Method and an apparatus for determining a deviation between an actual direction of a launched projectile and a predetermined direction

• US 9,857,459 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trackman A/S
• Original Assignee: Trackman A/S
• Inventors: Tuxen, Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US14/536,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20160170015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/66 Radar-tracking systems; Analogous 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52 of systems according to group G01S15/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining a deviation between an actual direction of a launched projectile and a predetermined direction includes providing, using a camera fixed to a radar, an image representing a target area, receiving an indication of a position in the image, the indicated position corresponding to a position in the target area, determining, using a radar, the actual direction of the projectile, determining a launch position of the projectile, determining, from the launch position and the corresponding position, the predetermined direction and determining the deviation between the actual direction of the projectile and the predetermined direction. The indicating step include rotating the camera and radar to have the position in the target area presented at a center or with a predetermined offset form the center in the image.

Claims

1. A method of determining a deviation between an actual direction of a launched projectile and a predetermined direction, the method comprising:

providing, using a camera fixed to a radar, an image representing a target area;

receiving an indication of a position in the image, the indicated position corresponding to a position in the target area;

determining, using the radar, the actual direction of the projectile;

determining a launch position of the projectile;

determining, from the launch position and the corresponding position, the predetermined direction; and

determining the deviation between the actual direction of the projectile and the predetermined direction,

wherein the receiving step comprises rotating the camera and radar to have the position in the target area presented at a center or with a predetermined offset from the center in the image.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of mounting the camera on or inside the radar, wherein the deviation determination uses a predetermined relative orientation and position of the radar and camera.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the actual direction of the projectile comprises:

receiving radiation transmitted by or reflected by the projectile while it is in flight; and

determining, from the received radiation, a direction of the projectile.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of determining the launch position comprises determining the launch position from the radiation received.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the launch position comprises assuming that the launch is performed at a predetermined position.

6. An apparatus for determining a deviation between an actual direction of a launched projectile and a predetermined direction, the apparatus comprising:

a camera for providing an image representing a target area;

an input member for receiving an indication of a position in the image, the input member being adapted to correlate the indicated position to a corresponding position in the target area;

a radar for determining the actual direction of the projectile;

means for determining a launch position of the projectile;

a first computer for determining, from the launch position and the corresponding position, the predetermined direction; and

a second computer for determining the deviation between the actual direction of the projectile and the predetermined direction,

wherein the input member is configured to receive an input and subsequently determine the position as a position at a center or with a predetermined offset from the center in the image.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a mount for mounting the camera on or inside the radar.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the radar is configured to:

receive radiation transmitted by or reflected by the projectile while it is in flight; and

determine, from the received radiation, a direction of the projectile.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the means for determining the launch position of the projectile are adapted to determine the launch position from the radiation received.

10. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for determining the launch position of the projectile are adapted to assume that the launch is performed at a predetermined position.