Baseball pitch parameter measuring device

Abstract

A command measurement system employs a ball flight tracking system that measures the location of a ball as it breaks the plane of the strike zone. The command measurement system also employs an intended pitch location system that provides the pitcher with a wireless signal to inform the pitcher of the intended pitch location. This intended pitch location target forms the pitcher's intent of where he or she is trying to pitch the ball. The measured pitch location is compared to the intended pitch location and a measure of command is determined by the amount of deviation of the measured location from the intended pitch location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pitch evaluation system comprising:
 a measuring device having at least one sensor configured to measure a position in space of a thrown baseball when the thrown baseball crosses a specified vertical plane and output a measured position of the thrown baseball;   a recording device in communication with an intended pitch location system to receive and store an intended pitch location transmitted by the intended pitch location system; and   a command determination device coupled to the recording device and the measuring device configured to receive and compare the intended pitch location with the measured position and output a command parameter indicating a measure of difference between the intended pitch location and the measured position, and the command determination device storing the command parameter in a memory associated with the pitch evaluation system.   
     
     
         2 . The pitch evaluation system of  claim 1 , wherein the pitch evaluation system is associated with an intended pitch communication system comprising:
 a transmitter configured to provide the pitcher with the intended pitch location; and   a pitcher receiver configured receive the intended pitch location and to signal the pitcher with the intended pitch location.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the measuring device is configured to measure the position in space of a thrown baseball by radar. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the measuring device is configured to measure the position in space of a thrown baseball optically. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the command parameter is output to a display. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory is a local memory. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory is a remote memory. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pitcher receiver is an audio receiver. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pitcher receiver is a display receiver configured to generate a representation of the command parameter on a display of the display receiver. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is a push button transmitter. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the push button transmitter is configured for wearing and using on field during a game. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the recording device includes a receiver configured to receive the intended pitch location and store the intended pitch location with a time the intended pitch location was received at the recording device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the recording device includes a receiver configured to receive the intended pitch location and store the intended pitch location in a buffer. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the command determination device is a computer that is configured to determine a difference in position between the intended pitch location and the measured position. 
     
     
         15 . A pitch evaluation system comprising:
 a measuring device having at least one sensor configured to measure a position in space of a thrown baseball when the thrown baseball crosses a specified vertical plane and output a measured position of the thrown baseball;   a recording device in communication with an intended pitch location system to receive and store an intended pitch location transmitted by the intended pitch location system; and   a command determination device coupled to the recording device and the measuring device configured to receive and compare the intended pitch location with the measured position and output a command parameter indicating a measure of difference between the intended pitch location and the measured position, and the command determination device storing the command parameter in a memory associated with the pitch evaluation system.   
     
     
         16 . The pitch evaluation system of  claim 15 , wherein the pitch evaluation system comprises an intended pitch communication system comprising:
 a transmitter configured to provide a pitcher with the intended pitch location; and   a pitcher receiver configured receive the intended pitch location and to signal the pitcher with the intended pitch location.   
     
     
         17 . The pitch evaluation system of  claim 15 , wherein the measuring device is configured to measure the position in space of a thrown baseball by radar or to measure the position in space of a thrown baseball optically. 
     
     
         18 . A method of measuring the command of a pitcher using a pitch evaluation system, the method comprising the steps of:
 recording an intended pitch location in relation to a strike zone using a recording device in communication with an intended pitch location system to receive and store an intended pitch location transmitted by the intended pitch location system;   measuring a position of a thrown pitch using a measuring device having at least one sensor configured to measure a position in space of a thrown baseball when the thrown baseball crosses a specified vertical plane and output a measured position of the thrown baseball;   comparing the measured position to the intended pitch location using a command determination device to determine a distance between the measured position and the intended pitch location to form a measure of command of the pitcher; and   storing the measure of command of the pitcher in a memory associated with the pitch evaluation system.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the measuring the position of the thrown pitch further comprises measuring the position in space of a thrown baseball by radar. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the measuring the position of the thrown pitch further comprises measuring the position in space of a thrown baseball optically.