Launch monitor
A launch monitor having a camera can be used to measure a trajectory parameter of a ball. In one example, a method can include changing a mode of the camera from a low-speed mode to a high-speed mode. The camera can include an image sensor array having a plurality of pixels. The camera can generate a video frame using more pixels in the low-speed mode than in the high-speed mode. A first video frame can be received, the video frame comprising values captured during the high-speed mode from a first subset of the plurality of pixels. A second video frame can be received, the video frame comprising values captured during the high-speed mode from a second subset of the plurality of pixels. The trajectory parameter of the ball can be calculated using the first video frame and the second video frame.
1. A multi-function mobile computing device comprising:
a processor;
an image sensor configured to operate in at least a high-speed video mode during execution of a launch monitor application;
a computer-readable storage medium including instructions that upon execution cause the processor to execute user-selectable software applications, the user-selectable applications comprising a calendar application, a messaging application, a web-browsing application and the launch monitor application, the launch monitor application configured to:
capture at least a first video frame of a golf ball using a first subset of pixels of the image sensor when in the high-speed mode;
capture at least a second video frame of the golf ball using a second subset of pixels of the image sensor when in the high-speed mode; and
calculate a trajectory parameter of the golf ball using at least the first video frame and the second video frame, wherein the trajectory parameter of the golf ball comprises at least one of a ball speed, a launch angle, a deviation angle, a backspin, and a sidespin.
2. The multi-function mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the high-speed video mode is configured to capture the first video frame and the second video frame at a frame rate of at least 800 frames per second.
3. The multi-function mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the high-speed video mode is configured to capture the first video frame and the second video frame at a high-speed frame rate that is at least twice a frame rate of a low-speed frame rate.
4. The multi-function mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the high-speed video mode is configured to capture the first video frame and the second video frame at a high-speed frame rate that is up to four times a frame rate of a low-speed frame rate.
5. The multi-function mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the high-speed video mode is configured to capture the first video frame and the second video frame by scanning fewer pixels per video frame.
6. The multi-function mobile computing device of claim 5 , wherein the high-speed video mode is configured to capture the first video frame and the second video frame by scanning at least one-fourth of available pixels per video frame.
7. The multi-function mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the launch monitor application is configured to calculate the trajectory parameter of the golf ball by comparing the first video frame to the second video frame.
8. The multi-function mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the multi-function mobile computing device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a handheld computer, and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).
9. A method for monitoring a golf ball with a multi-function mobile device, the method comprising:
receiving a user selection of a launch monitor application from a plurality of user-selectable software applications, wherein the user-selectable applications comprise a calendar application, a messaging application, a web-browsing application and the launch monitor application;
launching, based on the user selection, the launch monitor application;
detecting, with a camera of the multi-function mobile device, the golf ball in a field of view of the camera;
scanning, in response to detecting the golf ball, the golf ball using a high-speed scan pattern of the camera such that fewer pixels are scanned per video frame than when a low-speed scan pattern is used; and
calculating a motion parameter of the golf ball using one or more video frames captured using the high-speed scan pattern.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the high-speed scan pattern of the camera is configured to capture the one or more video frames at a frame rate of at least 800 frames per second.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the high-speed scan pattern of the camera is configured to capture the one or more video frames by scanning fewer pixels per video frame than using the low-speed scan pattern.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the high-speed scan pattern of the camera is configured to capture the one or more video frames at a high-speed frame rate that is at least twice a frame rate of a low-speed frame rate.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the high-speed scan pattern of the camera is configured to capture the one or more video frames by scanning up to one-fourth of available pixels per video frame.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the high-speed scan pattern of the camera is configured to capture the one or more video frames by scanning at least one-fourth of available pixels per video frame.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the multi-function mobile computing device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a handheld computer, and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).
16. A method for determining a trajectory parameter of a golf ball with a multi-function mobile computing device, wherein the multi-function mobile device is configured to execute a calendar application, a messaging application, a web-browsing application and a launch monitor application, the method comprising:
detecting, with the launch monitor application, that an image sensor of the multi-function mobile device is stationary;
changing, by the launch monitor application in in response detecting that the image sensor is stationary, a mode of the image sensor to a high-speed mode, wherein the high-speed mode has a frame rate that is greater than when the image sensor is not in high-speed mode;
capturing a first video frame of the golf ball using a first subset of pixels of the image sensor when in the high-speed mode;
capturing a second video frame of the golf ball using a second subset of pixels of the image sensor when in the high-speed mode; and
calculating the trajectory parameter of the golf ball using the first video frame and the second video frame.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the high-speed mode is configured to capture the first video frame and the second video frame at a high-speed frame rate that is up to four times a frame rate of a low-speed frame rate.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the high-speed mode is configured to capture the first video frame and the second video frame at a frame rate of at least about 800 frames per second.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the multi-function mobile computing device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a handheld computer, and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).