GOLF AIMING AND ADDRESS ASSISTING DEVICE AND ADDRESS METHOD USING THE SAME

Abstract

A golf aiming and address assisting device and a golf address method. The device includes a body attached to a golfer's body; a CPU installed in the body to calculate, compare and process input information; a motion sensor connected to the CPU and including a 3-axis gyroscope sensor and a 3-axis accelerator sensor to measure a current forward orientation value of the golfer, a speaker connected to the CPU to output a sound outwardly from the body; a main button installed to the body to set a target orientation value by a pressing operation of a user; and a battery installed in the body to supply a power to each component.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a golf address assisting device, and, more particularly, to a golf aiming and address assisting device which can allow golfers to take an address position in a direction accurately perpendicular to an intended travel direction of a golf ball at address, and a golf address method using the same.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Golfers take an address position before hitting a golf ball. The address position refers to a standby alignment posture in which a golfer is in position and is ready to play a stroke, that is, the golfer is standing over a golf ball with his club grounded, in position to start his swing.

[0003] If a golfer hits a shot at a good address position, there is a high probability that the golf ball travels in an intended direction. Therefore, golfers employ various methods for taking the good address position. In general, the good address position refers to body alignment in which a front of the golfer relative to the golf ball is perpendicular to an imaginary ball-target line.

[0004] Even though the golfer draws an imaginary target line and then takes the address position toward the target line, the forward direction of the golfer and the target line do not form a right angle due to an optical illusion or an inherent habit of the golfer. This address position has a bad effect on the direction of the golf ball.

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, Korea Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0011779 discloses an address assisting device. The address assisting device has an inconvenience in use since the golfer should operate a control knob to set a target direction.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

[0006] Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems occurring in the related art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf aiming and address assisting device capable of allowing a golfer to easily verify a correct address position, as well as being convenience in use.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf address method using a golf aiming and address assisting device which can allow a golfer to easily take a correct address position at all times.

Technical Solution

[0008] To accomplish the above-mentioned object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a golf aiming and address assisting device including: a body which is configured to be attached to a golfer's body; a CPU which is installed in the body to calculate, compare and process input information; a motion sensor which is connected to the CPU and includes a 3-axis gyroscope sensor and a 3-axis accelerator sensor to measure a current forward orientation value of the golfer; a speaker which is connected to the CPU to output a sound outwardly from the body; a main button which is installed to the body to set a target orientation value by a pressing operation of a user; and a battery which is installed in the body to supply a power to each component, wherein the CPU corrects a drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor caused by turning of the golfer's body by a measured value of by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor to calculate the current forward orientation value, and the CPU compares the target orientation value and the current orientation value, and outputs different sound to make a distinction between a case where the current orientation value is within a range of the target orientation value and a case where the current orientation value is out of the range of the target orientation value, thereby informing the golfer of accuracy of an address position.

[0009] When the golfer's body turns, the 3-axis gyroscope sensor measures a turning angle of the body, and simultaneously, the 3-axis accelerometer sensor measures a turning speed of the body. The CPU corrects the drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor which is accumulated due to a turning acceleration difference of the golfer's body, by an acceleration value measured by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, thereby calculating the current forward orientation value of the golfer.

[0010] The motion sensor further includes a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor, and the CPU compares the orientation value of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor which is corrected by the measured value of the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, with an orientation value measured by the 3-axis geomagnetic sensor to correct the corrected orientation value of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor.

[0011] The golf aiming and address assisting device further includes a volume control button which is installed to a side of the body to control an output of the speaker.

[0012] The golf aiming and address assisting device further includes a USB charging port which is installed to a lower end of the body to charge the battery through an external power; and a red LED which is installed to the body, wherein when the battery is charging, the red LED is turned on, and when the charging is finished, the red LED is turned off.

[0013] The golf aiming and address assisting device further includes a blue LED which is installed to the body. If the main button is pressed down during a set time or less, the power is supplied from the battery to the respective components, and the blue LED is turned on, and if the main button is pressed down during the set time or more, the supply of the power is interrupted.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a golf address method using a golf aiming and address assisting device including a body which is configured to be put on a golfer's body and has a main button, a motion sensor which is configured to measure a current forward orientation value in real time, and a CPU, the method comprising the steps of: (a) after the golfer stands behind a golf ball, aligning a front of the body with a target direction while watching the target direction for travel of the golf ball; (b) pressing the main button to set a target orientation value; (c) turning the body toward an aiming direction, and taking an address position; (d) reading the current forward orientation value of the golfer's body in real time by the CPU, comparing a target orientation value with the current orientation value, and outputting a different sound to make a distinction between a case where the current orientation value is within a range of the target orientation value and a case where the current orientation value is out of the range of the target orientation value; and (e) swing a golf club by the golfer.

Advantageous Effects

[0015] With the golf aiming and address assisting device and the address method according to the present invention, the target orientation value of the golfer is automatically calculated, and when the golfer takes the address position, the current orientation value of the golfer is read in real time and is compared with the target orientation value, thereby notifying the golfer of the correct or incorrect address position and thus allowing the golfer to easily take the correct address position.

[0016] Things golfer has to do will be completed only by pressing the main button once while watching the target direction. The golf aiming and address assisting device calculates and compares the data to notify the golfer of the accuracy of the address position, thereby increasing the user convenience.

[0017] The motion sensor of the present invention consists of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor and the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, and the CPU corrects the drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor by the orientation value measured by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor to highly maintain the orientation value measured by the 3-axis gyroscope sensor. Therefore, the golfer can take the correct address position.

[0018] Alternatively, the motion sensor of the present invention may consist of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor, the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, and the 3-axis geomagnetic sensor, and the CPU corrects the drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor by the orientation value measured by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, and again compares the corrected orientation value of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor with the value measured by the 3-axis geomagnetic sensor to improve the accuracy of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor. Therefore, the golfer can take the further correct address position.

[0019] When the golf aiming and address assisting device according to the present invention is put on the golfer's body, an inclined state of the golf aiming and address assisting device is corrected by a vertical value, and then the motion sensor measures the orientation value, thereby preventing the error from being caused and thus allowing the golfer to take the further correct address position.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a golf aiming and address assisting device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 in FIG. 1.

[0022] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 in FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a control state of the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 in FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 5 a flowchart illustrating a golf address method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a golfer watches a target direction, and aligns his body with the target direction y.

[0026] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a golfer takes an address position.

MODE FOR INVENTION

[0027] The objects, features and advantageous effects as stated above will be obvious through the following embodiments of the present invention, which will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] The special configurations and functional descriptions are merely exemplary for describing the embodiments according to the present invention, and further the embodiments of the present invention may be replaced by various modifications, and thus should not be construed as limiting thereto.

[0029] In the specification and the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same components.

[0030] It also should be understood that when it is stated that one component is "connected" or "coupled" to another component, even though the one component may be directly connected or coupled to the another component, but there may be other components between them.

[0031] However, it has to be understood that when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component, there is no intermediate component between them.

[0032] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting to the embodiments. As used herein, unless otherwise defined, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well.

[0033] Unless the context indicates otherwise, it will be further understood that the terms "comprising" and/or "having" when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, parts or combination thereof.

[0034] Hereinafter, a golf aiming and address assisting device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a golf aiming and address assisting device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a body 10, a CPU 22, a motion sensor 29, a speaker 26, blue and red LEDs 28a and 28b, a main button 11, a volume control button 12, and a battery 25.

[0036] The body 10 has a casing 10a and a cover 10b which is engaged to the casing 10a, and a space is formed in the body 11 by engagement of the casing 10a and the cover 10b.

[0037] The casing 10a is provided at a rear side thereof with a fixing clip 15 for attaching the device to a human body of a golfer. The present invention is not limited to the fixing clip 15, and any configuration capable of fixing the device to any part of the human body, for example, a golfer's waist can be applied.

[0038] A center of the cover is provided with a main switch 11.

[0039] The CPU 22 is built in the body. Specifically, the CPU 22 may be realized by a CPU chip, and may be mounted on a PCB 21 installed in the body 10.

[0040] The CPU 22 is connected to each component, and receives a signal from the respective components to control the respective components by sending a signal thereto and perform various operating and comparing functions.

