CN107073325B

CN107073325B - Multi-sensor tracking system and method

Info

Publication number: CN107073325B
Application number: CN201480083141.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 詹姆士.沃尔布里奇; 约翰.沃尔布里奇; 瑞安.塔沃特
Original assignee: Freindy Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Freindy Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2014-09-02
Filing date: 2014-09-02
Publication date: 2022-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 2034-09-02
Also published as: KR20170066382A; JP6526799B2; CA2959499A1; JP2017525521A; AU2021202781A1; AU2014405613A1; WO2016036351A1; CA2959499C; MX391014B; KR102353481B1; EP3188810A4; BR112017004213A2; MX2017002677A; AU2023204292A1; EP3188810A1; CN107073325A

Abstract

A system and method for tracking the flight of a golf ball on a driving range. The system includes a plurality of hitting pads, a plurality of sensors, a computer, and a driving surface. Each of the plurality of clubs includes a golf ball, a golf club, a display, and a sensor. At least one sensor of the plurality of sensors is positioned outside the hitting table. The flight path of the golf ball is calculated by a computer using parameters from a number of sensors. The method includes steps for determining whether the first sensor detects the first parameter and the second parameter, determining whether the second sensor detects the first parameter and the second parameter, and determining whether the third sensor detects the third parameter. step, and the step of using the first parameter, the second parameter and the third parameter to describe the flight path of the golf ball.

Description

Multi-sensor tracking system and method

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of tracking golf balls and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to using multiple sensors to assist in tracing the path on a display.

Background

Golf has remained a popular hobby and recreational activity since its invention over the centuries ago. The popularity of golf stems in part from the sophistication sought to its various skills. Improving these skills requires frequent and constant practice. Golf courses are common locations for such exercises. Golfers are able to practice their swings at typical golf courses. More recently, businesses have begun opening more advanced golf courses that are intended to meet the needs of golfers for other forms of entertainment and recreation. Such facilities include not only typical golf courses, but also restaurants, bars, and other entertainment options where golfers may choose to complement their practice. Among such options are various virtual games related to a golf swing, such as those disclosed in U.S. patent application No.14/321,333, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

With the advent of this new golf/entertainment facility, various technologies have been used to assist golfers in improving their games or in improving typical practice. Such techniques include the use of radio frequency chips, radar, lasers or optical cameras to track the golfer's swing and the flight path of the golf ball and provide useful feedback to the golfer regarding both. Unfortunately, while each of these techniques is particularly suited for tracking specific parameters of a golf swing or golf ball path, none is capable of continuously tracking and providing golfers with a comprehensive view of their swing and resulting golf shots. Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that uses the parameters captured by each such technology on multiple sensors and presents the resulting information to the golfer in a meaningful way. This and other limitations of the prior art are addressed by the present invention.

Disclosure of Invention

In a preferred embodiment, the golf range includes a golf ball, a golf club, a hitting bay, a range surface, a plurality of sensors, a computer, and a display. Each of the plurality of sensors is configured to detect at least one parameter relating to a golf swing or a flight path of a golf ball. Further, each of the plurality of sensors is connected to a computer. The computer includes a processor and a database. The database is configured to store parameters relating to the hitting platform, each of the plurality of sensors, the driving range surface, and the golf club. Further, the database is configured to store parameters detected 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 apply to delineate the golf swing and flight path on the display. All parameters and rules stored in the database are stored in a manner that allows the processor to retrieve and process as needed.

Drawings

FIG. 1 shows a rear perspective view of a first embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system on a golf course.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of a first embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system on a golf course.

Figure 3 shows a top view of a second embodiment of the multi-sensor tracking system on a golf course.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of a second embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system having multiple ball striking stations.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method of determining which parameters to apply to delineate a travel path.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 illustrates a golf range 10 that includes at least one hitting station 100, at least one golf ball 110, at least one golf club 120, and a range surface 200. The hitting station 100 is located at one end of the driving range surface 200. It will be appreciated that a player 300 standing in the ball striking station 100 may swing a golf club 120 to strike the golf ball 100 onto the driving surface 200. Turning to fig. 2, the path of a golf ball 110 is shown traveling from the point of impact with golf club 120 (referred to as the point of origin 160) to the point at which golf ball 110 initially impacts a driving range surface 200 (referred to as the point of impact 170). The path that the golf ball 110 travels from the point of origin 160 to the point of impact 170 is referred to as the flight path 130. The path of the golf ball 110 from the point of impact 170 to the point where it rests on the driving surface 200 (referred to as the rest point 180) is referred to as the ground path 140. Total path 150 refers to the complete path traveled by golf ball 110 after originating point 160 until resting point 180 and is equal to the combination of flight path 130 and ground path 140. Fig. 2 and 3 show a flight path 130, a ground path 140, and a total travel path 150 of a golf ball 110.

