Using a mobile device with integrated motion sensing for customized golf club fitting

• US 9,339,707 B2
• Filed: 12/25/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aquimo LLC
• Original Assignee: Aquimo LLC
• Inventors: Jeffery, Mark John, Komorous-King, Robert Sunshin
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSEN, CARL VICTOR
• Application Number:
  US13/726,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/685 for electronic devices, e.g. phone, PDA, GPS device, notebook
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• 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 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 : the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 : Item recommendations

Abstract

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a method of swinging a mobile device to simulate swinging of a golf club in order to evaluate a user'"'"'s golf swing for customized golf club fitting. In an embodiment, the method can be performed by a processor of the mobile device. In another embodiment, the method can be performed for multiple mobile devices concurrently, the method performed at least in part on a cloud-based server. According to an aspect of the invention, a method comprises swinging a mobile device having motion sensors integrated therein to simulate a golf swing; evaluating the simulated golf swing to determine at least one characteristic of a custom-fitted golf club; and outputting information related to the determined at least one characteristic. In an embodiment, the mobile device is held by a user. In an alternate embodiment, the mobile device is attached to a golf club.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

holding a mobile device directly in at least one hand of a user, the mobile device having motion sensors therein;

swinging the hand-held mobile device having motion sensors integrated therein to simulate a golf swing;

evaluating the simulated golf swing to determine at least one characteristic of a component of a custom-fitted golf club; and

outputting information related to the determined at least one characteristic;

wherein evaluating the simulated golf swing includes determining a virtual impact point of a virtual ball, the virtual impact point found at a minimum of pitch confirmed by a maximum of yaw, the pitch and yaw obtained using the motion sensors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion sensors include a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

holding the mobile device in an initial position; and

emitting a human-perceptible signal indicating readiness to start the swinging.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of evaluating the golf swing includes estimating a velocity of the mobile device at the virtual impact point.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the velocity is one of an average velocity and an instantaneous velocity.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one characteristic includes golf club shaft stiffness determined at least in part using the estimated velocity of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one characteristic includes golf club shaft weight determined at least in part using the estimated velocity of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one characteristic includes golf club shaft flex point determined at least in part using the estimated velocity of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes a golf club head lie angle determined at least in part using gyroscope data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes a golf club head loft angle determined at least in part using an angle of approach of the mobile device through impact.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic includes a golf club head angle relative to the shaft determined at least in part using gyroscope data.

12. The method of claim 1, the at least one characteristic includes a golf club head weighting determined at least in part using gyroscope data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step further includes displaying on the mobile device information related to a selected custom golf club.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step further includes displaying on another display device separate from the mobile device information related to a selected custom golf club.

15. The method of claim 1, further including displaying a ball flight simulation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the displayed ball flight simulation is displayed on a second device and the mobile device, the second device and the mobile device networked.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes displaying a video clip of a virtual guide.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the video clip is presented on a display device different from the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes displaying ball flight distance information for at least one custom-fit golf club.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein ball flight distance information for several different custom-fit golf clubs are displayed on the mobile device at the same time.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes displaying swing data for at least one custom-fit golf club on the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes displaying swing data for at least one custom-fit golf club on a display device different from the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the output step includes outputting at least one marketing message on the mobile device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one marketing message is outputted on a device different from the mobile device.

25. The method of claim 23 where the marketing message includes a testimonial.

26. The method of claim 1, further including the step of using global positioning sensor data to provide golf store location information.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the global positioning sensor data is used to provide golf store location information on a device different from the mobile device.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed using only the mobile device, the evaluating and outputting steps performed on the processor of the mobile device.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs the evaluating and outputting steps of the method of claim 1.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the set of instructions is stored in memory of mobile device.

31. An apparatus comprising a mobile device having motion sensors integrated therein, the apparatus including a non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed by a processor of the mobile device performs the evaluating and outputting steps of claim 1.

32. A system, comprising:

a server;

a product component database linked to the server; and

a plurality of mobile devices linked to the server, each of the mobile devices having motion sensors integrated therein;

wherein, when one of the mobile devices is held in a hand and then moved to simulate a golf swing, the system is configured to;

evaluate the simulated golf swing to determine at least one component of a custom-fitted golf club, the at least one component selected from the product component database; and

output information related to the determined at least one component;

wherein the simulated golf swing is evaluated including to determine a virtual impact point of a virtual ball, the virtual impact point found at a minimum of pitch confirmed by a maximum of yaw, the pitch and yaw obtained from the motion sensors.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein a plurality of the mobile devices are linked to the server concurrently.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the output information is displayed on the same mobile device used to simulate the golf swing.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the output information is displayed on a display device different from the mobile device used to simulate the golf swing.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the output displayed on a web-enabled display device includes a ball flight simulation.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the output information includes one or more of a testimonial, a product recommendation, and a marketing message.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the mobile devices are linked to the server via the Internet.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein the motion sensors include a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein, preparatory to the mobile device being moved to simulate the golf swing, the mobile device is held in an initial position until a human-perceptible signal indicating readiness to start the swinging is emitted.

41. The system of claim 32, further comprising a database for storing motion data related to motions of the mobile device during the golf swing.

42. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one component of the custom-fitted golf club is selected according to a set of predetermined rules based at least in part on one or more of user input data, prior golf swing motion data, and CRM data.

43. The system of claim 32, wherein evaluation of the customized club fitting includes comparison of a not-fitted golf club component and a custom-fitted golf club component for measuring performance improvement.