System for determining the speed and/or timing of an object

• US 6,292,130 B1
• Filed: 04/09/1999
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sportsmedia Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sportvision, Inc. (Sportsmedia Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: White, Marvin S., Cavallaro, Richard H., Milnes, Kenneth A., Honey, Stanley K., Heinzmann, Fred Judson
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US09/289,166
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 342/55, 342/104, 342/107, 342/109, 473/151, 473/219, 473/221, 473/222, 473/233, 473/257, 473/261
• US Class Current: 342/104
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• 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: G01S 13/50 Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/295 Means for transforming co-ordinates or for evaluating data, e.g. using computers

Abstract

A system is disclosed that can determine the speed of an object and report that speed in a format suitable for use on a television broadcast, a radio broadcast, the Internet or another medium. One example of a suitable use for the present invention includes determining the speed that a baseball player swings a bat. Another use of the present invention is to measure the speed of a moving ball. In one embodiment, the system includes a set of radars positioned behind and pointed toward the batter. Data from all of the radars is collected and sent to a computer which can determine the start of a pitch, when a ball was hit, the speed of the ball and the speed of the bat.

Claims

1. A method for determining a speed of a bat during a swing, comprising the steps of:

automatically detecting an occurrence of a ball traveling toward said bat; and

automatically determining said speed of said bat during said swing in response to detecting said occurrence of said ball traveling toward said bat.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

using a radar unit to obtain a set of speed data; and

determining a subset of data from said set of speed data that pertains to said bat, said step of automatically determining said speed uses said subset of data to determine said speed of said bat during said swing.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

detecting said bat hitting a ball, said step of automatically determining is partially based on said step of detecting said bat hitting said ball.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

identifying a bat flash with respect to a radar unit.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of automatically determining includes determining a maximum bat speed during said swing.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of automatically determining said speed comprises the steps of:

identifying radar data representing one or more flashes of said bat;

determining one or more sets of radar data in time proximity to said flashes; and

determining a speed based on said one or more sets of radar data.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of automatically detecting comprises the steps of:

performing a Fourier Transform on at least a subset of radar data received from a radar unit;

identifying peak intensities for a set of slices from said transformed radar data; and

identifying a speed based on said peak intensities meeting predefined pitch criteria.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of automatically determining said speed comprises the steps of:

predicting an end of a flight of said ball;

identifying a set of end of line points within a window near said predicted end of said flight; and

identifying a particular end of line point within said window.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said steps of detecting and determining are performed within 5 seconds.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said steps of detecting and determining are performed in real time.

11. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of:

reporting said speed.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said speed is determined using data from more than one radar unit.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a velocity vector for said bat.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said bat has a tip; and

said step of automatically determining said speed includes using a plurality of radar units to determine a speed of said tip.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of automatically determining said speed includes detecting Doppler radar data from a plurality of radar units, identifying a first set of data from said Doppler radar data that pertains to said bat and determining said speed of said based on said first set of data.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of automatically determining said speed includes calculating a plurality of bat speeds at multiple times during said bat swing, choosing a fastest speed from said calculated plurality of bat speeds and reporting said chosen fastest speed.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of automatically detecting is performed using data from one radar unit; and

said step of automatically determining said speed is performed using data from multiple radar units.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of automatically detecting is performed using data from multiple radars;

said step of automatically detecting includes detecting a start of said ball traveling toward said bat.

19. A method for determining speed information during a live baseball game, comprising the steps of:

sensing data using multiple radar units;

processing said data;

determining a start of a pitch of a ball based on said processed data;

determining an end of said pitch based on said processed data and in response to said step of determining a start of a pitch;

determining a speed of said ball during said pitch based on said processed data and in response to said step of determining a start of a pitch;

determining a speed of a bat during a swing attempting to hit said ball based on said processed data and in response to said step of determining a start of a pitch; and

reporting one or more of said determined speeds.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said step of determining a start of a pitch of a ball comprises the steps of:

performing a Fourier Transform on at least a subset of said stored radar data;

identifying peak intensities for a set of slices from said transformed radar data;

identifying a set of peak intensities meeting predefined pitch criteria; and

choosing one peak intensity from said identified set of peak intensities.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein said step of determining an end of said pitch comprises the steps of:

predicting said end of said pitch;

identifying a set of end of line points within a window near said predicted end of said pitch; and

identifying a particular end of line point within said window.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein said step of determining a speed of a bat during a swing attempting to hit said ball comprises the steps of:

identifying processed data representing one or more flashes of said bat;

determining one or more sets of said processed data in time proximity to said flashes; and

determining a speed based on said one or more sets of said processed data.

