GOLF AID INCLUDING HEADS UP DISPLAY

• US 20140038750A1
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Leech, Nicholas A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,457,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/407
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0053 for locating an object, e.g. a lost ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0666 worn on the head or face, e.g. combined with goggles or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/802 Ultra-sound sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• 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 37/0072 with a specified number of layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3608 Attachments on the body, e.g. for measuring, aligning, restraining A63B69/0059, A63B69/3673 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/74 : Systems using reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 : for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 : comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 : comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 : Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 : Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 : Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A golf aid includes a user tracking system configured to determine the location of a user on a golf course, a processor, and a heads up display. The heads up display is configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s head, and to display an image within a field of view of the user. The processor is in communication with the user tracking system and with the heads up display, and configured to determine a distance between the location of the user and an object, and provide an indication of the determined distance to the user via the heads up display.

Claims

1. A golf aid comprising:

a user tracking system configured to determine the location of a user on a golf course;

a heads up display configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s head, and to display an image within a field of view of the user; and

a processor in communication with the user tracking system and with the heads up display, the processor configured to;

determine a distance between the location of the user and an object or a landmark on the golf course; and

provide an indication of the determined distance to the user via the heads up display.

2. The golf aid of claim 1, wherein the object includes a pin on the golf course;

and

wherein the location of the pin is stored within the processor.

3. The golf aid of claim 1, further comprising a golf ball tracking system in communication with the processor.

4. The golf aid of claim 3, wherein the golf ball tracking system is configured to track the motion of a golf ball using at least one of radar, LIDAR, optical sensing, and sonar.

5. The golf aid of claim 4, wherein the golf ball tracking system is further configured to determine one or more launch characteristics or flight characteristics of the golf ball.

6. The golf aid of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to provide an indication of the one or more determined launch characteristics or flight characteristics of the golf ball to the user via the heads up display.

7. The golf aid of claim 3, wherein the golf ball tracking system configured to track the location of the golf ball relative to the user;

wherein the processor is configured to provide an indication of the location of the golf ball within the field of view of the user via the heads up display; and

wherein the indication is imposed upon a real world view of the user.

8. The golf aid of claim 7, wherein the indication includes at least one of:

a comet tail trailing behind the location of the ball within the user'"'"'s real world view; and

an enhanced image of the golf ball that overlays the location of the golf ball within the user'"'"'s real world view.

9. The golf aid of claim 7, further comprising a camera configured to monitor the real world view of the user.

10. The golf aid of claim 7, wherein the display is transparent to the real world view of the user.

11. The golf aid of claim 3, wherein the object is a golf ball;

and

wherein the golf ball tracking system configured to determine the location of a golf ball on the golf course.

12. A golf aid comprising:

a user tracking system configured to determine the location of a user on a golf course;

a heads up display configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s head, and to display an image within a field of view of the user; and

a processor in communication with the user tracking system and with the heads up display, the processor configured to;

determine a distance between the location of the user and a pin on the golf course; and

provide an indication of the determined distance to the user via the heads up display.

13. The golf aid of claim 12, further comprising a golf ball tracking system in communication with the processor.

14. The golf aid of claim 13, wherein the golf ball tracking system is configured to track the motion of a golf ball using at least one of radar, LIDAR, optical sensing, and sonar.

15. The golf aid of claim 14, wherein the golf ball tracking system is further configured to determine one or more launch characteristics or flight characteristics of the golf ball.

16. The golf aid of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to provide an indication of the one or more determined launch characteristics or flight characteristics of the golf ball to the user via the heads up display.

17. The golf aid of claim 13, wherein the golf ball tracking system configured to track the location of the golf ball relative to the user;

wherein the processor is configured to provide an indication of the location of the golf ball within the field of view of the user via the heads up display; and

wherein the indication is imposed upon a real world view of the user.

18. The golf aid of claim 17, wherein the indication includes at least one of:

a comet tail trailing behind the location of the ball within the user'"'"'s real world view; and

an enhanced image of the golf ball that overlays the location of the golf ball within the user'"'"'s real world view.

19. The golf aid of claim 17, further comprising a camera configured to monitor the real world view of the user.

20. The golf aid of claim 17, wherein the display is transparent to the real world view of the user.