U.S. patent application number 11/985130 was filed with the patent office on 2008-06-19 for motion tracking bar graph display.
Invention is credited to Edward Miesak.
Application Number | 20080146365 11/985130 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39528037 |
Filed Date | 2008-06-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080146365 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miesak; Edward |
June 19, 2008 |
Motion tracking bar graph display
Abstract
A method for evaluating the motion of a moveable object relative
to a reference object includes locating the reference object within
a three-dimensional coordinate system having first, second, and
third positional coordinates such that the position of the
reference object is characterized by respective values of the
first, second, and third positional coordinates. A display is
providing having at least two visual indicators, each indicator
being configured as an array of selectively switchable display
elements. At a critical position of the moveable object, indicating
an offset between the moveable object and the reference object
along one of the first, second, and third positional coordinates by
selectively switching at least one of the display elements of a
first one of the indicators. In the vicinity of the critical
position, indicating a dynamic property of the moveable object
within the three-dimensional coordinate system by selectively
switching at least one of the display elements of a second one of
the indicators.
Inventors: |
Miesak; Edward; (Windermere,
FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHERNOFF, VILHAUER, MCCLUNG & STENZEL
1600 ODS TOWER, 601 SW SECOND AVENUE
PORTLAND
OR
97204-3157
US
|
Family ID: |
39528037 |
Appl. No.: |
11/985130 |
Filed: |
November 13, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60874320 |
Dec 13, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/221 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2024/0031 20130101;
A63B 69/3658 20130101; A63B 71/06 20130101; A63B 24/0021 20130101;
A63B 24/0003 20130101; A63B 2220/10 20130101; A63B 2071/0636
20130101; A63B 69/3623 20130101; A63B 2220/13 20130101; A63B
69/3614 20130101; A63B 2071/065 20130101; A63B 2071/0694 20130101;
A63B 2220/40 20130101; A63B 2220/30 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/221 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/36 20060101
A63B069/36 |
Claims
1. A method for evaluating the motion of a moveable object relative
to a reference object comprising: (a) locating said reference
object within a three-dimensional coordinate system having first,
second, and third positional coordinates such that the position of
said reference object is characterized by respective values of said
first, second, and third positional coordinates; (b) providing a
display having at least two visual indicators, each indicator being
configured as an array of selectively switchable display elements;
(c) at a critical position of said moveable object, indicating an
offset between said moveable object and said reference object along
one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates by
selectively switching at least one of said display elements of a
first one of said indicators; and (d) in the vicinity of said
critical position, indicating a dynamic property of said moveable
object within said three-dimensional coordinate system by
selectively switching at least one of said display elements of a
second one of said indicators.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said moveable object is the head
portion of a golf club.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said reference object is a golf
ball.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said offset and said array of said
first one of said indicators are linear.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said array of said second one of
said indicators is curvilinear.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said dynamic property is an angle
of approach based on the angle between an axis of intended
trajectory of said reference object and an axis of motion of said
moveable object as said moveable object closely approaches said
reference object as evaluated with each said axis being projected
onto a common plane within said three dimensional coordinate
system.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said dynamic property is
velocity.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said dynamic property at least in
part describes a rotational movement by said moveable object about
one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates.
9. The method of claim 1 including selectively switching only one
of said display elements of said first one of said indicators.
10. The method of claim 1 including selectively switching a series
of said display elements of said second one of said indicators.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein said three-dimensional coordinate
system is a rectangular coordinate system having mutually
perpendicular coordinate axes.
12. The method of claim 1 including configuring each array as a
bank of light-emitting diodes (LED's).
13. The method of claim 1 including, at said critical position of
said moveable object, indicating another offset between said
moveable object and said reference object along another one of said
first, second, and third positional coordinates by selectively
switching at least one of said display elements of another one of
said indicators.
14. The method of claim 1 including, at said critical position of
said moveable object, indicating a rotational offset of said
moveable object about one of said first, second, and third
positional coordinates by selectively switching at least one of
said display elements of a third one of said indicators.
15. The method of claim 1 including evaluating a sports technique
of a user in handling said moveable object by signaling with said
indicators how closely said user replicates a preferred motion of
said moveable object.
16. The method of claim 1 including enabling a user to practice an
exemplary form of handling said moveable object by selecting at
least one target element from among said display elements of each
indicator and by indicating how closely said user conforms to said
exemplary form in each practice session by varying how closely the
switched elements of each indicator conform to said at least one
target element.
