JP7461649B2 - Bunker striking plate and virtual golf device using same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bunker striking plate and a virtual golf device that uses the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bunker striking plate that allows the player to experience the feeling of hitting a ball in an actual golf bunker, and a virtual golf device that uses the bunker striking plate.

Recently, devices have been developed that use 3D images and computer simulation technology to allow people to enjoy sports without being on-site, and virtual indoor sports have become widespread. A virtual golf device, known as screen golf, combines images similar to an actual golf course with the results of the user's swing and displays them on a screen, giving the feeling of playing an actual golf game outdoors, while saving time and money compared to playing on an outdoor field. Screen golf is popular among modern people who find it difficult to play golf outdoors due to time or financial reasons.

However, on an actual golf course, there are areas with various attributes such as fairway, rough, bunker, etc., and the hitting feeling and difficulty when the user hits the golf ball change depending on these areas. In contrast, in the above-mentioned virtual golf device, even if the golf ball on the screen is located on the fairway, rough, bunker, etc., the golf ball is hit with the same hitting plate, and the distance of the golf ball is calculated differently depending on the area on the screen where the golf ball is located. For example, a method is used in which the distance of the golf ball hit when the golf ball on the screen is in a bunker is 50% of the distance of the golf ball hit when the golf ball on the screen is on the fairway.

With this method, the user is unable to experience the difference in the feel of the impact depending on the area, which results in a significant discrepancy compared to playing on an actual golf course. One of the important factors in appealing to users in screen golf is whether or not it can provide the realism of playing an actual game, but with conventional screen golf it is difficult to experience the difference in the feel of the impact depending on the area of the golf course, resulting in a lack of realism.

In particular, when comparing fairways, rough, and bunkers, the difference in hitting feel between the fairway and rough is not large since they are all made of grass, but the hitting feel of bunkers, also called sand traps, is completely different from that of the fairway and rough since the constituent materials are clearly different. Therefore, in order to give the user the feeling of playing real golf, it is necessary to provide a hitting feel similar to that of real golf for bunker shots.

The present invention was invented in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a bunker striking plate that realistically reproduces an actual golf bunker and allows the particles used to reproduce the bunker to be easily collected.

The present invention also aims to provide a virtual golf device that utilizes the above-mentioned bunker striking plate.

Furthermore, other objects of the present invention can be clearly understood from the following description and the attached drawings.

To achieve the above object, a bunker striking plate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a bunker member that includes a plurality of magnetic bodies and can reproduce a bunker shot in golf, and a magnetic field application means that applies a magnetic field to the magnetic bodies of the bunker member, and the magnetic field can be automatically applied at a predetermined timing.

The bunker striking plate further includes a blocking member disposed at least partially around the bunker member to block the magnetic body of the bunker member from escaping to the outside, and the magnetic field applying means applies the magnetic field through the blocking member.

The bunker striking plate further includes a base member disposed below the plurality of magnetic bodies, and the magnetic field applying means applies the magnetic field through the base member.

The bunker striking plate further includes an auxiliary plate disposed adjacent to the bunker member, and the auxiliary plate includes another magnetic field application means capable of applying a magnetic field.

The virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a striking plate on which a golf ball to be struck is positioned, a display unit that displays an image of a virtual golf course and a virtual golf ball on a screen, and a control unit that calculates the movement of the virtual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on the result of a user striking the golf ball, and the striking plate includes the aforementioned bunker striking plate.

A virtual golf device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a striking plate including a bunker member including a plurality of magnetic bodies on which a golf ball is to be struck; a magnetic field applying means for applying a magnetic field to the magnetic bodies of the bunker member; a display unit for displaying an image of a virtual golf course and a virtual golf ball on a screen; and a control unit for calculating the movement of the virtual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on the result of a user striking the golf ball, and the control unit controls the operation of the magnetic field applying means so that the magnetic field is applied at a predetermined timing.

The virtual golf device further includes a sensor that senses the golf ball placed on the bunker member of the striking plate, and the time when the golf ball is placed on the bunker member is defined as a placement time, and the time when the magnetic field application starts is determined based on the placement time.

The virtual golf device further includes a sensing unit that senses the physical state of the golf ball after it is struck on the bunker member of the striking plate, and the control unit calculates the movement of the virtual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on the physical state of the golf ball sensed by the sensing unit, and the time at which the sensing unit senses the physical state of the struck golf ball is set as the sensing time, and the time at which the application of the magnetic field is terminated is determined based on the sensing time.

The virtual golf device further includes a sensing unit that senses whether a user is positioned on the striking plate, and the magnetic field is applied while the user is positioned on the striking plate.

