Trajectory detection and feedback system

• US 20030073518A1
• Filed: 09/11/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pillar Vision Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pillar Vision Incorporated
• Inventors: Marty, Alan W., McGhee, Ridge, Edwards, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 7,094,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/416
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration

Abstract

A disclosed device provides a trajectory detection and feedback system. The system is capable of detecting one or more moving objects in free flight, analyzing a trajectory of each object and providing immediate feedback information to a human that has launched the object into flight, and/or one or more observers in the area. The feedback information may include one or more trajectory parameters that the human may use to evaluate their skill at sending the object along a desired trajectory. In a particular embodiment, a non-intrusive machine vision system that remotely detects trajectories of moving objects may be used to evaluate trajectory parameters for a basketball shot at a basketball hoop by a player. The feedback information, such as a trajectory entry angle into the basketball hoop and/or an entry velocity into the hoop for the shot, may be output to the player in an auditory format using a sound projection device. The system may be operable to be set-up and to operate in a substantially autonomous manner. After the system has evaluated a plurality of shots by the player, the system may provide 1) a diagnosis of their shot consistency, 2) a prediction for improvement based upon improving their shot consistency and 3) a prescription of actions for improving their consistency.

Claims

1. A device for providing trajectory detection and feedback, the device comprising:

one or more sensors for detecting physical information used to characterize a trajectory of an object launched along its trajectory by a human;

a logic device designed or configured to i) generate trajectory parameters that characterize one or more states of the object along it'"'"'s trajectory from the physical information and ii) generate feedback information using the trajectory parameters; and

one or more feedback output mechanisms for providing the feedback information to the human.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the physical information is one of an energy signal reflected from the object, an energy signal emitted from a signal source located on the object and combinations thereof.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the energy signal is an electromagnetic energy signal or an acoustic energy signal.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal source for emitting energy signals that are reflected off of the object and detected by the one or more sensors.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the sensors is a camera or a charge coupling device.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

a machine vision system including the camera and the charge coupling device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors is not located on the object, on the human or on a device attached to the human.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the object is launched by the human as part of game of skill and wherein the objective of the game of skill is to launch the object along a trajectory that terminates within a selected area.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the game of skill is basketball and the selected area is a basketball hoop.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein a playing area where the trajectory is generated is the playing area where the game of skill is normally played.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein one or more sensors are remote sensors located outside of the playing area.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors are non-intrusive sensors located within the playing area that do not affect the play of the game of skill in the playing area.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein prior to its launch the object is grasped by the human and forces to launch the object along its trajectory are applied via one or both hands.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein to launch it along its trajectory the object is hit by the human with a second object.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the physical information is video frame data recorded by a video camera.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors detect physical information about the human.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the physical information is video frame data recorded by a video camera.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic device is further designed or configured to generate a curve fit from the physical information that approximates the object'"'"'s trajectory and the trajectory parameters.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the curve fit is a parabolic arc.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more states are selected from the group consisting of an initial state of the trajectory, a final state of the trajectory, states of the trajectory between the initial state and the final state.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the trajectory parameters are selected from the group consisting of a speed, a directional velocity component, a position, a rotation rate, an axis of rotation, a directional angle, and a directional acceleration component.

22. The device of claim 1, where the feedback information is selected from the group consisting of 1) one of the trajectory parameters, 2) a plurality of the trajectory parameter and 3) a feedback parameter generated from a combination of trajectory parameters.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is used by the human to improve their skill at launching the object along a trajectory that terminates within a selected area.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the feedback information is used for rehabilitation purposes.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is provided to the human in at least one of a visual format, an auditory format, a kinetic format and combinations thereof.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is provided in an alpha-numeric format.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information comprises ones of qualitative feedback and quantitative feedback.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the object is a basketball and the feedback information is one of an entry angle that the basketball enters a basketball hoop, a speed that the basketball enters the basketball hoop.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is provided to the human prior to the object reaching the end of its trajectory.

30. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is capable of one of autonomous set-up, autonomous calibration, autonomous operation and combinations thereof.