23. A method for determining a speed of a bat during a swing, comprising the steps of:

accessing radar data for multiple moving objects based on multiple radar units, said bat being one of said multiple moving objects;

identifying a subset of said radar data that pertains to said bat during said swing; and

determining said speed of said bat during said swing based on said subset of said radar data.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

receiving information from said radar units; and

processing said information using a frequency-time resolution algorithm, said radar data is a result of said frequency-time resolution algorithm.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of:

detecting a flight of a ball using at least a subset of said radar data, said step of determining is performed in response to said step of detecting a flight.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

said steps of identifying and determining are performed automatically.

27. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of:

determining a velocity vector for said ball.

28. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of:

determining a trajectory of a path of said ball.

53. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

said step of identifying a subset of data includes identifying a bat flash.

54. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

said bat has a tip; and

said step of determining said speed includes calculating a speed of said tip.

55. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

said step of determining said speed includes calculating multiple speed values and choosing a maximum speed.

56. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

said step of determining said speed includes determining a speed at a moment when said bat hits a ball.

57. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

predicting an end of a pitch of a ball;

identifying a set of end of line points within a window near said predicted end of said pitch; and

identifying a particular end of line point within said window, said particular end of line point being said end of said pitch, said step of determining said speed of said bat is based on said end of said pitch.

58. A method according to claim 23, wherein said step of determining comprises the steps of:

identifying radar data representing one or more flashes of said bat;

determining one or more sets of radar data in time proximity to said flashes; and

determining a speed based on said one or more sets of radar data.

29. One or more processor readable storage devices for storing processor readable code, said processor readable code for programming a processor to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving information from multiple radar units;

processing said information using a frequency-time resolution algorithm;

accessing radar data for two or more moving objects, said radar data is a result of said frequency-time resolution algorithm;

identifying a subset of said radar data that pertains to a first object of said two or more moving objects, said first object is a bat; and

determining a speed of said first object using said subset of said radar data, said step of determining a speed includes determining a speed of said bat during a swing.

30. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 29, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

predicting an end of a pitch of a ball;

identifying a set of end of line points within a window near said predicted end of said pitch; and

identifying a particular end of line point within said window, said particular end of line point being said end of said pitch, said step of determining a speed of said object is based on said end of said pitch.

31. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 30, wherein:

said step of determining said speed includes determining a speed at a moment when said bat hits a ball.

33. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 29, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

identifying a flight of a ball using at least a subset of said radar data, said step of determining is performed based on results of said step of identifying a flight.

34. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 33, wherein said method further includes the step of:

determining a three dimensional velocity vector for said ball.

36. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 29, wherein:

said step of determining a speed, includes identifying one or more flashes.

32. One or more processor readable storage for storing processor readable code, said processor readable code for programming a processor to perform a method comprising the steps of:

accessing radar data for two or more moving objects;

identifying a subset of said radar data that pertains to a first object of said two or more moving objects, said first object is a bat; and

determining a speed of said first object using said subset of said radar data, said step of determining a speed includes calculating multiple speed values for said bat and choosing a maximum speed from said calculated multiple speed values.

35. One or more processor readable storage for storing processor readable code, said processor readable code for programming a processor to perform a method comprising the steps of:

accessing radar data for two or more moving objects;

identifying a subset of said radar data that pertains to a first object of said two or more moving objects, said first object is a bat, said bat has a tip; and

determining a speed of said first object using said subset of said radar data, said step of determining a speed includes determining a speed of said tip.

37. An apparatus for determining speed, comprising:

a first radar unit;

a second radar unit; and

a processor in communication with said first radar unit and said second radar unit, said processor programmed to perform a method comprising the steps of;

receiving data from said first radar unit and said second radar unit, said data pertaining to two or more moving objects;

identifying a subset of said data that pertains to a first object of said two or more moving objects, said first object is a bat; and

determining a speed of said first object using said subset of said data, said step of determining includes calculating a speed of said bat during a swing.

38. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

predicting an end of a pitch of a ball;

identifying a set of end of line points within a window near said predicted end of said pitch; and

identifying a particular end of line point within said window, said particular end of line point being said end of said pitch, said step of determining a speed of said bat is based on said end of said pitch.

39. An apparatus according to claim 37, further including a data acquisition board in communication with said processor and said radar units, said data acquisition board being local to said processor.

40. An apparatus according to claim 37, further including:

a third radar unit in communication with said processor;

a fourth radar unit in communication with said processor;

a fifth radar unit in communication with said processor, said first, second, third, fourth and fifth radar units being mounted behind and pointing at a batter;

a sixth radar unit in communication with said processor, said first, second, third, fourth and fifth radar units being positioned at a first level and said sixth radar unit is positioned at a second level, said second level is above said first level.

41. An apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

identifying a flight of a ball using at least a subset of said data, said step of determining is performed based on results of said step of identifying a fight.

42. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein:

said step of determining a speed includes identifying one or more bat flashes.

43. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein:

said bat has a tip; and

said processor determines said speed by determining a speed of said tip.

44. A method of determining a speed of a bat during a swing, comprising the steps of:

accessing radar data based on a set of one or more radars units; and

determining said speed of said bat during said swing based on said radar data.

45. A method according to claim 44, wherein:

said one or more radar units include at least two radar units.

46. A method according to claim 44, wherein:

said radar data includes motion data for multiple moving objects; and

said step of determining includes identifying first data from said radar data that pertains to said bat during said swing.

47. A method according to claim 44, further including the steps of:

receiving information from said radar units; and

processing said information using a frequency-time resolution algorithm, said radar data is a result of said frequency-time resolution algorithm.

48. A method according to claim 44, wherein:

said steps of accessing and determining are performed automatically.

49. A method according to claim 44, further including the step of:

detecting a start of a pitch, said step of determining is performed in response to said step of detecting a start of a pitch.

50. A method according to claim 49, wherein:

said step of detecting a start of a pitch is performed using said radar data.

51. A method according to claim 44, wherein said step of determining comprises the steps of:

identifying data representing one or more flashes of said bat;

determining one or more sets of said radar data in time proximity to said flashes; and

determining a speed based on said one or more sets of said radar data.

52. A method according to claim 44, wherein:

said step of determining includes determining speed information at multiple times and determining a maximum speed from said speed information.

59. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method of determining a speed of a bat during a swing, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing radar data based on a set of one or more radars units; and

determining said speed of said bat during said swing based on said radar data.

60. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 59, wherein:

said radar data includes motion data for multiple moving objects; and

said step of determining includes identifying first data from said radar data that pertains to said bat during said swing.

61. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 59, wherein:

said steps of accessing and determining are performed automatically.

62. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 59, wherein said method further includes the step of:

automatically detecting an occurrence of a ball traveling toward said bat, said step of determining is performed in response to said step of automatically detecting.

63. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 59, wherein:

said step of determining includes identifying a subset of said radar data representing one or more flashes of said bat, said step of determining uses said subset of said radar data to determine said speed of said bat during said swing.

64. An apparatus for determining speed of a bat during a swing, comprising:

one or more radar units; and

a processor in communication with said one or more radar units, said processor programmed to perform a method comprising the steps of;

accessing radar data based on said one or more radars units; and

determining said speed of said bat during said swing based on said radar data.

65. An apparatus according to claim 64, wherein:

said radar data includes motion data for multiple moving objects; and

said step of determining includes identifying first data from said radar data that pertains to said bat during said swing.

66. An apparatus according to claim 64, wherein:

said steps of accessing and determining are performed automatically.

67. An apparatus according to claim 64, wherein said method further includes the step of:

automatically detecting an occurrence of a ball traveling toward said bat, said step of determining is performed in response to said step of automatically detecting.

68. An apparatus according to claim 64, wherein:

said step of determining includes identifying a subset of said radar data representing one or more flashes of said bat, said step of determining uses said subset of said radar data to determine said speed of said bat during said swing.

69. An apparatus according to claim 64, wherein:

said one or more radar units includes at least three radar units.