Sway detection device and sway detection program

Abstract

To provide a sway detection device, a sway detection system, and a sway detection program that allow a user to detect occurrence of a sway even in the middle of a swing.SOLUTION: A sway detection device 100 measures a movement of the user's head while the user is performing a swing, and performs predetermined output when the movement of the head satisfies a prescribed criterion at least in the middle of the measurement.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 a sway of a user playing golf. [Background technology]

[0002] In a golf swing, it is generally preferable to keep the head in a fixed position during the swing. That is, it is preferable that the head does not move up and down, left and right, and front and back 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 and left and right during the swing increases the meet rate and improves the accuracy of the shot.

[0003] However, among ordinary golfers who have inconsistent shots, there are many whose heads move during the swing, causing them to duff, top, or hook the ball, resulting in a lower hit rate. However, it is difficult for oneself to notice that one's head is moving during a swing, and once a habit of swaying during a swing has developed, it is very difficult to correct it.

[0004] Also, among ordinary golfers, some users who are weaker than the average golfer, such as women, may intentionally sway slightly while hitting the ball, but even so, if the ball sways too much, it will still lead to a missed shot.

[0005] However, it is difficult for a swinger to notice by himself or herself whether or not his or her head is moving during a swing, that is, whether or not the head is swaying.

[0006] Therefore, people usually check to see if they are swaying during their swing by using one of the following methods: (1) swinging while looking in a mirror, (2) having a third party such as a golf instructor check their swing, or (3) filming their swing with a video camera and then reviewing the footage.

[0007] There is also a technology that detects sway to assist in practicing a golf swing. One example of such a technology is the technology described in Patent Document 1. The technology described in Patent Document 1 will be described (see, in particular, 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 bright spot position of this light emitter 2 is monitored by a position measuring device disposed inside a box 4. This makes it possible to determine whether the bright spot position at impact (i.e., the position of the head at impact) is displaced from the bright spot position at address (i.e., the position of the head at address). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 01-034073 [Patent Document 2] JP 2012-165810 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2012-165811 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] It is possible to determine whether or not a sway is occurring by using the three general methods described above or the technology described in Patent Document 1.

[0011] However, these methods and techniques have various problems, such as those described below.

[0012] Regarding the above-mentioned method (1) of swinging while looking at a mirror, the number of places where a mirror that can reflect the whole body and where a golf swing can be performed is limited. Also, as a practical matter, it is impossible to look at the mirror while swinging while reproducing the usual form. Therefore, it remains unclear at what point in the swing the sway occurs.

[0013] As for the above-mentioned method (2) of having a third party such as a golf instructor check your swing, a golf instructor is not always available. Even if a golf instructor is available, it is difficult for the golf instructor to detect a sway during a swing and to point out the occurrence of a sway before the swing is completed. Therefore, although the golf instructor can receive advice after the swing is completed, the golf instructor cannot know the occurrence of a sway in real time during the swing.

[0014] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned method (3) of recording with a video camera and viewing the recorded results, the recorded results are viewed after the swing is completed, and it is not possible to know in real time that a sway is occurring during the swing.

[0015] In addition, the technology described in Patent Document 1 can only detect sway at impact, and cannot detect sway during the backswing and downswing. Therefore, it is not possible to know at what point in the series of movements of the swing that the sway occurs. Even if the golfer sways during the swing, if the head position returns to the original position at the time of impact, it is not possible to know that the sway occurs during the swing.

[0016] As described above, no matter which method or technique is used, it is not possible to detect the occurrence of a sway during a 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 a sway even during a 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 produces a predetermined output when the movement of the head meets a predetermined criterion, at least during the measurement.

[0019] The sway detection device provided by the first aspect will be described. General techniques including the cited reference 1 are configured to perform measurement during a swing and output the measurement results after the swing ends. However, in the present invention, since the output is made "at the time" when the head movement meets a predetermined standard "at least during the measurement," the output is made during the measurement of the swing, that is, even during the swing. Therefore, it is possible to output where the head has moved during the swing motion and where the head has moved. For example, it has an advantageous effect of being able to know at what stage the head has moved, whether it is between the address and the take-back and the top position, or from the top to the impact and the follow-through thereafter.

