Automated method and system for golf club selection based on swing type

• US 20030008731A1
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: White, Jay, Wright, Ian C., Anderson, David, Stowe, Loren, Vincent, Benoit
• Application Number:
  US10/188,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20030008731A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/407
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/05 Image processing for measuring physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction

Abstract

A method of selecting a performance golf club based on a golfer'"'"'s swing type is accomplished in an automated fashion, comprising a system that is readily and easily utilized in a retail setting, for example. The golfer performs several swings of a golf club before a digital camera that transmits the golfer'"'"'s swing information to a computational device for processing. Several parameters relating to the golfer'"'"'s swing characteristics are identified and a performance golf club is selected and displayed for the golfer within less than one hour, and preferably within about five to ten minutes. Markers may be positioned on the golf club and/or golfer for easier tracking and data collection by the present system.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a performance golf club from a plurality of golf clubs based on a golfer'"'"'s swing characteristics, comprising:

providing a swing data collection system, said swing data collection system comprising a golf club and at least one digital camera, said golf club comprising a shaft with a grip end and a tip end having a club head attached thereto, said shaft having at least two markers thereon;

having the golfer swing said golf club at least one time;

collecting data about the golfer'"'"'s swing using said camera, said data representing a plurality of positions of said markers occurring during said at least one swing;

providing an automated data analyzer to analyze said data, said data analyzer

(A) processing said data to determine specific values for a set of swing characteristics for the golfer, said data analyzer saving said specific values for the golfer in a memory; and

(B) selecting a performance golf club from a plurality of golf clubs based on said specific values for the golfer; and

displaying said selected performance golf club.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising locating at least one marker adjacent the grip end of said golf club and at least one marker adjacent the club head at the tip end of said golf club.

3. The method as set forth in set claim 2, further comprising providing an illumination source located near said camera, wherein said markers comprise reflective tape.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said markers comprise light sources.

5. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said markers comprise bands of one or more colors.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said camera is capable of capturing data at a rate of at least 60 Hz.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data analysis performed by said data analyzer comprises transforming two-dimensional data to data representing three dimensions, said three-dimensional data correlated into said set of swing characteristics.

8. The method as set in claim 1, wherein the data analysis performed by said data analyzer comprises correlating two-dimensional data into said set of swing characteristics.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said swing data collection system comprises at least two digital cameras, the data analysis performed by said data analyzer comprising correlating three-dimensional data captured by said at least two cameras to said set of swing characteristics.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data collection, analysis and display occur within a specific time frame of less than about one hour.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data collection, analysis and display occur within a specific time frame of less than about 10 minutes.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data analyzer comprises a laptop computer and said method further comprises transmitting said data via a cable link from said camera to the laptop computer, said displaying of said selected performance golf club is on a monitor for the laptop computer.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting said data via a cable link or wireless connection to a kiosk, said kiosk comprising a computational device and viewing screen; and

displaying of the selected performance golf club on said screen.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said data analyzer comprises a digital signal processor located within said kiosk.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the data analysis further comprises:

saving said data of the golfer'"'"'s swing in a memory located within said kiosk, and

transmitting the content of said memory via the internet to a web site for later remote access.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the data analysis further comprises encoding said data prior to saving it in said memory.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, further comprising displaying at least one of said specific values of said swing characteristics for the golfer.

19. The method as set forth above in claim 17, further comprising displaying each of said plurality of golf clubs and each of said plurality of swing types associated therewith.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying a set of values for each of said predetermined set of swing characteristics for each of said plurality of swing types.

17. A method of selecting a performance golf club from a plurality of golf clubs based on swing characteristics for a golfer, comprising:

providing a swing data collection system, said swing data collection system comprising at least one golf club and at least one digital camera 112, said golf club comprising a shaft with a grip end and a tip end having a club head attached thereto, and said shaft having at least two markers thereon;

having the golfer swing said golf club at least one time;

collecting data about the golfer'"'"'s swing using said camera;

transmitting said data to an automated data analyzer;

correlating said data to specific values for a predetermined set of swing characteristics, said set of swing characteristics categorized into a plurality of swing types, said plurality of swing types associated with the plurality of golf clubs from which a performance golf club is chosen; and

displaying said performance golf club chosen according to said specific values.

21. A kiosk and video fitting system for selecting a performance golf club for a golfer from a plurality of golf clubs based on the golfer'"'"'s swing characteristics, said fitting system located in a retail location, said fitting system comprising:

at least one digital camera;

at least one golf club, a golfer swinging said golf club in front of said camera to provide data for analysis and club selection;

an digital signal processor, said digital signal processor processing said data and determining specific values for a predetermined set of swing characteristics for the golfer, said kiosk then saving at least said data and said specific values in a memory, said kiosk providing as an output a selected performance golf club; and

said kiosk comprising a housing containing at least said digital signal processor and a keypad for entry of commands to control at least said camera and said data analyzer, said kiosk further included a display adapted to display said output of the golf club selection.

22. The fitting system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said fitting system is operated by the golfer.

23. The fitting system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said kiosk further displays said saved data of the golfer'"'"'s swing.

24. The fitting system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said kiosk provides a printout of at least one of said specific values and said output of the golf club selection.

25. The fitting system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said kiosk is adapted to communicate the content of said memory over the internet for later remote access.

26. The fitting system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said golf club further comprises at least one sensor selected from the group including a strain gauge, an angular rate sensor, an orientation sensor and an acceleration sensor, said at least one sensor providing additional data for analysis and selection of the performance golf club for the golfer.

27. The fitting system a set forth in claim 21, wherein said golf club has a first marker located toward a grip end and a second marker located toward a tip end having a club head.

28. The fitting system as set forth in claim 27, wherein said markers comprise reflective tape and said fitting system further comprises an illumination source located near said camera.

29. The fitting system as set forth in claim 21, wherein said camera captures images representing a launch trajectory of a golf ball upon impact with said golf club by the golfer.

30. A method of selecting a performance golf club from a plurality of golf clubs based on a golfer'"'"'s swing characteristics, comprising:

providing a swing data collection system, said swing data collection system comprising at least one golf club and at least one digital camera, each of said at least one golf club comprising a shaft with a grip end and a tip end having a club head attached thereto;

having the golfer swing each of said at least one golf club at least one time;

collecting data about the golfer'"'"'s swing using said camera, said data including images representing a plurality of positions of said at least one golf club occurring during said at least one swing;

providing a digital signal processor, said digital signal processorata analyzer

(a) processing said data to determine specific values for a predetermined set of swing characteristics for the golfer, said swing data collection system then saving said specific values for the golfer in a memory;

(b) categorizing the golfer as a specific swing type from a plurality of swing types; and

(c) selecting a performance golf club from a plurality of golf clubs based on said specific swing type of the golfer; and

displaying said selected performance golf club.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30, further comprising the additional step of attaching a first marker to at least one location on the golfer prior to having the golfer swing said at least one golf club at least one time.

32. The method as set forth in claim 31, wherein said marker is attached to a location on the upper torso of said golfer.

33. The method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising the additional step of attaching a second marker to at least one location on each of said at least one golf club prior to having the golfer swing each of said at least one golf clubs.

34. The method as set forth in claim 31, wherein said first marker comprises reflective tape and said swing data collection system further comprises an illumination source located near said camera.

35. The method as set forth in claim 33, wherein said second marker comprises reflective tape and said swing data collection system further comprises an illumination source located near said camera.

37. The method as set forth in claim 36, further comprising displaying a plurality of image sequences corresponding to each of the plurality of swing types.

38. The method as set forth in claim 37, wherein said displaying of said first and second sequences is an overlay of the images.

39. The method as set forth in claim 37, wherein said displaying of said first sequence comprises overlaying said first sequence with each of said plurality of image sequences, such that the swing of the golfer is compared with each of the swing types.

36. A method of selecting a performance golf club from a plurality of golf clubs based on a golfer'"'"'s swing characteristics, comprising:

providing a swing data collection system, said swing data collection system comprising at least one golf club and at least one digital camera, each of said at least one golf club comprising a shaft with a grip end and a tip end having a club head attached thereto;

having the golfer swing each of said at least one golf club at least one time;

collecting data about the golfer'"'"'s swing using said camera, said data including images representing a plurality of positions of said at least one golf club occurring during said at least one swing;

providing an automated data analyzer, said data analyzer

(a) processing said data to determine specific values for a predetermined set of swing characteristics for the golfer, said data analyzer saving said specific values for the golfer in a memory;

(b) categorizing the golfer as a specific swing type from a plurality of swing types; and

(c) selecting a performance golf club from a plurality of golf clubs based on said specific swing type of the golfer; and

displaying a first sequence of images showing the golfer during said at least one swing;

displaying a second sequence of images showing said specific swing type of the golfer; and

displaying said selected performance golf club.

40. A video fitting system for selecting a performance golf club for a golfer from a plurality of golf clubs based on the golfer'"'"'s swing characteristics, said fitting system located in a retail location, said fitting system comprising:

at least one digital camera;

at least one golf club, a golfer swinging said golf club in front of said camera to provide data for analysis and club selection;

an automated data analyzer for processing said data and determining specific values for a predetermined set of swing characteristics for the golfer, said data analyzer saving at least said data and said specific values in a memory, said data analyzer providing as an output a selected performance golf club; and

a kiosk for housing said data analyzer, said kiosk including a keypad for entry of commands to control at least said camera and said data analyzer, said kiosk further including a display adapted to display said output of the golf club selection.

41. The fitting system as set forth in claim 40, wherein said data analyzer further provides as a second output at least one swing characteristic from said set of swing characteristics.

42. The fitting system as set forth in claim 40, wherein said golf club comprises at least one sensor for measuring strain, acceleration, orientation or rate information for said golf club, said at least one sensor providing additional data for analysis and selection of the performance golf club for the golfer.

43. A method of selecting a performance golf club from a plurality of golf clubs based on a golfer'"'"'s swing characteristics, comprising:

providing a swing data collection system, said swing data collection system comprising at least one golf club and at least one digital camera, each of said at least one golf club comprising a shaft with a grip end and a tip end having a club head attached thereto;

having the golfer swing each of said at least one golf club at least one time;

collecting data about the golfer'"'"'s swing using said camera, said data representing a plurality of positions of said at least one golf club occurring during said at least one swing;

providing an automated data analyzer, said data analyzer

(a) processing said data to determine specific values for a predetermined set of swing characteristics for the golfer, said data analyzer saving said specific values for the golfer in a memory;

(b) categorizing the golfer as a specific swing type from a plurality of swing types; and

(c) selecting a performance golf club from a plurality of golf clubs based on said specific swing type of the golfer; and

displaying at least one specific value from said set of swing characteristics for the golfer and said selected performance golf club.

44. The fitting system as set forth in claim 43, further comprising measuring at least one of strain, acceleration, orientation or rate information for said golf club, said measurements providing additional data for analysis and selection of the performance golf club for the golfer.

45. The fitting system as set forth in claim 44, further comprising capturing launch data of a golf ball upon impact with said golf club by the golfer.