Method and system for determining the position of a golf ball

Abstract

To provide a golf ball location ascertaining method and a golf play information providing system.SOLUTION: The golf ball location ascertaining method comprises a first step of ascertaining a motion location at which a predetermined motion is taken when a golfer located near a golf ball on a golf field takes the motion, and a second step of ascertaining the location of the golf ball on a golf course by using golf course data on the golf field and the motion location.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for grasping the position of a golf ball and Golf ball position tracking system is related thereto.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, while the number of people participating in various sports is increasing, golf is also expanding its base as a popular sport enjoyed by the general public. The number of people enjoying golf has reached several million, and golf-related businesses have been greatly activated, and the number of golf courses and driving ranges has been continuously increasing. There are hundreds of domestic golf courses, including membership-based and public courses, in operation, and the outlook for golf-related businesses is positively evaluated in the future.

[0003] A golf course is composed of 18 holes having a tee ground, fairway, rough, green, hole cup, hazard, bunker, etc. The 18 holes are composed of 4 par 5 holes, 10 par 4 holes, and 4 par 3 holes. The par 3 hole has a course length (the length from the tee shot point to the hole cup) of about 230 meters or less, and the par 5 hole has a course length of about 430 meters or more. Since golf has a considerably long course length, play information such as the distance between the golf ball and the hole cup is very important in order to effectively attack the course. In order to grasp the distance between the golf ball and the hole cup, some golfers purchase measuring devices and use them at golf courses. However, since the measuring devices are expensive, it is a financial burden, and there are points on the golf course where it is difficult to measure the distance even when using the measuring devices, and there is a limit to obtaining the necessary information through the above measuring devices.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] This invention was made in consideration of the circumstances described above, and is a method for determining the position of a golf ball that can accurately determine the position of a golf ball. and location tracking system Its purpose is to provide. Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a golf play information provision system that, after determining the position of the golf ball, provides golfers with useful play information based on this information. Furthermore, other objects of the present invention can be clearly understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To achieve the above objectives Ruta Therefore, the method for determining the position of a golf ball according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first step of determining the position of a golfer when a golfer located near a golf ball on a golf course performs a predetermined action, and a second step of determining the position of the golf ball on the golf course using golf course data for the golf course and the position of the action.

[0006] In the above-described method for determining the position of a golf ball, the action includes a swing motion in which a golfer hits a golf ball, and the swing motion is detected by a wearable device worn by the golfer. An embodiment of the present invention provides golf play information, comprising: a wearable device worn by a golfer that senses whether a golfer, when positioned near a golf ball on a golf course, performs a predetermined action; a storage unit that stores golf course data for the golf course; and an information provision unit that uses information regarding the location of the action and the golf course data stored in the storage unit to determine the position of the golf ball and provides golf play information to the golfer based on the determined position of the golf ball.

[0007] The golf play information provision system described above further includes a mobile device capable of communicating with the wearable device, and when determining the position of the golf ball, it considers the position of the wearable device or the position of the mobile device as the position where the action was performed. The golf play information provision system described above further includes a service device connected to the mobile device via communication, and at least one of the information provision unit and the storage unit is provided in the mobile device or the service device.

[0008] In the golf play information provision system described above, the wearable device includes a wristband that can be worn on the golfer's wrist. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for determining the position of a golf ball, comprising the steps of: checking whether a golfer is performing a swing motion on the golf course; if the swing motion is performed, determining the position of the swing motion; and using golf course data for the golf course and the position of the swing motion to determine the position of a golf ball on the golf course. Before the aforementioned swing motion golf ball It was placed there This includes the step of determining the location.

[0009] In the above method for determining the position of a golf ball, there are multiple golfers, each of whom possesses a portable device that allows them to determine their own position, and whether or not to perform the swing motion can be determined by checking the relative positions of the multiple golfers. In the above method for determining the position of a golf ball, if one golfer among the multiple golfers is positioned a predetermined distance away from the other golfers who are adjacent to each other for a predetermined period of time, the current position of the separated golfer is considered to be the position from which the swing motion was performed.

[0010] The golf ball position tracking system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a portable device carried by a golfer playing on a golf course, a storage unit for storing data on the golf course, and a position determination unit that, when it is confirmed that a golfer is performing a swing motion, determines the position of the golf ball on the golf course before the swing motion using the golf course data and the motion position. The golfers are multiple individuals, each carrying one of the portable devices, and the position of each of the multiple golfers can be determined by the portable device. The presence or absence of a swing motion can be determined by checking the positional relationship between the multiple golfers. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The present invention provides a method for determining the position of a golf ball and Location tracking system According to this, it is possible to accurately determine the position of the golf ball. kill . [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This flowchart shows the operation process of the golf play information provision method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows a schematic structure of a golf play information provision system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure shows examples of mobile devices that can be used in the golf play information provision system shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This figure shows the individual processes involved in providing golf play information in the golf play information provision system shown in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This figure shows the individual processes involved in providing golf play information in the golf play information provision system shown in Figure 2. [Figure 6] This figure shows the individual processes involved in providing golf play information in the golf play information provision system shown in Figure 2. [Figure 7] This figure shows the individual processes involved in providing golf play information in the golf play information provision system shown in Figure 2. [Figure 8] This figure shows a schematic structure of a golf play information provision system according to various other embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 9] This figure shows a schematic structure of a golf play information provision system according to various other embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figures 8 and 9 show examples of golf play information provided by the golf play information provision system. [Figure 11] This flowchart shows the operation process of a method for determining the position of a golf ball according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This figure shows a schematic structure of a golf ball position tracking system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] This figure illustrates the operating principle when applying the golf ball positioning method shown in Figure 11 to the golf ball positioning system shown in Figure 12. [Figure 14] It is a flowchart showing the operation process of a method for grasping the position of a golf ball according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a golf ball position grasping system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] It is a diagram showing an example of a mobile device that can be used in the golf ball position grasping system of FIG. 15. [Figure 17] It is a diagram for explaining the operating principle when the golf ball position grasping method of FIG. 14 is applied to the golf ball position grasping system of FIG. 15. [Figure 18] It is a diagram for explaining the operating principle when the golf ball position grasping method of FIG. 14 is applied to the golf ball position grasping system of FIG. 15. [Figure 19] It is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a golf ball position grasping system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] It is a diagram for explaining the operating principle of grasping the position of a golf ball in the golf ball position grasping system of FIG. 19. [Figure 21] It is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a golf ball position grasping system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples. The object, features, and advantages of the present invention will be easily understood from the following examples. The present invention is not limited to the examples described here and can also be embodied in other forms. The examples introduced here are provided in order to make the disclosed content thorough and complete and to fully convey the idea of the present invention to those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited by the following examples.

[0014] In this specification, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various elements, but the elements should not be limited by such terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish the elements from one another. Furthermore, when it is mentioned that a certain layer (film) is on another layer (film) or substrate, it means that it may be formed directly on the other layer (film) or substrate, or a third layer (film) may be interposed between them.

[0015] In the drawings, the size of elements, or the relative sizes between elements, may be slightly exaggerated to provide a clearer understanding of the invention. Furthermore, the shapes of the illustrated elements may be slightly altered due to variations in the manufacturing process. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments disclosed herein should be understood to be limited to the illustrated shapes and to include some degree of variation.

[0016] Figure 1 is a flowchart showing the operation process of a golf play information provision method according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a golf play information provision system according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a mobile device that can be used in the golf play information provision system of Figure 2, and Figures 4 to 7 are diagrams showing the individual processes for providing golf play information in the golf play information provision system of Figure 2.

[0017] Referring to Figure 1, the golf play information provision method according to this embodiment includes a first step (S1) in which a golfer performs a predetermined action such as a swing; a second step (S2) in which the position where the action was performed is determined; a third step (S3) in which the determined action position is applied to golf course data; a fourth step (S4) in which the position of the golf ball is determined; and a fifth step (S5) in which golf play information is generated based on the position of the golf ball and then provided to the user. Such a golf play information provision method can be used in a golf play information provision system as shown in Figure 2.

[0018] Referring to Figure 2, the golf play information provision system includes a wearable device (1), a mobile device (100), and a GPS satellite (101). The wearable device (1) is worn on the golfer's body. For example, a wristband-type device that can be worn on the golfer's wrist can be used as the wearable device (1). The wristband-type wearable device (1) is equipped with sensors that can detect the golfer's swing motion. For example, the wristband-type wearable device (1) is equipped with a gyro sensor, an accelerometer, an impact sensor, etc., and when a golfer performs a swing motion while wearing the wearable device (1), the sensors can detect whether the golfer is swinging or not. A golfer's swing motion is performed not only when hitting a golf ball, but also when practicing a swing without hitting a golf ball. If an impact sensor, etc., is installed, it can detect the impact generated when the golfer hits a golf ball, so it can distinguish between a simple practice swing and a swing in which the golfer hits a golf ball and detect only the swing motion when hitting a golf ball. However, the purpose of sensing a swing to hit a golf ball is to determine the position of the golf ball when the swing is performed. Since practice swings are generally performed near the position of the golf ball before it is hit, there is often little difference between the position where the practice swing is performed and the position where the actual swing to hit the golf ball is performed. Considering this, there is little practical benefit in distinguishing between a practice swing and an actual swing to hit the golf ball, so the impact sensing sensor can be omitted. Alternatively, the wearable device (1) may be equipped with a separate input means such as a button. In this case, a manual method can be applied in which the golfer wearing the wearable device (1) touches the button before hitting the golf ball, and the position where the touch is made is considered to be the position where the swing motion was performed. If a manual method is applied, the wristband does not need to be equipped with a sensing sensor that can detect the swing motion.

[0019] The golfer can use their own smartphone as the mobile device (100). Alternatively, they can use another mobile device provided by the golf course or other facility, which is particularly useful if the golfer does not have a smartphone. Referring to Figure 3, the mobile device (100) is equipped with an information provision unit (110) and a storage unit (120). The information provision unit (110) is responsible for providing golf play information, and the storage unit (120) stores the data necessary for providing golf play information. The information provision unit (110) and the storage unit (120) can be equipped by installing an application on the mobile device (100) that includes a program that provides information and related data. Golf play information can be generated based on the position of the golf ball after its position has been determined, and the information provision unit (110) includes a position detection unit (111) which is responsible for determining the position of the golf ball and an information generation unit (112) which is responsible for generating golf play information.

