Interactive method and apparatus for tracking and analyzing a golf swing in a limited space with swing position recognition and reinforcement

Abstract

The invention pertains to a method for interactively tracking, analyzing and teaching a correct golf swing using an apparatus consisting of a computer with an attached video camera and a special club shaft attachment that is monitored to determine the progress of a golf swing in real-time. A short simulated golf club with a matching golf ball platform is provided for use in a limited space. Club position is evaluated at all points along prescribed swing plane orbits for accuracy with regard to club shaft angle, club face rotation and swing plane location. Leading guides are provided to aid in correct club movement. Trailing position reinforcement guides permit the student golfer to use his own initiative and timing while receiving real-time corrections relating to club and body motion. Simulated ball flight is determined and applied to golf practice range and golf course activities.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An interactive method of tracking and analyzing a golf swing in combination with a computer including the steps of placing a golfer in front of a video camera that is associated with said computer, superimposing a pattern of an ideal golf swing on a display monitor of said computer over the live background images of said golfer, said display monitor being clearly visible to said golfer, inducing said golfer to attempt to emulate said pattern of an ideal golf swing as shown on said display monitor, said computer comparing each of a plurality of sequential images captured by said video camera of said golfer's swing to said pattern of an ideal golf swing and responding to the correctness of said golfer's swing in real time, including the step of placing an attachment on a club shaft of said golfer, said attachment exhibiting a surface having a color pattern thereon that is captured by said video camera and is readily recognizable by said computer, said attachment being instrumental for tracking and analyzing the correctness of said attempt to emulate said pattern of an ideal golf swing, including the step of selecting a golf club from a plurality of golf clubs including real and simulated golf clubs.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of controlling said computer to provide audio and visual responses as to the correctness of said golfer's swing in real time according to any progress of said golfer's partial swing, said golfer solely determining said progress.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of controlling said computer to update said pattern of an ideal golf swing on said display monitor in real time according to the progress of said golfer's partial swing said golfer solely determining said progress.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of including in said pattern of an ideal golf swing, a display of an approximately semicircular swing plane orbit for a back swing and an approximately circular swing plane orbit for a forward swing.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pattern of an ideal golf swing includes a display of a plurality of swing plane orbits corresponding to different club lengths.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said pattern of an ideal golf swing includes a display of the correct two dimensional club shaft angles, the correct three dimensional swing plane angles, the correct club shaft rotation angles and the golfer's correct body positions corresponding to a plurality of locations within said swing plane orbits.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tracking and analyzing a golf swing include the step of controlling said computer to independently determine said golfer's club position at any time during said golfer's swing from images captured by said video camera.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tracking and analyzing a golf swing includes the step of controlling said computer to independently determine said golfer's body position at any time during said golfer's swing from images captured by said video camera.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pattern of an ideal golf swing further includes a plurality of leading club guides corresponding to a plurality of swing plane orbit locations.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of placing a golfer in front of one or more video cameras to monitor said golfer swinging from a plurality of camera views, said camera views including golfer's front, back, left and right sides.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of using and interpreting the brightness and gray properties of known color patterns of said attachment as a light meter reporting the ambient lighting characteristics of the setting.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , including controlling of said computer by moving said attachment over the location of selection buttons displayed on said display monitor so that said golfer can remain at his or her established swing location with respect to said video camera.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , including the step of changing said display monitor's image of said golfer to a mirror image to naturalize the process of viewing his or her club motion while making choices.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , including the step of displaying picture-in-picture to display said golfer as he or she makes selections using said club attachment when the background scene does not otherwise include said golfer.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of said computer automatically calibrating said pattern of an ideal golf swing individually for said golfer based upon said golfer's size and said golfer's physical characteristics from images captured by said video camera.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  including the step of displaying a handicap rating on said monitor level following said attempt to emulate a pattern of an ideal swing, said handicap rating being roughly equivalent the USGA handicap system representing said golfer's skill level.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  including the step of translating said golf swing into a simulated golf lesson, including the steps of selecting a type of golf club, watching his or her said golf swing in a setting actually in view of said video camera in real-time, watching said golf swing with leading guides and trailing reinforcement guides, replaying said golf swing and analyzing said golf swing step-by-step.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , including the steps of said computer predicting the ball flight for said golf swing as said golfer's club passes through the impact position and then displaying said predicted ball flight toward a target on said display monitor.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  including the steps of translating said predicted ball flight into a practice range simulation activity including the steps of selecting a type of club, watching himself or herself swing on said practice range simulation in real-time, watching said predicted ball flight to a plurality of targets, replaying said swing on said practice range simulation and analyzing said swing step-by-step and displaying explanations as to the cause of said predicted ball flight, said explanations include calculations for overall quality and strength of said predicted ball flight, direction of said predicted ball flight, trajectory of said predicted ball flight and spin imparted to the ball during said predicted ball flight with possible results of said spin being straight, draw, fade, hook and slice.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  including the step of translating said predicted ball flight into a golf play simulation activity including the steps of selecting a golf course, watching said swing on said golf course in real-time, watching said predicted ball flight moving to a plurality of targets, replaying said swing on said golf course and analyzing said swing, said analyzing displaying the step-by-step explanations for said predicted ball flight, said explanations include calculations for overall quality and strength of said predicted ball flight, direction of said ball flight, trajectory of said predicted ball flight and spin imparted to the ball during said predicted ball flight with possible results of said spin being straight, draw, fade, hook and slice.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said step of golf play simulation includes the participation of one or more players, said players are participating in a manner that is generally consistent in procedure and scoring with the USGA rules of golf.  
     
