Magnetic golf club swing sensor and golf simulator

• US 5,826,874 A
• Filed: 01/31/1997
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VR Sports, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VR Sports, Inc.
• Inventors: Bais, Mathiew, Pelka, David G., Teitell, Murray
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US08/791,329
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 473/150, 473/151, 473/152, 473/155, 473/219, 473/220, 473/221, 473/222, 473/223, 473/224, 473/225, 473/226
• US Class Current: 473/225
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence
• 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

The golf game system of the present invention includes at least two magnetic induction coil sensors to simulate the speed and the direction of a golf swing by a golfer. A magnetic strip adhesively attached to the end of the golf club locates the position of the golf club with respect to the sensors. An electronic circuitry panel translates the information provided by the magnetic induction coil sensors into information that is acceptable to the customized software package. The magnetic sensing system interfaces with standard software packages for a personal computer to allow a user to swing a real golf club and have the results entered and displayed by the software package. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the magnetic sensing system and electronic circuitry panel interfacing with the personal computer are integrated into a golf mat. The magnetic induction coil sensors may be flat induction coils built into the mat to minimize mat thickness. The golf mat further may include means to select functions such as the number of the golf club from the software package without returning to the mouse of the personal computer. The selection means may be realized with a `magnetic mouse` integrated into the golf mat so that the golfer may position the cursor on the computer screen by moving the golf club around an area of the golf mat. Magnetic sensors in the golf mat interact with the magnet on the end of the golf club to position of the cursor over the desired function from the software package, and the golfer may then click on that function with a switch or button on the golf mat.

Claims

1. A golf game system for sensing the swing of a golf club, and providing information about the swing of said golf club to a personal computer running a golf game software package, comprising:

a flexible magnetic strip adhesively attached to an end surface of said golf club;

at least two magnetic sensing means for detecting information about motion of said golf club by sensing velocity and path of said magnetic strip;

electronic circuit means for converting the information from said pair of magnetic sensing means into signals that are input into said personal computer;

a golf mat incorporating said magnetic sensing means or said electronic circuit means, or both said magnetic sensing means and said electronic circuit means, within said mat;

a computer cable for transmitting information from said electronic circuit means to said personal computer.

2. The golf game system of claim 1, further comprising:

a customized software package means installed via a computer disk supplied with said golf game system;

said software package being installed on the hard disk of said personal computer so as to interface with said golf game software package and convert signals from said electronic circuit means into a format that is acceptable to said golf game software package.

3. The golf game system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for adjusting game parameters from said golf game software, wherein said means for adjusting game parameters is incorporated into said golf mat.

4. The golf game system of claim 3, wherein:

said means for adjusting game parameters are switches or buttons on the surface of said golf mat.

5. The golf game system of claim 3, wherein:

said means for adjusting game parameters includes means for changing the selection of said golf club.

6. The golf game system of claim 3, wherein:

said means for adjusting game parameters includes means for changing the location of a cursor on a display screen of said personal computer.

7. The golf game system of claim 6, wherein:

said means for changing the location of said cursor are a plurality of magnetic sensing elements incorporated into an area of said golf mat, whereby said cursor is positioned on said display screen of said personal computer by changing the location of said golf club having said flexible magnetic strip with respect to said plurality of magnetic sensing elements.

8. The golf game system of claim 1, wherein:

said at least two magnetic sensing means are incorporated into said golf mat, said at least two magnetic sensing means being flat magnetic inductance coils.

9. A golf game system for sensing the swing of a golf club, and providing information about the swing of said golf club to a personal computer running a golf game software package, comprising:

a flexible magnetic strip adhesively attached to an end surface of said golf club;

at least two magnetic sensing means for detecting information about motion of said golf club by sensing velocity and path of said magnetic strip;

electronic circuit means for converting the information from said pair of magnetic sensing means into signals that are input into said personal computer;

a golf mat incorporating means for adjusting game parameters from said golf game software;

a computer cable for transmitting information from said electronic circuit means to said personal computer.

10. The golf game system of claim 9, further comprising:

a customized software package means installed via a computer disk supplied with said golf game system;

said software package being installed on the hard disk of said personal computer so as to interface with said golf game software package and convert signals from said electronic circuit means into a format that is acceptable to said golf game software package.

11. The golf game system of claim 9, wherein:

said means for adjusting game parameters are switches or buttons on the surface of said golf mat.

12. The golf game system of claim 9, wherein:

said means for adjusting game parameters includes means for changing the selection of said golf club.

13. The golf game system of claim 9, wherein:

said means for adjusting game parameters includes means for changing the location of a cursor on a display screen of said personal computer.

14. The golf game system of claim 13, wherein:

said means for changing the location of said cursor are a plurality of magnetic sensing elements incorporated into an area of said golf mat, whereby said cursor is positioned on said display screen of said personal computer by changing the location of said golf club having said flexible magnetic strip with respect to said plurality of magnetic sensing elements.

15. The golf game system of claim 9, wherein:

said at least two magnetic sensing means are incorporated into said golf mat, said at least two magnetic sensing means being flat magnetic inductance coils.