[0020] The GPS satellite (101) is used to determine the location of the mobile device (100), and the mobile device (100) can determine its location by receiving signals from the GPS satellite (101). This explanation describes how to obtain location information for the mobile device (100) by receiving signals from the GPS satellite (101), but satellite signals should not necessarily be used to obtain location information, and other methods of obtaining location information can also be applied. In the system illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the specific process for providing golf play information according to the method illustrated in Figure 1 is as follows:

[0021] Referring to Figure 4, a golfer hits a golf ball while wearing the wearable device (1) on a golf course. As described above, the wearable device (1) is equipped with a sensor that can detect the user's practice swing motion or the swing motion when the user hits a golf ball. When the swing motion is detected, a communication means separately provided in the wearable device (1) transmits a signal to the mobile device (100). If the wearable device (1) is not equipped with a sensor that detects swing motion, the golfer can directly input that the swing will be performed at their current location by touching a separately provided input means before the swing. In this case as well, the communication means transmits a signal to the mobile device (100). Upon receiving the above signal, the mobile device (100) uses GPS satellites (101) (see Figure 2) or the like to determine the position of the golf ball. Here, if we define the position where the golf ball is placed before impact as "golf ball position (P)", the position of the wearable device (1) as "first position (P1)", and the position of the mobile device (100) as "second position (P2)", then in this embodiment, we assume that either the first position (P1) or the second position (P2) is the golf ball position (P).

[0022] The first position (P1) is the position of the wearable device (1), which can essentially be considered the position of the golfer wearing it. Since the golfer strikes the golf ball from a position close to the ball, it is reasonable to assume that the golfer's position (first position (P1)) is the position of the golf ball (P). If the mobile device (100) is the golfer's smartphone, and the golfer is carrying their smartphone during play, then the second position (P2) is the same as the golfer's position, and since the golfer strikes the golf ball from a position close to the ball, it is reasonable to assume that the second position (P2) is the position of the golf ball (P). When the mobile device (100) is a certain distance away from the wearable device (1), the second position (P2) of the mobile device (100) is first determined via GPS satellite signals, and the mobile device (100) tracks the position of the wearable device (1) through short-range communication between the mobile device (100) and the wearable device (1). From this, the first position (P1) can be determined from the second position (P2), and the determined first position (P1) can be considered as the position (P) of the golf ball.

[0023] Referring to Figure 5, the storage unit (120) stores information data about the golf course currently being played, and the position detection unit (111) of the mobile device (100) extracts the golf course data stored in the storage unit (120) and applies the motion position (first position (P1) or second position (P2)) where the golfer's swing takes place. Here, the golf course data includes map data of the golf course that the golfer is currently playing, and coordinates are set for each position on the map. When the motion position (first position (P1) or second position (P2)) is combined with the golf course map with coordinates set in this way, the coordinates (X, Y) indicating the position (P) of the golf ball can be determined.

[0024] As described above, once the position detection unit (111) determines the position (P) of the golf ball, the information generation unit (112) generates golf play information based on the determined position (P) of the golf ball and provides it to the golfer. This golf play information can include a variety of items.

[0025] For example, if the current position of the golf ball is determined by coordinates, the distance and direction between the golf ball and the hole cup can be determined. Therefore, as illustrated in Figure 6, the current position of the golf ball and the distance and direction between the golf ball and the hole cup can be provided as golf play information. Furthermore, if the position of the golf ball at each stroke is determined each time the user hits the golf ball, it is possible to know the stroke process (position of the golf ball at each stroke) that led to the current position of the golf ball, and this can be provided to the golfer as golf play information. In addition, the stroke process at each hole of the golf course can be tracked to determine the final score, and as illustrated in Figure 7, the score record for each hole on the golf course currently being played can be provided to the golfer as golf play information.

[0026] As described above, by knowing the position of the golf ball, it is possible to provide various play information based on this, such as the current position of the golf ball, the distance from the golf ball to the hole cup, the direction from the golf ball to the hole cup, the golf ball's trajectory so far on the golf course being played, and the score record. In particular, when tracking the position of a golfer's specific action to determine the position of the golf ball, it is highly effective to define the action as a "swing action" and use a "wristband" type wearable device to sense this swing action. Selecting a "swing action" as the action to start tracking the position of the golf ball has the advantage that the "swing action" is performed near the point where the golf ball is located, so it is not a problem to consider the position of the swing action as the position of the golf ball. Furthermore, if other actions are selected as the action to start tracking the position of the golf ball, it is inconvenient because the golfer needs to perform that action separately during play. However, as in the present invention, if a swing action is selected as the action to start tracking the position of the golf ball, the swing action is an action that is unconditionally necessary during play, so there is an advantage that the golfer does not need to perform any other action to start tracking the position of the golf ball. Furthermore, when using a wristband as a sensor to detect the "swing motion," the arm moves each time the golfer swings, and this arm movement is naturally transmitted to the wristband worn on the wrist, offering the advantage of accurately capturing the golfer's swing motion. Another advantage is that, since it is worn on the wrist, it does not significantly interfere with the golfer's game. Thus, when selecting the "swing motion" as the action to initiate golf ball position tracking, and simultaneously using a "wristband" type device to detect the "swing motion," the combination of the swing motion and the wristband can produce remarkable results.

[0027] Figures 8 and 9 show schematic structures of golf play information provision systems according to various other embodiments of the present invention, and Figure 10 shows examples of golf play information provided by the golf play information provision systems of Figures 8 and 9.

[0028] Referring to Figure 8, the golf play information provision system according to this embodiment includes a wearable device (1), a mobile device (100), a GPS satellite (101), a service device (200), and a terminal device (300). A wristband-type device that can be worn on the golfer's wrist can be used as the wearable device (1). The wristband-type wearable device (1) is equipped with a sensor that can sense the golfer's swing motion. Alternatively, the wearable device (1) may be equipped with a separate input means such as a button. In this case, a manual method can be applied in which the golfer wearing the wearable device (1) touches the button or the like before hitting the golf ball, and the position where the touch is made is considered to be the position where the swing motion was performed. The golfer's own smartphone can be used as the mobile device (100). The GPS satellite (101) is used to determine the position of the mobile device (100). The service device (200) is connected to the mobile device (100) via a network, and various terminal devices (300) are also connected to the service device (200) via a network. The terminal devices (300) are devices that can connect to the service device (200) via a wired or wireless network, and smartphones equipped with a web browser, desktop computers, tablet computers, notebooks, etc., can be used as terminal devices (300).

[0029] The service device (200) is equipped with an information provision unit (210) and a storage unit (220). The information provision unit (210) is responsible for providing golf play information and includes a position detection unit (211) for determining the position of the golf ball and an information generation unit (212) for generating golf play information. In this embodiment, the information provision unit (210) is equipped with the service device (200), but the information provision unit (210) does not necessarily have to be equipped with the service device (200) and can also be equipped with the mobile device (100). Alternatively, at least a part of the position detection unit (211) and the information generation unit (212) that constitute the information provision unit (210) may be equipped with the mobile device (100). The storage unit (220) stores data necessary for providing golf play information. For example, the storage unit (220) stores golf course data of a golf course. Although not shown in Figure 8, if there are multiple golfers, the service device (200) can be connected via a network to multiple mobile devices (100) owned by the multiple golfers, and information about the multiple golfers is stored separately for each golfer in the storage unit (220). Each golfer's storage area in the storage unit (220) stores the golfer's identity information and play information. The play information includes the golfer's past play records and personal records of the golfer that can be extracted from past play records (average distance by club, average number of strokes, etc.).

[0030] In the golf play information provision system according to an embodiment of the present invention, as in the previously described embodiment, when a golfer performs a swing motion, the wearable device (1) senses the swing motion. When the swing motion is sensed, the mobile device (100) grasps the position where the swing motion was performed (motion position) and transmits it to the service device (200). The position detection unit (211) in the information provision unit (210) of the service device (200) applies the above motion position to the golf course data to determine the position of the golf ball. The information generation unit (212) in the information provision unit (210) of the service device (200) generates golf play information based on the grasped position of the golf ball. The generated golf play information is transmitted from the service device (200) to the mobile device (100), and the mobile device (100) displays the transmitted golf play information and provides it to the golfer. Golf play information can be provided not only to golfers currently playing via mobile devices (100) but also to various terminal devices (300), allowing golfers themselves and other users to receive golf play information at any time they wish using the terminal devices (300).

[0031] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 8, the wearable device (1) is not essential and can be omitted. For example, as shown in Figure 9, instead of the wearable device (1), the golfer can wear an armband (2) on their arm and attach a mobile device (100) to this armband (2). In this case, the golfer's own smartphone can be used as the mobile device (100). If the smartphone is equipped with a sensor that can detect the golfer's swing motion, the smartphone attached to the armband (2) can simultaneously perform the roles of both the wearable device (1) and the mobile device (100) in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 8. That is, the golfer's swing motion can be detected via the smartphone attached to the armband (2), and the position of the golf ball can be determined from the position where the swing motion occurred via the smartphone's position tracking function.

[0032] By knowing the position of the golf ball, various golf play information can be provided based on this. This golf play information may include the current position of the golf ball, the distance from the golf ball to the hole cup, the direction from the golf ball to the hole cup, the ball's trajectory so far on the golf course being played, and the score record. In addition, the storage unit (220) stores the golfer's past play records and personal records of the golfer calculated from past play records, so golf play information can be provided reflecting the above play records. For example, as illustrated in Figure 10, personal record information such as the golfer's average number of strokes, average driver distance, fairway landing rate, green landing rate, sand save rate, and average number of putts can be provided as golf play information.

[0033] Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the operation process of a golf ball position tracking method according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 12 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a golf ball position tracking system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the operating principle when the golf ball position tracking method of Figure 11 is applied to the golf ball position tracking system of Figure 12.

[0034] Referring to Figure 11, the operation process of the golf ball positioning method according to this embodiment includes steps 1 to 4 (S11 to S14). In step 1 (S11), the golf course is divided into multiple areas, and multiple cameras are used to position cameras in each divided area to cover that area. In step 2 (S12), each of the multiple cameras photographs the area it covers and generates an image. In step 3 (S13), the image containing the golf ball is extracted from the multiple images taken by the multiple cameras. In step 4 (S14), the extracted image is applied to the golf course data for the area covered by the camera that took the picture to determine the position of the golf ball. Such a golf ball positioning method can be used in a golf ball positioning system as shown in Figure 12.

