Abstract: A system for detecting and providing information assigned to soccer players, wherein the system contains a soccer ball (130) comprising a centrally arranged magnetic field generator (142) for generating an alternating magnetic field (150); a transceiver (148) for receiving radio signals (160) and for transmitting collected player information; a control unit (144) for evaluating received radio signals and assigning timestamps to IDs of received radio signals; a source of energy; and a memory for storing and reading out player information based on the IDs with assigned timestamps; and a device (120) for sensing the generated magnetic field in a soccer shoe and for transmitting an ID assigned to the device, comprising a magnetic field sensor (122) for sensing and measuring the magnetic filed (105); a control unit (124); and a transmitting unit (128) for transmitting a radio signal (160) which contains the ID assigned to the device (120), wherein the transmitting unit is actively supplied with energy, and wherein

Abstract: A device (120) for acquiring and providing information which can be associated with a football player, said device comprising: an acceleration sensor (129) for detecting accelerations acting on the devices; a memory unit (121) for storing measured acceleration values with associated time stamps and an ID associated with the device (120); and a radio unit (128) for receiving a first radio signal (150) with a first time stamp, wherein the first radio signal represents a deformation of a ball, and for transmitting a second radio signal (160) including the ID associated with the device (120) in case that a check of the values in the memory unit shows that an acceleration was detected by the device at the corresponding time.

Abstract: A method for deciding whether a movable object has been brought through a goal having a goal area defined by the goal, an internal magnetic field being measurable, within the goal area or in parallel with the goal area, which is larger than an external magnetic field present outside the goal area, the method including a step of generating the internal magnetic field within the goal, a step of providing information about a magnetic field experienced by the movable object, and a step of evaluating the information about the magnetic field to provide a goal statement by means of a detection that the movable object has passed through the internal magnetic field.

Abstract: The invention relates to a video tracking system which determines the position of objects, e.g. players in a football match, by evaluating video image information. According to the present invention, the video tracking system is additionally provided with an independent positioning system which is preferably used in instances when the video-based position detection is faulty or does not work at all. According to one embodiment, the independent positioning system is GPS based, each football player carrying a portable GPS module which transmits the position data to the system by radio. Additional data, such as heart rate or acceleration, can also be transmitted.

Abstract: A game ball wherein in the vicinity of a goal, or in a goal area, an electronic system is activated in the goal area by an activation signal, which may be a magnetic field or a radio signal, so as to subsequently facilitate, e.g., highly precise position measurement of the game device, or game ball.

Abstract: A device (120) for acquiring and providing information which can be associated with a football player, said device comprising: an acceleration sensor (129) for detecting accelerations acting on the devices; a memory unit (121) for storing measured acceleration values with associated time stamps and an ID associated with the device (120); and a radio unit (128) for receiving a first radio signal (150) with a first time stamp, wherein the first radio signal represents a deformation of a ball, and for transmitting a second radio signal (160) including the ID associated with the device (120) in case that a check of the values in the memory unit shows that an acceleration was detected by the device at the corresponding time.

Abstract: A ball (100) having a magnetic field sensor (110) substantially in the centre of gravity (130) for measuring a magnetic field, the sensor being held in the centre of gravity by means of foam, springs or by a balloon, a ball with two magnetic field sensors in opposing locations on the inner wall of the ball, as well as a method of measuring magnetic field values at said locations.

Abstract: A method for deciding whether a movable object has been brought through a goal having a goal area defined by the goal, an internal magnetic field being measurable, within the goal area or in parallel with the goal area, which is larger than an external magnetic field present outside the goal area, the method including a step of generating the internal magnetic field within the goal, a step of providing information about a magnetic field experienced by the movable object, and a step of evaluating the information about the magnetic field to provide a goal statement by means of a detection that the movable object has passed through the internal magnetic field.

