Sports simulation system
First Claim
1. A sports simulation system comprising:
- a projectile tracking apparatus comprising a display surface on which a sports scene is presented, and at least one pair of camera devices aimed into a projectile tracking region from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view at least encompassing said projectile tracking region, said projectile tracking region extending from said display surface to a projectile launch area spaced in front of said display surface, said camera devices configured to capture images of said projectile tracking region, each camera device including processing capabilities and configured to process captured images to detect the presence of a launched projectile therein as the launched projectile travels from its launch position to its contact position with said display surface and then its rebound from said display surface; and
at least one processing stage configured to receive data from the camera devices relating to images in which the launched projectile exists and determine three-dimensional positions, velocity, deceleration/acceleration and spin of the detected projectile traveling within said projectile tracking region, the spin being determined based on impact and rebound angles of the sports projectile with respect to the display surface, the three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration and spin being used by said at least one processing stage to calculate a trajectory of said launched projectile into said presented sports scene.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sports simulation system includes a projectile tracker having a display presenting a three-dimensional sports scene. The projectile tracker captures images of a projectile tracking region disposed in front of the display to detect a launched projectile traveling through the tracking region towards the display. A processing stage, in communication with the projectile tracker, is responsive to data received from camera devices to determine three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration and spin of a detected projectile traveling through the tracking region, which are used by the processing stage to calculate a trajectory of the launched projectile into the three-dimensional sports scene.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A sports simulation system comprising:
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a projectile tracking apparatus comprising a display surface on which a sports scene is presented, and at least one pair of camera devices aimed into a projectile tracking region from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view at least encompassing said projectile tracking region, said projectile tracking region extending from said display surface to a projectile launch area spaced in front of said display surface, said camera devices configured to capture images of said projectile tracking region, each camera device including processing capabilities and configured to process captured images to detect the presence of a launched projectile therein as the launched projectile travels from its launch position to its contact position with said display surface and then its rebound from said display surface; and at least one processing stage configured to receive data from the camera devices relating to images in which the launched projectile exists and determine three-dimensional positions, velocity, deceleration/acceleration and spin of the detected projectile traveling within said projectile tracking region, the spin being determined based on impact and rebound angles of the sports projectile with respect to the display surface, the three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration and spin being used by said at least one processing stage to calculate a trajectory of said launched projectile into said presented sports scene. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A sports simulation system comprising:
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a projectile tracking apparatus configured to track a launched sports projectile comprising a frame about a display surface on which a video sequence portraying a sports scene is presented, said sports scene including image frames developed from a three-dimensional terrain model generated from overhead images of a real life sports environment, said overhead images including at least one of satellite and aerial photographs;
at least one pair of digital camera devices mounted on said frame at spaced locations and having fields of view aimed across and in front of said display surface that overlap and encompass a projectile tracking region extending from a sports projectile launch region in front of said display surface to said display surface, each of said digital camera devices including a first processor configured to process image data and generate two-dimensional projectile coordinates when a sports projectile travels from said sports projectile launch region into contact with said display surface and then its rebound from said display surface and is captured in images acquired by said digital camera devices, the two-dimensional projectile coordinates being generated continuously throughout the travel of the sports projectile; and
an audio system configured to broadcast audio accompanying said video sequence;a host processor configured to communiate with said digital camera devices and said audio system, said host processor configured to use the two-dimensional projectile coordinates received from each first processor to determine three-dimensional positions, velocity, deceleration/acceleration and spin of the launched sports projectile, the spin being determined based on impact and rebound angles of the sports projectile with respect to the display surface, calculate a three-dimensional realistic trajectory of said sports projectile output image data including said calculated three-dimensional realistic trajectory; and a display unit configured to receive said image data and present said video sequence on said display surface, said video sequence representing a simulation of a flight path of said sports projectile beginning from the contact location of said sports projectile with said display surface so that the simulation represents a realistic continuance of the travel of the sports projectile beyond the display surface. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A sports simulation system comprising:
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at least one pair of digital camera devices having overlapping fields of view aimed across and in front of a display surface from different vantages and configured to capture images of a launched projectile throughout its travel from a launch position in front of said display surface, to its contact position with said display surface and then its rebound from said display surface; at least one processing stage configured to process image data from the camera devices relating to images in which the launched projectile exists and determine three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration and spin of the detected projectile traveling within said overlapping fields of view, the spin being determined based on impact and rebound angles of the sports projectile with respect to the display surface, the three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration and spin being used by said at least one processing stage to calculate a realistic trajectory of said launched projectile into a sports scene projected onto said display surface; and a projection unit configured to present said sports scene on said display surface including a simulation of said projectile following said calculated realistic trajectory, said sports scene including image frames developed from a three-dimensional terrain model generated from images of a real life sports environment. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A golf simulator comprising:
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a display surface on which a golf scene is presented; imaging devices having fields of view encompassing a region extending from said display surface to a golf ball launch area in front of said display surface and configured to capture images of said region; and processing structure configured to receive image data from said imaging devices and process said image data to detect a launched golf ball as the launched golf ball travels from its launch position within said launch area to its contact position with said display surface and then its rebound from said display surface, said processing structure further configured to process said image data to determine three-dimensional positions, velocity, deceleration/acceleration and spin of the detected launched golf ball traveling within said region, the spin being determined based on impact and rebound angles of the golf ball with respect to the display surface, the three-dimensional positions, velocity, deceleration/acceleration and spin being used by said processing structure to calculate a realistic trajectory of said launched golf ball into said golf scene, wherein said processing structure is configured to use said calculated realistic trajectory to generate updated image data representing a simulation of a flight path of said launched golf ball beginning at the display surface contact position and traveling into said golf scene following said calculated realistic trajectory so that said simulation represents a realistic continuance of the travel of said golf ball beyond the display surface. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification