Sway detector and sway detection program

Abstract

To provide a sway detector that enables a user to detect the occurrence of sway even in the middle of swing.SOLUTION: A sway detector 100 measures a movement of the head of a user while the user is performing swing, and at least in the middle of the measurement, performs predetermined output at the time when the movement of the head satisfies a predetermined criterion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sway detection device, a sway detection system, and a sway detection program for detecting the sway of a user who plays golf.

Background Art

[0002] In a golf swing, it is generally preferable to keep the position of the head fixed during the swing. That is, it is preferable that the head does not move up and down, left and right, or back and forth during a series of movements such as address, backswing, top, downswing, and impact. This is because in a golf swing, not moving the head up and down, left and right during the swing increases the meet rate and improves the accuracy of the shot.

[0003] However, among ordinary golfers whose shots are not stable, there are many cases where their own heads move during the swing, resulting in duffing, topping, or causing a hook, and as a result, the meet rate is lowered. However, it is difficult for oneself to notice that the head is moving during the swing, and if a habit of swaying during the swing is developed, it is very difficult to correct.

[0004] In addition, among ordinary golfers, there are users, such as women, who are not strong and play with a slight sway. However, if the sway is too large, it will still lead to a missed shot.

[0005] However, it is difficult for the person who is swinging to notice whether the head is moving during the swing, that is, whether there is a sway.

[0006] Therefore, usually, one of the following methods is used to confirm whether there is no sway during the swing: (1) swinging while looking at a mirror, (2) having a third party such as a lesson professional check the swing, or (3) shooting with a video camera and viewing the shooting result.

[0007] In addition, there is also a technology that supports the practice of golf swings by detecting sway. As an example of such a technology, for instance, the technology described in Patent Document 1 can be cited. The technology described in Patent Document 1 will be explained (see particularly FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1).

[0008] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, a light emitter 2 is attached to the user's head, and the position of the bright spot of this light emitter 2 is monitored by a position measuring device arranged inside a box 4. Thereby, it becomes possible to determine whether the position of the bright spot at the time of impact (that is, the position of the head at the time of impact) is deviated from the position of the bright spot at address (that is, the position of the head at address).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0009]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0010] It becomes possible to determine whether swaying is occurring or not by the above-described three general methods or the technology described in Patent Document 1 and the like.

[0011] However, there are various problems with these methods and technologies. They are, for example, the problems described below.

[0012] Regarding the method of (1) swinging while looking at the mirror as described above, a mirror that reflects the whole body is installed, and the place where golf swings can be made is limited. Also, as a practical matter, it is impossible to keep looking at the mirror while swinging while reproducing the normal form. Therefore, it remains unknown at what point during the swing swaying occurs.

[0013] Also, regarding the method of (2) having a third party such as a lesson pro check the swing as described above, the lesson pro is not always nearby. Also, even if there is a lesson pro, it is difficult for the lesson pro to discover swaying during the swing and point out the occurrence of swaying before the swing ends. Therefore, although advice can be received after the swing, it is not possible to know in real time the occurrence of swaying during the swing.

[0014] Furthermore, regarding the method of (3) photographing with a video camera and viewing the photographing result as described above, the photographing result is viewed after the swing ends, and it is not possible to know in real time the occurrence of swaying during the swing.

[0015] Also, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, only swaying at the time of impact can be determined, and swaying during the backswing and downswing cannot be detected. Therefore, it is unknown at which point during the series of movements of the swing swaying occurs. Also, even if swaying occurred during the swing, if the position of the head has returned at the time of impact, it is not known that swaying occurred during this swing itself.

[0016] Thus, no matter what method and technology are used, it was not possible to detect the occurrence of swaying during the swing.

[0017] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sway detection device, a sway detection system, and a sway detection program that enable a user to detect the occurrence of swaying even during the swing.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0018] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sway detection device that measures the movement of a user's head while the user is swinging, and performs a predetermined output at least when the movement of the head satisfies a predetermined criterion during the measurement.

[0019] The sway detection device provided according to the first aspect will be described. General techniques including Citation Document 1 have a configuration in which measurement is performed during swinging and the measurement result is output after the swinging ends. However, in the present invention, since the output is performed "at least when" the movement of the head satisfies a predetermined criterion "during the measurement", the output is performed even during the measurement of the swing, that is, during the swing. Therefore, it becomes possible to output where the head has moved during the swing operation and where there has been head movement. For example, it has an advantageous effect that it is possible to know at which stage of taking back from the address to the top position, from the top to the impact, and the subsequent follow-through, there has been head movement.

[0020] The measurement of the movement of the user's head may be performed, for example, by installing a measurement unit such as a sensor outside the user and observing the user from outside the user, for example. For example, the user may be observed with a camera, radar, etc. from the side, back, top, front, etc. of the user. In particular, it is preferable to install a measurement unit such as a sensor so as to directly observe the user's head. A further better configuration is a configuration in which a measurement unit for measuring the movement of the user's head is installed. This is because the movement of the user's head can be directly measured. In particular, it is preferable to provide an output unit for performing a predetermined output also on the head.

[0021] Also, according to a second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the predetermined output is performed in a detectable manner by the user during the swing.

[0022] The sway detection device provided from the above second aspect will be described. In general technologies including Citation Document 1, it is assumed that the measurement results are output after the swing ends. Therefore, the aspect of informing the user during the swing that the output has been made was lacking. In the invention of the present application, since the user during the swing can detect the output, the user can experience the problems of their own swing. Therefore, for example, in a practice range or the like, there is an advantageous effect that the swing can be corrected and confirmed even when alone. As a configuration, it is preferable to detect with at least one or more of the five senses of the user who is not restricted by the swing.

