Systems and methods for integrating measurements captured during a golf swing

Abstract

The present embodiments provide systems and methods for aggregating measurements captured by different technologies during a golf swing. By capturing measurements using different technologies, more accurate measurements may be provided to a user by selecting from the measurements, offsetting measurements based on the technologies used, and aligning measurements between devices. Further, by aggregating measurements received from different devices, additional features and functionality may be provided to the user that is absent from any one device used alone. Additionally, by storing the aggregated measurements, users, club fitters and instructors may access and leverage larger databases of measurements to better understand the user's golf swing and to provide better recommendations and instruction to the user.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for integrating golf club and golf ball characteristics captured during a golf swing, the system comprising:
 an optical launch monitor configured to capture optical golf club characteristics and optical golf ball characteristics during the golf swing;   a motion sensor configured to capture motion-based golf club characteristics during the golf swing; and   a host computer communicatively coupled to the optical launch monitor and the motion sensor, the host computer configured to:
 receive the motion-based golf club characteristics from the motion sensor; 
 receive the optical golf club characteristics and the optical golf ball characteristics from the optical launch monitor; 
 select a subset of characteristics from the optical golf club characteristics, the optical golf ball characteristics, and the motion-based golf club characteristics; and 
 combine the subset characteristics into an integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the host computer is configured to select the subset of characteristics based on an accuracy metric for each of the optical golf club characteristics, each of the optical golf ball characteristics, and each of the motion-based golf club characteristics. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the host computer is configured to combine the subset characteristics by applying a correction coefficient to one or more of the optical golf club characteristics, the optical golf ball characteristics, and the motion-based golf club characteristics. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the host computer is configured to provide the integrated golf club and golf ball characteristics for display to a user. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a radar launch monitor configured to capture radar golf club characteristics and radar golf ball characteristics during the golf swing.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the host computer is configured to select the subset of characteristics based on an accuracy metric for each of the optical golf club characteristics, each of the optical golf ball characteristics, each of the radar golf club characteristics, each of the radar golf ball characteristics, and each of the motion-based golf club characteristics. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the host computer is configured to provide, based on the integrated golf club and golf ball characteristics, a recommendation for display to a user. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the recommendation is a golf club fitting recommendation. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the recommendation is a golf swing technique recommendation. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a camera configured to capture imagery during the golf swing,   wherein the host computer is configured to provide the integrated golf club and golf ball characteristics and imagery for display to a user.   
     
     
         11 . A method of integrating golf club and golf ball characteristics captured during a golf swing, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a golf club sensor, golf club characteristics captured during the golf swing;   receiving, from a golf ball launch monitor, golf ball characteristics captured during the golf swing;   integrating the received golf club and golf ball characteristics; and   transmitting, to a user device, the integrated golf club and golf ball characteristics.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the golf ball launch monitor, golf club characteristics captured during the golf swing,   wherein integrating the received golf club and golf ball characteristics comprises selecting a subset of golf club characteristics from the received golf club from the golf club sensor and the golf ball launch monitor.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the golf ball launch monitor is a first golf ball launch monitor,
 wherein the method further comprises receiving, from a second golf ball launch monitor, golf ball characteristics captured during the golf swing, and   wherein integrating the received golf club and golf ball characteristics comprises applying an offset to the golf ball characteristics received from the second golf ball launch monitor for comparison with the golf ball characteristics received from the first golf ball launch monitor.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 recommending a golf club specification based on the integrated golf club and golf ball characteristics.   
     
     
         15 . A system for integrating golf club and golf ball characteristics captured during a golf swing, the system comprising:
 a server computer, the server computer communicably coupled to one or more input sources and to one or more user interface devices, the server computer configured to:
 receive, from the one or more input sources, golf club characteristics captured during the golf swing; 
 receive, from the one or more input sources, golf ball characteristics captured during the golf swing; 
 store the received golf club and golf ball characteristics; 
 select a subset of received golf club and golf ball characteristics; and 
 transmit, to the one or more user devices, the selected subset of received golf club and golf ball characteristics. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more input sources comprise:
 an optical launch monitor configured to capture optical golf ball characteristics during the golf swing; and   a motion sensor configured to capture motion-based golf club characteristics during the golf swing.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more input sources comprise:
 a radar launch monitor configured to capture radar golf ball characteristics during the golf swing; and   a motion sensor configured to capture motion-based golf club characteristics during the golf swing.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the server configured to:
 receive, from the one or more input sources, golf swing characteristics captured during the golf swing.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more input sources comprise:
 a camera configured to capture video during the golf swing.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the camera is a camera of the one or more user interface devices.