Method and apparatus for sport swing analysis system

Abstract

A sports swing analysis system employs phase array RADAR to determine golf swing parameter values.

1 . A sports swing analyzer comprising: 
 swing sensing apparatus including a phased array RADAR emitter and receiver configured to sense the motion of a swung sports implement; and    a controller configured to analyze the motion of the swung implement from the data sensed by the RADAR emitter and receiver.    
   
   
       2 . The swing analyzer of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the sensing apparatus comprises a RADAR source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a location in the path of a swung sports implement;    a RADAR receiver configured to receive electromagnetic radiation reflected from the swung sports implement; and    the controller is configured to generate a plurality of RADAR pulses using phased array techniques to thereby sweep the area along an expected path of swung sports implement.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further configured to determine the launch angle of a ball struck by a swung implement.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the processor is further configured to: 
 divide the distance between sequential detections of a swung implement by the time between the two detections to obtain the implement speed.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the processor is further configured to compute an implement swing path angle.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the processor is further configured to compute an implement alignment angle.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the processor is further configured to compute an effective implement speed.  
   
   
       8 . A golf swing analyzer comprising: 
 swing sensing apparatus including a phased array RADAR emitter and receiver configured to sense the motion of a swung golf club; and    a controller configured to analyze the motion of the swung golf club from the data sensed by the RADAR emitter and receiver.    
   
   
       9 . The swing analyzer of  claim 8  wherein: 
 the sensing apparatus comprises a RADAR source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a location in the path of a swung golf club;    a RADAR receiver configured to receive electromagnetic radiation reflected from the swung golf club; and    the controller is configured to generate a plurality of RADAR pulses using phased array techniques to thereby sweep the area along an expected path of the swung golf club implement.    
   
   
       10 . The swing analyzer of  claim 8  wherein the controller is further configured to determine the launch angle of a ball struck by a swung golf club.  
   
   
       11 . The swing analyzer of  claim 8  wherein the processor is further configured to: 
 divide the distance between sequential detections of a swung golf club by the time between the two detections to obtain the implement speed.    
   
   
       12 . The swing analyzer of  claim 8  wherein the processor is further configured to compute an golf club swing path angle.  
   
   
       13 . The swing analyzer of  claim 8  wherein the processor is further configured to compute a golf club alignment angle.  
   
   
       14 . The swing analyzer of  claim 8  wherein the processor is further configured to compute an effective club head speed.