Trajectory detection and feedback system

• US 20070026975A1
• 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 7,854,669 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 basketball training system comprising:

a backboard;

a basketball hoop;

a playing area;

one or more bounding structures arranged around at least a portion of a perimeter of the playing area;

a trajectory analysis and feedback 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 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 basketball training system of claim 1, wherein one of the bounding structures comprises netting.

3. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein one of the bounding structures comprises a rigid wall.

4. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein one of the bounding structures comprises a curtain.

5. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the bounding structures is designed to be easily moved.

6. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the bounding structure includes an impact absorbing material.

7. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein a width of the playing area is less than a width of a standard basketball court.

8. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein a width of the playing is slightly larger than a width of a lane of a standard basketball court.

9. The basketball training system of claim 1, further comprising:

a rotation mechanism for rotating the backboard and the basketball hoop.

10. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the rotation mechanism is configured to provide rotation via an axis of rotation that passes through a center of the basketball hoop.

11. The basketball training system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanism for adjusting a height of the basketball hoop relative to the playing area.

12. The basketball training system of claim 1, further comprising:

a basketball return device.

13. The basketball training system of claim 12, wherein the basketball return device is a passive device that does not add momentum to the basketball.

14. The basketball training system of claim 12, wherein the basketball return device is an active device that provides momentum to the basketball.

15. The basketball training system of claim 12, wherein the basketball return device comprises netting coupled to the one or more bounding structures.

16. The basketball training system of claim 15, wherein the netting is further coupled to an active basketball return device and the height of the netting is below a bottom of the backboard.

17. The basketball training system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication interface for connecting to one or more of a local area network or a remote area network.

18. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the trajectory analysis and feedback device is operable to determine when a basketball passes through the basketball hoop.

19. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the basketball training system is operable to direct a player to one or more different locations on the player area to initiate a shot.

20. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the trajectory analysis and feedback device is operable to determine a location on the playing area at which a player is located at a particular time.

21. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the basketball training system is operable to generate a shooting program comprising a plurality of shots at one or more locations on the playing area.

22. The basketball training system of claim 21, wherein the basketball training system is operable to determine a score associated with the plurality of shots.

23. The basketball training system of claim 21, wherein the basketball training system is operable to display results of a competition between two players executing the shooting program.

24. The basketball training system of claim 23, wherein a first player executes the shooting program in the basketball training system and wherein a second player executes the shooting program in a first basketball training system while the first player is executing the shooting program.

25. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the basketball training system is operable to receive information generated in a first basketball training system.

26. The basketball training system of claim 25, wherein the first basketball training system is located in a facility including the basketball training system.

27. The basketball training system of claim 25, wherein the first basketball training system is located in a first facility and the basketball training system is located in a second facility.

28. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the basketball training system is operable to establish a communication link with the first basketball training system.

29. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the basketball hoop is a virtual hoop.

30. The basketball training system of claim 29, wherein the basketball hoop is projected into a player'"'"'s field of vision using a head-mounted display.

31. The basketball training system of claim 29, wherein the virtual hoop is projected into 3-D space at location where a physical hoop is located in relation to the backboard.

32. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the basketball training system is reconfigurable to providing training for sports other than basketball.

33. The basketball training system of claim 1, further comprising a projection system for allowing one or more of targets, boundary lines, images or combinations thereof to be projected within the basketball training system wherein the targets, boundary lines or images are for basketball or for sports other than basketball.

34. The basketball training system of claim 1, wherein the trajectory analysis and feedback device is operable to analyze the trajectory of one or more types of objects other than a basketball.

35. The basketball training system of claim 34, wherein the one or more types of objects are selected from the group consisting of a tennis ball, a golf ball, a volley ball, a racquetball, a squall ball, a football, a baseball, a soccer ball and a hockey puck.

36. The basketball training system of claim 1, further comprising:

a projection system operable to project an image onto one or more surfaces of the basketball training system.

37. The basketball training system of claim 1, further comprising:

a projection system operable to project an image into 3-D space within the basketball training system.

38. The basketball training system of claim 37, wherein the image is one of a virtual hoop and a virtual backboard.