초록 ▼

A disclosed device provides a trajectory detection and feedback system. The system is capable of detecting one or more moving objects in free flight, analyzing a trajectory of each object and providing immediate feedback information to a human that has launched the object into flight, and/or one or

A disclosed device provides a trajectory detection and feedback system. The system is capable of detecting one or more moving objects in free flight, analyzing a trajectory of each object and providing immediate feedback information to a human that has launched the object into flight, and/or one or more observers in the area. The feedback information may include one or more trajectory parameters that the human may use to evaluate their skill at sending the object along a desired trajectory. In a particular embodiment, a non-intrusive machine vision system that remotely detects trajectories of moving objects may be used to evaluate trajectory parameters for a basketball shot at a basketball hoop by a player. The feedback information, such as a trajectory entry angle into the basketball hoop and/or an entry velocity into the hoop for the shot, may be output to the player in an auditory format using a sound projection device. The system may be operable to be set-up and to operate in a substantially autonomous manner. After the system has evaluated a plurality of shots by the player, the system may provide 1) a diagnosis of their shot consistency, 2) a prediction for improvement based upon improving their shot consistency and 3) a prescription of actions for improving their consistency.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A sports device comprising: one or more cameras for recording video frame data used to characterize a trajectory of a sports object launched by a person wherein the person is attempting to reproduce a particular trajectory of the sports object and wherein one or more trajecto

What is claimed is: 1. A sports device comprising: one or more cameras for recording video frame data used to characterize a trajectory of a sports object launched by a person wherein the person is attempting to reproduce a particular trajectory of the sports object and wherein one or more trajectory parameters characteristic of the particular trajectory are derived from a curve-fit of the particular trajectory; a logic device configured to i) receive selections indicating a plurality of different virtual target areas; ii) receive the video frame data, iii) recognize the sports object in the video frame data; iv) determine a curve-fit for the trajectory of the sports object captured in the video frame data; v) determine where the curve-fit for the trajectory of the sports object captured in the video frame data passes through one of the plurality of different virtual target areas; vi) determine one or more trajectory parameters that are derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object and vii) based upon the one or more trajectory parameters derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object, generate immediate feedback information that allows the person to evaluate their skill at reproducing the particular trajectory. 2. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the logic device is further configured to compare the one or more trajectory parameters generated from the curve fit of the trajectory of the sports object to the one or more trajectory parameters of the curve-fit that characterize the particular trajectory of the sports object that the person is attempting to reproduce. 3. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is provided as information that indicates a relative relationship between the one or more trajectories parameters of the trajectory of the sports object and the one or more trajectory parameters of the particular trajectory that the person is attempting to reproduce. 4. The sports device of claim 3, wherein the feedback information is related to the at least two compared trajectory parameters. 5. The sports device of claim 1, wherein at least two trajectory parameters characterizing the trajectory of the sports object are compared to at least two trajectory parameters of the particular trajectory the person is attempting to reproduce. 6. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the particular trajectory of the sports object that the person is attempting to reproduce is an optimal trajectory. 7. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the logic device is further configured to determine whether the trajectory of the sports object launched by the person passes through a virtual target area. 8. The sports device of claim 7, wherein the feedback information is related to a position or a directional angle of the sports object along its trajectory relative to a position of the virtual target area. 9. The sports device of claim 7, wherein the sports object is a basketball and the virtual target area is a virtual hoop. 10. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the sports object is selected from the group consisting of a tennis ball, a golf ball, a volley ball, a racquetball, a squash ball, a football, a baseball, a soccer ball, a javelin, a shot-put, a water polo ball, a softball and a hockey puck. 11. The sports device of claim 1, wherein one or more the trajectory parameters are selected from the group consisting of a speed, a directional velocity component, a position, a rotation rate, an axis of rotation, a directional angle and a directional acceleration component. 12. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is related to a height of the sports object at a location along its trajectory. 13. The sports device of claim 12, wherein the trajectory session information is associated with a plurality of different sports object trajectories generated by a particular person. 14. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is related to a directional angle of the sports object at a location along its trajectory. 15. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is related to a position of the sports object at location along its trajectory that is proximate, said position determined relative to a target location for the sports object for which the person is aiming. 16. The sports device of claim 1, a memory storage device for storing trajectory session information wherein the trajectory session information comprises one or more of 1) physical information, trajectory information and feedback information generated for the plurality of different sports object trajectories, 2) a trajectory session time, 3) a trajectory session date, 4) a trajectory session location and combinations thereof. 17. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is provided to the person in at least one of a visual format, an auditory format, a kinetic format and combinations thereof. 18. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the feedback information is provided to the person in an auditory format. 19. The sports device of claim 1, further comprising: a wireless network interface or a wire network interface for connecting the logic device to one of a local area network, a wide area network and the Internet. 20. The sports device of claim 1, further comprising: a wireless interface for providing communications between the logic device and a portable computing device. 21. The sports device of claim 1, wherein the logic device is further configured to determine the curve-fits for a plurality of different trajectories of the sports object captured in the video frame data. 22. The sports device of claim 21, wherein the logic device is further configured to determine one or more aggregate trajectory parameters derived from the plurality of different trajectories. 23. The sports device of claim 21, wherein the plurality of different trajectories are launched by a single person. 24. The sports device of claim 1, wherein logic device is further configured to receive a selection of a launch area for the sports object and determine where the sports object is launched within the launch area. 25. The sports device of claim 24, wherein the logic device is further configured to output an indication of the launch area. 26. A method in a sports device including one or more cameras and a processor, the method comprising: a) receiving video frame data including a trajectory of a sports object launched by a person wherein the person is attempting to reproduce a particular trajectory of a sports object and wherein one or more trajectory parameters characteristic of the particular trajectory are derived from a curve-fit of the particular trajectory; b) recognizing the sports object in the video frame data; c) determining a curve-fit for the trajectory of the sports object captured in the video frame data; d) receiving selections indicating a plurality of different virtual target areas; e) determining one or more trajectory parameters that are derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object; f) determining where the curve-fit for the trajectory of the sports object captured in the video frame data passes through one of the plurality of different virtual target areas; g) based upon the one or more trajectory parameters derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object, generating immediate feedback information that allows the person to evaluate their skill at reproducing the particular trajectory. 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising: repeating steps a) thru c) and e) thru g) for a plurality of different trajectories of the sports object launched by the person. 28. The method of claim 26, further comprising: comparing the one or more trajectory parameters generated from the curve fit of the trajectory of the sports object to one or more trajectory parameters of a curve-fit that characterizes a particular trajectory of the sports object the person is attempting to reproduce. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the feedback information is provided as information that indicates a relative relationship between the one or more trajectories parameters of the trajectory of the sports object and the one or more trajectory parameters of the particular trajectory that the person is attempting to reproduce. 30. A sports device comprising: one or more cameras for recording video frame data used to characterize a trajectory of a sports object launched by a person wherein the person is attempting to reproduce a particular trajectory of the sports object and wherein one or more trajectory parameters characteristic of the particular trajectory are derived from a curve-fit of the particular trajectory; a logic device configured for each of a plurality of different trajectories launched by the person to i) receive the video frame data, ii) recognize the sports object in the video frame data; iii) determine a curve-fit for the trajectory of the sports object captured in the video frame data; iv) determine one or more trajectory parameters that are derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object and v) based upon the one or more trajectory parameters derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object, generate immediate feedback information that allows the person to evaluate their skill at reproducing the particular trajectory wherein based upon the curve-fits for each of the plurality of different trajectories and the curve-fit of the particular trajectory, the logic device is configured to 1) determine a measure of how consistently the person reproduces the particular trajectory and 2) output the determined measure. 31. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the logic device is further configured to compare the one or more trajectory parameters generated from the curve fit of the trajectory of the sports object to the one or more trajectory parameters of the curve-fit that characterize the particular trajectory of the sports object that the person is attempting to reproduce. 32. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the feedback information is provided as information that indicates a relative relationship between the one or more trajectories parameters of the trajectory of the sports object and the one or more trajectory parameters of the particular trajectory that the person is attempting to reproduce. 33. The sports device of claim 30, wherein at least two trajectory parameters characterizing the trajectory of the sports object are compared to at least two trajectory parameters of the particular trajectory the person is attempting to reproduce. 34. The sports device of claim 33, wherein the feedback information is related to the at least two compared trajectory parameters. 35. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the particular trajectory of the sports object that the person is attempting to reproduce is an optimal trajectory. 36. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the logic device is further configured to determine whether the trajectory of the sports object launched by the person passes through a virtual target area. 37. The sports device of claim 36, wherein the feedback information is related to a position or a directional angle of the sports object along its trajectory relative to a position of the virtual target area. 38. The sports device of claim 36, wherein the sports object is a basketball and the virtual target area is a virtual hoop. 39. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the sports object is selected from the group consisting of a tennis ball, a golf ball, a volley ball, a racquetball, a squash ball, a football, a baseball, a soccer ball, a javelin, a shot-put, a water polo ball, a softball and a hockey puck. 40. The sports device of claim 30, wherein one or more the trajectory parameters are selected from the group consisting of a speed, a directional velocity component, a position, a rotation rate, an axis of rotation, a directional angle and a directional acceleration component. 41. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the feedback information is related to a height of the sports object at a location along its trajectory. 42. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the feedback information is related to a directional angle of the sports object at a location along its trajectory. 43. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the feedback information is related to a position of the sports object at location along its trajectory that is proximate, said position determined relative to a target location for the sports object for which the person is aiming. 44. The sports device of claim 30, a memory storage device for storing trajectory session information wherein the trajectory session information comprises one or more of 1) physical information, trajectory information and feedback information generated for the plurality of different sports object trajectories, 2) a trajectory session time, 3) a trajectory session date, 4) a trajectory session location and combinations thereof. 45. The sports device of claim 44, wherein the trajectory session information is associated with a plurality of different sports object trajectories generated by a particular person. 46. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the feedback information is provided to the person in at least one of a visual format, an auditory format, a kinetic format and combinations thereof. 47. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the feedback information is provided to the person in an auditory format. 48. The sports device of claim 30, further comprising: a wireless network interface or a wire network interface for connecting the logic device to one of a local area network, a wide area network and the Internet. 49. The sports device of claim 30, further comprising: a wireless interface for providing communications between the logic device and a portable computing device. 50. The sports device of claim 30, wherein the logic device is further configured to determine the curve-fits for a plurality of different trajectories of the sports object captured in the video frame data. 51. The sports device of claim 50, wherein the logic device is further configured to determine one or more aggregate trajectory parameters derived from the plurality of different trajectories. 52. The sports device of claim 50, wherein the plurality of different trajectories are launched by a single person. 53. The sports device of claim 30, wherein logic device is further configured to receive a selection of a launch area for the sports object and determine where the sports object is launched within the launch area. 54. The sports device of claim 53, wherein the logic device is further configured to output an indication of the launch area. 55. A method in a sports device including one or more cameras and a processor, the method comprising: for each of a plurality of different trajectories launched by a person wherein the person is attempting to reproduce a particular trajectory of a sports object and wherein one or more trajectory parameters characteristic of the particular trajectory are derived from a curve-fit of the particular trajectory, a) receiving video frame data including a trajectory of a sports object launched by the person; b) recognizing the sports object in the video frame data; c) determining a curve-fit for the trajectory of the sports object captured in the video frame data; d) determining one or more trajectory parameters that are derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object; e) based upon the one or more trajectory parameters derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object, generating immediate feedback information that allows the person to evaluate their skill at reproducing the particular trajectory wherein based upon the curve-fits for each of the plurality different trajectories determined in c) and the curve-fit of the particular trajectory, determining a measure of how consistently the person reproduces the particular trajectory and outputting the determined measure. 56. The method of claim 55, further comprising: determining whether the trajectory of the sports object launched by the person passes through a virtual target area. 57. The method of claim 55, further comprising: comparing the one or more trajectory parameters generated from the curve fit of the trajectory of the sports object to one or more trajectory parameters of a curve-fit that characterizes a particular trajectory of the sports object the person is attempting to reproduce. 58. A sports device comprising: one or more cameras for recording video frame data used to characterize a trajectory of a sports object launched by a person wherein the person is attempting to reproduce a particular trajectory of the sports object and wherein one or more trajectory parameters characteristic of the particular trajectory are derived from a curve-fit of the particular trajectory; a logic device configured to i) prior to analyzing a trajectory of the sports object, autonomously determine a set-up position of the one or more cameras and based upon the determined set-up position, auto-calibrate to objects in an environment in which the sports device is located, ii) receive the video frame data, iii) recognize the sports object in the video frame data; iv) determine a curve-fit for the trajectory of the sports object captured in the video frame data; v) determine one or more trajectory parameters that are derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object and vi) based upon the one or more trajectory parameters derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object, generate immediate feedback information that allows the person to evaluate their skill at reproducing the particular trajectory. 59. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the logic device is further configured to compare the one or more trajectory parameters generated from the curve fit of the trajectory of the sports object to the one or more trajectory parameters of the curve-fit that characterize the particular trajectory of the sports object that the person is attempting to reproduce. 60. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the feedback information is provided as information that indicates a relative relationship between the one or more trajectories parameters of the trajectory of the sports object and the one or more trajectory parameters of the particular trajectory that the person is attempting to reproduce. 61. The sports device of claim 58, wherein at least two trajectory parameters characterizing the trajectory of the sports object are compared to at least two trajectory parameters of the particular trajectory the person is attempting to reproduce. 62. The sports device of claim 61, wherein the feedback information is related to the at least two compared trajectory parameters. 63. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the particular trajectory of the sports object that the person is attempting to reproduce is an optimal trajectory. 64. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the logic device is further configured to determine whether the trajectory of the sports object launched by the person passes through a virtual target area. 65. The sports device of claim 64, wherein the feedback information is related to a position or a directional angle of the sports object along its trajectory relative to a position of the virtual target area. 66. The sports device of claim 64, wherein the sports object is a basketball and the virtual target area is a virtual hoop. 67. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the sports object is selected from the group consisting of a tennis ball, a golf ball, a volley ball, a racquetball, a squash ball, a football, a baseball, a soccer ball, a javelin, a shot-put, a water polo ball, a softball and a hockey puck. 68. The sports device of claim 58, wherein one or more the trajectory parameters are selected from the group consisting of a speed, a directional velocity component, a position, a rotation rate, an axis of rotation, a directional angle and a directional acceleration component. 69. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the feedback information is related to a height of the sports object at a location along its trajectory. 70. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the feedback information is related to a directional angle of the sports object at a location along its trajectory. 71. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the feedback information is related to a position of the sports object at location along its trajectory that is proximate, said position determined relative to a target location for the sports object for which the person is aiming. 72. The sports device of claim 58, a memory storage device for storing trajectory session information wherein the trajectory session information comprises one or more of 1) physical information, trajectory information and feedback information generated for the plurality of different sports object trajectories, 2) a trajectory session time, 3) a trajectory session date, 4) a trajectory session location and combinations thereof. 73. The sports device of claim 72, wherein the trajectory session information is associated with a plurality of different sports object trajectories generated by a particular person. 74. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the feedback information is provided to the person in at least one of a visual format, an auditory format, a kinetic format and combinations thereof. 75. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the feedback information is provided to the person in an auditory format. 76. The sports device of claim 58, further comprising: a wireless network interface or a wire network interface for connecting the logic device to one of a local area network, a wide area network and the Internet. 77. The sports device of claim 58, further comprising: a wireless interface for providing communications between the logic device and a portable computing device. 78. The sports device of claim 58, wherein the logic device is further configured to determine the curve-fits for a plurality of different trajectories of the sports object captured in the video frame data. 79. The sports device of claim 78, wherein the logic device is further configured to determine one or more aggregate trajectory parameters derived from the plurality of different trajectories. 80. The sports device of claim 78, wherein the plurality of different trajectories are launched by a single person. 81. The sports device of claim 58, wherein logic device is further configured to receive a selection of a launch area for the sports object and determine where the sports object is launched within the launch area. 82. The sports device of claim 81, wherein the logic device is further configured to output an indication of the launch area. 83. A method in a sports device including one or more cameras and a processor, the method comprising: a) prior to analyzing a trajectory of a sports object, autonomously determining a set-up position of the one or more cameras and based upon the determined set-up position, auto -calibrating to objects in an environment in which the sports device is located, wherein the person is attempting to reproduce a particular trajectory of a sports object and wherein one or more trajectory parameters characteristic of the particular trajectory are derived from a curve-fit of the particular trajectory, b) receiving video frame data including a trajectory of the sports object launched by the person; c) recognizing the sports object in the video frame data; d) determining a curve-fit for the trajectory of the sports object captured in the video frame data; e) determining one or more trajectory parameters that are derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object; f) based upon the one or more trajectory parameters derived from the curve-fit of the trajectory of the sports object, generating immediate feedback information that allows the person to evaluate their skill at reproducing the particular trajectory. 84. The method of claim 83, further comprising: repeating steps b) thru and f) for a plurality of different trajectories of the sports object launched by the person. 85. The method of claim 83, further comprising: comparing the one or more trajectory parameters generated from the curve fit of the trajectory of the sports object to one or more trajectory parameters of a curve-fit that characterizes a particular trajectory of the sports object the person is attempting to reproduce.