Multiple sensor tracking system and method

• US 9,555,284 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FlyingTee Tech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Origin Pty Limited (Origin Energy Limited)
• Inventors: Vollbrecht, James, Vollbrecht, John, Tawwater, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAHAM, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/475,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20160059072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 473/168, 473150-156
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/004 Multiple detectors or sensors each defining a different zone
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0053 for locating an object, e.g. a lost ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0658 Position or arrangement of display
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3605 Golf club selection aids informing player of his average or expected shot distance for each club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3691 Golf courses; Golf practising terrains having a plurality of driving areas, fairways, greens special golf games, e.g. miniature golf, A63B67/02; mats for simulating golf greens A63B69/3661
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3694 for driving only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 : Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/58 : Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/72 : for two-dimensional tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 : Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 : Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00

Abstract

A system and method for tracking the flight of golf balls at driving range. The system includes a plurality of hitting stations, a plurality of sensors, a computer, and a range surface. Each hitting station in the plurality of hitting stations includes a golf ball, a golf club, a monitor, and a sensor. At least one other sensor in the plurality of sensors is placed outside a hitting station. The flight path of the golf balls being calculated by the computer using parameters by the plurality of sensors. The method includes steps for determining whether a first sensor detected a first parameter and a second parameter, whether a second sensor detected a first and a second parameter, whether a third sensor detected a third parameter, and depicting the flight path of the golf balls using the first parameter, the second parameter, and the third parameter.

Claims

1. A driving range for hitting golf balls, the driving range comprising:

a range surface;

a computer;

a plurality of hitting stations positioned at a first end of the range surface, each hitting station comprising;

a golf ball;

a golf club;

a display connected to the computer;

a first sensor positioned in at least one of the plurality of hitting stations and having a first sensor type and connected to the computer and configured to detect a first plurality of parameters associated with a total travel path of the golf ball; and

a second sensor at a side of the plurality of hitting stations and positioned to aim toward the driving range and having a second sensor type that is different from the first sensor type and connected to the computer and configured to detect a second plurality of parameters associated with a total travel path of the golf ball;

wherein the computer is further configured to evaluate both the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters to determine whether to use the first plurality of parameters or the second plurality of parameters when both the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters are available;

wherein the computer calculates the total travel path of each golf ball coming from each of the hitting stations in the plurality of hitting stations using either the first plurality of parameters from the respective hitting station or the second plurality of parameters.

2. The driving range of claim 1, wherein the computer is further configured to use the first plurality of parameters to depict the total travel path of the golf ball when the second plurality of parameters is unavailable.

3. The driving range of claim 1, wherein the computer is further configured to use the second plurality of parameters to depict the total travel path of the golf ball when the both the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters are available.

4. The driving range of claim 1, wherein at least one parameter in the first plurality of parameters selected from the group consisting of ball spin, ball speed, ball launch angle, ball direction, club path, club direction, club speed, and club face angle.

5. The driving range of claim 3, the driving range further comprising a third sensor connected to the computer and configured to detect a third plurality of parameters associated with the total travel path.

6. The driving range of claim 3, wherein the computer calculates a portion of the total travel path of the golf ball using an origination point.

7. The driving range of claim 3, wherein the computer calculates a portion of the total travel path of the golf ball using an impact point.

12. The driving range of claim 1, wherein the field of detection for the first sensor and the second sensor overlap.

8. A driving range for hitting golf balls, the driving range comprising:

a range surface;

a computer;

a plurality of hitting stations positioned at a first end of the range surface, each hitting station comprising;

a golf ball;

a golf club;

a display connected to the computer;

a first sensor positioned in at least one of the plurality of hitting stations and having a first sensor type and a first field of detection, and connected to the computer and configured to detect a first plurality of parameters associated with a total travel path of the golf ball; and

a second sensor positioned at a side of the hitting stations and having a second sensor type that is different from the first sensor type and a second field of detection that is different from the first field of detection, and connected to the computer and configured to detect a second plurality of parameters associated with the total travel path of the golf ball;

wherein the computer calculates the total travel path of each golf ball coming from each of the hitting stations in the plurality of hitting stations using either the first plurality of parameters from the respective hitting station or the second plurality of parameters;

wherein the computer is further configured to evaluate both the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters to determine whether to use the first plurality of parameters or the second plurality of parameters when both the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters are available.

9. The driving range of claim 8, wherein the computer is further configured to use the first plurality of parameters to depict the total travel path of the golf ball when the second plurality of parameters is unavailable.

10. The driving range of claim 8, wherein the computer is further configured to use the second plurality of parameters to depict the total travel path of the golf ball when the both the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters are available.

11. The driving range of claim 10 wherein

the first sensor type is radar;

the second sensor type is a visible light camera; and

the first plurality of parameters includes at least the club path, club face angle, launch angle, ball spin and initial velocity parameters.

13. The driving range of claim 8, wherein the first field of detection and the second field of detection overlap.