Golf impact analysis systems and related methods

Abstract

Embodiments of golf impact analysis systems are described herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

1 . A system to analyze impact data at a portable electronic device, the impact data corresponding to one or more golf ball impacts at an impact sensor over a strike face of a golf club head, the system comprising:
 an impact analysis module configured to run on one or more processors, and further configured to:
 receive the impact data from the impact sensor, the impact data comprising:
 impact pressure data for the one or more golf ball impacts; and 
 at least one of:
 impact location data for the one or more golf ball impacts; or 
 impact duration data for the one or more golf ball impacts; 
 
 
 transform the impact pressure data into at least one of:
 impact force data; or 
 impact speed data; 
 
 generate impact information derived at least in part from the impact data; and 
 generate a report configured to present the impact information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one of the portable electronic device or the impact sensor;   wherein the report is configured to be displayed via a graphical user interface at the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the impact sensor;   wherein the impact sensor is external to the golf club head when coupled to the strike face.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the impact sensor comprises:
 a sensor array; and 
 a substrate layer coupled to the sensor array and configured to conform to a shape of the strike face of the golf club head when coupled thereto. 
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the sensor array comprises at least one of:
 a plurality of capacitive sensors; 
 a plurality of resistive sensors; or 
 a plurality of piezoelectric sensors; and 
   the substrate layer comprises at least one of:
 a conductive cloth material; or 
 a stretchable fabric. 
   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the impact sensor is attachable to and removable from the strike face of the golf club head.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to communicate with a communications module; and   the communications module is configured to receive the impact data from the impact sensor for the impact analysis module via an audio jack of the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the portable electronic device;   wherein:
 the portable electronic device comprises at least one of:
 a cellular phone, a portable media player, a handheld game console, or a portable digital assistant; and 
 
 the portable electronic device is configured to operate while located away from the golf club head during the one or more golf ball impacts and comprises:
 the impact analysis module; and 
 at least a portion of the one or more processors. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to:
 generate a swing advice based on the impact data; and 
 present the swing advice in the report. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to:
 access comparative swing information from a database module, the comparative swing information comprising at least one of:
 individual swing information from one or more individuals; 
 historical swing information for a user of the system based on previous impact data; or 
 target swing information for at least one of:
 a type of player; 
 a type of golf club; or 
 a type of swing; and 
 
 
 present at least a portion of the comparative swing information in the report. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to:
 analyze the impact data to provide an advice regarding a suggested type of golf club for a user of the system; 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to:
 analyze the impact data to provide an advice regarding at least one of:
 a suggested type of golf ball for the user; 
 a suggested type of training aid for the user; or 
 a suggested type of training plan for the user. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to generate at least one of:
 an location consistency rating derived from the impact location data for multiple ones of the one or more golf ball impacts; or 
 an force consistency rating derived from the impact pressure data for multiple ones of the one or more golf ball impacts. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to:
 generate a strike face image representative of the strike face of the golf club head; 
 generate one or more impact location markers for the one or more golf ball impacts based on the impact location data; 
 generate one or more impact pressure descriptors for the one or more golf ball impacts based on the impact pressure data; and 
 present the strike face image, the one or more impact location markers, and the one or more impact pressure descriptors in the report. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to analyze the impact pressure data and the impact location data to generate at least one of:
 a shot distance prediction; or 
 a shot deviation prediction. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to:
 generate shot simulation data from the impact data; and 
 transmit the shot simulation data to a digital display module for rendering as a motion image. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 the digital display module;   wherein the digital display module is external to the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 a portable electronic device; and   an impact sensor configured to be coupled to the portable electronic device;   wherein:
 the impact sensor is configured to be positioned over a strike face of a golf club head to sense impact data for one or more golf ball impacts over the strike face, the impact data comprising:
 impact pressure data for the one or more golf ball impacts; and 
 at least one of:
 impact location data for the one or more golf ball impacts; or 
 impact duration data for the one or more golf ball impacts; and 
 
 
 the portable electronic device comprises an impact analysis module configured to:
 calculate from the impact pressure data at least one of:
 impact force data; or 
 impact speed data; 
 
