U.S. patent application number 11/876730 was filed with the patent office on 2009-06-25 for in-field behavior recording device for golf putting.
Invention is credited to Ohkyung Kwon, Sangmook Lee, Jae H. Park.
Application Number | 20090163285 11/876730 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40789301 |
Filed Date | 2009-06-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090163285 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kwon; Ohkyung ; et
al. |
June 25, 2009 |
In-field behavior recording device for golf putting
Abstract
The present invention relates generally to the field of behavior
sensing and recording device. More specifically, the present
invention is to measure and record full motion related signals on a
part of putter. A miniaturized data logging device for golf putters
that records outputs from motion sensors during whole game is
described. Utilizing accelerometers, the device obtains relative
motion invoked at a putter head without affecting player's
performance. The device also records such information for multiple
incidents or for an indefinite period of time. The device will be
attached on the surface of a putter head at which motion behavior
analysis takes place. The present invention uses high density
memory chip and USB for data transfer. The flash multi media
storage card is also used for transferring the recorded data to
personal computing devices such as personal computer, personal
digital assistant (PDA), or a plurality of mobile devices. Data
transfer is facilitated by a data uploading utility, which
automatically detects inserting media and assists to transfer the
record data into a file folder in the personal computing devices.
The present invention can be used for either training purpose or
recording in situ behavior of player during actual games or events.
Sufficient data recorded and analyzed during training can be used
as reference performance data to compare the actual behavior of the
player during the events. When the present invention is combined
other recording devices for physiological data such as heart rate
as well as user-determined action result, the player can recognize
what happened during the events through post-analysis of the
recorded behavior which can be helpful to modify strategy or
improve training method for the player.
Inventors: |
Kwon; Ohkyung; (San Diego,
CA) ; Lee; Sangmook; (Blacksburg, VA) ; Park;
Jae H.; (Blacksburg, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Ohkyung Kwon
5402 BALBOA ARMS DR. #420
SAN DIEGO
CA
92117
US
|
Family ID: |
40789301 |
Appl. No.: |
11/876730 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/223 ;
473/409 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 24/0021 20130101;
A63B 2220/40 20130101; A63B 2024/0028 20130101; A63B 69/3685
20130101; A63B 2220/44 20130101; A63B 2225/20 20130101; A63B
2220/833 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/223 ;
473/409 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/36 20060101
A63B069/36; A63B 57/00 20060101 A63B057/00 |
Claims
1. A system for in-field behavior recording device for measuring
and storing relative 3D coordinates of a putter head during actual
golf games, comprising: a main unit configured to measure said 3D
coordinates of a putter head, to store said coordinates data to a
storage device, and to handle interface with a user;
2. The system of claim 1, said main unit comprising a control
processor module, a sensor module, a battery, a storage device
connector, and an interface module.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said sensor module comprising two
accelerometers.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein said sensor module is configured
to measure said 3D coordinates data of a putter head.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein said storage device connector is
configured to attach a mass storage device. The storage device is
for recording and transferring said 3D coordinates data from the
present invention to plurality of personal computing devices.
6. The system of claim 2, wherein said interface module is
configured to communicate with a user by means of buttons and a
display means.
7. The system of claim 2, wherein said control processor module
collects said 3D coordinates data from said sensor module in claim
4, stores said data to a mass storage device through said storage
device connector, and interacts with a user.
8. The system of claim 2, wherein said battery provides power to
said main unit.
9. A method for measuring and storing motion data at a putter head
during a golf game using said system in claim 1, comprising the
steps of: initializing said main unit; generating sensor data in
response to motion of a putter head where said system in claim 1 is
attached on;
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said control processor module
collects sensor data from said sensor module in said main unit in
claim 2, and storing the sensor data to a mass storage device
through said storage device connector.
