Measuring launch and motion parameters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9519003-B1
Application number	US-201213688974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 29, 2012
Priority date	Nov 29, 2011
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

The technologies described herein relate to measuring launch parameters of a flying object, such as a golf ball or a baseball. The laser based technology enables a system that is low cost which can measure launch parameters of a ball. The launch parameters are measured and rapid feedback is provided on each ball motion event and the data of every single ball launch data is stored in the backend server. The system may include a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA), a receiver optical subassembly (ROSA), a primary processing unit, a camera subsystem, a data processing, a feedback display unit, and a backend server.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for monitoring launch parameters, comprising:
a transmitter optical subassembly including at least one laser source configured to transmit a sheet of light such that a flying object passes through the sheet of light along an expected flight path of the flying object;
a receiver optical subassembly including a photodetector configured to receive light transmitted by the transmitter and reflected back from the flying object as the flying object passes through the sheet of light, wherein at least one preliminary launch parameter of the flying object is determined based on the light reflected back from the flying object; and
a camera subsystem comprising a camera having a field of view, the camera subsystem configured to take a plurality of pictures of the flying object in response to a triggering event that is based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter, and the plurality of pictures of the flying object are taken in a relevant area within the field of view that is determined based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a field-programmable gate array operably coupled to the camera subsystem and a central processing unit, the field-programmable gate array configured to receive input, based on the light reflected back from the flying object, from the central processing unit and to provide a trigger based on the light reflected back from the flying object.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter optical subassembly includes at least a second laser source configured to transmit a sheet of light such that the flying object passes through the sheet of light along the expected flight path of the flying object.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a timing circuit operably coupled to the transmitter optical subassembly and configured to signal the transmitter optical subassembly to generate a single or multiple sheets of light in sequence with respect to the one laser source and the second laser source.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the launch parameters include at least one of velocity, vertical angle of elevation, azimuth angle, club head speed, maximum height, landing angle, projectile trajectory, and landing angle speed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the receiver optical subassembly is configured to receive the reflected light from a golf ball.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an intensity time plot of when the flying object passes through the sheet of light is extracted and used to determine the particular time period that the camera is to take the plurality of pictures of the flying object in the relevant area.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the relevant area comprises an area that is a subset of the field of view.

9. A system for monitoring launch parameters, comprising:
an apparatus, including:
a transmitter optical subassembly including at least one laser source configured to transmit a sheet of light such that a flying object passes through the sheet of light along an expected flight path of the flying object;
a receiver optical subassembly configured to receive light transmitted by the transmitter and reflected back from the flying object as the flying object passes through the sheet of light, wherein at least one preliminary launch parameter of the flying object is determined based on the light reflected back from the flying object;
at least one camera subassembly comprising a camera having a field of view, the camera subassembly configured to take a plurality of pictures of the flying object in response to a triggering event that is based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter, and the plurality of pictures of the lying object are taken in a relevant area within the field of view that is determined based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter;
a mobile device configured to process the plurality of pictures captured by the at least one camera and calculate at least one non-preliminary launch parameter; and
a backend server configured to receive and store the at least one exact launch parameter.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus further includes at least one device configured to determine placement of the apparatus.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system is configured to generate an alert related to the speed of the flying object, the alert configured to be provided to the user by the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the backend server is configured to store the at least one parameter for a user.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the mobile device provides an interface enabling the user to access the stored at least one parameter.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the relevant area comprises an area that is a subset of the field of view.

15. A method for monitoring launch parameters, comprising:
transmitting at least two laser sheets sequentially such that a flying object passes through the at least two laser sheets along an expected flight path of the flying object, wherein the at least two laser sheets are not parallel;
receiving light reflected from the flying object as the flying object passes though the at least two laser sheets, using a receiving subassembly comprising at least one photodetector module, wherein at least one preliminary launch parameter of the flying object is determined based on the light reflected back from the flying object;
tuning a camera having a field of view, within at least one camera subassembly, the camera subassembly configured to take plurality of pictures of the flying object in response to a triggering event that is based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter, and the plurality of pictures of the lying object are taken in a relevant area within the field of view that is determined based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter;
determining ratios of the time interval to estimate a velocity, an elevation angle and an azimuth of the flying object;
analyzing a curve of an intensity time plot based on the light reflected by the flying object;
determining if the curve of the intensity time plot corresponding to the light reflected from the flying object matches a shape of the flying object; and
estimating a velocity of the flying object based on a correlation of the intensity time plot and a known shape and size of the flying object.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein estimating a velocity of the flying object includes using mathematical regression methods.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the relevant area comprises an area that is a subset of the field of view.

Assignees

• Rapsodo Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Okur Batuhan
• Vijayanand Lodiya Radhakrishnan
• Keat Kelvin Yeo Soon
• Naing Nyan Myo

Classifications

• G01P3/68

  using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light (G01P3/80 takes precedence {; by reflection of waves G01S17/58}) · CPC title

• G01S7/4808

  Evaluating distance, position or velocity data · CPC title

• G01P3/38 Primary

  using photographic means · CPC title

• G01S7/4815

  using multiple transmitters · CPC title

• G01S17/88

  Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title