[0023] When the sway detection device detects a sway, it is preferable to output something from the sway detection device to the sensory organs of the user that are not restricted during the swing. For example, when the sway detection device detects a sway, it is preferable to output some sound from the sway detection device. This is because the user's hearing is not restricted by the swing, so the user can detect the output by the sound. Similarly, for example, when the sway detection device is attached to the user's ear or the like, when the sway detection device detects a sway, it is also good to make the sway detection device vibrate. This is because the tactile sensation of the user's ear is not restricted by the swing, so the user can detect the output by the vibration. Also, for example, it is good to combine the output of sound and vibration. This is because the user can more surely detect the output.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the predetermined output is performed each time the movement of the head satisfies a predetermined standard.

[0025] The sway detection device provided from the above third aspect will be described. The present invention detects sway during a swing and outputs a predetermined output. However, sway does not necessarily occur only once during a swing and may occur multiple times. If the output is performed only once in such a case, the sway occurring the second time and later cannot be detected (recognized). However, according to the present invention, as is clear from the description that it is performed "each time" satisfying a predetermined criterion, even if there are multiple sways, an output is performed each time a sway occurs, and the user can detect it each time.

[0026] Furthermore, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the predetermined criterion is a criterion related to any one of the position, speed, and acceleration related to the movement of the head or a combination of two or more of these.

[0027] The sway detection device provided from the above fourth aspect will be described. The present invention detects the occurrence of sway from various viewpoints by using the speed and acceleration as criteria as well. For example, if only the deviation of the position is used as a criterion and the speed and acceleration are also used as criteria, the occurrence of sway can be detected from various viewpoints. Thereby, for example, even if the position does not deviate so much, it is possible to detect a rapid sway with high speed or high acceleration. Thereby, the user can detect that a sway has occurred that should be the subject of correction by practice although the position does not deviate.

[0028] Furthermore, according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the predetermined criterion is determined and / or corrected based on the measurement results for past swings.

[0029] The swing detection device provided from the above fifth aspect will be described. There are individual differences in the degree of swing during swinging (for example, the amount of blur, speed, etc.). In the present invention, either or both of determination and correction of a predetermined standard are performed based on a measurement history that is a measurement result of past swings. At this time, by using the measurement history of the individual who uses the swing detection device, it becomes possible to determine an appropriate reference value according to the habit of this individual. As a result, it becomes easy to set a predetermined standard suitable for each individual.

[0030] Furthermore, according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to be characterized in that any selection of past swings is received from the user, and either or both of determination and correction of the predetermined standard are performed based on the measurement result of the selected past swing.

[0031] The sway detection device provided according to the sixth aspect described above will be explained. As described above, there are individual differences in the degree of sway. Therefore, it is necessary to determine and / or correct a predetermined standard for each individual user. However, it is preferable that there is some objective index for the user himself / herself to set this appropriately. Therefore, in the present invention, a certain specific swing performed in the past is selected, and a standard is set based on the measurement result of this selected swing. The user selects, for example, a swing that seems to have the longest flight distance among past swings, a swing that flew straight, or a swing that the user had checked by a third party such as an instructor and was judged to be appropriate. That is, based on the objective index for the user, such as the actual result given to the ball or the subjectivity of a third party, a swing that is considered ideal among the user's past swings is selected. Then, based on this selected swing, a predetermined standard is set. For example, by setting the measured value of the selected swing as a predetermined standard, it will be detected as sway when deviating from the movement at the time of the selected swing. As a result, it becomes possible to perform practice to reproduce this selected ideal swing. Further, for example, instead of or together with the swing considered to be ideal, a swing in which sway is considered to have occurred may also be selected. For example, it may be set to determine that a predetermined standard is satisfied between the amount of movement of the head of the swing selected as the swing considered to be ideal and the amount of movement of the head of the swing in which sway is considered to have occurred.

[0032] Furthermore, according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to determine and / or correct either or both of the predetermined conditions based on the input received from the user.

[0033] The sway detection device provided according to the seventh aspect described above will be explained. It becomes possible to allow the user to set an arbitrary standard. Also, the set standard can be corrected. As a result, for example, it becomes possible to use it as a standard for detecting sway according to the user's preference.

[0034] Furthermore, according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to determine whether or not the predetermined standard is satisfied based on any one or a combination of two or more of a measurement value related to the magnitude and direction of the head movement distance, a measurement value related to the magnitude and direction of the head movement speed, and a measurement value related to the magnitude and direction of the head movement acceleration.

[0035] The sway detection device provided by the above eighth aspect will be described. In the present invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which a determination regarding a predetermined condition is made using various measurement values. For example, it may be configured to determine that a predetermined standard is satisfied even if the amount of sway in the vertical direction is smaller than the amount of sway in the left - right direction. Thereby, from the perspective of swing practice, even if there is a sway that should be detected but cannot be detected based on a certain measurement value, it can be detected by using other measurement values.

[0036] Furthermore, according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to vary the predetermined standard depending on the direction in the three - dimensional space.

[0037] The sway detection device provided by the above ninth aspect will be described. For example, when the determination is made based on the magnitude of the movement distance, a certain degree of sway in the left - right direction may be tolerated, but a strict determination may be made for the sway in the vertical direction. For example, there is a methodology that it is better not to sway at all, but in this way, it can correspond to a methodology that tolerates a certain degree of sway in the right direction, for example. In this case, it is preferable to make the reference values different between the right direction and the left direction.

[0038] Furthermore, according to a tenth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to vary the predetermined standard between a certain point in time during the swing and other points in time other than the certain point in time.

[0039] In the sway detection device provided according to the above-described tenth aspect, it is possible to set different predetermined criteria during a series of swings. For example, since a relatively large sway is less likely to occur during the backswing at the beginning of the swing, the criteria may be set strictly. On the other hand, since a relatively large sway is likely to occur during the downswing, the criteria may be set leniently. It is preferable to adopt such a configuration for determination.

[0040] Furthermore, according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to accept an input from the user regarding at least any one of the type information of the club used by the user for the swing, the gender information of the user, and the physical build information of the user, and to vary the predetermined criteria based on the received information.

[0041] The sway detection device provided according to the above-described eleventh aspect will be described. When the club used for the swing, the gender of the user, the physical build of the user, etc. are different, the size of the sway tends to be different. Therefore, it is possible to input information such as the club used for the swing, the gender of the user, and the physical build of the user, and to set a predetermined criterion corresponding to the tendency.

[0042] Furthermore, according to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to set a plurality of the criteria and to make the content of the output different according to the satisfied criteria.

[0043] The sway detection device provided according to the above-described eleventh aspect will be described. By making the output different according to the criteria, the user who has detected the output can know which criterion has been satisfied and thus the sway has been detected. For example, it becomes possible to grasp whether the movement has been to the right, to the left, or at a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined speed.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the 13th aspect of the present invention, there may be provided a sway detection device including: a recording unit configured to record, in association with a measurement time, the movement of the user's head measured during the swing; and a display unit configured to display the movement of the head so that the movement of the head can be grasped along a time series during the swing based on the recording content of the recording unit.

[0045] The sway detection device provided according to the 13th aspect will be described. According to the present invention, it is possible to grasp the movement during the swing over time along the time series, rather than displaying only at a certain point during the swing. As a result, the user can grasp at which stage during the swing and how the sway occurs.

[0046] Furthermore, according to the 14th aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to start the measurement when a predetermined movement of the user is detected.

[0047] The sway detection device provided according to the 14th aspect will be described. By doing so, it is possible to prevent a situation where measurement is performed when it is not necessary.

[0048] Furthermore, according to the 15th aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to detect an impact based on either or both of the moving speed of the club used by the user for the swing and the moving speed of the ball hit by the club, and to end the measurement based on the detection of this impact.

[0049] The sway detection device provided according to the 15th aspect will be described. It is possible to automatically end the measurement based on the detection of the impact.

[0050] Furthermore, according to the 16th aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to reflect the microwave emitted from the Doppler sensor on either or both of the club and the ball, and to measure either or both of the moving speed of the club and the moving speed of the ball based on the frequency of the reflected wave.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the 17th aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the measurement be performed using an acceleration sensor.

[0052] Furthermore, according to the 18th aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the measurement be configured to be performed using an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the 19th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sway detection program characterized by causing a computer to function as the sway detection device provided by any one of the 1st to 18th aspects of the present invention.

[0054] The sway detection program provided by the 19th aspect will be described. Also by this program, it is possible to realize the sway detection device provided by any one of the 1st to 18th aspects of the present invention described above.

Advantages of the Invention

[0055] According to the present invention, it becomes possible for the user to detect that a sway has occurred during the swing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0056]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0057] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 1, the sway detection device 100 according to the present embodiment includes a sound output unit 101, an operation reception unit 102, an external connection unit 103, a vibration unit 104, a control unit 105, a sensor unit 106, a detection reference storage unit 107, and a measurement history storage unit 108.

[0059] The sway detection device 100 is a device that monitors the movement of a user by the sensor unit 106, detects that the user has swayed based on the monitoring result, and transmits the fact that the sway has been detected to the user. In the following description, as an example of the present embodiment, the sway detection device 100 is realized in the form of earphones or headphones. Then, the sway detection device 100 is worn and used on the ear of a user who performs a golf swing.

[0060] The sound output unit 101 outputs sound when a sway occurs based on the control of the control unit 105. The user can recognize that a sway has occurred by listening to the sound output from the sound output unit 101. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience of explanation, the sound output from the sound output unit 101 will be referred to as a "sway detection sound". The sound output unit 101 is realized by a sound output mechanism provided in general earphones.

[0061] The operation reception unit 102 is a part that receives operations from the user. The operation reception unit 102 receives operations such as turning on and off the power and adjusting the volume.

[0062] The external connection part 103 is an interface for the sway detection device 100 to connect to external devices. The sway detection device 100 is driven by a battery (not shown). And this battery receives power supply and is charged via the external connection part 103. Also, the external connection part 103 is used for data transmission and reception with external devices.

[0063] The vibration part 104 vibrates when a sway occurs based on the control of the control part 105. The user can recognize that a sway has occurred by feeling the vibration caused by the vibration part 104. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience of explanation, the vibration generated by the vibration part 104 is referred to as "sway detection vibration". The vibration part 104 is realized by, for example, a small motor.