11. A method for analyzing motion data, comprising the steps of:
transferring said motion data from a mass storage device to a
plurality of personal computation devices; reconstructing swing
trajectory from said motion data on said personal computation
device; comparing said swing trajectory to a predefined swing
motion data; generating a difference between said swing trajectory
reconstructed from said motion data and a predefined swing data;
and displaying said swing trajectory and said difference between
said swing trajectory reconstructed from said motion data and a
predefined swing data on a screen of the computing device used for
said analysis.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising of the steps of:
transferring said motion data from a mass storage device to a
plurality of personal computation devices; uploading said motion
data from a plurality of personal computation devices to a
server-side computing device maintained by data analysis
professionals through a plurality web-based interface means;
reconstructing swing trajectory from said motion data on said
server-side computation device; comparing said swing trajectory to
a predefined swing motion data; generating a difference between
said swing trajectory reconstructed from said motion data and a
predefined swing data; transferring said reconstructed swing
trajectory and said difference back to said personal computing
device used to upload said motion data; and displaying said swing
trajectory and said difference between said swing trajectory
reconstructed from said motion data and a predefined swing data on
a screen of the computing device used to upload said motion data.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of
behavior sensing and recording device. More specifically, the
present invention is to measure and record full motion related
signals on a part of putter. The preferred embodiment is comprised
of one module of motion sensors, long term recording storage device
for measured data, and battery. The recorded data is transferred
through the storage device to personal computing devices or
uploaded through internet for data analysis. The present invention
also includes data analysis of each action of sensor attached to a
golf putter as well as behavior changes during a whole game or
event so that performance of players during the game or event can
be analyzed to improve skills, strategy, and game management of the
players.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] Different types of highly sophisticated putting aids for
golfer have been mostly focused on capturing action of players or
golf putter during training session. Key movements of golf putter
such as accurate alignment of head surface of putter to intended
direction, square hit, and speed control must be maintained during
putting for optimal movements of a golf ball. The three-dimensional
(3D) positions of putter head could be altered by poses of other
body parts such as head, arms, legs, and spine. Movement of putter
head is also affected by unnecessary tensions in golfer's body or
muscle caused by various environmental and mental factors. Any
improper position or movement will result in the improper direction
and movements of golf balls. Thus, accurate measurements of 3D
spatial coordinates, angles, and speed of a putter head can provide
crucial information of golf putting. When a golfer knows how the
putter head moves during putting, it is possible to identify the
causes of missing putts, which either problems in putting action or
in misreading of lie.
[0003] Meanwhile, in-field behavior of a player during a full
course of game can be very different from the behavior in a
training session due to various environmental differences, physical
and mental status of the player. Consistency of the in-field
behavior of a player is crucial to achieve superior result of game,
and it is important to monitor and record the in-field behavior of
a player during a full course of game so as to improve the player's
performance for future games.
[0004] The in-field monitoring and recording of player's behavior
have limitations in weight and size of this kind of motion sensing
device. The weight and size should be sufficiently small so that
the device does not raise additional fatigue nor hinder any action
of players. Most previous motion sensing devices are rather bulky,
and thus are not adequate to attach them to a part of putter to
carry during a whole game. In addition to the limitations in weight
and size, a large capacity of storage media is required to record
motion data measured during a whole game or event, which will
generate a large amount of such data.
[0005] Several devices can monitor golfer's swing. Evaluation of
golf swing requires specialized golf club that contains sensors,
processing units, and battery. Although the devices may accurately
measure motion of a golf club, it is not practical to carry the
devices and store large amount of data generated by sensors during
actual golf games. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,219,033 describes a
single/multiple axes six degrees of freedom inertial motion capture
system that consists of a miniaturized electronic data acquisition
system. Motion sensors can be embedded onto moving device not to
affect the static/dynamic motion characteristics of the device.
However, this device does not have large capacity storage for the
measured data during a full course of golf games. U.S. Pat. No.