[0020] The movement of the user's head may be measured by, for example, installing a measuring unit such as a sensor outside the user and observing the user from outside the user. For example, the user may be observed from the side, back, top, front, etc. of the user using a camera or radar. In particular, it is preferable to install a measuring unit such as a sensor outside the user so as to directly observe the user's head. An even better configuration is one in which a measuring unit that measures the movement of the user's head is installed. This is because the movement of the user's head can be measured directly. In particular, it is preferable to provide an output unit that produces a predetermined output on the head as well.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the predetermined output is preferably detectable by the user during a swing.

[0022] A sway detection device provided from the second viewpoint will be described. In general techniques including the cited reference 1, it is assumed that the measurement result is output after the swing is completed. Therefore, the viewpoint of notifying the user during the swing that the result has been output is missing. With the present invention, the user during the swing can detect the output, and therefore the user can feel the problem areas of his / her swing. Therefore, for example, at a driving range, there is an advantageous effect that the swing can be corrected and checked by even one person. It is preferable that the configuration is such that the detection is performed by at least one of the five senses of the user who is not bound to the swing.

[0023] When the sway detection device detects a sway, it is preferable that the sway detection device outputs some kind of sound to the sensory organs that are not restrained during the user's swing. For example, when the sway detection device detects a sway, it is preferable that the sway detection device outputs some kind of sound. This is because the user's hearing is not restrained by the swing, and the user can detect the output by sound. Similarly, for example, it is preferable that the sway detection device is attached to the user's ear, etc., and vibrates when the sway detection device detects a sway. This is because the user can detect the output by vibration, and the tactile sense of the user's ear is not restrained by the swing. In addition, for example, it is preferable to combine the output of sound and vibration. This is because the user can detect the output more reliably.

[0024] Furthermore, according to a third aspect of the present invention, the predetermined output may be performed each time the movement of the head satisfies a predetermined criterion.

[0025] A sway detection device provided from the third viewpoint will be described. The present invention detects a sway during a swing and outputs a predetermined signal, but a sway does not necessarily occur only once during a swing, and may occur multiple times. In such a case, if the signal is output only once, the second and subsequent sways cannot be detected (recognized). However, with the present invention, as is clear from the description that the signal is output "every time" a predetermined criterion is satisfied, an output is output each time a sway occurs, even if there are multiple sways, and the user can detect 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 a position, a velocity, and an acceleration associated with the movement of the head, or a combination of two or more of these.

[0027] The sway detection device provided by the fourth aspect will be described. The present invention detects the occurrence of a sway from various viewpoints by also using speed and acceleration as criteria. For example, by using only positional deviation as a criterion and also speed and acceleration as criteria, the occurrence of a sway may be detected from various viewpoints. This makes it possible to detect, for example, a rapid sway with high speed and high acceleration even though the position is not so far off. This allows the user to detect the occurrence of a sway that is not a positional deviation but should be corrected through practice.

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

[0029] The sway detection device provided by the fifth aspect will be described. There are individual differences in the degree of sway during a swing (for example, the width of deviation, the speed, etc.). In the present invention, a predetermined standard is determined and / or corrected based on a measurement history that is a measurement result of a past swing. At this time, by using the measurement history of the individual who uses the sway detection device, it becomes possible to determine an appropriate reference value according to the habit of this individual. This makes it 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 receive a selection of any of the past swings from the user, and determine and / or modify the predetermined criteria based on the measurement results of the selected past swing.

[0031] The sway detection device provided by the sixth aspect will be described. 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, but it is preferable for the user to have some objective indicator to set this appropriately. Therefore, in the present invention, a certain swing performed in the past is selected, and a standard is set based on the measurement results of this selected swing. The user selects, for example, a swing that is considered to have the longest flight distance among past swings, a swing that flew straight, or a swing that the user has had a third party such as an instructor check and judged to be appropriate. In other words, based on an objective indicator for the user, such as the result of actually giving the ball or the subjective opinion of a third party, a swing that is considered to be ideal among the swings of the user in the past is selected. Then, a predetermined standard is set based on this selected swing. For example, by setting the measurement value of the selected swing as a predetermined standard, any deviation from the movement during the selected swing is detected as a sway. This makes it possible to practice to reproduce this selected ideal swing. Also, for example, instead of or together with the swing considered to be ideal, a swing in which a sway is considered to have occurred may be selected. For example, a setting may be made to determine that a predetermined criterion is met between the amount of head movement in a swing selected as a swing considered to be ideal and the amount of head movement in a swing considered to be causing a sway.

[0032] Furthermore, according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the predetermined condition is determined and / or modified based on an input received from the user.

