SPORTS SIMULATOR AND SIMULATION METHOD
First Claim
Patent Images
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.
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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.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for simulating a sports activity comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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5. An apparatus for simulating a sports activity where the future trajectory of a sports object is predicted, the apparatus comprising:
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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.
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13. A method for predicting a future trajectory of a golf ball in a golf simulator comprising:
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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.
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Specification