Speed measurement device with statistic gathering capability

• US 6,683,558 B1
• Filed: 08/06/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bushnell Incorporated (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bushnell Performance Optics
• Inventors: Vermillion, Jordan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDREA, BRIAN K
• Application Number:
  US10/214,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 342/104-117, 324/160-180, 473/422, 702/142, 702/143
• US Class Current: 342/104
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/585 processing the video signal in order to evaluate or display the velocity value

Abstract

A radar speed measurement device (10) comprising a display (12) for displaying a target speed, a radar emitter (14) for emitting radar waves toward a target, a radar receiver (16) for receiving radar waves reflected from the target, an analog to digital converter (18) for producing digital signals associated with the radar waves, and a signal processor (20) for determining the target speed by analyzing the digital signals. The device (10) can also calculate statistics associated with the target and further comprises a statistical processor (22) for calculating the statistics. The device (10) can operate in either of two modes. A speed mode is preferably used to determine the target speed, when the target is a race car or any other object. A baseball statistics mode is preferably used to determine the target speed, when the target is a baseball thrown by a pitcher.

Claims

1. A radar speed measurement device that can calculate and store statistical information, the device comprising:

a handheld housing;

a radar emitter mounted within the housing and operable to emit emitted radar waves toward a target;

a radar receiver mounted within the housing and operable to receive received radar waves that have been reflected from the target;

a signal processor mounted within the housing and operable to perform calculations based upon changes in the radar waves thereby determining a target speed; and

a statistical processor mounted within the housing and operable to calculate statistics associated with the target.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the statistics are selected from the group consisting of:

a last speed and an average speed of the target.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1, further including a button operable to cause the statistical processor to calculate the statistics using the target speed.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the signal processor and the statistical processor are part of a single master processor.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1, further including a trigger operable to cause the emitter to emit the emitted radar waves when the trigger is activated.

6. The device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the trigger is further operable to cause the emitter to stop emitting the emitted radar waves when the trigger is deactivated.

7. The device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the trigger is further operable to cause the device to lock onto the target speed when the trigger is deactivated.

8. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the statistics are selected from the group consisting of:

a pitch count, a number of balls, and a number of strikes.

9. The device as set forth in claim 8, further including a button operable to cause the statistical processor to increment the number of balls.

10. The device as set forth in claim 8, further including a button operable to cause the statistical processor to increment the number of strikes.

11. The device as set forth in claim 8, further including a button operable to cause the statistical processor to increment the pitch count.

12. The device as set forth in claim 8, further including a memory operable to store the statistics for more than one player.

13. A speed measuring device using radar that can calculate and store statistical information, the device comprising:

a trigger operable to cause a radar emitter to emit emitted radar waves and a radar receiver to receive received radar waves that have been reflected from a target when the trigger is activated, wherein the trigger is further operable to cause the emitter to stop emitting the emitted radar waves and cause the device to lock onto a target speed when the trigger is deactivated;

a signal processor operable to perform calculations based upon changes in the radar waves thereby determining the target speed;

a statistical processor operable to calculate statistics associated with the target, wherein the statistics include a last speed and an average speed; and

an enter button operable to cause the statistical processor to calculate the statistics using the target speed.

14. The device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the signal processor and the statistical processor are part of a single master processor.

15. The device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the statistics further include a pitch count, a number of balls, and a number of strikes.

16. The device as set forth in claim 15, further including another button operable to cause the statistical processor to increment the number of balls.

17. The device as set forth in claim 15, further including another button operable to cause the statistical processor to increment the number of strikes.

18. The device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the enter button is further operable to increment the pitch count.

19. The device as set forth in claim 15, further including a memory operable to store at least some of the statistics for more than one player.

20. A radar speed measurement device that can calculate and store statistical information, the device comprising:

a display operable to display a target speed;

a trigger operable to cause a radar emitter to emit emitted radar waves, cause a radar receiver to receive received radar waves that have been reflected from a target, and cause the display to display the target speed when the trigger is activated, wherein the trigger is further operable to cause the emitter to stop emitting the emitted radar waves and cause the device to lock onto the target speed when the trigger is deactivated;

a processor operable to perform calculations based upon changes in the radar waves thereby determining the target speed and calculate statistics associated with the target, wherein the statistics include a last speed, an average speed a pitch count, a number of balls, and a number of strikes;

a memory operable to store at least some of the statistics for more than one player;

a first button operable to cause the processor to calculate the statistics using the target speed and increment the pitch count;

a second button operable to cause the processor to increment the number of balls; and

a third button operable to cause the processor to increment the number of strikes.

21. A radar speed measurement device that can calculate and store statistical information, the device comprising:

a radar emitter operable to emit emitted radar waves toward a target,

a radar receiver operable to receive received radar waves that have been reflected from the target;

a signal processor operable to perform calculations based upon changes in the radar waves thereby determining a target speed;

a statistical processor operable to calculate statistics associated with the target; and

a trigger operable to cause the emitter to emit the emitted radar waves when the trigger is activated and cause the device to lock onto the target speed when the trigger is deactivated.