Apparatus and method for tracking the flight of a golf ball
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for tracking a golf ball during actual flight, comprising;
- a video camera for producing data representative of video images of a golf ball;
processing means connected to receive data from said video camera for determining the golf ball image position within a video frame of said camera;
predicting means responsive to said video frame processing means for predicting the flight path of the golf ball in response to data from said video frame processing means; and
motion control means responsive to said predicting means for controlling the movement of said camera to thereby track the golf ball during actual flight, said motion control means including means for mounting said camera for movement during actual flight of the golf ball.
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Abstract
The golf ball tracking apparatus has a video camera for producing data representative of video images of a golf ball, a video frame processor connected to receive data from the video camera for determining the golf ball image position within a video frame of the camera, a flight path predictor responsive to the video frame processor for predicting the flight path of the golf ball in response to data from the video frame processor, and a motion controller responsive to the flight path predictor for controlling the movement of the camera to thereby track the actual flight of the golf ball.
159 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for tracking a golf ball during actual flight, comprising;
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a video camera for producing data representative of video images of a golf ball; processing means connected to receive data from said video camera for determining the golf ball image position within a video frame of said camera; predicting means responsive to said video frame processing means for predicting the flight path of the golf ball in response to data from said video frame processing means; and motion control means responsive to said predicting means for controlling the movement of said camera to thereby track the golf ball during actual flight, said motion control means including means for mounting said camera for movement during actual flight of the golf ball. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for evaluating a golf ball during actual flight, comprising:
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a video camera for producing data representative of video images of a golf ball; processing means connected to receive data from said video camera for determining the golf ball image position within a video frame of said camera; predicting means responsive to said video frame processing means for predicting the flight path of the golf ball in response to data from said video frame processing means; motion control means responsive to said predicting means for controlling the movement of said camera to thereby track the golf ball during actual flight, said motion control means including means for mounting said camera for movement during actual flight of the golf ball; image control means responsive to said predicting means for adjusting the focal length of the camera lens and for focusing the camera lens on the golf ball; and determining means responsive to said predicting means for determining the actual flight path of the golf ball. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of tracking a golf ball during actual flight, comprising the steps of:
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producing data representative of a video image of a golf ball during flight by use of a video camera; predicting a flight path of a golf ball responsive to the data representative of the video image; moving the video camera responsive to the predicted flight path during the actual flight of the golf ball thereby following the actual flight of the golf ball; and adjusting the predicted flight path in response to the actual flight path of the golf ball. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method of evaluating a golf ball during actual flight, comprising the steps of:
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providing a video camera mounted for controlled horizontal and vertical motion; producing data representative of a video image of a golf ball during flight by directing the video camera toward a struck golf ball; predicting a flight path of a golf ball responsive to the data representative of the video image; moving the video camera in response to the predicted flight path during the actual flight of the golf ball to thereby follow the actual flight of the golf ball; adjusting the predicted flight path in response to the actual flight path of the golf ball; and determining the actual flight path of the golf ball. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification