Training device for ball striking activities

Abstract

In response to detecting a sound when a ball is contacted, a training device presents a visual indicator selected from at least two visual indicators. The visual indicator is presented for a display duration. After an elapsed time after the visual indicator is presented for the display duration, a confirmation indicator is presented identifying the visual indicator. As a result, the training device can be used without a coach or trainer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a visual indicator device controllable to display a plurality of visual indicators;   an audio detector configured to detect sound resulting from contact with a ball;   electronics connected to the audio detector and the visual indicator device, the electronics configured to:
 display, for a display duration, a selected visual indicator of the visual indicators in response to the audio detector detecting the sound, and 
 present a confirmation indicator after the display duration, the confirmation indicator identifying the selected visual indicator. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation indicator is the selected visual indicator. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ball is a golf ball and the contact is contact of a golf club with the golf ball. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator device comprises a plurality of electrical lights capable of emitting different colored light in accordance with a control signal, the electronics configured to provide the control signal to select at least one of the plurality of lights to generate the selected visual indicator. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of lights is a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs). 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator device comprises a multi-colored light emitting diode (LED). 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics comprise a processor. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation indicator is one of the plurality of visual indicators. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator device is controllable to present a light having a color of at least two colors. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the selected visual indicator is presentation of light having a selected color of the at least two colors and the confirmation indicator is presentation of the light having the selected color. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics are configured to present the confirmation indicator in response to the expiration of a timer. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics are configured to present the confirmation indicator in response to receipt of a user input. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 detecting sound resulting from contact with a ball;   presenting a visual indicator for a display duration in response to detecting the sound; and   presenting a confirmation indicator after the display duration, the confirmation indicator identifying the selected visual indicator.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 selecting the visual indicator from a plurality of visual indicators.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of visual indicators comprises a plurality of colored lights. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the displaying the visual indicator comprises providing a control signal to at least one electrical light capable of emitting a colored light. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of colored lights are generated by at least one light emitting diode (LED). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of colored lights are generated by a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the confirmation indicator is the visual indicator. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the visual indicator is presentation of a selected colored light selected from at least two colors. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the confirmation indicator is presentation of the selected color light. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining a timer has expired, wherein the confirmation indicator is presented in response to detecting the timer has expired. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising detecting a user input, wherein the confirmation indicator is presented in response to detecting the user input. 
     
     
         24 . A program product comprising:
 computer-executable logic contained on a computer-readable medium and configured for causing the following computer-executed steps to occur:
 detecting sound resulting from contact with a ball; 
 presenting a visual indicator for a display duration in response to detecting the sound; and 
 presenting a confirmation indicator after the display duration, the confirmation indicator identifying the selected visual indicator. 
   
     
     
         25 . The program product of  claim 24 , computer-executable logic further configured for causing the following computer-executed step to occur:
 selecting the visual indicator from a plurality of visual indicators.   
     
     
         26 . The program product of  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of visual indicators comprises a plurality of colored lights. 
     
     
         27 . The program product of  claim 26 , wherein the displaying the visual indicator comprises providing a control signal to at least one electrical light capable of emitting a colored light. 
     
     
         28 . The program product of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of colored lights are generated by at least one light emitting diode (LED). 
     
     
         29 . The program product of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of colored lights are generated by a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs). 
     
     
         30 . The program product of  claim 24 , wherein the confirmation indicator is the visual indicator. 
     
     
         31 . The program product of  claim 24 , wherein the visual indicator is presentation of a selected colored light selected from at least two colors. 
     
     
         32 . The program product of  claim 30 , wherein the confirmation indicator is presentation of the selected color light. 
     
     
         33 . The program product of  claim 24 , computer-executable logic further configured for causing the following computer-executed step to occur:
 determining a timer has expired, wherein the confirmation indicator is presented in response to detecting the timer has expired.   
     
     
         34 . The program product of  claim 24 , computer-executable logic further configured for causing the following computer-executed step to occur:
 detecting a user input, wherein the confirmation indicator is presented in response to detecting the user input.