JP6526799B2 - Multi-sensor tracking system and method - Google Patents

Description

  FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to golf ball tracking systems, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to systems utilizing multiple sensors that allow the display of golf ball paths on a display.

  The game of golf has been a popular hobby and recreational activity since it was invented centuries ago. One of the popularity of golf comes from the pursuit of mastery of its various skills. Acquisition of such skills requires frequent and consistent practice. The driving range (golf driving range) is a common facility used for such practice. In recent years, as a business, businesses have opened up an improved driving range with the intention of meeting the golfer's desire for other forms of entertainment and entertainment. Such facilities include not only a typical driving range but also restaurants, bars and other entertainment options allowing golfers to choose in addition to the practice rounds. Such options include various virtual games on the golf swing as disclosed in US patent application Ser. No. 14 / 321,333.

  Parallel to the emergence of such new forms of golf / entertainment facilities, various techniques have been employed to assist the golfer in improving skills or enriching a typical practice round. Such techniques include the use of RF (radio frequency) chips, radar, lasers or optical cameras to track the golfer's swing and golf ball's flight path and provide the golfer with useful feedback of both of them. Be Unfortunately, each such technique is well suited to tracking certain parameters of the golf swing or golf ball path, but neither can provide unobstructed tracking, and the golf swing or A comprehensive image of the resulting golf shot can not be provided to the golfer. Thus, there is a need for a system and method that deploys multiple sensors and utilizes the parameters obtained with each such technology to provide the information obtained to the golfer in a useful form.

It is to this end that the present invention aims to eliminate other limiting factors in the prior art.

  In a preferred embodiment, the driving range includes a golf ball, a golf club, a hitting station, a range surface, a plurality of sensors, a computer and a display. Each of the plurality of sensors is configured (designed) to detect at least one parameter related to the golf swing or the flight path of the golf ball. In addition, the sensors of each of the plurality of sensors are connected to a computer. The computer contains a processor and a database. The database is configured to store parameters for the hitting station, each of the plurality of sensors, the range surface and the golf club. Additionally, the database is configured to store parameters sensed by each of the plurality of sensors. Finally, the database is configured to store rules and methods that can be used to determine which sensor parameters should be used to display the golf swing and flight path on the display. All parameters and rules stored in the database are stored in a form that allows them to be retrieved and processed as required by the processor.

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a first embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system in a driving range. FIG. 1 is an overhead view of a first embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system at a driving range. FIG. 7 is an overhead view of a second embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system in a driving range. FIG. 7 is an overhead view of a second embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system with multiple hitting stations. Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method of determining which parameters to use to display a flight path. FIG. 6 is a chart showing possible scenarios and results obtained using the method illustrated in FIG. 5;

  FIG. 1 illustrates a driving range 10 including at least one hitting station 100, at least one golf ball 110, at least one golf club 120, and a range surface 200 (the ball's flight surface). The hitting station 100 is located at one end of the range surface 200 (the ground surface of the range, the ground surface of the golf driving range). The player 300 standing at the hitting station 100 can swing the golf club 120 to hit the golf ball 110 and fly it upward of the range surface 200. Referring to FIG. 2, a path along which the golf ball 110 moves from the impact point (starting point 160) with the golf club 120 to the point (falling point 170) where the golf ball 110 initially falls on the range surface 200 is illustrated. There is. The path traveled by the golf ball 110 from the starting point 160 to the dropping point 170 is a flight path 130. A ground path 140 is a path along which the golf ball 110 moves from the drop point 170 to a point (stop point 180) at which the golf ball 110 rests on the range surface 200. The total movement path 150 is a complete path from the starting point 160 where the golf ball 110 moves to the stopping point 180, and is equivalent to the combination of the flight path 130 and the ground path 140. 2 and 3 illustrate the flight path 130, the ground path 140 and the total travel path 150 of the ball 110. FIG.

  In FIGS. 1 and 2 described above, according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the entire moving path 150 of the golf ball 110 used in the driving range 10 is tracked, and the entire moving path 150 is displayed on the player 300. One preferred embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system, which is specifically configured as such, is illustrated. The multi-sensor tracking system preferably includes a plurality of sensors 410, 420, 430, a display 450 and a computer having a processor and database.

  The sensors of each of the plurality of sensors are configured to record specific parameters for the entire travel path 150. Such parameters include the moment of impact, starting point 150, ball ejection angle of flight path 130, lateral spin of golf ball 110, longitudinal spin of golf ball 110, initial position of golf ball 110, impact point 160, flight path 130. The detection of the top golf ball 110 velocity / ball velocity, 3D (three dimensional) coordinates of flight path 130, 3D coordinates of ground path 140, and stop point 180 can be included without limitation thereto. Further, certain sensors may be configured to detect other parameters related to the golf swing of the player 300, including but not limited to club path and club speed / swing speed.