Turning to fig. 1 and 2, illustrated therein is a preferred embodiment of a multi-sensor tracking system, particularly configured for tracking the overall travel path 150 of a golf ball 110 on a golf course 100, and displaying the overall travel path 150 to a player 300, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The multi-sensor tracking system preferably includes a plurality of

sensors

410, 420 and 430, a display 450 and a computer having a processor and a database.

Each sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to record a particular parameter relating to the overall travel path 150. Such parameters may include, but are not limited to: the moment of impact, the point of origin 150, the launch angle of flight path 130, the lateral spin of golf ball 110, the vertical spin of golf ball 110, the initial position of golf ball 110, point of impact 160, the velocity/velocity of golf ball 100 on flight path 130, the three-dimensional coordinates of ground path 140, and the resting point 180 are detected. Further, certain sensors may be configured to detect other parameters about the golf swing of player 300, including but not limited to club path and club speed/velocity.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that there are many types of sensors and techniques available for detecting parameters, including for example, but not limited to, infrared beam sensors, radar sensors, pressure sensors, sound sensors, laser sensors, and cameras (infrared and visible light). It will also be appreciated that a particular sensor is capable of detecting a subset of the total parameters available with respect to the total travel path 150. For example, infrared beam sensors are particularly well suited to detecting the moment of impact, but are not capable of detecting or otherwise determining the lateral spin of golf ball 110, the point of impact 170, or other similar parameters. In contrast, accurate camera sensors are available that are particularly well suited for determining parameters related to the flight path 130, such as direction, speed, and point of impact 170, but are less accurate in determining parameters associated with the ground path 140 (e.g., the resting point 180). As a further example, radar sensors are particularly suited to detect lateral and vertical rotation of golf ball 110 on initial flight path 130, as well as club path and club head speed, but are not able to determine parameters associated with ground path 140.

Each sensor type has a detection area in addition to being configured to detect a particular parameter. The detection area is the general area in front of the sensor from which the sensor can detect the parameter. It will be understood that the detection zone can be adjusted for each sensor type, but may be limited by the particular technique used to detect the parameter. In addition, the location of each sensor may affect its detection area. For example, FIG. 2 shows a sensor 410 located behind the ball striking table 100. Which has a detection area 411. In such a position, the field of view of the flight path 130 by the sensor 410 may be obscured by the golfer, or by the separation between each of the hitting stations 100. Such shadowing often adversely affects the ability of the sensor to detect parameters.

A key improvement of the present invention is the placement of the other sensors in the plurality of sensors such that their

respective detection zones

411, 421 and 431 are not similarly blocked. It will thus be appreciated that such placement may thus, to a large extent, ensure that the combined

detection regions

411, 421 and 431 provide an uninterrupted view of the overall travel path (150). For example, in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the

detection zones

411, 421, and 431 for each

sensor

410, 420, and 430, respectively, are shown as overlapping, but covering different areas of the overall path of travel 150 over which the golf ball 110 may travel.

It will be appreciated that multiple embodiments of the multi-sensor tracking system are possible by including different types of

sensors

410, 420, 430 in the plurality of sensors and locating these sensors at different locations within the golf course 10. One such preferred embodiment is shown in fig. 2. It will also be appreciated that the golf course 100 may include a plurality of ball striking stations 100 arranged in a curve around one end of the golf course surface 200, as shown in fig. 4. A first type of sensor 410 is located behind each of the ball striking stations 100. In this embodiment, the first type of sensor 410 uses radar to detect club path, club face angle, launch angle, lateral spin, vertical spin, and initial velocity. The second type of sensor 430 is located at the other end of the driving range surface 200 and is positioned generally facing the plurality of ball striking stations 110, as shown in fig. 4. The second type of sensor 430 has a narrower detection area 431 and is thus used to detect parameters about the ground path 140. In this embodiment, the second type of sensor employs a narrow angle camera to detect the three-dimensional coordinates of the ground path 140 and the speed/velocity of the golf ball 110. It will be appreciated that although only one sensor 430 is shown in this embodiment, a plurality of sensors 430 of the second type may be used in combination to detect parameters of the ground path 150 that occur in different locations on the driving surface 200.

In the illustrated embodiment, two sensors 430 of the third type are located at opposite ends of the plurality of ball striking stations 100. The third type of sensor is configured to face inward toward the driving range surface 200 and has overlapping detection areas 421. Such overlapping detection areas 421 are either necessary for a particular type of sensor or may optionally be used to improve the accuracy of the detected parameter.

Turning to fig. 3 and 4, illustrated therein is an alternative preferred embodiment of the multi-sensor tracking system, wherein the first type of sensor 410 of the preferred embodiment illustrated in fig. 1 and 2 has been replaced by a fourth type of sensor 460. It will be appreciated that in the alternative preferred embodiment shown, the fourth type of sensor 460 is configured as a simple infrared directional travel sensor. Such a sensor 460 includes a beam emitter and a beam detector located on opposite sides of the ball striking table 100. In the simplest embodiment, the beam emitter of the sensor 460 sends an infrared beam to the other side of the table 100 where it is detected by the beam detector. It will also be appreciated that when the golf ball 110 is struck, it will travel between the beam detector and the beam emitter of the sensor 460, and will thereby interrupt the infrared beam detected by the beam detector. In this manner, the sensor 460 is able to identify when the flight path 130 begins, but is unable to detect more advanced parameters associated with the overall travel path 150.

The computer's database stores all of the parameters required for the multi-sensor tracking system, which may include the size, shape, and location of the hitting bay, the location of each sensor of the plurality of sensors, the parameters detectable by each sensor of the plurality of sensors, the location and boundary of the driving surface 200, and the number of hits, expected distances, and trajectories to be hit with the selected golf club 120. Such parameters are retrieved by the processor as needed to operate the multi-sensor tracking system.

It will be appreciated that by employing

multiple sensors

410, 420 and 430 (or alternatively 460, 420 and 430), the multi-sensor tracking system is able to capture certain desired parameters of the overall travel path 150. Because the

sensors

410, 420, and 430 can detect the same parameters, a method is needed to determine which parameters should be selected to delineate the overall travel path 150 on the display 450. Fig. 5 illustrates a method of making such a determination.

Fig. 5 begins at step 500, where a golf ball 110 is struck by a golf club 120. In step 504, the time of impact is potentially detected by sensor 410 (or alternatively sensor 460 as described above). If the moment of impact is detected by the sensor 410, the process is passed to step 506. In step 506, the computer uses the launch angle, initial velocity, and starting position to estimate the three-dimensional coordinates of the flight path 130 and the estimated point of impact 170. In the first preferred embodiment, the launch angle, initial velocity and starting position are all parameters that can be detected by the sensor 410. Processing then passes 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 from step 504. This is accomplished by comparing the estimated three-dimensional parameters from step 506 with the actual three-dimensional parameters detected by sensor 420. It will be appreciated that in a typical golf course 10, there may be a plurality of different golf shots tracked at any given time, such as those shown in fig. 4. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor 420 may detect a number, if not every, of the actual three-dimensional parameters of the flight path 130 associated with each such golf shot. Thus, in step 508, during the time window in which the sensor 410 captures the parameters processed in step 506, the computer first collects the actual three-dimensional parameters associated with each flight path 130 detected by the sensor 420. The particular duration of the time window may depend on the type of sensor used, weather conditions, the particular arrangement of the plurality of ball striking stations 100 on the golf course 10, the size and shape of the course surface, the positioning of the plurality of sensors, or any other condition that may affect the amount of time that the golf ball 110 may be expected to travel in each of the

detection zones

411, 421, 431. After capturing the actual three-dimensional parameters of the flight path 130 for the appropriate time window, the computer then compares the actual three-dimensional parameters of each flight path 130 to the estimated three-dimensional coordinates of the flight path 130 and determines whether any of the actual three-dimensional parameters correspond to the estimated three-dimensional parameters.

