METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SHOT TRACKING

• US 20110151986A1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Denton, Scott, Balardeta, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/969,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20110151986A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/222
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/00 Golfing accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3605 Golf club selection aids informing player of his average or expected shot distance for each club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shot tracking device for attachment to a golf club. The shot tracking device comprises a housing, a battery, and a circuit board. A plurality of board components are disposed on the circuit board, the plurality of comprise a microprocessor, a resistor, a capacitor, a load switch and a RFID chip.

Claims

1. A method for conserving power for a shot tracking device attached to a grip of a golf club, the method comprising:

striking an object with the golf club having a shot tracking device, the shot tracking device comprising a battery in electrical communication with a resistor in electrical communication with a capacitor and a load switch, the load switch in electrical communication with an enabler and a microprocessor, the microprocessor in electrical communication with a radiofrequency circuit;

closing the load switch to power the microprocessor and the radiofrequency circuit, the power drawn from the capacitor;

transmitting a signal from the radiofrequency circuit;

receiving a confirmation signal at the radiofrequency circuit;

opening the load switch; and

recharging the capacitor at a controlled rate.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein a peak current for transmission of the signal is limited to 2 milli-amps.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the battery is a 3 volt battery.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the radiofrequency circuit operates at 2.4 giga-Hertz.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the microprocessor and the radiofrequency circuit are integrated.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the capacitor is a 1 micro-Faraday capacitor.

7. A device for a shot tracking, the device comprising:

a housing, the housing comprising a main body and a projection body extending downward from the main body;

a battery, the battery disposed within the housing;

a circuit board, the circuit board having a first side and a second side;

a load switch disposed on the second side; and

a plurality of components, the components comprising a microprocessor, a RFID chip, a capacitor, a resistor and an enabler.

8. The device according to claim 7 wherein the microprocessor is a complete Radio System-on-Chip device.

9. The device according to claim 7 wherein the capacitor is a 1 micro-Faraday capacitor.

10. The device according to claim 7 wherein the load switch is a single channel slew rate controlled load switch.

11. The device according to claim 7 wherein the shot tracking device transmits a signal when a golf club strikes a golf ball, the signal comprising the identification of the golf club.

12. The device according to claim 7 wherein the microprocessor is configured to deactivate transmissions of the signal when a threshold number of signals are transmitted by the shot tracking device and a receipt signal is not received by the shot tracking device.

13. The device according to claim 12 wherein the threshold number of signals ranges from 5 to 50.

14. The device according to claim 11 wherein each signal transmitted consumes approximately 2 milliamps of power.

15. A method for conserving power for a shot tracking device attached to a grip of a golf club, the method comprising:

striking an object with the golf club having a shot tracking device, the shot tracking device comprising a battery in electrical communication with a resistor in electrical communication with a capacitor and a load switch, the load switch in electrical communication with an enabler and a microprocessor, the microprocessor in electrical communication with a radiofrequency circuit;

striking an object with a golf club;

closing the load switch to power the microprocessor and the radiofrequency circuit, the power drawn from the capacitor;

transmitting a signal from the radiofrequency circuit;

receiving a confirmation signal at the radiofrequency circuit;

opening the load switch; and

recharging the capacitor at a controlled rate.

16. The device according to claim 15 wherein the microprocessor is a complete Radio System-on-Chip device.

17. The device according to claim 15 wherein the capacitor is a 1 micro-Faraday capacitor.

18. The device according to claim 15 wherein the load switch is a single channel slew rate controlled load switch.

19. The device according to claim 15 wherein each signal transmitted consumes approximately 2 milliamps of power.

20. The device according to claim 15 wherein the microprocessor is configured to deactivate transmissions of the signal when a threshold number of signals are transmitted by the shot tracking device and a receipt signal is not received by the shot tracking device.