Swing alert system and method

Abstract

A swing alert system disposed about a baseball setup that includes a pitcher and a batter, with one or more swing alert device that determine a speed and position of a ball along a flightpath of the ball pitched by the pitcher, the flightpath extending from the pitcher to a hitting location target proximate to the batter; determine a time when the ball will reach the hitting location target based at least in part on the determined speed and position of the ball along the flightpath; and generate a swing alert while the ball is traveling along the flightpath and before the ball reaches the hitting location target. The swing alert is generated at a time determined based at least in part on the determined time when the ball will reach the hitting location target and a defined swing time associated with the batter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A swing alert system disposed about a baseball setup that includes a pitcher and a batter, the swing alert system comprising:
 a first swing alert device positioned behind the batter generally parallel to a flightpath of a ball pitched by pitcher, the flightpath extending from the pitcher to a hitting location target proximate to the batter, the first swing alert device comprising a first set of one or more sensors having a field of view that includes the batter, the pitcher and at least a portion of the flightpath of the ball pitched by pitcher;   a second swing alert device positioned generally perpendicular to the flightpath of the ball pitched by pitcher, the second swing alert device comprising a second set of one or more sensors having a field of view that includes the batter;   a third swing alert device positioned generally perpendicular to the flightpath of the ball pitched by pitcher, the third swing alert device comprising a third set of one or more sensors having a field of view that includes at least a portion of the flightpath of the ball pitched by pitcher;   wherein the first, second and third swing alert devices are operably connected via a network and wherein the swing alert system:
 determines a speed and position of the ball along the flightpath; 
 determines a time when the ball will reach the hitting location target proximate to the batter based at least in part on the determined speed and position of the ball along the flightpath; and 
 generates a swing alert while the ball is traveling along the flightpath and before the ball reaches the hitting location target proximate to the batter, the swing alert comprising at least one of an auditory, visual or haptic alert, the swing alert generated at a time determined based at least in part on:
 the determined time when the ball will reach the hitting location target proximate to the batter; and 
 a defined swing time associated with the identity of the batter. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The swing alert system of  claim 1 , wherein the defined swing time is determined by swing-time testing performed by the swing alert system that comprises the swing alert system:
 generating a first swing-time testing alert at a first time;   determining a first swing time based on a first time interval between the first time and a first occurrence of contact between a ball and a bat swung by the batter;   generating a second swing-time testing alert at a second time;   determining a second swing time based on a second time interval between the second time and a second occurrence of contact between a ball and the bat swung by the batter; and   averaging the first and second swing times to generate the defined swing time.   
     
     
         3 . The swing alert system of  claim 1 , wherein the swing alert system further generates a stride alert while the ball is traveling along the flightpath and before the ball reaches the hitting location target proximate to the batter and before generation of the swing alert, the stride alert generated at a time determined based at least in part on:
 the determined time when the ball will reach the hitting location target proximate to the batter; and   a defined stride time associated with the identity of the batter.   
     
     
         4 . The swing alert system of  claim 3 , wherein the defined stride time is determined by stride-time testing performed by the swing alert system that comprises the swing alert system:
 generating a first stride-time testing alert at a first time;   determining a first stride time based on a first time interval between the first time and a first occurrence an end of a first stride by the batter;   generating a second stride-time testing alert at a second time;   determining a second stride time based on a second time interval between the second time and a second occurrence of an end of a second stride by batter; and   averaging the first and second stride times to generate the defined stride time.   
     
     
         5 . The swing alert system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second swing alert devices comprise a respective first and second camera and wherein; and wherein data generated by the first and second camera is used in determining swing timing and swing kinetics of the batter. 
     
     
         6 . The swing alert system of  claim 1 , wherein the third set of one or more sensors of the third swing alert device defines at least a portion of an optical gate having a field of view of at least a portion of the flightpath of the ball; and wherein data generated by the optical gate is used in the determining of the speed and the position of the ball along the flightpath. 
     
