Patent · US Expired

Opto-electric golf club swing sensing system having vertically offset sensors

US5718639A · kind A · utility

37Cited by
31References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 5, 1995
Grant dateFeb 17, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 5, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA63F2300/8011
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A video golf swing sensing system responsive to a user swinging a golf club provides inputs to a video golf game operating on a personal computer having a monitor, a microprocessor, and a serial port. The sensing system is mounted on a pad and includes linear arrays of photodetectors and LED for detecting a club head parameter by sensing light reflected off the club head. A microcontroller processes the parameter data into a form 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 to provide the golf game information to determine a corresponding ball path in the video game. The arrays are recessed beneath a shield to facilitate reflection of light from the sources to the detectors within openings in the shield while excluding external light.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.