Golf aid including heads up display for green reading

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9694269-B2
Application number	US-201414291200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A golf aid for assisting a user in reading a green includes a user tracking system to determine the location of a user on a golf course, a heads up display, and a processor. The heads up display is configured to be worn on the user's head, and to display an image within a field of view of the user. The processor is in communication with the user tracking system and with the heads up display, and maintains a representation of a topology for each of a plurality of golf greens, receives an indication of the location of the user from the user tracking system, identifies one of the plurality of golf greens that is the closest to the user, and displays a representation of the topology within the field of view of the user via the heads up display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A golf aid for assisting a user in reading a green on a golf course, the golf aid comprising:
a user tracking system configured to determine the location of the user on the golf course;
a heads up display configured to be worn on the user's head, the heads up display having a display screen with a transparent display area configured to display an image within a field of view of the user when worn; and
a processor in communication with the user tracking system and the heads up display, the processor being configured to:
maintain a representation of a topology for each of a plurality of golf greens;
receive an indication of the location of the user from the user tracking system;
identify one of the plurality of golf greens that is closest to the user; and
direct the heads up display to display a representation of the topology of the identified one of the plurality of golf greens over the identified golf green as the identified golf green is visible through the transparent display area of the display screen within the field of view of the user.

2. The golf aid of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine a position of the heads up display relative to the identified one of the plurality of golf greens;
construct a perspective view of the topology of the identified one of the plurality of golf greens at the determined position of the heads up display; and
wherein the displayed representation of the topology includes the constructed perspective view of the topology.

3. The golf aid of claim 2 , further comprising a camera adjacent to the heads up display and configured to capture an image including at least a portion of the user's field of view,
wherein the processor determines the position of the heads up display relative to the identified one of the plurality of golf greens by:
receiving the image from the camera; and
identifying the position of one or more objects within the received image.

4. The golf aid of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
synchronize the perspective view of the topology with a portion of the identified one of the plurality of golf greens that is within the field of view of the user; and
display the synchronized perspective view of the topology via the heads up display such that the synchronized perspective view of the topology is coincident with the portion of the identified one of the plurality of golf greens that is within the field of view of the user.

5. The golf aid of claim 4 , wherein the displayed synchronized perspective view of the topology includes a grid.

6. The golf aid of claim 1 , wherein the displayed representation of the topology includes a plurality of arrows aligned with a gradient of the topology or an indicator that translates in a direction that is aligned with the gradient, or both.

7. The golf aid of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive an indication of the location of a golf hole provided on the one of the plurality of golf greens;
determine a trajectory between the location of the user and the location of the golf hole according to the topology of the identified one of the plurality of golf greens; and
display the determined trajectory via the heads up display.

8. The golf aid of claim 7 , wherein the displayed trajectory includes a line displayed within the field of view of the user such that it is perceived to extend from the location of the user to the golf hole.

9. The golf aid of claim 1 , further comprising a headgear component configured to be worn on the user's head, the heads up display being attached to the headgear component and configured to be worn in front of the user's eyes.

10. The golf aid of claim 9 , wherein the user tracking system and the processor are mounted inside the headgear component.

11. The golf aid of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface in communication with the processor, the user interface having one or more input devices configured to receive user inputs and transmit control signals indicative thereof to the processor.

12. A non-transitory, computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for execution by a processor of an electronic golf aid system, the golf aid system including a headgear component with a heads up display in communication with the processor and attached to the headgear component, the heads up display having a display screen with a transparent display area, the instructions causing the golf aid system to perform steps comprising:
maintaining a representation of a topology for each of a plurality of golf greens;
determining a location of a user on a golf course;
identifying one of the plurality of golf greens that is closest to the user from the determined location of the user;
displaying a representation of the topology of the identified one of the plurality of golf greens over the identified golf green as the identified golf green is visible through the transparent display area of the display screen within the field of view of the user, the headgear component being configured to be worn on the user's head, and the transparent display area of the heads up display being configured to display an image within a field of view of the user when worn.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising instructions for causing the processor to perform the steps of:
determining a position of the heads up display relative to the identified one of the plurality of golf greens;
constructing a perspective view of the topology of the identified one of the plurality of golf greens at the determined position of the heads up display; and
wherein the displayed representation of the topology includes the constructed perspective view of the topology.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein determining the position of the heads up display relative to the identified one of the plurality of golf greens includes:
receiving an image of at least a portion of the user's field of view from a camera adjacent to the heads up display in communication with the processor; and
identifying the position of one or more objects within the received image.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for causing the processor to perform the steps of:
synchronizing the perspective view of the topology with a portion of the identified one of the plurality of golf greens that is within the field of view of the user; and
displaying the synchronized perspective view of the topology via the heads up display such that the synchronized perspective view of the topology is coincident with the portion of the identified one of the plurality of golf greens that is within the field of view of the user.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the displayed synchronized perspective view of the topology includes a grid.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the displayed representation of the topology includes a plurality of arrows aligned with a gradient of the topology or an indicator that translates in a direction that is aligned with the gradient, or both.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising instructions for causing the processor to perform the steps of:
receiving an indication of the location of a golf hole provided on the one of the plurality of golf greens;
determining a trajectory between the location of the user and the location of the golf hole according to the topology of the identified one of the plurality of golf

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Leech Nicholas A
• Wallans Michael

Classifications

• A63B2220/30

  Speed · CPC title

• A63B43/00

  Balls with special arrangements · CPC title

• A63B71/0619

  Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills · CPC title

• A63B2071/0691

  Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps · CPC title

• A63B2220/806

  Video cameras · CPC title