Electronically controlled golf swing analyzing/training mat system with ball striking-related feedback
First Claim
1. Golf practice mat apparatus for use by a user practicing a golf swing with a golf club comprising:
- a bounded practice mat surface for use by a user practicing a golf swing;
an area of said practice surface indicating the position of a golf ball;
an impact sensor disposed in a substantially horizontal golf club impact area of said practice mat surface for detecting contact by a golf club swung by said user with said substantially horizontal golf club impact area and for generating golf club contact data, said golf club contact data including data related to the position of a first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface and data related to the position of a second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat, said impact sensor being disposed in said golf club impact area so as to generate said practice mat contact data, independent of whether the user is striking a golf ball, in response to being struck by said golf club swung by a user;
a memory for storing said golf club contact data including data related to the position of said first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface and data related to the position of said second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface;
a processor operatively coupled to said impact sensor and said memory and configured to execute instructions for accessing said golf club contact data, analyzing said golf club contact data including said data related to the position of the first point and the data related to the position of the second point, and determining a golf club head contact pattern; and
an output mechanism for providing feedback to said user related said golf club head contact pattern determined by said processor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A golf practice mat includes an impact sensor disposed in a vicinity bounding the location of where a golf ball would be placed for striking. The golf practice mat may also include, for example, a “crosshair” target imprint that is disposed on a golf club impact sensor portion of the practice surface and indicates the point/line of contact that the club face should hit the ground after the ball has been struck with the club head in a descending blow. A microcontroller receives and analyzes the output of the impact sensor and generates a display/output message that is coupled to a display that is, for example, embodied on the golf practice mat to provide user shot-related feedback. The display may indicate, for example, the user'"'"'s golf club, the estimated distance the ball will travel depending upon the impact data analyzed, the club chosen by the user, input backswing data and/or a three-dimensional simulation of the resulting golf stroke.
36 Citations
48 Claims
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1. Golf practice mat apparatus for use by a user practicing a golf swing with a golf club comprising:
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a bounded practice mat surface for use by a user practicing a golf swing; an area of said practice surface indicating the position of a golf ball; an impact sensor disposed in a substantially horizontal golf club impact area of said practice mat surface for detecting contact by a golf club swung by said user with said substantially horizontal golf club impact area and for generating golf club contact data, said golf club contact data including data related to the position of a first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface and data related to the position of a second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat, said impact sensor being disposed in said golf club impact area so as to generate said practice mat contact data, independent of whether the user is striking a golf ball, in response to being struck by said golf club swung by a user; a memory for storing said golf club contact data including data related to the position of said first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface and data related to the position of said second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface; a processor operatively coupled to said impact sensor and said memory and configured to execute instructions for accessing said golf club contact data, analyzing said golf club contact data including said data related to the position of the first point and the data related to the position of the second point, and determining a golf club head contact pattern; and an output mechanism for providing feedback to said user related said golf club head contact pattern determined by said processor.
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2. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said practice surface includes a target indicator disposed adjacent to said area of said practice surface indicating the position of a golf ball.
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3. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said target indicator is disposed at a preferred contact point on the practice surface corresponding to a point in a golf swing after ball contact would have been made if an actual golf had been placed at the indicated position of a golf ball.
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4. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said area of said practice surface indicating the position of a golf ball includes a golf ball representation in the form of a circular golf ball representing imprint.
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5. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said golf ball representation is a golf ball sized hollow spherical structure fastened to said practice surface.
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6. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said target indicator is disposed at a point on the practice surface corresponding to a point in a golf swing where a divot would have been made if an actual golf had been placed at the golf ball representation and a downward stroke was executed on a golf course fairway.
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7. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output mechanism is a display.
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8. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said golf club head contact pattern is indicative of a line of golf club head contact with said golf club impact area of said impact sensor.
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9. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said practice surface includes a target disposed adjacent to the indication of the position of a golf ball and wherein said processor analyzes said impact sensor data with respect to the location of said target.