Such correspondence may be immediately apparent since the actual three-dimensional coordinates overlap a portion of the estimated three-dimensional coordinates. Alternatively, in the case where the actual three-dimensional coordinates do not begin with an actual starting position, the computer may calculate the estimated starting position 160 by extrapolating back the three-dimensional parameters of the flight path 130. The estimated starting position 160 (and the actual starting position 160 detected by the sensor 420 in its presence) of each flight path 130 is then compared to the actual starting position 160 detected by the sensor 410. If for the actual starting position 160 detected by sensor 410, the corresponding actual/estimated starting position 160 detected by sensor 420 is found, then the process proceeds to step 510. If the sensor 420 does not detect a corresponding actual/estimated starting position 160, the process proceeds to step 514.

In step 514, the flight path 130 on the display 450 is depicted using the three-dimensional parameters detected by the sensor 420. In step 510, the flight path 130 on the display 450 is depicted with the three-dimensional parameters detected by the sensor 410, or where the sensor 410 does not detect three-dimensional parameters of the entire flight path 130, the computer will estimate any missing three-dimensional parameters by extrapolating the detected three-dimensional parameters along a parabolic curve.

Processing then transfers to step 516, where sensor 430 potentially detects a parameter associated with the ground path 140 of the golf ball 120. If the sensor 430 detects a parameter associated with the ground path 140, then in step 520, the total travel path 150 is depicted as continuing the depicted flight path 130 using the parameter of the ground path 140 detected by the sensor 430. It will be appreciated that in a typical golf course 10, the sensors 430 can detect parameters of the ground path 140 for a number of different golf shots (as shown in fig. 4). Accordingly, in step 516, the computer will attempt to align the parameters of the ground path 140 with the corresponding flight path 130. This is accomplished by taking the three-dimensional parameters used to delineate the flight path 130 and calculating the estimated point of impact 170. If the sensor 430 detects a parameter of the ground path 140 corresponding to the estimated point of impact, the process proceeds to step 520. If the sensor 430 does not detect a parameter corresponding to the estimated point of impact 170, processing proceeds to step 518.

In step 518, the computer calculates the parameters of the ground path 140 and depicts the ground path 130 on the display 450. This calculation is done using parameters for delineating the flight path 130, which may include actual/estimated speed/velocity and direction, as well as parameters describing the friction effect between the driving range surface 200 and the golf ball 130. In step 520, the ground path 130 is depicted on the display 450 using the actual parameters of the ground path 130 detected by the sensor 430.

If the sensor 410 fails to detect the moment of impact in step 504, the process moves to step 512, where the sensor 420 potentially detects a parameter associated with the flight path 130. If the sensor 410 fails to detect the moment of impact and the sensor 420 detects a parameter associated with the flight path 130, the process is passed to step 514. If the sensor 410 fails to detect the moment of impact and the sensor 420 fails to detect any parameters associated with the flight path 130, the process returns to step 500.

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of various embodiments of the invention, this disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail in the construction and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 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

1. A system for detecting and displaying a plurality of parameters related to a golf ball's overall path of travel, the system comprising:

a first sensor of a first sensor type configured to detect a first plurality of parameters, the first plurality of parameters including the time of impact of the golf ball;

a second sensor having a second sensor type different from the first sensor type, the second sensor configured to detect a second plurality of parameters including the golf ball flight path;

a computer connected to both the first sensor and the second sensor, the computer configured to evaluate the first plurality of parameters when the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters are available both a plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters to determine whether to use the first plurality of parameters, the second plurality of parameters, or both to calculate the path of travel of the golf ball; the computer is further configured to use the first plurality of parameters to calculate a total path of travel of the golf ball when the second plurality of parameters are not available;

as well as

A display connected to the computer and configured to display the calculated path of travel of the golf ball.

2. A method for delineating the total travel path of a golf ball using parameters detected by a plurality of sensors, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a first sensor of the plurality of sensors having a first sensor type detects a first plurality of parameters associated with the total travel path;

determining whether a second sensor of the plurality of sensors having a second sensor type different from the first sensor type detects the first plurality of parameters associated with the total travel path;

determining whether the first sensor of the plurality of sensors detects a second plurality of parameters associated with the total travel path;

When the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters are available, evaluating both the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters, determining to use the first plurality of parameters, the second plurality of parameters or both to calculate the path of travel of the golf ball; the computer is further configured to use the first plurality of parameters to calculate the golf ball when the second plurality of parameters are not available the total travel path of the golf ball; and

The calculated path of travel of the golf ball is depicted.