  Those skilled in the art, for example, but not limited to, infrared sensors, radar sensors, pressure sensors, acoustic sensors, laser sensors and cameras (infrared camera and visible light camera) for the detection of parameters It will be appreciated that there are many types of sensors and technologies available. Further, it will be appreciated that a particular sensor can detect a subset of all parameters available for the entire travel path 150. For example, an infrared sensor is particularly suitable for detecting the moment of impact, but can not detect the lateral spin of the golf ball 110, the impact point 170, other similar parameters, or other decisions. On the other hand, a sophisticated camera sensor that is suitable for determining the golf ball's direction, velocity and parameters for the flight path 130 such as the impact point 170 but is not accurate for determining the parameters for the ground path 140 such as the stop point 180. It is possible to use. As another example, the radar sensor is particularly suitable for detecting the horizontal and longitudinal spins of the golf ball 110 initially in the flight path 130, as well as the swing path (track) of the club and the head speed of the club. Parameters related to can not be determined.

  In addition to being configured to detect specific parameters, each sensor type also has a field of detection. The sensing field is the general area in front of the sensor from which the sensor can sense parameters. It will be appreciated that the sensing field can be adjusted according to the respective sensor type, but may be regulated by the particular technology utilized to sense the parameter. Furthermore, the position of each sensor may affect its sensing field. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a sensor 410 located behind the hitting station 100 with a sensing field 411. In such a position, the image of the sensor 410 of the flight path 130 may be disturbed by the golfer or by the partition between each of the plurality of hitting stations 100.

  An important improvement of the invention is the arrangement of the other sensors in the plurality of sensors in such a way that the respective sensing fields 411, 421, 431 are likewise unobstructed. It will be appreciated that such an arrangement can ensure a high probability that the combination of sensing fields 411, 421, 431 provides an unobstructed image of the entire travel path (150). For example, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, although the sensing fields 411, 421, 431 for each sensor 410, 420, 430 overlap, different ones of the golf balls 110 travel in the entire travel path 150. It is shown to cover the area of

  It will be appreciated that multiple embodiments of a multi-sensor tracking system are possible by including different types of sensors 410, 420, 430 in multiple sensors and placing them at different locations on the driving range 10. Will. FIG. 2 illustrates one such preferred embodiment. The driving range 10 may include a plurality of hitting stations 100 arranged in a curved configuration along one end of the range surface 200 as shown in FIG. A first type of sensor 410 is located behind each of the hitting stations 100. In this example, the first type of sensor 410 uses radar for club swing path, club face angle, emission angle, lateral spin, longitudinal spin and initial velocity detection. A second type of sensor 430 is located at the other end of the range surface 200 and is positioned approximately facing the plurality of hitting stations 110 as shown in FIG. This second type of sensor 430 has a narrower sensing field 431 and is used to sense parameters related to the ground path 140. In this embodiment, a second type of sensor uses a narrow angle camera to detect the 3D coordinates of the ground path 140 and the velocity / ball velocity of the golf ball 110. Although only one sensor 430 is shown in this example, using a combination of several second type sensors 430 for detection of ground path 150 parameters occurring at different points of the range surface 200 Can.

  In the illustrated embodiment, two third type sensors 430 are located at opposite ends of the plurality of hitting stations 100. This third type of sensor is configured to face inward toward the range surface 200 and have an overlapping sensing field 421. Such overlapping detection fields 421 may optionally be employed to improve the accuracy of the parameters that are required for a particular type of sensor or detected.

  Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, another preferred embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system is illustrated, wherein the first type of sensor 410 of the first preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a fourth type. Sensor 460 is substituted. In another preferred embodiment shown, the fourth type of sensor 460 is configured to be a simple infrared directional trip sensor. Such sensor 460 includes a beam emitter and a beam detector located on the opposite side of the hitting station 100. In the simplest embodiment, the beam emitter of sensor 460 sends an infrared light beam to the other side of the hitting station 100 where it is detected by a beam detector. It will be appreciated that when the golf ball 110 is hit, it will travel between the beam detector of the sensor 460 and the beam emitter and will block the infrared light beam detected by the beam detector. Thus, sensor 460 can identify when flight path 130 has started, but can not detect other further parameters associated with the entire travel path 150.

  Computer databases store all the parameters needed for a multi-sensor tracking system, including the size, shape and position of the hitting station, the position of each sensor of the multiple sensors, the sensors of the multiple sensors The parameters that can be detected, the position and boundaries of the range surface 200, and the number of shots hit with the golf club 120, the predicted distance and the flight trajectory are included. Such parameters can be obtained by the processor as needed to operate the multi-sensor tracking system.