 generate impact information derived from the impact data; and 
 generate a report configured to present the impact information. 
 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the portable electronic device comprises at least one of:
 a cellular phone, a portable media player, a handheld game console, or a portable digital assistant; 
   the portable electronic device comprises:
 a digital display configured to display the report; and 
   the impact sensor comprises:
 a sensor array; 
 a substrate layer comprising the sensor array and configured to conform to a shape of the strike face of the golf club head when coupled thereto; and 
 an attachment mechanism configured to detachably couple the substrate layer to the strike face. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to:
 access comparative swing information from a database module, the comparative swing information comprising at least one of:
 individual swing information from one or more individuals; 
 historical swing information for a user of the system based on previous impact data; or 
 target swing information for at least one of:
 a type of player; 
 a type of golf club; or 
 a type of swing; 
 
 
 generate a swing advice based on the impact data; 
 present the swing advice in the report; and 
 present at least a portion of the comparative swing information in the report. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the impact analysis module is configured to:
 generate a strike face image representative of the strike face of the golf club head; 
 generate one or more impact location markers for the one or more golf ball impacts based on the impact location data; 
 generate one or more impact pressure descriptors for the one or more golf ball impacts based on the impact pressure data; and 
 present the strike face image, the one or more impact location markers, and the one or more impact pressure descriptors in the report. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the impact sensor is configured to wiredly couple to the portable electronic device;   the portable electronic device comprises at least one of:
 a cellular phone or a portable digital assistant; 
   the portable electronic device comprises:
 a digital display configured to display the report; 
   the impact sensor comprises:
 a sensor array; 
 a substrate layer comprising the sensor array and configured to conform to a shape of the strike face of the golf club head when coupled thereto; and 
 an attachment mechanism configured to detachably couple the substrate layer to the strike face; and 
   the impact analysis module is configured to:
 receive the impact data from the impact sensor via an audio jack of the portable electronic device; 
 access comparative swing information from a database module, the comparative swing information comprising at least one of:
 individual swing information from one or more individuals; 
 historical swing information for a user of the system based on previous impact data; or 
 target swing information for at least one of:
 a type of player; 
 a type of golf club; or 
 a type of swing; 
 
 
 generate a swing advice based on the impact data; 
 present the swing advice in the report; 
 present at least a portion of the comparative swing information in the report. generate a strike face image representative of the strike face of the golf club head; 
 generate one or more impact location markers at the strike face image for the one or more golf ball impacts based on the impact location data; 
 generate one or more impact pressure descriptors at the strike face image for the one or more golf ball impacts based on the impact pressure data; and 
 present the strike face image, the one or more impact location markers, and the one or more impact pressure descriptors in the report. 
   
     
     
         23 . A method for providing a golf ball impact analysis system, the method comprising:
 executing, at one or more processors of a portable electronic device, an impact analysis module with instructions for:
 receiving impact data from an impact sensor coupled to a strike face of a golf club head, the impact data comprising:
 impact pressure data for one or more golf ball impacts; and 
 at least one of:
 impact location data for the one or more golf ball impacts; or 
 impact duration data for the one or more golf ball impacts; 
 
 
 transforming the impact pressure data into at least one of:
 impact force data; or 
 impact speed data; 
 
 generating impact information derived from the impact data; and 
 generating a report configured to present the impact information. 
   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the report is configured to be displayed by a graphical user interface at a digital display of the portable electronic device; and   wherein the impact sensor is external to the golf club head when coupled to the golf club strike face.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 providing the impact sensor to be attachable to and removable from the strike face;   wherein providing the impact sensor comprises:
 providing a sensor array; and 
 providing a substrate layer coupled to the sensor array and configured to conform to a shape of the strike face of the golf club head when coupled thereto. 
   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 providing the portable electronic device;   wherein:
 providing the portable electronic device comprises:
 providing at least one of a cellular phone or a PDA; and 
 
 the portable electronic device is configured to operate while located away from the golf club head during the one or more golf ball impacts and comprises:
 the impact analysis module; and 
 at least a portion of the one or more processors.