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 golf club fitting system for integrating golf club and golf ball characteristics captured during a golf swing, the golf club fitting system comprising:
 an optical launch monitor positioned face-on to a golf ball to be struck by a golf club during a golf club fitting process and configured to capture optical golf club characteristics and optical golf ball characteristics during the golf swing;   a radar launch monitor configured to capture radar golf club characteristics and radar golf ball characteristics during the golf swing,
 wherein at least one characteristic of the optical golf club characteristics and the optical golf ball characteristics is the same as at least one characteristic of the radar golf club characteristics and the radar golf ball characteristics; and 
   a host computer communicatively coupled to the optical launch monitor and the radar launch monitor, the host computer configured to:
 receive the optical golf club characteristics and the optical golf ball characteristics from the optical launch monitor; 
 receive the radar golf club characteristics and the radar golf ball characteristics from the radar launch monitor; 
 select a subset of characteristics from the optical golf club characteristics, the optical golf ball characteristics, the radar golf club characteristics, and the radar golf ball characteristics;
 wherein, when selecting the subset of characteristics, the host computer is configured to give priority to one of the at least one characteristic of the optical golf club characteristics and the optical golf ball characteristics or the at least one characteristic of the radar golf club characteristics and the radar golf ball characteristics that are the same based on a predicted difference in accuracy of the optical launch monitor and the radar launch monitor; and 
 combine the subset of 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 provide the integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics for display to a user. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the host computer is configured to provide, based on the integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics, a recommendation for display to a user. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an optical input source configured to automatically capture sensed data corresponding with club specifications for a golf club used during the golf swing, the club specifications comprising: club head type, club head adapter configuration, and club head weight configuration; and
 wherein the host computer:
 is communicatively coupled to the optical input source, and 
 is further configured to receive and process the sensed data using image recognition to automatically identify the club specifications. 
 
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the host computer is configured to provide the integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics, the club specifications, and the recommendation for display to a user. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the fitting system is a standalone system configured to provide unattended users with club specifications. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the fitting system is an indoor fitting system and the optical launch monitor, radar launch monitor and optical input source are within an enclosed room and configured to capture characteristics captured during a golf swing within the room. 
     
     
         8 . 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 set of golf club and golf ball characteristics and imagery for display to a user.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the fitting system is a standalone system configured to provide users with fitting recommendations without a club fitter. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the fitting system is a standalone system configured to suggest club specifications to users. 
     
     
         11 . 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, and the optical golf ball characteristics. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an optical input source configured to automatically capture sensed data corresponding with identification data for a golf club used during the golf swing, the identification data comprising: club head type, club head adapter configuration, and club head weight configuration;
 wherein the golf club fitting system:
 is communicatively coupled to the optical input source, and 
 is further configured to receive and process the sensed data using image recognition to automatically identify the identification data; 
 
 wherein the club head type comprises at least one of a brand name, a model name, or a model number; 
 wherein the golf club fitting system is configured to provide the integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics, and the identification data, for display to a user; and 
 wherein the golf club fitting system is configured to display a fitting recommendation based on the integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics and the identification data. 
   
     
     
         13 . A golf club fitting system for integrating golf club and golf ball characteristics captured during a golf swing, the golf club fitting system comprising:
 an optical launch monitor positioned face-on to a golf ball to be struck by a golf club during a golf club fitting process and configured to capture optical golf club characteristics and optical golf ball characteristics during the golf swing;   a radar launch monitor configured to capture radar golf club characteristics and radar golf ball characteristics during the golf swing,
 wherein at least one characteristic of the optical golf club characteristics and the optical golf ball characteristics is the same as at least one characteristic of the radar golf club characteristics and the radar golf ball characteristics; and 
   a host computer communicatively coupled to the optical launch monitor and the radar launch monitor, the host computer configured to:
 receive the optical golf club characteristics and the optical golf ball characteristics from the optical launch monitor; 
 receive the radar golf club characteristics and the radar golf ball characteristics from the radar launch monitor; 
 select a subset of characteristics from the optical golf club characteristics, the optical golf ball characteristics, the radar golf club characteristics, and the radar golf ball characteristics;
 wherein, when selecting the subset of characteristics, the host computer is configured to adjust one of the at least one characteristic of the optical golf club characteristics and the optical golf ball characteristics or the at least one characteristic of the radar golf club characteristics and the radar golf ball characteristics that are the same based on a predicted difference in accuracy of the optical launch monitor and the radar launch monitor; and 
 
 combine the subset of characteristics into an integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the host computer is configured to combine the subset of characteristics by applying a correction coefficient to one or more of the optical golf club characteristics and/or the optical golf ball characteristics. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the host computer is configured to provide the integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics for display to a user. 
     
     
         16 . A golf club fitting system for integrating golf club and golf ball characteristics captured during a golf swing, the golf club fitting system comprising:
 an optical launch monitor positioned face-on to a golf ball to be struck by a golf club during a golf club fitting process and configured to capture optical golf club characteristics and optical golf ball characteristics during the golf swing;   a radar launch monitor configured to capture radar golf club characteristics and radar golf ball characteristics during the golf swing,
 wherein at least one characteristic of the optical golf club characteristics and the optical golf ball characteristics is the same as at least one characteristic of the radar golf club characteristics and the radar golf ball characteristics; 
   an optical input source configured to automatically capture sensed data corresponding with club specifications for a golf club used during the golf swing, the club specifications comprising: club head type, club head adapter configuration, and club head weight configuration; and   a host computer communicatively coupled to the optical launch monitor, the radar launch monitor, and the optical input source, the host computer configured to:
 receive and process the sensed data using image recognition to automatically identify the club specifications; 
 receive the optical golf club characteristics and the optical golf ball characteristics from the optical launch monitor; 
 receive the radar golf club characteristics and the radar golf ball characteristics from the radar launch monitor; 
 select a subset of characteristics from the optical golf club characteristics, the optical golf ball characteristics, the radar golf club characteristics, and the radar golf ball characteristics; and 
 combine the subset of characteristics and the club specifications into an integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a user input device, configured to receive user input data and to display the integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics to a user. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the user input device comprises a mobile device, and wherein the mobile device is further configured to display a fitting recommendation generated based at least in part on the subset of characteristics and the club specifications. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the user input device comprises a kiosk display co-located with the host computer, and configured to receive the subset of characteristics and the club specifications, and to display the integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics, along with a fitting recommendation generated based at least in part on the subset of characteristics and the club specifications. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the optical input source is a same input source as the optical launch monitor. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the host computer is configured to execute image recognition software comprising machine intelligence; and   the machine intelligence is trained to identify identification data on the golf club.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the system is configured to receive imagery of the golf club from a mobile device camera; and   the system is further configured to identify identification data on the golf club based on the received imagery and associate the identification data with the integrated set of golf club and golf ball characteristics.