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10. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said impact sensor comprises a grid of sensors.
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11. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said impact sensor comprises an array of pressure sensors.
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12. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processor in response to said golf club contact data generates a golf club stroke yardage indicating signal.
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13. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processor in response to said golf club contact data generates data indicative of a detected pattern related to a user'"'"'s golf swing.
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14. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, further including a desired practice golf stroke input mechanism.
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15. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a user inputs a backswing of a predetermined angular rotation.
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16. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processor includes a three-dimensional display generator for generating data for displaying a simulated golf shot based upon said golf club contact data.
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17. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processor includes a display generator for displaying a golf stroke instructional sequence.
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18. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output mechanism is at least one speaker coupled to said processing circuitry for providing golf stroke related audio to a user.
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19. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, further including a mode input mechanism to define the club and stroke to be used.
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20. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, further including further processing circuitry located outside the bounded practice surface and operatively coupled via a communications medium to said processing circuitry that receives and analyzes said golf club contact data.
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21. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said further processing circuitry generates an options menu and communicates a selected option to said processing circuitry that receives and analyzes said golf club contact data.
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22. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said further processing circuitry generates a three-dimensional golf stroke related display.
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23. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, further including a putting surface including a cup, said processing circuitry being operative to detect a made putt and to generate a putt-related display.
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24. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output mechanism is a television display.
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25. Golf practice mat apparatus for use by a user practicing a golf swing with a golf club comprising:
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a bounded, substantially horizontal practice mat surface for use by a user practicing a golf swing; an impact sensor disposed in a substantially horizontal golf club impact area of said practice mat surface and having an associated target indication, said impact sensor for detecting contact with said substantially horizontal mat surface by a golf club swung by said user in the area of said target indication and for generating golf club contact data, said golf club contact data including data related to the position of a first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface and data related to the position of a second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat, said impact sensor being disposed in said golf club impact area so as to generate said golf club contact data, independent of whether the user is striking a golf ball, in response to being struck by said golf club swung by a user; a memory for storing said golf club contact data including data related to the position of said first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice at surface and data related to the position of said second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface; and a processor operatively coupled to said impact sensor and said memory and configured to execute instructions for receiving said golf club contact data, analyzing said golf club contact data including said data related to the position of the first point and the data related to the position of the second point, and determining a golf club head contact pattern based upon said data related to the position of the first point and the data related to the position of the second point; said processor generating a golf swing-related projection based upon said golf club head contact pattern determined by said processor.
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26. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 25, further including a display operatively coupled to said processor for providing feedback to said user resulting from the analysis of said golf club contact data by said processor.
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27. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said practice surface includes a golf ball representation and wherein said target indication is disposed in relation to said golf ball representation to correspond to the point of contact on a fairway where a downward swing would strike the turf after striking the ball.
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28. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said golf swing-related projection is a projection of a characteristic of the user'"'"'s swing based upon an analysis of a plurality of the user'"'"'s swings.
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29. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said golf club head contact pattern is a strike line of a golf club head with said impact sensor surface.
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30. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said processor analyzes said impact sensor data with respect to the location of said target indicator.
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31. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 25, further including three-dimensional display generation circuitry for generating data for displaying a simulated golf shot based upon said golf club contact data.
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32. Golf practice mat apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said memory stores golf club contact data for a plurality of golf swings.
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33. A method of operating a golf swing practice mat for a user practicing a golf swing with a golf club and providing stroke-related feedback to a user using said practice mat, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting golf club head contact between a golf club head and a horizontal surface on said practice mat in an impact area of the practice mat surface simulating a turf surface on which a golf ball would lie on a golf course; generating, using an impact sensor, golf club contact data related to the position of a first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface; generating, using said impact sensor, golf club contact data related to the position of a second point on the practice neat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat, said impact sensor being disposed in said golf club impact area so as to generate said golf club contact data, independent of whether the user is striking a golf ball, in response to being struck by said golf club swung by a user; storing said golf club contact data in a memory including data related to the position of said first point on the practice at of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice at surface and data related to the position of said second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface; accessing said golf club contact data from said memory by a processor; analyzing by said processor said golf club contact data including said data related to the position of the first point and the data related to the position of the second point; determining by said processor a golf club head contact pattern based upon said data related to the position of the first point and the data related to the position of the second point; providing golf swing-related feedback to said user based upon said golf club head contact pattern.