[0064] The control part 105 is a control part that controls the entire sway detection device 100. By the control part 105 controlling other functional blocks, various processes described below are realized. Specifically, the control part 105 includes an arithmetic processing device. This arithmetic processing device performs arithmetic processing based on a program specific to this embodiment stored in the storage part included in the control part 105 or other storage parts, and controls each hardware based on the arithmetic result, whereby the sway detection device 100 is realized.

[0065] The sensor part 106 measures the movement of the user's head during swinging and outputs the measurement result to the control part 105. The sensor part 106 is realized by a sensor such as a gyroscope (also referred to as a gyro sensor) that measures the angle and each speed of the user's head, an acceleration sensor that measures the acceleration of the user's head, or a combination of these sensors.

[0066] The detection criterion storage unit 107 stores a "detection criterion", which is a predetermined criterion for the control unit 105 to determine that the sway of the user has occurred. When the measurement result of the sensor unit 106 satisfies this detection criterion, the control unit 105 determines that the sway of the user has occurred. The detection criterion can be arbitrarily set. For example, it can be a criterion based on the position, speed, and acceleration of the movement of the user's head.

[0067] The measurement history storage unit 108 stores the measurement results obtained by the sensor unit 106 as a "measurement history".

[0068] Note that specific examples of the measurement target by the sensor unit 106, specific examples of the detection criterion, and the usage method of the measurement history, etc. will be described later.

[0069] Subsequently, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2, the operation of this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0070] First, the operation reception unit 102 receives an instruction from the user to turn on the power or start the measurement. As a result, each part of the sway detection device 100 is activated, and the sensor unit 106 starts measuring the movement of the user's head (step S11).

[0071] When the measurement starts, the sensor unit 106 outputs the measurement results obtained by measuring the movement of the user's head to the control unit 105. Then, the control unit 105 inputs the measurement results output by the sensor unit 106, stores them in the RAM provided in the control unit 105, and compares the detection criterion stored in the detection criterion storage unit 107 with the input measurement results to determine whether the measurement results satisfy the detection criterion (step S12).

[0072] Here, if the measurement results satisfy the detection criterion (Yes in step S12), it proceeds to step S13.

[0073] In step S13, the control unit 105 instructs the sound output unit 101 to output a sway detection sound. Similarly, the control unit 105 instructs the vibration unit 104 to generate a sway detection vibration.

[0074] The sound output unit 101 outputs a sway detection sound to the user in response to the instruction. Also, the vibration unit 104 outputs a sway detection signal in response to the instruction (step S13). The user detects these sway detection sounds and sway detection vibrations with the sense of hearing, which is one of the five senses not restricted by the swing, and the sense of touch around the ears. As a result, the user can detect that the movement of their head has swayed.

[0075] On the other hand, if the measurement result does not meet the detection criteria (No in step S12), the process proceeds to step S14. Also, the process proceeds to step S14 even after step S13 ends.

[0076] In step S14, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the measurement in step S11. Here, the length of the predetermined time can be arbitrarily determined. For example, it should be long enough from the start of one swing until the end of this swing. For example, it can be set as the general time required for one swing or the time required for one series of swing practices. Also, the user may be able to select or specify the predetermined time. If the predetermined time has not elapsed (No in step S14), the determination in step S12 is performed again while continuing the measurement.

[0077] On the other hand, if the predetermined time has elapsed (Yes in step S14), the process proceeds to the process of step S15.

[0078] In step S15, the history of the measurement results stored in the RAM provided in the control unit 105 in step S12 is stored in the measurement history storage unit 108 as the measurement history. Specifically, the measurement content and measurement date and time for the user's current swing are associated and stored. Thereby, the operation of this embodiment ends.

[0079] Next, the effects of the present embodiment will be described.

[0080] In the present embodiment described above, output to the user is performed based on the detection of sway, and the user detects the output with the sense of hearing or the sense of touch around the ears, which are the five senses not restricted by the swing. As a result, the user can detect that the movement of his or her own head has swayed.

[0081] In addition, since the processes of step S12 and step S13 are performed without asking whether it is during the swing or not, the user can detect the occurrence of sway in real time even during the swing.

[0082] Furthermore, since the processes of step S12 and step S13 are performed as quickly as possible, the user can immediately detect the occurrence of sway at the moment when the sway during the swing occurs. Therefore, it becomes possible to know at which stage of one's own swing the sway has occurred. For example, it is possible to know at which stage of the swing, from the address to the take-back and up to the top position, or from the top to the impact and the subsequent follow-through, the sway has occurred. For example, the comparison between the input of the measurement result from the sensor unit 106 in step S12 and the detection standard may be configured to be repeatedly executed at least every several tens of milliseconds.

[0083] Next, as a modification of the above-described embodiment, a case where the upper device 200, which is an upper device connectable to the above-described sway detection device 100, and the above-described sway detection device 100 are connected and used will be described.

[0084] First, the functional blocks included in the upper device 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 3, the upper device 200 includes a display unit 201, an external connection unit 202, an operation reception unit 203, and a control unit 204.

[0086] The display unit 201 is a part that displays information to the user, and is realized by, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an organic EL (Organic Electro-Luminescence) display, or the like. Examples of the information displayed on the display unit 201 include a user interface that the user refers to when performing an operation, and a representation that enables the user to grasp the measurement history.

[0087] The external connection unit 202 is an interface for connecting the sway detection device 100 and the host device 200. The sway detection device 100 and the host device 200 transmit and receive data via the external connection unit 103 and the external connection unit 202.

[0088] The operation reception unit 203 is a part that receives operations from the user.

[0089] The control unit 204 is a control unit that controls the entire host device 200. By the control unit 204 controlling other functional blocks, various processes described below are realized. Specifically, the control unit 204 includes an arithmetic processing unit, and this arithmetic processing unit performs arithmetic processing based on a program specific to this embodiment stored in the control unit 204 or another storage unit, and controls each hardware based on the arithmetic result, whereby the host device 200 is realized.

[0090] Next, an example of the content displayed on the display unit 201 will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0091] In the measurement history storage unit 108 of the sway detection device 100, the position, velocity, acceleration, etc. of the head at each time point during the swing of past swings are stored as a measurement history in time series. The host device 200 acquires this measurement history from the sway detection device 100 via the external connection unit 103 and the external connection unit 202. Then, the movement of the user's head during the swing is displayed based on the measurement history.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 4, an image diagram representing the state of the user seen from above is displayed on the left side of the display unit 201. Then, on this image diagram representing the user, the movement of the user's head during swinging in each direction is displayed by an arrow. Also, the length of the arrow corresponds to the magnitude of the movement of the user's head. The length of the arrow in each direction may be determined, for example, by searching for a value indicating the maximum amount of movement from the reference position in the measurement history. The reference position may be the position when the club is held, and for example, it may be a position where there is no movement for a certain period of time in the history (a position within a predetermined small amount).

[0093] In this example, when the top of the user's head is at the center and the front of the user is on the upper side, it can be seen that the user's head moves most significantly in the direction from the center to the right side. Also, it can be seen that the user's head did not move in the directions of diagonally right front or diagonally right rear. As shown in FIG. 4, an image diagram representing the state of the user seen from the side is displayed on the right side of the display unit 201. And, similar to the left diagram in FIG. 4, the movement of the user's head is represented by an arrow on the image diagram representing the user. In this example, when the user's head is taken as the reference, with the zenith direction on the upper side and the nadir direction on the lower side, it can be seen that the user's head moves more significantly on the upper side than on the lower side. Also, the length of the arrow corresponds to the magnitude of the movement of the user's head.

[0094] By referring to such an image diagram displayed on the display unit 201, the user can visually grasp how their head is swaying. For example, it may be good to make the arrow thick for the direction in which it moved at a relatively high speed during the swing and make the arrow thin for the direction in which it moved at a relatively low speed. Also, for example, it may be good to change the color of the arrow according to the speed.

[0095] Subsequently, referring to FIG. 5, another example of the display information on the display unit 201 will be described.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 5, an image diagram representing the state of the user as seen from above and an image diagram representing the state as seen from the side are displayed in the same manner as in FIG. 4. However, FIG. 5 differs from FIG. 4 in that, as a display representing the movement of the user's head, a movement locus along the time series of the swing is shown. In FIG. 5, the movement from the position of the head at the start of the swing to the position of the head at the end of the swing is represented by a single arrow. Taking the movement as seen from above as an example, it can be seen that as the swing progresses, the head first moves to the right and then moves to the left. Also, it can be seen that as the swing progresses, the user's head also moves slightly forward. The point that the color and thickness of the arrow may be changed is the same as the example shown in FIG. 4. Also, the displays of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 may be switched by a switching button or the like. Alternatively, the display of FIG. 4 may be on the upper side of the screen and the display of FIG. 5 may be on the lower side of the screen, or the displays of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 may be performed simultaneously.

[0097] Note that the measurement history stored in the measurement history storage unit 108 may be only for the most recent single swing, but it is better to store it for multiple swings. In this case, it is advisable to receive the user's operation at the operation reception unit 203 and switch the swing to be the display target according to this operation.

[0098] Also, it is good to display the movements of multiple swings on the screen simultaneously. By doing so, for example, it becomes possible to compare the movement of the head at the time of a certain past favorable swing (for example, a swing with a long flight distance or a swing in which the ball flies straight) with the movement of the head in the current swing. By referring to this screen, the user can grasp how to move to swing in the same way as a certain past favorable swing. Note that a configuration may be provided to specify the swing used for determining the detection criteria described later from among the movements of the multiple swings thus displayed.

[0099] By connecting the upper device 200 equipped with the display unit 201 to the sway detection device 100 in this way, there is an effect that the movement of the head during the swing can be visually recognized.

[0100] Next, specific examples of the measurement values by the sensor unit 106 and specific examples of the detection criteria will be described.

[0101] Examples of the object to be measured by the sensor unit 106 include measurement values related to the magnitude and direction of the moving distance of the user's head, measurement values related to the magnitude and direction of the moving speed of the user's head, and measurement values related to the magnitude and direction of the moving acceleration of the user's head, etc.

[0102] As specific examples of the detection criteria, setting a threshold value for the moving distance of the user's head movement can be mentioned. Also, setting a threshold value for the moving speed of the user's head can be mentioned. Further, setting a threshold value for the acceleration of the user's head can be mentioned.

[0103] And in step S12, when the measurement result of the sensor unit 106 exceeds these threshold values, it is determined that the standard is satisfied. Note that when the measurement result of the sensor unit 106 continues to exceed these threshold values for a predetermined length of time, it may be determined that the standard is satisfied. The predetermined time may be, for example, a time that can generally be regarded as when sway occurs. For example, it may be the case when it continues for 200 ms or more. Also, it may be determined that the standard is satisfied when any one of the threshold values is exceeded or when any one of the threshold values continues to be exceeded, but it is also good to determine that the standard is satisfied when a plurality of threshold values are exceeded or when a plurality of threshold values continue to be exceeded.

