Golfing apparatus and method for golf play simulation

• US 5,398,936 A
• Filed: 09/10/1993
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accusport International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Accusport International, Inc.
• Inventors: Roberts, Edgar P., Crockett, Charles L., Kluttz, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): OWENS, KERRY
• Application Number:
  US08/117,104
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 273/185 A, 273/185 B, 273/87 R, 273/87.2, 273/35 R, 273/433, 434/252
• US Class Current: 473/156
• 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 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3605 Golf club selection aids informing player of his average or expected shot distance for each club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction

Abstract

The golfing apparatus according to the present invention has a golf shot file providing a representation of at least one actual golf shot by the user. The golf shot representation includes at least a time and a distance of a golf ball travel. The apparatus also has a golf course file for providing a geographic representation of at least a portion of a golf course and simulation means for combining selected portions of the golf shot file and selected portions of the golf course file to simulate at least one golf shot on the selected portions of the golf course based upon at least one actual golf shot by the user. An image display responsive to the simulation means displays at least one simulated golf shot on the selected portions of the golf course. The method for simulating golf play using actual golf shots by the user includes the steps of providing data representative of at least one actual recorded golf shot by the user, providing data representative of at least a portion of a golf course, and combining selected portions of the golf shot data and selected portions of the golf course data to simulate at least one golf shot on-the selected portions of the golf course based upon at least one actual golf shot by the user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for simulating golf play using an actual golf shot by a user, the apparatus comprising:

a golf shot file comprising a representation of a plurality of actual golf shots with each golf club in a set thereof, said golf shot representation including at least a time and a distance of a golf ball travel;

a golf course file comprising a geographic representation of at least a portion of a golf course;

simulation means for combining selected portions of said golf shot file and selected portions of said golf course file to simulate a plurality of golf shots on the selected portions of the golf course based upon a plurality of golf shots by the user; and

image displaying means responsive to said simulation means for displaying a plurality of simulated golf shots on the selected portions of the golf course.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said golf shot representation further comprises golf ball roll and wherein said simulation means is responsive to the representation of golf ball roll.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said golf course file further comprises weather representations and wherein said simulation means is responsive to the weather representations.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means responsive to user inputs for selecting predetermined portions of said golf shot file.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said input means is further responsive to said golf course file.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said simulation means selects among data in said golf shot file in response to real time interaction of user with said input means.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said simulation means further comprises extrapolation means for extrapolating actual golf shot data with the conditions of the simulated selected portions of the golf course.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said simulation means further comprises means for analyzing said plurality of golf shots according to a predetermined set of instructions and generating means responsive to said input means for generating the data representative of said selected golf shot.

9. An apparatus for simulating golf play using an actual golf shot by a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring a plurality of actual golf shots by a golfer and generating a golf shot file therefrom including at least a time and a distance of a golf ball travel;

a golf shot file comprising a representation of a plurality of actual golf shots with each golf club in a set thereof, said golf shot representation including at least a time and a distance of a golf ball travel;

a golf course file comprising a geographic representation of at least a portion of a golf course;

simulation means for combining selected portions of said golf shot file and selected portions of said golf course file to simulate a plurality of golf shots on the selected portions of the golf course based upon a plurality of golf shots by the user; and

image displaying means responsive to said simulation means for displaying a plurality of simulated golf shots on the selected portions of the golf course; and

input means responsive to user input for selecting predetermined portions of said golf shot file.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said golf shot representation further comprises golf ball roll and wherein said simulation means is responsive to the representation of golf ball roll.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said golf course file further comprises weather representations and wherein said simulation means is responsive to the weather representations.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said input means is further responsive to said golf course file.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said simulation means further comprises extrapolation means for extrapolating actual golf shot data with the conditions of the simulated selected portions of the golf course.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said simulation means further comprises means for analyzing said plurality of golf shots according to a predetermined set of instructions and generating means responsive to said input means for generating the data representative of said selected golf shot.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said simulation means selects among data in said golf shot file in response to real time interaction of user with said input means.

16. A method for simulating golf play using actual golf shots by a user, comprising the steps of:

providing data representative of at least one actual recorded golf shot, the golf shot data including at least a time and a distance of a complete golf ball flight path;

providing data representative of at least a portion of a golf course; and

combining selected portions of the golf shot data and selected portions of the golf course data to simulate at least one golf shot on the selected portions of the golf course based upon at least one actual golf shot by the user.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of providing golf shot data is preceded by the steps of:

recording at least one actual golf shot by the user; and

producing golf shot data representative of at least one actual the golf shot by the user.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of displaying at least one golf shot on selected portions of a golf course based upon at least one actual golf shot by the user.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of receiving data from the user responsive to the golf shot data.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of providing golf shot data further comprises the steps of analyzing a golf shot according to a predetermined set of instructions and generating data representative of the golf shot.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of providing golf course data further comprises the steps of analyzing golf course data according to a predetermined set of instructions and generating data representative of selected golf course data.

22. An apparatus for simulating golf play using an actual golf shot by a user, the apparatus comprising:

a golf shot file comprising a representation of at least one actual golf shot by the user, said golf shot representations including at least a time and a distance of a complete golf ball flight path;

a golf course file comprising a geographic representation of at least a portion of a golf course;

simulation means for combining selected portions of said golf shot file and selected portions of said golf course file to simulate at least one golf shot on the selected portions of the golf course based upon at least one actual golf shot by the user; and

image displaying means responsive to said simulation means for displaying at least one simulated golf shot on the selected portions of the golf course.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said golf shot representation further comprises golf ball roll and wherein said simulation means is responsive to the representation of golf shot roll.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said golf course file further comprises weather representations and wherein said simulation means is responsive to the weather representations.

25. The apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising means responsive to user inputs for selecting predetermined portions of said golf shot file.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said input means is further responsive to said golf course file.

27. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said simulation means selects among data in said golf shot file in response to real time interaction of user with said input means.

28. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said simulation means further comprises extrapolation means for extrapolating actual golf shot data with the conditions of the simulated selected portions of the golf course.

29. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said golf shot file comprises a plurality of actual golf shots with each golf club in a predetermined set of golf clubs.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said simulation means further comprises means for analyzing said plurality of golf shots according to a predetermined set of instructions and generating means responsive to said input means for generating the data representative of said selected golf shot.