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34. A method according to claim 33, further including the steps of including a target indicator disposed adjacent to a golf ball representation on said practice mat and analyzing club head impact data with respect to the location of said target indicator.
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35. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of generating a golf club stroke yardage indicating signal in response to the processing of club head contact data.
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36. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of generating data for displaying a simulated golf shot based upon said golf club contact data.
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37. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of generating a three-dimensional golf stroke related display.
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38. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of providing a putting surface including a cup, detecting a made putt and generating a putt-related display.
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39. A method according to claim 33, wherein the step of providing feedback includes the step of generating a display indicative of the projected result of said practice golf stroke.
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40. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of generating at least a two dimensional array of data relating to the contact between the golf club head and an impact sensor.
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41. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of determining data related to an angular rotation of the club face over time.
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42. A method according to claim 33, further including the step of projecting the direction that a ball would have been hit as a result of the practice golf stroke as a function of the detected impact data.
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43. A method of operating a golf swing practice mat for a user practicing a golf stroke with a golf club and providing feedback to a user using said practice mat, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the contact between a golf club head and a horizontal surface on said practice mat; generating golf club contact data related to the position of a first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface; generating golf club contact data related to the position of a second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat, said impact sensor being disposed in said golf club impact area so as to generate said golf dub contact data, independent of whether the user is striking a golf ball, in response to being struck by said golf club swung by a user; storing said golf club contact data in a memory including data related to the position of said first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the in impact area of the practice mat surface and data related to the of said second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface; accessing said golf club contact data from said memory by processor; analyzing by said processor said golf club contact data including said data related to the position of the first point and the data related to the position of the second point, and determining by said processor a golf club head contact pattern; storing said golf club head contact pattern for a plurality of golf strokes; analyzing said golf club head pattern for a plurality of golf strokes to detect a golf stroke pattern; and providing feedback to a user relating to said golf stroke pattern based upon said golf club head pattern for a plurality of golf strokes.
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44. A method according to claim 43, wherein the step of providing feedback includes the step of informing the user that ball contact was typically made with the club face open.
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45. A method according to claim 43, wherein the step of providing feedback includes the step of informing the user that ball contact was typically made with the club face closed.
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46. A method according to claim 43, wherein the step of providing feedback includes the step of informing the user that ball contact was typically made with the club face behind the ball.
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47. A method according to claim 43, further including the step of generating a three-dimensional golf stroke related display.
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48. A method of operating a golf swing practice mat for a user practicing a golf stroke with a particular golf club and providing stroke-related feedback to a user using said practice mat, said method comprising the steps of:
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inputting data identifying a particular club; detecting the contact between the golf club head of said particular club and a horizontal surface on said practice mat; generating golf club contact data related to the position of a first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface; generating golf club contact data related to the position of a second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat, said impact sensor being disposed in said if club impact area so as to generate said golf club contact data, independent of whether the user is striking a golf ball, in response to being struck by said golf club swung by a user; storing said golf club contact data including data related to the position of said first point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface and data related to the position of said second point on the practice mat of detected contact between the golf club and the impact area of the practice mat surface; accessing by a processor said golf club contact data; analyzing by said processor said golf club contact data including said data related to the position of the first point and the data related to the position of the second point, and determining by said processor a golf club head contact pattern, and displaying data indicative of a projected distance of a practice shot as a function of a distance-related characteristic of said particular golf club based upon said golf club head contact pattern.
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Specification