TRAJECTORY DETECTION AND FEEDBACK SYSTEM

• US 20140206479A1
• Filed: 03/21/2014
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pillar Vision Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pillar Vision Incorporated
• Inventors: MARTY, Alan W., Edwards, Thomas A., McGhee, Ridge
• Granted Patent: US 9,283,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/447
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• 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 24/0084 Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 55/00 Bags for golf clubs; Stands for golf clubs for use on the course; Wheeled carriers specially adapted for golf bags
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training

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. 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.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a camera configured to capture images including a body location on an individual playing a game as a function of time;

a distance sensor, physically proximate to the camera, used to determine a distance from the camera to the body location as the function of time;

a processor, coupled to camera and the distance sensor, configured to

     1) receive the images,

     2) based upon image data associated with each image, determine a pixel position of the body location as the function of time,

     3) receive sensor data from the distance sensor,

     4) based upon the sensor data, determine a distance from the camera to the body location as the function of time,

     5) based upon the distance from the camera to the body location as the function of time and the pixel position of the body location as the function of time, generate a three dimensional position representative of a motion of the body location in physical space as the function time and

     6) based upon the three dimensional position of the body location as the function of time in physical space, determine forces generated at the body location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the game is a video game and the forces are to generate the video game.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured, based upon the three dimensional position of the body location as the function of time, to generate a parameter that characterizes the motion which helps the individual to improve a skill associated with playing the game.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured, based upon the three dimensional position of the body location as the function of time, to generate a parameter that characterizes the motion which helps the individual to assess body mechanics of the individual while playing the game.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the parameter is associated with a consistency of the motion when the motion is repeated a plurality of times.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, based upon image data associated with each image, determine a second pixel position of an object, separate from the body location, as the function of time, based upon the sensor data, determine a second distance from the camera to the object as the function of time, based upon the second distance from the camera to the body location as the function of time and the second pixel position of the object as the function of time, generate a three dimensional position representative of a motion of the object in physical space as the function time

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the object is one of a ball or a piece of sports equipment used to play the game.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a lens of the camera is calibrated to provide a translation from the pixel position to a physical position in two dimensions.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance sensor includes an emitter configured to emit a signal and a detector configured to detect a portion of the signal reflected from the body location.

10. The system of claim 9, the emitter is configured to emit infrared light.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the detector includes an infrared camera configured to capture the infrared light reflected from the body location.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein emitter is configured to emit an electromagnetic signal.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the emitter is configured to emit an acoustic signal.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the signal includes laser light.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera, distance sensor and processor are coupled to a housing.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the housing is portable.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a touch screen display configured to receive touch inputs used to operate the system and configured to output, under control of the processor, a graphical representation of the motion.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a microphone wherein processor is further configured to receive microphone data from the microphone, based upon the microphone data, detect a voice command and operate the system in accordance with the voice command.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless interface wherein the processor is further configured to store to a memory and to transmit the forces or the position of the body location in physical space as the function of time to a remote device via the wireless interface.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the images and the sensor data are recorded while the individual is participating in a training session associated with playing the game.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive sensor data and the images associated with a plurality of separate motions each of the separate motions having a start time, a finish time and a beginning position at a similar location of physical space at the start time, generate the three dimensional position of the motion of the body location in the physical space as the function of time and the forces at the body location associated with each of the plurality of separate motions.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to identify in the images an object of known physical dimensions with a stationary position used to play the game.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein, based upon the known physical dimensions of the object, the processor is configured to determine the distance from the camera to the object.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein processor is configured to auto-calibrate the system based upon the object detected in the images.

28. The system of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor, coupled to the processor, configured to detect motion of the body location.

22. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to determine an amount of a statistical variability as a group which is associated with the plurality of separate motions.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein an amount of statistical variability is used to determine a skill level of the individual generating the plurality of separate motions.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to output a graphical representation as the function of time of each of the plurality of separate motions of the body location in physical space as the function of time.

29. A system comprising:

a camera configured to capture images including an object associated with an individual playing a game as a function of time;

a distance sensor, physically proximate to the camera, used to determine a distance from the camera to the object as the function of time;

a motion sensor, physically proximate to the camera, used to detect motion of as a function of time;

wherein the camera, the distance sensor and the motion sensor are related to a single clock;

a processor, coupled to camera, the distance sensor and the motion sensor, configured to receive the images, to receive first sensor data from the distance sensor and second sensor data from the motion sensor and based upon image data associated with each of the images, the first sensor data and the second sensor data, generate a three dimensional position representative of the motion of the object in physical space as the function time.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer.