Sports simulation system

• US 10,099,144 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interactive Sports Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Interactive Sports Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Dawe, Wayne, Zhao, Zuqiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Habib, Irfan
• Application Number:
  US15/595,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20170246543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0636 3D visualisation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/05 Image processing for measuring physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/025 Installations continuously collecting balls from the playing areas, e.g. by gravity, with conveyor belts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 : using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 : Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30224 : Ball; Puck
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 : Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 : Multi-camera tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 : Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 : Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A golf simulation system includes a processor configured to receive image data from a launch area sensing unit to determine position, velocity, acceleration and spin of a golf ball and to calculate a trajectory of the golf ball into a golf scene presented on a display surface. The system includes a processor that generates a profile of a golf ball travel path over a plurality of images, determines the golf ball travel path length per image of the plurality of images, identifies regions corresponding to one or more markings on the golf ball, determines the distance between the regions in each image, calculates the spin rate and tilt of the golf ball using the determined distance, and uses the golf ball travel path length and camera device frame rate to estimate a spin tilt axis of the golf ball using the orientation of the regions in each image and the relative angle between the longitudinal axis of the regions and the longitudinal axis of the golf ball travel path.

Claims

1. A golf simulator comprising:

at least one pair of imaging devices having overlapping fields of view and configured to capture images of a launched, spinning golf ball, each captured image comprising regions resulting from one or more markings on said launched, spinning golf ball; and

at least one processing stage configured to process image data from the imaging devices and calculate a trajectory of said launched, spinning golf ball into a golf scene presented on a display surface, wherein said at least one processing stage is configured to generate a profile of the golf ball travel path over a plurality of images, determine the golf ball travel path length per image of said plurality of images, identify the regions corresponding to the one or more markings on said launched, spinning golf ball, determine the distance between the regions in each image, calculate the spin rate and tilt of the launched, spinning golf ball using the determined distance, the golf ball travel path length and the imaging device frame rate and estimate a spin tilt axis of the golf ball using the orientation of the regions in each image and the relative angle between the longitudinal axis of the regions and the longitudinal axis of the golf ball travel path.

2. A golf simulator according to claim 1 further comprising at least one illuminator to illuminate the fields of view of said imaging devices at intervals.

3. A golf simulator according to claim 2 wherein said at least one illuminator comprises an array of light sources.

4. A golf simulator according to claim 3 comprising a plurality of illuminators at spaced locations with said fields of view.

5. A golf simulator according to claim 1 further comprising a display unit configured to present said golf scene on said display surface including a simulation of said launched, spinning golf ball following said calculated trajectory.

6. A golf simulator according to claim 1 wherein the one or more markings are reflective markings.

7. A golf simulation system comprising:

a launch area sensing unit positioned a distance in front of a target in which contact with a golf ball is made using a golf club, said launch area sensing unit comprising at least one camera device configured to capture images of a launch region and at least one illuminator adjacent said at least one camera device configured to illuminate said launch region; and

at least one processor configured to receive image data from the launch area sensing unit, to determine positions, velocity, acceleration and spin of a detected launched, spinning golf ball and to calculate a trajectory of said launched, spinning golf ball into a golf scene presented on a display surface, wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate a profile of the golf ball travel path over a plurality of images, determine the golf ball travel path length per image of said plurality of images, identify regions corresponding to one or more markings on said launched, spinning golf ball, determine the distance between the regions in each image, calculate the spin rate and tilt of the launched, spinning golf ball using the determined distance, the golf ball travel path length and camera device frame rate and estimate a spin tilt axis of the golf ball using the orientation of the regions in each image and the relative angle between the longitudinal axis of the regions and the longitudinal axis of the golf ball travel path.

8. A golf simulation system according to claim 7 wherein said at least one illuminator comprises a plurality of laterally spaced illuminators.

9. A golf simulator according to claim 7 further comprising a display unit configured to present said golf scene on said display surface including a simulation of said launched, spinning golf ball following said calculated trajectory.

10. A golf simulator according to claim 7 wherein the one or more markings are reflective markings.

11. A golf simulator comprising:

a launch area sensing unit comprising at least one camera device configured to capture images of a golf ball launched from a launch region towards a target; and

at least one processor configured to process image data received from the launch area sensing unit, to determine the spin of the launched golf ball based on regions in the image data corresponding to one or more markings on the golf ball, to calculate a trajectory of the launched golf ball and to modify a golf scene presented on a display surface in accordance with the calculated trajectory of the golf ball, wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate a profile of the golf ball travel path over a plurality of images, determine the golf ball travel path length per image of said plurality of images, identify the regions corresponding to the one or more markings on said launched golf ball, determine the distance between the regions in each image, calculate the spin rate and tilt of the launched golf ball using the determined distance, the golf ball travel path length and camera device image frame rate and estimate a spin tilt axis of the golf ball using the orientation of the regions in each image and the relative angle between the longitudinal axis of the regions and the longitudinal axis of the golf ball travel path.

12. A golf simulator according to claim 11 further comprising at least one illuminator adjacent said at least one camera device, said at least one illuminator illuminating said launch region.

13. A golf simulator according to claim 12 wherein said at least one illuminator comprises a plurality of laterally spaced illuminators.

14. A golf simulator according to claim 11 further comprising a display unit configured to present said golf scene on said display surface including a simulation of said launched, spinning golf ball following said calculated trajectory.

15. A golf simulator according to claim 11 wherein the one or more markings are reflective markings.