Electronic Pitching Trainer and Method for Determining the True Speed of a Sports Projectile

Abstract

A sensing device obtains range-related data—such as Doppler data or pulse time-of-flight data—from a sports projectile during flight. The time course of the range-related data is employed, in light of predictable characteristics of the projectile trajectory, to determine and output an accurate determination of the projectile speed for one or more points of interest in its flight. Such determination of speed may, for instance, be the speed at the time of projectile release, even though range-related data is gathered later in the flight, when the projectile is traveling neither so fast, nor straight at the sensor. Such sensing device may employ inexpensive short-range acoustic Doppler, and be incorporated into a target device that automatically displays to a pitcher-in-training the speed and ball/strike condition of each pitch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automatic system comprising:
 a module comprising:
 speed identification means for identifying a speed of a sports projectile; 
 speed indication means for providing an indication of the speed of the sports projectile using characters at least one inch in height; 
   target means for receiving an impact of the sports projectile and for protecting the module from damage by projectile impact, the target means comprising:
 a transparent region through which the indication of the speed is displayed. 
   
     
     
         2 . The automatic system of  claim 1 , wherein the module is attached to the target means. 
     
     
         3 . The automatic system of  claim 2 , further comprising a flexible coupling means for isolating the module from projectile impact shock arising from the target means. 
     
     
         4 . The automatic system of  claim 2 , wherein the module is detachable from the target means. 
     
     
         5 . The automatic system of  claim 1 , wherein the module comprises all electronics necessary for its operation. 
     
     
         6 . The automatic system of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent region comprises a protective mesh. 
     
     
         7 . The automatic system of  claim 1 , wherein the target means further comprises at least one delineated target area, and wherein the module further comprises a target delineation means for indicating whether the sports projectile has impacted the at least one delineated target area. 
     
     
         8 . The automatic system of  claim 1 , wherein the speed identification means and the speed indication means are contained within a housing which does not contain the target means. 
     
     
         9 . The automatic system of  claim 1 , wherein the speed identification means comprises an acoustic sensor for generating a signal indicative of the speed of the sports projectile. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 (A) at a module, identifying a speed of a sports projectile;   (B) at the module, providing an indication of the speed of the sports projectile using characters at least one inch in height;   (C) at a target means:
 (C)(1) receiving an impact of the sports projectile; and 
 (C)(2) protecting the module from damage by projectile impact; 
 (C)(3) displaying the indication of the speed through a transparent region of the target means. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, at the module, indicating whether the sports projectile has impacted at least one delineated target area of the target means. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein (A) comprises generating a signal indicative of the speed of the sports projectile.