Patent ID: 9649545
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: A63B,A63F,G06F,G06K,G06T,G09B,H04N

Claim:
1. A golf simulator comprising: at least one pair of imaging devices having overlapping fields of view and configured to capture images from different vantages of a launched, spinning golf ball travelling from a launch area spaced in front of said display surface towards a display surface; a sensing unit configured to capture images of a region in front of said display surface adjacent said launch area, each captured image comprising spaced-apart, high intensity regions resulting from one or more illuminated discrete, elongate, reflective markings on said launched, spinning golf ball representing a travel path of said launched, spinning golf ball, the high intensity regions enabling determination of the spin rate and tilt of said launched, spinning golf ball; at least one processing stage configured to process image data from the imaging devices and from said sensing unit and to determine the three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration, and spin rate and tilt of the launched, spinning golf ball traveling through said overlapping fields of view, wherein the three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration, and spin rate and tilt are used by said at least one processing stage to calculate a trajectory of said launched, spinning golf ball into a sports scene projected onto said display surface; and a projection unit configured to present said three-dimensional sport scene on said display surface including a simulation of said launched, spinning golf ball following said calculated trajectory.