Method and electronic device for identifying golf swings and tracking statistics during a golf round

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12290738-B2
Application number	US-202318389156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2023
Priority date	Jun 16, 2014
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

A system and method for automatically identifying a golf swing without any active participation on the part of the golfer is disclosed. The application program stored on and operating from an electronic device system uses data from a gyroscope and accelerometer to identify the golf swing. The system also automatically keeps statistics about the golfer's round of golf based on the GPS location of the identified swings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein, for use in identifying when a golfer takes a real golf swing as opposed to a practice golf swing during a game of golf, the computer-program product including:
instructions for receiving digital data representing a plurality of golf swings performed by the golfer prior to the game of golf;
instructions for receiving electronic approval of the golf swings from the golfer;
instructions for receiving data from a gyroscope and an accelerometer disposed within the electronic device when the golfer takes a golf swing during the game of golf and only after receiving electronic approval from the golfer;
instructions for electronically comparing the received data for the golf swing taken during the game of golf against the digital data that was approved by the golfer; and
instructions for counting the golf swing as a real golf swing during a current game of golf where the received data matches or is within a predetermined threshold or percentage of one of the golf swings represented by the digital data previously received and approved by the golfer.

2. The computer-program product of claim 1 wherein the instructions for receiving digital includes:
instructions for electronically prompting the golfer to take a plurality of golf swings;
instructions for electronically recording the readings or data from the gyroscope and accelerometer before, during and after each golf swing to measure a rotation of the electronic device along an x, y and z-axis and a magnitude of g-force acceleration exerted on the electronic device during each golf swing; and
instructions for electronically saving the readings or data from the golf swings to an electronic file of a memory component.

3. The computer-program product of claim 2 wherein the instructions for electronically prompting includes instructions for prompting the golfer to take a plurality of full golf swings, a plurality of chip shot golf swings and a plurality of putting golf swings.

4. The computer-program product of claim 2 wherein the instructions for receiving electronic approval includes instructions for electronically querying the golfer to indicate either yes or no or an equivalent thereto as to whether the plurality of golf swings are acceptable to the golfer and instructions for electronically receiving either (I) an affirmative response from the golfer or (II) a negative response from the golfer.

5. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein, for recording a golfer's golf swings during a round of golf, the computer-program product including:
instructions for receiving GPS coordinates for a specific golf course while the golfer is at the specific golf course but prior to the golfer beginning a game of golf at the specific golf course;
instructions for automatically and electronically determining a specific golf course based on the GPS coordinates received prior to the golfer beginning a game of golf at the specific golf course;
instructions for comparing measurements obtained from a gyroscope contained within the electronic device for golf swings taken by the golfer during the game of golf to previously stored measurements from the gyroscope representing real golf swings by the golfer taken prior to beginning the game of golf;
when a match is determined from comparing measurements, instructions for electronically recording that a potential golf shot has been taken by the golfer; and
instructions for determining whether to count the potential golf shot as an actual golf shot for a round of golf that the golfer is currently participating in.

6. The computer-program product of claim 5 further including instructions for electronically obtaining a current location for the golfer on the golf course from location data received from a GPS unit contained within the electronic device.

7. The computer-program product of claim 5 wherein the instructions for receiving GPS coordinates and the instructions for automatically and electronically determining a specific golf course include:
instructions for receiving GPS location data for the golfer from a GPS unit contained within the electronic device;
instructions for electronically contacting a server to search an indexed database of known golf courses with the GPS location data; and
instructions for electronically receiving electronic information from the server identifying a specific golf course associated with the GPS location data.

8. The computer-program product of claim 7 further including instructions for electronically querying the golfer to ask if the specific golf course identified by the server is the golf course that the golfer is currently playing on or about to play on and instructions for electronically receiving an affirmative response from the golfer.

9. The computer-program product of claim 5 wherein the step for determining whether to count the potential golf shot includes:
instructions for detecting whether or not there are any other potential golf shots within a predetermined time or distance from the potential golf shot,
if there are no other potential golf shots are detected, instructions for automatically recording the potential golf shot as an actual golf shot taken by the golfer for the current round of golf; or
within the predetermined time or distance from the potential golf shot, if one or more other potential golf shots were detected, instructions for automatically recording the latest golf shot in time as the actual golf shot taken by the golfer for the current round of golf.

10. The computer-program product of claim 9 further including:
instructions for electronically obtaining a current location of a golf ball from an actual recorded golf shot from location data received from a GPS unit contained within the electronic device;
instructions for electronically adding information regarding the actual golf shot to a previously saved score and previously saved statistics for the golfer for the current round of golf resulting in an updated score and updated statistics; and
instructions for electronically saving the updated score and updated statistics to an electronic file of a memory component by the application program.

11. The computer-program product of claim 10 further including instructions for electronically determining if the current round of golf has ended by the application program.

12. The computer-program product of claim 11 wherein the instructions for electronically determining if the current round of golf has ended include instructions for electronically determining when no further potential shots have been detected by the application program within a predetermined time after an actual golf shot has been recorded at a final hole for the golf course.

13. The computer-program product of claim 12 further including instructions for calculating one or more golf statistics based on GPS golfer shot locations for the current round of golf.

14. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein, for recording a golfer's golf swings during a round of golf and determining golf statistics for the golfer, said computer-program product inc

Assignees

• Collateral Opportunities Llc

Inventors

• Mccartin Michael

Classifications

• G06V40/23

  Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training · CPC title

• G09B19/0038

  Sports · CPC title

• A63B71/0669 Primary

  Score-keepers or score display devices · CPC title

• G06Q10/0639 Primary

  Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations · CPC title