Flight parameter measurement system
First Claim
1. A method for determining parameters of an object in motion, the method comprising the steps of:
- calibrating a camera lens to establish (x, y, z) directions for every (x, y) pixel in an image plane of the camera;
determining alignment correction factors;
capturing a plurality of images of the object in motion;
finding the object in each of the plurality of images;
calculating three dimensional coordinates for each of the plurality of images;
calculating a velocity vector for the object from the three dimensional coordinates;
rotating a reference image of the plurality of images by a first set of rotations of a plurality of rotation sets;
scaling the rotated reference image to a target image;
correlating the reference image to the target image to obtain an incremental score of a plurality of scores;
repeating the steps of rotating, scaling and correlating in a stepwise refinement manner to obtain a best score of the plurality of scores; and
utilizing a best rotation set of the plurality of rotation sets to determine the parameters of the object in motion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable flight parameter measurement system is a standalone smart camera which tracks the surface of an object in motion, e.g., a ball, and determines speed, trajectory, a spin axis, and a spin rate around that axis. The measurement system is particularly suited for analyzing the path of a ball in flight which is determined, in great part, by the amount of spin and the direction of spin imparted to the ball upon impact. The measurement system provides a user, such as a golfer, with important feedback for modifying his or her swing to obtain desired results. The measurement system utilizes non-precision marks, surface blemishes such as cuts made by a club, dimples, or a combination of all three as the only features necessary to determine ball flight characteristics.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for determining parameters of an object in motion, the method comprising the steps of:
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calibrating a camera lens to establish (x, y, z) directions for every (x, y) pixel in an image plane of the camera;
determining alignment correction factors;
capturing a plurality of images of the object in motion;
finding the object in each of the plurality of images;
calculating three dimensional coordinates for each of the plurality of images;
calculating a velocity vector for the object from the three dimensional coordinates;
rotating a reference image of the plurality of images by a first set of rotations of a plurality of rotation sets;
scaling the rotated reference image to a target image;
correlating the reference image to the target image to obtain an incremental score of a plurality of scores;
repeating the steps of rotating, scaling and correlating in a stepwise refinement manner to obtain a best score of the plurality of scores; and
utilizing a best rotation set of the plurality of rotation sets to determine the parameters of the object in motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A measurement system for determine at least one characteristic of an object in motion, the measurement system comprising:
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a camera lens for capturing a plurality images;
a memory means coupled to the camera lens for storing the plurality of images;
a triggering means for commencing image capture of the plurality of images; and
a processor coupled to the memory means, the processor comprising;
means for finding the object in motion in the plurality of images;
means for calculating three dimensional coordinates for each of the plurality of images;
mean for rotating a reference image of the plurality by a set of rotations of a plurality of rotation sets;
means for scaling the rotated reference image to a target image of the plurality of images;
means for correlating the rotated reference image to the target image to obtain a score; and
means for utilizing a best rotation set of the plurality of rotation sets to determine the at least one characteristic of the object in motion - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for determining a spin axis and rotation of a ball, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. acquiring at least a reference ball image and a target ball image;
b. determining the real world coordinates of the reference ball image and the target ball image;
c. rotating the reference ball image by a first set of rotations to a canonical view utilizing the real world coordinates;
d. rotating the reference ball image by a second set of trial rotations;
e. rotating the reference ball image by a third set of rotation corresponding to a canonical view of the target ball image;
f. scaling the reference ball image to the target ball image;
g. correlating the reference ball image to the target ball image to obtain a score of a plurality of scores; and
h. repeating steps c through g in a stepwise refinement manner to obtain a best score of the plurality of scores. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification