Electronic Home Plate Vision Sensing for Accurate Strike Calls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Human error in judging whether a pitch passes through the strike zone is prevalent, especially in amateur baseball games where non-professional umpires are involved, leading to inaccurate pitch counts and potential player health risks.
Innovation Solution
An electronic home plate system with image sensors and processors that continuously capture frames to detect ball motion, using high-speed image processing to accurately determine if a pitch is a strike or a ball, and provide real-time analytics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If human umpires manually judge pitch location, then the system is simple and low-cost, but measurement precision and reliability deteriorate due to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/human judgment system with an electronic image sensor system. The image sensor captures the ball's position and the processor automatically determines whether it's a strike or ball, eliminating human error while providing precise measurement data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy of the ball's position through image capture. The image sensor captures the ball's location, and the processor analyzes this digital information to determine strike/ball status, replacing the umpire's visual judgment with an automated copying and analysis process.
2Reliability
If image sensors continuously capture ball motion, then measurement precision and reliability improve, but energy consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor operates periodically rather than continuously - it captures images at specific moments when the ball is expected to be in the strike zone area. This periodic sampling reduces energy consumption while maintaining reliable detection of pitch location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the ball's own motion and position information to trigger detection. The processor analyzes the captured images to determine when the ball enters the strike zone, using the ball's natural trajectory rather than requiring active sensing or continuous power-intensive monitoring.
3Measurement precision
If image sensors continuously capture ball motion, then measurement precision improves, but loss of time in processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary image capture at multiple points along the ball's expected trajectory before final determination is needed. By capturing images in advance during the pitch approach, the system can quickly analyze and determine strike/ball status without delaying the game flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor rapidly analyzes the captured images and skips unnecessary processing steps, making a quick determination of strike or ball status. The system rushes through the analysis process to provide timely calls without excessive processing delay, balancing precision with speed.
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
The system provides accurate strike and ball calls, tracks pitch counts, and offers training analytics, enhancing game officiating and player health monitoring without requiring changes in player behavior.
Implementation Method 1
The first processor is adapted to detect a motion of a ball by continuously capturing frames from the image sensor. The detecting motion includes capturing a first frame, capturing a second frame, subtracting the first frame from the second frame to create an image, and checking for pixel changes between the first frame and the second frame.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are directed to an electronic home plate system that includes a home plate enclosure and at least one image sensor system disposed within the enclosure, each image sensor system including an image sensor, a lens and a first processor. The first processor is adapted to detect a motion of a ball by continuously capturing frames from the image sensor. The detecting motion includes capturing a first frame, capturing a second frame, subtracting the first frame from the second frame to create an image, and checking for pixel changes between the first frame and the second frame. The detected motion of the ball includes the ball passing over the home plate enclosure or the ball passing near and not over the home plate enclosure.