Apparatus to determine golf ball trajectory and flight

• US 6,616,543 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Aoyama, Steven, Hebert, Edmund A., Winfield, Douglas C., Gobush, William, Days, Charles, Silveira, James Alan, Pelletier, Diane
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/566,804
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 473/131, 473/198-200, 473/140-141, 473/219-226, 473/409, 434/247, 434/252, 700/91-92, 356/28, 356/152.1, 356/152.3, 348/157, 348/169, 348/552
• US Class Current: 473/199
• 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 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/05 Image processing for measuring physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/70 Measuring or simulating ambient conditions, e.g. weather, terrain or surface conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/02 Testing, calibrating or measuring of equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• 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 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 : with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• 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 69/3658 : Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 : using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/18 : wherein range gates are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/50 : Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 : Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 : for mapping or imaging

Abstract

A launch monitor system including a support structure, a first light-reflecting element disposed on this support structure, a lighting unit and an camera unit. A computer receives signals generated by light patterns received by the camera unit and computes a variety of flight characteristics for the object. The system may be moved back and forth to vary the field-of-view of the camera unit. The system also computes and displays object trajectories from the computed flight characteristics which account for the characteristics of the object and the atmospheric conditions.

Claims

1. A lens assembly to illuminate an object while in a predetermined field-of-view in a launch monitor system that measures the characteristics of the object while in flight, comprising:

a light source for projecting light outwardly from the monitor system toward the predetermined field-of-view;

an optical lens disposed between the light source and the predetermined field-of-view for controlling dispersion of the light projected by the light source;

a first light-reflecting element disposed between the lens and the predetermined field-of-view for reflecting the light into the predetermined field-of-view; and

at least one contrasting area on the object.

2. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the optica lens is a Fresnel lens.

3. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical lens has a focal length and the optical lens is disposed a distance from the lighting unit that is less than the focal length.

4. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein the focal length is about three inches.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the contrasting area is a light-reflective marker.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the object is a golf ball.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the lens is configured and disposed to collimate the light as the light passes through the lens.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source is a dual strobe lighting unit.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source is a single strobe lighting unit.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting unit comprises a single flash bulb assembly, circuitry, and a cylindrical flash tube.

11. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second light-reflecting element disposed between the lens and the predetermined field-of-view.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the first and second light-reflecting elements comprise plates formed of metal.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second light-reflecting elements include an aperture configured and disposed to allow a camera to view the predetermined field-of-view therethrough.

14. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a beam splitter disposed between the lens and the first light-reflecting element for splitting the light into more than one beam.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the beam splitter comprises third and fourth light-reflecting elements situated at an angle with respect to each other.

16. A method of illuminating an object while in a predetermined field-of-view in a launch monitoring system that measures flight characteristics of the object while in flight comprising the steps of:

projecting light from a light source outwardly from the monitor system toward the predetermined field-of-view;

collimating the light with a lens;

reflecting the light from at least one light-reflective element toward the predetermined field-of-view; and

reflecting the light back toward the monitor system from at least one light reflective marker on the object;

wherein the step of reflecting the light from at least one light-reflecting element toward the predetermined field-of-view includes;

bifurcating the light; and

reflecting a first beam of light to a first light-reflecting element and reflecting a second beam of light to a second light-reflecting element.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the steps of projecting light, collimating the light, reflecting the light toward the field-of-view and reflecting the light back toward the monitor system are repeated within about 800 microseconds.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the projected light has a wavelength in an invisible spectrum.