METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A DISTANCE

• US 20110022314A1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: BALARDETA, JOSEPH, DENTON, SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/837,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022314A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 51/00 Stringing tennis, badminton or like rackets; Strings therefor; Maintenance of racket strings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning

Abstract

A device and method for determining a distance from the device to a distant point is disclosed herein. The device includes a GPS component, a laser component, a camera component, a memory, a display component, a user input, and a processor comprising means for determining a distance between any two points.

Claims

1. A distance locating device comprising:

a housing having a first surface and a second surface;

a display located on the first surface of the housing;

a camera located on the second surface of the housing;

a laser generator located on the second surface of the housing;

a laser photodiode located on the second surface of the housing;

a processor located within the housing;

a GPS circuit positioned within the housing, the GPS circuit comprising a GPS receiver and an antenna;

2. The distance locating device according to claim 1 wherein the camera component comprises a lens positioned at a first opening in the second surface of the housing.

3. The distance locating device according to claim 1 wherein the laser generator comprises a light source transmitting a beam of light through a second opening in the second surface of the housing.

4. The distance locating device according to claim 1 wherein the processor in electrical communication with the camera component, the laser component, the display component and the GPS component

5. The distance locating device according to claim 1 wherein the device further comprises a power source for providing power to the processor, the camera component, the laser component, the display component and the GPS component.

6. A method for determining a distance from one point to a second point, the method comprising:

determining a location of a device utilizing a GPS component of the device;

viewing an image of a distant point on a display of the device, the image generated by a camera component of the device;

transmitting a laser beam from the device to the distant point;

receiving a reflected laser beam from the distant point at a photodiode of the device;

calculating a distance from the device to the distant point based on the laser beam and reflected laser beam; and

displaying the distant point and the location of the device on an aerial image displayed on the display of the device.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising displaying the distance from the location of the device to the distant point on the display of the device.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the camera is a CMOS camera.

10. The method according to claim 6 wherein the laser beam has a range of 100 meters.

11. The method according to claim 6 wherein the distant point is less than 100 meters away from the device.

12. A method for determining a distance to a point, the method comprising:

determining a location of a device utilizing a GPS component of the device;

viewing an image of a point on a display of the device, the image generated by a camera component of the device;

transmitting a laser beam from the device to the point;

receiving a reflected laser beam from the point at a photodiode of the device;

calculating a distance from the device to the point based on the laser beam and reflected laser beam; and

displaying the point and the location of the device on an aerial image of a map displayed on the display of the device.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the point is a hiking point.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the hiking point is a mountain summit.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein the hiking point is a lake.

16. The method according to claim 13 wherein the hiking point is a trailhead.

17. The method according to claim 12 wherein the point is a flagstick.

18. The method according to claim 12 wherein the camera is a CMOS camera.

19. The method according to claim 12 wherein the laser beam has a range of 100 meters.

20. The method according to claim 12 wherein the distant point is less than 100 meters away from the device.