4,991,850 discloses a golf swing evaluation system consisting of a
golf club with a sensor and an associated display. The force and
location of the impact of the club head against a golf ball will be
showed on the associated display. U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,769 discloses
a swing analysis system utilizing an instrumented golf club. The
club includes several sensors, an internal power supply, an angular
rate sensor and an internal ring buffer memory for capturing data
relating to a golf swing. This invention can be used as an
one-by-one assistant for a golfer's swing, or as a tool for
designing an appropriate golf club for a specific type of golfer.
U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2005/0261073 discloses techniques for measuring
and modeling club-like sports instrument inertial motion sensing
signals. The invention describes method and system generating
corrected output of a motion sensing circuit. U.S. Pat. Pub. No.
2006/0025229 describes an orientation and position tracking system
and method in three-dimensional space and over a period of time.
Multiple inertial and other sensors for determining motion
parameters to measure orientation and position of a moveable object
were designed for the tracking system. However, these devices
require special modification of a golf club as well as not
practical to use in actual golf game.
[0006] None of above inventions satisfies all requirements of
behavioral recording of movement of putter head during a full
course of game. Therefore, a new device and method, capable of
sensing and recording speed, 3D spatial coordinates and angles of a
putter head during an actual game, need to be developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In this invention, a miniaturized data logging device for
golf putters that records outputs from motion sensors during whole
game is described.
[0008] Utilizing accelerometers, the device obtains relative motion
invoked at a putter head without affecting player's performance. In
addition to obtaining the sensors' outputs, the device records such
information for multiple incidents or for an indefinite period of
time. The device will be attached on the surface of a putter head
at which motion behavior analysis takes place.
[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention consists of
a main unit that is devised to control the whole device and to
record sensing data, and the unit includes micro control module,
motion sensor module, detachable mass storage device, battery,
display, control buttons.
[0010] The present invention includes an apparatus of determining
the change in spatial orientation from two tri-axial accelerometers
mounted on a putter head. Three spatial orientations (rho, theta,
phi) and three linear translations (x, y, z) are determined by the
pair of accelerometers.
[0011] The main unit records measured data from the motion sensor
module into a flash multi media storage device, and provides an
input method for user-determined action result.
[0012] The present invention uses high density memory chip and USB
for data transfer. Capacity of the storage card is sufficient
enough to record determined motion information during a whole game
or event that lasts approximately 5 hours. The flash multi media
storage card is also used for transferring the recorded data to
personal computing devices such as personal computer, personal
digital assistant (PDA), or a plurality of mobile devices. Data
transfer is facilitated by a data uploading utility, which
automatically detects inserting media and assists to transfer the
record data into a file folder in the personal computing
devices.
[0013] Data analysis for the uploaded data is conducted by either a
stand-alone or a web-based data analysis utility. The stand-alone
data analysis can be performed in various types of computer while
the web-based data analysis utility can be used for various types
of mobile computing devices in addition to the plurality of
computers. The result of data analysis is essentially the same, but
the stand-alone utility requires updating patch file for improved
analysis function. The web-based data analysis does not require
such updating because the data analysis is performed in remote
computing devices maintained by data analysis professionals.
[0014] A preferred application of the present is to measure
movements of putter head during actual golf games. The present
invention can be used for either training purpose or recording in
situ behavior of player during actual games or events. Sufficient
data recorded and analyzed during training can be used as reference
performance data to compare the actual behavior of the player
during the events. When the present invention is combined other
recording devices for physiological data such as heart rate as well
as user-determined action result, the player can recognize what
happened during the events through post-analysis of the recorded
behavior which can be helpful to modify strategy or improve
training method for the player.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of the in-situ behavior
recording device of the present invention attached on a putter
head. The player can carry the device during a whole game
period.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main unit of the behavior
logging device showing sensor module, control processor module,
battery, and storage device connector.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of motion sensor configuration for
determining the change in spatial orientation.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a flow chart representation of real-time data
logging operation of the present invention. The operation records
multiple complete events for a finite time period up to the maximum
storage capacity of the media.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a representation showing data transfer from the
media storage device in the main unit in FIG. 2 to personal
computing device (personal computer, personal data assistant, etc.)