[0033] A sway detection device provided in accordance with the seventh aspect will now be described. It is possible to allow a user to set any criteria. In addition, the criteria once set can be modified. This makes it possible to set the criteria for detecting a sway according to, for example, the user's preferences.

[0034] Furthermore, according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to determine whether or not the specified criteria are met based on any one or a combination of two or more of measurement values ​​related to the magnitude and direction of the head movement distance, measurement values ​​related to the magnitude and direction of the head movement velocity, and measurement values ​​related to the magnitude and direction of the head movement acceleration.

[0035] The sway detection device provided in accordance with the eighth aspect of the present invention will now be described. The present invention may be configured to use various measured values ​​to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied. For example, the device may be configured to determine that a predetermined criterion is satisfied even if the amount of vertical sway is smaller than the amount of horizontal sway. As a result, even if there is a sway that should be detected from the viewpoint of swing practice but cannot be detected based on a certain measurement value, it can be detected by utilizing the other measurement value.

[0036] Furthermore, according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the predetermined criterion may be varied depending on the direction in the three-dimensional space.

[0037] The sway detection device provided by the ninth aspect will be described. For example, when making a judgment based on the magnitude of the moving distance, it is preferable to make a configuration in which sway in the left-right direction may be tolerated to a certain extent, but sway in the up-down direction is judged strictly. For example, there is a methodology in which it is better not to sway at all, but in this way, it is possible to deal with a methodology in which sway to the right is tolerated to a certain extent. In this case, it is preferable to make the reference values ​​different for the right direction and the left direction.

[0038] Furthermore, according to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the predetermined standard may be set to be different at a certain point in time during a swing from that certain point in time.

[0039] The sway detection device provided in accordance with the tenth aspect of the present invention makes it possible to set different predetermined standards during a series of swings. For example, the standard may be set stricter during the backswing, which is the beginning of the swing, since a relatively large sway is unlikely to occur, whereas the standard may be set looser during the downswing, since a relatively large sway is likely to occur.

[0040] Furthermore, according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to accept input from the user regarding at least one of information on the type of club the user uses in his / her swing, information on the user's gender, and information on the user's physical constitution, and to vary the predetermined criteria based on the accepted information.

[0041] The sway detection device provided in accordance with the eleventh aspect will be described. The magnitude of the sway tends to vary depending on the club used in the swing, the gender of the user, the physique of the user, etc. Therefore, it is possible to input information such as the club used in the swing, the gender of the user, and the physique of the user, and to set a predetermined standard corresponding to the tendency.

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

[0043] A sway detection device provided in accordance with the eleventh aspect will now be described. By varying the output depending on the criteria, the user who has detected the output can know which criteria the user has satisfied to detect the sway. For example, it becomes possible to know whether the user has moved to the right, moved to the left, moved at a speed greater than a predetermined speed, etc.

[0044] Furthermore, according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to provide a recording means for recording the movement of the user's head measured during the swing, linking the measurement time with the movement at the time of measurement, and a display means for displaying the movement of the head based on the contents recorded by the recording means so that the movement of the head can be understood in chronological order during the swing.

[0045] The sway detection device provided by the thirteenth aspect will be described. According to the present invention, it is possible to grasp the movement during the swing over time in a time series, rather than displaying only a certain point in time during the swing. This allows the user to grasp how the sway occurs at what stage during the swing.

[0046] Furthermore, according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the measurement is started when a predetermined action of the user is detected.

[0047] A sway detection device provided in accordance with the fourteenth aspect will now be described. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which measurement is performed when it is not necessary.

[0048] Furthermore, according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, an impact is detected based on either or both of the movement speed of the club used by the user in a swing and the movement speed of the ball hit by the club, and the measurement is terminated based on the detection of this impact.

[0049] A sway detection device provided in accordance with the fifteenth aspect of the present invention will now be described. It becomes possible to automatically end measurement upon detection of an impact.

[0050] Furthermore, according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to reflect microwaves emitted from a Doppler sensor off either or both of the club and the ball, and 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 waves.

[0051] Furthermore, according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, the measurement may be performed using an acceleration sensor.

[0052] Furthermore, according to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the measurement may be performed using an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

[0053] Furthermore, according to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sway detection program for causing a computer to function as the sway detection device provided by any one of the first to eighteenth aspects of the present invention.

