Methods and systems for analyzing the motion of sporting equipment

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for analyzing the motion of a sporting equipment, such as a golf club, a baseball bat, a hockey stick, a football or a tennis racquet, for example. The systems comprises a motion sensing system in communications with the sporting equipment to measure motion parameters, wherein the motion sensing system has at least one at least one accelerometer or at least one gyroscope, and a command station having a data acquisition system to process the measured motion parameters and produce data. The motion sensing system may be located on the sporting equipment or, optionally, within the sporting equipment. The systems and methods described herein can be used to determine the impact location of the sporting equipment with another object, the force of the sporting equipment, the velocity of the sporting equipment and/or the angular orientation of the sporting equipment during a motion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An instrumented golf club system comprising: 
 an instrumented golf club, the instrumented golf club comprising 
 a club head and a shaft attached to the club head,  
 at least one sensor disposed on or within the golf club, the at least one sensor capable of measuring data related to the club head or the shaft during a golf swing, and,  
 an internal memory device capable of receiving and storing data from the at least one sensor, the internal memory device disposed on or within the golf club;  
   a computer for processing the data from the internal memory device; and,    a mechanism capable of providing communication between the instrumented golf club and the computer;    wherein the club further comprises a first contact mateable with the mechanism for electronically communicating data from the instrumented golf club to the computer.    
     
     
         2 . The instrumented golf club system according to  claim 1 , wherein the internal memory device is a read/write memory, the read/write memory capable of continually recording data when the instrumented golf club is in an operative state, and capable of capturing data both prior to and following an impact event.  
     
     
         3 . An instrumented golf club system comprising: 
 an instrumented golf club, the instrumented golf club comprising 
 a club head and a shaft attached to the club head,  
 at least one sensor disposed on or within the golf club, the at least one sensor capable of measuring data related to the club head or the shaft during a golf swing, and,  
 an internal memory device capable of receiving and storing data from the at least one sensor, the internal memory device disposed on or within the golf club;  
   a computer for processing the data from the internal memory device; and,    a mechanism capable of providing communication between the instrumented golf club and the computer;    wherein the club further comprises a first contact and the mechanism is capable of providing external power to the instrumented golf club via the first contact.    
     
     
         4 . A method for measuring and storing golf swing data, the method comprising: 
 placing an instrumented golf club into an operative state;    recording data from at least one sensor disposed within or on the instrumented golf club, the data recorded to an internal memory device disposed on or within the instrumented golf club;    sensing a first impact event by the instrumented golf club;    saving data to the internal memory device for a first predetermined period of time prior to the first impact event and a second predetermined period of time following the first impact event;    connecting the instrumented golf club with an external mechanism wherein the instrumented golf club comprises a first contact and the external mechanism is mateably adapted for communication between the instrumented golf club and the computer; and,    communicating the data from the internal memory device of the instrumented golf club to a computer via the mechanism.    
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the internal memory device continually records data in increments.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one sensor is a first angular rate sensor, the first angular rate sensor capable of directly measuring an angular rotation rate at a predetermined location on or within the instrumented golf club.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising recording data from a plurality of sensors to the internal memory device.  
     
     
         8 . A method for measuring, storing, transferring and presenting golf swing data, the method comprising: 
 placing an instrumented golf club into an operative state;    recording data from at least one sensor disposed within or on the instrumented golf club, the data recorded to an internal memory device disposed on or within the instrumented golf club;    sensing a first impact event by the instrumented golf club;    saving data to the internal memory device for a first predetermined period of time prior to the first impact event and a second predetermined period of time following the first impact event;    connecting the instrumented golf club in communication with an external mechanism capable of transferring data from the instrumented golf club to a computer wherein the instrumented golf club comprises a first contact and the external mechanism is mateably adapted for communication between the instrumented golf club and the computer;    processing the data in the computer; and,    presenting the data in a visual format.    
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising manipulating the data to transform the data into a graphical representation of a predetermined portion of a golfer's actual recorded golf swing.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising manipulating the data to transform the data into a graphical representation of a golf club head traveling through a golf ball impact region.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one sensor is a first angular rate sensor, the first angular rate sensor capable of directly measuring an angular rotation rate at a predetermined location on or within the instrumented golf club.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising recording data from a plurality of sensors to the internal memory device.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one strain sensor and at least one acceleration sensor.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the internal memory device is a read/write memory, the read/write memory capable of continually recording data when the instrumented golf club is in an operative state, and capable of capturing data both prior to and following an impact event.  
     