[0104] Also, it may be determined that the standard is satisfied when the integrated value of the measurement values during a predetermined time exceeds the threshold value instead of the measurement value itself.

[0105] Furthermore, it may be possible to consider the direction. In this case, for example, when the measurement result itself of the sensor unit 106 in a certain direction or the integrated value of the measurement result exceeds the threshold value, it may be determined that the standard is satisfied.

[0106] For example, generally, the sway in the direction in which the ball is hit is small, and there is a tendency for the sway in the opposite direction to be large. For example, if the ball is hit in the direction of the user's left foot, the user's head will sway significantly in the direction of the right foot. Therefore, it is also advisable to set the threshold value for the right foot direction of the user to be larger than the threshold value for the left foot direction. Also, for example, if there is a tendency for the sway to be larger during the swing than at the start of the swing, it is advisable to set a smaller threshold value at the start of the swing and a larger threshold value after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the swing.

[0107] Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the criteria for setting the detection criteria for detecting sway will be specifically described. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the state at the impact of a golf swing, and illustrates a golf club 301 and a golf ball 302.

[0108] Here, the diameter of a general golf ball is about 42.67 mm. Therefore, when hitting a golf ball 302 with a golf club 301 such as an iron, with the ball placed on the ground, it is necessary to insert the leading edge of the golf club 301 such as an iron within about 20 mm from the ground. And within this 20 mm range, the up and down movement of the golf club 301 can cause topping or duffing, making it impossible to properly hit the golf ball 302. Therefore, it is advisable to set the detection criteria with an accuracy that can detect sway leading to up and down movement within at least this 20 mm range. For example, it is advisable to set the detection criteria with an accuracy that can detect sway leading to up and down movement of about 5 mm.

[0109] Next, the operations for determining and modifying the detection criteria stored in the detection criteria storage unit 107 will be described.

[0110] The detection criteria may be set in advance. However, there are individual differences in the magnitude of sway. Also, even for the same person, it is considered that the sway becomes smaller as the swing improves. Therefore, it is advisable to enable the user to determine and modify the detection criteria.

[0111] For example, it is preferable that the operation reception unit 203 receives the user's operation and can modify the detection criteria according to this operation. As a specific example, when sway is frequently detected, the operation from the user is received, and it is conceivable to modify the threshold value, which is the detection criterion, to a larger value. Also, when the user improves and sway is hardly detected, it is conceivable to receive the operation from the user and modify the threshold value, which is the detection criterion, to a smaller value.

[0112] Further, for example, instead of triggering on the reception of the user's operation, it is also good to automatically modify the threshold value, which is the detection criterion, based on the detection status of sway, etc. For example, when the number of swings in which sway has occurred reaches a predetermined number, the threshold value is modified to a larger value, and when the number of swings in which sway has not occurred reaches a predetermined number, the threshold value is modified to a smaller value.

[0113] Also, it is good to receive various information related to the swing from the user and determine the detection criteria based on this information. Examples of various information include, for example, the type information of the club used by the user for the swing, the gender information of the user, and the physical build information of the user. To explain in more detail, for example, when comparing the swing when using an iron and the swing when using a driver, it is considered that the swing when using a driver is more likely to have a larger sway. Therefore, for example, when receiving from the user that a swing is performed using a driver, it is good to set the threshold value to a larger value than when receiving from the user that a swing is performed using an iron.

[0114] Also, for example, since it is considered that people with a large physique tend to sway more easily than people with a small physique, it is also good to determine the threshold value accordingly. Also, since women are generally weaker than men, it is considered that women tend to sway more easily than men. Therefore, it is also good to accept an input to select gender and set the threshold value to be larger for women than for men. These settings may be configured to display a setting screen on the display unit 201 of the higher-level device 200, and to determine and modify the setting contents according to input instructions from the operation reception unit 203. In this case, it is good to configure the setting contents to be transferred to the sway detection device 100 via the external connection unit 202 and the external connection unit 103. It is good to configure the sway detection device 100 to perform processing according to the setting contents transferred from the higher-level device 200 in this way.

[0115] Next, detection of the start and end of a user's swing will be described.

[0116] If the measurement is always performed without detecting the start and end of the user's swing, it is possible that the sway detection sound will be generated when the user is not swinging if the user walks around while wearing the sway detection device 100. Therefore, in the above embodiment, the measurement is started when the user's operation is accepted in step S11. Also, the measurement is ended when a predetermined time has elapsed in step S14. However, it would be better if this could be modified to automatically detect the start of the swing and start the measurement. Also, it would be better if the measurement could be ended when the end of the swing was automatically detected.

[0117] Here, in a general golf swing, it is considered that the user's head only needs to move minimally from the address until at least the moment of impact between the club face and the ball. Therefore, it is desirable to monitor the movement of the user's head at least from the address until the moment of impact. Thus, in the following description, the entry into the address and the moment of impact are detected. And when the entry into the address is detected, the measurement by the sway detection device 100 is started. Also, after the moment of impact is detected, it is considered that no further swing measurement is necessary, so the sway detection device 100 ends the swing measurement and stops monitoring the head movement. Note that there is also an idea that it is better not to move the head for a while when entering the follow-through as a swing methodology. In the case of following this idea, after detecting the moment of impact, it is advisable to continue the measurement for a predetermined length of time to monitor the head movement during the follow-through for a while.

[0118] Next, three examples of specific configurations for detecting the entry into the address and the moment of impact will be described.