3. A driving range for hitting golf balls, the driving range comprising:

the surface of the practice court;

computer;

a plurality of batting pads located at the first end of the practice court surface, each batting pad comprising:

golf;

Golf clubs;

a display connected to the computer;

a first sensor having a first sensor type and a first detection area, the first sensor being positioned in the hitting ring, the first sensor being connected to the computer and configured to detect contact with the golf ball a first plurality of parameters associated with the total travel path;

A second sensor positioned adjacent to the driving court surface, the second sensor having a second sensor type and a second detection area, the second sensor type being different from the first sensor type, the second detecting an area different from the first detection area, the second sensor connected to the computer and configured to detect a second plurality of parameters associated with the overall travel path of the golf ball;

wherein the computer utilizes the first plurality of parameters or the second plurality of parameters from the respective batting stations to calculate the total amount of each golf ball from each batting station in the plurality of batting stations the path of travel; and

wherein, when the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters are available, the computer is further configured to evaluate both the first plurality of parameters and the second plurality of parameters to determine the use of the first plurality of parameters, the second plurality of parameters, or both; the computer is further configured to use the first plurality of parameters to calculate all parameters when the second plurality of parameters is not available Describe the total travel path of the golf ball.

4. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first plurality of parameters further comprises: a starting position of the golf ball, a launch angle of the golf ball, lateral rotation of the golf ball, vertical rotation of the golf ball, original positioning of the golf ball, impact point of the golf ball, launch rate of the golf ball, launch speed of the golf ball, or its combination.

5. The system, method, or driving range of claim 4, wherein the first plurality of parameters further comprises: golf club head path, club head velocity, golf club head speed, or a combination thereof.

6. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the second plurality of parameters further comprises: three-dimensional coordinates of a flight path, a launch angle of the golf ball, the golf ball Lateral spin of the ball, vertical spin of the golf ball, initial position of the golf ball, impact point of the golf ball, launch rate of the golf ball, launch speed of the golf ball, or a combination thereof.

7. The system, method or driving range of claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a third sensor having a third sensor type; the third sensor type being different from the first sensor type and the second sensor type; The third sensor is configured to detect a third plurality of parameters including the ground path of the golf ball.

8. The system, method, or driving range of claim 7, wherein the third plurality of parameters further comprises: three-dimensional coordinates of the ground path, a stationary point of the golf ball, or a combination thereof.

9. The system, method, or driving range of claim 8, wherein the computer is configured to use the first plurality of parameters, the second plurality of parameters, and the third plurality of parameters to calculate the travel path of the golf ball.

10. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first sensor type is an infrared sensor, a radar sensor, a pressure sensor, a sound sensor, a laser sensor, an infrared camera, a visible light camera or a combination thereof.

11. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 10, wherein the first sensor type is an infrared directional travel sensor.

12. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 11, wherein the first sensor type further comprises an infrared beam emitter and an infrared beam detector.

13. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the second sensor type is an infrared sensor, a radar sensor, a pressure sensor, a sound sensor, a laser sensor, an infrared camera, a visible light camera or a combination thereof.

14. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 13, wherein the second sensor type is a radar sensor.

15. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 7, wherein the third sensor type is a narrow angle camera for detecting three-dimensional coordinates of the ground path.

16. The system, method or driving range of claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising:

The first sensor is configured to detect a first plurality of parameters related to a first detection zone of the impact time of the golf ball; the first sensor is positioned in at least one of a plurality of hitting pads at a golf driving range ; said first detection region has a substantially unobstructed view of said golf ball at said moment of impact; and,

the second sensor is configured to detect a second plurality of parameters related to a second detection zone of the flight path of the golf ball; the second sensor locates a side of the striking table; the second detection zone There is a substantially unobstructed view of the flight path of the golf ball.

17. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 16, wherein the first detection area and the second detection area do not have overlapping detection areas.

18. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 16, wherein the first detection area and the second detection area have overlapping detection areas.

19. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 16, further comprising a third sensor having a third sensor type; the third sensor type being different from the first sensor type and the second sensor type and the third sensor configured to detect a third plurality of parameters associated with a third detection area; the third detection area having a substantially unobstructed view of the ground path of the golf ball.

20. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 19, wherein the first detection area, the second detection area, the third detection area provide unobstructed access to the golf ball. The field of view of the path of travel.

21. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 20, wherein the first detection area, the second detection area, and the third detection area have overlapping detection areas.

22. The system, method or golf driving range of claim 20, wherein the first detection area, the second detection area, and the third detection area do not have overlapping detection areas.