     
         7 . The swing alert system of  claim 1 , wherein the first swing alert device comprises a camera and wherein the first set of one or more sensors comprises a camera having a field of view that includes the batter, the pitcher and at least a portion of the flightpath of the ball pitched by pitcher; and wherein data generated by the camera is used in the determining of the speed and the position of the ball along the flightpath. 
     
     
         8 . The swing alert system of  claim 1 , wherein the pitcher comprises a pitching machine and wherein the pitching machine is part of the swing alert system and operably connected to the first, second and third swing alert devices via a network. 
     
     
         9 . A swing alert system disposed about a baseball setup that includes a pitcher and a batter, the swing alert system comprising one or more swing alert devices that:
 determine a speed and position of a ball along a flightpath of the ball pitched by the pitcher, the flightpath extending from the pitcher to a hitting location target proximate to the batter;   determine a time when the ball will reach the hitting location target based at least in part on the determined speed and position of the ball along the flightpath; and   generate a swing alert while the ball is traveling along the flightpath and before the ball reaches the hitting location target, the swing alert comprising at least one of an auditory, visual or haptic alert, the swing alert generated at a time determined based at least in part on:
 the determined time when the ball will reach the hitting location target; and 
 a defined swing time associated with the batter. 
   
     
     
         10 . The swing alert system of  claim 9  comprising a swing alert device positioned behind the batter outside of the flightpath, the swing alert device comprising a first set of one or more sensors having a field of view that includes at least a portion of the flightpath of the ball pitched by pitcher, and wherein data generated by the first set of one or more sensors is used in the determining of the speed and the position of the ball along the flightpath. 
     
     
         11 . The swing alert system of  claim 9  comprising a swing alert device positioned generally perpendicular to the flightpath of the ball pitched by pitcher, the swing alert device comprising a camera having a field of view that includes the batter, and wherein data generated by the camera is used in determining swing timing and swing kinetics of the batter. 
     
     
         12 . The swing alert system of  claim 9  comprising at least one swing alert device positioned generally perpendicular to the flightpath of the ball pitched by pitcher, the at least one swing alert device comprising a set of one or more sensors that define at least a portion of an optical gate having a field of view of at least a portion of the flightpath of the ball; and wherein data generated by the optical gate is used in the determining of the speed and the position of the ball along the flightpath. 
     
     
         13 . The swing alert system of  claim 9 , wherein the defined swing time is determined by swing-time testing performed by the swing alert system that comprises the swing alert system:
 generating a first swing-time testing alert at a first time;   determining a first swing time based on a first time interval between the first time and a first occurrence of contact between a ball and a bat swung by the batter; and   using the first swing time to generate the defined swing time.   
     
     
         14 . The swing alert system of  claim 9 , wherein the swing alert system further generates a stride alert while the ball is traveling along the flightpath and before the ball reaches the hitting location target proximate to the batter and before generation of the swing alert, the stride alert generated at a time determined based at least in part on:
 the determined time when the ball will reach the hitting location target proximate to the batter; and   a defined stride time associated with the identity of the batter.   
     
     
         15 . The swing alert system of  claim 14 , wherein the defined stride time is determined by stride-time testing performed by the swing alert system that comprises the swing alert system:
 generating a first stride-time testing alert at a first time;   determining a first stride time based on a first time interval between the first time and a first occurrence an end of a first stride by the batter; and   using the first stride time to generate the defined stride time.   
     
     
         16 . The swing alert system of  claim 9 , wherein the pitcher comprises a pitching machine and wherein the pitching machine is part of the swing alert system. 
     
     
         17 . The swing alert system of  claim 9 , wherein generating the swing alert comprises generating a haptic alert in a bat device of a bat held by the batter, the bat device operably connected to the one or more swing alert devices of the swing alert system. 
     
     
         18 . The swing alert system of  claim 9 , wherein the swing alert system comprises a plurality of swing alert devices operably connected via a wireless network. 
     
     
         19 . The swing alert system of  claim 9 , wherein the swing alert system comprises at least one swing alert device that comprises a smartphone.