SPORTS SIMULATOR AND SIMULATION METHOD

• US 20090042627A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Full-Swing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Full-Swing, Inc.
• Inventors: Nicora, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,926,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/05 Image processing for measuring physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills

Abstract

A sports simulator calculates spin of a sports object using image analysis. A velocity vector is also calculated. These are combined to produce a predicted future trajectory of the sports object. In one embodiment, the sports object is a golf ball and the sports simulator simulates golf.

Claims

1. A method for simulating a sports activity comprising:

accelerating a sports object from a launch area towards a screen;

capturing images of said sports object; and

determining, based at least in part on said images, one or more components of rotational velocity of said sports object;

determining translational velocity of said sports object;

computing a future trajectory of said sports object based at least in part on said one or more components of rotational velocity and said translational velocity; and

displaying the future trajectory of said sports object.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

triggering a camera shutter;

illuminating said sports object with a pulsed infrared light; and

capturing multiple images of said sports object on a single frame.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising:

detecting overlapping images of said sports object; and

discarding said overlapping images of said sports object.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising:

comparing one or more features on said sports object in a first image with the same one or more features in a second image;

calculating a change in position of said one or more features; and

deriving one or more components of rotational velocity from the change in position of said one or more features.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where said strobe lights emit infrared light and said at least one camera is sensitive to infrared light.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where the axes of said at least one camera is mounted approximately normal to the ground above a launch area.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an infrared filter on said at least one camera.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where the triggering device opens a shutter on said at least one camera.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where the triggering device comprises a microphone.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where the triggering device comprises a motion detector.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an inclinometer mounted on said at least one infrared camera.

5. An apparatus for simulating a sports activity where the future trajectory of a sports object is predicted, the apparatus comprising:

strobe lights;

a strobe controller coupled to said strobe lights;

a triggering device coupled to said strobe controller to flash said strobe lights;

at least one camera that captures images viewed by said strobe lights;

a computer that takes the captured images and computes the spin and trajectory of said sports object; and

a display that shows the predicted trajectory of said sports object.

13. A method for predicting a future trajectory of a golf ball in a golf simulator comprising:

accelerating said object from a launch area towards a screen;

capturing images of said golf ball;

determining, based at least in part on said images, one or more components of rotational velocity of said golf ball;

sensing passage of said object through a first plane located between said launch area and

said screen and generating a first signal in response thereto;

sensing passage of said object through a second plane located between said first plane and said screen and generating a second signal in response thereto;

determining, based on said first and second signals, the position and translational velocity of said golf ball;

predicting said future trajectory of said golf ball based at least in part on said one or more components of rotational velocity and said translational velocity; and

displaying said future trajectory.