  By utilizing the multi-sensors 410, 420, 430 (or 460, 420, 430), the multi-sensor tracking system can obtain specific desired parameters of the entire travel path 150. Since the sensors 410, 420, 430 sense the same parameters, a method is needed to determine which parameters should be selected to display the full travel path 150 on the display 450. FIG. 5 illustrates how to make such a determination.

  The method of FIG. 5 begins at step 500 where the golf ball 120 is hit by the golf club 120. The moment of impact will be detected by sensor 410 at step 504 (or by sensor 460 as described above). If the sensor 410 detects the moment of impact, processing transfers to step 506. At step 506, the computer utilizes the golf ball launch angle, initial velocity and starting position to predict the 3D coordinates of the flight path 130 and the predicted impact point 170. In the first preferred embodiment, the emission angle, the initial speed and the start position are all parameters that can be detected by the sensor 410. Processing then proceeds to step 508.

  The purpose of step 508 is to determine whether sensor 420 has detected a golf shot corresponding to the golf shot detected by sensor 410 in step 504. This is performed by comparing the 3D parameters predicted in step 506 with the actual 3D parameters sensed by sensor 420. It will be appreciated that in a typical driving range 10, as shown in FIG. 4, there are several different golf shots being tracked at any one time. In this preferred embodiment, sensor 420 will sense the actual 3D parameters of multiple (if not each) flight paths 130 associated with each such golf shot. Thus, in step 508, the computer first determines the actual flight path 130 associated with each flight path 130 detected by the sensor 420 during the time window when the sensor 410 acquired the parameters processed in step 506. Collect 3D parameters. The specific time width of the time window may be the type of sensor used, the weather conditions, the specific placement of multiple hitting stations in the driving range 10, the size and shape of the range surface, the placement of multiple sensors, or Varying by any other conditions assumed to affect the amount of time that the golf ball 110 is expected to move in the detection fields 411, 421, 431. After obtaining the actual 3D parameters of flight path 130 for a suitable time window, the computer compares such actual 3D parameters for each flight path 130 with the predicted 3D coordinates of flight path 130, Determine if any one of the actual 3D parameters correspond to the predicted 3D parameters.

  Such correspondences become immediately apparent as the actual 3D coordinates overlap with part of the predicted D coordinates. Alternatively, if the actual 3D coordinates do not start at the actual start position, the computer can calculate the predicted start position 160 by inferring the 3D parameters of the flight path 130 in the opposite direction. Subsequently, the expected starting position 160 for each flight path 130 (and the actual starting position 160 sensed by the sensor 420 to the extent they exist) was detected with the actual starting position 160 sensed by the sensor 410 Be compared. If a corresponding actual / predicted start position 160 detected by sensor 420 is found for the actual start position 160 detected by sensor 410, then the process proceeds to step 510. If the actual / predicted start position 160 is not detected by the sensor 420 at all, the process proceeds to step 514.

  At step 514, flight path 130 is displayed on display 450 using the 3D parameters detected by sensor 420. At step 510, flight path 130 is displayed on display 450 using the 3D parameters detected by sensor 410, or if sensor 410 does not detect 3D parameters of the entire flight path. The computer will predict by detecting sensed 3D parameters along a parabolic curve.

  Processing then proceeds to step 516 where the sensor 430 will detect parameters associated with the ground path 140 of the golf ball 120. If the sensor 430 detects parameters associated with the ground path 140, then, at step 520, the flight path 130 is displayed using the parameters for the ground path 140 detected by the sensor 430, at step 520. It is displayed continuously from. In the exemplary driving range 10, the sensor 430 can detect parameters for the ground path 140 of a number of different golf shots (shown in FIG. 4). Thus, at step 516, the computer will attempt to align the parameters for the ground path 140 with the corresponding flight path 130. This is accomplished by utilizing the 3D parameters used to display flight path 130 and calculating predicted impact points 170. If the sensor 430 detects a parameter for the ground path 140 corresponding to the predicted impact point, then the process proceeds to step 520. If the sensor 430 does not detect a parameter corresponding to the predicted impact point 170, then processing transfers to step 518.

  At step 518, the computer calculates parameters for the ground path 140 and displays the ground path 130 on the display 450. This calculation is performed by using the parameters used to display the flight path 130, which includes actual / predicted speed / ball speed and directionality, and between the range surface 200 and the golf ball 130. Parameters can be included that describe the effects of friction. At step 520, the ground path 130 is displayed on the display 450 using the actual parameters for the ground path 130 detected by the sensor 430.

  If the sensor 410 fails to detect the moment of impact at step 504, processing proceeds to step 512 where the sensor 420 will detect parameters associated with the flight path 130. If the sensor 410 can not detect the moment of impact and the sensor 420 detects a parameter related to the flight path 130, the process moves to step 514. If the sensor 410 can not detect the moment of impact and the sensor 420 can not detect parameters related to the flight path 130, the process returns to step 500.