[0041] The motion sensor 29 is connected to the CPU 22, and recognizes a forward orientation value which is an orienting direction of the golfer. That is, the motion sensor recognizes the orientation value of the orientation of the golfer's body toward the forward in real time, and sends it to the CPU 22. The motion sensor 29 is preferably installed on the PCB 21, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the motion sensor may be installed to an inner surface of the body 10.

[0042] The motion sensor 29 of the present invention consists of a 3-axis gyroscope sensor and a 3-axis accelerometer sensor. In this instance, the CPU 22 corrects a drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor caused by turning of the golfer's body by a measured value of the 3-axis accelerometer sensor to calculate the current forward orientation value.

[0043] The drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor refers to a phenomenon in that if the golfer takes an address position while wearing the device 1 according to the present invention, when the golfer's body turns from side to side, a left turning speed is different from a right turning speed, and a cumulative error is produced in the measured value of the 3-axis gyroscope as the turning time of the golfer's body is prolonged. The drift error is an inherent characteristic included in the 3-axis gyroscope sensor.

[0044] The CPU 22 of the present invention corrects the drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor by the measured value of the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, thereby correctly calculating the current forward orientation value of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor.

[0045] Specifically, when the golfer's body turns, the 3-axis gyroscope sensor measures a turning angle of the body, and simultaneously, the 3-axis accelerometer sensor measures the turning speed of the body. The CPU 22 of the present invention corrects the drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor which is accumulated due to the turning acceleration difference of the golfer's body, by an acceleration value measured by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, thereby calculating the current forward orientation value of the golfer.

[0046] Alternatively, the motion sensor 29 of the present invention may further have a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor, in addition to the 3-axis gyroscope sensor and the 3-axis accelerometer sensor. The CPU 22 corrects the cumulative drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor to accurately calculate the current forward orientation value, and compares the calculated orientation value with the orientation value measured by the 3-axis geomagnetic sensor to correct the calculated orientation value, thereby calculating the more accurate current forward orientation value.

[0047] The speaker 26 is installed on a rear upper surface of the PCB 21, as shown in FIG. 3, and is connected to the CPU 22 so as to be controlled by the CPU. If the address position of the golfer, i.e., the front of the golfer's body, is within the range of the target orientation value, the speaker outputs an audio to notify the golfer of taking the correct address position. For example, if the golfer takes the address position in the left relative to the target orientation value, the speaker outputs a low beep. If the golfer takes the address position in the right relative to the target orientation value, the speaker outputs a high beep. If the golfer takes the address position with the range of the target orientation value, the speaker outputs a ding or any sound, like perfect aiming, thereby allowing the golfer to verify that he takes the correct address position.

[0048] The blue LED 28a and the red LED 28b are respectively installed to a front lower portion of the PCB 21. In this instance, the blue LED 28a and the red LED 28b are installed to be opposite to a plurality of holes 11a formed in the lower portion of the main button 11. If the blue LED 28a and the red LED 28b are turned on, the light emitting from the LEDs is shown from the exterior through the plurality of holes 11a of the main button 11. The red LED 28b of the present invention is turned on when the battery 25 is charging, but is turned off when the charge of the battery is completed. The blue LED 28a is turned on when the main button 11 is pressed down to apply the power to the respective components, thereby notifying the user of an available state. The blue LED 28a and the red LED 28b are connected to the CPU 22 so as to be controlled by the CPU.

[0049] The main button 11 is a button capable of turning the power on or off and to set the current orientation value of the golfer relative to the target direction. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the main button is formed to be extended in a vertical direction, and protrudes slightly from the center of the cover 10b of the body 10 toward the front, so that the user can push the main button. The main button 11 is configured to push the main switch 23 provided on the front lower portion of the PCB by the pushing operation thereof. The main switch 23 is electrically connected to the CPU 22. According to the present invention, if the user quickly pushes the main button 11 down during a set time or less, for example, 2 seconds or less, the power is supplied from the battery 25 to the respective components, so that the device is in a standby mode. The CPU 22 reads the current orientation value at that time to calculate and store the target orientation value. Meanwhile, if the user holds the main button 11 down during the set time, for example, 2 seconds or more, the supply of the power is interrupted.

[0050] In this embodiment, the main button 11 is configured to turn the power on or off and to allow the CPU 22 to recognize the timing of reading the orientation value of the current target direction, but the power button may be separately provided.

