Electronically controlled golf swing analyzing/training mat system with ball striking-related feedback
First Claim
1. Golf practice mat apparatus for use by a user practicing a golf swing with a golf club having a club head comprising:
- a bounded practice mat surface for use by a user practicing a golf swing;
a target on said practice mat surface disposed in an area of desired contact of the club head with the practice mat surface;
a golf club head impact sensor disposed in a substantially horizontal golf club impact area of said practice mat surface for detecting contact by a golf club head with said substantially horizontal golf club impact area and for generating golf club contact data, said golf club contact data including data related to the position of detected contact between the golf club head and the impact area of the practice mat surface, said impact sensor being disposed in said golf club impact area so as to generate said practice mat contact data , independent of whether the user is striking a golf ball, in response to being struck by said golf club head swung by a user;
a memory for storing said golf club contact data including data related to the position of said detected contact between the golf club head and the impact area of the practice mat surface;
a processor operatively coupled to said impact sensor and said memory and configured to execute instructions for accessing said golf club contact data, and for analyzing said golf club contact data, said processor being configured to generate data related to the angular disposition of the club head at impact with the impact area of the practice mat surface in response to the analysis of said golf club contact data;
said processor being configured to generate a golf ball flight-related projection in response to said data related to the angular disposition of the club head; and
an output mechanism for providing feedback to said user related to said golf ball flight related projection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A golf practice mat includes an impact sensor disposed in a vicinity bounding the location of where a golf ball would be placed for striking. The golf practice mat may also include, for example, a “crosshair” target imprint that is disposed on a golf club impact sensor portion of the practice surface and indicates the point/line of contact that the club face should hit the ground after the ball has been struck with the club head in a descending blow. A microcontroller receives and analyzes the output of the impact sensor and generates a display/output message that is coupled to a display that is, for example, embodied on the golf practice mat to provide user shot-related feedback. The display may indicate, for example, the user'"'"'s golf club, the estimated distance the ball will travel depending upon the impact data analyzed, the club chosen by the user, input backswing data and/or a three-dimensional simulation of the resulting golf stroke.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. Golf practice mat apparatus for use by a user practicing a golf swing with a golf club having a club head comprising:
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a bounded practice mat surface for use by a user practicing a golf swing; a target on said practice mat surface disposed in an area of desired contact of the club head with the practice mat surface; a golf club head impact sensor disposed in a substantially horizontal golf club impact area of said practice mat surface for detecting contact by a golf club head with said substantially horizontal golf club impact area and for generating golf club contact data, said golf club contact data including data related to the position of detected contact between the golf club head and the impact area of the practice mat surface, said impact sensor being disposed in said golf club impact area so as to generate said practice mat contact data , independent of whether the user is striking a golf ball, in response to being struck by said golf club head swung by a user; a memory for storing said golf club contact data including data related to the position of said detected contact between the golf club head and the impact area of the practice mat surface; a processor operatively coupled to said impact sensor and said memory and configured to execute instructions for accessing said golf club contact data, and for analyzing said golf club contact data, said processor being configured to generate data related to the angular disposition of the club head at impact with the impact area of the practice mat surface in response to the analysis of said golf club contact data;
said processor being configured to generate a golf ball flight-related projection in response to said data related to the angular disposition of the club head; andan output mechanism for providing feedback to said user related to said golf ball flight related projection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating a golf swing practice mat for a user practicing a golf swing with a golf club and providing ball flight-related feedback to a user using said practice mat, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting golf club head contact between a golf club head and a horizontal surface on said practice mat in an impact area of the practice mat surface simulating a turf surface on which a golf ball would lie on a golf course; generating golf club contact data related to the position on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface independent of whether the user is striking a golf ball, in response to being struck by said golf club swung by a user; storing said golf club contact data in a memory; accessing said golf club contact data from said memory by a processor; analyzing by said processor said golf club contact data; generating by said processor data related to the angular disposition of the club head at impact with the impact area of the practice mat surface based upon said golf club contact data; generating by said processor a golf ball flight-related projection in response to said analysis of said golf club contact data; and providing feedback to said user related to said golf ball flight related projection. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification