Apparatus and method for virtual golf simulation imaging mini map

A virtual golf simulation apparatus for a user to play golf on a virtual golf course realized by imaging processing, comprising:

• a sensing device which senses a golf ball hit by the user;
• a controller which simulates a trajectory of the hit golf ball on a hole of the virtual golf course currently played, based on a sensing result;
• and
• an image processing means configured to:
• display on a screen or a display device a simulation image which shows a simulated trajectory of the hit golf ball on the hole currently played,
• display a predetermined region of the simulation image a mini map which shows a downscaled image of a whole or a part of the hole currently played together with a state and information on the hole,
• display on the displayed mini map a wind object which indicates a wind direction and a wind velocity according to weather information on the virtual golf course currently played, wherein the wind object is overlapped with the downscaled image of the whole or the part of the hole on the displayed mini map at a predetermined degree of transparency such that a part of the mini map illustrated under the overlapped wind object is visible, and
• move the wind object overlapped with the downscaled image on the displayed mini map from a first position to a second position on the downscaled image on the displayed mini map in a direction corresponding to the wind direction at a velocity corresponding to the wind velocity according to the weather information such that the part of the downscaled image of the whole or the part of the hole on the mini map illustrated under the overlapped moving wind object is visible and a size of an area that the downscaled image is overlapped with the wind object varies.