Method and apparatus for determining parameters of the motion of an object
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a parameter regarding the motion of a golf ball struck by a golf club held by a golfer, comprising:
- a) means for transmitting radiation at a first frequency into the expected path of said golf ball;
b) means for receiving a portion of said transmitted radiation reflected off of at least said golf ball after said golf ball has been struck by said golf club, said received radiation having a second frequency;
c) means, coupled to said receiving means, for generating a sequence of difference pulses having durational periods substantially proportional to the reciprocals of corresponding frequency differences between said transmitted first signal frequency and said received second signal frequency, wherein at least a portion of said durational periods are substantially proportional to the velocity of the moving golf ball;
d) means for determining values corresponding with the periods of said difference pulses;
e) means for using said values to determine the parameter.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining a desired parameter of the motion of an object. In one embodiment, the device can be used to calculate the estimated carry distance of a golf shot. The golfer uses a keypad to enter the golf club and the units of measure for the output display. A Doppler radar system is employed to illuminate the golf ball. A reflected return signal is detected and difference pulses are generated, having a frequency which is proportional to the velocity of the ball. The difference pulses are processed by a microprocessor to determine if the radar beam has "locked" onto the ball. If so, the microprocessor calculates the carry distance by relating the average period of the difference pulses to a projected carry distance through empirically determined data. The carry distance can be displayed on the device, on a remote display, and/or can be stored in memory for later recall or transmission to an external computer. The microprocessor can also be used to determine if the difference pulses it receives are related to the motion of a ball struck by the user of the apparatus by comparing incoming data to characteristic patterns of club-head movement and can be programmed to calculate and display the angle of trajectory and speed of the ball and club-head speed and swing tempo. Also, an acoustic trigger or electric eye can be used to activate the apparatus when the golf ball is struck.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for determining a parameter regarding the motion of a golf ball struck by a golf club held by a golfer, comprising:
-
a) means for transmitting radiation at a first frequency into the expected path of said golf ball; b) means for receiving a portion of said transmitted radiation reflected off of at least said golf ball after said golf ball has been struck by said golf club, said received radiation having a second frequency; c) means, coupled to said receiving means, for generating a sequence of difference pulses having durational periods substantially proportional to the reciprocals of corresponding frequency differences between said transmitted first signal frequency and said received second signal frequency, wherein at least a portion of said durational periods are substantially proportional to the velocity of the moving golf ball; d) means for determining values corresponding with the periods of said difference pulses; e) means for using said values to determine the parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An apparatus for determining a parameter regarding the motion of a golf ball struck by a golf club held by a golfer, comprising:
-
a) means for transmitting a plurality of radiation pulses comprising a first signal at a first frequency into the expected path of said golf ball; b) means for receiving a portion of said transmitted radiation pulses reflected off of said golf ball and said golf club, said received radiation pulses comprising a second signal; c) means, coupled to said means for receiving, for determining frequency differences between said transmitted first signal and said received second signal, wherein at least a portion of said frequency differences are substantially proportional to the velocity of said golf ball; d) means for ascertaining which portion of said frequency differences are substantially proportional to the velocity of said golf ball; e) means for calculating the parameter using said portion of said frequency differences and a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. An apparatus for determining the angle of trajectory of a golf ball struck by a golf club held by a golfer, comprising:
-
a) means for transmitting radiation pulses comprising a first signal at a first frequency into the expected path of said golf ball; b) means for receiving a portion of said transmitted radiation pulses reflected off of at least said golf ball after said golf ball has been struck by said golf club, said received radiation pulses comprising a second signal; c) means, coupled to said receiving means, for generating a sequence of difference pulses having durational periods substantially proportional to the reciprocals of corresponding frequency differences between said transmitted first signal and said received second signal, wherein at least a portion of said durational periods are substantially proportional to the velocity of the moving golf ball; d) means for determining values corresponding with the periods of said difference pulses; e) means for determining the rate of change between a plurality of consecutive ones of said values; f) means for using said rate of change to determine the angle of trajectory of said golf ball relative to level ground. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
-
24. An apparatus for determining a parameter regarding the motion of a golf ball struck by a golf club held by a golfer, comprising:
-
a) means for transmitting a plurality of radiation pulses comprising a first signal at a first frequency into the expected path of said golf ball; b) means for receiving a portion of said transmitted radiation pulses reflected off of said golf ball, said received radiation pulses comprising a second signal; c) means, coupled to said means for receiving, for determining frequency differences between said transmitted first signal and said received second signal, wherein, at least a portion of said frequency differences are substantially proportional to the velocity of said golf ball; d) means for calculating the parameter using said portion of said frequency differences and a predetermined function; e) trigger means for activating said means for calculating when said golf club strikes said golf ball. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
-
Specification