Billiard Scoring System Using Computer Vision for Automated Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional billiards game scoring systems are cumbersome, laborious, and error-prone, requiring manual recording of scores, which is inefficient and prone to mistakes.
Innovation Solution
A scoring system comprising a camera to record images of the billiards table, a computer to analyze video data and determine ball locations and game status, and an output device to display scores in a human-readable format, with an input device for user control and data updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual score recording is used, then the system is simple to operate, but the productivity is low and error rate is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical scoring system with an automated optical-electronic system. A camera captures images of the billiards table, computer vision algorithms automatically detect ball positions and game status, and the system records scores without human intervention. This substitution of mechanical manual operations with automated vision-based systems directly resolves the contradiction by dramatically improving scoring efficiency while managing complexity through software-based solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy of the physical billiards table state by capturing images with a camera and processing them through computer vision algorithms. This digital replica allows automatic analysis of ball positions, game status, and score calculation, enabling high-speed automated scoring without requiring complex physical sensors on the table itself.
2Reliability
If manual score recording is used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability is poor due to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates human operators from the scoring process by replacing manual observation and recording with an automated camera-based vision system. The computer vision algorithms objectively detect ball positions and determine game status according to programmed rules, completely removing the source of human error and significantly improving score recording accuracy and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously captures images of the billiards table, processes the visual information to detect ball positions and game status, and automatically updates the score record in real-time. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that the score always reflects the actual game state, maintaining high reliability through continuous verification and automatic correction.
3Productivity
If automated scoring without user input is used, then the productivity is high, but the ease of operation is reduced due to lack of user control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the system to serve multiple functions: it automatically performs score recording through computer vision, but also accepts manual user inputs for scenarios requiring human judgment or correction. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain high automated scoring speed while preserving user control capability when needed, resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on game situations. It primarily operates in automatic mode for routine scoring to maximize productivity, but transitions to manual input mode when users need to intervene for rule interpretations, exceptions, or corrections. This dynamic flexibility ensures both high scoring speed and maintained user control.
Data Source
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AI summary
A scoring system for a billiards game includes a camera, a computer, and an output device. The camera records images of a playing surface of a billiards table and a plurality of billiards balls on the playing surface. The computer analyzes video data to obtain locations of the billiards balls based on a predetermined model, confirms a status of a scene of the billiards game based on the locations of the billiards balls, and records scores and/or obtain data of the current player based on the status of the scene and rules of playing the billiards game. The output device converts information of the scores and the current player into human-readable form.