[0035] Referring to Figure 12, the golf ball positioning system includes multiple cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn) and a service device (1100). The multiple cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn) are placed throughout the golf course, each covering its assigned area. For example, if the golf course is divided into N sections, and each section is designated as the first section (A1), the second section (A2), ..., the Nth section (An) (the sections may overlap or be distinguished so as not to overlap), then N cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn) are placed. If we designate the N cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn) as the first camera (C1), second camera (C2), ..., and Nth camera (Cn), then the first camera (C1) covers the first region (A1), the second camera (C2) covers the second region (A2), ..., and the Nth camera (Cn) covers the Nth region (An). Here, the fact that the Kth camera (K is a natural number between 1 and N) covers the Kth region means that the area captured by the Kth camera can cover the entire Kth region. The service device (1100) is responsible for determining the position of the golf ball and communicating it to the golfer, and includes a position determination unit (1110) that determines the position of the golf ball and a storage unit (1120) that stores golf course data and other information necessary for determining the position of the golf ball. Although not shown in the drawings, the multiple cameras (C) and the service device (1100) are equipped with wireless communication means and can communicate with each other using them.

[0036] When the golf ball positioning method shown in Figure 11 is applied to the golf ball positioning system shown in Figure 12, the first step (S11) of the golf ball positioning method is performed because the golf course is divided into N regions in the golf ball positioning system, and a camera (C1, C2, ..., Cn) is placed in each divided region. In the second step (S12), a captured image is obtained by the cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn) taking a picture of the region they cover. The first camera (C1) obtains a captured image (first captured image) for the first region (A1), the second camera (C2) obtains a captured image (second captured image) for the second region (A2), ..., and the Nth camera (Cn) obtains a captured image (Nth captured image) for the Nth region (An). In the third step (S13), the obtained first to nth captured images are transmitted to the service device (1100), and the position determination unit (1110) of the service device (1100) analyzes the first to nth captured images and extracts the image in which the golf ball is located from among the first to nth captured images. Referring to Figure 13, assuming that the golf ball is confirmed in the fourth captured image (an image taken by the fourth camera (C4) of the fourth region (A4)), in the fourth step (S14), the position determination unit (1110) applies the fourth captured image to the golf course data stored in the storage unit (1120). The golf course data has first region data, second region data, ..., nth region data corresponding to the first to nth regions (A1, A2, ..., An). In addition, the kth region data (K is a natural number between 1 and N) can be used to apply multiple horizontal / vertical lines to the kth captured image so that the coordinates at a specific position in the kth captured image can be identified. Therefore, by applying the fourth captured image to the fourth region data, we can determine the coordinates of the golf ball's position in the fourth captured image. As a result, as shown in Figure 13, we can determine the coordinates (X, Y) of the current position (P) of the golf ball on the golf course.

[0037] The captured golf ball location information (P(X, Y)) can be used in various ways. For example, by using the golf ball location information (P(X, Y)) and the hole cup location information on the golf course (P0(X0, Y0)), the distance (D) between the golf ball and the hole cup can be determined and provided to the golfer as golf play information. As illustrated in the diagram, the golfer can carry a mobile device such as a smartphone, and this mobile device can communicate with the service device (1100) to receive golf play information such as the distance (D) between the golf ball and the hole cup from the service device (1100), which can then be displayed on the smartphone screen and provided to the user. Furthermore, since the golf ball location information (P(X, Y)) indicates the position where the user's golf ball was struck, by collecting all the positions where the golf ball was struck on a particular golf course, it is possible to know what kind of hitting path the user took to play that golf course, and to find out the user's score on that golf course.

[0038] Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the operation process of a golf ball positioning method according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 15 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a golf ball positioning system according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 16 is a diagram showing an example of a mobile device that can be used in the golf ball positioning system of Figure 15, and Figures 17 and 18 are diagrams for explaining the operating principle when the golf ball positioning method of Figure 14 is applied to the golf ball positioning system of Figure 15.

[0039] Referring to Figure 14, the operation process of the golf ball positioning method according to this embodiment includes the first to third steps (S21 to S23). In the first step (S21), it is confirmed whether or not a golfer is performing a swing motion on the golf course. In the second step (S22), the position of the swing motion is determined. In the third step (S23), the determined position of the golf ball on the golf course is determined by applying the determined position to the golf course data of the golf course. Such a golf ball positioning method can be used in a golf ball positioning system as shown in Figure 15.

[0040] Referring to Figure 15, the golf ball position tracking system includes a portable wearable device (1001) and a mobile device (1010). The wearable device (1001) is worn on the golfer's body. For example, a wristband-type device that can be worn on the golfer's wrist can be used as the wearable device (1001). The wristband-type wearable device (1001) is equipped with sensors that can detect the golfer's swing motion. For example, the wristband-type wearable device (1001) is equipped with a gyroscope, an accelerometer, an impact sensor, etc., and when the golfer performs a swing motion while wearing the wearable device (1001), the sensors can detect whether the golfer is swinging or not. The golfer's swing motion is performed not only when hitting a golf ball, but also when practicing swings without hitting a golf ball. If impact sensors are installed, they can detect the impact generated when a golfer hits a golf ball, allowing for the distinction between a simple practice swing and a swing that actually hits the golf ball, and enabling the detection of only the swing motion when the golf ball is struck. However, detecting the swing that hits the golf ball is necessary to determine the position of the golf ball when the swing takes place. Since practice swings are generally performed near the position of the golf ball before it is struck, there is often not much difference between the position where the practice swing takes place and the position where the actual swing that hits the golf ball takes place. Considering these points, there is not much practical benefit in distinguishing between a practice swing and an actual swing that hits the golf ball, so impact sensors can be omitted in this configuration.

