes (“gyros”) are mounted on the camera assembly. Data from the encoders, gyros and inclinometers are packaged and sent to graphics production equipment to be used for enhancing video captured by the camera.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 1999Date of Patent: November 15, 2005Assignee: Sportvision, Inc.Inventors: Stanley K. Honey, Richard H. Cavallaro, Marvin S. White, Terence J. O'Brien, Matthew T. Lazar, Stuart K. Neubarth, Alan C. Phillips, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Patent number: 6909438Abstract: A system is disclosed for blending two image that makes use of a color map which indicates colors in a foreground can be mixed with the background and how much of each source to mix. One embodiment of the invention restricts the use of the color map to only pixels in the foreground that correspond to a graphic (or effect) in the background. Another embodiment makes use of a gray scale matte which stores blending values for each pixel in the foreground.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2001Date of Patent: June 21, 2005Assignee: Sportvision, Inc.Inventors: Marvin S. White, Stanley K. Honey, Walter Hsiao, James R. Gloudemans, Kevin R. Meier, James McGuffin, Richard H. Cavallaro
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Patent number: 6864886Abstract: A system is disclosed for enhancing video by use of a virtual surface. One or more positions are identified in a first image. These one or more positions are transformed to one or more locations in relation to the virtual surface. In subsequent video images (e.g. fields, frames, or other units), the one or more locations in relation to said virtual surface are transformed to one or more positions in the subsequent video images. The subsequent video images are enhanced based on the one or more transformed positions.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2001Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Assignee: SportVision, Inc.Inventors: Richard H. Cavallaro, James R. Gloudemans, Matthew T. Lazar, Kevin R. Meier, Alon Mozes, Roberto J. Peon, Eric M. Steinberg