     
         22 . A method of teaching a golf swing including the steps of inducing a golfer to initiate movements of a real or simulated golf club according to his or her own timing through a plurality of golf swing positions, subjecting said golf swing positions to swing position recognition by a computer, said computer recognizing the current club position and displaying the correct body and club position interactively that is closest to said current club position, thereby providing position reinforcement.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  including the step of displaying said correct body and club positions by superimposing a transparent humanoid form of said correct body and club position over said golfer's image in real-time as said golfer swings.  
     
     
         24 . A method of swing image relocation of real-time images of a golfer swinging in a setting that is different from the actual setting, including the steps of placing a golfer in a real location such as his home or office in front of a computer, inducing said golfer to initiate swing movements of a real or simulated golf club according to his or her own timing through a plurality of golf swing positions, subjecting said golf swing positions to swing position recognition by a computer, said computer recognizing the current club position and displaying a limited view of said golfer's image, said limited view being said golfer's image outlined by the current correct body and club position that corresponds to said current club position, and superimposing said limited view of said golfer's real-time swing images over an arbitrary background image such as a golf course setting.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  including the step of displaying said golfer's image in real-time on said golf course setting, said golfer's image being overlaid by said correct body and club position that corresponds to said current club position, said correct body and club position depicted as a humanoid cutout removed from said golf course scene.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , including the step of viewing the completeness of said golfer's image being displayed on said arbitrary background to provide a visual measure of the correctness of said golf swing with regard to correct body and club positions.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , including the step whereby said different setting is made to be partially transparent thereby showing said golfer's entire body and club to some extent during said golf swing while retaining the allusion of said different setting, such as said golf course setting.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus for interactively tracking and analyzing a golf swing comprising a computer having a display monitor therewith and one or more video cameras for receiving images that are then relayed to said computer, first means for displaying a pattern of an ideal golf swing on said monitor, second means for displaying, by superimposing on said monitor, a golfer's swing attempt to emulate said pattern of an ideal golf swing over said pattern of an ideal swing, means for comparing said first display pattern including means attached to a golf club selected from a plurality of golf clubs including real and simulated clubs, of said golfer for displaying a color pattern recognizable by said computer including a plurality of humanoid depictions that provide position reinforcement corresponding to a plurality of swing plane orbit locations.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28  including means for combining a plurality of said humanoid depictions with alternative background scenery that serve to relocate the real-time display images of said golfer's swing onto a different setting, such as a golf course or practice range.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said attachments on said club shaft are comprised of one or more spherical objects that include red, green and blue color patterns for efficient computer processing according to the RGB color spectrum.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 28  including means for said attachments on said club shaft to utilize an energy source combined with a light signal emission device, such as a watch battery and laser bulb to enhance swing position recognition.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 28  including means for automatically calibrating said pattern of an ideal golf swing individually for said golfer based upon said golfer's size and said golfer's physical characteristics from images captured by said one or more video cameras.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 28  including leading guides that consist of swing plane orbits and club position guides that show the correct two dimensional club shaft angle, the correct club shaft rotation with respect to the club face and the correct three dimensional swing plane angle with respect to a plurality of swing plane orbit locations.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 28  including trailing guides that are comprised of a transparent humanoid depiction displayed on said monitor providing means for displaying the correct body position and club position guides with respect to a plurality of swing plane orbit locations to thereby provide position reinforcement.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said means attached to a club is located just below the club grip to keep the swing arc of said means attached to a club as small as possible for close-up monitoring.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said club is a short club that causes the outside reach of the swing arc to be smaller than that of a full-length club thereby making it more suitable for use in an area with limited space.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36  wherein said club is equipped with a club head that is soft for the sake of safety but durable enough for striking a simulated golf ball.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 36  including a platform having means for holding one or more simulated golf balls thereon, said platform being complementary in size to said short club for achieving one of a plurality of correct swing plane orbits corresponding to different club lengths in a limited space.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , including means for attaching said platform to a mat that allows said golfer's body weight to hold said platform in place during and after swing impact of said club with said simulated golf balls.  
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , including springs attached to said platform to hold said simulated golf balls for striking by said short club, means for protecting said springs by surrounding said springs by a rubber structure.  
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , including means for swinging according to one of a plurality of correct swing plane angles as a result of said golfer choosing to strike one of a plurality of simulated balls while said golfer's position on the mat remains unchanged thereby changing the swing plane angle.  
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , including means for swinging according to one of a plurality of correct swing plane angles by choosing to change said golfer's foot placement on the mat thereby changing the swing plane angle while striking a single simulated golf ball.