Patent ID: 7744482
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. A golf putting swing analysis system for analyzing the swing of a golf club, the system comprising: a first substantially planar surface adapted to be placed on a surface on which a user of the system is standing during use of the system, the first surface having a bottom side to be placed against the surface on which the user is standing, a top side opposite the bottom side, a backswing end, a foreswing end opposite the backswing end, a front edge adjacent to which the user is standing during use of the system, a back edge opposite the front edge, a golf ball target area, and a plurality of indicator lights mounted in the top side adjacent the foreswing end; a second substantially planar surface affixed to and substantially perpendicular to the first surface, the second surface having a front side facing the user during use of the system, a back side opposite the front side, a backswing end, a foreswing end opposite the backswing end, a bottom edge, and a top edge opposite the bottom edge, the bottom edge of the second surface being affixed to the back edge of the first surface; a plurality of sensors comprising first, second, and third pairs of emitters and corresponding receivers configured for detecting movement of a golf club head as the user swings the golf club above the first surface, the first pair comprising a first top side sensor element and a corresponding first front side sensor element, the second pair comprising a second top side sensor element and a corresponding second front side sensor element, the third pair comprising a third top side sensor element and a corresponding third front side sensor element, the first, second, and third top side sensor elements being mounted in the top side of the first surface, the corresponding first, second, and third front side sensor elements being mounted in the front side of the second surface, the first, second, and third top side sensor elements being arranged in a triangular configuration between the target area and the backswing end, the first and second top side sensor elements being mounted equidistant from the target area and equidistant from an imaginary line that bisects the target area and is substantially parallel to the front edge, the third top side sensor element being mounted on the imaginary line and being closer to the first edge than are the first and second top side sensor elements, the first, second, and third front side sensor elements being mounted in a mirror-image arrangement to the corresponding first, second, and third top side sensor elements; a display element; and a controller configured for receiving a signal from the plurality of sensors when any of the pairs of the plurality of sensors detect movement of the golf club head, the controller further configured for determining, based on the received signals, a timing of the movement of the golf club head and an angle of the golf club head relative to the imaginary line as the user swings the golf club head, the controller further configured for determining an anticipated distance a golf ball would travel based on the determined timing, the controller further configured for determining an anticipated direction in which a golf ball would travel based on the determined angle, the controller further configured for causing the display element to display the determined distance, the controller further configured for causing the plurality of indicator lights to indicate the determined direction.