US12774873 - Darts scoring method

The patent describes a method for scoring darts on a dartboard using multiple cameras positioned at angles to the play surface, which capture images at different times to determine the dart’s location. By calculating homography matrices and producing differential images, the method accurately assesses the score based on the dart’s intersection with the board.

Claim 1

1 . A method of determining a score of a dart in a play surface of a dartboard using a plurality of cameras facing the dartboard, wherein a direction of view of each of the plurality of cameras is at a non-zero angle relative to a plane containing the play surface of the dartboard, the method comprising: calculating a homography matrix for each camera within the plurality of cameras, the homography matrix being for directly transforming an image of the dartboard captured by the respective camera from a view of the respective camera to a front-view of the dartboard; capturing a first image of the dartboard using each of the cameras at a first time, and capturing a second image of the dartboard using each of the plurality of cameras at a second time, the second time being subsequent to the first time, and the dart being in the play surface of the dartboard at the second time; producing a plurality of differential scoring images by comparing each first image to the second image captured by the respective camera; using at least two of the differential scoring images with their respective homography matrices to transform each of the at least two of the differential scoring images from the view of the respective camera to the front-view of the dartboard; determining a location of intersection between the dart and the play surface of the dartboard based on the transformed differential scoring images; and determining a score based on the determined location of intersection. calculating a homography matrix for each camera within the plurality of cameras, the homography matrix being for directly transforming an image of the dartboard captured by the respective camera from a view of the respective camera to a front-view of the dartboard; capturing a first image of the dartboard using each of the cameras at a first time, and capturing a second image of the dartboard using each of the plurality of cameras at a second time, the second time being subsequent to the first time, and the dart being in the play surface of the dartboard at the second time; producing a plurality of differential scoring images by comparing each first image to the second image captured by the respective camera; using at least two of the differential scoring images with their respective homography matrices to transform each of the at least two of the differential scoring images from the view of the respective camera to the front-view of the dartboard; determining a location of intersection between the dart and the play surface of the dartboard based on the transformed differential scoring images; and determining a score based on the determined location of intersection.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12774873

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12774873