TOPOGRAPHY LINKED GOLF AID

• US 20100227713A1
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sweeney Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sweeney Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Sweeney, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,444,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/407
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0636 3D visualisation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/14 Geo-tagging, e.g. for correlating route or track location data with specific information related to that specific location
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/78 Surface covering conditions, e.g. of a road surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3676 for putting A63B69/3608, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3697 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and program for computing a path, starting velocity, aim angle, and aim points for directing a putted golf ball from a point on a golf course to another point and incorporating such data into easily read charts or electronic media is provided. The invention also provides a means of determining the initial launch conditions and actual path a putted golf ball traveled on given its starting and ending ball positions.

Claims

1. A method of providing putting information comprising:

receiving a start position of a golf ball relative to the putting green;

receiving a desired target location relative to the putting green;

calculating a plurality of trajectories, each beginning substantially at the start position and intersecting the target location and corresponding to a different capture velocity;

displaying a putting parameter for propelling the golf ball from the start position to the target location based on one of the plurality of trajectories corresponding to a desired capture velocity of the ball and a green speed, wherein the putting parameter comprises an aim point icon graphically displayed on a visual representation of the putting green at a calculated aim point distance perpendicular to the left or right of the target location; and

displaying on the visual representation of the putting green a graphical representation of said one of the plurality of trajectories corresponding to the desired capture velocity of the ball and green speed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each different capture velocity corresponds to a different end point of the trajectory, the end point located at or beyond the target location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the putting parameter comprises an alternate aim point based on an initial break coordinate along the trajectory wherein the ball is calculated to break thereby allowing a closer point along the putting distance to aim.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving topography information corresponding to a putting green; and

converting the topography information into a three dimensional surface model for determining a plurality of trajectories, each trajectory corresponding to the plurality of capture velocities of the ball.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the plurality of trajectories comprises:

computing gradients between adjacent points of the three dimensional surface model along each trajectory; and

predicting a motion of a simulated golf ball moving between the points along the trajectory based on the respective gradients between the adjacent points, a coefficient of rolling friction of the ball, and an initial condition of the ball.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying indicia indicative of a slope direction and slope magnitude of a portion of the putting green.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying indicia indicative of a difficulty of an attempt to propel the golf ball from the position to the target location.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the putting parameter is calculated by selecting and averaging optimal values from a plurality of grid points on the green closest to the position of a golf ball.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the putting parameter comprises an aim point distance relative to the initial break coordinates for the target location, wherein the aim point distance comprises a distance perpendicular to the left or right of the initial break coordinates.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a position of a golf ball relative to the putting green comprises receiving one or more of global positioning data, radio frequency data, optical data, manual input by a user, or laser data.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting audio indicia indicative of the putting parameters.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising simulating a putt based on a simulated position of a golf ball.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the putting parameter is adjusted for the effect of grain.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the effect of grain is calculated with the formula:

ρ

′

=ρ

*(δ

*cos(γ

−

β

));

where δ

is the magnitude of grain effect on the ball, γ

is the grain direction in degrees, and β

is the direction the ball is moving.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of trajectories are calculated using genetic-algorithm based optimizers using one or more of the values of green speed, capture velocity, starting ball position, and ending ball position.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising using equations of motion that simulate the rolling motion of a golf ball.

13. A computing device for providing putting information, comprising:

input mechanism for receiving a start position of a golf ball relative to the putting green and receiving a desired target location relative to the putting green;

a processor for calculating a plurality of trajectories, each beginning substantially at the start position and passing through the target location, and each ending at a different end point, wherein the end point is located at or beyond the target location and corresponds to a different capture velocity;

a display for displaying a putting parameter for propelling the golf ball from the start position to the target location based on one of the plurality of trajectories corresponding to a desired capture velocity of the ball and a green speed, wherein the putting parameter comprises an aim point icon graphically displayed on a visual representation of the putting green at a calculated aim point distance perpendicular to the left or right of the target location;

a display for displaying on the visual representation of the putting green a graphical representation of said one of the plurality of trajectories corresponding to the desired capture velocity of the ball and green speed.

14. The computing device of claim 13, further comprising a storage media for storing the plurality of trajectories.

15. A computer readable media containing program instructions for providing putting information, comprising:

first computer program code for receiving a start position of a golf ball relative to the putting green;

second computer program code for receiving a desired target location relative to the putting green;

third computer program code for calculating a plurality of trajectories, each beginning substantially at the start position and intersecting the target location and corresponding to a different capture velocity;

fourth computer program code for displaying a putting parameter for propelling the golf ball from the start position to the target location based on one of the plurality of trajectories corresponding to a desired capture velocity of the ball and a green speed, wherein the putting parameter comprises an aim point icon graphically displayed on a visual representation of the putting green at a calculated aim point distance perpendicular to the left or right of the target location;

fifth computer program code for displaying on the visual representation of the putting green a graphical representation of said one of the plurality of trajectories corresponding to the desired capture velocity of the ball and green speed.