3D Golf Ball Tracking via Radar and Camera Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for tracking a golf ball's flight, such as launch monitors and full flight 3D tracking systems, either extrapolate ball flight from initial parameters or fail to provide accurate 3D information, limiting the ability to determine key parameters like distance traveled.
Innovation Solution
A full flight 3D tracking system that combines camera and Doppler radar data to generate three-dimensional location information of a golf ball by interpolating radar data and blending it with angular distance information from camera observations, using trigonometric calculations and linear algebra to determine horizontal and vertical distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If full flight 3D tracking systems use multiple radar antennas and phase shift analysis, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines camera data providing angular distance information with radar data providing radial distance information to achieve accurate 3D tracking. This merging of different sensing modalities allows the system to obtain complete 3D position data without requiring complex multi-antenna radar configurations or phase shift analysis, thus maintaining measurement precision while reducing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses camera observations as an intermediary to provide angular information that complements radar's radial distance measurements. By using the camera as a mediator to capture angular position data, the system avoids the need for complex radar phase shift analysis, achieving accurate 3D tracking with simpler radar technology
2Productivity
If launch monitors extrapolate ball flight from initial parameters, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by using the camera to continuously track and record the ball's angular position throughout its entire flight path. This preliminary optical tracking, combined with intermittent radar radial distance measurements, allows the system to calculate accurate 3D position data at each moment without needing to extrapolate from initial parameters, thus maintaining both productivity and measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by using the camera to continuously monitor the ball's flight path and maintain angular position data throughout the entire trajectory. This continuous optical tracking, when combined with radar radial distance information, eliminates the need for extrapolation and provides persistent accurate 3D position data, maintaining both tracking speed and measurement precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate 3D object tracking with simpler radar technologies, reducing system costs and complexity while maintaining high accuracy, and provides finer detail on ball flight without the need for multiple radar antennas or phase shift analysis.
Implementation Method 1
obtaining radar data of the golf ball in flight, the radar data originating from a Doppler radar device
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for 3D flight tracking of objects includes, in at least one aspect, a method including obtaining (from a camera) two dimensional image data of a golf ball in flight; obtaining radar data (originating from a Doppler radar device) of the golf ball in flight; fitting a curve to the radar data to generate a continuous function of time for the radar data of the golf ball in flight; determining three dimensional location information of the golf ball in three dimensional space including, for each of multiple camera observations, finding a radial distance using the continuous function and a time of the camera observation, finding a depth distance, finding a horizontal distance and finding a vertical distance to the golf ball; and providing the three dimensional location information of the golf ball in three dimensional space to augment other data before display.