IP Library Granted Patent US 11,817,071
Granted Patent B2
US 11,817,071 · App. 17/065,944 · Granted Nov 14, 2023

Systems and methods for coordinating movement of a group of people

Inventors: Andrew Allan Dunham (Cheboygan, MI); Patrick Eugene Frohoff (Mackinaw City, MI); Steven R. Lilly (Grand Rapids, MI); Eric Roger Becks (Cheboygan, MI)
Assignee: Marching Assistance Company, LLC
G10H1/40G01S19/19G06F1/163
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,817,071
App. No.
17/065,944
Granted
Nov 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described herein are methods for coordinating movement of a group of people, comprising: receiving numerical coordinates for each count of a drill for each person in a group of people, wherein the numerical coordinates indicate a location on a field for each person; receiving a starting count for each of the one or more sets and a number of counts in each of the one or more sets for each person; combining the numerical coordinates with the start count and the number of counts for each of the one or more sets; deriving human readable coordinates for each count of the drill for each person, wherein the human readable coordinates indicate the location on the field for each person; and transmitting the human readable coordinates to one or more receiving devices each associated with one person in the group of people.

Claims (42)

1. A method for coordinating movement of a group of people, the method performed by one or more computing devices each comprising a processor, the method comprising:

receiving a pair of coordinates for one or more counts of a drill for one or more people, wherein a plurality of counts comprise a set and one or more sets comprise the drill, and wherein the pair of coordinates indicates a location on a field for the one or more people during the one or more counts;

receiving a starting count for each of the one or more sets and a number of counts in each of the one or more sets comprising the drill;

combining the pair of coordinates with the start count and the number of counts for each of the one or more sets;

deriving a pair of human readable coordinates for the one or more counts of the drill for the one or more people, wherein the pair of human readable coordinates indicates the location on the field for the one or more people during the one or more counts;

automatically determining a command based on a subset of the human readable coordinates that indicate a change in the location on the field; and

transmitting the command to one or more receiving devices associated with the one or more people.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pair of coordinates is selected from the group consisting of: relative coordinates, absolute coordinates, text coordinates, numerical coordinates, or x, y coordinates.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location is relative to one or more markings on the field.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting a field type selected from the group consisting of: a football field, a soccer field, or a gymnasium.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising selecting a field size selected from the group consisting of: a grade school regulation size field, a college regulation size field, and a professional regulation size field.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising adjusting the pair of numerical coordinates to reflect the selected field type and field size.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a time signature and a tempo of a song for the drill.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting a metronome beat to the one or more receiving devices, wherein the metronome beat is dependent on the time signature and the tempo.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising synchronizing the one or more computing devices and the one or more receiving devices.

10. A system for coordinating movement of a group of people, comprising:

one or more receiving devices associated with one or more people;

one or more computing devices each comprising a processor; and

memory, coupled to the processor, configured to store program instructions, wherein, when executed by the processor, the program instructions cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method comprising:

receiving a pair of coordinates for one or more counts of a drill for the one or more people, wherein a plurality of counts comprise a set and one or more sets comprise the drill, and wherein the pair of coordinates indicates a location on a field for the one or more people during the one or more counts;

receiving a starting count for each of the one or more sets and a number of counts in each of the one or more sets comprising the drill for the one or more people;

combining the pair of coordinates with the start count and the number of counts for each of the one or more sets;

deriving a pair of human readable coordinates for the one or more counts of the drill for the one or more people, wherein the pair of human readable coordinates indicates the location on the field for the one or more people during the one or more counts;

automatically determining a command based on a subset of the human readable coordinates that indicate a change in the location on the field for the one or more people; and

transmitting the command to one or more receiving devices associated with the one or more people.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the pair of coordinates is selected from the group consisting of: relative coordinates, absolute coordinates, text coordinates, numerical coordinates, or x, y coordinates.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein one or more of: the one or more computing devices and the one or more receiving devices are wearable.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more computing devices and the one or more receiving devices each comprise an antenna.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the location is relative to one or more markings on the field.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the method performed by the one or more computing devices further comprises selecting a field type selected from the group consisting of:

a football field, a soccer field, and a gymnasium.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the method performed by the one or more computing devices further comprises selecting a field size selected from the group consisting of: a grade school regulation size field, a college regulation size field, and a professional regulation size field.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the method performed by the one or more computing devices further comprises adjusting the pair of numerical coordinates to reflect the selected field type and field size.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the method performed by the one or more computing devices further comprises transmitting a metronome beat from the one or more computing devices to the one or more receiving devices, wherein the metronome beat is dependent on the time signature and the tempo.

19. The system of claim 10 , wherein the method performed by the one or more computing devices further comprises synchronizing the one or more computing devices and the one or more receiving devices.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use with one or more computing devices, the computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions, wherein, when executed by the one or more computing devices, the program instructions cause the one or more computing devices to perform one or more operations comprising:

receiving a pair of coordinates for one or more counts of a drill for one or more people, wherein a plurality of counts comprise a set and one or more sets comprise the drill, and wherein the pair of coordinates indicates a location on a field for the one or more people during the one or more counts;

receiving a starting count for each of the one or more sets and a number of counts in each of the one or more sets comprising the drill for the one or more people;

combining the pair of coordinates with the start count and the number of counts for each of the one or more sets;

deriving a pair of human readable coordinates for the one or more counts of the drill for the one or more people, wherein the pair of human readable coordinates indicates the location on the field for the one or more people during the one or more counts;

automatically determining a command based on a subset of the human readable coordinates that indicate a change in the location on the field for the one or more people; and

transmitting the command to one or more receiving devices associated with the one or more people.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 6, 2021
From: TIME STORM, LLC
To: MARCHING ASSISTANT COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 060311/0934 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2020
From: DUNHAM, ANDREW ALLAN; FROHOFF, PATRICK EUGENE; LILLY, STEVEN R.; BECKS, ERIC ROGER
To: TIME STORM LLC
Reel/Frame 054009/0947 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62913921 · Oct 11, 2019
Related Publication 20210110804A1 · Apr 15, 2021