Apparatus for measuring parameters relating to the trajectory and/or motion of a moving article

A golf-swing analyser apparatus for providing an output dependent on the orientation of a golf-club head during swing of the club by a golfer, comprising:

• (a) means defining a swing region through which the golfer may swing the golf club in a swing direction;
• (b) light-reflective means for attachment to the golf-club head to define three reference locations of the head spaced from one another in the direction of swing, each of the three reference locations being displaced from alignment with the other two reference locations;
• (c) detection means for defining within the swing region a narrow detection plane transverse to the swing direction for responding to movement of the light-reflective means through the detection plane, the detection means comprising:
• (i) light-emitting means for emitting light transversely of the swing direction for reflection within the detection plane from the three reference locations during swing of the golf-club head through the detection plane, and
• (ii) light-responsive means responsive to the light reflected within the detection plane from each of the three reference locations individually to provide an electric signal, the electric signal having a waveform that varies in amplitude with time in accordance with the movement of the golf-club head through the detection plane, the light-responsive means comprising means for generating the electric signal to have a waveform that includes amplitude excursions corresponding to the light reflected within the detection plane from the three reference locations respectively, each amplitude excursion being generated progressively in real time as the respective reference location passes progressively through the detection plane, and the amplitude excursions having relative timings within the waveform synchronised to the passage of the respective reference locations through the detection plane;
• and
• (d) means responsive to the waveform of the electric signal for providing the output, the output being provided in accordance with the amplitude excursions and their relative timings in the waveform.

A method for providing an output dependent on the orientation of a moving object relative to its direction of movement, comprising:

• (a) a first step of attaching light-reflective means to the object, the light-reflective means being attached to the object to define three reference locations of the object spaced from one another in the direction of movement, and each of the three locations being displaced from alignment with the other two locations;
• (b) a second step of defining a narrow detection plane transverse to the direction of movement for responding to movement of the light-reflective means through the detection plane, the second step comprising:
• (i) emitting light transversely of the direction of movement for reflection within the detection plane from the reference locations during movement of the object through the detection plane, and
• (ii) responding to light reflected within the detection plane from the reference locations to provide an electric signal, the electric signal having a waveform that varies in amplitude with time in accordance with movement through the detection plane to include amplitude excursions corresponding to the light reflected within the detection plane from the three reference locations respectively, each amplitude excursion being generated progressively in real time as the respective reference location passes progressively through the detection plane, and the amplitude excursions having relative timings within the waveform synchronised to passage of the respective reference locations through the detection plane;
• and
• c) a third step of analysis of the waveform for providing the output, the output being provided in accordance with the amplitude excursions and their relative timings in the waveform.

A method for analysing the orientation of the head of a golf club during swing of the golf-club by a golfer, comprising:

• (a) a first step of defining a swing region through which the golfer may swing the golf club in a swing direction;
• (b) a second step of providing light-reflective means on the golf-club head to define three reference locations of the head spaced from one another in swing direction, each of the three reference locations being displaced from alignment with the other two locations;
• (c) a third step of defining a narrow detection plane transverse to the swing direction within the swing region for responding to movement of the light-reflective means through the detection plane, the third step comprising:
• (i) emitting light transversely of the swing direction for reflection within the detection plane from the three reference locations during swing of the golf club through the detection plane, and
• (ii) responding to light reflected within the detection plane from the reference locations to provide an electric signal, the electric signal having a waveform that varies in amplitude with time in accordance with movement through the detection plane to include amplitude excursions corresponding to the light reflected within the detection plane from the three reference locations respectively, each amplitude excursion being generated progressively in real time as the respective reference location passes progressively through the detection plane, and the amplitude excursions having relative timings within the waveform synchronised to passage of the respective reference locations through the detection plane;
• and
• (d) a fourth step of analysis of the waveform, the fourth step including determining the relative timing of the the amplitude excursions in the waveform.

An apparatus for providing an output dependent on motion of a moving object relative to its direction of movement, comprising:

• (a) detection means for defining first and second narrow detection planes inclined to the direction of movement, the detection means being responsive to movement of the moving object through the first and second detection planes in turn, the detection means comprising:
• (i) light-emitting means for emitting light for reflection within the first and second detection planes from the object during the movement of the object through the first and second detection planes in turn;
• (ii) first light-responsive means responsive to the light reflected within the first detection plane from the object during the movement of the object through the first detection plane to generate a first electric signal, the first electric signal having a waveform which varies in amplitude synchronously with the movement of the object through the first detection plane and which includes an amplitude excursion corresponding to the light reflected within the first detection plane from the object as the object moves progressively through the first detection plane;
• and
• (iii) second light-responsive means responsive to the light reflected within the second detection plane from the object during the movement of the object through the second detection plane to generate a second electric signal, the second electric signal having a waveform which varies in amplitude synchronously with the movement of the object through the second detection plane and which includes an amplitude excursion corresponding to the light reflected within the second detection plane from the object as the object moves progressively through the second detection plane;
• and
• (c) means for comparing the waveform of the first electric signal with the waveform of the second electric signal to provide the output of the apparatus, the output being dependent on the amplitude excursion of each waveform.

A method for providing an output dependent on motion of a moving object relative to its direction of movement, comprising:

• (a) a first step of defining first and second narrow detection planes inclined to the direction of movement for responding to movement of the moving object through the first and second detection planes in turn, the first step comprising:
• (i) emitting light transversely of the direction of movement for reflection within the first and second detection planes from the object during the movement of the object through the first and second detection planes in turn;
• (ii) responding to the light reflected within the first detection plane from the object during the movement of the object through the first detection plane to generate a first electric signal, the first electric signal having a waveform which varies in amplitude synchronously with the movement of the object through the first detection plane and which includes an amplitude excursion corresponding to the light reflected within the first detection plane from the object as the object moves progressively through the first detection plane;
• and
• (iii) responding to the light reflected within the second detection plane from the object during the movement of the object through the second detection plane to generate a second electric signal, the second electric signal having a waveform which varies in amplitude synchronously with the movement of the object through the second detection plane and which includes an amplitude excursion corresponding to the light reflected within the second detection plane from the object as the object moves progressively through the second detection plane;
• and
• (b) comparing the waveform of the first electric signal with the waveform of the second electric signal to provide the output of the apparatus, the output being dependent on the amplitude excursion of each waveform.