Seam Shifted Wake Visualization for Pitch Trajectory Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ball flight modeling systems in baseball do not account for the seam orientation of a baseball, leading to inaccurate predictions and evaluations of pitch trajectories, as they fail to consider the seam shifted wake force, which significantly affects the ball's flight.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a ball flight tracking system to detect seam orientation, hemisphere plane angle, and seam angle, and a processor to calculate and visualize the seam shifted wake force, providing a more accurate modeling of ball flight by integrating the seam shifted wake force into the existing Magnus, drag, and gravity forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current ball flight modeling systems are used, then the system complexity is low, but the measurement precision of pitch trajectory is inaccurate due to not accounting for seam orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the forces acting on the ball into distinct components: Magnus force, drag force, gravity, and the new seam shifted wake force. By separating the seam orientation effects from the traditional force models, the system can accurately measure pitch trajectory while maintaining manageable complexity through modular force calculation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces seam orientation parameters (seam angle, hemisphere plane angle) as intermediary variables that mediate between the ball's physical characteristics and the aerodynamic forces. These intermediaries allow the system to incorporate seam effects without fundamentally redesigning the entire modeling framework
2Measurement precision
If seam orientation data is collected and processed, then the ball flight modeling accuracy improves, but the processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calculations by pre-determining the relationship between seam orientation angles and wake force coefficients. By establishing these relationships in advance through computational models, the system reduces real-time processing requirements when actually predicting ball flight trajectories
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the complex seam orientation geometry into simplified angular parameters (seam angle θ, hemisphere plane angle φ). This parameter transformation allows the system to maintain high prediction accuracy while reducing computational complexity through trigonometric relationships rather than full geometric calculations
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If optical systems are used to detect seam orientation, then the measurement capability improves, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the tracking system to serve multiple functions: detecting ball position, ball velocity, spin rate, and seam orientation all through the same optical infrastructure. By making the system multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate specialized equipment for seam detection, thereby reducing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or radar-based seam detection mechanisms with optical imaging and image processing. This substitution leverages成熟 optical technology and computational algorithms to achieve seam orientation measurement, reducing the need for specialized mechanical sensors or additional hardware
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 solution enhances the accuracy of ball flight modeling and pitch design by providing intuitive visualization of the seam shifted wake force, allowing for better understanding and optimization of pitch trajectories, leading to improved pitcher development and pitch design.
Implementation Method 1
ball flight tracking system configured to detect a ball in flight, the ball flight tracking system detecting seam orientation
Implementation Method 2
Ball tracking systems typically use either radar or an optical system to measure the different parameters of the flight of the ball through the air
Implementation Method 3
determine a coefficient of the seam shifted wake force based on the detected hemisphere plane angle and the detected seam angle, calculate a seam shifted wake force based on the determined coefficient of the seam shifted wake force
Implementation Method 4
generate a visualization of the seam shifted wake force on the multiple locations on the ball
Data Source
AI summary
A system for determining and generating a graphic visualization of a ball flight parameter includes: a ball flight tracking system configured to detect a ball in flight, the ball flight tracking system detecting seam orientation; a processor coupled to the ball flight tracking system and configured to determine a hemisphere plane angle and seam angle of the ball in flight and to determine a coefficient of a seam shifted wake force based on the determined hemisphere plane angle and seam angle, the processor further configured to calculate the seam shifted wake force based on the determined coefficient of the seam shifted wake force for multiple locations on the ball, and generate a visualization of the seam shifted wake force on the multiple locations on the ball; and an output device coupled to the processor to output the visualization of the seam shifted wake force on the ball to enhance pitch analysis and accurate pitch design.