Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for 3D flight tracking of objects include a method including determining a three dimensional trajectory based on initial observations, extrapolating the three dimensional trajectory backward in time to generate an extrapolated trajectory, calculating distance measures between the extrapolated trajectory and defined physical locations, waiting for additional observations when none of the distance measures satisfy a threshold distance, identifying one of the defined physical locations as an origin when only one of the distance measures satisfies the threshold distance and an error measure satisfies a predefined criteria, identifying one of the defined physical locations as the origin when two of the distance measures satisfy the threshold distance and only one of first and second error measures satisfies the predefined criteria, and waiting for additional observations when neither the first error measure nor the second error measure satisfies the predefined criteria.

Electronic tracking systems are disclosed for assisting users with locating objects in a sporting environment. One such system includes a ball tracking component that tracks a game ball while moving in the sporting environment, and a heads up display that is worn by the user. This heads up display has an electronic display screen with a transparent display area that dynamically displays images within the user's field of view. A processor, which communicates with the ball tracking component and heads up display, is programmed to detect movement of the game ball, and responsively determine launch characteristics and/or flight characteristics of the moving game ball. The heads up display displays the launch/flight characteristics contemporaneous with an object indication adjacent to or superimposed over the moving game ball as the game ball is visible through the transparent display area of the display screen within the user's field of view.

A method for adaptive user training and gaming utilizing a media player is disclosed. The method includes operations of receiving, by control logic, data pertaining to selection of a first training program, transmitting, by the control logic, media instructions to cause activation of a media player configured to display visual data corresponding to the first training program, and transmitting, by the control logic, ball-throwing instructions to cause activation of a ball-throwing machine configured to impart motion to one or more balls in accordance with the first training program. The method includes additional operations of recording, by the control logic, an indication of the first training program in a player profile. Additional operations includes recording, by the control logic, training data indicating metrics associated with performance of the first training program.

An apparatus comprising a practice device for practice of hitting a tennis ball includes a server configured for serving the tennis ball to a user, a net disposed to intercept a flight of the tennis ball after the tennis bell has been hit by the user using a racket and to direct the captured tennis ball back towards the server to be served again to the user, an image detector configured to observe the tennis ball as the tennis ball hurtles towards the net, and a processor. The processor determines, based at least in part on image frames received from the image detector, data indicative of the tennis ball's virtual landing spot. This virtual landing spot is an estimate of where the tennis ball would have landed on an opposing court had the tennis ball not been intercepted by the net.

A game ball tracking system, including a game ball, including a body, a plurality of sensor wires disposed within at least a portion of an interior of the body, and a plurality of sensor transceivers disposed on at least a portion of each of the plurality of sensor wires to receive at least one signal identifying a position of the body on a field, a ball tracking assembly disposed on at least a portion of the field to disperse the at least one signal across the field, and a plurality of field transmitters connected to at least a portion of the ball tracking assembly to transmit the at least one signal therefrom.

A system determining a spin axis of a ball includes a radar transmitting a signal into a target area. The radar includes a minimum of three receivers arranged so that two pairs of receivers are not co-linear. The system also includes a Processing Unit (“PU”) receiving data from the radar and determining a radar range of frequencies received at a point in time corresponding to differing velocities relative to the radar of different portions of the ball as the ball is spinning. PU divides the radar frequency range into a plurality of frequency components and calculating, for each of the frequency components, an angular position associated therewith. PU identifies as a projection of the spin axis in a plane perpendicular to a line of sight from the radar to the ball, a line perpendicular to a line represented by the determined angular positions.

The present disclosure relates to effective, efficient, and economical methods and systems for improving athletic performance by tracking objects typically thrown or hit by athletes. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a unique configuration of technology wherein an electronic display is located at or behind the target and one or more cameras are positioned to observe the target. Once an object is thrown or hit, one or more cameras may observe and track the object. Further, an electronic display may be used to provide targeting information to an athlete and also to determine the athlete's accuracy.

Electronic tracking systems are disclosed for assisting users with locating objects in a sporting environment. One such system includes a ball tracking component that tracks a game ball while moving in the sporting environment, and a heads up display that is worn by the user. This heads up display has an electronic display screen with a transparent display area that dynamically displays images within the user's field of view. A processor, which communicates with the ball tracking component and heads up display, is programmed to detect movement of the game ball, and responsively determine launch characteristics and/or flight characteristics of the moving game ball. The heads up display displays the launch/flight characteristics contemporaneous with an object indication adjacent to or superimposed over the moving game ball as the game ball is visible through the transparent display area of the display screen within the user's field of view.

A sports simulator may include a piece of sports equipment bearing a marking that is configured to at least partially identify the piece of sports equipment, a first sensor configured to automatically detect the marking and a second sensor configured to detect a trajectory of a ball, and a display configured to display a sports simulation. The sports simulator may also receive an identification of the marking, identify a characteristic of a piece of sports equipment associated with the marking, receive the trajectory of the ball, generate simulation data indicative of a virtual ball with a virtual flight path responsive to the trajectory, store the characteristic of the piece of sports equipment in association with the virtual flight path of the virtual ball, and cause the display to display the virtual flight path of the virtual ball in the sports simulation.

A method may include receiving a group of images taken by a camera over time in an environment, in which the camera may be oriented within the environment to capture images of an object in a substantially same direction as a launch direction of the object, and the group of images including a first image and a second image. The method may further include: identifying a first position of the object in the first image; identifying a second position of the object in the second image; generating a flight vector based on the first position of the object and the second position of the object; and determining one or more flight parameters using the flight vector. Additionally, the method may include: generating a simulated trajectory of the object based on the flight parameters; and providing the simulated trajectory of the object for presentation in a graphical user interface.