Method and apparatus for monitoring objects in flight

• US 20030027655A1
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Gobush, William, Lutz, Mitchell E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,592,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/198
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

The present invention relates to a methods and apparatus for monitoring objects, such as golf balls, in flight. The methods include providing a plurality of cameras with different orientations with respect to the object'"'"'s flight path. For example, two cameras can be located downstream of the object'"'"'s initial position on either side of the flight path and a plurality of other cameras can be located upstream of the object'"'"'s initial position on one side of the flight path. With such an arrangement, data in three-dimensions can be obtained on the object. Furthermore, the methods can include providing an object with a material for emitting light when excited. For example, a phosphorescent material can be used to provide an object with high contrast as compared to a background that the object is imaged against. With such materials, the methods can include filtering so that the cameras use only light emitted by the object to form images of the object that will be analyzed. The present invention also relates to apparatus incorporating the components used in these methods.

Claims

1. Method of monitoring an object in flight, comprising the steps of:

a. providing at least a portion of an outer surface of the object with a light-emitting material;

b. allowing the light-emitting material to emit light;

c. providing at least one camera;

d. launching the object in flight;

e. transmitting the light toward the at least one camera so that the at least one camera captures at least one image of the object in flight; and

f. determining data for the object in flight using the at least one image of the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of allowing the light-emitting material to emit light includes exciting the light-emitting material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting material comprises a phosphorescent material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting light further includes each camera capturing between about two and about 10 images of the object in flight.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing at least a portion of the outer surface of the object with the phosphorescent material further includes coating the object with a paint containing a phosphorescent pigment.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing at least a portion of an outer surface of the outer surface with the phosphorescent material further includes coating the entire object with the paint.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing at least a portion of an outer surface of the object with the phosphorescent material further includes forming a mixture of the phosphorescent material and a cover material and using the cover material to form the outer surface of the object.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of exciting the light-emitting material further includes directing a light at the object.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of exciting the light-emitting material further includes directing an ultraviolet light at the object.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein in the step of directing a light at the object, the light has a wavelength between about 200 nm and about 450 nm.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the at least one camera further includes providing at least one filter associated with each camera and aligned with a lens of each camera such that the filter only allows a predetermined range of wavelengths of the light to pass there through.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined range of wavelengths is between about 470 nm and about 600 nm.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining data for the object further includes providing a computer.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining data further includes determining at least one of the following:

an object position in three-dimensions, flight time, velocity, velocity decay, spin, spin decay rate, trajectory in three-dimensions, roll distance, carry distance, and dispersion.

15. Method of monitoring an object in flight, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an object in a stationary position;

b. providing at least two cameras, the first camera positioned downstream of the object in the stationary position and the second camera positioned upstream of the object in the stationary position;

c. launching the object from the stationary position into flight;

d. capturing images of the object in flight using the cameras at least until the object passes through an apex in flight; and

e. determining data for the object in flight using the images of the object.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining data further includes determining at least one of the following:

an object position in three-dimensions, flight time, velocity, velocity decay, spin, spin decay rate, trajectory in three-dimensions, roll distance, carry distance, and dispersion.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing at least two cameras further includes providing two cameras with angularly offset lines of sight offset from about 15 degrees to about 90 degrees.

18. A combination of an apparatus and an object, comprising:

a. at least one light-emitting object, and

b. at least one non-light emitting camera to receive a light emitted from the object in a predetermined range of wavelengths and used the light to produce at least one image of the object in motion.

19. The combination of claim 18, further including at least one filter located to receive the light emitted from the object so that the camera receives filtered light.

20. The combination of claim 18, wherein the predetermined range of wavelengths is between about 500 nm and about 600 nm.

21. The combination of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the object includes a phosphorescent material.

22. The combination of claim 18, further including at least one first camera with a first line of sight substantially perpendicular to a flight path of the object and at least one second camera with a second line of sight angularly offset from the first line of sight.

23. The combination of claim 22, wherein the at least one first camera is disposed above a turf surface.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one first camera is disposed below a turf surface.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, further including at least two first cameras with first lines of sight substantially perpendicular to the flight path.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, further including providing at least two second cameras with second lines of sight angularly offset from the first line of sight.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second cameras are downstream of the flight path.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second cameras are vertically spaced apart.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, further including providing one second camera upstream of the flight path and the remaining second camera downstream of the flight path.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, further including at least four spaced apart first cameras with first lines of sight substantially perpendicular to the flight path.

31. The apparatus of claim 18, further including at least one computer electrically connected to each camera.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further including at least one frame grabber electrically connected to the computer for controlling each camera.

33. An apparatus for monitoring an object in flight, comprising:

a. at least one movable camera for taking images of the object during flight;

b. at least one stationary camera for taking images of the object during flight; and

c. at least two filters located to receive a light emitted from the object before transmission to the associated camera, the filter allowing the light to enter the associated camera and capture at least one image of the object in flight for each camera.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the movable camera has a first line of sight at a first angle to a flight path of the object and the stationary camera has a second line of sight at a second angle to the flight path of the object, wherein the first and second angles are substantially different.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the first angle is about 90 degrees and the second angle is about 15 degrees.

36. An apparatus for monitoring an object in, comprising:

a. at least one first camera with a first line of sight substantially perpendicular to a flight path of the object for capturing images of the ball along a substantial length of the flight path;

b. a second camera with a second line of sight angularly offset from the flight path of the object by less than about 90 degrees;

c. at least one first filter associated with each first camera located to receive a light emitted from the object before transmission to the associated first camera, the at least one first filter allowing the light to enter the associated first camera and allowing the associated first camera to capture at least one image of the object in flight; and

d. a second filter located to receive the light emitted from the object before transmission to the second camera, the second filter allowing the light to enter the second camera and allowing the second camera to capture at least one image of the object in flight.