WO2015179211A1

WO2015179211A1 - Devices and methods for analyzing golf swings

Info

Publication number: WO2015179211A1
Application number: PCT/US2015/030863
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric W. Heling; Christopher S. Hellman; Brendan M. Orwig; John W. Roltgen
Original assignee: Garmin Switzerland Gmbh
Priority date: 2014-05-19
Filing date: 2015-05-14
Publication date: 2015-11-26
Also published as: US20150328523A1

Abstract

A device for analyzing golf swings includes a sensor operable for sensing at least one swing characteristic of a golfer as the golfer takes a golf swing; memory for storing swing data representative of the swing characteristic sensed by the sensor; a location determining component for determining a current location of the golfer and for identifying a target location; a computing device coupled with the memory and the location determining component and operable for generating a swing recommendation based at least partially on the stored swing data, the current location of the golfer, and the target location.

Description

DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ANALYZING GOLF SWINGS

BACKGROUND

[0001] Embodiments of the present technology relate to devices and methods for analyzing golf swings and providing swing recommendations.

[0002] Golf is one of the most difficult sports to learn because relatively minor golf swing errors such as poor swing speed, path, or tempo can result in significant mis-hits. Most golf swing errors are difficult to detect by the naked eye, so a great variety of automated swing analysis devices and systems have been developed. Some of these systems detect golf swing characteristics with video equipment, lasers, acceleration sensors, or other technologies and then attempt to predict a golf ball's trajectory or resting place based on the sensed swing characteristics.

SUMMARY

[0003] The present technology provides improved devices and methods for analyzing golf swings and providing recommendations based on such analysis. Unlike conventional golf analysis systems and devices that are only intended for use during training sessions, embodiments of the present technology may be used during practice sessions at a driving range, practice swings before a real swing, and real swings during a round of golf.

[0004] One embodiment of the technology is a wrist- worn device having a sensor operable for sensing at least one swing characteristic of a golfer as the golfer takes a golf swing; memory for storing swing data representative of the sensed swing characteristic; a location determining component for determining a current location of the golfer and for identifying a target location; and a computing device coupled with the memory and the location determining component for analyzing the swing data and location data. In one embodiment, the sensor is an accelerometer and the swing characteristic is a speed of the swing, but the swing characteristic may also be a swing tempo, a swing path, or other characteristic as described below. The computing device may generate a swing recommendation based at least partially on the stored swing data, the current location of the golfer, and the target location. For example, the computing device may recommend that the golfer use a particular club for a shot, or swing a club at a particular swing strength level, based on how far the golfer is from a target and the stored swing data.

[0005] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0006] Embodiments of the technology are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an electronic device constructed in accordance with embodiments of the present technology;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating certain components of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) that may be used to send navigation signals to the electronic device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the electronic device of FIG. 1 with one of its screen displays;

FIG. 5 shows the electronic device of FIG. 1 with another one of its screen displays;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating selected steps in an exemplary method of the present technology;

FIG. 7 is a database, table, or other data list that may be stored in memory of the electronic device or an external computer that may be accessed by the electronic device;

FIG. 8 is another flow diagram illustrating selected steps in another exemplary method of the present technology;

FIG. 9 is another flow diagram illustrating selected steps in another exemplary method of the present technology;

FIG. 10 shows the electronic device with another one of its screen displays;

FIG. 11 shows the electronic device with another one of its screen displays;

FIG. 12 shows the electronic device with another one of its screen displays;

FIG. 13 shows the electronic device with another one of its screen displays;

FIG. 14 shows the electronic device with another one of its screen displays;

FIG. 15 shows the electronic device with another one of its screen displays;

FIG. 16 shows the electronic device with another one of its screen displays; FIG. 17 shows the electronic device with another one of its screen displays; and FIG. 18 shows the electronic device with another one of its screen displays.

[0007] The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention references the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[0009] In this description, references to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", or "embodiments" mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", or "embodiments" in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, the present technology can include a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

[0010] Embodiments of the present technology provide devices and methods for analyzing golf swings and providing recommendations based on such analysis. One particular embodiment of the technology is a portable electronic device having a sensor operable for sensing at least one swing characteristic of a golfer as the golfer takes a golf swing; memory for storing swing data representative of the swing characteristic sensed by the sensor; a location determining component for determining a current location of the golfer and for identifying a target location; and a computing device coupled with the memory and the location determining component. These and other components of the portable electronic device are described in more detail below.

[0011] The computing device may implement several golf analysis modes including a Swing Strength mode and a Swing Tempo mode. The Swing Strength mode, which is described in more detail below, senses the swing strength at which a golfer swings each of his or her clubs and then stores related swing strength data for user selected swings (also referred to herein as "optimal swings"). The saved swing strength data for the optimal swings may include an identification of the club used during each swing, the distance the ball was struck, and the maximum speed at which the club traveled during the swing. The Swing Strength mode may be manually selected by the user and/or automatically initiated by the device. The Swing Strength mode may subsequently be used by the golfer to sense the swing strength of a new swing and compare the swing strength of the new swing to the stored data for an optimal swing for swing training and feedback purposes. The Swing Strength mode may also provide a swing recommendation based at least partially on the stored swing data, the current location of the golfer, and the target location. For example, the Swing Strength mode may recommend a particular club, and/or suggested swing strengths for several different clubs, based on the stored swing data and the distance the golfer is from a target.

[0012] The Swing Tempo Mode, which is also described in more detail below, senses a tempo or pace of a golfer's swing and provides feedback that enables the golfer to determine if he or she is swinging at an ideal tempo. For example, the Swing Tempo mode may sense and then compare a golfer's swing tempo to a recommended swing tempo and then alert the golfer if he or she is swinging too fast or slow. In configurations, the Swing Tempo Mode may provide information relating to the user's backswing and downswing to enable the golfer to independently address these portions of his or her swing.

[0013] Exemplary embodiments of the technology will now be described with reference to the attached drawing figures. An electronic device 10 constructed in accordance with embodiments of the technology is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and broadly includes a swing sensor 12, a location- determining component 14, a computing device 16, memory 18 and a display 20. The device 10 may also include a user interface 22, a communications component 24, one or more I/O ports 26, a power source 28 and a housing 30.

[0014] The swing sensor 12 senses at least one swing characteristic of a golfer or a golf club as the golfer swings the golf club. For example, the swing sensor 12 may sense one or more swing characteristics such as swing strength, swing speed, swing power, swing tempo, swing path, club head loft angle, club head face angle, club head velocity, club swing path, club swing plane, the golfer's backswing, the golfer's impact position, the golfer's follow-through, or any other aspect of a golf swing. Other sensors may be employed to sense additional or other swing characteristics, such as the golfer's stance, the golfer's head position, the golfer's shoulder rotation, the golfer's wrist angle, or any other aspect of a golf swing.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the swing sensor 12 senses a swing strength of a golf swing. Swing strength may be a measured force with which a golfer swings a golf club or may be an estimated force based on a maximum speed at which the golfer swings the club. The swing sensor 12 may also sense a swing tempo or pace at which a golfer swings a golf club. Swing tempo may be the time it takes the golfer to complete each portion of his swing (back swing, down swing) and/or a ratio of the time used in a back swing and the time used in a down swing.

[0016] In one embodiment, the swing sensor 12 includes an inertial sensor including one or more accelerometers and a processing system. The inertial sensor may be a three-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, magnetic compass, or any combination thereof. The accelerometers measure accelerations of the golfer's arm or other body part, and the processing system determines a swing characteristic utilizing the acceleration measurements. The one or more gyroscopes may measure rotation, movement, and/or other attitudes of the device 10. The magnetometer may measure the earth's magnetic fields with respect to the device 10. An inertial sensor that may be used with embodiments of the present invention is discussed in more detail in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0208544, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The device 10 may utilize data provided by the accelerometer(s), gyroscope(s), and/or magnetometer(s) to identify various information corresponding to movement, attitude, and orientation of the device 10 during the golfer's swing. For example, when mounted on the golfer's wrist, the sensor 12 can measure wrist details such as wrist speed and rotation. In configurations the sensor 12 may include club-mounted sensors to measure additional metrics such as club lag, face angle, and club head speed.

[0017] The swing sensor 12 may also include a position or motion type sensor configured to sense a position or orientation of a golf club head before, during, or after it strikes a golf ball. The swing sensor 12 may also include a radiation source for providing a plane of radiation through which the golf club can pass, at least one radiation sensor carried by the golf club, a timing circuit operable for determining a time period between passage of portions of the golf club head through the radiation plane, and a processing system for processing the time period and calculating a swing characteristic for club head movement through a ball impact zone. [0018] In other embodiments, the device 10 may include one or more resident sensors and one or more remote sensors operable to communicate with the device 10. For example, the device 10 may receive sensor data from a mobile device such as a cellular phone or other handheld device. The mobile device may include an application, such as a downloadable app, that communicates with the device 10 and that provides many of the features described herein.

[0019] Embodiments of the device 10 may also communicate with integral or removable sensors or components positioned on golf clubs. Each golf club may include an integral or removable sensor or component that is unique to the golf club. For example, each swing sensor may utilize a unique identifier or frequency to communicate with the device such that the golf device can communicate with any of the sensors at any time. The device 10 may use a sensing device to automatically sense the presence of a particular golf club having a sensor or component that is associated with the golf club in the proximity of the user's wrist.

[0020] In other embodiments, the device 10 may include, an inertial-type sensor, a motion-type sensor, and club-mounted sensors to sense the same swing characteristics or different but related swing characteristics. Any quantity and type of sensors may be incorporated in and/or in communication with the device 10. Thus, the present technology is not limited to any particular number or type of swing sensors, but instead may be used with any such sensor or combination of sensors. Other aspects of the swing sensor are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,647,214, entitled "Methods and Devices for Analyzing Golf Swings," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0021] The location determining component 14 determines locations of the device 10 as it is carried or otherwise moved from place to place and generates and sends corresponding location data to the computing device 16. In some embodiments, the location determining component 14 determines an approximate start position of a golf ball before, or generally concurrently with, the striking of a golf ball and an approximate landing or rest position of the golf ball after it has been struck as discussed below.

[0022] The location determining component may be a satellite navigation receiver that works with a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) such as the global positioning system (GPS) primarily used in the United States, the GLONASS system primarily used in the Soviet Union, the BeiDou system primarily used in China, or the Galileo system primarily used in Europe. FIG. 3 shows a representative view of a GNSS broadly referred to by the numeral 32. The GNSS includes a plurality of satellites 34 in orbit about the Earth. The orbit of each satellite is not necessarily synchronous with the orbits of other satellites and, in fact, is likely asynchronous. A GNSS equipped device such as the device 10 is shown receiving spread spectrum satellite signals from the various satellites.

[0023] The spread spectrum signals continuously transmitted from each satellite 34 use a highly accurate frequency standard accomplished with an extremely accurate atomic clock. Each satellite, as part of its data signal transmission, transmits a data stream indicative of that particular satellite. The device 10 must acquire spread spectrum satellite signals from at least three satellites for the receiver device to calculate its two-dimensional position by triangulation. Acquisition of an additional signal, resulting in signals from a total of four satellites, permits the device 10 to calculate its three-dimensional position.

[0024] The location determining component 14 and the computing device 16 are operable to receive navigational signals from the satellites 34 and to calculate positions of the device 10 as a function of the signals. The location determining component 14 and computing device 16 may also determine track logs or any other series of geographic coordinates corresponding to points along a golf course or other path traveled by a user of the device. The location determining component 14 and/or the computing device 16 may also be operable to calculate routes to desired locations, provide instructions to navigate to the desired locations, display maps and other information on the display screen, and to execute other functions described herein.

[0025] The location determining component 14 may include one or more processors, controllers, or other computing devices and memory so that it may calculate location and other geographic information without the computing device 16 or it may utilize the components of the computing device 16. Further, the location determining component 14 may be integral with the computing device 16 such that the location determining component 14 may be operable to specifically perform the various functions described herein. Thus, the computing device 16 and location determining component 14 can be combined or be separate or otherwise discrete elements.

[0026] The location determining component 14 may include an antenna to assist in receiving the satellite signals. The antenna may be a patch antenna, a linear antenna, or any other type of antenna that can be used with navigational devices. The antenna may be mounted directly on or in the housing or may be mounted external to the housing. [0027] Although embodiments of the electronic device 10 may include a satellite navigation receiver, it will be appreciated that other location-determining technology may be used. For example, the communication component 24 may be used to determine the location of the device 10 by receiving data from at least three transmitting locations and then performing basic triangulation calculations to determine the relative position of the device with respect to the transmitting locations. For example, cellular towers or any customized transmitting radio frequency towers can be used instead of satellites. With such a configuration, any standard geometric triangulation algorithm can be used to determine the location of the electronic device.

[0028] In other embodiments, the location determining component 14 need not directly determine the current geographic location of the device 10. For instance, the location determining component 14 may determine the current geographic location through a communications network, such as by using Assisted GPS (A-GPS), or from another electronic device. The location determining component 14 may even receive location data directly from a user. For example, a user may obtain location data for a golf ball before and after it has been struck from another satellite navigation receiver or from another source and then manually input the data into the device.

[0029] The device 10 may also include or be coupled with a pedometer, accelerometer, compass, or other dead-reckoning components which allow it to determine the device's location, and hence the position or location of a golf ball when the location determining component 14 cannot receive satellite or other signals.

[0030] The computing device 16 is coupled with or in communication with the other components of the device 10 and may include any number of processors, microprocessors, controllers, microcontrollers, programmable intelligent computers (PIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), other processing components, other field logic devices, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), and resident or external memory for storing data and other information accessed and/ or generated by the device. The computing device 16 is preferably coupled with the swing sensor 12, the location determining component 14, the memory 18, the display 20, the user interface 22, the communications component 24, and other components through wired or wireless connections, such as a data bus 44, to enable information to be exchanged between the various components.

[0031] The computing device 16 or another device in communication with the computing device 16 may implement a computer program and/or code segments to perform the functions described herein. The computer program may comprise an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions in the computing device 16. The computer program can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, and execute the instructions. In the context of this application, a "computer-readable medium" can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-readable medium can be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semi-conductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific, although not inclusive, examples of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable, programmable, read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a portable computer diskette, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM).

[0032] The memory 18 may be integral with the location determining component 14, integral with the computing device 16, stand-alone memory, or a combination of both. The memory 18 may include, for example, removable and non-removable memory elements such as RAM, ROM, Flash, magnetic, optical, USB memory devices, and/or other conventional memory elements.

[0033] The memory 18 may store various data associated with operation of the device, such as the swing data described herein, the computer program and code segments mentioned above, or other data for instructing the computing device 16 and other device 10 elements to perform the functions described herein. Further, the memory 18 may store various cartographic data corresponding to geographic locations including map data, and map elements, such as terrain, alert locations, points of interest, geographic entities, and other navigation data to facilitate the various navigation functions provided by the device. Additionally, the memory 18 may store destination addresses and previously calculated or otherwise acquired routes to various destination addresses for later retrieval by the computing device 16.

[0034] The memory 18 or some other memory accessible by the computing device 16 may also store cartographic information for golf courses. For example, the memory 18 may store cartographic data showing the tee boxes, fairways, greens, hazards, etc. for selected golf courses or for all known golf courses. The cartographic information may be pre-loaded in the memory 18 or other memory or may be downloaded to the device via the communication component or I/O ports. For example, cartographic information for a particular golf course may be downloaded to the device 10 based on a current location of the device 10 as determined by the location determining component 14.

[0035] The various data stored within the memory 18 may be associated within one or more databases to facilitate retrieval of the information. For example, the databases may be configured to enable the computing device 16 to automatically access the cartographic information based upon a current geographic location of the device 10 as discussed in more detail below.

[0036] A map-matching search engine, preferably comprised of software, firmware or the like executed by the computing device 16, may search through the database of cartographic information to find known golf courses or golf course holes which match a series of geographical coordinates. A user may initiate a search or the search engine may automatically search the database based on a state of the device 10 such as the current position of the device 10. The search engine, or alternatively a separate computation engine (also preferably comprised of software, firmware or the like executed by the computing device 16), may also perform calculations related to the cartographic information. The map mapping search engine may also identify a map location, such as a golf course, golf course hole, golf course fairway, or golf course green associated with one or more geographical coordinates. The user interface 22 permits a user to operate the device 10 and is generally associated with the housing 30, such as by physical connection through wires, etc, or wirelessly utilizing various wireless protocols. However, the user interface 22 need not be physically coupled with the housing 30.

[0037] The display 20 is coupled with the computing device 16 and is operable to display various information corresponding to the device 10, such as golf courses, maps, locations, and directions as described below. The display 20 may comprise conventional black and white, monochrome, or color display elements including, but not limited to, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCD, Polymer Light Emitting Diode (PLED), Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) and/or plasma display devices. Preferably, the display 20 is of sufficient size to enable the user to easily view it while outdoors. The display 20 may be integrated with the user interface 22, such as in embodiments where the display 20 is a touchscreen display to enable the user to interact with it by touching or pointing at display areas to provide information to the device 10. For example, a user may operate the mobile electronic device 10 by touching the touch screen and/or by performing gestures on the screen. In some embodiments, the touch screen may be a capacitive touch screen, a resistive touch screen, an infrared touch screen, combinations thereof, and the like. The display 20 may be capable of displaying text and/or graphical information. The display 20 may be backlit such that it may be viewed in the dark or other low-light environments. One example of the display 20 is a 180 pixel by 180 pixel film compensated super- twisted nematic display (FSTN) including a bright white light-emitting diode (LED) backlight. However, embodiments are not so limited. Of course, any resolution display may be utilized.

[0038] The user interface 22 may comprise one or more functionable inputs such as buttons, switches, scroll wheels, a touch screen associated with the display 20, voice recognition elements such as a microphone, pointing devices such as mice, touchpads, trackballs, styluses, a camera such as a digital or film still or video camera, combinations thereof, etc. Further, the user interface 22 may comprise wired or wireless data transfer elements such as removable memory including the memory 18, data transceivers, etc, to enable the user and other devices or parties to remotely interface with the device 10. The device 10 may also include a speaker for providing audible instructions and feedback. The device 10 may further include one or more input/output (I/O) devices (e.g., a keypad, buttons, a wireless input device, a thumbwheel input device, a trackstick input device, and so on). The I/O devices may include one or more audio I/O devices, such as a microphone, speakers, and so on. A specific embodiment of the device 10 has four control buttons as illustrated in FIG. 1. Each control button is configured to control a function of the device 10.

[0039] Input to the user interface 22 may be provided from movement of the housing 30. For example, an accelerometer may be used to identify tap inputs on the housing 30 or upward and/or sideways movements of the housing 30.

[0040] The user interface 22 may be operable to provide various information to the user utilizing the display 20 or other visual or audio elements such as a speaker. Thus, the user interface 22 enables the user and device 10 to exchange information relating to the device 10, including geographic entities, configuration information, security information, preferences, route information, points of interests, alerts and alert notification, navigation information, waypoints, a destination address, etc.

[0041] The user interface 22 may also include a browser. The browser enables the device 10 to display and interact with content such as a webpage within the World Wide Web, a webpage provided by a web server in a private network, and so forth. The browser may be configured in a variety of ways. For example, the browser may be configured as an application accessed by the user interface 22. The browser may be a web browser suitable for use by a full resource device with substantial memory and processor resources (e.g., a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.). However, in one or more implementations, the browser may be a mobile browser suitable for use by a low-resource device with limited memory and/or processing resources (e.g., a mobile telephone, a portable music device, a transportable entertainment device, etc.). Such mobile browsers typically conserve memory and processor resources, but may offer fewer browser functions than web browsers.

[0042] The communications component 24 enables the device 10 to communicate with other electronic devices through a communication network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, an ad hoc or peer to peer network, or a direct connection such as a USB, Firewire, or Bluetooth™ connection, etc. The communications component 24 may communicate utilizing wireless data transfer methods such as WiFi (802.11), Wi-Max, Bluetooth™, ANT®, ultra- wideband, infrared, cellular telephony, radio frequency, etc. The communications component 24 may make and receive any communications including incoming and outgoing phone calls, text messages, instant message, voicemail messages, e-mail message, missed phone calls, and any other known communications.

[0043] In one embodiment, the communications component 24 is a cellular transceiver for transmitting and receiving communications over a cellular phone network such as those operated by Sprint®, AT&T®, Verizon®, and other companies. The cellular phone network may operate with GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), or any other known standards.

[0044] The I/O ports 26 permit data and other information to be transferred to and from the computing device 16 and/or the location determining component 14. The I/O ports 26 may include a Secure Digital (SD) card slot, Mini SD Card slot, Micro SD Card slot or the like for receiving removable SD cards, Mini SD Cards, Micro SD Cards, or the like, and a USB port for coupling with a USB cable connected to another computing device such as a personal computer. Navigational software, cartographic maps and other data and information may be loaded in the device via the I/O ports 26 or the communications component 24.

[0045] The power source 28 provides electrical power to the other components of the device 10 and may comprise conventional power supply elements, such as batteries, battery packs, etc. The power source 28 may also comprise power conduits, connectors, and receptacles operable to receive batteries, battery connectors, or power cables. For example, the power source 28 may include both a battery to enable portable operation and a power input for receiving power from an external source such an automobile. The power source 28 may also comprise components to collect energy from alternative sources, such as kinetic motion or solar rays. To preserve battery life, the satellite navigation receiver or other location-determining component 14 of the device 10 may be switched off periodically. For example, the receiver may be alternatively switched on for seconds, off for two minutes, then back on for seconds. If the location-determining component 14 determines the device 10 is moving, it may be switched on more frequently.

[0046] The housing 30 of the device 10 may be handheld or otherwise portable to facilitate easy transport of the device 10. In one embodiment, the housing 30 is configured for attachment to a golfer's arm or wrist, much like a watch, as depicted in FIG. 1. The housing 30 is preferably constructed from a suitable lightweight and impact-resistant material such as, for example, plastic, nylon, aluminum, or any combination thereof and may include one or more appropriate gaskets or seals to make it substantially waterproof or water-resistant. The housing 30 may take any suitable shape for size, and the particular size, weight and configuration of the housing 30 may be changed without departing from the scope of the present invention. The device 10 may also include a strap for removably securing to the housing 30 to a golfer's wrist or arm. The strap may be made of a lightweight and resilient thermoplastic elastomer and/or a fabric, for example, such that the strap may encircle a portion of a user without discomfort while securing the housing 30 to the user. The strap may be configured to attach to various portions of a user, such as a user's back, chest, leg, waist, wrist, forearm, and/or upper arm. In some configurations, the housing 30 or portions thereof may couple directly with the golfer's club.

[0047] The components of the device 10 illustrated and described herein are merely examples of components that may be used to implement embodiments of the present technology and may be replaced with other components without departing from the scope of the present technology. Moreover, the components shown in the figures and described herein need not be physically connected to one another since wireless communication among the various depicted components is permissible and intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0048] The above-described embodiments of the device 10 may be used for analyzing golf swings and providing recommendations based on such analysis. Unlike conventional golf analysis systems and devices that may be intended for use only during training sessions, embodiments of the device 10 described herein may be used during practice sessions at a driving range, practice swings, and/or a real swing during a round of golf.

[0049] The computing device 16, display 20, control buttons, and/or user interface 22 may permit a golfer to access and control the device 10 to enable various functions, some of which are described in detail below. For example, the computing device 16 may display a menu screen such as the one illustrated in FIG. 4 which allows the golfer to select and initiate several different functions. The display 20 may have touch screen capabilities as mentioned above so that the golfer can navigate between the functions by touching or otherwise manipulating the screen of the display 20.

[0050] In one embodiment, the menu screen permits the golfer to select the function "Start Round" to display information about a golf course or a hole on a golf course. This function may prompt the location determining component 14 and computing device 16 to locate cartographic data for the closest golf course based on the current location of the device 10 and then display information for the closest hole on the golf course as depicted in FIG. 5.

[0051] The menu screen of FIG. 4 also allows the golfer to select between several golf analysis modes including a Swing Strength mode and a Swing Tempo mode. These and other modes may be used separately or together to sense and gather data for golf swings, analyze the data, and/or provide golf swing recommendations based on the data. Other modes may include user-defined modes where the user has created a customized mode to gather and analyze his or her data as well as provide recommendations based on said data.

[0052] An embodiment of the Swing Strength mode senses the strength at which a golfer swings each of his or her golf clubs and then stores related swing strength data for analysis and training purposes. For example, a golfer may take several swings with each of his or her golf clubs, select one or more optimal or preferred swings for each club, and then instruct the device 10 to save swing strength data for each chosen swing. The user may select which swings are optimal based on any criteria such as how far a ball is struck with each swing. The swing strength data, which may be manually entered and/or automatically sensed by the device 10, may include an identification of the club used during the swing (e.g. driver, 9-iron, etc.) and the distance a ball was struck with the swing.

[0053] The Swing Strength mode must be set-up by saving data for at least one swing before other features of the mode can be used. The flow chart of FIG. 6 shows the functionality and operation of exemplary set-up procedures for the Swing Strength mode in more detail. In this regard, some of the blocks of the flow chart may represent a module segment or portion of code of computer programs implemented by the device 10. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the various blocks may occur out of the order depicted in FIG. 6. For example, two blocks shown in succession in FIG. 6 may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order depending upon the functionality involved.

[0054] The set-up procedures may begin when a golfer selects the Swing Strength mode from the menu shown in FIG. 4 or in any other manner is depicted by block 600 in FIG. 6. Instructions for the setup procedures may be displayed automatically the first time the device 10 is used or may be selected for display at any time.

[0055] The golfer then selects and identifies a golf club for which swing strength data will be collected as depicted in block 602. The selected club may be identified manually or automatically. For example, before taking a swing with a driver, the user may select "Driver" from a menu presented on the display 20 of the device 10 or may type in this information. Or, the device 10 may automatically sense that the golfer is about to swing a driver via a sensor attached to the club.

[0056] The device 10 then prompts the golfer to swing the selected club as depicted in block 604. The golfer may take a "practice" swing without a ball or may swing at a golf ball. Embodiments of the device 10 distinguish between practice swings and real swings that include ball strikes based on movement data provided by the inertial sensor. For example, the computing device 10 may analyze movement data provided by the inertial sensor to determine whether any portion of the movement data is associated with a ball strike while or immediately after the user swings the golf club. A noticeable or unnoticeable change, such as a spike or bump, in movement data may be provided by the inertial sensor and associated with a ball strike. This automatic swing type determination improves the ease of using the device 10.

[0057] As the golfer swings the selected club, the swing sensor 12 senses the strength of the swing as depicted in block 606. In one embodiment, the sensor 12 senses the maximum speed at which the club is swung, and the computing device 16 uses this speed measurement as an indication of swing strength. However, swing or speed measurements may be a measure of swing characteristics other than swing speed such as swing power, swing force, swing path, swing tempo, or any other measureable characteristic related to a golf swing.

[0058] The device 10 then asks the golfer whether the last swing should be saved as an optimal or preferred swing as depicted in block 608. As discussed above, the golfer may elect whether a swing is optimal and should be saved based on any criteria such as how far a ball was struck during the swing. The golfer may also select several different swings, for example a quarter swing, a half swing, and a full swing, as being optimal for the same club. For example, the golfer may save optimal swings for partial and full swings for use with wedges and short irons.

[0059] After the swing, the device 10 via display 20 may display swing information utilizing text (e.g., swing characteristic(s)) such as a numerical output corresponding to the previous swing. In some configurations, the display 20 may present animations and/or other visual graphics to represent the swing characteristic(s) corresponding to the previous swing. The display 20 may additionally present a comparison (textual and/or graphical) of the previous swing to the saved optimal swing.

[0060] If the golfer does not elect to save swing data for a swing in block 608, the device 10 may return to block 604 to sense data for a new swing with the same previously- selected golf club. If the golfer elects to save swing data for a swing in block 608, the device 10 may prompt the golfer to enter additional data for the swing as depicted in block 610. For example, the user may be prompted to "rate" the swing by indicating how closely the user felt the swing was to an "optimal" swing. The device may then show the swing strength of the swing in percentages, such as 100% swing strength, 90% swing strength, or any other swing strength level.

[0061] The golfer may also be prompted to enter the distance a ball was struck with the swing as depicted in block 610. The golfer may estimate the ball flight or the device 10 may automatically determine it. For example, the device 10 may automatically determine a first geographic position corresponding to a starting position and a second geographic position corresponding to a ball landing position based on the location information provided by the location determining component 14 and/or the movement determined by the inertial sensor. The device 10 may identify reduced geographic and physical movement commonly associated with the moment before taking the golf shot and upon arriving at the resting position of the golf ball.

[0062] The device 10 may also connect to a remote server, website, or other data providing system via the communication component 24 or other means to retrieve pertinent dynamic data, such as weather conditions, wind speed, wind direction, or other relevant conditional information. This information may then be used by the computing device 16 to more accurately estimate the ball flight distance and path in conjunction with the sensed swing data. The user may then input the actual distance if it differs from this estimation or select the estimated value. This dynamic data may be used for such estimation with test swings as well. [0063] The device 10 then stores the entered and/or sensed data for the designated swing as depicted in block 612. The swing strength data may be stored in a table, database, or other data structure in the memory 18 or any other memory device accessible by the computing device 16. The data may also be uploaded to and/or downloaded from a remote server computer via the communication component 24 and/or when the golfer connects the device to a computer with an Internet connection. A profile associated with the user may be created and maintained on the server computer. A website associated with the server computer may track the golfer's performance and provide tutorial and training information to help the golfer improve his performance. The swing strength data may later be downloaded to any compatible device. One configuration of such a website is Garmin Connect.

[0064] FIG. 7 depicts exemplary swing strength data that may be collected then stored as a user profile for a golfer while using the Swing Strength mode. The swing strength data may include a description of each of the golfer's clubs, the distance a ball was struck with each club at a swing strength of 100%, the distance a ball was struck at a swing strength of 90%, and the distance a ball was struck at a swing strength of 80%. For example, the table shown in FIG. 8 indicates the golfer John Doe struck a ball with his driver a distance of 242 yards at a designated swing strength of 100%, a distance of 218 yards at a swing strength of 90%, and a distance of 194 yards of a swing strength of 80%. These are of course just exemplary values and do not limit the scope of the present technology. The swing strength data may be viewed by a golfer at any time so the golfer knows how far he or she hits each golf club and may be analyzed by the computing device 16 for training, feedback, and analysis purposes as described below.

[0065] After swing strength data is saved for a swing as described above, the device 10 may ask the golfer if he or she wishes to save additional swing strength data in block 614. For example, the golfer may elect to save swing strength data for an additional golf club and/or save more swing strength data for the same golf club. If the golfer elects to save more swing strength data, the set-up procedure returns to block 602 to repeat the above-described steps. Otherwise, the device 10 temporarily exits the swing strength set-up procedures as depicted in block 616.

[0066] Once the Swing Strength mode is set-up as described above, it may be used to provide a swing recommendation based at least partially on the stored swing strength data, the current location of the golfer, and the target location. In one embodiment, the Swing Strength mode may recommend that the golfer use a particular club for a shot, or swing a club at a particular swing strength level, based on how far the golfer is from a target and how far the golfer hits the ball with each of his clubs at different swing strengths.

[0067] The flow chart of FIG. 8 shows the functionality and operation of an exemplary swing recommendation procedure for the Swing Strength mode in more detail. In this regard, some of the blocks of the flow chart may represent a module segment or portion of code of computer programs implemented by the device 10. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the various blocks may occur out of the order depicted in FIG. 8. For example, two blocks shown in succession in FIG. 8 may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order depending upon the functionality involved.

[0068] The swing recommendation feature begins when the device 10 determines its current geographic location via the location determining component 14 as depicted in block 800. As discussed above, the device 10 may determine its current location in other ways as well.

[0069] The location of a target such as a golf green is then identified as depicted in block 802. The target location may be selected by the golfer or may be automatically selected by determining the location of a nearby target such as a golf green or fairway. The device 10 then determines the distance from its current location to the target as depicted in block 804.

[0070] Once the distance to the target is determined, the device 10 generates a swing recommendation based on the stored swing data and the distance to the target as depicted on block 806 and then displays the swing recommendation as depicted in block 808. The swing recommendation may be a size of a golf club, a type of a golf club, a recommended swing speed, a recommended swing tempo, or a recommended swing strength.

[0071] For example, the device 10 may determine the golfer is approximately 230 yards from a target, such as a green. The device may then access the stored swing data illustrated in FIG. 7, which shows the golfer has stored swing data for a driver of 100% and 90% for distances of 242 yards and 218 yards, respectively. The device 10 thus determines that the golfer should use a driver at a swing strength of approximately 90% to strike the golf ball. The display 20 may then visually present information suggesting the 90% swing power for the upcoming shot. For example, the computing device 16 may present a display that indicates the device 10 is 230 yards form a target and that the golfer should swing his driver at a 90% swing strength as depicted in FIG. 14. The display 20 may also present any other type of graphic that depicts a 90% swing strength such as a flat or concentric bar filled to 90%. [0072] The device 10 may also provide several swing recommendations for a plurality of suitable golf clubs based on the distance to a target or cartographic data and present one or more club and swing suggestions to the user. Information associated with each suitable golf club may then be presented on the display 20. For example, if the desired distance for the next shot is 150 yards, the device 10 may suggest different swing powers for a 4-iron, a 5-iron, a 6-iron and, a 7-iron based on the data in the table of FIG. 7. The user can then select one of the recommended golf clubs based on his or her preference. The user may also define preferences for golf clubs, and the swing recommendations may utilize such preferences in compilation and display of recommended golf clubs.

[0073] The Swing Strength mode may also be used by the golfer for swing training and feedback purposes. For example, the device 10 may sense the swing strength of a new swing and compare the swing strength of the new swing to the stored data for one or more optimal swings.

[0074] The flow chart of FIG. 9 shows the functionality and operation of an exemplary embodiment of the above-described swing training feature in more detail. In this regard, some of the blocks of the flow chart may represent a module segment or portion of code of computer programs implemented by the device 10. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the various blocks may occur out of the order depicted in FIG. 9. For example, two blocks shown in succession in FIG. 9 may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order depending upon the functionality involved.

[0075] The swing training feature begins when a golfer swings a golf club to sense and save swing data for optimal swings as depicted in blocks 900 and 902. These steps are described in detail above with respect to the procedure illustrated in FIG. 7. If swing data has already been saved as described above, these steps may be skipped.

[0076] The golfer may then swing the same club again during practice or a round of golf. The device 10 senses the swing strength of the new swing as depicted in block 904, compares it to the stored swing strength data as depicted in block 906, and displays a comparison of the swings as depicted in block 908. For example, if the golfer provides an input to the device 10 that indicates the golfer wishes to swing his driver at a swing strength of 90%, the device 10 may present a display such as the one depicted in FIG. 12. Then, if the golfer takes a practice swing that at a swing strength of 88%, the device 10 senses this and indicates that the current swing has a swing strength of 88% as depicted in FIG. 13. This feedback informs the golfer to either swing slightly faster the next time or expect a shorter ball flight.

[0077] The Swing Tempo Mode will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 15-18. The Swing Tempo mode senses a tempo or pace of a golfer's swing and provides feedback that enables the golfer to determine if he or she is swinging at an ideal tempo. In one embodiment, the Swing Tempo mode senses and measures the length (in seconds or other time measurement) of a golfer's back swing and down swing and then compares the two measurements as a ratio. The Swing Tempo mode may then compare this ratio to one or more preset ratios and inform the golfer if he or she is swinging too fast or slow in comparison to the preset ratios. For example, the Swing Tempo mode may measure a golfer's swing tempo, compare it to an ideal swing ratio of 3:1 (i.e., back swing three times as long as down swing), and then emit an audible tone or provide some other indication if the swing is below or above the ideal swing ratio.

[0078] The Swing Tempo mode may display screens that indicate the tempo of a swing. Before a golfer swings, the device 10 may display the screen depicted in FIG. 15. Then, when the golfer takes a swing, the device 10 may measure 1.3 seconds spent by the user during the up swing and 0.74 seconds spent by the user during the down swing and as depicted in FIG. 16. The device 10 may subsequently measure 1.1 seconds spent by the user during the up swing and 0.62 seconds spent by the user during the down swing for a second practice swing as depicted in FIG. 17. The golf device may then measure 1.2 seconds spent by the user during the up swing and 0.67 seconds spent by the user during the down swing for a real swing that includes a ball strike as depicted in FIG. 18. In some configurations, the sensor 12 may identify the real swing by sensing contact with the golf ball and provide a swing indication on the display 20, store metrics such as tempo corresponding to the real swing, and/or provide a comparison between the practice swing(s) and the detected real swing. In other configurations, the device 10 does not detect the real swing and the user may input the occurrence of the real swing and/or simply view the display 20 after the real swing to read the tempo for comparison with previous swings.

[0079] In some configurations, the device 10 may utilize the distance the ball traveled, estimated or actual, in conjunction with other swing characteristics, such as swing strength or swing tempo, to determine the success of the swing. For purposes of determining success, this distance data may be compared to the user's previous swing data, a database of optimal distances, the distance to the intended target, or any other suitable metric. Distance information may be determined using the location determining component.

[0080] Embodiments of the device 10 may also provide audible, visual or vibration (e.g., haptic) feedback during swings that indicate if the golfer is swinging properly. The user may perform one or more practice swings to determine whether a swing characteristic associated with each practice swing matches a suggested swing characteristic such that the user may adjust his practice swings to meet the desired swing characteristic before hitting the golf ball while in play. For example, if the suggested swing characteristic is a swing strength, the device 10 may determine the swing strength associated with each practice swing and audibly or visually communicate the closeness of the determined swing power to the swing power of an optimal swing. If the device 10 suggests a swing power of 80%, the device 10 may provide negative feedback if the swing strength associated with practice swing is below 70% or above 90% and positive feedback if the swing strength associated with practice swing is between 70% and 90% swing power. The user may continue taking practice swings to adjust the measured swing strength until one or more practice swings are approximately equal to the desired swing strength before hitting the golf ball. The user may utilize a predetermined threshold for determination of equivalency to the desired swing strength or set a custom threshold to be used in the determination of equivalency to the desired swing strength.

[0081] Positive or negative feedback may also be provided when the user swings the golf club to strike the golf ball to provide an immediate communication as to the quality of the shot. The thresholds at which feedback is provided may be adjusted based on user performance or specified by user input. For the example above, positive feedback may be provided if the measured swing power is between 60% and 100% for beginners but provided for a narrower range for more advanced golfers.