31. The device of claim 1, wherein the object is launched into its trajectory by the human at one of a plurality of locations on a playing surface.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the playing surface is a basketball court.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is capable of generating trajectory parameters and providing feedback information for each of a plurality of different trajectories in a trajectory session.

34. The device of claim 33, further comprising:

a memory storage device for storing trajectory session information wherein the trajectory session information comprises one or more of

     1) physical information, trajectory information and feedback information generated for the plurality of trajectories,

     2) a trajectory session time,

     3) a trajectory session date,

     4) a trajectory session location and combinations thereof.

35. The device of claim 34, further comprising:

a database for relating the trajectory session information to human identification information.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein two or more trajectories in the plurality of different trajectories generated during the trajectory session are in flight at a same time.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the two or more trajectories are generated by one of the same player or two or more different players.

38. The device of claim 33, where the plurality of trajectories are generated by a plurality of different players.

39. The device of claim 33, further comprising:

session analysis software for one or more of

     1) providing a list or a plot of trajectory session information comprising one or more of physical information, trajectory parameters and feedback information for the plurality of trajectories,

     2) comparing the trajectory session information from the trajectory session with trajectory session information from one or more different trajectory sessions,

     3) generating trajectory session parameters used to characterize a human'"'"'s performance in the trajectory session,

     4) predicting performance improvement as a function of the trajectory session parameters and

     5) prescribing actions for improving performance.

40. The device of claim 1, further comprising a housing for the one or more sensors, the logic device, and the one or more feedback output mechanisms, the housing having a weight and form factor which facilitate transport, storage, and unobtrusive set-up, calibration, and operation.

41. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic device and the one or more feedback output mechanisms are configured to generate and provide the feedback information substantially immediately following launching of the object.

42. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic device and the one or more feedback output mechanisms are configured to generate and provide the feedback information within approximately one second of launching the object.

43. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic device and the one or more feedback output mechanisms are configured to generate and provide the feedback information within approximately ten seconds of launching the object.

44. The device of claim 1, wherein the logic device is configured to store the feedback information for subsequent retrieval.

45. A device for analyzing a trajectory of a basketball, the device comprising:

one or more cameras for recording video frame data used to characterize a trajectory of a basketball shot by a human;

a logic device designed or configured to i) to receive the video frame data, ii) generate trajectory parameters from the curve-fit that characterize one or more states of the basketball along it'"'"'s trajectory and iii) generate feedback information using the trajectory parameters; and

one or more feedback output mechanisms for providing the feedback information to the human.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the logic device is further designed or configured to generate a curve-fit of the trajectory of the basketball from the video frame data.

47. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

a housing enclosing the one or more cameras, the logic device and the one or more feedback output mechanisms.

48. The device of claim 46, wherein the housing is water-proofed for outdoor use.

49. The device of claim 46, further comprising:

one or more wheels attached to the housing.

50. The device of claim 46, further comprising:

at least one input mechanism mounted to the housing for configuring and operating the device.

51. The device of claim 48, wherein the input mechanism is a touch screen display.

52. The device of claim 49, wherein one or more of configuration information, operational information and session information are displayed to the touch screen display.

53. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

a video capture card for digitizing video frame data recorded by the one or more cameras.

54. The device of claim 45, wherein the logic device is designed or configured to process the video frame data using one of a Firewire protocol and a USB protocol.

55. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

an internal power supply for supplying power to the device wherein the internal power supply is one of a re-chargeable battery or a fuel cell.

56. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

photocells for supplying power to the device.

57. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

a power interface for connecting the device to an external power source.

58. The device of claim 45, wherein the logic device is a general purpose computer comprising:

a processor, a data storage device, RAM, operating system software, device interfaces, device drivers and trajectory analysis software.

59. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

a wireless network interface or a wire network interface for connecting the logic device to one of a local area network, a wide area network and the Internet.

60. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

a wireless interface for providing communications between the one or more cameras and the logic device or for providing communications between the logic device and one or more peripheral devices.

61. The device of claim 60, wherein the peripheral devices are selected from group consisting of hand-held computing devices, displays, wearable sound projection devices, kinetic feedback devices and printers.

62. The device of claim 45, wherein the feedback output mechanism is a sound projection device.

63. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

two or more cameras for recording video frame data wherein the two or more cameras are mounted to a basketball hoop backboard.

69. The device of claim 45, wherein a playing area where the basketball is shot is the playing area where a basketball game is normally played.

70. The device of claim 45, wherein the one or more states are selected from the group consisting of an initial state of the trajectory, a final state of the trajectory, states of the trajectory between the initial state and the final state.

71. The device of claim 45, wherein the trajectory parameters are selected from the group consisting of a release height, a release angle, a release velocity, a release point floor position, an entry angle into a basketball hoop, an entry velocity into the basketball hoop, an entry position of a center of the basketball relative to a center of the basketball hoop, a transverse velocity of the basketball relative to a normal line drawn through the center of the basketball hoop, a missed shot, a made shot, a rotation rate of the basketball and axis of rotation of the basketball.

72. The device of claim 71, wherein the group of trajectory parameters further includes rebound parameters relating to a rebound flight path of the basketball.

73. The device of claim 45, where the feedback information is selected from the group consisting of 1) one of the trajectory parameters, 2) a plurality of the trajectory parameters and 3) a feedback parameter generated from a combination of trajectory parameters.

74. The device of claim 45, wherein the feedback information is used by the human to improve their skill shooting the basketball.

75. The device of claim 45, wherein the feedback information is provided to the human in at least one of a visual format, an auditory format, a kinetic format and combinations thereof.

76. The device of claim 45, wherein the feedback information is presented in an alpha-numeric format.

77. The device of claim 45, wherein the feedback information comprises ones of qualitative feedback and quantitative feedback.

78. The device of claim 45, wherein the one or more cameras record video frame data of at least a portion of the human.

79. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

a mass storage device for storing the recorded video frame data.

80. The device of claim 45, further comprising:

video editing software for editing the recorded video frame data.

81. The device of claim 45, wherein the device is capable of one of autonomous set-up, autonomous calibration, autonomous operation and combinations thereof.

82. The device of claim 45, wherein the feedback information is used as input parameters for a video game.

83. The device of claim 45, wherein the device is capable of generating trajectory parameters and providing feedback information for each of a plurality of different trajectories in a trajectory session.

84. The device of claim 83, wherein the plurality of different trajectories are shot from a plurality different locations on a basketball court.

85. The device of claim 83, further comprising:

a memory storage device for storing trajectory session information wherein the trajectory session information comprises one or more of

     1) digitized video frame data, trajectory information and feedback information generated for the plurality of trajectories,

     2) a trajectory session time,

     3) a trajectory session date,

     4) a trajectory session location and combinations thereof.

86. The device of claim 83, further comprising:

a database for relating the trajectory session information to human identification information.

87. The device of claim 83, wherein two or more trajectories in the plurality of different trajectories generated during the trajectory session are in flight at a same time.

88. The device of claim 87, wherein the two or more trajectories are generated by one of the same player or two or more different players.

89. The device of claim 83, where the plurality of trajectories are generated by a plurality of different players.

90. The device of claim 83, further comprising:

session analysis software for one or more of

     1) providing a list or a plot of trajectory session information comprising one or more of physical information, trajectory parameters and feedback information for the plurality of trajectories,

     2) comparing the trajectory session information from the trajectory session with trajectory session information from one or more different trajectory sessions,

     3) generating trajectory session parameters used to characterize a human'"'"'s performance in the trajectory session,

     4) predicting performance improvement as a function of the trajectory session parameters and

     5) prescribing actions for improving performance.

91. The device of claim 45, further comprising a housing for the one or more cameras, the logic device, and the one or more feedback output mechanisms, the housing having a weight and form factor which facilitate transport, storage, and unobtrusive set-up, calibration, and operation.

92. The device of claim 45, wherein at least one of the cameras and the logic device is configured to recognize the basketball based at least in part on one of illumination of the basketball and a coating on the basketball.

93. The device of claim 45, wherein the logic device and the one or more feedback output mechanisms are configured to generate and provide the feedback information substantially immediately following shooting of the basketball.

