FlightScope, global leader and pioneer in tracking and analysing sports performance data, has welcomed the irrevocable dismissal of an appeal case in the German Federal Court of Justice ruling the company did not infringe on a Trackman patent in Germany.
The initial case filed by Trackman more than 10 years ago, suggested a FlightScope product infringed on a particular Ball Spin Patent, relating to the method Trackman uses for estimating the rotation velocity or spin frequency of a rotating sports ball.
FlightScope was founded in 1989, some 14 years before Trackman, when its proprietary technology was used to track projectiles for the defense industry and, since moving into sports, it has continually innovated across multiple sports including golf, tennis, baseball, softball, cricket and athletics.
More recently, its patented Fusion Tracking technology has combined 3D Doppler radar tracking and synchronized image processing to provide more accurate golf performance data to teaching professionals, club fitters and players of all abilities.
Fusion Tracking is protected by the ‘SYSTEMS TO TRACK A MOVING SPORTS OBJECT’ US Patent 10,338,209; in addition to various other patents held by FlightScope in relation to ball spin and spin axis measurement, including ‘BALL SPIN RATE MEASUREMENT’ U.S. Patent No. 9,868,044 and ‘GOLF BALL SPIN AXIS MEASUREMENT’ U.S. Patent No. 10,775,492.
Initially only available on the top-of-the-line FlightScope X3 model, Fusion Tracking is now also available to FlightScope Mevo+ owners who have the option to upgrade their hardware with the new Pro Package. This option gives users access to more than 40 data parameters, including the full D-Plane dataset.
Henri Johnson, founder and CEO of FlightScope, said: “We have always prided ourselves on the innovation and integrity at the heart of our business, whether we are working in golf, wider sports or in the defense industry. To have this questioned over a decade ago was incongruous as the method on which Trackman’s contested patent is based, was well-known and used as far back as the 1980’s in ballistics Doppler radar systems manufactured by Terma Elektronik SA. FlightScope has been measuring projectile spin since the 1990’s and golf ball spin in its radars since 2002. FlightScope has several own patents on ball spin measurement based on our extensive R&D work providing an unprecedented ability to measure spin data from instantaneous phase modulation of a radar signal reflected from a sports ball.
“Consequently, we are delighted with this final verdict from the German Federal Court of Justice. We hold several patents relating to the proprietary technology at the heart of our industry-leading products, and we will remain diligent in protecting these.
“We hope this final ruling removes any doubt as to the innovative nature of our business and we look forward to bringing more industry-leading products to golfers around the world – as with FlightScope Fusion Tracking and the recent release of our FlightScope Mevo+ Pro Package.”
FlightScope’s award-winning golf product range offers something for every standard of player, from the top of the range X3, to the Mevo+ and Mevo, which bring the latest golf tracking technology to the personal launch monitor and golf simulator market. FlightScope is also a proud official performance data technology partner of the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association).