Abstract: A system for detecting and providing information assigned to soccer players, wherein the system contains a soccer ball (130) comprising a centrally arranged magnetic field generator (142) for generating an alternating magnetic field (150); a transceiver (148) for receiving radio signals (160) and for transmitting collected player information; a control unit (144) for evaluating received radio signals and assigning timestamps to IDs of received radio signals; a source of energy; and a memory for storing and reading out player information based on the IDs with assigned timestamps; and a device (120) for sensing the generated magnetic field in a soccer shoe and for transmitting an ID assigned to the device, comprising a magnetic field sensor (122) for sensing and measuring the magnetic filed (105); a control unit (124); and a transmitting unit (128) for transmitting a radio signal (160) which contains the ID assigned to the device (120), wherein the transmitting unit is actively supplied with energy, and wherein

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a drive signal for a lamp device comprises a pulse generator for generating a first pulse train in response to a first brightness request for a first brightness and for generating a second pulse train in response to a second brightness request for a second brightness. The first pulse train has a first frequency and the second pulse train has a different second frequency. The second pulse train comprises two neighboring pulses of the first pulse train and comprises a further pulse between the two neighboring pulses, the further pulse not being comprised in the first pulse train.

Abstract: Shoe having at least one pressure sensor provided in the shoe cushioning element, as well as system components for emitting, receiving and evaluating the signals of the sensor.

Abstract: System, consisting of at least one active or passive position detection system which sends data about the position of at least one athlete to a central evaluation unit; and a central evaluation unit which stores received positional data in a database, automatically calculates a movement pattern consisting of at least the covered distance and the mean velocity from the positional data, and represents the movement pattern on a display.

Abstract: A programmable lighting unit includes a radio interface to be remote controlled by a radio remote control. In particular, the remote control sends parameter data which is supplied to a parameter adjuster in the programmable lighting unit which programs the parameter data such that a controller of the programmable lighting unit controls a controllable lamp dependent on the parameter data. In particular, the controller is adapted to be programmed using the one or the multiple parameters such that a reaction by the controller to the control data depends on the one or the multiple parameters.

Abstract: For measuring a shot force exerted on a movable game device, a time curve of the acceleration during the shot or of the pressure within the game device during the shot is recorded and processed to obtain an energy measure, said energy measure then serving to provide information about the shot force.

Abstract: A device for generating a magnetic field in a goal area with at least two coils arranged in parallel to a goal area defined and bounded by a goal, wherein a first coil is attached in an area behind the goal and a second coil is attached closer to the goal than the first coil or identical to the goal, wherein the first coil and the second coil respectively have a coil impedance, wherein the coil impedance of the second coil is set so that a magnetic field of the second coil generated due to a magnetic field of the first coil reduces the magnetic field of the first coil at a location within the second coil by at least 20%.

Abstract: For measuring a shot force exerted on a movable game device, a time curve of the acceleration during the shot or of the pressure within the game device during the shot is recorded and processed to obtain an energy measure, said energy measure then serving to provide information about the shot force.

Abstract: At least two coils located at different positions with regard to a positioning area are controlled to indicate a position of an object located within the range of magnetic fields generated by the coils. An embodiment of the invention comprises a generator that uses a multiplexing technique to generate coil enable signals for the at least two coils. The coil enable signals are generated for the at least two coils with any of different polarities and different intensities.

Abstract: System for ball possession detection, which contains a device (130) comprising means for detecting a magnetic field in a playing device (100) of a ball game, wherein the magnetic field is generated by at least one permanent magnetic (110) in the playing device, wherein the device can be associated to a player of a ball game and the means for magnetic field detection comprise a magnetic field sensor (210) and a control unit (220), and a method for ball possession detection, wherein the magnetic field sensor detects a magnetic field (310), the control means measures the magnetic field strength of the detected magnetic field (320) and detects (330) whether the magnetic field was caused by the at least one permanent magnet in the playing device and outputs information about the detection (350), as well as a ball (100) that contains at least one permanent magnet.

Abstract: In order to determine a position of a mobile object relative to a surface within a movement range that comprises a ground which the surface intersects along a line of intersection, a magnetic field of a first elongate magnetic field-generating object which is located at a first distance from the line of intersection is measured, and a magnetic field of a second elongate magnetic field-generating object that is located in or on the ground, at a second distance on another side of the line of intersection, is measured. Based on a comparison between the measured magnetic fields, it is determined whether the mobile object is located in front of or behind the surface. A generator that triggers the magnetic field-generating objects in a multiplex mode is provided for distinguishing which magnetic field-generating object generates which magnetic field.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to an electronic device comprising a logic circuit comprising a plurality of logic banks. In accordance with embodiments of the present technique, at least one of the plurality of banks is configured to provide standby functionality to the electronic device. The electronic device further comprises a power supply coupled to the logic circuit, configured to power the at least one bank without powering all of the plurality of banks.