Apparatus and method for golf practice and simulation

Abstract

An embodiment of an apparatus and method for training of golf playing and/or simulate a golf game is disclosed. The apparatus mainly comprises a standing platform, a ball supporting assembly, a retainer, a motor driven assembly, and a controller. As part of the ball supporting assembly, a golf ball is raised above the standing platform, where a player stands; ready to be hit by a player. After the golf ball being hit, the retainer restrains the golf ball supporting assembly and the motor driven assembly restores the golf ball supporting assembly back to its original position ready for next hit. A sensor is used to measure the impact exerted on the golf ball. The method to operate the apparatus mainly comprises a program to processes the sensor signals and a program to display the projected trajectory of the golf ball with a user selected scenery background.

1 . A golf practice and simulation apparatus comprising:
 (a). a standing platform where a golf player stands thereon and hits a golf ball using a golf club;   (b). a ball supporting assembly which supports a golf ball raising on top of said standing platform for a golf player to hit; and   (c). a device mounting assembly for mounting said ball supporting assembly and other devices therein.   
   
   
       2 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said standing platform is defined by a cover, which has an open slot near to one of its edges, adjoined with four side walls to form an open-end at bottom. 
   
   
       3 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said ball supporting assembly further comprising:
 (a). a vertical arm;   (b). a horizontal arm;   (c). a fixing means for mounting said ball supporting assembly in said device mounting assembly;   (d). a golf ball secured on top of said vertical arm for a player to hit; and   (e). an impact sensor for measuring the impact exerted on said golf ball in terms of force, acceleration, velocity, and/or any combination thereof.   
   
   
       4 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said vertical arm has said impact sensor being mounted thereon, said golf ball is secured on top of one end of said vertical arm, and said horizontal arm is joined at the other end of said vertical arm such that both said vertical arm and said horizontal arm are rotatable about the axis of the joint 
   
   
       5 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said horizontal arm has its one end being joined with said vertical arm such that both said vertical arm and horizontal arm are rotatable about the axis of the joint, and its other end being joined with said fixing means such that said horizontal arm is rotatable about the axis of the joint. 
   
   
       6 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said fixing means is joined with said horizontal arm such that said horizontal arm is rotatable about the axis of the joint and is secured in said device mounting assembly. 
   
   
       7 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said golf ball is an ordinary golf ball with a hole penetrates through its center, and is secured on top of said vertical arm via a means of bolt and nut, along with two bowl-shape washers covering the top and the bottom of said golf ball, and a sleeve inserted therein through the hole on said golf ball. 
   
   
       8 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said impact sensor is an MEMS-type (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) sensor or similar device thereof known in the art. 
   
   
       9 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said device mounting assembly further comprising:
 (a). a micro switch for detecting the position of said vertical arm, and for supporting said vertical arm at its vertical position ready to be hit by a player;   (b). a supporting rack means for installing said micro switch thereon;   (c). a retainer means for constraining said vertical arm as it falls and for absorbing force exerted on said vertical arm when said golf ball is hit by a player;   (d). a motor driven assembly to push said vertical arm upward back to its vertical position after said golf ball being hit by a player so that said golf ball is ready to be hit again;   (e). a control unit for processing the signals received from said impact sensor and said micro switch, and controlling said motor drive assembly; and   (f). a container for said ball supporting assembly, said micro switch, said supporting rack means, said retainer means, said motor driven assembly, and said control unit being installed therein.   
   
   
       10 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said container is defined by a bottom cover adjoined with four side walls and an open-end at its top, and is mounted on said top cover of said standing platform inside said standing platform with means of screws or any other suitable measures. 
   
   
       11 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said micro switch is a miniature snap action switch or a similar device thereof known in the art. 
   
   
       12 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 9 , said supporting rack means is secured inside said container such that said micro switch installed thereon is activated when said vertical arm at its vertical position, touched and leaned on said micro switch and is deactivated as said vertical arm left and untouched said micro switch. 
   
   
       13 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said retainer means is a steel cable, spring strip or any other devices for this purpose thereof known in the art. 
   
   
       14 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said motor driven assembly further comprising
 (a). an electrical motor with a mounting plate; and   (b). a push arm means, fixed on the driving shaft of said electrical motor with means of flat and screw or any other suitable measures, for pushing said vertical arm back to its vertical position when said electrical motor rotates in one direction and leaving away from the vertical position of said vertical arm when said electrical motor rotates in an opposite direction.   
   