to server system for data analysis through internet.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a flow chart representation of data transfer in
FIG. 5 for behavior analysis either by stand-alone or by server
side analyzer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] The basic embodiment of the invention on a putter head is
shown in FIG. 1 and generally designated 100. The motion behavior
recoding device 100 is principally comprised of a main unit 110
that has its own motion sensor module 120, high density memory chip
or a flash drive card as media storage device 130. The main unit
110 is mounted on the surface of a putter head 190 in order to
sense and collect critical motion related data from it. Since the
present invention focuses on carrying the invented device during
the whole game period, the storage device of high density memory
chip or a flash drive card 130 stores the entire motion data
measured from motion sensor modules 120 mounted on a surface of
190.
[0022] The block diagram of FIG. 2 represents the main unit 110 of
the motion behavior recording device 100. It comprises a sensor
module 210, a storage device connector 220, a control processor
module 230, and a battery 240. The sensor module 210 consists of
two tri-axis accelerometers and measures acceleration rates for
each axis. The measured acceleration rates are collected by the
control processor module 230 through a set of analog-to-digital
converters (ADCs) and transferred to the storage device of high
density memory chip 130 through the storage device connector 220.
The two sets of tri-axis acceleration rates are later used to
estimate location information of the body under the measurement.
Rotation information is also estimated from the sets of
acceleration rates. The battery 240 provides power to the main unit
110.
[0023] The embodiment for sensors placement in the sensor modules
210 is diagrammed in FIG. 3. The sensor module consists of two
3-axis accelerometers 310 and 320.
[0024] A flow chart representation 400 of real-time data logging
operation of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 4. The
operation records multiple complete events for a finite time period
up to the maximum storage capacity of the flash multi media storage
device 130. When the device of the present invention is in
operational mode, the data logging operation starts from the step
410, the data collection from the sensor module 210 in the main
unit 110. Next, in 430 the control processor 230 reads the sensor
data from the sensor module 210 in the main unit 110. Then, the
processor stores the data in a circular buffer implemented in the
embedded memory in the processor in unit 110. These data collection
operations 410 and 420 continue until the step 430 detects a
completion of a certain event. Events are defined as a pattern of
the collected motion data, and the pattern is recorded a prior and
stored in the embedded memory in the process for a specified
movement of golf swing motion. If such a completion of event is
detected in step 430, the processor stops collecting data and
instead starts recording them in step 440 into the flash multi
media storage device 130. The recording sequence resumes unless the
end of recording command is detected in step 460. When the end of
recording command is issued, the processor secures the stored data
in the flash multi media storage device 130 and turns off the
device 470 so as to make it safe to detach 480 the storage device
130.
[0025] FIG. 5 is a representation showing data transfer from the
flash multi media storage device 130 in unit 110 in FIG. 2 to a
personal computing device 530 (personal computer, personal data
assistant, etc.) and then, if required, to server system 540 for
data analysis through internet. First, the storage device 130 is
directly connected to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector that
is a part of a personal computing device, or inserted into a media
memory card reader 510 that is connected to a personal computing
device by a USB connector 520. The personal computing device 530
can perform a data analysis for identifying motion behavior of a
golf player who wears the device 110 of the present invention, and
can display results on a display screen 532. Otherwise, the
personal computing device 530 transfers the data to a server system
540 for the analysis. The analysis results on the server system 540
transfers back to the personal computing device 530 for displaying
on the screen 532.
[0026] FIG. 6 shows a flow chart representation for the said data
analysis and display scheme. The data analysis consists of a motion
reconstruction from the recorded sensor data and an analysis of the
reconstructed motion 630 and 660. The analysis results generated on
the server system are displayed using a personal computing device
640 or a web browser 680.
* * * * *