KR20240063088A - Virtual golf device setting user's personal environment - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a virtual golf device that sets the user's personal environment. The virtual golf device includes a calculation unit that calculates the movement of the real golf ball assuming that it is on a real golf course when the user hits a real golf ball, and a virtual golf device that moves as calculated by the calculation unit on a virtual golf course. It includes a display unit showing the ball, and a setting unit for setting a personal environment for the user, wherein the personal environment can be set differently for each user for a plurality of users, and user information for each of the plurality of users can be displayed for each user. It further includes a storage unit for separately storing data, and the personal environment can be automatically set using the user information stored in the storage unit.

Description

Virtual golf device that sets the user's personal environment {VIRTUAL GOLF DEVICE SETTING USER'S PERSONAL ENVIRONMENT}

The present invention relates to a virtual golf device, and more specifically, to enable each user to play screen golf in various ways desired by customizing the personal environment for screen golf play options, interface, etc. It relates to a configured virtual golf device.

Recently, as the popularity of golf has increased, the number of people who enjoy golf is increasing. In addition to golf at outdoor golf courses, the popularity of screen golf, which allows you to play golf using virtual golf devices, is also increasing. In screen golf, images of the golf course are displayed on a screen, giving the impression that you are playing a real golf game outdoors. Screen golf is also suitable for time and economic reasons because it saves time and money compared to playing on an outdoor golf course. It is very popular with busy modern people who have difficulty playing outdoor golf due to back problems.

As the number of people using screen golf increases and users' expectations rise, there is a need for screen golf to provide more diverse services to stimulate user interest. In screen golf, various information that is difficult to provide on an actual golf course is provided and there may be various play options. However, each user has different tastes, so there may be differences in information provision methods or play options. There is a need to develop a service that can meet all the diverse needs of these users.

The technology behind the present invention is Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2249738 (May 10, 2021), Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0046361 (May 7, 2013), and Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2158848 ( 2020,09,22), and is disclosed in Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0047401 (2021.04.30).

The present invention was invented in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides a virtual golf device configured to allow users to play screen golf in various ways desired by allowing users to customize their personal environment related to screen golf play. The purpose.

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

A virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object includes a calculation unit that calculates the movement of the actual golf ball assuming that the actual golf ball is on a real golf course when the user hits a real golf ball, and a virtual golf device. It includes a display unit that shows a virtual golf ball moving on the course as calculated by the calculation unit, and a setting unit for setting a personal environment for the user, wherein the personal environment can be set differently for each user for a plurality of users. and further includes a storage unit that stores user information for each of the plurality of users separately by user, and the personal environment can be automatically set using the user information stored in the storage unit.

In the virtual golf device, the personal environment may determine the user's golf skill based on information about the user's golf play record among the user information stored in the storage unit and be automatically set to match the determined golf skill. there is.

In the virtual golf device, the personal environment includes items unrelated to the user's golf skills, and the items may be set to be the same as those selected by the user in the past.

According to the virtual golf device of the present invention, the personal environment related to screen golf play can be customized to the user, thereby allowing the user to play screen golf in various ways desired.

1 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a diagram showing a screen menu screen showing an example of setting various personal environments.
Figure 3 is a diagram showing a screen showing an example in which golf play information is displayed differently.
Figure 4 is a diagram showing a screen showing an example of a difference in whether a flagpole is placed on the hole cup in the green area.
Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating a screen showing an example of a difference in whether slope information of a drawn area is displayed.
Figure 6 is a diagram showing a screen showing an example of a putting guide indicating the putting direction in a green area being displayed in various ways.
7 to 10 are diagrams for explaining the first and second methods.
Figures 11 to 13 are diagrams showing screens showing examples of guide information indicating the hitting position of a golf ball being displayed in various ways.
Figure 14 is a diagram showing a screen showing a comparison between a normal image and an example of a vision improvement image.
Figure 15 is a diagram showing a screen showing a comparison between a normal image and an example of a vision protection image.
Figure 16 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 17 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a system in which a plurality of virtual golf devices are connected through a network.
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a screen menu screen showing an example of setting personal environment in the virtual golf device of FIG. 17.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail through examples. The purpose, features, and advantages of the present invention will be easily understood through the following examples. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. The embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosed content is thorough and complete and to enable the idea of the present invention to be sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Accordingly, the present invention should not be limited by the following examples.

Although terms such as first and second are used in this specification to describe various elements, the elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish the elements from one another. Additionally, when an element is referred to as being on top of another element, it means that it can be formed directly on top of the other element or that a third element may be interposed between them.

In the drawings, the sizes of elements, or the relative sizes between elements, may be somewhat exaggerated for a clearer understanding of the present invention. Additionally, the shapes of elements shown in the drawings may change somewhat due to variations in the manufacturing process. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in this specification should not be limited to the shapes shown in the drawings unless otherwise specified, and should be understood to include some degree of modification.

1 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the virtual golf device includes a hitting plate 10, a control unit 20, a detection unit 30, an input unit 40, a sound unit 50, and a display unit 60.

The hitting plate 10 is an area where the user is positioned to hit a golf ball, and an auto tee that can move up and down is installed on the hitting plate 10, so that a golf ball for hitting can be automatically provided to the user through the auto tee. there is.

The control unit 20 controls the overall operation of each component of the virtual golf device. For example, the control unit 20 can control the auto tee installed on the hitting plate 10 so that a golf ball for hitting is provided from the auto tee according to the time when the user hits. Additionally, when the user selects a specific golf course, the control unit 20 executes related operations so that the user can play on the golf course. That is, the control unit 20 can form an image of a specific golf course selected by the user through an image processing means and then transmit the image to the display unit 60 to be displayed.

The control unit 20 includes a calculation unit 21, a setting unit 22, and a storage unit 23. The control unit 20, through the calculation unit 21, performs a calculation operation to calculate a trajectory assuming that the golf ball flies on an actual golf course according to the physical state based on the physical state of the golf ball hit by the user. In addition, the control unit 20 sets the user's personal environment such as play options or interface when playing screen golf through the setting unit 22 and also performs a setting operation to make the virtual golf device operate according to the set personal environment. Run. The control unit 20 is equipped with a storage unit 23, and the storage unit 23 stores various data necessary to perform the operations of the control unit 20, including calculation operations and setting operations.

The detection unit 30 is used to determine physical state information about the golf ball by detecting the movement of the golf club or the movement of the golf ball hit by the user when hitting the golf ball. As the detection unit 30, the golf Sensing means such as a camera or detection sensor that can capture the movement of a club or golf ball may be used. Various sensing methods such as image sensing, light emission/reception sensing, and laser sensing may be applied to the sensing means, and through these sensing methods, the movement of the golf club or the state information of the golf ball hit by the user can be determined. The cameras, detection sensors, etc. may be used alone or together, and only one unit may be used, or multiple units may be used as needed.

The input unit 40 is used to receive various information from the user, and a keyboard or mouse can be used. A login system that requires the user to log in before providing the service can be applied to screen golf, and when the login system is applied, the input unit 40 can be used when the user enters his or her ID or password. Additionally, the input unit 40 can be used in screen golf, such as when the user selects the golf course he or she wants to play or the difficulty level of play.

The sound unit 50 may include an audio device such as a speaker, and through this, guides the user to the progress of the game and plays various sound effects according to the progress of the game.

The display unit 60 includes devices such as a beam projector and a screen. The beam projector projects golf-related images on the screen so that the golf course and golf balls are displayed on the screen, and the screen displays the projected images to show to the user. In this specification, some objects displayed on the screen may be expressed with the term 'virtual'. This is used to mean that they are displayed as images on the screen, and to avoid confusion with objects that exist in the real world. It is used. For example, 'virtual golf ball' means a golf ball displayed on a screen, and the term 'virtual' is added to avoid confusion with the actual golf ball that a user hits in the real world.

The virtual golf device is a device that is installed on a screen golf course to allow screen golf to be played. When a user plays screen golf, the virtual golf device operates in the following process. When the user hits a golf ball, the sensor 30 detects the physical state, such as the movement of the golf club or the speed or direction of movement of the golf ball hit by the user. The information detected by the sensing unit 30 is transmitted to the control unit 20, and the control unit 20 determines the trajectory of the golf ball based on the transmitted information assuming that the user hits the golf ball on an outdoor actual golf course. Calculate whether to display. The trajectory of a golf ball can be calculated only by the movement of the golf ball, or it can also be calculated by taking into account the movement of the golf club at the time of hitting. The display unit 60 displays an image of a virtual golf ball moving according to the calculated trajectory. At this time, the virtual golf ball flies along the calculated trajectory and lands at a specific point of the virtual golf course on the screen, and the user The next hit continues from the point where the virtual golf ball lands.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing a menu screen for setting various personal environments.

Referring to FIG. 2, in screen golf play, the user can customize personal environments such as play options and user interface as desired through the setting unit 22 of the control unit 20. For example, the user can select what units (meters, yards, etc.) to display the distance information displayed on the screen. Users can also set the number of mulligans. A mulligan means that you are given the opportunity to cancel a missed shot and take another shot. If the mulligan is set to 3, the user can cancel the worst shot and try the shot again up to 3 times during play. Additionally, users can set the scope of acceptance. Concede means that if the putted golf ball is within a certain distance from the hole cup, it is recognized as having entered the hole cup. If the allow is set to 1.5m, a golf ball located within a radius of 1.5m from the hole cup is considered to have entered the hole cup. In addition, the user can set the color of the tee displayed on the screen, the size of the golf ball, the color of the golf ball, etc. as desired, and as a result, the user can create conditions for the tee or golf ball to be easily identified. Users can also set golf ball sounds or various sound effects. The sound generated when hitting a golf ball, flying a golf ball, or rolling a golf ball can be set to small or normal size, or set to not make the sound, and the sound can be adjusted by adding special effects to various sounds. You can make it sound louder, add an echo, or prevent these special effects from occurring. Here, if you have abundant source data for golf ball sounds or various sound effects, each user can generate their own unique sound that is different from other users. Additionally, the user can set the image of the golf ball displayed on the screen to be an image of a golf ball from a specific manufacturer used on an actual golf course. In reality, golf balls are manufactured in a variety of products by many manufacturers, so the shape and color of golf balls also vary from product to product. Conventionally, despite differences in actual golf balls, most of the golf balls displayed on the screen were the same or very similar. According to this embodiment, the image of the virtual golf ball on the screen can be compared to the golf ball product actually manufactured by the manufacturer. You can select by image. If the golf balls actually used are displayed on the screen, the reality of playing real golf can be improved while playing screen golf. Users can also set the color or size of text displayed on the screen. The text may include information related to golf play (information on the distance from the current golf ball position to the hole cup, etc.) or comments made by the caddy during play. Users with poor eyesight can select text with a color and size that is easy for them to identify, and users who feel that text interferes with their ability to concentrate on playing can select text with a small size. Additionally, a caddy appears on the screen, just like in real golf, to encourage golf play or provide advice, and the user can select the content of the caddy's comments as desired. For example, choose a caddy who gives kind comments, or a caddy who gets excited when a good play is made and passionately shouts 'nice shot', or a caddy who gives strict comments so that you can stay calm and focus on your play. You can choose.

As above, the user can set his or her own personal environment, and the setting unit 22 sets the personal environment as set by the user and performs the necessary actions so that the user's settings are reflected in the sound unit 50 or the display unit 60. Run. Meanwhile, there may be other items not mentioned above that can be set as personal environment. For example, play options such as weather conditions (wind direction, wind speed, etc.) during play can be set as personal settings. In addition, the user interface, such as the presence or absence of various information sections displayed on the screen during play, the location of the information section, and the shape of the information section, can be set differently for each user as a personal environment. For example, when the windy play option is selected, the user can select a user interface for how to display wind direction or wind speed. That is, you can choose to display the wind direction and speed as text such as "Southeast wind; 1 - 3 m/s", or you can choose to display the wind direction and speed as an animation.

In addition to the above-mentioned items, there are additional items that the user can set as personal environments, and several of these will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing a screen showing an example in which golf play information is displayed differently.

Referring to FIG. 3, the user can set the amount of information or the method of providing the information for the golf play information displayed on the screen as a personal preference. For example, assuming that information about golf play can be divided into 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th levels, the user can select which level of information to be provided among the first to fourth levels of information.

Referring to Figure 3(a), when the first level is selected, the information level is the lowest, so the amount or accuracy of information decreases. Specifically, distance information (1) and height information (2) are provided between the point where the virtual golf ball is currently located on the screen and the final target point, the hole cup. However, the distance and height are not displayed as specific values, but as predetermined values. Displayed as a range. Therefore, users can only roughly determine the distance or height between the golf ball and the hole cup, and must devise a strategy with a slight margin of error in mind.

Referring to Figure 3(b), when selecting the second level, the amount of information increases compared to the first level. Specifically, distance information (1) and height information (2) are provided between the point where the virtual golf ball is currently located on the screen and the final target point, the hole cup, and in addition, information on the target point of hitting (3) is provided on the mini-map. It displays. The target point indicates the point that can be targeted for this stroke, taking into account the distance to the final target, the hole cup, and the characteristics of the golf course. As with the first grade, distance and height are not displayed as specific values, but only within a certain numerical range.

Referring to Figure 3(c), when selecting the third level, the amount and accuracy of information increase compared to the first and second levels. Specifically, distance information (1) and height information (2) are provided between the point where the virtual golf ball is currently located on the screen and the final target point, the hole cup, and the target point information for hitting (3) is displayed on the minimap. . Regarding distance and height, unlike grades 1 and 2, distance and height are displayed as specific values rather than numerical ranges. Therefore, users can accurately determine the distance or height between the golf ball and the hole cup, and accurately establish a hitting strategy based on this.

Referring to Figure 3(d), when selecting the fourth level, the amount and accuracy of information further increase compared to the first, second, and third levels. Specifically, distance information (1) and height information (2) are provided between the point where the virtual golf ball is currently located on the screen and the final target point, the hole cup, and the target point information for the next hit (3) is displayed on the minimap. I do it. In addition, distance information (4) from the current target point to the final target, the hole cup, is provided, and recommended distance information for the current hit (5) is provided. The recommended distance may vary depending on weather conditions such as wind speed, wind direction, etc., or special variables such as the user's golf skill (wind speed, etc. may vary each time you play, and the user's golf skill may vary depending on who the user is, and the situation at that time). It indicates the distance that is recommended to be set as the target distance when hitting at the current stage, taking into account the variables that may vary (for convenience, they are called 'specific variables'). When level 4 information is provided, the user can accurately determine almost all necessary information regarding the current strike and can clearly establish a strategy for the strike based on this information.

From the user's point of view, if they want detailed information, they can select grades 3 and 4, and if they want to play at a high difficulty level with a sense of challenge, they can select grades 1 and 2. Here, the case in which information levels are divided into four levels is explained, but this is only one example, and the number of levels and the content of information provided in each level may be structured differently from the example described above. Although the golf play information is provided here by being displayed on the screen, the user can set personal preferences to have the golf play information provided in a different way. For example, the golf play information can be provided through the caddy's voice rather than on a screen.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing a screen showing an example of a difference in whether a flagpole is placed on the hole cup in the green area.

Referring to FIG. 4, the user can set personal preferences as to whether or not to display the flagpole at the position of the hole cup, which is the target point during the putting stage. When displaying the flagpole, both the hole cup and the flagpole are displayed in the green area of the screen, as shown in FIG. 4(a). When the flagpole is not displayed, only the hole cup is displayed in the green area of the screen, as shown in FIG. 4(b). Since golf is a sport in which rankings are determined based on the number of total strokes until the golf ball is holed into the hole cup, the hole cup represents the target point when hitting the golf ball. From the user's perspective, the location of the target point can be better recognized through the flagpole, and the golf ball can be hit using the flagpole as the target. However, some users may not want the flagpole to be displayed because they think it reduces concentration in play. Users can choose whether or not to display the flagpole depending on their position.

The presence or absence of a flagpole not only makes a visual difference, but can also affect the outcome of screen golf play. If there is a flagpole in the path of the virtual golf ball on the putting screen, a situation in which the virtual golf ball and the flagpole collide may occur, and the trajectory of the virtual golf ball is calculated by reflecting the collision situation. Therefore, the flagpole can be viewed as a kind of unexpected variable that can affect the moving path of the virtual golf ball, and the user can choose whether to display the flagpole depending on whether they want this unexpected variable to be applied.

Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating a screen showing an example of a difference in whether slope information of a drawn area is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 5, the user can set personal preferences as to whether to provide slope information of the green area during the putting stage. When slope information is not displayed, as shown in FIG. 5(a), no information is provided about the slope (direction or degree of slope, etc.) of the green area where putting takes place. When displaying slope information, information indicating the slope of the drawn area is provided, as shown in FIG. 5(b). A grid 6 consisting of a plurality of horizontal lines 6a and vertical lines 6b is displayed in the area drawn for the slope information, and a moving object 7 moving along the horizontal lines 6a and vertical lines 6b is displayed. ) is displayed. The moving body 7 includes a horizontal moving body 7a moving along the horizontal line 6a and a paper moving body 7b moving along the vertical line 6b. The moving object 7 has a predetermined speed, and the moving direction of the moving object 7 represents the inclination direction of the green area and the moving speed of the moving object 7 represents the inclination. That is, the moving object 7 moves from a place with a high slope to a place with a low slope, and as the slope increases, its moving speed increases. Therefore, when the grid 6 and the moving object 7 are provided, the user can determine the direction and slope of the slope in the green area through the moving direction and moving speed of the moving object 6 and use the identified information for putting. there is. From the user's perspective, if you want to make putting easier, set your personal environment so that the grid (6) and moving object (7) are displayed, and if you want to play at a high level of difficulty, set the grid (6) and moving object (7) not to be displayed. You can set your personal environment.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing a screen showing an example of a putting guide indicating the putting direction in a green area being displayed in various ways.

Referring to FIG. 6, the user can set personal settings as to whether to display a putting guide indicating putting information during the putting step or how to display the putting guide. The putting guide serves to indicate which direction to putt by considering the topographical characteristics of the green area (slope direction, slope, etc.). On a real golf course, users can visually determine the topographical characteristics of the green area and determine their own putting direction, but in screen golf, it is difficult to determine the topographical characteristics of the green area because the green area is displayed as an image on the screen. Considering this, screen golf may provide a putting guide that informs the user of the putting direction. If the user sets personal settings so that the putting guide is not displayed, the putting guide is not provided. If the user sets the personal environment to display the putting guide, the putting guide is provided, and the putting guide shows the expected trajectory 8a of the virtual golf ball moving by correct putting, as shown in FIG. 6(a). can be displayed as follows. Alternatively, the putting guide may be indicated by an arrow 8b as shown in FIG. 6(b), and the direction of the arrow may indicate the putting direction and the length of the arrow may indicate the putting strength. When a putting guide is provided in this way, the user can easily determine the expected trajectory or putting direction/putting strength of the virtual golf ball, and by using this, the likelihood of successful putting increases.

FIGS. 7 to 10 are diagrams for explaining the first and second methods, and FIGS. 11 to 13 are diagrams illustrating screens showing examples of guide information indicating the hitting position of a golf ball being displayed in various ways. am.

The user can select one of the first and second methods when playing golf, and can set various personal environments according to the selection of the first and second methods. Below, methods 1 and 2 will first be described, and then details on setting up a personal environment according to methods 1 and 2 will be described.

Referring to FIG. 7, the striking plate 10 may be divided into a plurality of areas. Specifically, the hitting plate 10 is divided into a first hitting area (HA1) and a second hitting area (HA2), and the second hitting area (HA2) can be divided into two sub-areas (Sub1 and Sub2). . The division area of the hitting plate 10 may correspond to an area having various topographical properties on an actual golf course. For example, a real golf course has areas with various terrain properties such as fairways, rough, and bunkers. The rough is an area where the grass is longer than the fairway. In this way, the rough with long grass is more difficult to hit than the fairway with short grass, so the difficulty of hitting is high. In addition, the bunker represents an area mainly made of sand, and the sand makes it difficult to hit a golf ball, so the difficulty of hitting a bunker increases compared to a grass area (fairway, rough).

The hitting plate 10 is configured to correspond to areas with various topographical properties on an actual golf course, such as fairways, rough, and bunkers. For example, the first hitting area (HA1) corresponds to a fairway with the lowest hitting difficulty in actual golf, and the second hitting area (HA2) corresponds to a non-fairway (in this specification, rough, bunker) with a higher hitting difficulty than the fairway. Areas with higher hitting difficulty than the fairway are collectively referred to as 'non-fairways'), and the two sub areas (Sub1, Sub2) of the second hitting area (HA2) are rough and bunker with different hitting difficulties. corresponds to The rough response area (Sub1) of the first hitting area (fairway response area) (HA1) and the second hitting area (HA2) is formed of artificial turf of different lengths, and the bunker response area ( Sub2) can be formed of a material that can give a hitting feeling like hitting in sand.

Referring to FIG. 8, a virtual golf course is displayed on the screen, and the virtual golf course is formed by reproducing an actual golf course. In other words, just as a real golf course has areas with various properties such as fairways, rough, and bunkers, the virtual golf course on the screen also has various terrain properties such as virtual fairway (FA), virtual rough (RA), and virtual bunker (BA). An area having can be displayed (the terrain on the screen is named virtual fairway/virtual rough/virtual bunker to avoid confusion with the fairway/rough/bunker of the hitting plate 10).

As above, when the fairway area and the non-fairway area are displayed on the virtual golf course on the screen and the hitting plate 10 is divided into the fairway corresponding area (HA1) and the non-fairway corresponding area (HA2), the user uses the first method. You can play in either of the following ways: and the second way.

Referring to FIG. 9, in the first method, the actual golf ball (RB) is placed on the hitting plate 10 according to whether the area in the screen where the virtual golf ball (VB) is located is a fairway area or a non-fairway area. Place the ball in the fairway response area or non-fairway response area and hit. That is, as shown in FIG. 9(a), when the virtual golf ball (VB) on the screen is located in the virtual fairway, the user places the actual golf ball (RB) in the fairway corresponding area of the hitting plate 10 and hits. do. In addition, as shown in FIG. 9(b), when the virtual golf ball (VB) on the screen is located in the virtual rough, the user places the actual golf ball (RB) in the rough corresponding area of the hitting plate 10 and hits. do. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 9(c), when the virtual golf ball (VB) on the screen is located in a virtual bunker, the user places the actual golf ball (RB) in the bunker corresponding area of the hitting plate 10 and hits. do.

Referring to FIG. 10, in the second method, the actual golf ball (RB) is placed in the fairway corresponding area and hit, regardless of whether the area where the virtual golf ball (VB) is located on the screen is a fairway area or a non-fairway area. do. That is, as shown in Figures 10(a), (b), and (c), when the virtual golf ball (VB) on the screen is located in a virtual fairway, virtual rough, or virtual bunker, the user can play a real golf ball ( RB) is placed on the fairway corresponding area of the hitting plate (10) and struck.

In the first method, the area where the actual golf ball (RB) is placed on the hitting plate 10 and the area where the virtual golf ball (VB) is located on the virtual golf course on the screen correspond to each other. In the second method, the area where the actual golf ball (RB) is placed on the hitting plate 10 and the area where the virtual golf ball (VB) is located on the virtual golf course on the screen correspond to each other (FIG. 10(a)) If the area where the actual golf ball (RB) is placed on the hitting plate 10 and the area where the virtual golf ball (VB) is located on the virtual golf course on the screen do not correspond to each other (see Figures 10 (b) and (c) ). In the second method, if the area where the actual golf ball (RB) is placed on the hitting plate 10 and the area where the virtual golf ball (VB) is located on the virtual golf course on the screen do not correspond to each other, the calculation unit 21 When performing a calculation operation, a distance adjustment process that reduces the calculated distance of the golf ball by a predetermined ratio can be applied (the case shown in FIG. 10(b) has a reduced distance compared to the case shown in FIG. 10(c) The ratio can be set small).

Depending on whether the first method or the second method is selected, where the golf ball should be placed and hit on the hitting plate 10 may vary, and the user may accidentally hit the actual golf ball in the wrong place on the hitting plate 10. There may be cases where you are positioned and hit. To prevent this problem, the screen can be provided with information indicating the correct golf ball hitting location. Whether or not the information is provided can be set by the user through personal environment, and when the information is provided, the user can also set through personal environment how the information will be provided.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11, an indicator (I) may be displayed on the screen to indicate where to place the golf ball and hit it. The indicator (I) may be expressed in a shape corresponding to the striking plate (10). The indicator (I) is displayed in the shape of a hitting plate including the fairway corresponding area (I1), rough corresponding area (I2), and bunker corresponding area (I3), and the indicator (I) also corresponds to the fairway corresponding area (I1)/rough. Includes an identifier (I4) indicating the correct hitting location among the area (I2)/bunker response area (I3). The indicator (I) displays an identifier '○' (I4) to indicate a correct hitting position, and displays an identifier '×' (I4) to indicate an incorrect hitting position. Referring to FIG. 11, the virtual golf ball (VB) on the screen is located in the virtual rough (RB), and when the first method is selected, the user must place the actual golf ball in the rough corresponding area of the hitting plate and hit. In response to this, the indicator (I) displays an '×' identifier (I4) to indicate an incorrect hitting position in the fairway response area (I1) and the bunker response area (I3), and the correct hitting position in the rough response area (I2). To indicate this, the identifier '○' (I4) is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 12, the virtual golf ball (VB) on the screen is located in the virtual rough (RB), and when the second method is selected, the user must place the actual golf ball in the fairway corresponding area of the hitting plate and hit. In response to this, the indicator (I) displays an '×' identifier (I4) to indicate an incorrect hitting position in the rough response area (I2) and bunker response area (I3), and the correct hitting position in the fairway response area (I1). To indicate this, the identifier '○' (I4) is displayed.

Referring to FIG. 13, the indicator (I) can display only the area corresponding to the correct hitting position without having to display the entire hitting plate. For example, when the virtual golf ball (VB) is located in the virtual rough (VR) and the rough corresponding area is the correct hitting position under the first method, as shown in FIG. 13, the indicator (I) is in the fairway of the hitting plate. Excluding the response area and bunker response area, only the remaining rough response area can be displayed, and an identifier (I4) can be displayed here. Alternatively, although not shown in the drawing, as another display method, the brightness, saturation, transparency, etc. of the correct hitting position and the incorrect hitting position can be changed to display a different degree of recognition between areas. For example, when the virtual golf ball (VB) is located in the virtual rough (VR) and the rough corresponding area is the correct hitting position under the first method, brightness, saturation, transparency, etc. are adjusted to match the fairway corresponding area of the hitting plate. The bunker response area can be displayed to be weakly identified, and only the remaining rough response area can be displayed to be strongly identified.

From the user's point of view, it is easier to hit in the fairway response area than in the rough response area/bunker response area of the hitting plate, so if you want to lower the difficulty, set the second method through your personal environment and play with a challenging mind at a high level of difficulty. If so, the first method can be set through personal environment.

Meanwhile, the user can set various display modes through personal environment, and the video image displayed on the screen may vary depending on the display mode.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a screen showing a comparison between a normal image and an example of a vision-enhancing image, and FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a screen showing a comparison of a normal image with an example of a vision-protecting image.

Referring to FIG. 14, the user can select either normal mode or color vision mode through personal environment. Referring to FIG. 14(a), when selecting the normal mode, the screen displays a virtual golf course currently being played, a virtual golf ball representing a golf ball hit by the user flying along a predetermined trajectory, and a virtual golf course currently being played. A mini map (top right) showing a reduced golf course may be displayed as a normal image. Referring to FIG. 14(b), when the color vision mode is selected, some of the same objects as in FIG. 14(a) are displayed as video images with a vision improvement function for color blind people. For example, the minimap may be displayed as an image for color blind people. Images for color blind people exclude the use of colors that are difficult for color blind people to recognize and use the remaining colors to express the target image. For example, for red pill users who have difficulty recognizing red, a minimap can be created using only blue and yellow as basic colors without using red, and a combination of these colors. Accordingly, red pill users can view the minimap. It can be easily recognized. Although the explanation is given here using the minimap as an example, the use of some colors can be restricted for display objects other than the minimap and images can be formed that are easy for color blind people to recognize.

Referring to FIG. 15, the user can select either normal mode or high contrast mode through personal environment. Referring to FIG. 15(a), when selecting the normal mode, the screen displays normal images such as the virtual golf course currently being played and a virtual golf ball representing the golf ball hit by the user flying along a predetermined trajectory. It can be displayed as . Referring to FIG. 15(b), when the high contrast mode is selected, some of the same objects as in FIG. 15(a) are displayed as images with a vision protection function. While an image with a visual protection function appears as a light and dark area displayed in a gray color (a virtual golf course is displayed as a light and dark area in Figure 15(b)), a virtual golf ball flying in a predetermined trajectory has brightness or dark areas. It is displayed as a single color with high saturation. Therefore, the brightness difference between the virtual golf ball and the virtual golf course is large, so the contrast is very high, and a very clear high-contrast image can be formed. As a result, the virtual golf course, which occupies most of the screen, is displayed only in light and dark in gray colors, which reduces eye fatigue compared to using multiple colors, and the trajectory of the virtual golf ball clearly matches the light and dark areas. It can be displayed clearly with contrast. In addition to the virtual golf ball, other objects of interest to the user may be expressed in color.

As above, the user can select the display mode he or she wants among various display modes, and different screens may be displayed on the screen depending on the user's selection.

Figure 16 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a virtual golf device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 16, the virtual golf device according to this embodiment includes a plurality of booths 101, 102, and 103. Each booth (101, 102, 103) is configured identically. For example, the first booth 101 has a hitting plate 101a, a simulator device 101b with a kiosk screen, a screen 101c, etc., and the other booths 102 and 103 also have the same components. Although not shown in the drawing, each booth (101, 102, 103) is further equipped with other devices, including cameras for detecting the movement of golf balls. In each booth (101, 102, 103), multiple users can take turns playing golf. Alternatively, at each booth (101, 102, 103), the user can enjoy solo play while being separated from users of other booths. The simulator device 101b of the virtual golf device according to this embodiment may be equipped with a setting unit that is the same or similar to the one described above, and through the setting unit, the user can set a personal environment that suits him or her.

Figure 17 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a system in which a plurality of virtual golf devices are connected through a network. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a screen menu screen showing an example of setting personal environment in the virtual golf device of FIG. 17.

Referring to FIG. 17, a system in which virtual golf devices are connected through a network includes a plurality of screen golf courses 100 and server units 200. The screen golf course 100 is equipped with a virtual golf device as shown in FIGS. 1 to 16 to enable screen golf play. The virtual golf device provided in the screen golf course 100 is connected to the server unit 200 through a wired or wireless communication network. Each screen golf course 100 serves as a service provider that provides screen golf services to users when they log in. The server unit 200 may be a central server used by a service provider operating a plurality of screen golf courses 100 to manage virtual golf devices provided in the plurality of screen golf courses 100. The server unit 200 is provided with a setting unit 210 and a storage unit 220. Through the setting unit 210, the user can set personal environments such as play options or interface when playing screen golf. Various data are stored in the storage unit 220.

In the storage unit 220, information about a plurality of users is stored separately for each user. For example, assuming there are different users A and B, the storage area for user A (P1) and the storage area for user B (P2) are separated from each other. Personal information, play information, setting information, etc. are stored in the storage area for each user.

The screen golf service may be provided after the user logs in, and the personal information may be used to determine whether to approve the login by verifying the user's identity when the user logs in. The play information may include the user's past play records or the user's personal records (average distance for each club, average number of strokes, etc.) that can be obtained from past play records. The setting information includes information about the personal environment set by the user. As the setting unit 210 and the storage unit 220 are provided in the server unit 210, the virtual golf devices of the screen golf course 100 connected to the server unit 200 are wired and connected to the server unit 200. /Or, while connected wirelessly, the operation of the setting unit 210 and the information stored in the storage unit 220 can be commonly used.

There are many detailed items in the personal environment set through the setting unit 210. Therefore, it may be very cumbersome for the user to set a very large number of detailed items one by one, but according to this embodiment, an option to simply set the personal environment can be provided. Referring to Figure 18, the user can set personal environment through any one of individual settings/automatic settings/recommended settings. 'Individual settings' is for setting each item of the personal environment one by one, and can be selected if the user wants to set his or her play options or interface in detail even if it is inconvenient. 'Automatic setting' is for automatically setting all items of the personal environment in the setting unit 210, and the user can automatically complete the personal environment setting for all detailed items by clicking 'Automatic setting'. 'Recommended settings' allows the user to select one of multiple items according to the user's golf skills, such as settings suitable for beginners, settings suitable for intermediate skills, and settings suitable for advanced players. When the user selects a specific item, the selected golf You can automatically complete personal environment settings for detailed items according to your skill level. Although automatic settings and recommended settings are separate items, the basic operation method can be configured similarly. To explain specifically with an example, as a personal environment suitable for beginners, the setting content called A1 has been determined in advance for each detailed item, and as a personal environment suitable for intermediate users, the setting content called A2 has been determined in advance for each detailed item, As a personal environment suitable for advanced users, it is assumed that the settings of A3 have been determined in advance for each detailed item. In this state, if user A selects 'Beginner' of the recommended settings, the detailed items of the personal environment are set to A1, and if user B selects 'Intermediate' of the recommended settings, the detailed items of the personal environment are set to A2. In this regard, when users A and B select automatic setting, the setting unit 210 first determines the golf skills of users A and B by referring to the play information of users A and B in the storage unit 220, and then determines the golf skills of users A and B. If the result setting unit 210 determines that user A's golf skills are beginner, the detailed items of the personal environment are set to A1, and if the result setting unit 210 determines that the golf skills of user B are advanced, the detailed items of the personal environment are set to A3. .

Regarding the details of the personal environment described above, looking at what options can be set for beginners, intermediates, and advanced users, in the menu items described with reference to Figure 2, for mulligans and concession items, the number of mulligans and concessions are recognized in beginners. The range is maximized, and the number of mulligans or allowable ranges decreases as you get more advanced. Additionally, in the case of the caddy comment item, you can set it to provide 'friendly comments' at the beginner level and 'strict comments' at the advanced level. The play information items described with reference to FIG. 3 can provide as detailed golf play information as possible at the beginner level and provide as simple golf play information as possible at advanced levels. Regarding the item of displaying the flagpole or not, as explained with reference to Figure 4, the flagpole may act as an 'unexpected variable' that is difficult to predict, and considering that it is better for beginners to avoid such 'unexpected variable', the flagpole is displayed at beginner/intermediate levels. You can prevent this from happening and have the flagpole displayed in advanced settings. For the items described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the green area slope information and putting guide can be displayed in the beginner/intermediate level, and the green area slope information and putting guide can not be displayed in the advanced level. Regarding the selection items of the first and second methods described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 13, it may be difficult for beginners to place a golf ball in the rough response area/bunker response area and hit, so beginners may select the second method. You can set options and at intermediate/advanced levels, you can set the option to select the first method.

Among the items in the personal environment, there are items that are selected based on the user's personal preference rather than the user's golf skills. For example, selection items such as 'distance display' and 'golf ball sound' in FIG. 2 can be said to be items that are not significantly related to the user's golf skills, and these items contain the contents of the user's past selections in the storage ( 220), the same content that the user selected in the past can be selected. Alternatively, if there is no record of past selections, a method of randomly selecting a specific option may be applied.

Although we have looked at specific embodiments of the present invention as described above, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. will be. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered from an illustrative rather than a restrictive perspective. The scope of the present invention is indicated in the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the equivalent scope should be construed as being included in the present invention.

100: Screen golf course
200: Server unit
10: striking plate
20: control unit
30: detection unit
40: input unit
50: Sound department
60: display unit

Claims (3)

When a user hits an actual golf ball, a calculation unit that calculates the movement of the actual golf ball assuming it is on an actual golf course;
a display unit showing a virtual golf ball moving as calculated by the calculation unit on a virtual golf course; and
a setting unit for setting personal environment for the user;
Contains,
The personal environment may be set differently for each user for a plurality of users,
It further includes a storage unit that stores user information for each of the plurality of users separately,
The personal environment can be automatically set using the user information stored in the storage unit.
Virtual golf device. According to paragraph 1,
The personal environment is a virtual golf device that determines the user's golf skill based on information about the user's golf play record among the user information stored in the storage unit and is automatically set to match the determined golf skill. According to paragraph 1,
A virtual golf device wherein the personal environment includes items unrelated to the user's golf skills, and the items can be set to be the same as what the user has selected in the past.