Image Processing Apparatus for Golf Swing Time Point Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing technologies face challenges in accurately identifying characteristic time points, such as the start and impact positions in a golf swing, from moving image data, often leading to erroneous identifications due to the complexity of back-and-forth motion and noise in images.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that calculates variation values of pixel values along a time series and identifies two time points based on predetermined standards, using identification areas to reduce errors by comparing adjacent frame image data items and determining threshold values from average difference values, thereby extracting relevant moving image data between the start and impact positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional image processing is used to identify characteristic time points from moving image data, then the identification process is simple, but the accuracy is low due to erroneous identifications from back-and-forth motion and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image processing into multiple stages: (1) generating difference images by subtracting adjacent frames, (2) calculating absolute difference values for pixel segmentation, (3) integrating differences over time to create evaluation values, and (4) identifying characteristic time points from these evaluation values. This multi-stage segmentation approach improves identification accuracy by systematically processing motion information while filtering noise through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate processing elements including difference images as intermediaries between original frames, absolute difference values as intermediaries between pixel comparisons, and evaluation values as intermediaries between time-series analysis and final identification. These intermediaries transform complex motion patterns into quantifiable metrics that improve measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If the image processing apparatus processes all pixel data to ensure accurate identification, then the identification accuracy improves, but the processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for identification by: (1) computing only difference values for pixels within identification areas rather than entire images, (2) selecting only absolute difference values that exceed thresholds for further processing, and (3) integrating only these selected values over time. This extraction approach maintains high identification accuracy while reducing processing time by eliminating unnecessary computations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by focusing computational resources on specific identification areas and time periods of interest, rather than processing all image data uniformly. By concentrating analysis on regions where characteristic motions occur and using integration to accumulate relevant signals while suppressing irrelevant noise, the system achieves accurate identification with reduced overall processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An image capture apparatus capable of identifying desired time points without using a special device is provided. The image capture apparatus 1 includes a moving image acquiring unit 53, a calculating unit 56, and an identification area analyzing unit 57. The moving image acquiring unit 53 acquires a plurality of images captured consecutively. The calculating unit 56 calculates variation values of pixel values along a time series of the plurality of images acquired by the moving image acquiring unit 53, within a predetermined region common to the plurality of images. The identification area analyzing unit 57 identifies two time points according to a predetermined standard from among a plurality of time points in the time series, on the basis of the variation values of the pixel values calculated by the calculating unit 56.