Golf simulation system

• US 5,906,547 A
• Filed: 04/14/1997
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard M. Tynan
• Original Assignee: Richard M. Tynan
• Inventors: Tynan, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/840,265
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 473/131, 473/133, 473/139-141, 473/150-155, 473/198-200, 473/266-268, 473/270, 473/407, 473/409, 463/30-31, 463/36, 364/410, 434/247, 434/252, 434/307 R
• US Class Current: 473/199
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• 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 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball

Abstract

This system combines television and computer technology to permit one or more golfers to play a highly realistic round of golf from tees to greens. Each golf clubhead has color-coded bars on the rear lower and outer surfaces. As the clubhead approaches the ball it is multiply strobed and the images of the bars recorded on two color TV cameras perpendicular to each other and to the clubhead direction of travel. The resulting TV color images are digitized and transmitted to the computer. The stroke and club data implicit in the images are sufficient to permit computing the ball'"'"'s total trajectory on the ground and cause it to be projected on the TV screen as the golfer would see it in actuality. The trajectory is superimposed on a TV view of the hole from the golfer'"'"'s position. The ball'"'"'s final position on a map of the hole is used to determine the TV view presented on the screen for his next stroke.

Claims

1. A golf simulator comprising:

a ball support,

a golf clubhead comprising first and second color-segmented bars,

a transparent plate horizontally behind said ball support over which said golf clubhead passes to hit a ball,

one or more stroboscopic light sources configured to stroboscopically illuminate said golf clubhead a plurality of times during a portion of a golf swing,

a first TV color camera positioned below or well above and substantially vertically to said transparent plate to generate multiple images of light reflected from said first color-segmented bar as said first color-segmented bar is multiply illuminated while passing over said transparent plate to hit a ball,

a second color TV camera positioned substantially in approximately the same horizontal plane and at a right angle to the direction of clubhead travel over said transparent plate to generate multiple images of light reflected from said second color-segmented bar as said color-segmented bar is multiply illuminated while approaching the ball;

a computer coupled to said first and second color TV cameras configured to transform the colors, positions and orientations of the multiple images of the color-segmented bars on both color TV cameras into digital data representing a type and brand of golf club, direction of travel, orientation, velocity and accelerations of said golf clubhead so as to calculate a golf ball trajectory from said multiple images.