The present invention has the effect of realistically recreating an actual golf bunker, allowing the user to experience the feeling of hitting a ball into a real bunker, and of easily recovering the magnetic particles used to recreate the bunker by applying a magnetic field at the appropriate time.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a bunker striking plate according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2A to 2C are diagrams showing various examples of magnetic bodies constituting the bunker member in the bunker striking plate of FIG. 1. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operating principle of the magnetic field applying means in the bunker striking plate of FIG. 1 . FIG. 4A to 4C are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the magnetic field applying means in the bunker striking plate of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of a bunker hitting plate according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of a bunker hitting plate according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of a bunker hitting plate according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the relationships between the components of the virtual golf device of FIG. 1. 9A-9C are diagrams illustrating various examples of the movement of a bunker striking plate in the virtual golf device of FIG. 8. 9A-9C are diagrams illustrating various examples of the movement of a bunker striking plate in the virtual golf device of FIG. 8. 9A-9C are diagrams illustrating various examples of the movement of a bunker striking plate in the virtual golf device of FIG. 8. 9A-9C are diagrams illustrating various examples of the movement of a bunker striking plate in the virtual golf device of FIG. 8. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an example of a screen golf course where a bunker striking plate can be used. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a golf driving range where a bunker striking plate can be used.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood from the following examples. The present invention is not limited to the examples described herein, and may be embodied in other forms. The examples presented herein are provided so that the disclosed content will be thorough and complete, and so that the concept of the present invention will be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited by the following examples.

In this specification, terms such as first, second, etc. are used to describe various elements, but the elements should not be limited by such terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish the elements from one another. Also, when a layer (film) is referred to as being on another layer (film) or substrate, it means that it can be formed directly on the other layer (film) or substrate, or that a third layer (film) can be interposed between them.

In the drawings, the size of elements or the relative size between elements may be somewhat exaggerated to provide a clearer understanding of the present invention. In addition, the shapes of the illustrated elements may be somewhat changed due to variations in the manufacturing process. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments disclosed in this specification should not be limited to the shapes illustrated, and should be understood to include a certain degree of modification.

Figure 1 shows the general structure of a bunker striking plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 shows various examples of magnetic materials that make up the bunker members in the bunker striking plate of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining the operating principle of the magnetic field application means in the bunker striking plate of Figure 1, and Figure 4 shows an example of the operation of the magnetic field application means in the bunker striking plate of Figure 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the bunker striking plate includes a base member (10), a bunker member (20), and a magnetic field application means (30). The base member (10) serves as a frame for accommodating the bunker member (20), and there is no restriction on the shape or structure as long as the bunker member (20) can be accommodated therein. For example, the base member (10) may have a structure including a rectangular bottom surface and side surfaces formed on each side of the rectangle. In this case, an accommodation space is formed inside surrounded by the bottom surface and side surfaces, and the bunker member (20) can be accommodated in the accommodation space. Alternatively, the base member (10) may have other structures such as a semicircular or elliptical shape.

The bunker striking plate can be installed in a place where golf balls can be hit indoors, such as a screen golf course or an indoor golf driving range. If a groove of a certain depth is formed in the bottom of the place where the bunker striking plate is installed, a storage space can be formed by the groove and the bunker member (20) can be stored therein. In this case, the base member (10) can be omitted.

The bunker member (20) contains a plurality of particles, and can reproduce the terrain attributes of a bunker in golf. To explain the bunker in detail, there are various terrain attributes such as a fairway, rough, bunker, etc. on a golf course. A fairway is an area where the grass is well managed and generally short, while a rough is an area where the grass is longer than that of a fairway, and a bunker is also called a "sand trap" because it is made of sand. There is a difference in the length of grass between the fairway and the rough, and it is more difficult to hit the ball in the rough where the grass is long than in the fairway where the grass is short, but since the fairway and the rough are all made of grass, there is not much difference between the feeling of hitting the ball on the fairway and the feeling of hitting the ball in the rough. However, since the bunker is made of sand, the feeling of hitting the ball in the bunker is significantly different from the feeling of hitting the ball on the fairway or the rough. In particular, when hitting the ball in the bunker, the sand near the golf ball is kicked up by the golf club, so the appearance of the hit in the bunker is very different from the hit in the fairway or the rough. However, conventional striking plates were unable to reproduce the feeling of hitting something that makes sand jump up, and were quite different from actual golf. The bunker member (20) of the bunker striking plate of this embodiment has multiple particles that correspond to sand-like particles, allowing it to reproduce the feeling of hitting something in a bunker.

The particles of the bunker member (20) are preferably made of a magnetic material having magnetic properties such as ferromagnetic or paramagnetic properties. The magnetic material includes at least one of magnetic particles, non-magnetic particles coated with a magnetic material, and magnetic particles coated with a non-magnetic material.

Referring to FIG. 2(a), the bunker member (20) is composed of small magnetic particles (1) like sand. For example, the bunker member (20) can be formed using powder of ferromagnetic materials such as iron, cobalt, and nickel.

Referring to FIG. 2(b), the bunker member (20) is composed of magnetic beads (2) that are relatively larger than sand. The beads (2) can be made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron, cobalt, or nickel. The beads (2) can be in various shapes such as spherical or cubic. As they are larger than powder, they have the advantage of being relatively easy to process during manufacturing, etc.

Referring to FIG. 2(c), the bunker member (20) is composed of magnetic polymer beads (3). The magnetic polymer beads (3) can have a structure in which a polymer outer layer (3b) is formed on magnetic beads (3a). Such magnetic polymer beads (3) can be manufactured by methods such as emulsion polymerization, dispersion polymerization, and suspension polymerization. In addition to magnetic polymer beads (3), any material can be used for the bunker member (20) as long as it has a magnetic core and a non-magnetic material formed on the surface of the core, and can react to an external magnetic field as a whole. Alternatively, it can be used in the form of a polymer sphere in which fine particles of a magnetic component are dispersed.

