System for determining performance characteristics of a golf swing

• US 8,414,411 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Stites, John T., Tavares, Gary, Madore, Carl, Kelly, Mike, Sander, Raymond J., Hadden, Jeffrey A., Held, Jeffrey R., Maenle, Garrick L., Kramer, Gregory S., Bouton, Chad E., Dodson, Clifford N., Hoffman, Patrick K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOO, JASSON H
• Application Number:
  US12/775,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20100216565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 473/219, 473221-223, 473226-227, 473/233
• US Class Current: 473/221
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2060/464 Means for indicating or measuring the pressure on the grip
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/367 Detection of balance between both feet, i.e. weight distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/802 Ultra-sound sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• 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 69/362 electrical or electronic
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An instrumented golf club system and methods are disclosed. A variety of golf swing parameters are measured by the instrumented golf club and wirelessly transmitted to a portable computer device. The portable computer device generates a user interface that displays the golf swing parameters against preferred golf swing parameters. The instrumented golf club system allows a golfer to receive feedback in real time while playing golf.

Claims

1. An instrumented golf club comprising:

a magnetic sensor module configured to detect a vector corresponding to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field relative to a head of the golf club and to resolve the vector corresponding to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field into a plurality of component vectors; and

an antenna that comprises a ferrule that connects the head of the golf club to a shaft of the golf club for wirelessly transmitting swing data related to the plurality of component vectors to a portable computer device.

2. The instrumented golf club of claim 1, wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises an anisotropic magnetoresistive device.

3. The instrumented golf club of claim 1, wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises a magnetoresistor device.

4. The instrumented golf club of claim 1, wherein the magnetic sensor module is configured to a resolve the vector corresponding to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field into three component vectors.

5. The instrumented golf club of claim 4, wherein the three component vectors are substantially aligned with an x-axis, a y-axis and a z-axis, respectively.

6. The instrumented golf club of claim 5, further comprising a processor configured to calculate at least one swing parameter by comparing component vectors of a first vector detected by the sensor module with component vectors of a second vector detected by the sensor module.

7. The instrumented golf club of claim 6, wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises the processor.

8. The instrumented golf club of claim 7, wherein golf swing parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

club head speed, club face angle, swing path, and combinations thereof.

9. The instrumented golf club of claim 1, wherein a weight of the magnetic sensor module does not change a balance or a location of a center of gravity of the club.

10. The instrumented golf club of claim 1, further comprising a transmission module configured to wirelessly transmit golf swing data determined based on the plurality of component vectors.

11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor performs:

detecting a first vector from earth'"'"'s magnetic field relative to a head of a golf club at a first time period;

resolving, from the first vector, a first plurality of component vectors;

detecting a second vector from earth'"'"'s magnetic field relative to the head of the golf club at a second time period;

resolving, from the second vector, a second plurality of component vectors;

based upon the first plurality of component vectors and the second plurality of component vectors, determining at least one golf swing parameter; and

transmitting swing data related to the first plurality of component vectors and the second plurality of component vectors to a portable computer device using an antenna that comprises a ferrule that connects the head of the golf club to a shaft of the golf club.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the at least one golf swing parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

club head speed, club face angle, swing path, and combinations thereof.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein at least an x-axis component vector and a y-axis component vector are resolved from each of the first vector and the second vector.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the at least one golf swing parameter comprises a club face angle, wherein the first time period is before a backswing of the golf club and the second time period is just prior to impact of the golf club with a golf ball.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the determining of the club face angle comprises determining that the club head rotated about 1 degree along the x-axis for each about 47.5 micro-Gauss difference between the x-axis component of the first vector and the x-axis component of the second vector.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the determining of the club face angle comprises determining that the club head rotated about 1 degree along the y-axis for each about 47.5 micro-Gauss difference between the y-axis component of the first vector and the y-axis component of the second vector.

17. A golf club comprising:

a shaft;

a club head operatively connected to the shaft;

a magnetic sensor module within the club head configured to resolve a vector corresponding to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field into a plurality of component vectors; and

an antenna that comprises a ferrule that connects the club head to the shaft for wirelessly transmitting swing data related to the plurality of component vectors to a portable computer device.

18. The instrumented golf club of claim 17, wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises an anisotropic magnetoresistive device, and wherein a weight of the magnetic sensor module does not change a balance or a location of a center of gravity of the club.

19. The instrumented golf club of claim 17, wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises a magnetoresistor device, wherein a weight of the magnetic sensor module does not change a balance or a location of a center of gravity of the club.