Opto-electric golf club swing sensing system and method
US5472205A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 20, 1994 |
| Grant date | Dec 5, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 20, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63F2300/8011
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A video golf system responsive to a user swinging a golf club is described. The system includes a video golf game operating on a personal computer having a monitor, a microprocessor, and a serial port. A golf club swing sensing system is coupled to the personal computer through the serial port of the personal computer. The sensing system is mounted on a pad and includes a linear array of photodetectors for detecting a club head offset angle relative to a desired club head axis by sensing reflected light off the underside of the club head. An analog comparator coupled to each photodetector converts the offset to a digital format. A microcontroller samples the digital offset data and processes the data into a form of information required by the personal computer. An input cable coupled between an output of the microcontroller and the serial port transmits the information to the personal computer. The golf game is responsive to the information to determine a corresponding ball path used as an input to the video game.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.