Table-Tennis Ball Spin Overlay for Clearer Play Video Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies do not effectively communicate the contents of table-tennis play in an easily understandable manner, particularly regarding the spin speed and rotation direction of the ball.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus generates visual information superimposed on or around the ball in a table-tennis play video to indicate characteristics such as spin speed and rotation direction, using high-speed cameras and image sensors for analysis and editing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If visual information indicating ball characteristics is superimposed on the play video, then the ease of understanding table-tennis play is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an image processing apparatus as an intermediary between the play video and the viewer. This apparatus automatically detects ball characteristics (spin speed, rotation direction) and superimposes visual information thereon, mediating the complex analysis processes and presenting simplified visual cues to viewers, thus improving ease of understanding without requiring viewers to directly handle complex analysis systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual analysis and interpretation of table-tennis play with automated image processing and computer vision algorithms. The system automatically detects ball rotation characteristics and generates visual information, substituting mechanical human analysis with automated computational processes that reduce the complexity burden on the end user
2Measurement precision
If high-speed cameras and image sensors are used to analyze ball characteristics, then the measurement precision of spin speed and rotation direction is improved, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively analyzing only the ball and its immediate vicinity in the video frames, rather than processing the entire video scene. The image processing apparatus focuses computational resources on detecting ball characteristics specifically, using partial frame analysis and targeted feature detection, which reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining measurement precision for the critical ball parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-processing video frames to identify and isolate the ball before conducting detailed rotation analysis. The apparatus first detects ball position and trajectory, then applies specialized analysis only to those identified frames, avoiding unnecessary energy expenditure on frames without balls and enabling efficient use of high-speed cameras and image sensors
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an information processing apparatus including an image processing section that generates visual information that is to be superimposed on or around a ball in a play video being a video of table-tennis play and that indicates a characteristic of the ball including at least one of a spin speed or a rotation direction of the ball.