Ball measuring apparatus

• US 7,321,330 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Sajima, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US11/448,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20070075891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 342 52- 59, 342 73- 81, 342104-115, 342/118, 342126-147, 342/175, 342189-197, 342450-465, 473198-200, 473/351, 473/353, 473150-172, 473/223
• US Class Current: 342/59
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar

Abstract

The present invention provides a ball measuring apparatus capable of measuring a trajectory of a ball from a hitting position to a landing position, the landing position and a stop position. A ball measuring apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment includes a first millimeter wave radar device 1 capable of carrying out a measurement from the hitting position to a predetermined position of the trajectory and having at least one transmitting antenna and a plurality of receiving antennas, and a second millimeter wave radar device 2 capable of measuring the stop position and having at least one transmitting antenna and a plurality of receiving antennas. A ball measuring apparatus 101 according to a second embodiment has a millimeter wave radar device 31 and a CCD camera 32.

Claims

1. A ball measuring apparatus for measuring a trajectory of a ball from a hitting position to a landing position, the landing position and a stop position, comprising:

a first millimeter wave radar device for carrying out a measurement of a trajectory from the hitting position to a predetermined position of the trajectory and including at least one transmitting antenna and a plurality of receiving antennas;

a second millimeter wave radar device for measuring the stop position and including at least one transmitting antenna and a plurality of receiving antennas; and

a calculating portion for calculating three-dimensional coordinates of the ball based on signals received by the receiving antennas,

wherein

the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna in the first millimeter wave radar device are disposed between ground level and a height of 5 m from a ground behind the hitting position,

the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna in the second millimeter wave radar device are disposed at a height of 2 to 20 m from the ground behind the hitting position, and

the first millimeter wave radar device and the second millimeter wave radar device are placed in different positions from each other.

2. The ball measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a beam width in a horizontal direction of the first millimeter wave radar device is set to be equal to or greater than 10 degrees and to be equal to or smaller than 90 degrees, and a beam width in a vertical direction of the first millimeter wave radar device is set to be greater than 0 degree and to be equal to or smaller than 90 degrees.

3. The ball measuring apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein a beam width in a horizontal direction of the second millimeter wave radar device is set to be equal to or greater than 10 degrees and to be equal to or smaller than 90 degrees and a beam width in a vertical direction of the second millimeter wave radar device is set to be greater than 0 degree and to be equal to or smaller than 90 degrees.

4. A ball measuring apparatus for measuring a trajectory of a ball from a hitting position to a landing position, the landing position and a stop position, comprising:

a millimeter wave radar device for measuring the trajectory and including at least one transmitting antenna and a plurality of receiving antennas;

a CCD camera for measuring the stop position;

a calculating portion for a radar which serves to calculate three-dimensional coordinates of the ball based on signals received by the receiving antennas; and

a calculating portion for a camera which serves to calculate coordinates of the stop position based on image data of the CCD camera,

wherein the millimeter wave radar device and the CCD camera are placed in different positions from each other.

5. The ball measuring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the CCD camera is disposed at a height of 2 to 20 m from a ground.

6. The ball measuring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a beam width in a horizontal direction of the millimeter wave radar device is set to be equal to or greater than 10 degrees and to be equal to or smaller than 90 degrees.

7. The ball measuring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a beam width in a vertical direction of the millimeter wave radar device is set to be equal to or greater than 10 degrees and to be equal to or smaller than 90 degrees.