[0041] By determining the position of the golf ball based on the location where the practice swing was performed, it is possible to provide the golfer with play information based on the determined information before actually hitting the golf ball. Furthermore, when determining the position of the golf ball based on the location where the actual swing that hit the golf ball was performed, the determined information can be used to create a play record of the golfer (for example, a play record showing the path the golf ball took from the tee box to the hole).

[0042] The wearable device (1001) may be equipped with a separate input means, such as a button. In this case, a manual method can be applied in which the golfer wearing the wearable device (1001) touches the button before hitting the golf ball, and the position where the touch is made is considered to be the position where the swing motion was performed. If a manual method is applied, the wristband does not need to be equipped with a sensing sensor that can detect the swing motion.

[0043] The golfer can use their own smartphone as the mobile device (1010). Alternatively, they can use another mobile device provided by the golf course or other facility, which is particularly useful if the golfer does not have a smartphone. Referring to Figure 16, the mobile device (1010) is equipped with a position determination unit (1011) and a storage unit (1012). The position determination unit (1011) determines the position of the golf ball and provides golf play information such as the distance between the golf ball and the hole cup. The storage unit (1012) stores the data necessary for providing golf play information. The position determination unit (1011) and the storage unit (1012) can be equipped by installing an application containing a program that determines the position of the golf ball and provides information, as well as related data, on the mobile device (1010).

[0044] When a smartphone is used as the mobile device (1010), the location of the mobile device (1010) can be determined by receiving signals from GPS satellites (1101). While this explanation describes the case where signals from GPS satellites (1101) are received to obtain the location information of the mobile device (1010), satellite signals should not necessarily be used to obtain location information; other methods of obtaining location information can also be applied.

[0045] When the golf ball positioning system in Figure 15 is applied to the golf ball positioning method in Figure 14, in the first step (S21) of the golf ball positioning method, as shown in Figure 17, the golfer hits a golf ball while wearing a wearable device (1001) on the golf course. The wearable device (1001) is equipped with a sensor that can detect the user's practice swing motion or the swing motion when the user hits a golf ball. When the swing motion is detected, the communication means provided in the wearable device (1001) transmits a signal to the mobile device (1010). If the wearable device (1001) is not equipped with a sensor that detects swing motion, the golfer can directly input that the swing will be performed at the current location by touching a separately provided input means before the swing, and in this case as well, the communication means can transmit a signal to the mobile device (1010). In the second step (S22), when the mobile device (1010) receives the above signal, the mobile device (1010) uses GPS satellites (1101) (see Figure 15) or the like to determine the position of the golf ball. Here, if we define the position where the golf ball is placed before the shot as the "position of the golf ball (P)", the position of the wearable device (1001) as the "first position (P1)", and the position of the mobile device (1010) as the "second position (P2)", then in this embodiment, we assume that the first position (P1) or the second position (P2) is the position of the golf ball (P).

[0046] The first position (P1) is the position of the wearable device (1001), which can essentially be considered the position of the golfer wearing it. Since the golfer hits the golf ball while in close proximity to it, it is reasonable to assume that the golfer's position (first position (P1)) is the position of the golf ball (P). If the mobile device (1010) is the golfer's smartphone, and the golfer is carrying their smartphone during play, then the second position (P2) is the same as the golfer's position, and since the golfer hits the golf ball while in close proximity to it, it is reasonable to assume that the second position (P2) is the position of the golf ball (P). When the mobile device (1010) is located some distance from the wearable device (1001) (for example, when a golfer leaves their smartphone, which is the mobile device (1010), on a golf cart), the second position (P2) of the mobile device (1010) is first determined via GPS satellite signals. Then, by tracking the position of the wearable device (1001) using short-range communication between the mobile device (1010) and the wearable device (1001), the first position (P1) can be determined from the second position (P2), and the determined first position (P1) can be considered as the position (P) of the golf ball.

[0047] Referring to Figure 18, the storage unit (1012) stores golf course data related to the golf course currently being played. In the third step (S30), the position determination unit (1101) of the mobile device (1010) extracts the golf course data stored in the storage unit (1012) and applies the motion position (first position (P1) or second position (P2)) where the golfer's swing takes place. Here, the golf course data includes map data of the golf course the golfer is currently playing, and coordinates are set for each position on the map. When the motion position (first position (P1) or second position (P2)) is combined with the golf course map with coordinates set in this way, the coordinates (X, Y) indicating the position (P) of the golf ball can be determined.

[0048] If a golfer determines the position information (P(X, Y)) of the golf ball through practice swings before hitting the golf ball, the distance (D) between the golf ball and the hole cup can be determined using the position information (P0(X0, Y0)) of the hole cup on the golf course, and this can be displayed on the screen of a mobile device (1010) and provided to the golfer. Alternatively, as illustrated in Figure 17, if the position information (P(X, Y)) indicates the position where the golfer hit the golf ball, collecting all the positions where the golf ball was hit on a particular golf course allows us to know what kind of hitting path the user (golfer) took to conquer that golf course, and to know the user's score on that golf course.

