Trajectory detection and feedback system

• US 20070026974A1
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pillar Vision Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pillar Vision Incorporated
• Inventors: McGhee, Ridge, Edwards, Thomas, Marty, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,850,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/467
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration

Abstract

A disclosed device provides a trajectory detection and feedback system. The system is capable of detecting one or more moving objects in free flight, analyzing a trajectory of each object and providing immediate feedback information to a human that has launched the object into flight, and/or one or more observers in the area. The feedback information may include one or more trajectory parameters that the human may use to evaluate their skill at sending the object along a desired trajectory. In a particular embodiment, a non-intrusive machine vision system that remotely detects trajectories of moving objects may be used to evaluate trajectory parameters for a basketball shot at a basketball hoop by a player. The feedback information, such as a trajectory entry angle into the basketball hoop and/or an entry velocity into the hoop for the shot, may be output to the player in an auditory format using a sound projection device. The system may be operable to be set-up and to operate in a substantially autonomous manner. After the system has evaluated a plurality of shots by the player, the system may provide 1) a diagnosis of their shot consistency, 2) a prediction for improvement based upon improving their shot consistency and 3) a prescription of actions for improving their consistency.

Claims

1. A method of providing trajectory detection, analysis and feedback for a trajectory of a basketball, the method of comprising:

receiving physical information for characterizing the trajectory of the basketball;

generating trajectory parameters from the physical information;

generating feedback information using the trajectory parameters; and

outputting the feedback information wherein the feedback information is related to one or more of the following trajectory parameters;

     1) an angle of the trajectory relative to a plane of a basketball hoop when the basketball is proximate to the basketball hoop or

     2) a point on the trajectory relative to a fixed point within the plane of the basketball hoop when the basketball is proximate to the basketball hoop

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical information for characterizing the trajectory is determined from video frame data recorded from one or more cameras.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is provided within approximately one second of the basketball being shot.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the device is configured to provide the feedback information within approximately ten seconds of the basketball being shot.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a logic device designed or configured to receive the physical information, to generate the trajectory parameters and to generate the feedback information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is provided in one or more of a visual format, an auditory format, a kinetic format or combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the basketball passes through the basketball hoop.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the feedback information indicates whether the basketball passed through the basketball hoop.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving physical information for characterizing trajectories of a plurality of different basketball shots,

for each of the basketball shots, generating the trajectory parameters and generating the feedback information,

determining a relationship between the plurality of different basketball shots using the trajectory parameters generated for each of the basketball shots.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the relationship is a consistency for at least one of the trajectory parameters.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

for each of the basketball shots, storing one or more of the trajectory parameters, the feedback information or combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the trajectory parameters are selected from the group consisting of a release height, a release angle, a release velocity, a release point floor position, an entry angle into a basketball hoop, an entry velocity into the basketball hoop, an entry position of a center of the basketball relative to a center of the basketball hoop, a transverse velocity of the basketball relative to a normal line drawn through the center of the basketball hoop, a missed shot, a made shot, a rotation rate of the basketball and axis of rotation of the basketball.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating one or more aggregate trajectory parameters from the trajectory parameters from a plurality of different trajectories.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the aggregate trajectory parameters characterize the human'"'"'s consistency.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the aggregate trajectory parameters are a measure of statistical variability of different trajectory parameters.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

predicting performance improvement as a function of the one or more aggregate trajectory parameters.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating a prescription comprising one or more actions for improving performance.

18. A method of using a portable device for analyzing a trajectory of an object, the method comprising:

providing the portable device, said portable device comprising;

a housing;

at least one camera coupled to the housing, a logic device coupled to the housing for generating at least feedback information, one or more feedback output mechanisms coupled to the housing for outputting at least feedback information, an input mechanism coupled to the housing for providing input to the portable device, and handle coupled to the housing for moving the portable device,

recording video frame data using the at least one camera wherein the video frame data is for characterizing the trajectory of the object that is launched along its trajectory by a human;

generating trajectory parameters that characterize one more states of the object along its trajectory using the video frame data;

generating feedback information using the trajectory parameters;

outputting the feedback information wherein the feedback information is provided to the human within two seconds after the object is launched by the human.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein to launch it along its trajectory, the object is hit by the human with a second object.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the object is a ball.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

generating trajectory parameters and feedback information for a plurality of different trajectories and determining a relationship between the plurality of different trajectories using the trajectory parameters generated for each of the trajectories.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

for each of the plurality of different trajectories, storing one or more of the trajectory parameters, the feedback information or combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the feedback information is provided in one or more of a visual format, an auditory format, a kinetic format or combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

generating one or more aggregate trajectory parameters from the trajectory parameters from a plurality of different trajectories.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the aggregate trajectory parameters characterize the human'"'"'s consistency.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the aggregate trajectory parameters are a measure of statistical variability of different trajectory parameters.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

predicting performance improvement as a function of the one or more aggregate trajectory parameters.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

generating a prescription comprising one or more actions for improving performance.

29. A system for analyzing a trajectory of a basketball, the system comprising:

a first camera for recording first video frame data used to characterize a trajectory of a basketball shot by a human;

a mobile camera for recording second video frame data used to characterize a trajectory of a basketball shot by a human wherein the system is designed to allow a position of the mobile camera to vary;

a logic device designed or configured to i) receive the first video frame data and the second video frame data, ii) generate trajectory parameters that characterize one or more states of the basketball along its trajectory and iii) generate feedback information using the trajectory parameters; and

one or more feedback output mechanisms for providing the feedback information to the human wherein the feedback information is related to one or more of the following trajectory parameters;

     1) an angle of the trajectory relative to a plane of a basketball hoop when the basketball is proximate to the basketball hoop or

     2) a point on the trajectory relative to a fixed point within the plane of the basketball hoop when the basketball is proximate to the basketball hoop.

30. A device for analyzing a trajectory of a basketball, the device comprising:

one or more cameras for recording video frame data used to characterize a trajectory of a basketball shot by a human;

a logic device designed or configured to i) receive the video frame data, ii) generate trajectory parameters that characterize one or more states of the basketball along its trajectory and iii) generate feedback information using the trajectory parameters; and

one or more feedback output mechanisms for providing the feedback information to the human wherein the feedback information is related to a maximum height of the basketball along its trajectory.

31. A device for analyzing a trajectory of a basketball, the device comprising:

one or more cameras for recording video frame data used to characterize a trajectory of a basketball shot by a human;

a logic device designed or configured to i) receive the video frame data, ii) generate trajectory parameters that characterize one or more states of the basketball along its trajectory and iii) generate feedback information using the trajectory parameters; and

one or more feedback output mechanisms for providing the feedback information to the human wherein the feedback information is related to a height at which the basketball is released from the human'"'"'s hand.