Device, computer program and method

1 . A method comprising:

obtaining a first image of a sporting event, the first image containing a sporting projectile at a first pixel position and a first and second line separated by a predetermined real-world distance in a direction;

establishing the number of pixels between the first and second line in the direction;

establishing a real-world distance represented by a pixel in the direction;

establishing the number of pixels between the first pixel position and the first line in the direction; and

determining the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the sporting event in accordance with the established real-world distance and the number of pixels between the first pixel position and the first line.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining a second image of the sporting event, the second image containing the sporting projectile at a second pixel position and a third and fourth line separated by the predetermined real-world distance in the direction;

establishing the number of pixels between the third and fourth line in the direction;

establishing the real-world distance represented by a pixel in the direction;

establishing the number of pixels between the second pixel position and the third line in the direction;

determining the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the sporting event in accordance with the established real-world distance and the number of pixels between the second pixel position and the second line; and

determining the distance travelled by the sporting projectile between the first and second image in accordance with the difference between the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the first image and the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the second image.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

generating a notification when the distance travelled by the sporting projectile between the first and second image is greater than, or equal to a predetermined threshold.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined threshold is 10 yards.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying the first pixel by:

fitting a shape to the outline of the sporting projectile;

establishing the centre of the shape;

establishing a vertical projection between a location in the shape and a surface upon which the sporting event is played; and

identifying the intersection of the vertical projection and the surface.

6 . A method comprising:

obtaining a first image of a sporting event, the first image being a perspective view containing a sporting projectile at a first pixel position and a first, second and third line each separated by a predetermined real-world distance in a direction;

establishing the number of pixels between the first and second line and the first and third line in the direction;

establishing the number of pixels between the first pixel position and the first line in the direction; and

determining the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the sporting event in accordance with

x

=

(

A

″

⁢

C

″

·

A

″

⁢

D

″

)

⁢

(

1

-

y

)

A

″

⁢

C

″

-

y

⁢

A

″

⁢

D

″

where A″C″ is the real-world distance between the first and second line and A″D″ is the real-world distance between the first and third line and y=(AC·BD)/(BC·AD) where AC is the number of pixels between the first and second line; BD is the number of pixels between the first pixel position and the third line; BC is the number of pixels between the first pixel position and the second line and AD is the number of pixels between the first line and the third line.

7 . The method according to claim 6 further comprising:

obtaining a second image of a sporting event, the second image being a perspective view containing a sporting projectile at a second pixel position and a fourth, fifth and sixth line each separated by the predetermined real-world distance in the direction;

establishing the number of pixels between the fourth and fifth line and the fourth and sixth line in the direction;

establishing the number of pixels between the second pixel position and the fourth line in the direction;

determining the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the sporting event in accordance with

x

=

(

A

″

⁢

C

″

·

A

″

⁢

D

″

)

⁢

(

1

-

y

)

A

″

⁢

C

″

-

y

⁢

A

″

⁢

D

″

where A″C″ is the real-world distance between the fourth and fifth line and A″D″ is the real-world distance between the fourth and sixth line and y=(AC·BD)/(BC·AD) where AC is the number of pixels between the fourth and fifth line; BD is the number of pixels between the second pixel position and the sixth line; BC is the number of pixels between the second pixel position and the fifth line and AD is the number of pixels between the fourth line and the sixth line; and

determining the distance travelled by the sporting projectile between the first and second image in accordance with the difference between the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the first image and the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the second image.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , comprising:

fitting a spline curve to the first, second and third line; and

determining the real-world position of the sporting projectile using the fitted spline curves.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

generating a notification when the distance travelled by the sporting projectile between the first and second image is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

10 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

identifying the first pixel by:

fitting a shape to the outline of the sporting projectile;

establishing the centre of the shape;

establishing a vertical projection between the centre of the shape and a surface upon which the sporting event is played; and

identifying the intersection of the vertical projection and the surface.

11 . A device comprising circuitry configured to:

obtain a first image of a sporting event, the first image containing a sporting projectile at a first pixel position and a first and second line separated by a predetermined real-world distance in a direction;

establish the number of pixels between the first and second line in the direction;

establish a real-world distance represented by a pixel in the direction;

establish the number of pixels between the first pixel position and the first line in the direction; and

determine the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the sporting event in accordance with the established real-world distance and the number of pixels between the first pixel position and the first line.

12 . The device according to claim 11 where the circuitry is further configured to:

obtain a second image of the sporting event, the second image containing the sporting projectile at a second pixel position and a third and fourth line separated by the predetermined real-world distance in the direction;

establish the number of pixels between the third and fourth line in the direction;

establish the real-world distance represented by a pixel in the direction;

establish the number of pixels between the second pixel position and the third line in the direction;

determine the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the sporting event in accordance with the established real-world distance and the number of pixels between the second pixel position and the second line; and

determine the distance travelled by the sporting projectile between the first and second image in accordance with the difference between the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the first image and the real-world position of the sporting projectile in the second image.

13 . The device according to claim 12 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

generate a notification when the distance travelled by the sporting projectile between the first and second image is greater than, or equal to a predetermined threshold.

14 . The device according to claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

identify the first pixel by:

fitting a shape to the outline of the sporting projectile;

establishing the centre of the shape;

establishing a vertical projection between a location in the shape and a surface upon which the sporting event is played; and

identifying the intersection of the vertical projection and the surface.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first line and the second line are previously detected and labeled, and

wherein labels respectively associated with the first line and the second line are stored with the first image.