The above features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
An embodiment of the present invention is described in detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the purposes of clarity and simplicity, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein is omitted when it may obscure the subject matter of the present invention.
A system for providing position information by using a mini-map, according to the present invention, includes a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), other mobile communication terminals, etc.
As illustrated in
In detail, the server 200 includes a camera unit 210, a key input unit 220, a storage unit 230, a position detector 240, and a wireless transmission unit 250.
The camera unit 210 has a detachable lens unit (not shown), and detects image data through the detachable lens unit. The camera unit 210 includes a camera sensor for converting detected optical signals into electrical signals, and a signal processor for converting analog image signals detected by the camera sensor into digital image data. The camera unit 210 photographs an image in which an entire soccer field is included in a single screen.
The key input unit 220 has a key matrix structure (not shown), which includes character keys, numeric keys, various function keys and an external volume key. The key input unit 220 outputs key input signals corresponding to keys input by a user to the camera unit 210 and the storage unit 230.
The key input unit 220 comprises operation keys of the camera unit 210 in predetermined positions according to an embodiment of the present invention, i.e. a power key of the camera unit 210 used when entering into a camera mode, a zoom key used for an adjusting zoom levels (i.e. magnification) of a camera lens module function, and a shutter key used for a detecting images function.
The storage unit 230 comprises a memory including a program memory and a data memory, and stores various information necessary for controlling the operation of the server 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and various information (absolute position display method and relative position display method) selected from images input from the camera unit 210 through the key input unit 220 by a user.
As illustrated in
When an x direction position in an entire image for the ball is defined as (x_c), and the x direction position of a left line of the soccer field 260 is defined as (x_m_l) according to the absolute position display method, the x direction position (x_f) of the ball is equal to {(x_c)−(x_m_l)}. If the x direction length of a camera screen 270 is defined as (X_c_max), and length between a right line of the soccer field 260 and a right end of the camera is defined as (x_m_r), the x direction length (X_f_max) of the soccer field 260 is equal to (X_c_max)−(x_m_l)−(x_m_r).
Since the server 200 and the mobile communication terminal 300 share the actual length of the soccer field 260, it is possible to calculate the actual position of the ball by using the calculated (X_f_max) and (x_f).
For example, when the soccer field 260 has a lateral length of 110 m, the actual position x of the ball is equal to (110*f_x)/(X_f_max). That is, when the lateral length of the soccer field 260 corresponds to 2000 pixels in the camera screen 270, and the calculated position of the ball corresponds to 750 pixels in the direction x, the absolute position x of the ball in the direction x is equal to 41.25 {=(110*750)/2000}.
Accordingly, the ball is currently located around 41.24 m in the soccer field 260. Calculation in a y direction is implemented in an analogous way. That is, since the absolute position display method calculates the actual position (unit: m) of the ball in consideration of the actual length of the soccer field 260, the position of the ball is calculated as position coordinate values for the ball. The position of the at least one athlete is also calculated in the same way.
It should be noted that since soccer fields can be different sizes, the server 200 and the mobile communication terminal 300 must share the fixed size of the soccer field 260 for the absolute position display method.
The relative position display method displays the position of a bail by using a ratio instead of displaying the actual length of the soccer field 260 by using coordinates, but is nearly similar to the absolute position display method, except for displaying the position of a ball by a percentage % when the length of the soccer field 260 is set to 100% (i.e. 1).
When the lateral length of the soccer field 260 is set to 100% (i.e. 1), the x direction coordinate {x=(f_x)/(X_f_max)} of the ball in
For example, if (X_f_max) is 2000 pixels and (f_x) is 750 pixels, x is equal to 0.375 ( 750/2000). That is, the ball is located at the position corresponding to 37.5% in the x direction in the soccer field 260. Calculation in a y direction is implemented in an analogous way. This method is advantageous in that the server 200 and the mobile communication terminal 300 do not have to share the actual size of the soccer field 260. In other words, the relative position display method displays the position of a ball by a percentage % when the length of the soccer field 260 is set to 100% (i.e. 1), which calculates position information of the ball.
The wireless transmission unit 250 includes a Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter for transmitting the images input from the camera unit 210 and the position information calculated according to the movement of the at least one athlete and the ball, and up-converting and amplifying frequency signals for the calculated position information.
The mobile communication terminal 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a wireless reception unit 310, an image processor 320, a controller 330, an interface unit 340, and a display unit 350.