     
         15 . An instrumented golf club comprising: 
 a club head and a shaft attached to the club head;    an angular rate sensor disposed within the golf club, the angular rate sensor capable of measuring data related to the rotation rate of the shaft during a golf swing; and,    an internal memory device capable of receiving and storing data from the at least one sensor, the internal memory device disposed on or within the golf club.    
     
     
         16 . An instrumented golf club comprising: 
 a club head and a shaft attached to the club head;    at least one sensor disposed on or within the golf club, the at least one sensor capable of measuring data related to the rotation rate of the shaft during a golf swing; and,    an internal memory device capable of receiving and storing data from the at least one sensor, the internal memory device disposed on or within the golf club, wherein the internal memory device is read/write memory capable of recording data when the instrumented golf club is in an operative state, and capable of capturing data both prior to and following an impact event and continuously storing such data.    
     
     
         17 . The instrumented golf club according to  claim 16 , wherein the read/write memory is capable of continually recording data in increments.  
     
     
         18 . The instrumented golf club according to  claim 16 , wherein the read/write memory is capable of continually recording data in increments.  
     
     
         19 . The instrumented golf club according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one sensor is an accelerometer.  
     
     
         20 . The instrumented golf club according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one sensor is a first angular rate sensor, the first angular rate sensor capable of directly measuring an angular rotation rate at a predetermined location on or within the instrumented golf club.  
     
     
         21 . The instrumented golf club according to  claim 15 , further comprising an internal cavity within the club head wherein the internal cavity houses a first circuit, the first circuit comprising a first electronic element.  
     
     
         22 . An instrumented golf club comprising: 
 at least one angular rate sensor disposed on or within the instrumented golf club, the at least one angular rate sensor capable of directly measuring an angular rotation rate of the shaft of the instrumented golf club; and,    a memory device capable of receiving and storing data from the at least one angular rate sensor.    
     
     
         23 . An instrumented golf club system comprising: 
 a club head and a shaft attached to the club head, an angular rate sensor disposed within the club, the at least one sensor capable of measuring data related to the rotation rate of the club during a golf swing, an internal memory device capable of receiving and storing data from the at least one sensor, the internal memory device disposed within the club;    a computer for processing the data from the internal memory device; and,    an interface mechanism capable of providing communication between the instrumented golf club and the computer.    
     
     
         24 . The instrumented golf club system according to  claim 23 , wherein the internal memory device is a read/write memory, the read/write memory capable of continually recording data when the instrumented golf club is in an operative state, and capable of capturing data both prior to and following an impact event.  
     
     
         25 . The instrumented golf club system according to  claim 23 , wherein the angular rate sensor is capable of directly measuring an angular rotation rate at a predetermined location within the instrumented golf club.  
     
     
         26 . The instrumented golf club system according to  claim 23 , wherein the read/write memory is capable of continually recording data in increments.  
     
     
         27 . A method for measuring and storing golf swing data, the method comprising: 
 placing an instrumented golf club into an operative state;    recording data from at least one sensor disposed within or on the instrumented golf club, the data recorded to an internal memory device disposed within the instrumented golf club;    sensing a first impact event by the instrumented golf club; and,    saving data to the internal memory device for a first predetermined period of time prior to the first impact event and a second predetermined period of time following the first impact event.    
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the internal memory device records data in increments.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the at least one sensor is a first angular rate sensor, the first angular rate sensor capable of directly measuring an angular rotation rate at a predetermined location on or within the instrumented golf club.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 connecting the instrumented golf club to a mechanism; and,    communicating the data from the internal memory device of the instrumented golf club to a computer via the mechanism.    
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 27 , further comprising recording data from a plurality of sensors to the internal memory device.  
     
     
         32 . An instrumented golf club system comprising: 
 a shaft having a hollow interior, an angular rate sensor disposed within a hollow interior of the club, the angular rate sensor capable of measuring data related to the shaft during a golf swing, a power supply disposed within the hollow interior of the shaft, an electronic circuit disposed within the hollow interior for the shaft, the electronic circuit board having a memory circuit, a power control circuit, and a communication circuit;    a club head secured to the shaft, the club head having a hollow interior, a plurality of accelerometers disposed within the hollow interior of the club head;    a computer for processing the data from the electronic circuit; and,    a mechanism capable of providing communication between the instrumented golf club and the computer.    
     
     
         33 . The instrumented golf club according to  claim 33  further comprising means for the connecting the mechanism to the electronic circuitry for transferring data from the electronic circuit to the computer.