Golf free swing measurement and analysis system

• US 8,926,445 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2013
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
• Original Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
• Inventors: Davenport, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/868,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20140073446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 473/131, 473150-154, 473/199, 473219-223, 473/266, 473/342, 473/409, 463/3, 463 36- 39, 434/252, 273/108.2, 702/41
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• 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 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

The presented invention relates to a method for determining the effectiveness of a golfer'"'"'s swing without the requirement of the club head making contact with a golf ball. More specifically, the present invention relates to a measurement and analysis system comprising a first module that attaches to the club head and captures measurement receiver signal strength data during the entire swing time line and may capture motional data on same time line, further first module wirelessly communicates bi-directionally with a second module that is further connected to a user interface device and computational engine where feedback results are derived and conveyed to the golfer. The system provides comprehensive feedback for a swing characterization time line referenced to the spatial domain using receiver signal strength measurements that may be in combination with motional and dynamics orientation measurements.

Claims

1. A golf club head module configured to be attachable to and detachable from a golf club head, the golf club head module comprising:

a circuit configured to measure receiver signal strength of a received radio wave signal along a non-linear travel path of the golf club module, the radio wave signal being received from an external device, the signal strength being measured at least at first and second times along the club head travel path;

at least one sensor configured to measure additional attribute data along the non-linear travel path of the golf club head module at the first and second times, the additional attribute data including at least one of optical signals, magnetic fields, electric fields, acceleration, and orientation changes; and

a transmission device configured to transmit synchronous time-aligned receiver signal strength and additional attribute data for the first and second times to the external device for analyzing the non-linear travel path of the golf club head module.

2. The golf club head module of claim 1, wherein analyzing the non-linear club head travel path includes determining lowest and highest signal strength time points, and using the highest and lowest signal strength time points to define a space-time relationship of the club head in conjunction with time-aligned attribute data.

3. The golf club head module of claim 2, wherein defining the space-time relationship includes determining an anticipated ball location.

4. The golf club head module of claim 1, wherein the additional attribute data indicates a perturbation caused by the golf club head impacting an object.

5. The golf club head module of claim 1, wherein the additional attribute data indicates a radial centrifugal inertial component that is separate from a linear spatial translation component.

6. The golf club head module of claim 5, wherein the additional attribute data indicates the radial centrifugal inertial component along each of three measured axis.

7. The golf club head module of claim 1, wherein the time-aligned signal strength and additional attribute data indicate a trigger point at the first time that defines a transition between a back swing segment and a reversal segment of the non-linear club head travel path.

8. The golf club head module of claim 1, wherein the transmission device transmits the time-aligned signal strength and additional attribute data to the external device wirelessly.

9. A golf club measurement system comprising:

a) a club head module comprising;

i) a circuit configured to measure receiver signal strength of a received radio wave signal along a non-linear travel path of the club head module, the radio wave signal being received from an external device, the signal strength being measured at least at first and second times along the club head travel path; and

ii) at least a first sensor configured to measure additional attribute data along the non-linear travel path of the club head module at the first and second times, the additional attribute data including at least one of optical signals, magnetic fields, electric fields, acceleration, and orientation changes;

b) a shaft module that comprises at least a second sensor from the group of accelerometers and gyroscopes; and

c) a transmission device configured to transmit synchronous time-aligned receiver signal strength and additional attribute data to the external device for analyzing the non-linear travel path of the golf club head module.

10. The golf club measurement system of claim 9, wherein analyzing the non-linear club head travel path includes determining lowest and highest signal strength time points, and using the highest and lowest signal strength time points to define a space-time relationship of the club head in conjunction with time-aligned attribute data.

11. The golf club measurement system of claim 10, wherein defining the space-time relationship includes determining an anticipated ball location.

12. The golf club measurement system of claim 9, wherein the additional attribute data indicates a perturbation caused by the golf club head impacting an object.

13. The golf club measurement system of claim 9, wherein the additional attribute data indicates a radial centrifugal inertial component that is separate from a linear spatial translation component.

14. The golf club measurement system of claim 13, wherein the additional attribute data indicates the radial centrifugal inertial component along each of three measured axis.

15. The golf club measurement system of claim 9, wherein the time-aligned signal strength and additional attribute data indicate a trigger point at the first time that defines a transition between a back swing segment and a reversal segment of the non-linear club head travel path.

16. The golf club measurement system of claim 9, wherein the transmission device transmits the time-aligned signal strength and additional attribute data to the external device wirelessly.

17. The golf club measurement system of claim 9, wherein first and second modules transmit time-aligned data from the first and second sensors to the external device for measuring shaft rotation and shaft flex.