System for determining the end of a path for a moving object

• US 6,304,665 B1
• Filed: 04/01/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sportsmedia Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sportvision, Inc. (Sportsmedia Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Squadron, William F., White, Marvin S., Gloudemans, James R., Cavallaro, Richard H., Honey, Stanley K., Phillips, Alan C., OʼBrien, Terence J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAKHJAVAN, SHERVIN K
• Application Number:
  US09/283,729
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/103, 382/106, 382/154, 382/181, 382/276, 382/285, 382/286, 382/291, 348/135, 348/139, 348/140, 348/142, 396/89, 396/94, 396/104, 396/121, 356/3, 356/4.01, 356/4.06, 356/919, 473/198, 473/199, 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/204, 701/207, 701/211, 701/300
• US Class Current: 382/106
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/05 Image processing for measuring physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/14 Shot putting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/16 Spear or javelin throwing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration

Abstract

A system is disclosed that can determine the distance a baseball would have traveled after being hit if its path was not interrupted. Thus, when a player hits a home run and the ball collides with an obstruction such as the seating area of a stadium or a wall, the present invention can determine how far the ball would have traveled had the ball not hit the stadium or the wall. The present invention can also be used to determine information about the path of objects other than a baseball.

Claims

1. A method for determining information about a hypothetical uninterrupted path of a ball after said ball is hit by a bat, comprising the steps of:

sensing camera orientation data for a set of one or more cameras pointing at said ball while said ball is traveling along said hypothetical uninterrupted path, said step of sensing uses one or more camera orientation sensors;

capturing video images of said ball while said ball is traveling along said hypothetical uninterrupted path, said video images are captured using said set of one or more cameras; and

determining an end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path based on said captured video images and said camera orientation data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said one or more camera orientation sensors includes a pan sensor.

3. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of:

determining a distance from a beginning of said hypothetical uninterrupted path to said end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path.

4. A method according to claim 3, further including the step of:

reporting said distance.

5. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of:

displaying said end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path.

6. A method according to claim 1 ,wherein said step of determining said end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path includes the steps of:

finding said ball in said video images;

initially determining said hypothetical uninterrupted path; and

updating said hypothetical uninterrupted path.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step of initially determining said hypothetical uninterrupted path includes the steps of:

determining a set of three dimensional locations of said ball; and

using said three dimensional locations to determine an initial trajectory.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step of updating said hypothetical uninterrupted path includes the steps of:

predicting a future location of said ball;

moving two cameras to point at said predicted future location after said step of predicting and prior to said ball reaching said future location;

finding said ball in video images from said two cameras pointed at said predicted future location; and

updating said hypothetical uninterrupted path based on said step of finding said ball in video images from said two cameras.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step of updating said hypothetical uninterrupted path includes the steps of:

predicting a future location of said ball;

selecting two cameras that are pointing at said future location;

finding said ball in video images from said two cameras; and

updating said hypothetical uninterrupted path based on said step of finding said ball in video images from said two cameras.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step of updating said hypothetical uninterrupted path includes the steps of:

predicting a first future location of said ball;

moving a camera to point at said first future location;

capturing a first set of one or more video images from said camera pointed at said first future location;

predicting a second future location of said ball;

moving said camera to point at said second future location;

capturing a second set of one or more video images from said camera pointed at said second future location;

subtracting one or more video images of said first set of video images from one or more video images of said second set of video images in order to find said ball; and

updating said hypothetical uninterrupted path based on said step of subtracting.

11. A method according to claim 6, wherein:

said step of finding said ball in said video images includes performing pattern recognition.

12. A method according to claim 6, wherein:

said step of finding said ball in said video images includes subtracting video images.

13. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of:

reporting information based on said step of determining an end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of determining an end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path comprises the steps of:

determining positions of said ball in said captured video images;

using said positions of said ball in said captured video images and said camera orientation data to determine two or more three dimensional locations of said ball; and

using said more three dimensional locations of said ball to determine said end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path.

15. A method for determining a distance a ball would have traveled after being hit by a bat, comprising the steps of:

determining one or more locations of said ball after said ball has been hit by said bat, said step of determining is performed during a game, said determined locations do not include an end of said ball'"'"'s uninterrupted path; and

using said determined locations to determine said distance said ball would have traveled after being hit if said ball'"'"'s path was not interrupted, said step of using said determined locations comprises the steps of;

determining path information using a first set of location data,

using said path information to predict a future location,

capturing video from a set of cameras looking at said future location, and

using said captured video to determine said distance.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein:

said step of using said determined locations is performed in real time.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein:

said step of using said determined locations is performed within thirty seconds of said bat hitting said ball.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein:

said step of using said determined locations is commenced while said ball is airborne.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein:

said step of determining one or more locations is performed using pattern recognition on a set of video images.

20. A method according to claim 15, further including the step of:

identifying a sound of said bat hitting said ball, said step of determining one or more locations is triggered by said said step of identifying.

21. A method according to claim 15, wherein:

said step of determining one or more locations is performed using subtraction and pattern recognition on a set of video images.

22. A method according to claim 15, wherein said step of using said determined locations further includes the step of:

pointing said set of cameras toward said future location in response to said step of using said path information to predict said future location.

23. A method according to claim 15, wherein said step of using said determined locations further includes the step of:

selecting said set of cameras from a group of cameras because said set of cameras are pointing toward said future location, said step of selecting is performed in response to said step of using said path information to predict said future location.

24. An apparatus for determining information about a ball'"'"'s travel along a hypothetical uninterrupted path, comprising:

a first video camera capable of being oriented;

a first set of one or more camera orientation sensors, said first set of camera orientation sensors sense camera orientation data for said first camera;

a second video camera capable of being oriented;

a second set of one or more camera orientation sensors, said second set of camera orientation sensors sense camera orientation data for said second camera;

a storage element capable of storing program code; and

a processor in communication with said first video camera and said second video camera and said storage element, said processor programmed by said program code to perform a method comprising the steps of;

receiving video images from said first and second video cameras captured while said first and second cameras are pointed at said ball traveling on said uninterrupted path;

receiving a first set of camera orientation data from said first set of camera orientation sensors, said first set of camera orientation data pertains to an orientation of said first camera while said first camera is pointed at said ball traveling on said uninterrupted path;

receiving a second set of camera orientation data from said second set of camera orientation sensors, said second set of camera orientation data pertains to an orientation of said second camera while said second camera is pointed at said ball traveling on said uninterrupted path; and

determining an end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path of said object based on said video images received from said first and second video cameras, said first set of camera orientation data and said second set of camera orientation data.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, further including:

an output device for reporting information about said end of said uninterrupted path of said ball.

27. An apparatus according to claim 24, further including:

a third camera in communication with said processor, said third camera is rigidly mounted to point toward a location where said ball is likely to be hit by a bat; and

a fourth camera in communication with said processor, said fourth camera is rigidly mounted to point toward said location where said ball is likely to be hit by said bat, said processor uses video from said third camera and said fourth camera to perform said step of determining an end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, further including:

a first set of one or more motors in communication with said processor, said first set of one or more motors capable of changing an orientation of said first camera based on instructions from said processor; and

a second set of one or more motors in communication with said processor, said second set of one or more motors capable of changing an orientation of said second camera based on instructions from said processor, said processor predicts a future location of said ball and instructs a changing of orientation of said first camera and said second camera so that said first camera and said second camera point toward said predicted future location prior to said ball reaching said predicted future location.

29. An apparatus according to claim 24, further including:

a microphone; and

audio detection electronics in communication with said microphone and said processor, said audio detection electronics sends a signal to said processor when a sound of a bat hitting said ball is detected, said processor uses said signal to start said step of finding said ball in said video images.

30. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said step of determining an end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path comprises the steps of:

storing positions of said ball in said video images received from said first and second video cameras;

using said positions of said ball in said video images and said camera orientation data to determine two or more three dimensional locations of said ball; and

using said more three dimensional locations of said ball to determine said end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path.

26. An apparatus according to clam 25, wherein:

said information includes a distance said ball would have traveled, but did not travel, had the ball'"'"'s path not been interrupted.

31. A method for determining information about a hypothetical uninterrupted path of a ball after being hit by a bat, comprising the steps of:

detecting a sound of said bat hitting said ball;

capturing video images of said ball; and

determining an end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path of said ball based on said captured video images, said step of determining is performed in response to said step of detecting.

32. A method according to claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

determining a distance from a beginning of said hypothetical uninterrupted path to said end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path; and

reporting said distance.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said step of determining an end includes the step of:

determining path information for said ball;

using said path information to predict a future location of said ball;

pointing a set of cameras toward said future location in response to said step of using said path information to predict said future location;

capturing first video from said set of cameras looking at said future location; and

using said captured first video to determine said end of said hypothetical path.

34. A method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of:

displaying, in a video of a baseball game, said hypothetical uninterrupted path and said end of said hypothetical uninterrupted path while said ball is traveling along said hypothetical uninterrupted path.

35. A method according to claim 32, wherein:

said captured video images includes a first video image and a second video image; and

said step of determining an end includes subtracting said first video image from said second video image.

36. A method according to claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

manually pointing a camera at said ball; and

sensing camera orientation sensor data about said camera pointing at said ball, said step of determining an end is at least partially based on said camera orientation sensor data.