17. A system for evaluating the motion of a moveable object
relative to a reference object comprising: (a) a locating device to
locate the position of said reference object within a
three-dimensional coordinate system having first, second, and third
positional coordinates such that the position of said reference
object is characterized by respective values of said first, second,
and third positional coordinates; (b) a display having at least two
visual indicators, each indicator being configured as an array of
selectively switchable display elements; (c) a switch control
connected to a first one of said indicators and configured to
selectively switch at least one of said display elements of said
first one of said indicators to indicate, at a critical position of
said moveable object, an offset between said moveable object and
said reference object along one of said first, second, and third
positional coordinates; and (d) said switch control being connected
to a second one of said indicators and configured to selectively
switch at least one of said display elements of said second one of
said indicators to indicate, in the vicinity of said critical
position, a dynamic property of said moveable object within said
three-dimensional coordinate system.
18. The system of claim 17 wherein said locating device is a stop
to immovably fix said position configured such that said position
of said reference object is characterized by predetermined values
of said first, second, and third positional coordinates.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein said predetermined values
represent the origin coordinates for said three-dimensional
coordinate system.
20. The system of claim 18 wherein said reference object is shaped
as a golf ball.
21. The system of claim 20 wherein said stand is adapted to
removably receive said golf ball in said characterized
position.
22. The system of claim 18 wherein said stand has a generally
planar surface and said indicators are disposed on said surface in
distributed arrangement about said reference object.
23. A system for evaluating the motion of a moveable object
relative to a reference object comprising: (a) a locating device to
locate the position of said reference object within a
three-dimensional coordinate system having first, second, and third
positional coordinates such that the position of said reference
object is characterized by respective values of said first, second,
and third positional coordinates; (b) a display having at least two
visual indicators, each indicator being configured as an array of
selectively switchable display elements; (c) a switch control
connected to a first one of said indicators and configured to
selectively switch at least one of said display elements of said
first one of said indicators to indicate, at a critical position of
said moveable object, a first offset between said moveable object
and said reference object along a first one of said first, second,
and third positional coordinates; and (d) said switch control being
connected to a second one of said indicators and configured to
selectively switch at least one of said display elements of said
second one of said indicators to indicate, at said critical
position of said moveable object, a second offset between said
moveable object and said reference object along a second one of
said first, second, and third positional coordinates; and (e) said
first and second one of said indicators being disposed in generally
coplanar arrangement such that the respective arrays of said first
and second one of said indicators extend generally in oblique
directions relative to each other.
24. The system of claim 23 wherein said first and second offsets
represent a side-to-side displacement and a vertical displacement,
respectively, substantially parallel to and substantially
perpendicular to, respectively, said coplanar arrangement of said
indicators.
25. The system of claim 23 wherein said switch control is
configured to selectively switch only one of said display elements
in the respective array of each of said first and second one of
said indicators to indicate said first and second offset,
respectively.
26. The system of claim 23 wherein said switch control is connected
to a third one of said indicators and configured to selectively
switch at least one of said display elements of said third one of
said indicators to indicate, in the vicinity of said critical
position, a dynamic property of said moveable object within said
three-dimensional coordinate system.
27. The system of claim 26 wherein said switch control is
configured to selectively switch only one of said display elements
of either of said first and second indicators to indicate either of
said first and second offsets and more than one of said display
elements of said third indicator to indicate said dynamic property
of said moveable object.
28. The system of claim 26 wherein said first, second, and third
one of said indicators are disposed in generally coplanar
arrangement such that the respective arrays of said first and
second one of said indicators are substantially linear for visually
signifying either of said offsets and the array of said third one
of said indicators is substantially curvilinear for visually
signifying said dynamic property.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims be the benefit of U.S. Provisional
App. No. 60/857,125, filed Nov. 7, 2006, and U.S. Provisional App.
No. 60/874,320, filed Dec. 13, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention presents information about the
movement of a mechanical device.
[0003] In many cases it is desirable to observe the motion of a
golf club head in order to be able to properly modify its swing. In
order to accomplish this, some intuitive display should represent
the motion of the golf club head.
[0004] The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages
of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration
of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a coordinate axes system.
[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates a bar graph display.
[0007] FIG. 3 illustrates a six dimensional bar graph display.
[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates a collapsed six dimensional display.
[0009] FIG. 5 illustrates another collapsed six dimensional
display.
[0010] FIG. 6 a golf swing monitor.
[0011] FIG. 7 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to
side.
[0012] FIG. 8 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to side
and trajectory.
[0013] FIG. 9 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to side,
trajectory, and height.
[0014] FIG. 10 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to
side, trajectory, height, and velocity.
[0015] FIG. 11 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to
side, trajectory, height, velocity, and angle.
