Electronic Pitching Trainer and Method for Determining the True Speed of a Sports Projectile

• US 20090298622A1
• Filed: 08/05/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jerry B. Roberts
• Original Assignee: Jerry B. Roberts
• Inventors: Roberts, Jerry B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,001,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/455
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/003 Bistatic sonar systems; Multistatic sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/586 using transmission of continuous unmodulated waves, amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated waves and based upon the Doppler effect resulting from movement of targets
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00

Abstract

A sensing device obtains range-related data—such as Doppler data or pulse time-of-flight data—from a sports projectile during flight. The time course of the range-related data is employed, in light of predictable characteristics of the projectile trajectory, to determine and output an accurate determination of the projectile speed for one or more points of interest in its flight. Such determination of speed may, for instance, be the speed at the time of projectile release, even though range-related data is gathered later in the flight, when the projectile is traveling neither so fast, nor straight at the sensor. Such sensing device may employ inexpensive short-range acoustic Doppler, and be incorporated into a target device that automatically displays to a pitcher-in-training the speed and ball/strike condition of each pitch.

Claims

1. An automated method for determining an estimate of a speed of a sports projectile at a time of interest, the method comprising:

(A) measuring first data, the first data indicating a first range-rate along a line from a fixed location to said sports projectile at a first time during a flight of said sports projectile, wherein the fixed location is fixed in relation to a target means provided for the sports projectile;

(B) measuring second data, the second data indicating a second range-rate along a line from the fixed location to said sports projectile at a second time during the flight of said sports projectile; and

(C) estimating the speed of the sports projectile at the time of interest based on the first data, the first time, the second data, and the second time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (C) comprises estimating the speed of the sports projectile by extrapolating from the first data, the first time, the second data, and the second time, whereby the estimate falls outside the range of the first range-rate and the second range-rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (A) comprises measuring a first range-rate of said sports projectile, and wherein (B) comprises measuring a second range-rate of said sports projectile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the time of interest comprises a time of release of the sports projectile by a person.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said sports projectile is proximate to the fixed location when the sports projectile is at the first range from the fixed location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(D) measuring a relative time of impact of the sports projectile upon the target means; and

wherein (C) comprises estimating the speed of the sports projectile at the time of interest based on the first data, the first time, the second data, the second time, and the relative time of impact.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein (C) comprises estimating the speed of the sports projectile along its line-of-intent at the time of interest based on the first data, the first time, the second data, the second time, and known characteristics of a restricted set of projectile trajectories.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein estimating comprises extrapolating outside the range of the first range-rate and the second range-rate.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the time of interest is materially earlier than the first time.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the path of the sports projectile at the first time makes a material angle with respect to a line connecting the fixed location to the sports projectile at the first time.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the fixed location is fixed in relation to a target means provided for the sports projectile, and wherein said sports projectile is proximate to the location when the sports projectile is at the first range from the fixed location.

12. An apparatus for determining an estimate of a speed of a sports projectile at a time of interest, the apparatus comprising:

first measuring means for measuring first data, the first data indicating a first range-rate along a line from a fixed location to said sports projectile at a first time during a flight of said sports projectile, wherein the fixed location is fixed in relation to a target means provided for the sports projectile;

second measuring means for measuring second data, the second data indicating a second range-rate along a line from the fixed location to said sports projectile at a second time during the flight of said sports projectile; and

estimation means for estimating the speed of the sports projectile at the time of interest based on the first data, the first time, the second data, and the second time.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

third measuring means for measuring a relative time of impact of the sports projectile upon the target means; and

wherein the estimation means comprises means for estimating the speed of the sports projectile at the time of interest based on the first data, the first time, the second data, the second time, and the relative time of impact.

14. An apparatus comprising:

sensing means disposed to generate, in response to a sound generated by impact of a sports projectile upon any one of first and second target areas of a sports target device, a signal encoding a quality of the sound; and

processing means to determine, based on the signal, which of the two target areas has been impacted by the sports projectile.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising the first and second target areas, wherein the first target area is constructed to produce a first quality of impact sound when impacted by the sports projectile, and wherein the second target area is constructed to product a second quality of impact sound when impacted by the sports projectile, wherein the first quality of impact sound differs from the second quality of impact sound.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sensing means comprises a microphone disposed at a distance from the first and second target areas.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sensing means comprises a sensor and no other sensor.

18. An automated method comprising:

(A) generate, in response to a sound generated by impact of a sports projectile upon any one of first and second target areas of a sports target device, a signal encoding a quality of the sound; and

(B) determining, based on the signal, which of the two target areas has been impacted by the sports projectile.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the quality of the sound comprises a duration of the sound.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the quality of the sound comprises a frequency of the sound.

21. A system for determining characteristics of the projection of a sports projectile, comprising:

means for receiving an input signal from an acoustic sensor;

means for determining, from the signal, a speed of the sports projectile; and

means for determining, from the signal, a characteristic of the sports projectile'"'"'s impact upon the target means.

22. An automated method for determining characteristics of the projection of a sports projectile, the method comprising:

(A) receiving an input signal from an acoustic sensor;

(B) determining, from the signal, a speed of the sports projectile; and

(C) determining, from the signal, a characteristic of the sports projectile'"'"'s impact upon a target means.

23. An automatic system comprising:

a target means to receive an impact of a sports projectile;

a module, coupled to the target means, the module comprising;

a first acoustic sensor comprising means for generating a signal based on an acoustic measurement of the sports projectile;

speed identification means for identifying a speed of the sports projectile based on the signal; and

speed indication means for providing an indication of the speed of the sports projectile using characters at least one inch in height.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the module is detachable from the target means.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the module is coupled to the target means at a position whereby the target means shields the module from impact by the sports projectile.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the target means comprises a protective window, and wherein the speed indication means comprises a numeric display visible through the protective window.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the protective window comprises a mesh window allowing the passage of ultrasonic sound.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the target means comprises at least one delineated target area, and wherein the module further comprises a target delineation means to indicate whether the sports projectile has impacted the delineated target area.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the first acoustic sensor, the speed identification means, and the speed indication means are contained within a housing which does not contain the target means.

30. The system of claim 23, further comprising a flexible coupling means for isolating the module from projectile impact shock arising in the target means.

31. An automated method comprising:

(A) generating a signal based on an acoustic measurement of a sports projectile;

(B) identifying a speed of the sports projectile based on the signal; and

(C) providing an indication of the speed of the sports projectile using characters at least one inch in height.