Teaching and gaming golf feedback system and methods

• US 20020079433A1
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tv-Arise, LLC
• Original Assignee: Charles M. Marshall, Curtis A. Vock, George Nauck, Kevin J. Grealish, Robert D. Frey
• Inventors: Nauck, George, Vock, Curtis A., Marshall, Charles M., Frey, Robert D., Grealish, Kevin J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,774,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/367 Detection of balance between both feet, i.e. weight distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/52 Weight, e.g. weight distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• 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 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3667 Golf stance aids, e.g. means for positioning a golfer's feet
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems

Abstract

The invention provides a golf feedback system. A mat is used to determine player foot position, and a 3D golf tracking system tracks golf balls hit from the mat to determine (a) a ground ball track and (b) a player orientation axis, based on the foot position and relative to the mat. The system further determines information indicative of how well the ground ball track correlated to the orientation axis. Preferably, a golfer using the system is led through a plurality of pin target locations in a simulated golf game. The system evaluates and stores information such as slice and hook, accuracy, player orientation axis and ball carry distance such that the player can evaluate his/her game individually or against one or more other players. The invention can include a plurality of mats, each mat located at a different tee off position at one or more driving ranges, each mat providing player foot position at that mat, a 3D golf tracking system at each of the driving ranges for tracking golf balls hit from one ore more mats at the associated driving, and a web server for storing and collating player performance information (e.g., player orientation axis, slice, hook, distance information) for all golfers. This server is thereinafter accessible by persons connected to the server on the Internet to facilitate gaming and teaching uses.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a ball of a playing field, comprising the steps of:

detecting foot position for one or more players at the playing field;

tracking three-dimensional motion of the ball over the playing field; and

communicating characteristics of the motion to the players.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of electronically advising the players how to improve one or both of form and posture.

3. A method according to claim 1, the step of tracking comprising tracking a golf ball over a driving range.

4. A method for competing between driving ranges, comprising the steps of:

tracking a first golf ball of a first player over a first driving range;

tracking a second golf ball of a second player over a second driving range;

comparing target accuracies of the first and second balls; and

electronically scoring the first and second players.

5. A method of claim 4, further comprising communicating data over the Internet prior to the step of comparing.

6. An electronic golf mat system for tracking player foot position, comprising a golf mat having a plurality of sensors for defining the foot position, and a computer in electronic communication with the mat for analyzing the foot position, the computer feeding back one or both of form and posture information to a player at the mat.