Golf clubs and golf club heads having a sensor

• US 10,137,347 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Thornton, Douglas A., Hadden, Jeffrey A., Glenn, Bradley C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, Damon
• Application Number:
  US15/144,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20170312571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• 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 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/16 Caps; Ferrules
• 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

A golf club having a sensor that is removably connected at one or more positions of the golf club where the sensor comprises an inertial measurement unit including an accelerometer capable of measuring linear accelerations in three orthogonal axes and a gyroscope capable of measuring an angular rate of rotation around the same axes. The sensor may further comprise a processor which may perform instructions to detect the impact of the golf club with a golf ball and determine the start of the golf swing without any additional input from the user. The sensor may further have a power management system to extend the life of the power source.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a first end connected to the golf club head and a second end connected to a grip;

a sensor connected to the golf club, the sensor comprising;

an inertial measurement unit, the inertial measurement unit comprising an accelerometer capable of measuring linear accelerations along a first axis, along a second axis, and along a third axis and a gyroscope capable of measuring an angular rate of rotation about the first axis, about the second axis, and about the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis comprise an orthogonally oriented sensor coordinate system;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to at least;

acquire linear acceleration data from the accelerometer of the inertial measurement unit, wherein the linear acceleration data is taken at a constant sampling rate;

acquire angular rate of rotation data from the gyroscope of the inertial measurement unit, wherein the angular rate of rotation data is taken at a constant sampling rate;

transform the linear acceleration data into transformed linear acceleration data with respect to a golf club coordinate system that comprises a fourth axis is oriented in a heel-to-toe direction, a fifth axis is oriented in a front-to-back direction, and a sixth axis is oriented in a bottom-to-top direction;

transform the angular rate of rotation data into transformed angular rate of rotation data with respect to the golf club coordinate system;

calculate an orientation of the golf club from the transformed linear acceleration data;

compare the calculated orientation of the golf club to a first set of predetermined criteria, wherein the first set of predetermined criteria corresponds to the golf club being oriented in a rational golf club address position and wherein the first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied when the calculated orientation of the golf club matches the rational golf club address position;

upon determining that the first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, compare the transformed angular rate of rotation data to a second set of predetermined criteria, wherein the second set of predetermined criteria comprises a range of transformed angular rate of rotation values and wherein the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied when the transformed angular rate of rotation data falls within the range of transformed angular rate of rotation values;

upon determining that the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, output an indication that the golf club is in the rational golf club address position and an indication that the transformed angular rate of rotation data represent a golf swing, and calculate a slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data about the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis;

compare the slope of the angular rate of rotation data around the fourth axis and the sixth axis to a third set of predetermined criteria, wherein the third set of predetermined criteria comprises a fourth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation and a sixth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation and wherein the third set of predetermined criteria is satisfied when the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the fourth axis is greater than the fourth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation and the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the sixth axis is greater than the sixth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation;

upon determining that the third set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, compare the slope of the angular rate of rotation data around the fifth axis to a fourth set of predetermined criteria;

wherein the fourth set of predetermined criteria comprises a fifth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation, and wherein the fourth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the fifth axis is less than the fifth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation;

upon determining that the fourth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, compare the transformed linear acceleration data along the fifth axis to a fifth set of predetermined criteria, wherein the fifth set of predetermined criteria comprises a specified linear acceleration value along the fifth axis, and wherein the fifth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the linear acceleration data is greater than the specified linear acceleration value along the fifth axis;

upon determining that the fifth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, compare the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the fourth axis to a sixth set of predetermined criteria, wherein the sixth set of predetermined criteria comprises a specified value for angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis and wherein the sixth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the angular rate of rotation data around the fourth axis is greater than the specified value for the angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis; and

upon determining that the sixth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, transmit a signal that an impact between a golf ball and the golf club has occurred.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the rational golf club address position comprises the golf club positioned with a sole of the golf club facing downward and wherein an angle from a vertical plane to a hosel axis of the golf club is within a range of 10 degrees to 45 degrees.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the range of transformed angular rate of rotation values is within 250 degrees per second and 2,800 degrees per second.

4. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the golf club is an iron-type club.

5. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the golf club is a wood-type club.

6. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned near the grip of the golf club.

7. A golf club comprising:

a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a first end connected to the golf club head and a second end connected to a grip;

a sensor connected to the golf club comprising a processor and an inertial measurement unit, wherein the inertial measurement unit comprises an accelerometer capable of measuring linear accelerations in a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis and a gyroscope capable of measuring angular rate of rotation about the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis comprise an orthogonally oriented sensor coordinate system; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to at least;

acquire linear acceleration data from the accelerometer;

acquire angular rate of rotation data from the gyroscope, wherein the linear acceleration data and the angular rate of rotation data are taken at a constant sampling rate;

transform the linear acceleration data into transformed linear acceleration data with respect to a golf club coordinate system where a fourth axis is oriented in a heel-to-toe direction, a fifth axis is oriented in a front-to-back direction, and a sixth axis is oriented in a bottom-to-top direction;

transform the angular rate of rotation data into transformed angular rate of rotation data with respect to the golf club coordinate system;

calculate an orientation of the golf club from the transformed linear acceleration data;

compare the orientation of the golf club to a first set of predetermined criteria;

wherein the first set of predetermined criteria corresponds to the golf club being oriented in a rational golf club address position and wherein the first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the orientation of the golf club matches the rational golf club address position;

upon determining that the first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, compare the transformed angular rate of rotation data to a second set of predetermined criteria;

wherein the second set of predetermined criteria comprises a range of transformed angular rate of rotation values and wherein the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the transformed angular rate of rotation data falls within the range of transformed angular rate of rotation values;

upon determining that the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, calculate a slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data for the fourth, fifth, and sixth axes;

compare the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the fourth axis and the sixth axis to a third set of predetermined criteria comprising a fourth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation and a sixth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation and wherein the third set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the fourth axis is greater than the fourth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation and the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the sixth axis is greater than the sixth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation;

upon determining that the third set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, compare the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the fifth axis to a fourth set of predetermined criteria comprising a fifth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation, and wherein the fourth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the fifth axis is less than the fifth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation;

upon determining that the fourth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, compare the transformed linear acceleration data along the fifth axis to a fifth set of predetermined criteria, wherein the fifth set of predetermined criteria comprises a specified linear acceleration value along the fifth axis, and wherein the fifth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the linear acceleration data is less than the specified linear acceleration value along the fifth axis;

upon determining that the fifth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, compare the transformed angular rate of rotation data around the fourth axis to a sixth set of predetermined criteria, wherein the sixth set of predetermined criteria comprises a specified value for angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis and wherein the sixth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the angular rate of rotation data around the fourth axis is greater than the specified value for the angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis; and

upon determining that the sixth set of predetermined criteria is satisfied;

output that an impact between a golf ball and the golf club has occurred.

8. The golf club of claim 7, wherein the rational golf club address position comprises the golf club positioned with a sole of the golf club facing downward and wherein an angle from a vertical plane to a hosel axis of the golf club within a range of 10 degrees to 45 degrees.

9. The golf club of claim 7, wherein the range of transformed angular rate of rotation values is within 250 degrees per second and 2,800 degrees per second.

10. The golf club of claim 7, wherein the golf club is a putter and the sensor is positioned near the grip of the golf club.

11. The golf club of claim 10, wherein the fourth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation is 226 degrees per second squared and the sixth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation is 226 degrees per second squared.

12. The golf club comprising of claim 10, wherein the fifth axis specified slope of angular rate of rotation is 226 degrees per second squared.

13. The golf club of claim 10, wherein the specified linear acceleration value along the fifth axis is less than 0.24 g'"'"'s.

14. The golf club of claim 10, wherein the specified value for the angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis is greater than −

18.6 degrees per second.