Golf club swing analyzers

• US 20010017347A1
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Published: 08/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles H. Blankenship
• Original Assignee: Charles H. Blankenship
• Inventors: Blankenship, Charles H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,022,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club

Abstract

The present invention provides golf club swing analyzers and golf swing analysis methods. According to one aspect of the present invention, a golf club swing analyzer comprises: a housing; a light emission device configured to emit reference light toward a location in the path of a golf club swung adjacent the housing; a light reception device supported by the housing and configured to receive reference light emitted from the light emission device and reflected from the swung golf club; and discrimination circuitry coupled with the light reception device and configured to distinguish the reflected reference light received from the light emission device from incidental light, the discrimination circuitry being further configured to generate an indication signal responsive to the reception of reflected reference light.

Claims

1. A golf club swing analyzer comprising:

a housing;

a light emission device configured to emit reference light toward a location in the path of a golf club swung adjacent the housing;

a light reception device supported by the housing and configured to receive reference light emitted from the light emission device and reflected from the swung golf club; and

discrimination circuitry coupled with the light reception device and configured to distinguish the reflected reference light received from the light emission device from incidental light, the discrimination circuitry being further configured to generate an indication signal responsive to the reception of the reflected reference light.

2. The golf club swing analyzer according to

claim 1

wherein the light emission device is configured to emit the reference light in a substantially vertical direction.

3. The golf club swing analyzer according to

claim 1

wherein the light emission device is configured to emit the reference light in a plurality of pulses individually having a duration less than the duration of one of the rise time and fall time resulting from the swung golf club blocking incidental light from the light reception device.

4. The golf club swing analyzer according to

claim 3

wherein the discrimination circuitry is configured to generate a timed pulse responsive to light being received within the light reception device, the timed pulse having a duration greater than the duration of the reference light pulses and less than an individual one of the rise time and fall time.

5. The golf club swing analyzer according to

claim 3

wherein the light emission device is configured to emit the reference light in a substantially vertical direction.

6. The golf club swing analyzer according to

claim 1

further comprising:

a processor coupled with the discrimination circuitry and configured to process the indication signal; and

a display coupled with the processor and configured to display at least one swing characteristic of the swung golf club.

7. The golf club swing analyzer according to

claim 1

further comprising:

a plurality of light emission devices provided in a plurality of predefined positions upon the housing; and

a plurality of light reception devices provided in a plurality of corresponding positions upon the housing.

8. The golf club swing analyzer according to

claim 7

wherein the light emission devices are individually configured to emit reference light in a substantially vertical direction.

9. The golf club swing analyzer according to

claim 1

wherein the swing analyzer is configured for use in the presence of incidental sunlight.

10. A golf club swing analyzer comprising:

a housing;

a light emission device configured to emit reference light in a substantially vertical direction toward a location in the path of a golf club swung adjacent the housing, the light emission device being further configured to emit the reference light in a plurality of pulses individually having a duration less than the duration of one of the rise time and fall time resulting from the swung golf club blocking incidental light from the light reception device;

a light reception device supported by the housing and configured to receive reference light emitted from the light emission device and reflected from the swung golf club; and

discrimination circuitry coupled with the light reception device and configured to distinguish the reflected reference light received from the light emission device from incidental light by generating a timed pulse responsive to reference light being received within the light reception device, the timed pulse having a duration greater than the duration of the reference light pulses and less than an individual one of the rise time and fall time.

11. A golf swing analysis method comprising:

emitting reference light toward a location in the path of a golf club swung adjacent the housing;

receiving reference light reflected from the swung golf club;

receiving incidental light;

discriminating the reflected reference light and the incidental light following the receivings; and

generating at least one indication signal responsive to the discriminating.

12. The method according to

claim 11

further comprising indicating at least one characteristic pertaining to the golf club swung through the location.

13. The method according to

claim 11

further comprising generating an encoding signal and the emitting being responsive to the encoding signal.

14. The method according to

claim 11

wherein the emitting comprises emitting the reference light in a substantially vertical direction.

15. The method according to

claim 11

wherein the method comprises a golf swing analysis method for use in the presence of incidental sunlight.

16. The method according to

claim 11

wherein the emitting comprises emitting the reference light in a plurality of pulses individually having a duration less than the duration of one of the rise time and fall time resulting from the swung golf club blocking incidental light from the light reception device.

17. The method according to

claim 16

further comprising generating a timed pulse responsive to reference light being received within the light reception device, the timed pulse having a duration greater than the duration of the reference light pulses and less than an individual one of the rise time and fall time.

18. The method according to

claim 16

wherein the emitting comprises emitting the reference light in a substantially vertical direction.

19. The method according to

claim 11

wherein the emitting comprises emitting using a plurality of emission devices provided in a plurality of predefined positions upon a housing and the receiving comprises receiving using a plurality of reception devices provided in a plurality of predefined positions upon the housing.

20. The method according to

claim 19

wherein the emitting comprises emitting the reference light in a substantially vertical direction.