[0016] FIG. 12 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to
side, trajectory, height, velocity, angle, and suppination.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] It is desirable to develop an intuitive display showing the
complete vector movement (magnitude and direction) of an object in
six dimensions (or any suitable number of dimensions). As an
illustrative example the object is a golf club head when it is
swinging through a golf ball. A three dimensional (3D) Cartesian
coordinate axes is shown in FIG. 1. The golf club head swings
primarily along the direction of the Z axis in FIG. 1. The Y axis
is in the vertical direction representing the height of the club,
and the X axis represents the side-to-side (S2S) position of the
club. The origin of the axes is centered on the golf ball. Each
axis has a linear and rotational movement associated with it. The
three axes times the two movements (linear, rotational) produces
the six dimensions (6D) mentioned above. In other words, linear
movement is measured along each axis while rotational movement is
measured about each axis.
[0018] Each movement (linear, rotational) is described by three
related quantities, position, velocity, and acceleration, (PVA).
Each of these quantities can be positive, zero, or negative. A
complete vector movement of an object moving through this
coordinate axes system can be described by using the six dimensions
together (3D linear, 3D rotational), referred to as a
"superposition." A 3D Cartesian coordinate axes system is used to
describe, but any 3D coordinate system can be used, i.e.,
cylindrical, spherical, etc.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a 6D Cartesian coordinate system centered on
the front face of a golf club. A putter is shown in FIG. 2, but any
golf club may be used. The club can move along or rotate about each
axis (X, Y, Z). Each of the axes movements is re-created in the
illustration on the right by bar graphs using display elements such
as light emitting diodes (LEDs.) The display system preferably
resembles the coordinate system.
[0020] Each bar graph will display movement along its particular
axis, linear or rotational. A complicated movement through this
coordinate system will consist of movements on more than one axis
simultaneously. This display will intuitively present that movement
broken down into composite movements along/about each axis. This
simplifies a complex movement into pieces easily comprehended by
the person viewing the display.
[0021] A movement has three related components (quantities),
position, velocity, and acceleration (PVA.) This display is
designed to show each of these components along/about each axis in
the linear and rotational domain. The total number of bar graphs
would be three linear movements (X, Y, Z) plus three rotational
movements (X, Y, Z) times three components (PVA) or eighteen
(XYZ.sub.Lin+XYZ.sub.Rot).times.PVA=18. This is a daunting amount
of information to digest with each swing, and some of it is not
necessary. In such a case the display could be reduced so that only
information important to the user is displayed. In the case of a
golf club, rotation about the Z and X axes is not necessary to
display since it would be extremely difficult to rotate a club that
way. These two rotational displays can therefore be omitted.
Rotation about the Y will remain because that movement during a
golf swing is very likely to happen.
[0022] Further display simplification can be accomplished by
considering the components of a typical movement (in this example a
golf club swing.) The Z axis is ideally aligned with the direction
that the golf club head should travel. Position along this axis
isn't as important because each swing of the golf club goes through
the position of the ball. Therefore position along this axis will
be omitted from the display. Acceleration along the Z axis is less
important than velocity so it may be omitted or not. For the
example presented here acceleration will be omitted leaving only
velocity along the Z axis for the display.
[0023] The X axis also has one dominant component during a golf
swing, position. Velocity and acceleration along this axis are less
important so they will be omitted only for this discussion. Similar
logic follows for the Y axis, or height.
[0024] One complicated swing a golf club can make is to not travel
directly along the Z axis. During a swing the club could move at an
angle to the Z axis. This is not a rotation but a linear movement
not exactly parallel with any of the three axes (X, Y, Z). A bar
graph will be included to display the movement in the X-Z plane.
One could also be included to display movement in the Y-Z plane but
it is not illustrated.
[0025] This reduces a display having potentially 18 bar graphs to
6. But the optimum number of bar graphs in a display will depend on
the application.
[0026] A display constructed in three dimensions would not be
terribly practical because the user would have to be at the correct
position and perspective to the display in order to see all the
axes indicators without obscuration. To remedy this problem the
display is preferably constructed in two dimensions in such a way
that it retains a three dimensional character.
[0027] The X-Z plane as shown in these illustrations is a flat
horizontal surface. The linear Y axis projects up vertically from
this surface. The Y axis could be represented in the X-Z plane with
the illusion that it projects vertically. For instance it could be
constructed as a portion of a triangle representing an incline.
This is shown in FIG. 3 (the X and Z rotational bar graphs are
omitted from FIG. 3 but the display still functions as 6D showing
linear and rotation components.)
[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates three examples of a 6D display. All have
three linear segments (X, Y, X) and one rotational segment (Y). The
display on the left is in the original configuration as previously
shown. The display in the center has the Y rotational display
segment collapsed into the X-Z plane but the linear Y axis still
projects up out of this plane. The display on the right collapses
the vertical Y axis into the X-Z plane by shaping it as the
hypotenuse of a triangle. This triangle represents a ramp or an
incline. The user can imagine that the bottom of the incline is
lower than the top. This way a linear movement in the X-Z plane can
represent a change along the Y axis (a change in height.)
[0029] Further manipulation of the display is shown in FIG. 4. The
left side of the figure is copied from the right side of FIG. 3
above. The right side of FIG. 4 shows a modified version of the
left side of FIG. 4.
[0030] The left side of FIG. 4 shows the fully collapsed 6D display
in its original form. The same display is shown on the right but in
a re-arranged format to reduce the clutter. The bar graphs are made
smaller by reducing the number of display elements (LEDs) in each
one. The cleaned up display (on the right) shows the same the
amount of information as the original display (on the left) though
at a reduced resolution because of the shortened bar graphs.
[0031] The preferred number of bar graphs was determined to be six.
FIG. 5 illustrates where these could be added while keeping the
display uncluttered.
[0032] The left side of FIG. 5 shows a top view of the display
shown FIG. 4 above on the right side. In FIG. 5 the viewer is
looking straight down on the display. The center of the coordinate
axes system is denoted by the cross-hair in the center of the
display. If used for a golf club swing monitor the golf ball would
be centered on this cross-hair.
[0033] The right side of FIG. 5 shows the 6D display with two
additional bar graphs (X-Z, Y.sub.Rot2). The X-Z bar graph
represents the direction of a linear movement projected onto the
horizontal (X-Z) plane. The Y.sub.Rot2 represents the angle of the
golf club face as it passed over the center of the display. The
other Y rotational display bar graph (Y.sub.Rot1) represents the
rotational velocity of the golf club about the vertical (Y) axis as
it passed over the center of the display.
[0034] A bar graph typically denotes a minimum (no LEDS
illuminated) to a maximum (all LEDS illuminated) value. This type
could be referred to as unidirectional. A bar graph can also be
designed to show minimum (or zero) when the center LED is
illuminated. The LED on one end would designate a maximum value in
the negative direction when illuminated while the LED on the other
end would designate a maximum value in the positive direction. This
type could be referred to as bidirectional. In the case of a golf
swing monitor the Z axis designates velocity so a unidirectional
bar graph display suffices. The remaining bar graphs on the swing
monitor are bidirectional. The center of each one represents an
optimum position/direction/velocity of the golf club.
[0035] One embodiment of a golf swing monitor is shown in FIG. 6.
The Z axis bar graph display is formed to resemble a speedometer as
in an automobile.
[0036] FIG. 7 shows three club positions. The large rectangle in
each instance (A-C) is the club head. The small circle inside the
rectangle coincides with the center of the clubface. The large
circle in each instance is the golf ball. The horizontal line going
through all three instances is a reference line (L.sub.c) passing
through the center of each ball and each bar graph. The series of
small rectangles to the left of the ball are display components
(i.e. LEDs) forming a bar graph. "A" shows the golf clubface off to
one side (by amount S1) of the center line (L.sub.c). The LED
corresponding to the position of the center of the clubface is
illuminated, none of the others are turned on. The user can see
that the clubface is off (above) center of the golf ball. "B" shows
the clubface off to the other side (by amount S2) of the ball
centerline (below center). The LED corresponding to the position of
the center of the clubface is lit up. "C" shows the clubface
centered on the ball and the center LED is lit up. The LEDs in this
bar graph (X) track the side-to-side (S2S) movement of the club.
The user has merely to look at which LED is lit to accurately know
the side-to-side position of the club, i.e. the illuminated LED
moves with the club.
[0037] The trajectory of a golf club is the path a club takes
through the ball when viewed from overhead. As an example, draw a
straight line on the ground from the center of the ball to the
intended destination. This is the reference line. As the club
swings it follows a path that can be projected onto the ground as a
line. For instance, if a golfer swings a club outside at noon (the
sun is directly overhead) a shadow of the club head will be cast on
the ground. This shadow follows an imaginary line on the ground
defined by the actual path the club took during the swing. This is
the trajectory line. If the trajectory line is parallel to the
reference line then the trajectory is zero, i.e. there is no
angular difference between the reference line and the trajectory
line.
[0038] The bar graph displaying trajectory will be curved to
illustrate the angular nature of the measurement. FIG. 8 shows
three examples of a golf club head following three different
trajectories.
[0039] The illustration in FIG. 8 shows three examples of a
trajectory by a golf club. In "A" the club follows a path starting
in the upper right and heads toward the lower left. The arrow in
the figure indicates the path the club is taking and also
represents the trajectory line. This path has an angle of -.alpha.
to the reference line and is indicated by the illuminated LED in
the trajectory bar graph (X-Z). The side-to-side position of the
club (S1) at the same instance is given by the illuminated LED in
the S2S bar graph (X.)
[0040] In "B" the club follows a path starting from the lower right
and heads toward the upper left. The arrow in the figure indicates
the path the club is taking and also represents the trajectory line
of the club head. This path has an angle of +a to the reference
line and is indicated by the illuminated LED in the trajectory bar
graph (X-Z.) The S2S position of the club (S2) at the same instance
is given by the illuminated LED in the S2S bar graph (X.)
[0041] In "C" the trajectory of the club head is parallel with the
reference line. This is indicated to the user by the center LED in
the trajectory bar graph (X-Z) being illuminated. The clubface is
also centered in this example as shown by the center LED in the S2S
bar graph (X) being illuminated.
[0042] Another example of club head position is the height of the
clubface. If the center of the face of the club is the same height
as the center of the ball then an LED in the center of the height
bar graph (Y) is illuminated. If the club is above the center of
the ball then a corresponding LED above the center of the bar graph
will be illuminated. If the club is below the center of the ball a
corresponding LED below the center of the bar graph will be
illuminated. The concept is similar to the S2S position tracking
described above. But this bar graph represents height rather than
S2S position.
[0043] The bar graph shown in FIG. 9 (to track height) is for
illustration purposes only. In order to avoid confusion with the
S2S position display the height bar graph is set on a slope. It is
meant to be a graphical representation of an incline or a ramp.
[0044] The vertical line adjacent to each golf ball in FIG. 9 above
represents the center of the golf ball and also the center of each
height bar graph (Y.) In "A" the height of the club is higher than
the center of the ball and an LED "higher" than the center of the
display is illuminated. In "B" the height of the club is lower than
the center of the ball and an LED "lower" than the center of the
ball is illuminated. In "C" the clubface is centered on the ball,
i.e. its center is the same height as the center of the golf ball
and the "center" LED is illuminated. The illuminated LED moves with
the club.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 10, the velocity of a golf club head
during impact with the ball can be displayed by a bar graph
resembling the speedometer of an automobile.
[0046] Example "A" in FIG. 10 shows a relatively slow swing by
illuminating an LED towards the left side of the curved bar graph
(Z.) Example "B" shows a medium speed swing by illuminating an LED
in the center of the Z bar graph. Example "C" shows a relatively
fast swing by illuminating an LED toward the right side of the Z
bar graph.
[0047] Referring to FIG. 11, another example of club head position
is angle. FIG. 11 illustrates three top views of the golf club head
behind the ball.
[0048] The golf club head angle is shown above in FIG. 11. Each
example has an arrow coming perpendicularly out of the front face
of the golf club. In example "A" the arrow points downward with the
value -.beta., as indicated by the Y.sub.Rot2 bar graph. In example
"B" the arrow points upward with the value +.beta., as indicated by
the Y.sub.Rot2 bar graph. And in example "C" the arrow points
directly to the left, i.e. no angle, or an angle of value zero as
indicated by the Y.sub.Rot2 bar graph (center LED is
illuminated.)
[0049] Referring to FIG. 12, another example of golf club head
motion is rotation about the shaft of the golf club. This is
generally referred to as "suppination." When done properly,
suppination can add important distance when driving the ball. The
following illustration shows three examples of a display giving
information on the rotation velocity of the golf club head.
[0050] The golf club head rotation in FIG. 12 above is shown using
examples A-C. In example A the head is shown rotating counter
clockwise by a value of +.lamda. as shown by bar graph Y.sub.Rot1.
In example B the golf club head is shown rotating clockwise by a
value of -.lamda. as shown by bar graph Y.sub.Rot1. In example C
there is no rotation. The bar graph Y.sub.Rot1 shows this by
illuminating the center (zero value) LED.
[0051] In general the 6D display described herein is designed to be
intuitive and accurate. It's designed to provide quantitative data
to the user of independent vector parameters of an object moving in
a complex manner. The example used in this document is a golf club
head during a typical swing but this display will work for any
mechanical movement.
[0052] The terms and expressions which have been employed in the
foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description
and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of
such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the
features shown and described or portions thereof, it being
recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited
only by the claims which follow.
* * * * *