Golf swing measurement and analysis system

Abstract

A golf club head includes a club face with at least one impact sensor, where the sensor has a passive piezoelectric element that is integrated into the club face, the passive piezoelectric element being able to generate a signal when an impact force is applied to the club face. The golf club head has an outer surface structure including an electrically conducting material, and a radio wave antenna system capable of transmitting data collected from electronics within the golf club head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a radio wave antenna system, said radio wave antenna system comprising a first electrically conducting element formed of an outer surface structure of said golf club head, and a second electrically conducting element located at a fixed position with respect to said outer surface of said golf club head so as to create a specified fixed spatial relationship between said first electrically conducting element and said second electrically conducting element, wherein said outer surface structure of said golf club head includes electrically conducting material, and an electrical port electrically connected with said first electrically conducting element and said second electrically conducting element;   wherein at least said fixed spatial relationship between said first electrically conducting element and said second electrically conducting element is selected to define an optimized electrical impedance characteristic of said electrical port for a specified frequency band such that a return loss is minimized within said specified frequency band, and to define a radiation pattern of said antenna system;   a club face having at least one impact sensor including a passive piezoelectric element within a non-conducting monolith layer, wherein said impact sensor is operable to generate an impact signal when an impact force is applied to the club face, and wherein the impact signal is generated during an entire duration of the impact force applied to the club face; and   a signal processing assembly operable to process signals, including at least one of sampling, digitizing, storing, formatting, and wireless transmission.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one electrically non-conducting object attached to said first electrically conducting element and said second electrically conducting element, wherein said at least one electrically non-conducting object has a specified dielectric constant, and wherein the at least one electrically non-conducting object holds said first electrically conducting element and said second electrically conducting element in said fixed spatial relationship.   
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said electrical port further comprises first and second electrical contact points, wherein the first electrical contact point is electrically connected with said first electrically conducting element, and wherein the second electrical contact point is electrically connected to said second electrical conducting element. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein a size of said second electrically conducting element, a shape of said outer surface of said golf club head, a shape of said second electrically conducting element, said spatial relationship between said first electrically conducting element and said second electrically conducting element, and material properties of said antenna system are selected together to define said optimized electrical impedance characteristic of said electrical port for said specified frequency band, and to define said radiation pattern of said antenna system. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one electrically non-conducting structure that has material properties that include transparency to radio wave signals and is adapted to attach to said outer surface structure and covers said second electrically conducting element and said at least one electrically non-conducting object to define a smooth outer surface of said golf club head configured to provide improved aerodynamic properties. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said signal processing assembly is electrically coupled to an acceleration measurement assembly comprising at least one acceleration sensor, wherein said acceleration measurement assembly is operable to measure acceleration in three separate orthogonal axes. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising a hosel that is selectively detachable from a golf club shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said signal processing assembly receives at least one signal indicative of an impact force between the club face and an object. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said signal processing assembly receives at least one signal indicative of characteristics of impact pressure forces experienced in a localized section of the club face. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said signal processing assembly receives at least one signal indicative of a spatial force profile across the club face's surface. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said signal processing assembly receives at least one signal indicative of a location of impact on the club face. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said signal processing assembly receives at least one signal indicative of the duration of impact on the club face. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said signal processing assembly receives at least one signal indicative of a dynamic time varying spatial force profile across the club face. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the passive piezoelectric element requires no electrical energy input to produce an electrical output.