[0054] A sway detection program provided in the nineteenth aspect will now be described. The above program can also realize the sway detection device provided in any one of the first to eighteenth aspects of the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0055] According to the present invention, it becomes possible for a user to detect the occurrence of a sway during a swing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0056] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a sway detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 4 is a flowchart showing a basic operation of the sway detection device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a higher-level device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an image diagram illustrating an example of a display screen according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is an image diagram showing another example of the display screen in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an image diagram showing the relationship between the leading edge and a golf ball. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a first alternative configuration of a sway detection device in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a second alternative configuration of the sway detection device in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is an image diagram showing an example of a display screen according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0057] Next, an embodiment 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 of this 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 standard memory unit 107, and a measurement history memory unit 108.

[0059] The sway detection device 100 is a device that monitors the user's movement using a sensor unit 106, detects that the user has swayed based on the monitoring results, and notifies the user of the detection of the sway. In the following description, the sway detection device 100 is realized in the form of earphones or headphones as an example of this embodiment. The sway detection device 100 is worn on the ears of a user performing a golf swing.

[0060] The sound output unit 101 outputs sound when a sway occurs under the control of the control unit 105. A user can recognize the occurrence of a sway by hearing the sound output from the sound output unit 101. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the sound output from the sound output unit 101 is referred to as a "sway detection sound." The sound output unit 101 is realized by a mechanism for outputting sound that is provided in general earphones.

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

[0062] The external connection unit 103 is an interface for connecting the sway detection device 100 to an external device. The sway detection device 100 is driven by a battery (not shown). The battery receives power supply via the external connection unit 103 and charges. The external connection unit 103 is also used for transmitting and receiving data to and from the external device.

[0063] The vibration unit 104 vibrates when a sway occurs based on the control of the control unit 105. The user can recognize the occurrence of a sway by feeling the vibration caused by the vibration unit 104. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the vibration caused by the vibration unit 104 is called "sway detection vibration." The vibration unit 104 is realized by, for example, a small motor.

[0064] The control unit 105 is a control unit that controls the entire sway detection device 100, and various processes described below are realized by the control unit 105 controlling other functional blocks. Specifically, the control unit 105 includes an arithmetic processing unit, which performs arithmetic processing based on a program specific to this embodiment stored in a storage unit included in the control unit 105 or in another storage unit, and controls each piece of hardware based on the arithmetic processing result, thereby realizing the sway detection device 100.

[0065] The sensor unit 106 measures the movement of the user's head during a swing and outputs the measurement results to the control unit 105. The sensor unit 106 is realized by a sensor such as a gyroscope (also called a gyro sensor) that measures the angle and each speed of the user's head, or 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 user has swayed. When the measurement result of the sensor unit 106 satisfies this detection criterion, the control unit 105 determines that the user has swayed. The detection criterion can be set arbitrarily, and can be, for example, 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 by the sensor unit 106 as "measurement history."

[0068] Specific examples of objects to be measured by the sensor unit 106, specific examples of detection standards, and how to use the measurement history will be described later.

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

[0070] First, the operation reception unit 102 receives an instruction from a user to turn on the power or to start measurement, which starts up each unit of the sway detection device 100, 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 result obtained by measuring the movement of the user's head to the control unit 105. Then, the control unit 105 inputs the measurement result output by the sensor unit 106, stores it in a RAM provided in the control unit 105, and compares the input measurement result with the detection criteria stored in the detection criteria storage unit 107 to determine whether or not the measurement result satisfies the detection criteria (step S12).

[0072] Here, if the measurement result meets the detection criterion (Yes in step S12), the process 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. The vibration unit 104 also outputs a sway detection signal in response to the instruction (step S13). The user detects the sway detection sound and sway detection vibration with the five senses that are not restricted by the swing, such as hearing and touch around the ears. This allows the user to detect that the movement of his or her head has swayed.

[0075] On the other hand, if the measurement result does not satisfy the detection standard (No in step S12), the process proceeds to step S14. Also, after step S13 is completed, the process proceeds to step S14.

[0076] In step S14, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of measurement in step S11. The length of the predetermined time can be determined arbitrarily, but for example, it is set to a length sufficient for one swing from the start to the end of the swing. For example, it may be set to a general time required for one swing, or a time required for one series of swing practice. The predetermined time may also be selected or specified by the user. If the predetermined time has not elapsed (No in step S14), the measurement is continued and the determination in step S12 is performed again.