[0082] Feedback may be communicated using an audible output from the speaker device, a color or graphic presented on the display, or a vibration output by the vibration element. For example, positive feedback may be associated with an audible chime output by a speaker device, a green color presented on the display 20 or a long vibration output by the vibration element. Negative feedback may be associated with an audible buzz output by a speaker device, a red color presented on the display 20 or a short vibration output by the vibration element. Feedback relating to measured swing characteristic may be provided during practice swings before the swing that puts the golf ball in play and during the real swing that includes a ball strike.

[0083] Embodiments of the device 10 may also include a calibration mode. The calibration mode may enable the device 10 to determine and suggest a swing characteristic if the memory 18 has insufficient swing data associated with the golfer. The calibration mode may be the default mode to determine and suggest swing characteristics, such as swing strength and swing tempo. The device 10 may also determine whether a golfer tends to hit golf balls shorter than average distances, average distances, or longer than average distances and use such tendencies to suggest a golf club and suggested swing characteristic based on a distance to a desired target. The device may also use the user's gender, height, arm length, leg length, or other metrics in the calibration process.

[0084] Embodiments of the device 10 may adapt to the determined swing characteristics and selected golf clubs by using each swing to refine the stored swing data and provide more accurate swing characteristic suggestions as it collects more swing data for the user. The swing calibration may suggest swing characteristics that may be used to suggest a golf club and swing characteristic in the absence of sufficient swing data until sufficient swing data is collected for the user.

[0085] Although the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims.

[0086] Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A wearable device for analyzing golf swings, the device comprising:

a sensor configured to sense at least one swing characteristic of a golfer as the golfer takes a golf swing;

memory configured to store swing data representative of the swing characteristic sensed by the sensor;

a location determining component configured to determine a current location of the golfer and to identify a target location; and

a computing device coupled with the memory and the location determining component, the computing device configured to generate a swing recommendation based at least partially on the stored swing data, the current location of the golfer, and the target location.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the swing characteristic is a characteristic selected from the group consisting of a swing speed, a swing tempo, a swing strength, and a swing path.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the swing recommendation is a recommendation selected from the group consisting of a size of a golf club, a type of a golf club, a recommended swing speed, a recommended swing tempo, and a recommended swing strength.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor includes at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a user interface coupled with the computing device, the user interface configured to provide an indication of the swing characteristic, the current location of the golfer, the target location, and the swing recommendation.

6. The device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the user interface includes a graphical display.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the target location is a location selected from the group consisting of a location of a green, a location of a pin on the green, a location of a fairway, and a location of a user-identified area on a golf course.

8. The device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the location determining component determines the target location by accessing location data for the target stored in the memory.

9. The device as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a portable housing for housing the sensor, the memory, the location determining component, the computing device, and the user interface and a strap for strapping the housing to the golfer.

10. A wearable device for analyzing golf swings, the device comprising:

a sensor configured to:

sense at least one swing characteristic of a golfer as the golfer takes a first golf swing; generate first swing data representative of the swing characteristic of the first golf swing;

sense the swing characteristic again as the golfer takes a second golf swing; and generate second swing data representative of the swing characteristic of the second golf swing;

memory coupled with the sensor and configured to store at least some of the first and second swing data;

a computing device coupled with the memory and configured to compare the first and second swing data so as to compare the first and second golf swings;

a user interface coupled with the computing device and configured to provide an indication of the comparison of the first and second golf swings; and

a portable housing configured to house the sensor, the memory, the computing device, and the user interface and a strap for strapping the housing to the golfer.

11. The device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a location determining component configured to determine a current location of the golfer and for identifying a target location.

12. The device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the computing device is also coupled with the location determining component and is operable for providing the golfer a swing recommendation based at least partially on the first swing data, the current location of the golfer, and the target location.

13. The device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the swing characteristic is a characteristic selected from the group consisting of a swing speed, a swing tempo, a swing strength, and a swing path.

14. The device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the swing recommendation is a recommendation selected from the group consisting of a size of a golf club, a type of a golf club, a recommended swing speed, a recommended swing tempo, and a recommended swing strength.

15. The device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the sensor includes at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer.

16. The device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a user interface coupled with the computing device for providing an indication of the swing characteristic, the current location of the golfer, the target location, and the swing recommendation.

17. A wearable device for analyzing golf swings, the device comprising:

a sensor operable for sensing at least one swing characteristic of a golfer as the golfer takes a golf swing;

a location determining component configured to determine a current location of the golfer and for identifying a target location;

a computing device coupled with the memory and the location determining component and operable for generating a swing recommendation based at least partially on the stored swing data, the current location of the golfer, and the target location; a graphical display coupled with the computing device configured to provide a visual indication of the swing characteristic, the current location of the golfer, the target location, and the swing recommendation;

a portable housing for housing the sensor, the memory, the location determining component, the computing device, and the graphical display; and

a strap configured to strap the housing to the golfer's wrist or arm.

18. The wearable device as set forth in claim 17, wherein the swing characteristic is a characteristic selected from the group consisting of a swing speed, a swing tempo, a swing strength, and a swing path and wherein the swing recommendation is a recommendation selected from the group consisting of a size of a golf club, a type of a golf club, a recommended swing speed, a recommended swing tempo, and a recommended swing strength.

19. The wearable device as set forth in claim 17, wherein the sensor includes an accelerometer.

20. The wearable device as set forth in claim 17, wherein the target location is a location selected from the group consisting of a location of a green, a location of a pin on the green, a location of a fairway, and a location of a user-identified area on a golf course and wherein the location determining component determines the target location by accessing location data for the target stored in the memory.