Device to measure the motion of a golf club through measurement of the shaft using wave radar

• US 8,292,753 B1
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Legesse, Nini
• Application Number:
  US12/790,001
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 473/150, 473/151, 473/219, 473221-226, 473/275, 473/407, 473/409
• US Class Current: 473/221
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• 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 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence

Abstract

A club shaft that can be installed in a club head permanently or can be installed in clubs with interchangeable shaft features is disclosed herein. The invention is a measurement device that enables the capturing of the speed and motion of the swing. The invention uses two antennas, one transmitting and one receiving. The power of the radar wave is low. The wavelength will be on the order of a millimeter.

Claims

1. A system for measuring the motion of a golf club swung by a golfer, the system comprising:

a golf club comprising a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a plurality of radiofrequency tags, the plurality of radiofrequency tags comprising at least an upper shaft radiofrequency tag and a lower shaft radiofrequency tag;

a plurality of radiofrequency sensors positioned in proximity to a golf ball to create a swing field for reception of radiofrequency signals from the plurality of radiofrequency tags as the golf club is swung through the swing field to strike the golf ball;

wherein the plurality of radiofrequency sensors captures a speed and motion of the golf club as the golf club is swung through the swung through the swing field.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of radiofrequency tags is a passive RF tag.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of radiofrequency tags is an active RF tag.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of radiofrequency tags transmits at 2.4 gigaHertz.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of radiofrequency sensors comprises four radiofrequency sensors positioned equidistant from the golf ball.

6. A system for measuring the motion of a golf club swung by a golfer, the system comprising:

a golf club comprising a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having at least one radiofrequency tag thereon and the golf club head having at least one radiofrequency tag thereon;

a plurality of radiofrequency sensors positioned in proximity to a golf ball to create a swing field for reception of radiofrequency signals from the at least one RF tag as the golf club is swung through the swing field to strike the golf ball

wherein the plurality of radiofrequency sensors captures a speed and motion of the golf club as the golf club is swung through the swung through the swing field.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein each of the at least one radiofrequency tag on the shaft and the at least one radiofrequency tag on the golf club head is a passive radiofrequency tag.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein each of the at least one radiofrequency tag on the shaft and the at least one radiofrequency tag on the golf club head is an active radiofrequency tag.

9. The system according to claim 6 wherein each of the at least one radiofrequency tag on the shaft and the at least one radiofrequency tag on the golf club head transmits at 2.4 gigaHertz.

10. The system according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of radiofrequency sensors comprises four radiofrequency sensors positioned equidistant from the golf ball.

11. A system according to claim 6 further comprising a second radiofrequency tag on the shaft.

12. A method for measuring the motion of a golf club swung by a golfer, the method comprising:

swinging a golf club through a swing field at a golf ball, the golf club comprising a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having at least one radiofrequency tag thereon and the golf club head having at least one radiofrequency tag thereon, the swing field created by a plurality of radiofrequency sensors positioned equidistance from the golf ball;

receiving a plurality of radiofrequency signals at the plurality of radiofrequency sensors from the at least one radiofrequency tag on the shaft and the at least one radiofrequency tag on the golf club head; and

detecting an orientation of the golf club head at impact with the golf ball, the speed of the swing and the flight of the golf ball after impact from the plurality of radiofrequency signals received at the plurality of radiofrequency sensors.