Motion tracking bar graph display

Abstract

A method for evaluating the motion of a moveable object relative to a reference object includes locating the reference object within a three-dimensional coordinate system having first, second, and third positional coordinates such that the position of the reference object is characterized by respective values of the first, second, and third positional coordinates. A display is providing having at least two visual indicators, each indicator being configured as an array of selectively switchable display elements. At a critical position of the moveable object, indicating an offset between the moveable object and the reference object along one of the first, second, and third positional coordinates by selectively switching at least one of the display elements of a first one of the indicators. In the vicinity of the critical position, indicating a dynamic property of the moveable object within the three-dimensional coordinate system by selectively switching at least one of the display elements of a second one of the indicators.

1 . A method for evaluating the motion of a moveable object relative to a reference object comprising:
 (a) locating said reference object within a three-dimensional coordinate system having first, second, and third positional coordinates such that the position of said reference object is characterized by respective values of said first, second, and third positional coordinates;   (b) providing a display having at least two visual indicators, each indicator being configured as an array of selectively switchable display elements;   (c) at a critical position of said moveable object, indicating an offset between said moveable object and said reference object along one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates by selectively switching at least one of said display elements of a first one of said indicators; and   (d) in the vicinity of said critical position, indicating a dynamic property of said moveable object within said three-dimensional coordinate system by selectively switching at least one of said display elements of a second one of said indicators.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said moveable object is the head portion of a golf club. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said reference object is a golf ball. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said offset and said array of said first one of said indicators are linear. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said array of said second one of said indicators is curvilinear. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said dynamic property is an angle of approach based on the angle between an axis of intended trajectory of said reference object and an axis of motion of said moveable object as said moveable object closely approaches said reference object as evaluated with each said axis being projected onto a common plane within said three dimensional coordinate system. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said dynamic property is velocity. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said dynamic property at least in part describes a rotational movement by said moveable object about one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  including selectively switching only one of said display elements of said first one of said indicators. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  including selectively switching a series of said display elements of said second one of said indicators. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said three-dimensional coordinate system is a rectangular coordinate system having mutually perpendicular coordinate axes. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  including configuring each array as a bank of light-emitting diodes (LED's). 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  including, at said critical position of said moveable object, indicating another offset between said moveable object and said reference object along another one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates by selectively switching at least one of said display elements of another one of said indicators. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  including, at said critical position of said moveable object, indicating a rotational offset of said moveable object about one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates by selectively switching at least one of said display elements of a third one of said indicators. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  including evaluating a sports technique of a user in handling said moveable object by signaling with said indicators how closely said user replicates a preferred motion of said moveable object. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  including enabling a user to practice an exemplary form of handling said moveable object by selecting at least one target element from among said display elements of each indicator and by indicating how closely said user conforms to said exemplary form in each practice session by varying how closely the switched elements of each indicator conform to said at least one target element. 
   
   
       17 . A system for evaluating the motion of a moveable object relative to a reference object comprising:
 (a) a locating device to locate the position of said reference object within a three-dimensional coordinate system having first, second, and third positional coordinates such that the position of said reference object is characterized by respective values of said first, second, and third positional coordinates;   (b) a display having at least two visual indicators, each indicator being configured as an array of selectively switchable display elements;   (c) a switch control connected to a first one of said indicators and configured to selectively switch at least one of said display elements of said first one of said indicators to indicate, at a critical position of said moveable object, an offset between said moveable object and said reference object along one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates; and   (d) said switch control being connected to a second one of said indicators and configured to selectively switch at least one of said display elements of said second one of said indicators to indicate, in the vicinity of said critical position, a dynamic property of said moveable object within said three-dimensional coordinate system.   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said locating device is a stop to immovably fix said position configured such that said position of said reference object is characterized by predetermined values of said first, second, and third positional coordinates. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said predetermined values represent the origin coordinates for said three-dimensional coordinate system. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said reference object is shaped as a golf ball. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said stand is adapted to removably receive said golf ball in said characterized position. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said stand has a generally planar surface and said indicators are disposed on said surface in distributed arrangement about said reference object. 
   
   
       23 . A system for evaluating the motion of a moveable object relative to a reference object comprising:
 (a) a locating device to locate the position of said reference object within a three-dimensional coordinate system having first, second, and third positional coordinates such that the position of said reference object is characterized by respective values of said first, second, and third positional coordinates;   (b) a display having at least two visual indicators, each indicator being configured as an array of selectively switchable display elements;   (c) a switch control connected to a first one of said indicators and configured to selectively switch at least one of said display elements of said first one of said indicators to indicate, at a critical position of said moveable object, a first offset between said moveable object and said reference object along a first one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates; and   (d) said switch control being connected to a second one of said indicators and configured to selectively switch at least one of said display elements of said second one of said indicators to indicate, at said critical position of said moveable object, a second offset between said moveable object and said reference object along a second one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates; and   (e) said first and second one of said indicators being disposed in generally coplanar arrangement such that the respective arrays of said first and second one of said indicators extend generally in oblique directions relative to each other.   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein said first and second offsets represent a side-to-side displacement and a vertical displacement, respectively, substantially parallel to and substantially perpendicular to, respectively, said coplanar arrangement of said indicators. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein said switch control is configured to selectively switch only one of said display elements in the respective array of each of said first and second one of said indicators to indicate said first and second offset, respectively. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 23  wherein said switch control is connected to a third one of said indicators and configured to selectively switch at least one of said display elements of said third one of said indicators to indicate, in the vicinity of said critical position, a dynamic property of said moveable object within said three-dimensional coordinate system. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein said switch control is configured to selectively switch only one of said display elements of either of said first and second indicators to indicate either of said first and second offsets and more than one of said display elements of said third indicator to indicate said dynamic property of said moveable object. 
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 26  wherein said first, second, and third one of said indicators are disposed in generally coplanar arrangement such that the respective arrays of said first and second one of said indicators are substantially linear for visually signifying either of said offsets and the array of said third one of said indicators is substantially curvilinear for visually signifying said dynamic property.