[0051] The volume control button 12 is installed to a side of the body 10 at a position opposite to volume control switches 24 and 25 which are provided on the PCB 12. The volume control switches 24 and 25 are pressed down by the pushing operation of the volume control button 12m thereby controlling the output of the speaker 26.

[0052] Alternatively, a memory (not shown) may be installed on the PCB 21 to store various data calculated by the CPU 22, that is, the orientation value, the target orientation value, and so forth.

[0053] The battery 25 is installed to the rear surface of the PCB 21 to supply the power to the respective components. A lower end of the rear surface of the PCB 21 is provided with a USB charging port 27 for charging the battery 25. The charging port 27 is exposed outwardly from a charging port insertion tube 13 which is formed at the lower end of the casing 10a. Accordingly, if a separate USB charging cable is fitted into the charging port 27 to supply the external power, the battery 25 is charged. When the battery 27 is charging, the CPU 22 turns the red LED 28b on, and when the charging is finished, the CPU 22 turns the red LED 28b off. According to this embodiment, the battery 27 can be charged for about 1 hour.

[0054] An addressing method using the golf aiming and address assisting device 1, which has been described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7.

[0055] Before taking the address position, the golfer can put the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 on any part of the waist or an upper half of the body by use of the fixing clip 15.

[0056] Then, after the golfer stands behind the ball 33, the front of the body is aligned with the target direction while watching a target direction x for travel of the golf ball 33 in the state in which he puts the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 (step S1), while holding a golf club 31 with his hands, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0057] The golfer 30 pushes the main button 11 down to set the target orientation value (step S2). Specifically, if the golfer 30 quickly pushes the main button 11 down, the power is supplied from the battery 25 to the respective components under the control of the CPU 22, and the blue LED 28a is turned on. The speaker 26 outputs the sound "READY". Also, the CPU 22 calculates the target orientation value by the orientation value measured by the motion sensor 29. The target orientation value is the range of about 86 degrees and about 93 degrees of the orientation vale recognized when the main button 1 is pressed down. The range of about 86 degrees and about 93 degrees is adjustable depending upon the address position. A vertical orientation value, that is, about 90 degrees of the recognized orientation value, is preferable.

[0058] Then, the golfer 30 turns his body toward the aiming direction, and takes the address position with his club being grounded, as illustrated in FIG. 7 (step S3).

[0059] The orientation value of the front of the golfer's body is read in real time by the CPU 22 through the motion sensor 29. The CPU 22 compares the target orientation value with the current orientation value of the golfer 30 which is read in real time (step S4).

[0060] If the current orientation value of the golfer 30 is out of the range of the target orientation value, for example, if the current orientation value is biased toward the left relative to the target orientation value, the CPU controls the speaker 26 to output the low beep. If the 22 current orientation value is biased toward the right relative to the target orientation value, the CPU 22 controls the speaker 26 to output the high beep. Also, if the current orientation value is within the range of the target orientation value, the CPU 22 controls the speaker to output the ding or the sound "PERFECT AIMING".

[0061] If the ding or the sound "PERFECT AIMING", the golfer 30 recognizes that his address position is correct to accurately swing the golf club, and can swing the golf club with confidence (step S5).

[0062] Therefore, with the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 and the address method according to the present invention, the target orientation value of the golfer is automatically calculated, and when the golfer 30 takes the address position, the current orientation value of the golfer is read in real time and is compared with the target orientation value, thereby notifying the golfer of the correct or incorrect address position and thus allowing the golfer to easily take the correct address position.

[0063] Things golfer has to do will be completed only by pressing the main button 11 once while watching the target direction. The golf aiming and address assisting device 1 calculates and compares the data to notify the golfer of the accuracy of the address position, thereby increasing the user convenience.

[0064] The motion sensor 29 of the present invention consists of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor and the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, and the CPU 22 corrects the drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor by the orientation value measured by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor to highly maintain the orientation value measured by the 3-axis gyroscope sensor. Therefore, the golfer can take the correct address position.

[0065] Alternatively, the motion sensor 29 of the present invention may consist of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor, the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, and the 3-axis geomagnetic sensor, and the CPU 22 corrects the drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor by the orientation value measured by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, and again compares the corrected orientation value of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor with the value measured by the 3-axis geomagnetic sensor to improve the accuracy of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor. Therefore, the golfer can take the further correct address position.

