Systems and methods for golfing simulation and swing analysis

Abstract

A golf swing simulation and analysis system includes a golf simulator and club/ball monitor system which is integrated with a system that senses information concerning the golfer's body position and movement through a high resolution pressure mat placed under the golfer's feet. Data obtained from the pressure mat before, during and after the golf swing is analyzed and presented to the golfer in synchronization with both captured video images of the golf swing and data collected from the golf swing simulation and analysis system concerning striking of the golf ball. The system is used not only in a training mode but also in an entertainment mode.

1 . A golf swing analysis system, comprising: 
 a pressure mat upon which a golfer stands to perform a golf swing;    at least one camera operating to image the golfer during performance of the golf swing;    at least one light source for illuminating the golfer; and    a control circuit which responds to data output from the pressure mat to selectively control actuation/deactuation of the at least one light source.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the control circuit comprises a computer and a controllable dimmer, the computer receiving the data output from the pressure mat, processing same, and generating a control signal for application to the controllable dimmer to control actuation/deactuation of the at least one light source.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the pressure mat comprises a multisensor array pressure mat including at least 100 individual sensors arranged in an array format.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the control circuit further responds to a detection of ball impact during the golf swing to control deactuation of the at least one light source.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the control circuit responds to a detection of golfer weight on the pressure mat exceeded a certain threshold to control actuation of the at least one light source and further to a detection of golfer weight on the pressure mat not exceeded a certain threshold to control deactuation of the at least one light source.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the control circuit processes data output from the pressure mat to determine whether the golfer is facing in a certain direction and has achieved a certain weight balance, the control circuit responds to such determination to control actuation of the at least one light source.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the certain weight balance comprises less than a certain difference between pressure mat detected weight with respect to the golfer's left foot versus pressure mat detected weight with respect to the golfer's right foot.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the control circuit further responds to a detection of completion of the golf swing to control deactuation of the at least one light source.  
   
   
       9 . A golf swing analysis system, comprising: 
 a pressure mat upon which a golfer stands to perform a golf swing;    a control circuit which responds to data output from the pressure mat to determine relative foot position of the golfer; and    a display coupled to the control circuit and on which the control circuit displays the determined relative foot position of the golfer.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the control circuit processes the data output from the pressure mat during performance of the golf swing to track and cause display of changes in the determined relative foot position of the golfer during the performance of the golf swing.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the control circuit processes the data output from the pressure mat to determine an outline of each of the golfer's feet, and cause display of the feet outlines.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 9  wherein a position of a ball to be struck by the golfer relative to the pressure mat is known, and wherein the control circuit processes the data output from the pressure mat to determine ball position within a stance of the golfer as represented by determined relative foot position.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the control circuit, based on determined ball position within the stance of the golfer, further determines a certain type of golf club being used by the golfer.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12  further including an automatic golf ball teeing system and wherein the control circuit, based on determined ball position within the stance of the golfer, further determines a height at which the automatic golf ball teeing system should tee a golf ball to be struck by the golfer.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 9  wherein a position of a ball to be struck by the golfer relative to the pressure mat is known, and wherein the control circuit processes the data output from the pressure mat to determine a distance between the golfer and the ball.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the control circuit further responds to data output from the pressure mat to determine a stance width of the golfer.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the control circuit further responds to data output from the pressure mat to determine a stance angle of the golfer with respect to a desired target line.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the control circuit processes the data output from the pressure mat to determine a center of gravity for the golfer, and cause display of the center of gravity.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the control circuit processes the data output from the pressure mat during performance of the golf swing to track and cause display of changes in a determined center of gravity for the golfer during the performance of the golf swing.  
   
   
       20 . A golf swing analysis system, comprising: 
 a pressure mat upon which a golfer stands to perform a golf swing; and    a control circuit which responds to data output from the pressure mat to determine relative weight distribution between the feet of the golfer during the golf swing.    
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising a display coupled to the control circuit and on which the control circuit displays the determined relative weight distribution between the feet of the golfer during the golf swing.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the control circuit further processes the data output from the pressure mat during performance of the golf swing to track and cause display of changes in the determined relative weight distribution between the feet of the golfer during the performance of the golf swing.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the control circuit further processes the determined relative weight distribution between the feet of the golfer during the golf swing to determine hip rotation information with respect to the golfer.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising at least one camera operating to image the golfer during performance of the golf swing and an image storage system to store the images captured by the camera as plurality of image frames.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the control circuit further processes the determined relative weight distribution between the feet of the golfer during the golf swing to determine which ones of the stored plurality of image frames comprise key frames of the golf swing.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the key frames of the golf swing comprise address, top of the backswing, impact and finish.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 20  further including an automatic golf ball teeing system and wherein the control circuit, based on determined relative weight distribution between the feet of the golfer, further controls operation of the automatic golf ball teeing system.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the control circuit, based on determined relative weight distribution between the feet of the golfer, causes the automatic golf ball teeing system to not tee a ball for striking unless the determined relative weight distribution meets certain criteria.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the control circuit, based on determined relative weight distribution between the feet of the golfer, causes the automatic golf ball teeing system to remove a teed ball if the determined relative weight distribution fails to meet certain criteria.  
   
   
       30 . A golf swing analysis system, comprising: 
 a pressure mat upon which a golfer stands to perform a golf swing;    at least one camera operating to image the golfer during performance of the golf swing and generate a first video image;    a golf simulator and club/ball monitor system which senses striking of a golf ball during the golf swing and generates a second video image presenting a simulation of ball flight;    a display means;    a video switch receiving first and second video images; and    a control circuit which responds to data output from the pressure mat during the golf swing to control the video switch and cause the display means to present the first video image before ball impact and then present the second video image after impact.    
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the pressure mat comprises a multisensor array pressure mat including at least 100 individual sensors arranged in an array format, certain ones of the sensors defining virtual control buttons through which the golfer may control operation of the system.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 30  further including at least one light source for illuminating the golfer, the control circuit responding to data output from the pressure mat to selectively control actuation/deactuation of the at least one light source.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the control circuit which responds to data output from the pressure mat to determine relative foot position of the golfer and cause such relative foot position to be stored with the first video image.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the control circuit which responds to data output from the pressure mat to determine relative weight distribution of the golfer and cause such relative weight distribution to be stored with the first video image.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the control circuit further processes the determined relative weight distribution between the feet of the golfer during the golf swing to determine hip rotation information with respect to the golfer and cause such hip rotation information to be stored with the first video image.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the control circuit processes the data output from the pressure mat during performance of the golf swing to track changes in a determined relative foot position of the golfer during the performance of the golf swing and cause such foot position information to be stored with the first video image.  
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the control circuit processes the data output from the pressure mat to determine an outline of each of the golfer's feet, and cause such feet outline information to be stored with the first video image.