Method and System for Detecting a State of a Golf Club

• US 20160279471A1
• Filed: 06/06/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anton J. Holzapfel, Ken Knaub
• Original Assignee: Anton J. Holzapfel, Ken Knaub
• Inventors: Holzapfel, Anton J., Knaub, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 9,868,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0053 for locating an object, e.g. a lost ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• 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 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/00 Compasses; Devices for ascertaining true or magnetic north for navigation or surveying purposes using gyroscopic effect G01C19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0266 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact distance between parent and child or surveyor and item
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A method for detecting a lost club includes detecting an orientation characteristic of a golf club with a detection unit, transmitting the orientation characteristic from the detection unit to a mobile device, determining a distance between the golf club and the mobile device based on a signal transmitted from the detection unit to the mobile device and determining a lost club state based on the orientation characteristic of the golf club and the distance between the golf club and the mobile device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a detection unit including at least one motion analyzer configured to measure one or more motion characteristics of a golf club, wherein the detection unit is mechanically coupled to an end region of the golf club,

wherein the detection unit includes a communication module communicatively coupled to the at least one motion analyzer and configured to transmit one or more motion characteristics from the detection unit; and

one or more processors of a mobile communications device suitable for executing program instructions stored in a memory medium, wherein the program instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to receive the detected one or more motion characteristics of the golf club transmitted by the communication module, the program instructions further configured to cause the one or more processors to identify one or more club swings of the golf club by a user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to record the number of club swings by the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to record the one or more club swings by the user and a time of each club swing by the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to record the one or more club swings by the user and a position of each club swing by the user.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

displaying the one or more identified club swings by the user on a display as function of position of the one or more identified club swings.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the displaying the one or more identified club swings by the user on a display as function of position of the one or more identified club swings comprises:

plotting the one or more identified club swings by the user on a map of an associated golf course as function of position of the one or more identified club swings.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to record the one or more club swings by the user on at least one of a memory of the mobile communication device or a memory of a remote server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to transmit one or more signals indicative of the one or more identified club swings by the user to an additional mobile communications device via a network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one motion analyzer comprises:

at least one of an accelerometer or a compass.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit is housed in a stopper unit, wherein the stopper unit is mechanically couplable to an end portion of the golf club.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit is disposed within at least one of a handle or a grip of the golf club

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device comprises:

at least one of a smartphone, personal digital assistant, a tablet device, a table PC, a laptop a smart book or an ultra-book.

4. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying the one or more identified club swings by the user on a display as function of time of the one or more identified club swings.

14. A system comprising:

a detection unit including at least one motion analyzer configured to measure one or more impact characteristics of a golf club, wherein the detection unit is mechanically coupled to an end region of the golf club,

wherein the detection unit includes a communication module communicatively coupled to the at least one motion analyzer and configured to transmit one or more impact characteristics from the detection unit; and

one or more processors of a mobile communications device suitable for executing program instructions stored in a memory medium, wherein the program instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to receive the detected one or more impact characteristics of the golf club transmitted by the communication module, the program instructions further configured to cause the one or more processors to identify one or more ball strikes of the golf club based on the one or more impact characteristics measured with the detection unit.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the identifying one or more ball strikes of the golf club based on the one or more impact characteristics comprises:

differentiating between one or more ball strikes of the golf club and one or more strikes of an additional object based on the one or more impact characteristics measured with the detection unit.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to record the number of ball strikes by the user.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to record the one or more ball strikes and a time of each ball strike.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying the one or more identified ball strikes on a display as function of time of the one or more identified ball strikes.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to record the one or more ball strikes and a position of each ball strike.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying the one or more identified ball strikes on a display as function of position of the one or more identified ball strikes.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the displaying the one or more identified ball strikes on a display as function of position of the one or more identified ball strikes comprises:

plotting the one or more identified ball strikes on a map of an associated golf course as function of position of the one or more identified ball strikes.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to record the one or more ball strikes on at least one of a memory of the mobile communication device or a memory of a remote server.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to transmit one or more signals indicative of the one or more identified ball strikes to an additional mobile communications device via a network.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one motion analyzer comprises:

at least one of an accelerometer or a compass.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the detection unit is housed in a stopper unit, wherein the stopper unit is mechanically couplable to an end portion of the golf club.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the detection unit is disposed within at least one of a handle or a grip of the golf club

27. The system of claim 14, wherein the mobile communications device comprises:

at least one of a smartphone, personal digital assistant, a tablet device, a table PC, a laptop a smart book or an ultra-book.

28. A detection unit comprising:

at least one motion analyzer configured to measure at least one of a motion characteristic or an impact characteristic of a golf club, wherein the at least one motion analyzer is housed in a stopper unit, wherein the stopper unit is mechanically reversibly couplable to an end portion of the golf club; and

a communication module housed within the detection unit and communicatively coupled to the at least one motion analyzer and configured to transmit at least one of the motion characteristic or the impact characteristic of the golf club from the detection unit to a mobile communications device.