  While the numerous features and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the details of the structure and function of the various embodiments of the present invention, this disclosure content is for the purpose of illustration only and is set forth in the following claims. Modifications are possible in detail within the principles of the invention, in particular in terms of the construction and arrangement of the parts, within the full scope indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms expressed in. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the teachings of the present invention may be applied to other systems without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims (20)

A system for detecting and displaying a plurality of parameters related to the entire travel path of a golf ball, the system comprising:
A first sensor having a sensor of a first type and configured to detect a first plurality of parameters including the moment of impact of the golf ball ;
A second sensor having a second type of sensor different from the first type of sensor, the second sensor being configured to sense a second plurality of parameters including a flight path of the golf ball ;
A computer connected to both the first sensor and the second sensor , wherein the travel path of the golf ball when the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters are available. To determine which of the first plurality of parameters, the second plurality of parameters, or both to utilize to calculate The apparatus is configured to evaluate both of a plurality of parameters, and further, when the second plurality of parameters are not available, the first plurality of parameters are used to calculate the total movement path of the golf ball With a computer that is configured to
A display connected to the computer and configured to display the calculated full path of movement of the golf ball ;
System that contains The first plurality of parameters include a starting position of the golf ball, an emission angle of the golf ball, a transverse spin of the golf ball, a longitudinal spin of the golf ball, an initial position of the golf ball, and an impact point of the golf ball. The system of claim 1, further comprising a release velocity of the golf ball, a release velocity of the golf ball, or a combination thereof. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first plurality of parameters further comprises a golf club head path, a club head speed, a golf club head speed, or a combination thereof. The second plurality of parameters include 3D coordinates of the flight path, an emission angle of the golf ball, a lateral spin of the golf ball, a longitudinal spin of the golf ball, an initial position of the golf ball, and an impact point of the golf ball. The system of claim 1, further comprising a release velocity of the golf ball, a release velocity of the golf ball, or a combination thereof. The third sensor further comprises a third sensor having a third type of sensor, wherein the third type of sensor is different from the first type of sensor and the second type of sensor, and the third sensor is a ground path of the golf ball. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to sense a third plurality of parameters that it includes. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the third plurality of parameters further comprises 3D coordinates of the ground path, stopping points of the golf ball, or a combination thereof. The computer is configured to calculate the movement path of the golf ball using the first plurality of parameters, the second plurality of parameters, and the third plurality of parameters. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that The system according to claim 1, wherein the first type of sensor is an infrared sensor, a radar sensor, a pressure sensor, an acoustic sensor, a laser sensor, an infrared camera, a visible light camera, or a combination thereof. The system of claim 8, wherein the first type of sensor is an infrared directional trip sensor. The system of claim 9, wherein the first type of sensor further comprises an infrared light beam emitter and an infrared light beam detector. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second type of sensor is an infrared sensor, a radar sensor, a pressure sensor, an acoustic sensor, a laser sensor, an infrared camera, a visible light camera, or a combination thereof. The system of claim 11, wherein the second type of sensor is a radar sensor. The system of claim 5, wherein the third type of sensor is a narrow angle camera for detecting 3D coordinates of the ground path.   The first sensor configured to detect the first plurality of parameters associated with a first sensing field of the golf ball at the moment of impact, the first sensor comprising a plurality of driving ranges The first sensor located at at least one of the hitting stations, the first sensing field being able to see the moment of impact of the golf ball substantially without interference;
  The second sensor configured to sense the second plurality of parameters associated with a second sensing field of the flight path of the golf ball, the second sensor being of the hitting station 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: a second sensor disposed laterally, wherein the second detection field can be viewed without substantially obstructing the flight path of the golf ball. The system described in. The system of claim 14, wherein the first sensing field and the second sensing field do not overlap sensing fields. The system of claim 14, wherein the first sensing field and the second sensing field overlap sensing fields. The sensor further comprises a third sensor having a third type of sensor, wherein the third type of sensor is different from the first type of sensor and the second type of sensor, and the third sensor has a third sensing field and 14. The method according to claim 14, wherein the third detection field is configured to detect an associated third plurality of parameters, and the third detection field can be viewed without substantially interfering with the ground path of the golf ball. The system described in. The system of claim 17, wherein the first sensing field, the second sensing field, and the third sensing field can show the path of movement of the golf ball without interference. The system of claim 18, wherein the first sensing field, the second sensing field, and the third sensing field overlap sensing fields. The system of claim 18, wherein the first sensing field, the second sensing field, and the third sensing field do not overlap sensing fields.

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