# US 11,079,483 B2 · Skid and roll tracking system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,483 B2 - Document ID: US11079483B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/587,983 - Filed: 2019-09-30 - Published: 2020-01-23 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-31 - Assignees: Trackman A/S - Applicants: Trackman A/S - Inventors: Fredrik Tuxen; Jesper Brasch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079483B2 ## CPC - G01S 13/58: Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems - G01S 7/35: Details of non-pulse systems - G01S 13/583: {using transmission of continuous unmodulated waves, amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated waves and based upon the Doppler effect resulting from movement of targets} - G01S 13/584: {adapted for simultaneous range and velocity measurements} - G01S 13/723: {by using numerical data} - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A system for tracking an object includes a first tracking device aimed so that a first field of view of the first tracking device covers at least a portion of a target volume into which an object is to be launched from a launch location and a processor receiving data from the tracking device and identifying from the data the velocity of the object over time, the processor identifying, based on changes in the velocity of the object over time, a first portion of a path of the object during which the object was in one of a bouncing state and a sliding state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a tracking device aimed so that a first field of view of the tracking device covers at least a portion of a target volume into which an object is to be launched from a launch location; and a processor receiving, from the tracking device, data of the object over a time span as the object travels through the first field of view and identifying from the data a velocity of the object over time as the object travels through the first field of view, the processor determining, which of a bouncing state, a sliding state and a rolling state the object is in at a given time during the time span. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor determines which of the bouncing state, the sliding state and the rolling state the object is in based on changes in the velocity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the processor calculates a velocity curve of the object over time, divides the velocity curve into segments and determines for each segment whether the object is in the bouncing state, the sliding state, or the rolling state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the segments are bounded by transition points and a transition point is identified as a point at which a change in one of the velocity of the object and an acceleration of the object is greater than a set threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein each of the segments is determined to be in the bouncing state, the sliding state, or the rolling state based in part on a determined slope of the segment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device captures data from a signal reflected off the object. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the tracking device does not physically contact the object. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the object is an unmodified golf ball. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines a deceleration of the object when the object is in the rolling state and adjusts the determined deceleration based on a slope of the surface over which the object rolls. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the processor subtracts, based on the slope of the surface over which the object rolls, any acceleration or deceleration to the object caused by gravity to determine the adjusted deceleration of the object caused by the surface over which the object rolls. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the slope of the surface over which the object rolls is one of predetermined or determined by the tracking device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the processor outputs the adjusted deceleration of the object in the rolling state as a stimp reading. ### Claim 13 A system, comprising: a tracking device aimed so that a first field of view of the tracking device covers at least a portion of a target volume into which an object is to be launched from a launch location; and a processor receiving, from the tracking device, data of the object over a time span as the object travels through the first field of view and identifying from the data a velocity of the object over time as the object travels through the first field of view, the processor identifying, based on changes in the velocity, a portion of a path of the object during which the object was in a sliding state during the time span. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the processor calculates a velocity curve of the object over time, divides the velocity curve into segments and determines for each segment whether the object is in a bouncing state, the sliding state, or a rolling state. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein, when a slope of the velocity of a given segment is less than a first predetermined threshold the object is determined to be in the sliding state for the given segment unless, for a segment prior in time to the segment, the object is determined to have been in the rolling state. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein, when the slope of the velocity of the given segment is less than a second predetermined threshold, the object is determined to be in the rolling state for the given segment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein, when the slope of the velocity of the segment is greater than the second predetermined threshold and a distance traveled during the segment divided by a total distance traveled by the object is not greater than a third predetermined threshold, the object is determined to be in a bouncing state for the given segment. ### Claim 18 A method, comprising: positioning a tracking device aimed so that a field of view of the tracking device covers at least a portion of a target volume into which an object is to be launched from a launch location; identifying, from data of the object over a time span as the object travels through the first field of view, a velocity of the object over time as the object travels through the first field of view; determining, which of a bouncing state, a sliding state and a rolling state the object is in at a given time during the time span. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system according to claim 18, wherein the processor determines which of the bouncing state, the sliding state and the rolling state the object is in based on changes in the velocity. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: calculating a velocity curve of the object over time; dividing the velocity curve into segments; and determining for each segment whether the object is in the bouncing state, the sliding state, or the rolling state. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the segments are bounded by transition points and a transition point is identified as a point at which a change in one of the velocity of the object and an acceleration of the object is greater than a set threshold. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein each of the segments is determined to be in the bouncing state, the sliding state, or the rolling state based in part on a determined slope of the segment. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the tracking device captures data from a signal reflected off the object. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the tracking device does not physically contact the object. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the object is an unmodified golf ball. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: determining a deceleration of the object when the object is in the rolling state; and adjusting the determined deceleration based on a slope of the surface over which the object rolls. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising: subtracting, based on the slope of the surface over which the object rolls, any acceleration or deceleration to the object caused by gravity to determine the adjusted deceleration of the object caused by the surface over which the object rolls. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the slope of the surface over which the object rolls is one of predetermined or determined by the tracking device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising: outputting the adjusted deceleration of the object in the rolling state as a stimp reading.