   
       15 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said control unit comprises microprocessor(s) and electronic/electrical circuit thereof known in the art, and is capable of executing a minimum set of functions of
 (a). receiving and filtering signals from said micro switch;   (b). controlling and driving said electrical motor;   (c). receiving and filtering signals from said impact sensor;   (d). calculating 3-dimensional impact exerted on said golf ball when said golf ball is hit by a player in terms of force, acceleration, velocity, and/or any combination thereof;   (e). transmitting the signals of 3-dimensional impact with a standard communication interface such as USB or wireless port;   (f). based on the signals of 3-dimensional impact, calculating projected distance that said golf ball could travel after being hit by a player; and   (g). driving the display of the projected distance that said golf ball could travel after being hit by a player.   
   
   
       16 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said ball supporting assembly is secured on one of said four side walls of said container via said fixing means of said ball supporting assembly such that
 (a). when said vertical arm is at its vertical position, said vertical arm presses against and activates said micro switch; and   (b). when said vertical arm is at its vertical position, said golf ball at the top of said vertical arm is raised above the edge of said walls of said container.   
   
   
       17 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said retainer means, said control unit, and said motor driven assembly are secured in said container with means of screws or any other suitable measures such that
 (a). said retainer will receive and retain said vertical arm of said ball supporting assembly after said golf ball being hit by a player,   (b). said control unit is connected to said micro switch and said impact sensor via wire harness and connectors used for electrical signals, without interference any movement of said ball supporting assembly, said retainer, and said motor driven assembly;   (c). at reset position of said electrical motor, said motor driven assembly does not block the movement of said vertical arm and said horizontal arm when said golf ball is hit by a player; and   (d). when said electrical motor is started, said push arm of said motor driven assembly pushes said vertical arm back to its vertical position.   
   
   
       18 . The golf practice and simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said device mounting assembly is installed on said cover surrounding by said four side walls of said standing platform such that said golf ball on top of said ball supporting assembly appears on the top of said standing platform through said slot in a height ready to be hit by a player using a golf club. 
   
   
       19 . A method to operate said golf practice and simulation apparatus comprising:
 (a). functions executed in said control unit; and   (b). functions executed in a computer.   
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said functions executed in said control unit further comprising the steps of:
 Step 1: Filtering the signals from said micro switch to reject noise.   Step 2: Based on the filtered signal of said micro switch derived from Step 1, if said micro switch is deactivated, then start and drive said electrical motor to the direction to push said vertical arm back to its vertical position. If said micro switch is activated, then drive said electrical motor away from said vertical arm and stop at the reset position of said electrical motor.   Step 3: Filtering the signals received from said impact sensor to reject noise.   Step 4: Checking the validity of the signals received from said impact sensor. If invalid signals are received, then set the signals to a pre-selected default value.   Step 5: Based on the filtered signals of said impact sensor derived from Step 3 and 4, calculate 3-dimensional impact exerted on said golf ball, in terms of force, acceleration, velocity, and/or any combination thereof, when said golf ball is hit by a player.   Step 6: Based on the 3-dimensional impact exerted on said golf ball derived from Step 5, calculate the projected distance that said golf ball could travel due to the impact exerted thereon.   Step 7: Display the projected distance that said golf ball could travel due to the impact exerted thereon in a simple telltale device.   Step 8: Transmit the calculated signals of 3-dimensional impact exerted on said golf ball derived from Step 5 with a standard communication interface such USB or wireless port.   
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said functions executed in a computer is further comprising:
 (a). a user interface program for a player to select display contents and manners that may include, but not limited to, background scenery, automatic updating of the background scenery after each time said golf ball being hit, distance to a golf hole from the current projected ball location, projected ball flying trajectory, etc.; and   (b). a display program performing the following functional steps:   Step 1: Receive the signals of 3-dimensional impact exerted on said golf ball derived from Step 8 of  claim 20  through a standard communication interface, such as USB or wireless port.   Step 2: Based on the signals of 3-dimensional impact exerted on said golf ball received in Step 1 in terms of force, acceleration, velocity, and/or any combination thereof, calculate projected trajectory that said golf ball could travel due to the impact exerted thereon.   Step 3: Display the projected trajectory of said golf ball flying over a player selected scenery background and other information according to the player selected display contents and manners.