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

[0078] In step S15, the history of the measurement results stored in the RAM of the control unit 105 in step S12 is stored as a measurement history in the measurement history storage unit 108. Specifically, the measurement details of the current user's swing and the measurement date and time are associated with each other and stored. This completes the operation of this embodiment.

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

[0080] In the present embodiment described above, an output is sent to the user based on the detection of a sway, and the user detects the output with the senses of hearing and touch around the ears, which are not restricted by the swing. This provides an advantage that the user can detect that the movement of his or her own head has caused a sway.

[0081] Furthermore, since the processes in steps S12 and S13 are performed regardless of whether or not a swing is in progress, an effect is achieved in that the user can detect the occurrence of a sway in real time even during a swing.

[0082] Furthermore, since the processes of steps S12 and S13 are performed as quickly as possible, the user can immediately detect the occurrence of a sway when the sway occurs during the swing. Therefore, it is possible to know at what stage of the user's swing the sway occurred. For example, it is possible to know at what stage the sway occurred: between the address and the take-back and the top position, between the top and the impact, and the follow-through thereafter. For example, it is preferable to configure the input of the measurement result from the sensor unit 106 in step S12 and the comparison with the detection standard to be performed repeatedly at least every several tens of milliseconds.

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

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

[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, etc. Examples of information displayed on the display unit 201 include a user interface that the user refers to when performing operations, and a measurement history that is displayed so that the user can understand it.

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

[0088] The operation reception unit 203 receives operations from the user.

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

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

[0091] The measurement history storage unit 108 of the sway detection device 100 stores the head position, speed, acceleration, etc. at each point during past swings in chronological order as a measurement history. 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 host device 200 displays the movement of the user's head during a swing based on the measurement history.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 4, an image showing the user as seen from above is displayed on the left side of the display unit 201. The movement of the user's head in each direction during a swing is displayed as an arrow on top of this image showing the user. 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 showing the maximum amount of movement from a reference position in the measurement history. The reference position may be the position when the club was held up, for example, a position where there was 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 the center and the front of the user is the upper side, it can be seen that the user's head moves most in the direction from the center to the right. It can also be seen that the user's head did not move in the diagonally forward right or diagonally backward right directions. As shown in FIG. 4, an image showing the user as seen from the side is displayed on the right side of the display unit 201. As in the left side of FIG. 4, the movement of the user's head is indicated by an arrow on the image showing the user. In this example, when the user's head is taken as the base, the zenith direction is the upper side and the ceiling direction is the lower side, it can be seen that the user's head moves more upward than downward. The length of the arrow corresponds to the magnitude of the movement of the user's head.

[0094] By referring to such an image displayed on the display unit 201, the user can visually grasp how his / her head is swaying. For example, it is good to make the arrow thicker in the direction of relatively high speed movement during the swing and to make the arrow thinner in the direction of relatively low speed movement. It is also good to change the color of the arrow according to the speed, for example.

[0095] Next, another example of display information on the display unit 201 will be described with reference to FIG.

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

[0097] The measurement history stored in the measurement history storage unit 108 may be for only the most recent swing, but it is preferable to store multiple swings. In this case, the operation reception unit 203 may receive a user operation, and the swing to be displayed may be switched in response to this operation.

[0098] It is also good to display the movements of multiple swings on the screen at the same time. This makes it possible to compare the head movement during a past desirable swing (e.g., a swing that produced distance or a swing that sent the ball straight) with the head movement during the current swing. By referring to this screen, the user can understand how to move in order to achieve a swing similar to a desirable swing in the past. Note that a configuration may be adopted in which a swing to be used in determining a detection standard, which will be described later, is specified from the movements of the multiple swings displayed.

[0099] By connecting the host device 200 having the display unit 201 to the sway detection device 100 in this manner, it is possible to visually recognize the movement of the head during the swing.

[0100] Next, specific examples of measurements by the sensor unit 106 and specific examples of detection standards will be described.

[0101] Examples of objects that can be measured by the sensor unit 106 include measurement values ​​relating to the magnitude and direction of the distance the user's head has moved, measurement values ​​relating to the magnitude and direction of the velocity of the user's head movement, and measurement values ​​relating to the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of the user's head movement.

[0102] Specific examples of the detection criteria include setting a threshold value for the distance traveled by the user's head, setting a threshold value for the speed at which the user's head moves, and setting a threshold value for the acceleration of the user's head.

[0103] In step S12, if the measurement result of the sensor unit 106 exceeds these thresholds, it is determined that the criteria are met. It is also possible to determine that the criteria are met if the measurement result of the sensor unit 106 continues to exceed these thresholds for a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time may be, for example, a period of time that is generally considered to be a period in which a sway has occurred. For example, it may be a period of time that continues for 200 ms or more. It is also possible to determine that the criteria are met if any one threshold is exceeded or any one threshold is exceeded, but it is also possible to determine that the criteria are met if multiple thresholds are exceeded or multiple thresholds are exceeded.

[0104] It is also possible to determine that the criterion is met when an integrated value of measured values ​​over a predetermined period of time exceeds a threshold value, rather than the measured value itself.

[0105] Furthermore, it is also possible to take the direction into consideration. In this case, for example, it is sufficient to determine that the criterion is met when the measurement result itself of the sensor unit 106 in a certain direction or the integrated value of the measurement result exceeds a threshold value.

[0106] For example, there is a tendency that the sway in the direction in which the ball is hit is small, and the sway in the opposite direction is large. For example, if the ball is hit toward the user's left foot, the user's head sways toward the right foot. Therefore, it is also good to set the threshold value in the direction of the user's right foot larger than the threshold value in the direction of the left foot. Also, for example, if there is a tendency for the sway to be larger in the middle of the swing than at the start of the swing, it is good to set the threshold value small at the start of the swing and set the threshold value large after a predetermined time has passed since the start of the swing.

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

[0108] Here, the diameter of a typical golf ball is about 42.67 mm. Therefore, when hitting a golf ball 302 with a golf club 301 such as an iron, it is necessary to place the leading edge of the golf club 301 such as an iron within about 20 mm from the ground when the hole is placed on the ground. If the golf club 301 moves up and down within this 20 mm range, the golf ball 302 will be topped or duffed, making it impossible to properly fly the golf ball 302. Therefore, it is preferable to set the detection criteria with an accuracy that can detect sway that leads to up and down movement within at least this 20 mm range. For example, it is preferable to set the detection criteria with an accuracy that can detect sway that leads to up and down movement of about 5 mm.

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

[0110] The detection criteria may be preset. However, the magnitude of sway varies from person to person. Also, even for the same person, the sway is thought to become smaller as the swing improves. Therefore, it is preferable to allow the user to determine and modify the detection criteria.

[0111] For example, it is preferable that the operation receiving unit 203 receives a user's operation and the detection criterion can be modified in response to the operation. As a specific example, when sways are frequently detected, an operation from the user can be received and the threshold value, which is the detection criterion, can be modified to a larger value. Also, when the user has improved and sways are hardly detected, an operation from the user can be received and the threshold value, which is the detection criterion, can be modified to a smaller value.

[0112] In addition, for example, it is also possible to automatically correct the threshold value, which is the detection standard, based on the detection status of the sway, etc., instead of using the reception of a user operation as a trigger. For example, it is possible to correct the threshold value to a larger value when the number of swings in which a sway has occurred reaches a predetermined number, and to correct the threshold value to a smaller value when the number of swings in which a sway has not occurred reaches a predetermined number.

[0113] It is also possible to receive various information related to the swing from the user and determine the detection criteria based on this information. Examples of the various information include information on the type of club used by the user for the swing, the gender information of the user, and the physique information of the user. To explain in more detail, for example, when comparing a swing using an iron with a swing using a driver, it is considered that the swing using a driver is more likely to have a larger sway. Therefore, for example, when a user is informed that he or she will swing using a driver, the threshold value may be set to a larger value than when a user is informed that he or she will swing 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 typical golf swing, it is considered that the user's head should not move at least from the address to 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 to the moment of impact. Therefore, in the following description, the address and the moment of impact are detected. Then, when the address is detected, measurement by the sway detection device 100 is started. After the moment of impact is detected, it is considered that further measurement of the swing is not necessary, so the sway detection device 100 ends the measurement of the swing and stops monitoring the movement of the head. It should be noted that, as a methodology of swing, it is considered better not to move the head for a while after the follow-through. In accordance with this concept, it is preferable to continue measurement for a predetermined length of time after the moment of impact is detected, thereby monitoring the movement of the head for a while after the follow-through.

[0118] Next, three examples of specific configurations for detecting when the ball is at 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, the higher-level device 200 further includes a video acquisition unit 205, an image recognition unit 206, and a notification unit 207 in addition to the configuration in Fig. 3. The video acquisition unit 205 has a function of taking moving images. Furthermore, 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 image acquisition unit 205 captures an image of the user performing a swing, and the image recognition unit 206 performs image recognition to determine from the image that the user has entered the address position and the moment of impact.

[0121] Also, when the image recognition unit 206 recognizes that the 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, which has received the 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 user from swinging 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 preferable 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, at the same time that the image recognition unit 206 of the host device 200 finishes recognizing the address, the notification unit 207 is turned on. The user starts taking back after seeing the notification unit 207 turn on. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which a swing is performed before the measurement starts. In addition, when the image recognition unit 206 of the higher-level device 200 finishes recognizing the address, the sound output unit 101 or the vibration unit 104 of the sway detection device 100 may output sound or vibration to notify the user that it has been recognized that the address has been entered. Then, the user may start taking back after receiving the notification.

[0122] Furthermore, when the image recognition unit 206 of the host device 200 recognizes 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, which receives the signal indicating that the impact has ended, ends the measurement by the sensor unit 106 (corresponding to Yes in step S14). This makes it 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 higher-level device 200 further includes a human presence sensor 208 in addition to the configuration in Fig. 3. The human presence sensor 208 is a sensor for detecting the location of a user by utilizing 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 sensor 208 detects that the user is in front of the host device 200, the control unit 204 of the host device 200 sends a signal to the sway detection device 100 via the external connection unit 202 and the external connection unit 103, indicating that the user is in front of the host device 200.

[0125] The sway detection device 100 goes into play mode when it receives a signal indicating that the user is in front of the host device 200. Then, when it detects a tilted state that seems to be the user's address posture (e.g., maintaining the same posture for 2 seconds) during this play mode, it recognizes that the user has entered the address posture and starts monitoring the movement of the head (step S11).

[0126] Then, when the human presence sensor 208 detects that the user has left the front of the host device 200, the control unit 204 of the host device 200 sends a signal indicating that the user has left the front of the host device 200 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 the signal indicating that the user has left the 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 an apparatus for measuring swing-related measurements such as those described in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 is combined with the higher-level device 200, or a configuration in which a function for measuring swing-related measurements is further added to the higher-level device 200, can be considered.

[0128] Here, in the devices described in these cited documents, microwaves emitted from a Doppler sensor are reflected by either or both of the club and the ball, and measurements are made by analyzing the frequency of the reflected waves.

[0129] Specifically, the ball speed of the ball hit by the club head and the head speed of the club head are measured.

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

[0131] In addition, by using the device described in the cited document, the estimated flight distance can be derived from either 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 head movement when the estimated flight distance is long with the head movement when the estimated flight distance is short.

[0132] As another method, instead of modifying the configuration, the end of the swing may be determined based on a change in the measurement 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 during speed measurement becomes significantly slower than before.

[0133] Regardless of the method used to detect the address posture, if too much time is spent detecting the address posture, it may become difficult for the user to time the take back, or the body may become stiff, preventing a smooth swing. Therefore, it is preferable to detect the address posture using a method that takes as little time as possible.

[0134] The embodiment described above is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the present invention can be embodied 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 as an earphone-shaped device. However, this is merely one example, and other shapes may be adopted. In particular, it is preferable for the device to have a shape that can be worn on the user's head. For example, it is preferable for the device to have a headphone shape, a glasses shape, a hair clip shape, a headband shape, a headband shape, a hat shape, an earring shape, or the like.

[0136] Furthermore, each functional block of the sway detection device 100 may be realized by a plurality of devices, rather than by a single device. For example, a sensor unit 106 may be provided in an earphone-shaped first device, and the measurement results may be transmitted to another second device. A control unit 105 and a detection standard storage unit 107 may be provided in the second device, and the second device may detect a sway and output a sway detection sound or a sway detection vibration from a sound output unit 101 or a vibration unit 104 provided in the first device based on an instruction from the second device. This also makes it possible to miniaturize the first device.

[0137] In the above description, both the sway detection sound and the sway detection vibration are output, but it is also possible to output only one of them. This makes it sufficient to have only one of the sound output unit 101 and the vibration unit 104. Also, it is also possible to output the detection of the sway by a method other than sound or vibration as long as the output stimulates the five senses of the user who is not restrained during the swing.

[0138] It is also advisable to use multiple notification methods. For example, multiple sway detection sounds are prepared by varying the pitch or the duration of the sound. Then, a different output is associated with each of the multiple detection criteria. This allows the user to know which detection criteria has been met when hearing the sway detection sound. For example, by making the sway detection sound when a sway occurs in the left-right direction different from the sway detection sound when a sway occurs in the up-down direction, the user can know whether the user's head has swayed up-down or left-right.

