Golf club with embedded inertial measurement unit and processing

Abstract

Golf clubs having an embedded inertial measurement unit and a corresponding microprocessor for determining the motion of the head of the golf club. Briefly described, one of a number of embodiments of a golf club comprises a 6DOF inertial measurement unit disposed within the head of the golf club and a microprocessor in communication with the 6DOF inertial measurement unit. The microprocessor is configured to receive data from the 6DOF inertial measurement unit and determine the motion of the head of the golf club.

1 . A golf club comprising: 
 a 6DOF inertial measurement unit disposed within the head of the golf club; and    a microprocessor in communication with the 6DOF inertial measurement unit, the microprocessor configured to receive data from the 6DOF inertial measurement unit and determine the translational and rotational motion of the head of the golf club.    
   
   
       2 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the head of the golf club comprises a putter head.  
   
   
       3 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the head of the golf club comprises one of an iron and a wood.  
   
   
       4 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine the motion of the head of the golf club using a Quaternion algorithm.  
   
   
       5 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine the motion of the head of the gold club using an Euler angle algorithm.  
   
   
       6 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a kinematic reference model stored in memory;    wherein the microprocessor is further configured to compare the motion of the head of the golf club to the kinematic reference model.    
   
   
       7 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club comprises a putter and the microprocessor is further configured to determine whether the head of the putter rotates beyond a certain threshold during a putting stroke.  
   
   
       8 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club comprises a putter and the microprocessor is further configured to determine whether, during a putting stroke, the head of the putter deviates from the target line by a predetermined threshold.  
   
   
       9 . The golf club of  claim 6 , wherein the golf club comprises a putter and the microprocessor is further configured to: 
 determine the acceleration of the head of the putter through impact of the ball; and    provide feedback based on the determined acceleration.    
   
   
       10 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising a feedback mechanism in communication with the microprocessor, the feedback mechanism configured to provide information to a user of the golf club based on the comparison of the motion of the head of the golf club and the kinematic reference model.  
   
   
       11 . The golf club of  claim 10 , wherein the feedback mechanism comprises a display.  
   
   
       12 . The golf club of  claim 10 , wherein the feedback mechanism employs an audio cue.  
   
   
       13 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising a distance/elevation calculation functionality comprising logic configured to determine the distance/elevation between a first position and a second position based on the movement of the head of the golf club from the first point to the second point.  
   
   
       14 . The golf club of  claim 13 , wherein the golf club is a putter and further comprising: 
 logic configured to determine, based on the movement of the head of the putter during a putting stroke, at least one of the following distances: the drawback distance of the head of the putter and the follow-through distance of the head of the putter; and    logic configured to compare at least one of the drawback distance and the follow-through distance to the travel distance of the ball struck by the head of the putter.    
   
   
       15 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the golf club comprises a putter and further comprising a Stimpmeter functionality comprising logic configured to calculate the “speed” of a green based on the impact velocity of the putter head and the resulting distance the golf ball travels on the green.  
   
   
       16 . The golf club of  claim 15 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to calculate an amount of “break” to be applied by a golfer based on an orientation of the face of the putter at address relative to a ball-to-hole line.  
   
   
       17 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to determine the motion of the head of the golf club by performing a gravity cancellation algorithm.  
   
   
       18 . The golf club of  claim 1 , further comprising a mode switching mechanism adapted to enable a user to select between a training mode in which the 6DOF inertial measurement unit and the microprocessor are engaged and a competition mode in which the 6DOF inertial management unit and the microprocessor are disengaged.  
   
   
       19 . The golf club of  claim 18 , wherein the mode selection device comprises a switch.  
   
   
       20 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the 6DOF inertial measurement unit and the microprocessor are rigidly fixed within the head of the golf club.  
   
   
       21 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the physical properties of the 6DOF inertial measurement unit, the microprocessor, and the head of the golf club comply with rules of golf promulgated by the United States Golf Association and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.  
   
   
       22 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to initialize an inertial reference frame using a gravity vector.