# US 2025/0083019 A1 · Systems and methods for calculating a critical velocity of a putt using a mobile device

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- Number: US 2025/0083019 A1
- Document ID: US20250083019A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/466,176
- Filed: 2023-09-13
- Published: 2025-03-13
- Earliest claimed: 2023-09-13
- Assignees: Golftec Enterprises LLC
- Applicants: Golftec Enterprises LLC
- Inventors: Nick CLEARWATER; Terry SPENCE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250083019A1

## CPC

- A63B 69/3676: {for putting (A63B69/3608, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3697 take precedence)}
- G01B 11/2755: {using photoelectric detection means}
- G01B 11/26: for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
- G01B 21/042: {Calibration or calibration artifacts (G01B3/30, G01B9/02072 take precedence)}
- A63B 69/3658: {Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction}
- A63B 71/0622: {Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user}
- A63B 2024/0034: {during flight}
- A63B 2024/0037: {on a target surface or at impact on the ground}
- A63B 2102/32: Golf
- A63B 2220/10: Positions
- A63B 2220/18: Inclination, slope or curvature
- A63B 2220/30: Speed
- A63B 2220/70: Measuring or simulating ambient conditions, e.g. weather, terrain or surface conditions
- A63B 2220/80: Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
- A63B 2220/806: Video cameras
- A63B 2225/50: Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS

## Abstract

A method is provided for calculating a critical velocity of a golf ball to determine if a putt will be holed from a particular approach angle. The method provides calculating a critical velocity for a golf ball, calculating an approach angle at which the golf ball will approach a cup and computing an overall velocity of the golf ball as the golf ball crosses an edge of the cup. The critical velocity comprises both a pitch and roll dimension. The critical velocity dimensions are then compared to the overall velocity, where if the overall velocity is less than the critical velocity then the golf ball is considered to be holed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of determining whether a golf putt will be holed, the method comprising:
calculating a critical velocity for a golf ball;
calculating an approach angle at which the golf ball will approach a cup;
computing an overall velocity of the golf ball as the golf ball crosses an edge of the cup;
comparing the overall velocity as the golf ball crosses the edge of the cup to the critical velocity, wherein if the overall velocity is less than the critical velocity then the golf ball is considered to be holed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a frame of reference between the golf ball and the cup location on a golf putting green, wherein a line between the golf ball and the cup location defines a y-axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating a distance between the ball and the cup.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the distance between the ball and the cup defines a radius of a circle on the putting green.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the cup is located at the center of the circle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the golf ball is located on a position on the circumference of the circle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising orienting the frame of reference so that an axis of rotation is a horizontal line going through the cup location.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein a high side of the cup is located at a twelve o'clock position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein a low side of the cup is located at a six o'clock position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising calculating the angle between the axis of rotation and the radius.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising calculating a preferred target line of a putt, which is based at least in part by the calculated angle between the axis of rotation and the radius.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the critical velocity comprises a roll and a pitch dimension.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to:
receive green reading data at a processor, wherein the green reading data comprises at least a critical velocity for a golf ball, an approach angle at which the golf ball will approach a cup, and an overall velocity of the golf ball as the golf ball crosses an edge of the cup; wherein the overall velocity as the golf ball crosses the edge of the cup is compared to the critical velocity, and wherein if the overall velocity is less than the critical velocity then the golf ball is considered to be holed; and
use the green reading data to create user output data that is displayed to a user on a user interface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising defining a frame of reference between the golf ball and the cup location on a golf putting green, wherein a line between the golf ball and the cup location defines a y-axis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising calculating a distance between the ball and the cup.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the critical velocity comprises a roll and a pitch dimension.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising orienting the frame of reference so that an axis of rotation is a horizontal line going through the cup location.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein a high side of the cup is located at a twelve o'clock position.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein a low side of the cup is located at a six o'clock position.

### Claim 20

A method of calculating a critical velocity of a golf ball to determine if a putt will be holed from a particular approach angle, comprising:
defining a frame of reference between a golf ball and a golf cup location on a golf putting green, wherein a line between the golf ball and the golf cup location defines a y-axis;
calculating a distance between the ball and the cup, wherein the distance between the ball and the cup defines a radius of a circle on the putting green, wherein the cup is located at the center of the circle and the golf ball is located on a position on the circumference of the circle;
orienting the frame of reference so that an axis of rotation is a horizontal line going through the cup location, wherein a high side of the cup is located at a twelve o'clock position;
calculating an angle between the axis of rotation and the ball on the circumference;
calculating a preferred target line of a putt, which is based at least in part by the calculated angle between the axis of rotation and the radius;
calculating an approach angle at which the golf ball will enter the cup, which is based at least in part by the preferred target line;
computing a critical velocity in roll and pitch dimensions, which is based at least in part on the approach angle;
computing the overall velocity of the golf ball as the ball crosses an edge of the cup, which is based at least in part on the critical velocity in the roll and pitch dimensions;
comparing the overall velocity as the ball crosses the edge of the cup to the critical velocity in both pitch and roll dimensions, wherein if the overall velocity is less than the critical velocity in both the pitch and roll dimensions, then the ball is considered to be holed.