94. The device of claim 45, wherein the logic device and the one or more feedback output mechanisms are configured to generate and provide the feedback information within approximately one second of shooting the basketball.

95. The device of claim 45, wherein the logic device and the one or more feedback output mechanisms are configured to generate and provide the feedback information within approximately ten seconds of shooting the basketball.

96. The device of claim 45, wherein the logic device is configured to store the feedback information for subsequent retrieval.

64. The device of claim 64, further comprising:

infrared light emitters mounted to the backboard designed to illuminate the basketball in infrared light as it approaches the backboard wherein the two or more cameras are capable of detecting infrared light reflected from the basketball.

65. The device of claim 64, further comprising:

a filter associated with the lens of each camera to filter visible light thereby enhancing isolation of the infrared light.

66. The device of claim 65, further comprising:

a communication interface for transmitting one of a) video frame data, b) trajectory parameters, c) feedback information and combinations thereof.

67. The device of claim 66, further comprising:

a housing enclosing the cameras, light emitters and communication interface.

68. The device of claim 67, wherein the housing is water-proofed for outdoor use.

97. In a device, a method of providing trajectory detection and analysis for a trajectory of an object launched along its trajectory by a human, the method of comprising:

receiving physical information about the object along its trajectory from one or more sensors;

generating trajectory parameters from the physical information;

generating feedback information; and

providing the feedback information to the human.

98. The method of claim 97, further comprising:

recording video frame data wherein the one or more sensors is a camera;

determining a position of the object in a plurality of the video frames from the video frame data;

generating a curve-fit of the trajectory of the object from the determined positions; and

generating one or more trajectory parameters from the curve-fit.

99. The method of claim 98, further comprising:

prior to generating the curve fit, digitizing the video frame data.

100. The method of claim 98, further comprising:

prior to determining the position of the object, editing out portions of the video frame data.

101. The method of claim 98, comprising:

prior to determining the position of the object, constraining processing to at least one region of interest.

102. The method of claim 97, wherein the object is a basketball.

103. The method of claim 97, wherein the feedback information is provided to the human prior to end of the trajectory of the object or within a short time after the end of the trajectory of the object.

104. The method of claim 97, further comprising:

receiving physical information from the one or more sensors from two or more objects in flight at the same time;

generating trajectory parameters for the two or more objects; and

providing separate feedback information for each of the objects.

105. The method of claim 97, wherein the feedback information is provided in one of a visual format, an auditory format and a kinetic format.

106. The method of claim 97, wherein the object is launched by the human as part of game of skill and wherein the objective of the game of skill is to launch the object along a trajectory that terminates within a selected area.

107. The device of claim 106, wherein a playing area where the trajectory is generated is the playing area where the game of skill is normally played.

108. The method of claim 107, wherein one or more sensors are remote sensors located outside of the playing area.

109. The method of claim 107, wherein the one or more sensors are non-intrusive sensors located with the playing area that do not affect the play of the game of skill in the playing area.

110. The method of claim 97, further comprising:

generating a list or plot of trajectory parameters for a plurality of trajectories.

111. The method of claim 97, further comprising:

generating one or more aggregate trajectory parameters from the trajectory parameters from a plurality of different trajectories.

112. The method of claim 111, wherein the aggregate trajectory parameters characterize the human'"'"'s consistency.

113. The method of claim 111, wherein the aggregate trajectory parameters are a measure of statistical variability of different trajectory parameters.

114. The method of claim 111, further comprising:

predicting performance improvement as a function of the one or more aggregate trajectory parameters.

115. The method of claim 97, further comprising:

generating a prescription comprising one or more actions for improving performance.

116. The method of claim 97, wherein providing the feedback information comprises providing the feedback information substantially immediately following launching of the object.

117. The method of claim 97, wherein providing the feedback information comprises providing the feedback information within approximately one second of launching the object.

118. The method of claim 97, wherein providing the feedback information comprises providing the feedback information within approximately ten seconds of launching the object.

119. The method of claim 97, further comprising storing the feedback information for subsequent retrieval.