Referring to FIG. 2(d), the bunker member (20) is composed of non-magnetic beads (4) coated with a magnetic material. The non-magnetic beads (4) coated with a magnetic material may have a structure in which a magnetic outer layer (4b) is formed on a non-magnetic bead (4a). The magnetic outer layer (4b) may be formed by coating. The coating method may be a spray method, a coating method using a brush, a dipping method, or the like. In addition to the non-magnetic beads (4) coated with a magnetic material, any material may be used for the bunker member (20) as long as the non-magnetic core and the surface of the core are formed with a magnetic material and can react to an external magnetic field as a whole.

As described above, the bunker member (20) is made of magnetic particles. The reason for using magnetic particles is that they have the advantage of being easy to collect. The particles of the bunker member (20) can reproduce the impact feeling of sand jumping up in an actual bunker, but when the user hits, the particles impacted by the user's golf club escape from the bunker striking plate and scatter around. Therefore, the more the hitting is repeated, the more particles scatter around, and there is a problem that the surroundings of the bunker striking plate become dirty. In addition, when the particles of the bunker member (20) escape from the bunker striking plate and scatter around, the total amount of particles in the bunker member (20) decreases, so it is necessary to collect the particles scattered around the bunker striking plate at an appropriate time to replenish the particles to the bunker member (20). Since magnetic particles having magnetic properties are used in the bunker member (20) according to this embodiment, the scattered magnetic particles can be easily collected using a magnetic field. In addition, the bunker striking plate of this embodiment is equipped with a magnetic field application means (30), so by using the magnetic field application means (30), it is possible to prevent the magnetic particles from escaping the bunker striking plate and scattering into the surrounding area, and therefore the process of recovering the magnetic particles can be omitted.

The magnetic field application means (30) can operate on the principle of an electromagnet that can apply a magnetic field to the surroundings depending on whether or not a current flows. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the magnetic field application means (30) includes an electromagnet (5), an electric circuit (6), a switch (7), and a control unit (8). When the magnetic field application means (30) is in operation, a current flows through the electric circuit (6) by closing the switch (7), and when the current flows, a magnetic field is formed around the electromagnet (5). The control unit (8) can operate to close the switch (7) only at the necessary timing to form a magnetic field by controlling the closing/opening of the switch (7). The magnetic field application means (30) is installed at an appropriate position. For example, the magnetic field application means (30) can be installed on the base member (10) so that the magnetic field can be applied through the bottom surface of the base member (10). In this case, when a magnetic field is formed by the magnetic field application means (30), the magnetic body of the bunker member (20) receives a magnetic force toward the bottom surface of the base member (10). Therefore, if a magnetic field is applied by the magnetic field application means (30) when a user places a golf ball on the bunker striking plate and hits it, the magnetic particles that make up the bunker member (20) will receive a magnetic force toward the bottom surface of the base member (10), so even if the user hits a golf ball with a golf club and the magnetic particles of the bunker member (20) bounce up, there is a high possibility that the bounced particles will not escape from the bunker striking plate but will return toward the base member (10). This makes it possible to prevent the magnetic particles of the bunker member (20) from escaping from the bunker striking plate and scattering into the surrounding area.

Assume that a user uses a bunker striking plate to make a bunker shot. Referring to FIG. 4, the time when a golf ball (GB) is placed on the bunker striking plate before making a bunker shot is conveniently set as a first time point (T1). Thereafter, the user positions himself on the bunker striking plate, assumes a swinging posture, and then actually hits the golf ball (GB), causing the golf ball (GB) to fly forward. Here, the time when the golf ball (GB) flies after the bunker shot is finished is conveniently set as a second time point (T2). If a magnetic field is applied by the magnetic field application means (30) at a predetermined timing (ΔT) between the first and second times (T1, T2), the magnetic particles that jump up due to the bunker shot can be prevented from escaping from the bunker striking plate. In particular, since the magnetic particles mainly jump up at the time when the golf ball (GB) is hit, it is preferable that the timing (ΔT) at which the magnetic field is applied includes the time when the golf ball (GB) is hit. In addition, since magnetic particles may bounce up from the golf club while the user is practicing his swing prior to the bunker shot, it is preferable that the timing (ΔT) includes a certain time before the actual impact of the golf ball (GB). The magnetic field application means (30) can adjust the timing of applying the magnetic field by the control unit (8), so that the magnetic field can be automatically applied during a predetermined timing (ΔT) between the first and second points (T1, T2) by controlling the control unit (8).

As described above, the bunker striking plate according to the embodiment of the present invention can perfectly reproduce the striking sensation of sand jumping up in an actual bunker by forming the bunker member (20) from a plurality of particles. In addition, by forming the particles from a magnetic material and automatically applying a magnetic field through the magnetic field application means (30) at the appropriate time, it is possible to prevent the magnetic particles from escaping from the bunker striking plate and scattering around when the golf ball is struck.

