Ball game training

• US 10,695,644 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2019
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extremity Medical LLC, PlaySight Interactive, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: PlaySight Interactive, Ltd.
• Inventors: Khazanov, Evgeni, Shachar, Chen, Ben Zur, Yoram
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doshi, Ankit B
• Application Number:
  US16/385,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20190240558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0009 Computerised real time comparison with previous movements or motion sequences of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0666 worn on the head or face, e.g. combined with goggles or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/40 Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls or other bodies golf cups with ball ejector means A63B57/405; traps for clay-pigeon targets F41J9/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10021 : Stereoscopic video; Stereoscopic image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 : Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30224 : Ball; Puck
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 : Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/251 : involving models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/277 : involving stochastic approaches, e.g. using Kalman filters

Abstract

A method for ball game training, the method comprising steps executed by at least one computer, the steps comprising: receiving image data of a player and a ball, the image data being captured using at least two cameras, using the received image data, tracking motion of the player and motion of the ball in three dimensions, based on the tracked motions, predicting a position of the player and a trajectory of the ball, and based on the predicted position and trajectory, generating a control command for at least one ball throwing machine.

Claims

1. A method for ball game training, the method comprising steps executed by at least one computer, the steps comprising:

receiving image data of a first player and a ball;

using the received image data, tracking motion of the first player and motion of the ball in three dimensions;

based on the tracked motions, predicting a first position of the first player and a trajectory of the ball; and

based on the predicted first position and trajectory, generating a control command for at least one ball throwing machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating further comprises specifying a way of ball throwing by at least one of the at least one ball throwing machine, in the control command.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said predicting of the first position of the first player and said predicting of the trajectory of the ball is further based on historic data gathered on the first player.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating is further based on historic data gathered on a second player preselected as a virtual opponent for the first player.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating of the control command and subsequent generating of at least one later control command are further based on a same predefined drill pattern, until a predefined goal is achieved by the player.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting one of at least two ball throwing machines deployed at different positions, as a destination for the generated control command, based on the predicted position of the first player and trajectory of the ball and on the positions of the machines.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating further comprises generating a second control command, the second control command instructing at least one of the at least one ball throwing machine to move over, to a destined position, based on the predicted position, on the predicted trajectory, or on both the predicted position and the predicted trajectory.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said generated control command instructs the ball throwing machine to hit the ball having the predicted trajectory, with a mechanical arm.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a location of a predefined object in the received image data, wherein at least one of said tracking of the motions and a capturing of the image data by a camera is based on the identified location of the predefined object.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising pointing a simulated position of a virtual opponent to the first player, using at least one light source.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising pointing a simulated position of a virtual opponent to the first player, by projecting an image of the virtual player.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising pointing a second position to the first player, using at least one light source.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising pointing a second position to the first player, using a display of a wearable computing device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing a user to point a position, using at least one light source, wherein said generating of the control command is further based on the pointed position.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating of the control command, is further based on motion of a second player preselected as an opponent to the first player, as tracked in a location remote from the at least one ball throwing machine.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating of the control command, is further based on motion of an avatar in a video game, as used by a user of the video game.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating video game content based on at least one of said tracking and predicting.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying if after being hit by the first player, the ball hits a predefined position.

19. A system for ball game training, the system comprising:

a computer;

an image data receiver, implemented on said computer, configured to receive image data of a player and a ball;

a three dimensional motion tracker, in communication with said image data receive, configured to track motion of the player and motion of the ball in three dimensions, using the received image data;

a position predictor, in communication with said three dimensional motion tracker, configured to predict a position of the player and a trajectory of the ball based on the tracked motions; and

a control command generator, in communication with said position predictor, configured to generate a control command for at least one ball throwing machine based on the predicted position and trajectory.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for performing steps of ball game training, the steps comprising:

receiving image data of a player and a ball;

using the received image data, tracking motion of the player and motion of the ball in three dimensions;

based on the tracked motions, predicting a position of the player and a trajectory of the ball; and

based on the predicted position and trajectory, generating a control command for at least one ball throwing machine.