Electronic pitching trainer and method for determining the true speed of a sports projectile

• US 8,479,554 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2011
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jerry B. Roberts
• Original Assignee: Jerry B. Roberts
• Inventors: Roberts, Jerry B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Macchiarolo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELLAMY, TAMIKO D
• Application Number:
  US13/206,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20110294607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 73/10.1, 734/88, 73/120.1, 735/79, 735/09, 181/125, 473/579, 473/570
• US Class Current: 73/1.01
• 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 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/003 Bistatic sonar systems; Multistatic sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/586 using transmission of continuous unmodulated waves, amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated waves and based upon the Doppler effect resulting from movement of targets
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00

Abstract

A sensing device obtains range-related data—such as Doppler data or pulse time-of-flight data—from a sports projectile during flight. The time course of the range-related data is employed, in light of predictable characteristics of the projectile trajectory, to determine and output an accurate determination of the projectile speed for one or more points of interest in its flight. Such determination of speed may, for instance, be the speed at the time of projectile release, even though range-related data is gathered later in the flight, when the projectile is traveling neither so fast, nor straight at the sensor. Such sensing device may employ inexpensive short-range acoustic Doppler, and be incorporated into a target device that automatically displays to a pitcher-in-training the speed and ball/strike condition of each pitch.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

sensing means disposed to generate, in response to a sound generated by impact of a sports projectile upon any one of first and second target areas of a sports target device, a signal encoding a quality of the sound; and

processing means to determine, based on the signal and no other signal, which of the two target areas has been impacted by the sports projectile.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the first and second target areas, wherein the first target area is constructed to produce a first quality of impact sound when impacted by the sports projectile, and wherein the second target area is constructed to produce a second quality of impact sound when impacted by the sports projectile, wherein the first quality of impact sound differs from the second quality of impact sound.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing means comprises a microphone disposed at a distance from the first and second target areas.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing means comprises a sensor and no other sensor.

5. The system of claim 1:

wherein the sensing means further comprises means for generating a signal encoding a speed of the sports projectile; and

wherein the system further comprises processing means for determining, from the signal, the speed of the sports projectile.

6. An automated method comprising:

(A) generate, in response to a sound generated by impact of a sports projectile upon any one of first and second target areas of a sports target device, a signal encoding a quality of the sound; and

(B) determining, based on the signal and no other signal, which of the two target areas has been impacted by the sports projectile.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the quality of the sound comprises a duration of the sound.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the quality of the sound comprises a frequency of the sound.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the signal further encodes a speed of the sports projectile, and wherein the method further comprises:

(C) determining, from the signal, the speed of the sports projectile.