Ball Machine Shot Analysis and Dynamic Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ball machines are unable to identify and analyze the type of shot hit by a user during a training routine and dynamically adjust their settings in response.
Innovation Solution
A ball machine equipped with an imaging system and a processor that captures image data of a court, launches balls to a user, and executes a process to initiate a workout routine, select shot types, control ball launching settings, determine user shot types, and adjust parameters based on user responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional ball machines use manual speed control knobs for adjusting ball launch settings, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to time-consuming dial-in practice
Solution Approach 1:
The ball machine automatically identifies shot types using imaging systems and adjusts launch parameters without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by capturing images of the player's shots, analyzing them to determine shot types, and automatically configuring subsequent ball launches based on the analysis, eliminating the need for manual speed control knobs and dial-in practice
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control (speed control knobs) with an automated system using imaging systems, processors, and algorithms. The mechanical adjustment process is substituted with optical detection and computational analysis, where cameras capture shot data and processors automatically determine parameters for ball launch configuration
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional ball machines lack automatic shot identification capability, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability deteriorates as they cannot dynamically adjust settings during training routines
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the training routine by capturing images of the player's shots, analyzes them to identify shot types, and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust ball launch parameters in real-time. The feedback loop enables the ball machine to adapt to the player's performance and automatically modify subsequent shots based on the identified shot types
Solution Approach 2:
The ball machine performs multiple functions: it launches balls, captures images of shots, analyzes shot types, and automatically adjusts launch parameters. This multi-functionality integrates the roles of ball delivery, shot analysis, and parameter adjustment into a single system, enabling dynamic adaptation during training routines without requiring separate devices
Data Source
AI summary
A ball machine comprising an imaging system attached to the ball machine and configured to capture image data of a court, a ball launching system configured to launch a ball to a user and a processor. The processor configured to initiate a workout routine that includes launching, using the ball launching system, a sequence of balls to a user, select a shot type of a first ball to launch in the sequence, control settings of the ball launching system to launch the first ball based on the selected shot type to the user, determine a shot type returned by the user in response to the launched first ball, select a shot type of a second ball to launch in the sequence, and control settings of the ball launching system to adjust one or more parameters of the second ball based on the determined shot type returned by the user.