[0119] First, the first configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, in this configuration, in addition to the configuration of FIG. 3, the host device 200 further includes a video acquisition unit 205, an image recognition unit 206, and a notification unit 207. The video acquisition unit 205 has a function of shooting a video. Also, the image recognition unit 206 has a function of performing image recognition. The notification unit 207 includes a function of notifying the user.

[0120] Then, the video acquisition unit 205 shoots the video of the user performing the swing, and determines from the video the entry into the address and up to the moment of impact by image recognition by the image recognition unit 206.

[0121] Also, when the image recognition unit 206 of the host device 200 recognizes that an address has been entered, the control unit 204 of the host device 200 sends a signal indicating that the swing has started to the sway detection device 100 via the external connection unit 202 and the external connection unit 103. The control unit 105 that has received this signal indicating that the swing has started activates the sensor unit 106 and starts monitoring the movement of the user's head (corresponding to step S11). In this regard, it is necessary to prevent the situation where the user's swing is executed before the image recognition unit 206 of the host device 200 recognizes the address, that is, before the measurement starts. Therefore, for example, it is advisable to notify the user that the address has been recognized by the notification unit 207 of the host device 200. For example, the notification unit 207 is realized by an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like. Then, simultaneously with the completion of the address recognition by the image recognition unit 206 of the host device 200, the notification unit 207 is turned on. The user starts the take-back after seeing the lighting of this notification unit 207. Thereby, a situation where a swing is performed before the measurement starts can be prevented. Also, when the image recognition unit 206 of the host device 200 finishes recognizing the address, it is also advisable to notify the user that the address has been recognized by outputting sound or vibration by the sound output unit 101 or the vibration unit 104 of the sway detection device 100. Then, the user may start the take-back after receiving the notification.

[0122] Also, when the image recognition unit 206 of the host device 200 can recognize the moment of impact, the control unit 204 of the host device 200 sends a signal indicating that the impact has ended to the sway detection device 100 via the external connection unit 202 and the external connection unit 103. The control unit 105 that has received this signal indicating that the impact has ended terminates the measurement by the sensor unit 106 (corresponding to Yes in step S14). Thereby, it becomes possible to measure a series of movements during the swing.

[0123] Next, the second configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, in this configuration, the host device 200 further includes a human presence sensor 208 in addition to the configuration of FIG. 3. The human presence sensor 208 is a sensor for detecting the presence of a user by using infrared rays or ultrasonic waves.

[0124] When using this configuration, the host device 200 is installed in front of the place where the user swings. Then, when the human presence sensor 208 detects that there is a user in front of the host device 200, the control unit 204 of the host device 200 sends a signal indicating that there is a user in front of the host device 200 to the sway detection device 100 via the external connection unit 202 and the external connection unit 103.

[0125] When the sway detection device 100 receives a signal indicating that there is a user in front of the host device 200, it enters the play mode. Then, when a tilt state (for example, holding the same posture for 2 seconds) that seems to be the user's address posture is detected during this play mode, it is recognized that the address has been entered, and the monitoring of the head movement is started (step S11).

[0126] Then, when the human presence sensor 208 detects that the user is no longer in front of the host device 200, the control unit 204 of the host device 200 sends a signal indicating that the user in front of the host device 200 is no longer there to the sway detection device 100 via the external connection unit 202 and the external connection unit 103. When the sway detection device 100 receives a signal indicating that the user is no longer in front of the host device 200, it turns off the play mode and ends the measurement (corresponding to Yes in step S14).

[0127] Furthermore, as a third configuration, a configuration in which a device for measuring swinging as described in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 is combined with the host device 200, or a configuration in which a function for measuring swinging is further added to the host device 200 can be considered.

[0128] Here, in the devices described in these cited documents, the microwave emitted from the Doppler sensor is reflected by either the club or the ball or both, and the measurement is performed by analyzing the frequency of the reflected wave.

[0129] Specifically, it measures the ball speed of the ball hit by the club head and the head speed of the club head.

[0130] And by using such a measuring device, it can be determined that the address is entered at the moment when the measured head speed becomes almost zero. Furthermore, the moment of impact can be detected from the change in either one or both of the measured head speed or ball speed. Therefore, by starting and ending the measurement of the sway detection device 100 based on these determinations and detections, it becomes possible to measure a series of movements during the swing.

[0131] Also, by using the device described in the cited document, the estimated flight distance can be derived from either one of the measured head speed or ball speed. Therefore, it is preferable to display the head speed, ball speed, and estimated flight distance. By referring to this information, the user can, for example, compare the movement of the head when the estimated flight distance is long with the movement of the head when the estimated flight distance is short.

[0132] Furthermore, as another method, instead of modifying the configuration, it is also good to determine the end of the swing based on the change in the measured value by the sensor unit 106. For example, since it is considered that the movement of the head stops once at the end of the follow-through, it may be determined that the swing has ended when the speed becomes significantly slower than before during the speed measurement.

[0133] Incidentally, regardless of the method used to detect the address posture, it is common that if too much time is spent on detecting the address posture, it may become difficult to time the user's take-back, the body may become stiff, and a smooth swing may not be possible. Therefore, it is preferable to detect the address posture by a method that does not take much time as much as possible.

[0134] The embodiments described above are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to only the above embodiments, and it is possible to implement in various modified forms without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0135] For example, in the above description, the sway detection device 100 is realized by a device in the shape of an earphone. However, this is only one example of implementation, and other shapes may be adopted. In particular, it is preferable to adopt a shape that can be worn on the user's head. For example, it may be in the shape of headphones, glasses, hairpin, hairband, headband, hat, or earring.

[0136] Furthermore, instead of realizing each functional block of the sway detection device 100 by a single device, it may be realized by a plurality of devices. For example, it is good to provide the sensor unit 106 in a first device in the shape of an earphone and transmit the measurement result to another second device. Then, provide the control unit 105 and the detection reference storage unit 107 in the second device, have the second device perform sway detection, and output a sway detection sound or a sway detection vibration to the sound output unit 101 and the vibration unit 104 provided in the first device based on the instruction of the second device. This makes it possible to miniaturize the first device.

[0137] Also, in the above description, both the sway detection sound and the sway detection vibration are output, but it is also good to output only one of them. As a result, it is sufficient to provide only one of the sound output unit 101 and the vibration unit 104. Also, it is good to output sway detection by a method other than sound or vibration as long as it is an output that acts on the five senses that are not restricted during the user's swing.

[0138] Also, it is advisable to use multiple types of notification methods appropriately. For example, prepare multiple sway detection sounds by varying the pitch or the length of the sound. Then, associate different outputs with each of the multiple detection criteria. By doing so, it becomes possible for the user to grasp which detection criterion has been satisfied when hearing the sway detection sound. For example, by making the sway detection sound when a sway in the left - right direction occurs different from the sway detection sound when a sway in the up - down direction occurs, the user can grasp whether their own head has swayed in the up - down direction or in the left - right direction.

[0139] Also, the data transmission and reception via the external connection part 103 and the external connection part 302 is preferably performed by wired communication via a cable based on a standard such as USB (Universal Serial Bus). Furthermore, it is particularly good to realize the external connection part 103 and the external connection part 302 with a module for wireless communication and perform data transmission and reception by wireless communication. By doing so, the degree of freedom of the movement of the user's body increases and it is less likely to interfere with the swing. Also, the degree of freedom in installing the upper device 200 can be increased.

[0140] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, if it is before the elapse of a predetermined time or before the detection of the instant of impact, an output is performed each time the detection criterion is satisfied. That is, it is assumed that there can be multiple outputs during one swing, but if the outputs occur frequently, it may be difficult to recognize at which stage of the swing the sway occurred. Therefore, it is also good to set the number of outputs in one swing to be less than or equal to a predetermined number, such as only once or only twice. In such a configuration, after step S13, a step of checking whether the number of times of output is less than or equal to the predetermined number is further provided, and if it exceeds the predetermined number, it may proceed to step S15 without making the judgment in step S14. Thereby, the certainty of detection by the user of the output is improved.

[0141] Also, in the above-described embodiment, the measurement history was utilized, but it is also possible to configure the device to perform sway detection without using the measurement history. In such a case, the measurement history storage unit 108 can be omitted. Also, the process of step S15 becomes unnecessary. Further, the measurement history storage unit 108 may be provided in the host device 300.

[0142] In the above description, the present embodiment has been exclusively used for detecting sway during a golf swing, but the present embodiment may be used for other applications. For example, the present embodiment can be used for applications such as practice in sports other than golf, competitions such as billiards, etc., where a situation occurs in which a predetermined operation is performed without moving the head.

[0143] Note that the above-described sway detection device can be realized by hardware, software, or a combination thereof. Also, the communication method performed by the above-described sway detection device can be realized by hardware, software, or a combination thereof. Here, being realized by software means being realized by a computer reading and executing a program. For example, some of the processes may be executed by an external device such as a server connected via a communication line.

[0144] The program can be stored using various types of non-transitory computer readable media and supplied to a computer. Non-transitory computer readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROM (Read Only Memory), CD-R, CD-R / W, and semiconductor memories (e.g., mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (random access memory)). Also, the program may be supplied to the computer by various types of transitory computer readable media. Examples of transitory computer readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. Transitory computer readable media can supply the program to the computer via wired communication channels such as electric wires and optical fibers, or wireless communication channels.

[0145] Also, the above-described embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to only the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0146] 100 Swing detection device 101 Sound output unit 102, 203 Operation reception unit 103, 202 External connection unit 104 Vibration unit 105, 204 Control unit 106 Sensor unit 107 Detection reference storage unit 108 Measurement history storage unit 200 Higher-level device 201 Display unit 205 Image acquisition unit 206 Image recognition unit 207 Notification unit 208 Human presence sensor

Claims

1. A system for performing a display representing the movement of a user's head during a swing, comprising a function of displaying an arrow indicating the movement of the user's head during a swing. A system characterized by this.

2. Comprising a function of switching between a state where the arrow in the first display mode is displayed and a state where the arrow in the second display mode is displayed. The system according to claim 1, characterized by this.

3. Comprising a function of simultaneously displaying the arrow in the first display mode and the arrow in the second display mode. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by this.

4. The arrow in the first display mode is displayed as an arrow indicating the direction in which the user's head moved during the swing, and the arrow in the second display mode is displayed as an arrow indicating the trajectory of the movement of the user's head along the time series of the swing. The system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by this.

5. Comprising a function of simultaneously displaying the arrows for a plurality of swings. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by this.

6. The display mode of the arrow has a function of being the thickness of the arrow according to the swing speed or the color of the arrow according to the swing speed. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by this.

7. For causing a computer to realize the functions of the system according to any one of claims 1 to 6. Program.

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