Golf aid including heads up display

• US 9,457,246 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Leech, Nicholas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGESSE, NINI F
• Application Number:
  US13/971,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20140038750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 473/152, 473/199, 473/353, 473/407, 473/409
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0053 for locating an object, e.g. a lost ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0666 worn on the head or face, e.g. combined with goggles or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/802 Ultra-sound sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• 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 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0072 with a specified number of layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3608 Attachments on the body, e.g. for measuring, aligning, restraining A63B69/0059, A63B69/3673 take precedence
• 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: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/74 : Systems using reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 : for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 : comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 : comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 : Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 : Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 : Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A golf aid includes a user tracking system configured to determine the location of a user on a golf course, a processor, and a heads up display. The heads up display is configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s head, and to display an image within a field of view of the user. The processor is in communication with the user tracking system and with the heads up display, and configured to determine a distance between the location of the user and an object, and provide an indication of the determined distance to the user via the heads up display.

Claims

1. An electronic golf aid system comprising:

a user tracking system configured to determine the location of a user on a golf course;

a heads up display configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s head, the heads up display having a display screen with a transparent display area configured to display an image within a field of view of the user;

a reflective sensor configured to detect an object on the golf course; and

a processor in communication with the user tracking system, the reflective sensor, and the heads up display, the processor being configured to;

determine a distance between the location of the user and the object on the golf course; and

direct the heads up display to display a distance indication of the determined distance contemporaneous with an object indication superimposed over the object as the object is visible through the transparent display area of the display screen of the heads up display.

2. The electronic golf aid system of claim 1, wherein the object includes a pin on the golf course, and wherein a location of the pin is stored by the processor.

3. The electronic golf aid system of claim 1, wherein the object includes a golf ball, the golf aid system further comprising a golf ball tracking system in communication with the processor and configured to track the golf ball.

4. The electronic golf aid system of claim 3, wherein the golf ball tracking system is configured to determine one or more launch characteristics or flight characteristics, or both, of the golf ball.

5. The electronic golf aid system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a ball characteristic indication of the one or more determined launch characteristics or flight characteristics, or both, of the golf ball to the user via the heads up display.

6. The electronic golf aid system of claim 3, wherein the golf ball tracking system is configured to track a location of the golf ball relative to the user, and wherein the processor is further configured to provide the object indication as an indication of the location of the golf ball within the field of view of the user via the heads up display.

7. The electronic golf aid system of claim 6, wherein the object indication includes at least one of:

a comet tail trailing behind the location of the ball within the user'"'"'s field of view;

or

an enhanced image of the golf ball that overlays the location of the golf ball within the user'"'"'s field of view.

8. The electronic golf aid system of claim 3, wherein the golf ball includes one or more communication components and a microchip in communication with the golf ball tracking system, and wherein the golf ball tracking system is configured to determine the location of the golf ball on the golf course from signals emitted by the one or more communication components.

9. The electronic golf aid system of claim 1, wherein the reflective sensor includes is configured to detect the object using radar, LIDAR, optical sensing, or sonar, or any combination thereof.

10. The electronic golf aid system of claim 1, further comprising a camera configured to capture an image of the field of view of the user and transmit the image to the processor, the processor being further configured to determine from the captured image where to display the object indication superimposed over the object upon the user'"'"'s field of view.

11. The electronic golf aid system of claim 1, wherein the display screen of the heads up display further includes a non-transparent display area configured to display images adjacent the field of view of the user.

12. An electronic golf aid device for assisting a user in determining distances on a golf course, the golf aid device comprising:

a headgear component configured to be worn on the head of the user;

a user tracking system attached to the headgear component and configured to determine a location of the user on the golf course;

a heads up display attached to the headgear component and configured to be worn in front of the user'"'"'s eyes, the heads up display having a display screen with a transparent display area configured to display an image within a field of view of the user;

a reflective sensor attached to the headgear component and configured to detect a pin on the golf course; and

a processor attached to the headgear component and in communication with the user tracking system, the reflective sensor, and the heads up display, the processor being configured to;

determine a distance between the location of the user and the pin on the golf course; and

direct the heads up display to display a distance indication of the determined distance contemporaneous with a pin indication superimposed over the pin as the pin is visible through the transparent display area of the display screen of the heads up display.

13. The electronic golf aid device of claim 12, further comprising a golf ball tracking system in communication with the processor and configured to track a golf ball.

14. The electronic golf aid device of claim 13, wherein the golf ball tracking system is further configured to determine one or more launch characteristics or flight characteristics, or both, of the golf ball.

15. The electronic golf aid device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a ball characteristic indication of the one or more determined launch characteristics or flight characteristics, or both, of the golf ball to the user via the heads up display.

16. The electronic golf aid device of claim 13, wherein the golf ball tracking system is configured to track a location of the golf ball relative to the user, and wherein the processor is further configured to provide an object indication of the location of the golf ball within the field of view of the user via the heads up display.

17. The electronic golf aid device of claim 16, wherein the object indication includes at least one of:

a comet tail trailing behind the location of the ball within the user'"'"'s field of view;

or

an enhanced image of the golf ball that overlays the location of the golf ball within the user'"'"'s field of view.

18. The electronic golf aid device of claim 12, wherein the reflective sensor is configured to detect the pin using radar, LIDAR, optical sensing, or sonar, or any combination thereof.

19. The electronic golf aid device of claim 12, further comprising a camera configured to capture an image of the field of view of the user and transmit the image to the processor.

20. The electronic golf aid device of claim 12, wherein the display screen of the heads up display further includes a non-transparent display area configured to display images adjacent the field of view of the user.