Apparatus and method for virtual golf simulation

Abstract

Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for virtual golf simulation that is capable of providing various contents based on user history information of a user who has previously played golf through the virtual golf simulation apparatus during a virtual golf procedure through virtual golf simulation and enabling a user to play golf with the user, another user, or a virtual user acquired based on play information of a celebrity, thereby improving user convenience and inducing interest in virtual golf. The virtual golf simulation apparatus includes an image output unit for displaying a golf simulation image of a virtual golf course, a storage unit for storing user history information of a user who has played golf through the virtual golf simulation apparatus, and a controller for controlling at least one selected from a group consisting of a trajectory of a golf ball, a falling point of a golf ball, and a flight distance of a golf ball based on specific play information of the user history information to be displayed through the image output unit.

1 . A virtual golf simulation apparatus using user history information, comprising:
 an image output unit for displaying a golf simulation image of a virtual golf course;   a storage unit for storing user history information of a user who has played golf through the virtual golf simulation apparatus; and   a controller for controlling at least one selected from a group consisting of a trajectory of a golf ball, a falling point of a golf ball, and a flight distance of a golf ball based on specific play information of the user history information to be displayed through the image output unit.   
     
     
         2 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the trajectory of the golf ball is based on shot information of shots which the user had hit in a previous specific golf course. 
     
     
         3 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the trajectory of the golf ball is based on shot information of shots which another user had hit in a golf course in which the user is to play golf. 
     
     
         4 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the image output unit is configured to display a mini map having a downscaled image of the virtual golf course displayed in a predetermined region of the golf simulation image, and   the controller is configured to control the trajectory of the golf ball to be displayed in at least one of the golf simulation image and the mini map image.   
     
     
         5 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the image output unit is configured to display a mini map having a downscaled image of the virtual golf course displayed in a predetermined region of the golf simulation image, and   the controller is configured to control the trajectory of the golf ball to be displayed as the golf simulation image and to control the falling point of the golf ball to be displayed on the mini map.   
     
     
         6 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the trajectory of the golf ball is cumulatively displayed based on the number of shots which the user had hit in a specific golf course. 
     
     
         7 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a manipulation unit for allowing the user to manipulate specific information, wherein   the controller is configured to receive the user history information from an external system and to control the received user history information to be stored in the storage unit when the user logs into the virtual golf simulation apparatus or when the user manipulate the information through the manipulation unit.   
     
     
         8 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the storage unit is configured to store user play information and virtual user play information, and the controller is configured to control playing golf between a user and the virtual user performed through the virtual golf simulation apparatus based on the user play information and the virtual user play information.   
     
     
         9 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the virtual user is created based on golf play information which the user had played through the virtual golf simulation apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the virtual user is created based on golf play information which another user had played through the virtual golf simulation. apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the virtual user information is created by adding at least one of image information and voice information of the another user to the golf play information. 
     
     
         12 . The virtual golf simulation apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller controls real play image and voice information of the user through the virtual golf simulation apparatus and play image and voice information based on the stored virtual user play information to be output. 
     
     
         13 . A virtual golf simulation method using user history information, comprising:
 displaying a virtual golf play image and related information;   extracting specific play information of a user from a storage unit which stores the user history information of the user who had played golf through the virtual golf simulation apparatus; and   displaying at least one selected from a group consisting of a trajectory of a golf ball, a falling point of a golf ball, and a flight distance of a golf ball based on the extracted specific play information.   
     
     
         14 . The virtual golf simulation method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 allowing the user to access an external system through user login;   receiving user history information from the external system; and   storing the received user history information.   
     
     
         15 . The virtual golf simulation method according to  claim 13 , wherein the displaying step comprises displaying the trajectory of the golf ball based on shot information in a sequence of shots of a golf course among the user history information in correspondence to the sequence of the corresponding shots in the corresponding golf course in which the user is to play golf. 
     
     
         16 . A virtual golf simulation method for providing a game with a virtual user through a virtual golf simulation apparatus using user play information, comprising:
 loading play information of the virtual user according to selection of a user;   displaying a virtual golf play image and related information; and   controlling the virtual golf simulation apparatus to perform playing of golf between the user and the virtual user based on the loaded play information.   
     
     
         17 . The virtual golf simulation method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 allowing the user to access an external system through user login;   receiving play information of the virtual user from the external system; and   storing the received history information of the virtual user.   
     
     
         18 . The virtual golf simulation method according to  claim 17 , wherein the external system creates a virtual user based on the play information when the play information of the user who had played golf through the virtual golf simulation apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition.