Patent ID: 8001838

Claim:
An automated method for determining an estimate of a speed of a sports projectile at a time of interest, the method comprising: (A) measuring first data, the first data indicating a first range-rate value corresponding to a first time and comprising the time rate of change in the length of a first path, wherein the first path comprises a first line from an emitting means at a first fixed point to said sports projectile and a second line from said projectile to a sensing means at a second fixed point, wherein the first and second fixed points are fixed in relation to a target means provided for the sports projectile; (B) measuring second data, the second data indicating a second range-rate value corresponding to a second time and comprising the time rate of change in the length of a second path, wherein the second path comprises a third line from the emitting means at the first fixed point to said sports projectile and a fourth line from said projectile to the sensing means at the second fixed point, wherein the first time differs from the second time; and (C) estimating the speed of the sports projectile at the time of interest based on the first range-rate value, the first time, the second range-rate value, and the second time.