The wireless reception unit 310 includes an RF receiver for low noise-amplifying and down-convening frequency signals for the position information of the athletes and the ball received from the server 200, etc.
As illustrated in
The controller 330 controls the general operation of the mobile communication terminal 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The controller 330 recalculates the position of the ball according to positions and sizes of the mini-map provided from the image processor 320. When the position coordinate value calculated by the absolute position display method is received from the server 200, if the received coordinate value corresponds to (x, y), the lateral length of the mini-map corresponds to (X_mini_max), and the actual lateral length of the soccer field 260 shared by the server 200 and the mobile communication terminal 300 corresponds to 110 m, the coordinate (x_mini) of the ball on the mini-map is calculated by {(X_mini_max*x)/110}. For example, when the lateral length of the mini-map is 80 pixels and the received x direction coordinate of the ball is 45 m, (x_mini) is equal to 32.72 {(80*45)/110}. That is, the ball is located around a position corresponding to 33 pixels in the x direction in the mini-map. A y coordinate is calculated in an analogous way, and the positions of athletes are also calculated in an analogous way.
When the position coordinate value calculated by the relative position display method is received from the server 200, if the received coordinate value corresponds to (x, y), and the lateral length of the mini-map corresponds to (X_mini_max), the coordinate (x_mini) of the ball on the mini-map is calculated by (X_mini_max*x). For example, when the lateral length of the mini-map is 80 pixels and the received x direction coordinate of the ball is 0.6, (x_mini) is equal to 48 (80*0.6). That is, the ball is located around a position corresponding to 48 pixels in the x direction on the mini-map. A y coordinate is calculated in an analogous way, and the positions of athletes are also calculated in an analogous way.
The controller 330 controls the display unit 350 to display the position information calculated according to the movements of the at least one athlete and the ball on the mini-map provided by the image processor 320 by using dots or shapes desired by a user, the position information being received from the wireless reception unit 310. The controller 330 controls the position information displayed on the mini-map to be displayed on the screen of an external display device through the wired interface unit 340 including a TV OUT, a USB, etc, and also controls the position information to be displayed on the screen of the external display device through the wireless interface unit 340 including Bluetooth, infrared data association, etc.
The display unit 350 displays the position information according to the movement of the athletes and the hall on the mini-map provided by the image processor 320.
As illustrated in
Then, coordinate values calculated for the actual positions (unit: m) of the at least one athlete and the ball are calculated from the entire image of the soccer field 260 photographed by the camera unit 210 through the absolute position display method stored in the storage unit 230 in consideration of the actual length of the soccer field 260, or the positions of the at least one athletes and the ball are calculated through the relative position display method when the length of the soccer field 260 is set to 100% (i.e. 1) (S510). That is, the position information based on the movement of the at least one athlete and the ball is calculated from the entire image photographed by the camera unit 210. Then, the image including the entire soccer field 260 and the position coordinate values calculated based on the movement of the at least one athlete and the ball are transmitted to the mobile communication terminal 300 through the wireless transmission unit 250 (S520).
The mobile communication terminal 300 receives the image including the entire soccer field 260 and the position coordinate values through the wireless reception unit 310 (S530). The image processor 320 outputs the images including the entire soccer field 260 on the screen of the display unit 350 at a full size, and provides a mini-map based on the screen size of the display unit 350 according to shapes and sizes thereof requested by a user (S540).
When the coordinate values calculated through a display method selected from the group consisting of the absolute position display method and the relative position display method are received from the server 200, the mobile communication terminal 300 recalculates the positions of the at least one athlete and the ball in consideration of positions and sizes of the mini-map provided from the image processor 320 (S550). The display unit 350 displays the image including the entire soccer field 260, and the positions of the athletes and the ball according to the movement of the at least one athlete and the ball on the mini-map (S560).
According to an embodiment of the present invention as described above, a mini-map is displayed in a predetermined area of a screen, so that it is possible to more easily become aware of the positions and movements of the at least one athlete and the ball. For example, in the case of a soccer game, it is possible to become aware of a space to which the at least one athlete will pass the ball, or the positions of the at least one athlete or ball at a glance.
Further, a foul such as an off-side, is more clearly visible using a mini-map, so that it is possible to watch a soccer game at a higher level of detail than without a mini-map.
Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims, including the full scope of equivalents thereof.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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98440/2006 | Oct 2006 | KR | national |