[0066] In the case where the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 according to the present invention is put on the waist of the golfer 30, a slope of the motion sensor 29 may be varied depending upon a physical feature of the golfer 30, for example, a potbellied golfer. If the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 is put on the golfer 30 in an inclined state, an error may be caused in the measured orientation value by the inclined motion sensor 29.

[0067] In order to compensate the above drawback, if the main button 11 is pressed down, the CPU 22 corrects the inclined state of the PCB 21 by a vertical value, and the motion sensor 29 measures the orientation value. Therefore, the orientation value is corrected in advance in view of the error, thereby preventing the error from being caused.

[0068] In addition, the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 according to the present invention may be configured so that if the current orientation value is within the range of the target orientation value, the CPU 22 controls the speaker 26 to output the ding or the sound "PERFECT AIMING", and then automatically turns the power of the battery off. Also, the golf aiming and address assisting device 1 according to the present invention may be configured so that if one minute passes after the main button 11 is pressed and then the power is turned on, irrespective of taking the address position, the power is automatically turned off.

[0069] While the golf aiming and address assisting device and the golf address method using the same according to the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0070] The present invention can be applied to the industry of golf supplies.

Claims

1. A golf aiming and address assisting device comprising: a body which is configured to be attached to a golfer's body; a CPU which is installed in the body to calculate, compare and process input information; a motion sensor which is connected to the CPU and includes a 3-axis gyroscope sensor and a 3-axis accelerator sensor to measure a current forward orientation value of the golfer; a speaker which is connected to the CPU to output a sound outwardly from the body; a main button which is installed to the body to set a target orientation value by a pressing operation of a user; and a battery which is installed in the body to supply a power to each component, wherein the CPU corrects a drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor caused by turning of the golfer's body by a measured value of by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor to calculate the current forward orientation value, and the CPU compares the target orientation value and the current orientation value, and outputs different sound to make a distinction between a case where the current orientation value is within a range of the target orientation value and a case where the current orientation value is out of the range of the target orientation value, thereby informing the golfer of accuracy of an address position.

2. The golf aiming and address assisting device according to claim 1, wherein when the golfer's body turns, the 3-axis gyroscope sensor measures a turning angle of the body, and simultaneously, the 3-axis accelerometer sensor measures a turning speed of the body, and the CPU corrects the drift error of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor which is accumulated due to a turning acceleration difference of the golfer's body, by an acceleration value measured by the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, thereby calculating the current forward orientation value of the golfer.

3. The golf aiming and address assisting device according to claim 2, wherein the motion sensor further includes a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor, and the CPU compares the orientation value of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor which is corrected by the measured value of the 3-axis accelerometer sensor, with an orientation value measured by the 3-axis geomagnetic sensor to correct the corrected orientation value of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor.

4. The golf aiming and address assisting device according to claim 1, further comprising a volume control button which is installed to a side of the body to control an output of the speaker.

5. The golf aiming and address assisting device according to claim 1, further comprising a USB charging port which is installed to a lower end of the body to charge the battery through an external power; and a red LED which is installed to the body, wherein when the battery is charging, the red LED is turned on, and when the charging is finished, the red LED is turned off.

6. The golf aiming and address assisting device according to claim 5, further comprising a blue LED which is installed to the body, wherein if the main button is pressed down during a set time or less, the power is supplied from the battery to the respective components, and the blue LED is turned on, and if the main button is pressed down during the set time or more, the supply of the power is interrupted.

7. A golf address method using a golf aiming and address assisting device including a body which is configured to be put on a golfer's body and has a main button, a motion sensor which is configured to measure a current forward orientation value in real time, and a CPU, the method comprising the steps of: (a) after the golfer stands behind a golf ball, aligning a front of the body with a target direction while watching the target direction for travel of the golf ball; (b) pressing the main button to set a target orientation value; (c) turning the body toward an aiming direction, and taking an address position; (d) reading the current forward orientation value of the golfer's body in real time by the CPU, comparing a target orientation value with the current orientation value, and outputting a different sound to make a distinction between a case where the current orientation value is within a range of the target orientation value and a case where the current orientation value is out of the range of the target orientation value; and (e) swing a golf club by the golfer.

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