[0049] According to this embodiment, in tracking the position of a golfer's specific action to determine the position of the golf ball, considerable effectiveness can be achieved by defining the action as a "swing action" and using a "wristband" type wearable device as the device that senses this swing action. Selecting a "swing action" as the action to initiate golf ball position tracking has the advantage that the "swing action" takes place near the location where the golf ball is placed, so it is not a problem to consider the position of the swing action as the position of the golf ball. Furthermore, if other actions are selected as the action to initiate golf ball position tracking, it is inconvenient because the golfer needs to perform those actions separately during golf play. However, as in this invention, selecting a swing action as the action to initiate golf ball position tracking has the advantage that the golfer does not need to perform any other actions to initiate golf ball position tracking because the swing action is an action that is unconditionally necessary during golf play. In addition, when using a "wristband" as a sensor to detect the "swing action," the golfer's arm moves each time they perform a swing action, and the movement of the arm can be naturally transmitted to the wristband worn on the wrist, thus providing the advantage of accurately capturing the golfer's swing action. Furthermore, since it is worn on the wrist, it has the advantage of not significantly interfering with a golfer's game. Thus, when selecting a "swing motion" as the action to initiate golf ball position tracking, and simultaneously using a "wristband" type device to detect the "swing motion," the two components—the swing motion and the wristband—combine to produce a remarkable effect.

[0050] Instead of using a wristband, a golfer's smartphone can also be used as both a wearable device (1001) and a mobile device (1010). In other words, if a golfer wears an armband or similar device on their arm and attaches a smartphone to this armband, most smartphones have vibration sensing capabilities, so the smartphone can detect when a swing occurs. The smartphone's location tracking function can then be used to determine the location where the swing occurred, and by applying the location of the swing to golf course data, the position of the golf ball and various play information (such as the distance between the golf ball and the hole cup) can be determined and provided to the golfer.

[0051] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a golf ball position tracking system according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 20 is a diagram illustrating the operating principle for tracking the position of a golf ball in the golf ball position tracking system of Figure 19.

[0052] Referring to Figure 19, the golf ball positioning system includes mobile devices (1010, 1020, 1030) and a service device (1100). The mobile devices (1010, 1020, 1030) can be the golfer's own smartphone or the like. Assume there are multiple golfers, and each golfer possesses their own mobile device (1010, 1020, 1030). For example, if there are three golfers, and for convenience we refer to them as the first golfer, the second golfer, and the third golfer, then the mobile devices (1010, 1020, 1030) include the first mobile device (1010) possessed by the first golfer, the second mobile device (1020) possessed by the second golfer, and the third mobile device (1030) possessed by the third golfer. The service device (1100) is responsible for determining the position of the golf ball and communicating this information to the golfer. It includes a position determination unit (1110) responsible for determining the position of the golf ball and a storage unit (1120) that stores golf course data and other information necessary for determining the position of the golf ball. The mobile devices (1010, 1020, 1030) and the service device (1100) are connected via a network. The mobile devices (1010, 1020, 1030) have a position tracking function. For example, the mobile devices (1010, 1020, 1030) can determine their position using GPS satellites (1101). Since the position of the mobile devices (1010, 1020, 1030) indicates the position of the golfer who possesses them, the position of the first golfer can be determined through the first mobile device (1010), the position of the second golfer can be determined through the second mobile device (1020), and the position of the third golfer can be determined through the third mobile device (1030).

[0053] In the golf ball position tracking system according to this embodiment, the process for tracking the position of a golf ball includes the steps of: the position determination unit (1110) determining the position where a golfer's swing motion has been performed (or is scheduled to be performed); and the position determination unit (1110) applying the determined position to the golf course data of the golf course in the storage unit (1120) to determine the position of the golf ball on the golf course. When one golfer is positioned separately from the other golfers among several golfers, the current position of the golfer who is separated is considered the position. For example, as shown in Figure 20, when the positions of the second and third golfers (P2, P3) are adjacent to each other, and the position of the first golfer (P1) is separated from the positions of the second and third golfers (P2, P3), this can be seen as the first golfer being separated from the second and third golfers in order to hit his own golf ball. Therefore, if the first golfer is positioned alone away from other golfers for a certain period of time (such as the time required for practice swings and / or actual swings), it can be assumed that the swing motion was performed by the first golfer at that position. In this case, the position information of the first golfer (P1(X1, Y1)) among the position information of the first golfer (P1(X1, Y1) / the position information of the second golfer (P2(X2, Y2)) / the position information of the third golfer (P3(X3, Y3)) can be considered as the position information (P(X, Y)) of the golf ball that was (or is scheduled to be) swung by the first golfer. Based on this, play information such as the distance (D) between the golf ball and the hole cup can be determined. Furthermore, by acquiring the position information of the golf ball each time it is struck, it is possible to determine the trajectory of the shots played by the golfer on the golf course.

[0054] While it was previously stated that a swing can be considered to have occurred at the current position of a golfer when one golfer is positioned a predetermined distance away from the other golfers for a predetermined period of time, there are various other situations in which a swing can be considered to have occurred when multiple golfers are in a specific positional relationship with each other. AI technology can be used to determine these various situations in which a swing can be considered to have occurred. For example, by introducing AI technology such as machine learning into the position determination unit (1110) of the service device (1100) and training the AI ​​with various learning data (for example, data consisting of multiple [(positional relationships between golfers) and (whether a golfer can swing)]), the AI ​​can check the positional relationships between multiple golfers and determine whether it can be considered a position where a swing can occur.

[0055] Figure 21 shows a schematic structure of a golf ball position tracking system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Referring to Figure 21, the golf ball position tracking system includes multiple cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn), a wearable device (1001), a mobile device (1010), and a service device (1100). The multiple cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn) are placed throughout the golf course, each covering its assigned area. For example, if the golf course is divided into N sections, and each section is designated as the first section (A1), the second section (A2), ..., the Nth section (An) (the sections may overlap or be distinguished so as not to overlap), then N cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn) are placed. If we designate N cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn) as the first camera (C1), second camera (C2), ..., Nth camera (Cn), then the first camera (C1) covers the first region (A1), the second camera (C2) covers the second region (A2), ..., and the Nth camera (Cn) covers the Nth region (An). The wearable device (1001) is worn on the golfer's body. For example, a wristband-type device that can be worn on the golfer's wrist can be used as the wearable device (1001). The wristband-type wearable device (1001) is equipped with a sensor that can detect the golfer's swing motion. The golfer's own smartphone can be used as the mobile device (1010). The smartphone has a location tracking function. For example, when using GPS satellites (1101), the location of the mobile device (1010), which is a smartphone, can be determined. The service device (1100) is responsible for determining the position of the golf ball and communicating this information to the golfer. It includes a position determination unit (1110) responsible for determining the position of the golf ball and a storage unit (1120) that stores golf course data and other information necessary for determining the position of the golf ball. Although not shown in the drawings, multiple cameras (C) and the service device (1100) are equipped with wireless communication means and can communicate with each other using these means. If a smartphone is used, a mobile device (1010) can also communicate with the service device (1100).

[0057] The golf ball position tracking system according to this embodiment includes both the system configuration shown in Figure 12 and the system configuration shown in Figure 15. Therefore, the golf ball position tracking system according to this embodiment can be combined with the golf ball position tracking process in the aforementioned system. That is, after extracting an image containing a golf ball from images taken by multiple cameras (C1, C2, ..., Cn) that capture the area they cover, the extracted image can be applied to golf course data to determine the position of the golf ball (this is referred to as the "first process"). The golfer's swing motion can be sensed by a wearable device (1001) worn by the golfer, and the position where the swing motion occurred can be applied to golf course data to determine the position of the golf ball (this is referred to as the "second process"). The first and second processes can be used in various ways. For example, the first and second processes can be carried out independently, the other process can be carried out if a problem arises when only one of the first or second processes is carried out, or the first and second processes can be carried out together in a complementary manner. For example, when the first and second processes are carried out in a complementary manner, a method can be applied in which, after determining the position of the golf ball through the second process, a camera covering the determined position is used to generate an image, and the position of the golf ball is finally determined using the generated image. This method takes into account that the position of the golf ball determined in the second process may differ from the exact position of the golf ball because it is actually the position of the golfer. By first determining the position of the golfer through the second process and then proceeding with the first process again, the exact position of the golf ball can be determined, and there is also the advantage of being able to omit some steps when proceeding with the first process (not targeting the entire golf course, but proceeding with the first process targeting only the area to which the position where the golfer was determined in the first process belongs).

[0058] The specific embodiments of the present invention have been discussed above. A person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that the present invention can be embodied in modified forms that do not depart from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered in an explanatory rather than restrictive view. The scope of the present invention is shown in the claims, not in the foregoing description, and all differences within an equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 100, 1010: Mobile devices 200, 1100: Service equipment 300: Terminal device

Claims

1. Steps to check if a golfer is performing a swing motion on the golf course, When the aforementioned swing motion is performed, the steps include determining the position at which the swing motion was performed, The steps include determining the position on the golf course where the golf ball was placed before the swing motion, using the golf course data for the golf course and the motion position, Including, There are multiple golfers, and each of them possesses a portable device that allows them to determine their own position. Whether or not they perform the swing motion can be determined by checking the relative positions of the multiple golfers. How to determine the position of a golf ball.

2. The method for determining the position of a golf ball according to claim 1, wherein if one of the aforementioned golfers is positioned at a predetermined distance from the other golfers who are adjacent to each other for a predetermined period of time, the current position of the separated golfer is considered to be the position from which the swing motion was performed.

3. Portable devices carried by golfers playing on a golf course, A storage unit for storing data on the golf course of the aforementioned golf course, If it is confirmed that a golfer is performing a swing motion, the position determination unit determines the position where the golf ball was placed on the golf course before the swing motion, using the golf course data for the golf course and the position of the swing motion. Including, The aforementioned golfers are multiple individuals, each possessing the aforementioned portable device. The position of each of the aforementioned golfers can be determined by the portable device. The presence or absence of the aforementioned swing motion can be determined by checking the relative positions of the multiple golfers. Golf ball position tracking system.

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