[0139] Moreover, data transmission and reception via the external connection unit 103 and the external connection unit 302 may be performed by wired communication via a cable based on a standard such as USB (Universal Serial Bus). Furthermore, it is particularly preferable to realize the external connection unit 103 and the external connection unit 302 as a wireless communication module and transmit and receive data by wireless communication. In this way, the user's freedom of movement of the body is increased and the swing is less likely to be hindered. Furthermore, the freedom of installation of the higher-level device 200 can be increased.

[0140] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, an output is performed each time the detection criteria are satisfied, as long as it is before a predetermined time has elapsed or before the moment of impact is detected. In other words, it is assumed that there may be multiple outputs during one swing, but if the outputs occur frequently, it may be difficult to recognize at which stage during the swing the sway occurred. Therefore, it is also good to set the number of outputs in one swing to a predetermined number or less, for example, only once or only twice. In such a configuration, after step S13, a step of checking whether the number of outputs is equal to or less than the predetermined number may be further provided, and if it exceeds the predetermined number, the process may proceed to step S15 without making the judgment in step S14. This improves the reliability of the detection of the output by the user.

[0141] In addition, although the above embodiment uses the measurement history, it is also possible to configure the device to detect sway without using the measurement history. In such a configuration, it is possible to omit the measurement history storage unit 108. Also, the process of step S15 becomes unnecessary. Moreover, the measurement history storage unit 108 may be provided in the higher-level device 300.

[0142] In the above description, the present embodiment has been used mainly to detect sway during a golf swing, but the present embodiment may be used for other purposes. For example, the present embodiment may be used for practicing sports other than golf or games such as billiards, in which a situation occurs in which a specific movement is made without moving the head.

[0143] The above-mentioned sway detection device can be realized by hardware, software, or a combination of these. The communication method performed by the above-mentioned sway detection device can also be realized by hardware, software, or a combination of these. Here, being realized by software means being realized by a computer reading and executing a program. For example, a part of the processing may be executed by an external device such as a server connected via a communication line.

[0144] The program can be stored and provided to the computer using various types of non-transitory computer readable media. The non-transitory computer readable media includes various types of tangible storage media. Examples of the 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, semiconductor memory (e.g., mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (random access memory). The program may also be provided to the computer by various types of transitory computer readable media. Examples of the transitory computer readable media include electric signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. The transitory computer readable media can provide the program to the computer via a wired communication path such as an electric wire and an optical fiber, or via a wireless communication path.

[0145] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to only the above-described embodiment, and the present invention can be implemented in various modified forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0146] 100 Sway detection device 101 Sound output unit 102, 203 Operation reception section 103, 202 External connection part 104 Vibration part 105, 204 Control section 106 Sensor section 107 Detection criteria memory unit 108 Measurement history memory unit 200 Upper Device 201 Display section 205 Video Acquisition Unit 206 Image Recognition Unit 207 Notification Department 208 Human Sensor

Claims

1. A system for providing a display representing a user's head movements, comprising: It has a function to display head movements seen from above and from the side, Equipped with a function to display the head movement as seen from above with arrows indicating the direction and magnitude of the movement, and to display the head movement as seen from the side with arrows indicating the direction and magnitude of the movement. A system characterized by.

2. Having a function to display the arrow in a different manner depending on the direction of high speed movement and the direction of low speed movement during a swing. The system of claim 1 .

3. The display mode of the arrow, which is different for the direction of high speed movement and the direction of low speed movement during a swing, is provided with a function of displaying the arrow in a thickness according to the speed of the swing or in a color according to the speed. The system of claim 2 .

4. A function for displaying the head movement as viewed from above as a trajectory of the movement along a time series of the swing, and displaying the head movement as viewed from the side as a trajectory of the movement along a time series of the swing, The device has a function of switching between a state in which the head movement as viewed from above is displayed with an arrow indicating the direction and magnitude of the movement, and the head movement as viewed from the side is displayed with an arrow indicating the direction and magnitude of the movement, and a state in which the head movement as viewed from above is displayed as a trajectory of the movement along the time series of the swing, and the head movement as viewed from the side is displayed as a trajectory of the movement along the time series of the swing.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

5. A program for causing a computer to realize the functions of a system described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images