Virtual Caddy Club Target Display for Accurate Golf Shot Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golfers often struggle with understanding their distance and accuracy with each club, leading to hazards and improper shots during a round of golf.
Innovation Solution
A golf aid system that includes a user tracking system, a heads-up display, and a processor to determine target locations for different clubs, displaying indicators on the display to assist in club selection and provide golf-related statistics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If golfers rely on their own judgment for club selection, then they maintain independence and avoid external assistance, but their distance and accuracy understanding is insufficient leading to improper shots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual caddy as an intermediary between the golfer and the club selection decision. The virtual caddy uses GPS technology and pre-stored club distance data to calculate and recommend the appropriate club, serving as a mediator that provides precise distance and accuracy information without requiring the golfer to have expert knowledge
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/cognitive process of manual distance estimation and club selection with an electronic system. The GPS receiver, processor, and display work together to automatically determine distance and recommend clubs, substituting the golfer's natural judgment process with an electronic measurement and calculation system
2Reliability
If golfers spend time developing muscle memory and fine motor skills, then their playing ability improves, but during a round they still lack proper understanding of distance and accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system where the virtual caddy continuously provides distance and accuracy information to the golfer during play. The system receives real-time location data from the GPS receiver, compares it with pre-stored club characteristics, and delivers feedback recommendations that complement the golfer's developed skills with accurate distance information
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-storing club distance data and accuracy characteristics in the system memory before the round begins. This allows the processor to quickly retrieve and use this information during play without requiring the golfer to recall or calculate these parameters manually
3Object-affected harmful factors
If no assistance is provided for club selection, then the system remains simple, but hazards come into play and golfers over or undershoot targets
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual caddy acts as a protective intermediary that prevents harmful outcomes by providing accurate distance and accuracy information. This intermediary system filters out the uncertainty and error that would otherwise lead to hazards being hit or targets being missed
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides beforehand cushioning by pre-calculating and recommending the optimal club selection based on distance and accuracy requirements. This preparatory action cushions the golfer against making poor decisions that would result in hazards or missed targets
Data Source
AI summary
A golf aid system for assisting a user with a golf shot on a golf course includes a user tracking system configured to determine the location of the user on the golf course, a portable electronic device with a display screen, and a processor. The processor, which is operable to communicate with the user tracking system and the portable electronic device, is configured to determine one or more target locations on the golf course, with each of the target locations representing a recommended target for a respective one of the golf clubs. The processor directs the portable electronic device to display an indicator of the respective golf club proximate the corresponding target location via the display screen, such that the user perceives at least a portion of the indicator to be coincident with the corresponding one of the target locations.