A Patent on a Method for Correcting a Golf Swing Using the Internet

Really, a patent issued today directed to a method of
correcting your golf swing over the internet. I know, hard to believe.

 

The patent is USPN 7494430 titled “System and Method for Correcting Golf Swing Using Internet” and
describes the invention as:

 

The present invention relates to a system and method for
correcting a golf swing using the Internet, which allows a golfer to correct
his golf swing through the use of the Internet, thus improving the golfing
ability of the golfer. The system of the present invention includes
photographing means, image processing means, weight center detecting means,
club head detecting means, signal processing means, control means, display
means, practice center communication means, personal communication means, a Web
server, a three-dimensional data generating server, a golf swing managing
server, and a mail server. The system of the present invention can provide
moving pictures of golf swing practice and golf swing correcting data via the
Internet, so a user’s golf swing can be easily corrected at a golf practice
center, home or office.

 

Nothing a few flowcharts can’t clear up!

 

 

Got it? Check out this claim from the patent:

A
system for correcting a golf swing using the Internet, comprising:
photographing means for photographing a golf swing of a golfer and
outputting corresponding data; image processing means for receiving data
output from the photographing means, image-processing the data and
outputting corresponding image data; weight center detecting means for
detecting movement of a center of weight during a golf swing and
outputting a corresponding detection signal; club head detecting means for
detecting an angle and a speed of a club head and outputting a
corresponding detection signal; signal processing means for receiving the
detection signals output from the weight center detecting means and the
club head detecting means, computing the movement of the center of weight
and the angle and speed of the club head within an impact zone and
outputting corresponding computation data; control means for receiving the
image data and the computation data output from the image processing means
and the signal processing means, respectively, synchronizing the image
data and the computation data and outputting moving picture data; display
means situated in front of a golf ball positioned in front of the golfer
for displaying a currently performed golf swing, and receiving and
displaying the moving picture data output from the control means; practice
center communication means for receiving and transmitting the moving
picture data output from the control means, receiving and transmitting a
request for provision of golf swing correcting data and a request for
provision of moving pictures obtained during golf swing practice in
response to a key manipulation of the golfer, and receiving and displaying
golf swing correcting data and moving pictures obtained during golf swing
practice; personal communication means for receiving and transmitting a
request for provision of golf swing correcting data and a request for
provision of moving pictures obtained during golf swing practice in
response to a key manipulation of the golfer, and receiving and displaying
golf swing correcting data and moving pictures obtained during golf swing
practice; a Web server for receiving the request output from the practice
center communication means or personal communication means, outputting a
corresponding control signal, and outputting golf swing correcting data or
moving picture data to the practice center communication means or personal
communication means; a three-dimensional data generating server for
receiving the control signal output from the Web server, generating a wire
frame, that is, three-dimensional posture data of the golfer, comparing
this generated wire frame with a stored reference wire frame, and
outputting golf swing correcting data, wherein generating the wire frame
includes: a three-dimensional posture data generating server receiving
moving picture data from practice center communication means through the
Web server and converting each frame of the moving picture data into an
image, image-processing the converted images to images of certain size,
converting each frame of the moving picture data into an image,
image-processing the converted images to images of a certain size, setting
joint points of a golfer using the processed images, extracting parameters
associated with movement of the golfer using the set joint points,
extracting angle data of each changed joint of the golfer using the
parameters, and generating the wire frame of the golfer using angle data
corresponding to each image; a golf swing managing server for receiving
the control signal output from the Web server, storing moving picture data
of golf swing practice of the golfer, and outputting the stored moving
picture data; and a mail server for receiving the control signal output
from the Web server, and outputting various golf information to the
practice center communication means or personal communication means via
e-mail.

 

Holy mackerel, it seems like it would be hard to infringe
that claim!

 

Dave Dawsey 
– Tracking Golf Inventions