Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
  • A63B24/0021—Tracking a path or terminating locations
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
  • A63B69/36—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for golf
  • A63B69/3614—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for golf using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
  • A63B24/0021—Tracking a path or terminating locations
  • A63B2024/0028—Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
  • A63B2024/0034—Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch during flight
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2102/00—Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
  • A63B2102/32—Golf
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
  • A63B2220/30—Speed
  • A63B2220/34—Angular speed
  • A63B2220/35—Spin
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
  • A63B2220/80—Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
  • A63B2220/805—Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
  • A63B2220/80—Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
  • A63B2220/808—Microphones

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method and system for monitoring the
• the data is often displayed for slow speed analysis of a
• equipment such as the golf club and golf ball being used can
• a pair of light source-photodetector pairs are
• a microphone captures the sound of impact of the golf club
• This acoustic signal is amplified and used as a
• the golf ball is captured by the camera as shutter remains open.
• test station where the microphone is being used has to be
• test area It is desired to have a golf ball flight monitoring system that
• the film including the three temporally successive images of the
• the initial launch angle and velocity can be determined
• This initial backspin is determined based on how much the mark is
• the one or more spots may again not be visible to the one or more spots.
• photosensors each at ninety degree spaced locations around the golfer for
• the '383 patent sets forth a method for determining the total spin
• pre-impact club head data is desired, e.g., for determining energy transfer
• the apparatus includes first and second arrays of
• Each array includes multiple sensors arranged at an angle
• the sensors are arranged substantially
• the first and second arrays are spaced-
• the sensors each receive a light signal unless the club head is located
• a processor running a software program is configured for
• the club head speed may be calculated based on the time
• the swing path and/or club head angle may be calculated based on
• the golf ball has a
• a linear estimation of the markings at each image is
• the sidespin is preferably
• a photosensor is positioned a photosensor.
• a trigger signal is sent to a lamp that flashes a predetemined time
• two spaced-apart sensors are provided.
• the timing of the flash of the lamp is determined
• the computer processor determines the diameter of
• the processor determines the three-dimensional velocity
• Fig. 1 a schematically shows a perspective view of a ball flight
• monitoring system including an impact zone analyzer arranged on a hitting
• Fig. 1 b schematically shows preferred electrical connections for the
• Fig. 1 c schematically shows an overhead view of the impact zone
• Fig. 2 shows a display view illustrating golf club take away
• Fig. 3a shows a display view of multiple temporally successive
• Fig. 3b shows a display view of multiple temporally successive
• Fig. 4a shows an overhead view representing total golf ball flight
• Fig. 4b shows a side view representing total golf ball flight
• Fig. 1 a schematically shows a perspective view of a ball flight
• monitoring system including an impact zone analyzer 2 arranged on a
• the impact zone analyzer 2 is imbedded within the hitting
• the analyzer 2 is connected with a
• the analyzer 2 and the computer 6, the analyzer 2 may be indirectly
• the analyzer has a first row 8 and a second row 10 of sensors 1 2
• each row 8, 10 has
• the sensors 1 2 are preferably photosensors
• the golf ball 14 of course, does not have any light sensitive diodes or CCDs.
• the golf ball 14 of course, does not have any other light sensitive diodes or CCDs.
• the analyzer 2 is preferably
• test golf swing may be received by the computer 6 from electronic
• circuitry (not shown).
• the circuitry may be internal to the analyzer 2 or
• an overhead lighting arrangement illuminates the hitting mat
• a directional arrow 1 8 and footprints 20 are merely shown in Fig.
• the ball flight capture device 22 is located in front of the ball 14 on
• the device 22 includes a
• the device 22 is connected to the computer 6 and
• analyzer 2 may be connected to the computer either directly or through
• Fig. 1 b schematically shows preferred electrical connections
• the ball capture device 22 has a cable connection labeled
• computer 6 runs a software program specifically designed for processing input data from cables 34, 36 and 38, and may be otherwise a
• Fig. 1 c schematically shows an overhead view of the impact zone
• analyzer 2 including the ball 14 on a tee 1 6 prior to impact with a golf
• club head from the right and a first row 8 and a second row 10 of
• sensors 1 That is, based on the temporal order and/or duration or
• the center portion of the club head is sensed as going over the sensor
• club head angle would be detected as being somewhat open at the
• the particular head angle and particular swing path can be any suitable head angle and particular swing path.
• Fig. 1 d illustrates an alternative ball flight monitoring system to the
• system does not include the analyzer 2 of the system of Fig. 1 a, but does
• club head speed and for triggering or initiating a process leading to the triggering of the camera 24 and/or the flash lamps 26, 28 and 30 is
• the sensors 39a and 39b are configured to detect when the club
• 39b may be photo or motion sensitive or otherwise for detecting the
• At least one of the sensors 39a or 39b is preferably used for triggering the
• sensors 39a and 39b in determining the club head speed by analyzing the
• the club speed is in turn used to estimte the time until
• the ball will pass into the image field of the cmera 24.
• the system will calculate when to shutter the camera 24
• the club speed may be determined during a
• a new club speed may be determined for each
• Fig. 2 shows a display view illustrating a golf club take away path
• the take away path 40 and downswing path 42 are preferably the paths
• the paths 40, 42 could also be the paths
• the head angle 44 illustrated in the display is that of the club head
• distance between the second row 10 and the ball 14 may be closer than
• the software may estimate the head angle at impact from the head
• Fig. 3a shows a display view of three temporally successive images
• each golf ball image 46, 48 and 50 shows an image on the
• three images 46, 48 and 50 are shown, two or more than three images may be captured and used for determining
• the computer 6 determines
• the image capture timing is determined based on the
• club head speed determined by the analyzer 2 preferably from a
• the actual marking on the ball 1 4 is preferably, but not necessarily,
• the marking is more specifically preferably at least halfway
• the marking is preferably long enough that it may be within the
• More than one marking may be provided.
• the two or more marking may be provided.
• markings may be off center such that for each marking the two areas
• the three images of Fig. 3a are exemplary of those captured by the
• initial ball flight characteristics such as
• Fig. 3b shows a display view of the multiple temporally successive
• Fig. 3b shows software generated linear extrapolations 54a, 54b
• Fig. 3b shows circumferential extrapolations 56a, 56b and 56c based on
• a calibration routine is
• 52a, 52b and 52c are performed by the computer 6 from the curved
• curvature is caused at least in part by sidespin on the ball 14 and/or the
• the software takes into account each of these factors in making
• initial backspin on the ball is calculated by first comparing and contrasting
• backspin may be determined in accord with the present invention based
• diameter of the ball 14 does not change, at least after the ball resumes its
• a larger image diameter means the ball
• the computer 6 can advantageously calculate the
• the ball flight especially as the ball curves from left to right, may be
• an additional image may be captured by the camera
• the additional image is captured at the impact timing of the club head with the ball.
• the additional image would include an image of the
• the additional image may be one captured with the use of an
• the ball flight capture device 22 may be modified to capture this
• the viewing range may also be widened to
• the impact timing is estimated preferably
• the face of the club is at impact, and it may also be observed what the
• Fig. 4a shows an overhead view representing total golf ball flight
• FIG. 4a Three horizontal flight trajectories are shown in Fig. 4a that were calculated
• the ho ⁇ zontal axis is the "distance" in
• Fig. 4b shows a side view representing total golf ball flight
• the vertical axis shows the height of the
• the flight paths E and F has a maximum calculated altitude for
• total initial spin including backspin and side spin and the total initial
• club speed can be determined in accord with the present invention.
• initial velocity and spin of the ball may be determined in accord with the present invention.
• efficiency can be calculated by subtracting

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=22375033

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (9)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (13)

• 2000
  • 2000-01-28 JP JP2000595749A patent/JP2002535102A/ja active Pending
  • 2000-01-28 AU AU28624/00A patent/AU2862400A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-01-28 KR KR1020017009565A patent/KR20020005580A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-01-28 WO PCT/US2000/002163 patent/WO2000044450A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (13)

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