Flight parameter measurement system
First Claim
1. A method for determining parameters of an object in motion, the method comprising the steps of:
- capturing a plurality of images of the object in motion;
finding a respective object image in each of the plurality of images;
rotating a first object image of the plurality of object images by a first set of rotations of a plurality of rotation sets;
scaling the rotated first object image to a second object image;
correlating the first object image to the second object to obtain a score;
repeating the steps of rotating, scaling and correlating in a stepwise refinement manner to obtain a best score of the plurality of scores;
utilizing a best rotation set of the plurality of rotation sets to determine the parameters of the object in motion;
calculating three dimensional coordinates for each of the plurality of object images;
determining an elevation angle and an azimuth angle of the object from the three dimensional coordinates for each of the plurality of object images; and
further including the step of determining an alignment correction using an accelerometer for indicating misalignment of a camera to earth tangential, to compensate for any difference between the current orientation of the camera and a previously calibrated orientation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable flight parameter measurement system is a standalone smart camera which tracks the surface of an object in motion, e.g., a ball, and determines speed, trajectory, a spin axis, and a spin rate around that axis. The measurement system is particularly suited for analyzing the path of a ball in flight which is determined, in great part, by the amount of spin and the direction of spin imparted to the ball upon impact. The measurement system provides a user, such as a golfer, with important feedback for modifying his or her swing to obtain desired results. The measurement system utilizes non-precision marks, surface blemishes such as cuts made by a club, dimples, or a combination of all three as the only features necessary to determine ball flight characteristics.
66 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method for determining parameters of an object in motion, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing a plurality of images of the object in motion; finding a respective object image in each of the plurality of images; rotating a first object image of the plurality of object images by a first set of rotations of a plurality of rotation sets; scaling the rotated first object image to a second object image; correlating the first object image to the second object to obtain a score; repeating the steps of rotating, scaling and correlating in a stepwise refinement manner to obtain a best score of the plurality of scores; utilizing a best rotation set of the plurality of rotation sets to determine the parameters of the object in motion; calculating three dimensional coordinates for each of the plurality of object images; determining an elevation angle and an azimuth angle of the object from the three dimensional coordinates for each of the plurality of object images; and
further including the step of determining an alignment correction using an accelerometer for indicating misalignment of a camera to earth tangential, to compensate for any difference between the current orientation of the camera and a previously calibrated orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A measurement system for determining at least one characteristic of substantially spherical object in motion, the measurement system comprising:
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a camera for capturing images; a memory device coupled to the camera for storing images; and a processor coupled to the memory device, the processor adapted to perform the following steps; (a) capturing a reference image and a target image by using the camera; (b) mapping the reference image to the surface of a sphere creating a spherical reference image; (c) selecting a three-dimensional trial spin axis from a plurality of three-dimensional trial spin axes; (d) performing a trail rotation of the spherical reference image about the three-dimensional trial spin axis; (e) transforming the spherical reference image based on a perspective of the target image to the camera; (f) mapping the spherical reference image to two-dimensions creating a new reference image; (g) correlating the new reference image to the target image to obtain a score of a plurality of scores, wherein each score is associated with the trial spin axis and the trial rotation; (h) repeating steps (c) through (g) in a step-wise refinement manner to obtain a desired correlation score of the plurality of scores; and (i) calculating the characteristic of the spherical object based on the trial spin axis and trial rotation associated with the desired correlation score. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for determining flight parameters for a ball, comprising:
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(a) capturing a reference image and a target image of the ball using a camera; (b) mapping the reference image to the surface of a sphere creating a spherical reference image; (c) selecting a three-dimensional trial spin axis from a plurality of three-dimensional trial spin axes; (d) performing a trail rotation of the spherical reference image about the three-dimensional trial spin axis; (e) transforming the spherical reference image based on a perspective of the target image to the camera; (f) mapping the spherical reference image to two-dimensions creating a new reference image; (g) correlating the reference image of the ball to the target image of the ball to obtain a score of a plurality of scores, wherein each score is associated with the trial spin axis and the trial rotation; (h) repeating steps (c) through (g) in a step-wise refinement manner to obtain a desired correlation score of the plurality of scores; and (i) determining a flight parameter for the ball based on the trial spin axis and trial rotation associated with the desired correlation score. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method for determining flight parameters for a golf ball, comprising:
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capturing a first image while a golf ball is in flight; finding a first image of the golf ball in the first image; capturing a second image while the golf ball is in flight, the golf ball having moved along its flight path; finding a second image of the golf ball in the second image; correlating, without using specialized markings, the first image of the golf ball to the second image of the golf ball; and determining spin information for the golf ball; and wherein the correlating step comprises using dimples on the ball'"'"'s surface and finding centers for a plurality of the dimples.
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Specification