Methods, apparatus and computer program products for processing images of a golf ball
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of determining at least one component of spin of a golf ball having a mark thereon, the method comprising:
- receiving first and second images of the golf ball captured at different times during flight of the golf ball;
mapping, for each image of the golf ball, at least some pixels that are representative of the mark on the golf ball to corresponding locations within a three dimensional coordinate system;
generating a plurality of candidate planes for each image of the golf ball, each candidate plane extending through the respective locations of at least two pixels that have been mapped to the three dimensional coordinate system;
determining a respective reference plane for each image of the golf ball based upon the plurality of candidate planes for the respective image of the golf ball; and
determining at least one component of spin of the golf ball based upon the respective reference planes for the first and second images of the golf ball.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided for capturing and thereafter analyzing the images of a golf ball in a manner that permits various parameters associated with a golf shot, including the backspin and sidespin of the golf ball, to be reliably determined. Further, the method, apparatus and computer program product may be configured to separately calibrate each image that is captured in a timely manner.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of determining at least one component of spin of a golf ball having a mark thereon, the method comprising:
-
receiving first and second images of the golf ball captured at different times during flight of the golf ball; mapping, for each image of the golf ball, at least some pixels that are representative of the mark on the golf ball to corresponding locations within a three dimensional coordinate system; generating a plurality of candidate planes for each image of the golf ball, each candidate plane extending through the respective locations of at least two pixels that have been mapped to the three dimensional coordinate system; determining a respective reference plane for each image of the golf ball based upon the plurality of candidate planes for the respective image of the golf ball; and determining at least one component of spin of the golf ball based upon the respective reference planes for the first and second images of the golf ball. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An apparatus for determining at least one component of spin of a golf ball having a mark thereon, the apparatus comprising:
processing circuitry for;
(i) receiving first and second images of the golf ball captured at different times during flight of the golf ball;
(ii) mapping, for each image of the golf ball, at least some pixels that are representative of the mark on the golf ball to corresponding locations within a three dimensional coordinate system;
(iii) generating a plurality of candidate planes for each image of the golf ball, each candidate plane extending through the respective locations of at least two pixels that have been mapped to the three dimensional coordinate system;
(iv) determining a respective reference plane for each image of the golf ball based upon the plurality of candidate planes for the respective image of the golf ball, and (v) determining at least one component of spin of the golf ball based upon the respective reference planes for the first and second images of the golf ball.- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
19. A computer program product for determining at least one component of spin of a golf ball having a mark thereon, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program portions comprising:
-
a first executable portion for receiving first and second images of the golf ball captured at different times during flight of the golf ball; a second executable portion for mapping, for each image of the golf ball, at least some pixels that are representative of the mark on the golf ball to corresponding locations within a three dimensional coordinate system; a third executable portion for generating a plurality of candidate planes for each image of the golf ball, each candidate plane extending through the respective locations of at least two pixels that have been mapped to the three dimensional coordinate system; a fourth executable portion for determining a respective reference plane for each image of the golf ball based upon the plurality of candidate planes for the respective image of the golf ball; and a fifth executable portion for determining at least one component of spin of the golf ball based upon the respective reference planes for the first and second images of the golf ball. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification