Virtual golf simulation apparatus and method for supporting generation of virtual green

• US 10,300,392 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOLFZON Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: GOLFZON Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Koo, Gi-won, Kim, Min-jun, Cho, Seong-in, Im, Sung-young
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US14/375,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20150011279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,311 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/646 for calculating the trajectory of an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a virtual golf simulation apparatus and method. The virtual golf simulation apparatus includes an image processing unit, a manipulation unit, and a green setting unit. The image processing unit provides an image of a basic set green on which a user will perform putting. The manipulation unit provides an interface that enables the user to set the lie of the basic set green. The green setting unit generates a user-set green by processing received setting information via the manipulation unit. The image processing unit provides the image of the user-set green.

Claims

1. A virtual golf simulation apparatus, comprising:

a image processing unit configured to provide an image of a basic set green on which a user will perform putting;

a manipulation unit configured to provide an interface that enables the user to set a lie of the basic set green by receiving setting information from the user;

a green setting unit configured to generate a user-set green by processing the received setting information via the manipulation unit from the user;

a detection unit configured to generate results of the detection related to at least one of movements of the golf club and the golf ball caused by the putting of the user; and

a simulation unit configured to generate resulting values of a simulation based on results of the detection and green environment parameters;

wherein the image processing unit provides the image of the user-set green,

wherein the basic set green is a green that is provided by the virtual golf simulation apparatus, and the user-set green is a virtual green that is provided by the virtual golf simulation apparatus after the user has changed and set the lie of the basic set green,

wherein the setting information includes user input for setting direction and degree of inclination of the basic set green,

wherein the image processing unit provides the image of the golf ball'"'"'s movement based on the resulting values of the simulation.

2. The virtual golf simulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manipulation unit provides an interface that enables the user to set at least one of a degree and direction of inclination of the basic set green.

3. The virtual golf simulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manipulation unit provides an interface that enables the user to set a location of the golf ball.

4. The virtual golf simulation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a virtual line generation unit configured to generate a virtual line along which the golf ball is guided in a direction so as to perform a successful putt;

wherein the image processing unit provides the image of the virtual line.

5. The virtual golf simulation apparatus of claim 4, wherein a thickness of the virtual line is determined based on the strength of putting desired to perform a successful putt.

6. The virtual golf simulation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a virtual line generation unit configured to generate a virtual aiming point representative of a direction in which the user should perform putting so as to perform a successful putt;

wherein the image processing unit provides the image of the virtual aiming point.

7. The virtual golf simulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image processing unit provides an image of a line of movement representative of the golf ball'"'"'s trajectory.

8. The virtual golf simulation apparatus of claim 7, wherein a thickness of the line of movement is determined based on the strength of the putting of the user.

9. The virtual golf simulation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a swing plate on which the putting of the user is performed and operation is controlled according to a lie of the user-set green.

10. A virtual golf simulation method, comprising:

providing an image of a basic set green on which a user will perform putting;

receiving, from the user, information about a setting of a lie of the basic set green;

generating a user-set green by processing the received information about the setting;

providing the image of the user-set green;

generating results of detection of at least one of movements of the golf club and the golf ball caused by the putting of the user;

generating resulting values of a simulation based on the results of the detection and green environment parameters; and

providing the image of the golf ball'"'"'s movement based on the resulting values of the simulation,

wherein the basic set green is a green that is provided by the virtual golf simulation apparatus, and the user-set green is a virtual green that is provided by the virtual golf simulation apparatus after the user has changed and set the lie of the basic set green, and

wherein the received information includes user input for setting direction and degree of inclination of the basic set green.

11. The virtual golf simulation method of claim 10, wherein the setting of the lie of the basic set green comprises a setting of at least one of a degree and direction of inclination of the basic set green.

12. The virtual golf simulation method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a setting of a location of a golf ball.

13. The virtual golf simulation method of claim 10, further comprising providing an image of a virtual line along which the golf ball is guided in a direction so as to achieve success in putting.

14. The virtual golf simulation method of claim 13, wherein a thickness of the virtual line is determined based on a strength of putting required to perform a successful putt.

15. The virtual golf simulation method of claim 10, further comprising providing an image of a virtual aiming point representative of a direction in which the user should perform putting so as to perform a successful putt.

16. The virtual golf simulation method of claim 10, wherein providing the image of the golf ball'"'"'s movement comprises providing an image of a line of movement representative of the golf ball'"'"'s trajectory.

17. The virtual golf simulation method of claim 16, wherein a thickness of the line of movement is determined based on a strength of the putting of the user.

18. The virtual golf simulation method of claim 10, further comprising providing results of analysis obtained by analyzing the resulting values of the simulation.