Figures 5 to 7 show the schematic structure of a bunker hitting plate according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment related to these drawings, detailed descriptions of the parts described in the previous embodiment will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 5, the bunker striking plate according to this embodiment includes a base member (10), a bunker member (20), a magnetic field application means (30), and a blocking member (40). The blocking member (40) is arranged to cover the periphery of the bunker member (20), but does not completely cover the periphery of the bunker member (20). For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the blocking member (40) is formed in a rectangular base member (10) so as to completely cover one side of the base member (10) and partially cover two sides adjacent to the covered side. The blocking member (40) serves to prevent magnetic particles of the bunker member (20) from escaping from the bunker striking plate and scattering to other places around it when a user hits a golf ball with a golf club. If the blocking member (40) completely covers the periphery of the bunker member (20), it would be impossible to make a shot from the bunker, so the blocking member (40) is formed in an appropriate range that can block the magnetic particles from bouncing up and scattering as much as possible without interfering with the bunker shot. The blocking member (40) can be configured in a manner that is fixed to the base member (10) or can be configured to be detachable from the base member (10).

In this embodiment, the magnetic field application means (30) can be provided on the blocking member (40) so that the magnetic field can be applied through the blocking member (40). If there is no magnetic field application means (30), it is possible to block magnetic particles that bounce up toward the blocking member (40), but if there is a magnetic field application means (30), the magnetic particles that bounce up in the direction where there is no blocking member (40) can also be attracted toward the blocking member (40) by the magnetic field, so that the magnetic particles can be more efficiently blocked from bouncing up and scattering around the bunker striking plate.

Referring to FIG. 6, the bunker striking plate according to this embodiment includes a base member (10), a bunker member (20), a magnetic field application means (30), and a blocking member (40). The magnetic field application means (30) includes a first magnetic field application means (30a) disposed on the base member (10) and a second magnetic field application means (30b) disposed on the blocking member (40). In this embodiment, the base member (10) has a semicircular shape, but since there is no particular restriction on the shape of the base member (10), any other shape such as a square can be used. The blocking member (40) is formed to completely cover the straight parts of the base member (10) and partially cover the curved parts of the base member (10) in accordance with the semicircular shape of the base member (10). According to this embodiment, multiple magnetic field application means (30) are provided, and the first magnetic field application means (30a) in the base member (10) serves to return the magnetic particles of the bunker member (20) that bounce up when the user hits the golf ball with a golf club back toward the base member (10), and the second magnetic field application means (30b) in the blocking member (40) serves to attract the magnetic particles of the bunker member (20) that bounce up and around toward the blocking member (40). Since the magnetic field acts in multiple directions in this way, it is possible to more efficiently block the magnetic particles from scattering around the bunker striking plate.

Referring to FIG. 7, the bunker striking plate according to this embodiment includes a base member (10), a bunker member (20), and a magnetic field applying means (30). The bunker striking plate is used together with an auxiliary plate (50), which is provided with another magnetic field applying means (51). The auxiliary plate (50) is used after the user has finished hitting with the bunker striking plate, and is preferably disposed near the bunker striking plate.

One of the features of the bunker striking plate according to the present embodiment is that when a user wants to make a bunker shot, the user can make the bunker shot while inside the bunker striking plate. When making a bunker shot in a conventional screen golf, the golf ball is placed on a mat, but the user hits the ball while positioned outside the mat. When making a bunker shot in real golf, the golfer enters the bunker to make the shot, so the location where the golf ball is placed and the location where the golfer is positioned are the same. Therefore, the situation in which a bunker shot is made in a conventional screen golf does not match the situation in real golf. In contrast, in this embodiment, the user makes a bunker shot while inside the bunker striking plate, so the situation occurring in real golf can be accurately reproduced. The bunker member (20) of the bunker striking plate is made of magnetic particles, so that the magnetic particles can be attached to the bottom of the shoes worn by the user (or to the fine grooves formed on the bottom of the shoes). Therefore, every time a bunker shot is made, the particles attached to the bottom of the golf shoes cause discomfort to the user when wearing the golf shoes. The auxiliary plate (50) serves to solve this problem. In other words, if a user who has finished a bunker shot positions themselves on the auxiliary plate (50) and a magnetic field is applied in this state by the magnetic field application means (51), the magnetic particles will be subjected to a magnetic force by the magnetic field toward the auxiliary plate (51), and the magnetic particles can be easily removed from the bottom of the shoe.

We have looked at bunker striking plates according to various embodiments of the present invention. Below, we will explain a virtual golf device as an example of using the bunker striking plate.

Figure 8 shows a schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the components of the virtual golf device of Figure 8, and Figures 10 to 13 show various examples of the operation of a bunker striking plate in the virtual golf device of Figure 8.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the virtual golf device (100) according to this embodiment includes a hitting plate (110), a sensing unit (120), an input unit (130), a control unit (140), and a display unit (150).

The striking plate (110) corresponds to a striking zone where a golf ball to be struck is placed, and includes a bunker striking plate (111) and a non-bunker striking plate (112). The bunker striking plate (111) is for making a bunker shot and includes a magnetic field applying means. For example, the same bunker striking plate as described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 can be used as the bunker striking plate (111). Alternatively, a striking plate different from the bunker striking plate described above can be used. For example, the bunker striking plate described above can include at least a bunker member having magnetic particles and a magnetic field applying means, so that a minimum configuration can be used to reproduce a bunker shot and prevent the magnetic particles from bouncing up and being dispersed. The non-bunker striking plate (112) is for making a normal shot other than a bunker shot, and can be made of an artificial turf material so that a hit on a fairway (grass area) of a golf course can be reproduced.

The sensing unit (120) senses the movement of the golf ball hit by the user and grasps the overall status information of the hit golf ball, and may use sensing means such as a camera capable of photographing the movement of the golf ball or a sensing sensor capable of sensing the movement of the golf ball. The sensing means may use various sensing methods such as image sensing, light emission/reception sensing, and laser sensing, and such sensing methods may be used to grasp the status information of the golf ball hit by the user. The camera and the sensing sensor may be used alone or together. Also, only one or more may be used.

The input unit (130) is for receiving various information from the user, and may be a keyboard, mouse, or the like. There may be cases where the user needs to input information, such as when the user inputs his or her ID or password, or when the user selects the golf course or difficulty level he or she wants to play, and the input unit (130) is provided for such cases.

The sensing data from the sensing unit (120) and the input data from the input unit (130) are transmitted to the control unit (140) for processing. For example, when a user inputs a golf course that he or she wants to play, the control unit (140) operates so that the input virtual golf course is displayed to the user through the display unit (150). In this manner, the control unit (140) processes various requests from the user while controlling the overall operation of the virtual golf device. In addition, when the user hits a golf ball, the control unit (140) receives sensing data (such as general status information on the hit golf ball) from the sensing unit (120), and then calculates the trajectory that the golf ball would follow if it were on an actual golf course based on the data.

When the control unit (140) calculates the trajectory of the golf ball, a related image is generated and provided to the user by the display unit (150). The display unit (150) includes a beam projector (151) and a screen (152). The beam projector (151) projects an image onto the screen (152), and the projected image is displayed on the screen (152). The image on the screen (152) displays a virtual golf course currently being played by the user and a virtual golf ball moving along the trajectory calculated by the control unit (140). Here, the "virtual golf ball" refers to a golf ball represented in the image on the screen (152), and similarly, the "virtual golf course" does not refer to a golf course on an actual golf course, but refers to a golf course on a golf course represented in the image on the screen (152). The virtual golf course displayed on the screen (152) has various landforms with the same attributes as an actual golf course. For example, a virtual golf course may have fairways and bunkers. In the virtual golf device (100) according to this embodiment, when a virtual golf ball is located on a fairway in the screen (152), the user can place the golf ball on a non-bunker hitting plate (112) corresponding to the fairway and hit it, and when a virtual golf ball is located on a bunker in the screen (152), the user can place the golf ball on a bunker hitting plate (111) corresponding to the bunker and hit it.

As described above, by using the bunker striking plate (111) together with the non-bunker striking plate (112), the user can select the striking plate (110) having the attribute according to the terrain of the virtual golf ball on the screen (152), place the golf ball there, and strike it. This allows the user to experience the reality of playing real golf outdoors while playing screen golf. When hitting with the bunker striking plate (111), the multiple magnetic particles used to reproduce the bunker shot bounce up due to the impact at the time of hitting, escape from the bunker striking plate (111), and scatter in all directions. To prevent this, the control unit (140) controls the operation of the magnetic field application means provided on the bunker striking plate (111) so that a magnetic field is applied to the magnetic particles at the appropriate timing. For example, assuming that the virtual golf ball in the screen (152) has fallen into the bunker and the user is playing a bunker shot with the bunker striking plate (111), the timing of applying the magnetic field at various times can be set as follows.

Referring to FIG. 10, if the time when the golf ball (GB) is placed on the bunker striking plate (111) before the bunker shot is taken as the placement time (T1) for convenience, the timing (ΔT) at which the magnetic field is applied can be determined based on the placement time (T1). In particular, the placement time (T1) can be used as a reference for the time at which the magnetic field starts to be applied. For example, it can be predicted that the golf ball (GB) will be hit shortly from the placement time (T1), and since the magnetic particles bounce up when the golf ball is hit, if the magnetic field is applied by the magnetic field application means for a predetermined timing (ΔT) starting from the placement time (T1), the magnetic particles that bounce up due to the bunker shot can be prevented from escaping from the bunker striking plate (111). Alternatively, since the golf ball (GB) has not yet been struck at the placement time (T1), the magnetic field can be applied for a certain time (ΔT) from the placement time (T1) (this can be determined by considering the average time it takes from placing the golf ball (GB) to actually striking). Alternatively, if the time from the placement time (T1) to striking the golf ball (GB) is very short, and it is determined that the magnetic field is insufficient to prevent the magnetic particles from being released if the magnetic field is applied from the placement time (T1), the magnetic field can be applied for a certain time (ΔT) from a certain time before the placement time (T1). In this way, after the magnetic field is applied based on the placement time (T1), the magnetic field is applied until the striking of the golf ball (GB) is completed and the magnetic particles finish bouncing up. For this purpose, it is necessary to sense whether the golf ball (GB) is placed on the bunker striking plate (111) and whether the striking of the golf ball (GB) is completed. For the sake of convenience, the above sensing operation is referred to as "sensing the hitting motion," and a separate sensing means can be used to sense the hitting motion. Alternatively, the sensing unit (120) used to sense the physical state of the golf ball (GB) after hitting can be used to sense the hitting motion. If the sensing unit (120) serves the role of sensing the hitting motion in addition to the existing operation, the sensing unit (120) transmits the result of sensing the hitting motion to the control unit (140), and the control unit (140) can control the magnetic field application means provided on the bunker hitting plate (111) so that a magnetic field is applied at the appropriate time according to the transmitted result.

Referring to FIG. 11, if the time when the golf ball (GB) placed on the bunker striking plate (111) is actually struck is taken as the striking time (T2) for convenience, the timing (ΔT) at which the magnetic field is applied can be determined based on the striking time (T2). The striking time (T2) is the moment when the golf ball (GB) is struck, and since it is expected that the magnetic particles will bounce up immediately after the striking time (T2), it is necessary to apply the magnetic field by the magnetic field applying means during a predetermined timing (ΔT) including the striking time (T2). In order to apply the magnetic field based on the striking time (T2), it is necessary to sense the striking time (T2). A separate sensing means can be used to sense the striking time (T2). Alternatively, it is also possible to use a sensing unit (120) used to sense the physical state of the golf ball (GB) after striking to sense the striking time (T2). If the sensing unit (120) has the role of sensing the impact time (T2) along with the existing operation, the sensing unit (120) senses the impact time (T2) and transmits it to the control unit (140), and the control unit (140) can control the magnetic field application means provided on the bunker impact plate (111) so that a magnetic field is applied at the appropriate time according to the transmitted result.

Referring to FIG. 12, after a user hits a golf ball (GB), the golf ball (GB) shows a predetermined physical state according to the strength of the hit and the direction of the hit. The physical state is expressed by parameters such as a moving speed (V) and an angle (θ) relative to the moving direction. The parameters are detected by the sensing unit (120) and transmitted to the control unit (140), and the control unit (140) calculates the trajectory of the golf ball (GB) based on the transmitted information. If the time at which the sensing unit (120) detects the physical state of the golf ball (GB) is the sensing time (T3), the timing (ΔT) at which the magnetic field is applied can be determined based on the sensing time (T3). For example, the sensing time (T3) can be used as a reference for the time at which the application of the magnetic field is terminated. Since the sensing time (T3) is after the impact of the golf ball (GB) is completed, the bouncing of the magnetic particles due to the impact of the golf ball (GB) can also be completed. Therefore, if the magnetic field is applied by the magnetic field application means for a predetermined timing (ΔT) until the detection time (T3), the magnetic particles that are jumped up by the bunker shot can be appropriately prevented from escaping the bunker hitting plate (111). Alternatively, if there is a possibility that the magnetic particles will jump up due to the impact of the golf ball (GB) even after the detection time (T3), the magnetic field can be applied until a certain time has elapsed from the detection time (T3). In this way, in order to apply the magnetic field based on the detection time (T3), it is necessary to grasp the detection time (T3). Since this is a procedure that the sensing unit (120) must perform to calculate the trajectory of the golf ball (GB), a separate means for grasping the detection time (T3) is not necessary. That is, when the golf ball (GB) is hit, the sensing unit (120) performs the normal role of sensing the physical state of the hit golf ball (GB) and transmitting it to the control unit (140), and the control unit (140) grasps the sensing time (T3) based on the moment when the sensing result of the sensing unit (120) is transmitted, and based on this, it can control the magnetic field application means provided on the bunker hitting plate (111) so that a magnetic field is applied at the appropriate time.

As described above, when the placement time (T1), the impact time (T2), the detection time (T3), etc. are grasped by the sensor (120) or another sensor means and transmitted to the controller (140), the controller (140) can control the magnetic field application means provided in the bunker impact plate (111) so that the magnetic field is applied at the appropriate time based on the above-mentioned time. For example, when the magnetic field application means provided in the bunker impact plate (111) has a structure as shown in FIG. 3, the controller (140) can control the start time of the magnetic field application, the time during which the magnetic field is applied, the end time of the magnetic field application, etc. by controlling the switch (7 in FIG. 3) to close/open. Here, the timing at which the magnetic field is automatically applied has been described based on the placement time (T1), the impact time (T2), the detection time (T3), etc., focusing mainly on the golf ball, based on the time points related to the impact of the golf ball, but it is not necessary to use only these times as the basis.
For example, it is possible to observe a user about to hit a golf ball and determine the timing of applying the magnetic field based on the observation. The magnetic particles of the bunker hitting plate (111) bounce up because of a bunker shot, and considering that the bunker shot is performed by the user, as shown in FIG. 13, a sensing means such as a camera can be used to apply a magnetic field when the user is positioned at the bunker hitting plate (111) and to stop applying the magnetic field when the user leaves the bunker hitting plate (111). Another sensing means such as a camera can be used. Alternatively, the sensing unit (120) used to sense the physical state of the golf ball (GB) after hitting can be used as the sensing means such as a camera. In this case, the sensing unit (120) serves to sense whether the user is positioned at the bunker hitting plate (111) in addition to the existing operation. When a user is detected on the bunker striking plate (111) by another sensing means or the sensing unit (120), the control unit (140) can control the magnetic field application means provided on the bunker striking plate (111) so that a magnetic field is applied during the timing (ΔT) that the user is positioned on the bunker striking plate (111).
As described above, the timing of applying the magnetic field can be determined based on various criteria, and the timing of applying the magnetic field can be automatically set in advance using at least one of the criteria, or the user or the system administrator can set the timing of applying the magnetic field based on the criteria through the input unit (130), etc. For example, the user can select one of the first method (automatically applying the magnetic field from the placement time (T1) to the detection time (T3)) and the second method (applying the magnetic field while the user is positioned on the bunker hitting plate (111)) through the input unit (130), and then the magnetic field is applied according to the method selected by the user, but if there is no user selection, the magnetic field is automatically applied according to the first method.

According to the present invention, the virtual golf device is equipped with a bunker striking plate (111) having multiple magnetic particles, which makes it possible to perfectly reproduce the impact sensation of sand scattering in an actual bunker, and by applying a magnetic field to the magnetic particles at the appropriate time, it is possible to prevent the magnetic particles from escaping from the bunker striking plate (111) and scattering into the surrounding area when struck by a golf ball.

Figure 14 shows a schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 14, the virtual golf device (100) according to this embodiment includes a hitting plate (110), a sensing unit (120), an input unit (130), a control unit (140), and a display unit (150). Since the configuration other than the hitting plate (110) is not significantly different from the previous embodiment (see FIG. 8 to FIG. 13 and the description of this figure), the differences related to the hitting plate (110) will be mainly described.

The hitting plate (110) includes a first plate (111), a second plate (112), and a third plate (113). The first plate (111) indicates the terrain attribute of a bunker in golf, the second plate (112) indicates the terrain attribute of a fairway in golf, and the third plate (113) indicates the terrain attribute of a rough in golf. In real golf, the fairway and the rough are all made of grass, so it is preferable that the second and third plates (112, 113) are made of artificial grass to correspond to this. Since the fairway and the rough have differences in the detailed condition of the grass, such as the length of the grass, the second and third plates (112, 113) can be configured to correspond to the fairway and the rough by making the condition of the artificial grass different. For example, the second plate (112) can be made to correspond to the fairway of an actual golf course by shortening the length of the artificial grass to reduce the difficulty of hitting, and the third plate (113) can be made to correspond to the rough of an actual golf course by increasing the length of the artificial grass to increase the difficulty of hitting.

The first plate (111) includes a plurality of magnetic particles and a magnetic field application means for applying a magnetic field to the magnetic particles, thereby recreating a bunker shot using the magnetic particles and preventing the magnetic particles from bouncing up and escaping around the first plate (111) using the magnetic field application means. For example, the bunker striking plate described above (see Figures 1 to 7 and the explanations for these figures) can be used as the first plate (111). Alternatively, a plate different from the bunker striking plate described above can be used. In this case, it is preferable that the first plate (111) is configured to include at least a bunker member having magnetic particles and a magnetic field application means among the configurations of the bunker striking plate described above.

In this way, according to this embodiment, by using multiple magnetic particles with different lengths of artificial turf, it is possible to form a striking plate (110) having multiple plates (111, 112, 113) that correspond to various areas of actual golf with different hitting difficulty such as the fairway, rough, and bunker. As a result, by selecting one of the multiple plates (111, 112, 113) that shows the corresponding attribute according to the attribute of the terrain on the screen (152) on which the virtual golf ball is placed, and then placing the golf ball on the selected plate and hitting it, the user can experience various hitting sensations on multiple terrains just like actual golf while playing screen golf.

Figure 15 shows an example of a screen golf course where a bunker striking plate can be used.

Referring to FIG. 15, the screen golf course (200) according to this embodiment is provided with a plurality of screen golf booths (201, 202). The plurality of screen golf booths (201, 202) are divided into a screen golf booth (201) for bunker shots and a screen golf booth (202) for non-bunker shots. The screen golf booth (201) for bunker shots and the screen golf booth (202) for non-bunker shots differ mainly in the striking plates. The screen golf booth (201) for bunker shots is provided with a bunker striking plate (201a), and the screen golf booth (202) for non-bunker shots is provided with a non-bunker striking plate (202a). The same bunker striking plate as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 may be used as the bunker striking plate (201a), and the non-bunker striking plate shown in FIG. 8 may be used as the non-bunker striking plate (202a). Therefore, the screen golf booth for bunker shots (201) is suitable for bunker shots, and the screen golf booth for non-bunker shots (202) is suitable for shots other than bunker shots (mainly fairway shots).

Generally, bunker shots are not as frequent as other shots in golf play. It is economically inefficient to install a bunker hitting plate (201a) in every screen golf booth for the infrequent bunker shot. In consideration of this, the screen golf course (200) of this embodiment is equipped with a large number of screen golf booths (202) for non-bunker shots and a small number of screen golf booths (201) for bunker shots, and the screen golf booths (201, 202) are configured to communicate with each other, so that the user can use the large number of screen golf booths (202) for non-bunker shots and the small number of screen golf booths (201) for bunker shots together. In other words, when a situation arises where a bunker shot needs to be made while playing in the screen golf booth (202) for non-bunker shots, the user can move to the screen golf booth (201) for bunker shots only in that situation to make the bunker shot. As a result, the user can experience the feeling of hitting an actual bunker, and it is economical because it is not necessary to provide a large number of screen golf booths (201) for bunker shots. The drawing shows two screen golf booths (202) for non-bunker shots and one screen golf booth (201) for bunker shots, but this is shown by way of example, and the screen golf booths (202) for non-bunker shots and the screen golf booths (201) for bunker shots can be provided in numbers different from those shown in the drawing.

In addition, according to this embodiment, since the screen golf booth for bunker shots (201) is separately provided, the screen golf booth for bunker shots (201) can provide a practice mode for bunker shots, which allows the user to intensively practice bunker shots. Compared to shots on grass such as fairways and roughs, bunker shots are considered to be very difficult shots because sand particles bounce up and interfere with the shot. Therefore, in order to become a high-level golf player, it is necessary to improve one's bunker shot skills. In conventional screen golf, there was no hitting plate that could reproduce the hitting feeling of an actual bunker shot, so it was not possible to provide an environment in which one could intensively practice bunker shots. However, according to this embodiment, the screen golf booth for bunker shots (201) that can accurately reproduce the hitting feeling of a bunker shot is provided, so one can fully practice bunker shots. When the user selects the practice mode, various situations in which a golf ball is in a bunker are displayed on the screen, and the user can practice bunker shots in the various situations using the hitting plate for bunkers (201a).

Figure 16 shows an example of a golf driving range where a bunker striking plate can be used.

Referring to FIG. 16, the golf driving range (300) according to this embodiment is equipped with a plurality of bays (301, 302). The golf driving range (300) is installed indoors or outdoors, and a plurality of users can practice golf at the same time using the plurality of bays (301, 302). The plurality of bays (301, 302) are divided into a bay for non-bunker shots (301) and a bay for bunker shots (302). The bay for non-bunker shots (301) is for making normal shots other than bunker shots, and a non-bunker hitting plate as shown in FIG. 8 may be used. The bay for bunker shots (302) is for making bunker shots, and the same bunker hitting plate as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 may be used.

In this way, according to the golf driving range (300) of this embodiment, the bunker shot bays (302) are used together with the non-bunker shot bays (301), which has the effect of allowing sufficient practice of not only normal shots but also bunker shots.

Specific examples of the present invention have been discussed above. Those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that the present invention can be embodied in modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed examples should be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the present invention is set forth in the claims, not in the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope of the equivalents thereto should be construed as being included in the present invention.

10...base member,
20... Bunker member,
30...magnetic field application means,
100...Virtual golf device,
200...Screen golf course,
300...Golf driving range

Claims (5)

a striking plate including a bunker member having a plurality of magnetic bodies on which a golf ball is struck;
a magnetic field applying means for applying a magnetic field to the magnetic body of the bunker member;
a display unit that displays an image of a virtual golf course and a virtual golf ball on a screen;
a control unit that calculates a movement of the virtual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on a result of a user hitting the golf ball;
Including,
the control unit controls the operation of the magnetic field application means so that the magnetic field is automatically applied during a predetermined timing between a start time point and an end time point ;
a sensing portion for sensing a golf ball placed on the bunker member of the striking plate;
In the virtual golf device, when a time when the golf ball is placed on the bunker member is defined as a placement time, a start time for starting application of the magnetic field is determined based on the placement time. a striking plate including a bunker member having a plurality of magnetic bodies on which a golf ball is struck;
a magnetic field applying means for applying a magnetic field to the magnetic body of the bunker member;
a display unit that displays an image of a virtual golf course and a virtual golf ball on a screen;
a control unit that calculates a movement of the virtual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on a result of a user hitting the golf ball;
Including,
the control unit controls the operation of the magnetic field application means so that the magnetic field is automatically applied during a predetermined timing between a start time point and an end time point ;
a sensor for sensing a physical state of the golf ball after the golf ball is struck on the bunker member of the striking plate;
the control unit calculates a movement of the virtual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on the physical state of the golf ball sensed by the sensing unit;
The virtual golf device further comprises a first detecting unit that detects a physical state of the hit golf ball, the first detecting unit detecting a physical state of the hit golf ball, and a second detecting unit detecting a physical state of the hit golf ball. a striking plate including a bunker member having a plurality of magnetic bodies on which a golf ball is struck;
a magnetic field applying means for applying a magnetic field to the magnetic body of the bunker member;
a display unit that displays an image of a virtual golf course and a virtual golf ball on a screen;
a control unit that calculates a movement of the virtual golf ball on the virtual golf course based on a result of a user hitting the golf ball;
Including,
the control unit controls the operation of the magnetic field application means so that the magnetic field is automatically applied during a predetermined timing between a start time point and an end time point ;
The hitting plate further includes a sensor configured to sense whether a user is positioned on the bunker member of the hitting plate,
The magnetic field is applied while the sensing unit senses that the user is positioned on the striking plate. The bunker member further includes a blocking member disposed at least partially around the bunker member to block the magnetic body of the bunker member from escaping to the outside,
The virtual golf device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field applying means applies the magnetic field through the blocking member. The virtual golf device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material includes at least one of magnetic particles, non-magnetic particles coated with a magnetic material, and magnetic particles coated with a non-magnetic material.