Golf swing sensor assembly

• US 9,713,743 B1
• Filed: 01/22/2016
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Friedlander, Steven, Young, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Legesse, Nini
• Application Number:
  US15/004,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20170209741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 473219, 473221, 473222, 473223, 473407, 473409
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• 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 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• 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

Abstract

Each club in the bag has a small sensor mount on its shaft with indicia indicating what club (9-iron, 7-iron, fairway 5-wood etc.) the mount is attached to. A swing sensor can then engage the mount and read the indicia, sending both sensed swing information and club type to an app on the golfer'"'"'s mobile phone. In this way, the app knows not only the swing information but also the type of club that was used to generate that swing information.

Claims

1. At least one apparatus comprising:

at least a first sensor mount configured for engaging a golf club of a first type of iron or wood, the first sensor mount including first indicia indicating the first type, the first sensor mount comprising a channel configured to closely receive a golf club shaft within the channel of the first sensor mount, the first sensor mount not containing any energizable components;

at least a second sensor mount configured for engaging a golf club of a second type of iron or wood, the second type being different from the first type, the sensor mount including second indicia indicating the second type, the second indicia being different from the first indicia, the second sensor mount comprising a channel configured to closely receive a golf club shaft within the channel of the second sensor mount, the second sensor mount not containing any energizable components; and

at least one sensor assembly including structure configured for removably engaging the first sensor mount and for detecting the first indicia, the sensor assembly including at least one motion sensor and at least one wireless transceiver for wirelessly sending a signal to a receiver representing motion of the golf club of the first type, and the first type, the sensor assembly being disengageable from the first sensor mount and engageable with the second sensor mount on the golf club of the second type for wirelessly sending a signal to the receiver representing motion of the golf club of the second type, and the second type.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising respective sensor mounts for each of three or more clubs in a golfer'"'"'s bag and one and only one sensor assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly detects the indicia magnetically.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly detects the indicia physically.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first indicia includes plural index elements spaced from each other.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the index elements include pins.

7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the index elements are flat against the sensor mount.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the index elements match index element sensing elements on the sensor assembly.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sensor mount is made of rubber and/or plastic.

10. A method comprising:

using a sensor physically engaged with a golf club of a first type, sensing motion of the golf club;

sensing the first type of the golf club;

wirelessly transmitting information representing the motion and the first type;

subsequently using the sensor to physically engage a golf club of a second type;

sensing the second type; and

wirelessly transmitting information representing motion of the golf club of the second type, and the second type.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising executing the sensing using a sensor assembly engaged with a sensor mount on the golf club.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor assembly senses first indicia on the sensor mount.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising facilitating removal of the sensor assembly from the sensor mount and facilitating the engagement of the sensor assembly with a different sensor mount having second indicia different from the first indicia and engaged with a different golf club, and wirelessly transmitting information representing motion and type of the different golf club.

14. An assembly comprising:

a first sensor mount with a channel configured to receive a shaft of a first golf club having a first type, the first sensor mount including first index elements in a first arrangement indicating the first type;

a second sensor mount with a channel configured to receive a shaft of a second golf club having a second type, the second sensor mount including second index elements in a second arrangement indicating the second type, the second type being different from the first type, the second arrangement being different from the first arrangement; and

a sensor assembly removably engageable with the first sensor mount to transmit a signal representing motion of the first golf club and the first type, the sensor assembly being disengageable with the first sensor mount and being engageable with the second sensor mount to transmit a signal representing motion of the second golf club and the second type.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the channel of the first sensor mount snugly receives the shaft of the first golf club.

16. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the first sensor mount comprises a hinged closure that is hinged along an edge to the channel of the first sensor mount to snappingly engage a clip edge that is opposed to the edge.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the hinged closure is formed with a central opening through which the shaft of the first golf club is visible.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein opposite the hinged closure, an outer surface of channel portion of the first sensor mount is formed with a recessed flat receptacle, the index elements being located in the recessed flat receptacle.