Method and apparatus to determine golf ball trajectory and flight

Abstract

A launch monitor system including a support structure, a first light-reflecting element disposed on this support structure, a lighting unit and an camera unit. A computer receives signals generated by light patterns received by the camera unit and computes a variety of flight characteristics for the object. The system may be moved back and forth to vary the field-of-view of the camera unit. The system also computes and displays object trajectories from the computed flight characteristics which account for the characteristics of the object and the atmospheric conditions.

1 . A launch monitor system for capturing and measuring sequential images of a golf ball comprising: 
 a first camera having a first line-of-sight;    a second camera having a second line-of sight; and    a strobe lighting unit,    wherein the first and second lines-of-sight are directed and focused on a predetermined field-of-view, and wherein the first and second cameras are capable of receiving light reflected from a plurality of markers on a golf ball.    
   
   
       2 . The launch monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the strobe lighting unit comprises a beam splitter.  
   
   
       3 . The launch monitor system of  claim 2 , wherein the strobe lighting unit further comprises at least one reflective element.  
   
   
       4 . The launch monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the strobe lighting unit comprises ring-shaped strobe lights surrounding the first and second cameras.  
   
   
       5 . The launch monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined field-of-view comprises the location where the first and second lines-of-sight intersect.  
   
   
       6 . The launch monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second cameras each capture a first image of the golf ball and a second image of the golf ball, and wherein the first and second images have a predetermined time delay between them.  
   
   
       7 . The launch monitor system of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined time delay is 800 microseconds.  
   
   
       8 . The launch monitor system of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second images are segmented into a plurality of distinct segments corresponding to a plurality of bright areas in the first and second images.  
   
   
       9 . The launch monitor system of  claim 8 , wherein each distinct segment comprises an area of about 105 pixels.  
   
   
       10 . The launch monitor system of  claim 9 , wherein each distinct segment has an aspect ratio of five or less.  
   
   
       11 . A launch monitor system for capturing and measuring sequential images of a golf ball comprising: 
 a first camera having a first line-of-sight;    a second camera having a second line-of sight; and    a lighting unit directing a first light into a predetermined field-of-view that comprises an intersection of the first and second lines-of-sight,    wherein the first and second cameras are capable of receiving a second light reflected from a plurality of markers on a golf ball, and wherein the first and second cameras record the second light as an image.    
   
   
       12 . The launch monitor system of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second cameras are capable of receiving a third light reflected from a plurality of markers at a predetermined time delay from receiving the second light.  
   
   
       13 . The launch monitor system of  claim 11 , wherein the lighting unit is disposed between the first and second cameras.  
   
   
       14 . The launch monitor system of  claim 11 , wherein the lighting unit is a strobe lighting unit.  
   
   
       15 . The launch monitor system of  claim 14 , wherein the lighting unit is a dual strobe lighting unit.