System for determining performance characteristics of a golf swing
View Patent ↗An instrumented golf club system and methods are disclosed. A variety of golf swing parameters are measured by the instrumented golf club and wirelessly transmitted to a portable computer device. The portable computer device generates a user interface that displays the golf swing parameters against preferred golf swing parameters. The instrumented golf club system allows a golfer to receive feedback in real time while playing golf.
1. An instrumented golf club comprising:
a magnetic sensor module configured to detect a vector corresponding to the earth's magnetic field relative to a head of the golf club and to resolve the vector corresponding to the earth's magnetic field into a plurality of component vectors; and
an antenna that comprises a ferrule that connects the head of the golf club to a shaft of the golf club for wirelessly transmitting swing data related to the plurality of component vectors to a portable computer device.
2. The instrumented golf club of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises an anisotropic magnetoresistive device.
3. The instrumented golf club of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises a magnetoresistor device.
4. The instrumented golf club of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic sensor module is configured to a resolve the vector corresponding to the earth's magnetic field into three component vectors.
5. The instrumented golf club of claim 4 , wherein the three component vectors are substantially aligned with an x-axis, a y-axis and a z-axis, respectively.
6. The instrumented golf club of claim 5 , further comprising a processor configured to calculate at least one swing parameter by comparing component vectors of a first vector detected by the sensor module with component vectors of a second vector detected by the sensor module.
7. The instrumented golf club of claim 6 , wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises the processor.
8. The instrumented golf club of claim 7 , wherein golf swing parameter is selected from the group consisting of: club head speed, club face angle, swing path, and combinations thereof.
9. The instrumented golf club of claim 1 , wherein a weight of the magnetic sensor module does not change a balance or a location of a center of gravity of the club.
10. The instrumented golf club of claim 1 , further comprising a transmission module configured to wirelessly transmit golf swing data determined based on the plurality of component vectors.
11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor performs:
detecting a first vector from earth's magnetic field relative to a head of a golf club at a first time period;
resolving, from the first vector, a first plurality of component vectors;
detecting a second vector from earth's magnetic field relative to the head of the golf club at a second time period;
resolving, from the second vector, a second plurality of component vectors;
based upon the first plurality of component vectors and the second plurality of component vectors, determining at least one golf swing parameter; and
transmitting swing data related to the first plurality of component vectors and the second plurality of component vectors to a portable computer device using an antenna that comprises a ferrule that connects the head of the golf club to a shaft of the golf club.
12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein the at least one golf swing parameter is selected from the group consisting of: club head speed, club face angle, swing path, and combinations thereof.
13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , wherein at least an x-axis component vector and a y-axis component vector are resolved from each of the first vector and the second vector.
14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the at least one golf swing parameter comprises a club face angle, wherein the first time period is before a backswing of the golf club and the second time period is just prior to impact of the golf club with a golf ball.
15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14 , wherein the determining of the club face angle comprises determining that the club head rotated about 1 degree along the x-axis for each about 47.5 micro-Gauss difference between the x-axis component of the first vector and the x-axis component of the second vector.
16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14 , wherein the determining of the club face angle comprises determining that the club head rotated about 1 degree along the y-axis for each about 47.5 micro-Gauss difference between the y-axis component of the first vector and the y-axis component of the second vector.
17. A golf club comprising:
a shaft;
a club head operatively connected to the shaft;
a magnetic sensor module within the club head configured to resolve a vector corresponding to the earth's magnetic field into a plurality of component vectors; and
an antenna that comprises a ferrule that connects the club head to the shaft for wirelessly transmitting swing data related to the plurality of component vectors to a portable computer device.
18. The instrumented golf club of claim 17 , wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises an anisotropic magnetoresistive device, and wherein a weight of the magnetic sensor module does not change a balance or a location of a center of gravity of the club.
19. The instrumented golf club of claim 17 , wherein the magnetic sensor module comprises a magnetoresistor device, wherein a weight of the magnetic sensor module does not change a balance or a location of a center of gravity of the club.