# US 9,519,003 B1 · Measuring launch and motion parameters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,003 B1 - Document ID: US9519003B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/688,974 - Filed: 2012-11-29 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-29 - Assignees: Rapsodo Pte. Ltd. - Applicants: Rapsodo Pte. Ltd. - Inventors: Batuhan Okur; Lodiya Radhakrishnan Vijayanand; Kelvin Yeo Soon Keat; Nyan Myo Naing - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519003B1 ## CPC - G01P 3/38: using photographic means - G01S 17/46: Indirect determination of position data - G01S 17/58: Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems - G01S 17/88: Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications - G02B 6/4292: {the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements} - G01P 3/68: using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light (G01P3/80 takes precedence {; by reflection of waves G01S17/58}) - G01S 7/4808: {Evaluating distance, position or velocity data} - G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters} - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - 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 - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract The technologies described herein relate to measuring launch parameters of a flying object, such as a golf ball or a baseball. The laser based technology enables a system that is low cost which can measure launch parameters of a ball. The launch parameters are measured and rapid feedback is provided on each ball motion event and the data of every single ball launch data is stored in the backend server. The system may include a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA), a receiver optical subassembly (ROSA), a primary processing unit, a camera subsystem, a data processing, a feedback display unit, and a backend server. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for monitoring launch parameters, comprising: a transmitter optical subassembly including at least one laser source configured to transmit a sheet of light such that a flying object passes through the sheet of light along an expected flight path of the flying object; a receiver optical subassembly including a photodetector configured to receive light transmitted by the transmitter and reflected back from the flying object as the flying object passes through the sheet of light, wherein at least one preliminary launch parameter of the flying object is determined based on the light reflected back from the flying object; and a camera subsystem comprising a camera having a field of view, the camera subsystem configured to take a plurality of pictures of the flying object in response to a triggering event that is based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter, and the plurality of pictures of the flying object are taken in a relevant area within the field of view that is determined based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a field-programmable gate array operably coupled to the camera subsystem and a central processing unit, the field-programmable gate array configured to receive input, based on the light reflected back from the flying object, from the central processing unit and to provide a trigger based on the light reflected back from the flying object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter optical subassembly includes at least a second laser source configured to transmit a sheet of light such that the flying object passes through the sheet of light along the expected flight path of the flying object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a timing circuit operably coupled to the transmitter optical subassembly and configured to signal the transmitter optical subassembly to generate a single or multiple sheets of light in sequence with respect to the one laser source and the second laser source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the launch parameters include at least one of velocity, vertical angle of elevation, azimuth angle, club head speed, maximum height, landing angle, projectile trajectory, and landing angle speed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver optical subassembly is configured to receive the reflected light from a golf ball. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an intensity time plot of when the flying object passes through the sheet of light is extracted and used to determine the particular time period that the camera is to take the plurality of pictures of the flying object in the relevant area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the relevant area comprises an area that is a subset of the field of view. ### Claim 9 A system for monitoring launch parameters, comprising: an apparatus, including: a transmitter optical subassembly including at least one laser source configured to transmit a sheet of light such that a flying object passes through the sheet of light along an expected flight path of the flying object; a receiver optical subassembly configured to receive light transmitted by the transmitter and reflected back from the flying object as the flying object passes through the sheet of light, wherein at least one preliminary launch parameter of the flying object is determined based on the light reflected back from the flying object; at least one camera subassembly comprising a camera having a field of view, the camera subassembly configured to take a plurality of pictures of the flying object in response to a triggering event that is based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter, and the plurality of pictures of the lying object are taken in a relevant area within the field of view that is determined based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter; a mobile device configured to process the plurality of pictures captured by the at least one camera and calculate at least one non-preliminary launch parameter; and a backend server configured to receive and store the at least one exact launch parameter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the apparatus further includes at least one device configured to determine placement of the apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the system is configured to generate an alert related to the speed of the flying object, the alert configured to be provided to the user by the mobile device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the backend server is configured to store the at least one parameter for a user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile device provides an interface enabling the user to access the stored at least one parameter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the relevant area comprises an area that is a subset of the field of view. ### Claim 15 A method for monitoring launch parameters, comprising: transmitting at least two laser sheets sequentially such that a flying object passes through the at least two laser sheets along an expected flight path of the flying object, wherein the at least two laser sheets are not parallel; receiving light reflected from the flying object as the flying object passes though the at least two laser sheets, using a receiving subassembly comprising at least one photodetector module, wherein at least one preliminary launch parameter of the flying object is determined based on the light reflected back from the flying object; tuning a camera having a field of view, within at least one camera subassembly, the camera subassembly configured to take plurality of pictures of the flying object in response to a triggering event that is based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter, and the plurality of pictures of the lying object are taken in a relevant area within the field of view that is determined based on the at least one preliminary launch parameter; determining ratios of the time interval to estimate a velocity, an elevation angle and an azimuth of the flying object; analyzing a curve of an intensity time plot based on the light reflected by the flying object; determining if the curve of the intensity time plot corresponding to the light reflected from the flying object matches a shape of the flying object; and estimating a velocity of the flying object based on a correlation of the intensity time plot and a known shape and size of the flying object. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein estimating a velocity of the flying object includes using mathematical regression methods. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the relevant area comprises an area that is a subset of the field of view.