Automatic ball machine apparatus localization

A ball machine system comprising:

• a ball launching system;
• a memory configured to store a court model that includes dimensions of a court type in relation to a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system;
• an imaging system connected to the ball launching system and configured to capture a plurality of images of a court;
• and
• a processor configured to
• analyze the plurality of images to detect features including a plurality of lines, the orientation of the plurality of lines, and intersection points among the plurality of lines,
• extract, as feature points, from each of the plurality of images the detected features corresponding to each image,
• superimpose, based on a selection of a first set of feature points from the court model and the extracted feature points from a first image included in the plurality of images, a first transformation of the court model onto the first image to generate a first model fit,
• superimpose, based on a selection of a second set of feature points from the court model and the extracted feature points from a second image included in the plurality of images, a second transformation of the court model onto the first image to generate a second model fit,
• determine, for the first model fit, a degree of overlap among features of the first transformation of the court model with features in the first image,
• determine, for the second model fit, a degree of overlap among features of the second transformation of the court model with features in the second image,
• select as a final model fit, a model fit based on a degree of overlap, and
• calculate the position of the ball launching system on a playing surface of the court based on the selected final model fit and intrinsic parameters of the imaging system.

A method of determining the position of a ball machine on a playing surface of a court, the method comprising:

• selecting a court model that includes dimensions of a court type in relation to a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system;
• analyzing a plurality of images captured by an imaging system attached to the ball machine to detect feature points in each of the plurality of images;
• superimposing a plurality of different transformations of the court model the plurality of images to generate a plurality of model fits;
• selecting as a final model fit, from the plurality of model fits, a model fit based on a degree of overlap among features of the transformed court model and the respective image;
• and
• calculating the position of the ball machine on the playing surface based on the selected final model fit and intrinsic parameters of the imaging system.

A method of determining the position of a ball machine on a playing surface of a court, the method comprising:

• selecting a court model that includes dimensions of a court type in relation to a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system;
• analyzing a plurality of images captured by an imaging system attached to the ball machine to detect features including a plurality of lines, the orientation of the plurality of lines, and intersection points among the plurality of lines;
• extracting, as feature points, from each of the plurality of images the detected features corresponding to each image;
• superimposing, based on a selection of a first set of feature points from the court model and the extracted feature points from a first image included in the plurality of images, a first transformation of the court model onto the first image to generate a first model fit;
• superimposing, based on a selection of a second set of feature points from the court model and the extracted feature points from a second image included in the plurality of images, a second transformation of the court model onto the first image to generate a second model fit;
• determining, for the first model fit, a degree of overlap among features of the first transformation of the court model with features in the first image;
• determining, for the second model fit, a degree of overlap among features of the second transformation of the court model with features in the second image;
• selecting as a final model fit, a model fit based on a degree of overlap;
• and
• calculating the position of the ball machine on the playing surface based on the selected final model fit and intrinsic parameters of the imaging system.

A ball machine system comprising:

• a ball launching system;
• a memory configured to store a court model that includes dimensions of a court type in relation to a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system;
• a camera connected to the ball launching system and configured to capture an image of a court;
• and
• a processor configured to
• analyze the image to detect feature points in the image,
• superimpose a plurality of different transformations of the court model onto the image to generate a plurality of model fits,
• select as a final model fit, from the plurality of model fits, a model fit based on a degree of overlap among features of the transformed court model and the image, and
• calculate the position of the ball launching system on a playing surface of the court based on the selected final model fit and intrinsic parameters of the camera.

A ball machine system comprising:

• a ball launching system;
• a memory configured to store a court model that includes dimensions of a court type in relation to a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system;
• a camera connected to the ball launching system and configured to capture images of a court;
• a height actuator configured to adjust a height of the camera;
• and
• a processor configured to
• analyze a first image captured by the camera at a first height and a second image captured by the camera at a second height to detect feature points in the first image and the second image,
• superimpose a plurality of different transformations of the court model onto the first image and the second image to generate a plurality of model fits,
• select as a final model fit, from the plurality of model fits, a model fit based on a degree of overlap among features of the transformed court model with respect to the first image and the second image, and
• calculate the position of the ball launching system on a playing surface of the court based on the selected final model fit and intrinsic parameters of the camera.