MOVABLE GOLF RANGE TARGET WITH RFID BALL IDENTIFIER

• US 20120056721A1
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edge Technologies, Inc
• Original Assignee: Edge Technologies, Inc
• Inventors: Luciano, Robert Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,035,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/751 wherein the responder or reflector radiates a coded signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/39 the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape

Abstract

A movable golf range target system is described. The movable golf range target system includes an issuing area RFID reader and a movable target. The issuing area RFID reader reads a plurality of RFID golf balls associated with a player account, each RFID golf ball has a unique identification and the issuing area RFID reader is communicatively coupled to an issuing area network communications module. The movable target includes a first enclosed boundary capture component that receives an RFID golf ball in a first capture area, a first target RFID reader associated with the first capture area, a second enclosed boundary component that encompasses the first enclosed boundary component funnel, the second enclosed boundary capture area receives an RFID golf ball in a second capture area, a second target RFID reader is associated with the second capture area and a GPS receiver coupled to the movable target.

Claims

1. A movable golf range target system comprising:

an issuing area RFID reader configured to read a plurality of RFID golf balls associated with a player, wherein each RFID golf ball has a unique identification, said issuing area RFID reader communicatively coupled to an issuing area network communications module; and

a movable target that includes,

a first enclosed boundary capture component configured to receive at least one RFID golf ball in a first capture area,

a first target RFID reader associated with the first capture area,

a second enclosed boundary component that encompasses the first enclosed boundary component funnel, the second enclosed boundary capture area configured to receive at least one RFID golf ball in a second capture area,

a second target RFID reader associated with the second capture area,

a GPS receiver coupled to the movable target, wherein the GPS receiver is configured to determine a geographic location of the movable target,

2. The movable golf range target system of claim 1 further comprising,

a third enclosed boundary capture component configured to receive at least one RFID golf ball in a third capture area, and

a third target RFID reader associated with a third capture area.

3. The movable golf range target system of claim 1 further comprising a player account that is associated with the golf ball identification from the issuing RFID reader.

4. The movable golf range target system of claim 1, wherein the player score generates a higher score when the RFID golf ball is read by the first target RFID reader than when the RFID golf ball is read by the second target RFID reader.

5. The movable golf range target system of claim 1 further comprising a display configured to display a plurality of scores, wherein each score is associated with a separate player.

6. The movable golf range target system of claim 1 wherein the movable target further comprises a target area network communications module communicatively coupled to the first target RFID reader, the second target RFID reader and the GPS receiver.

7. The movable golf range target system of claim 6 further comprising a server communicatively coupled to the issuing area network communications module and the target area network communications module, the server comprising a database configured to store data comprising:

an association between a plurality of RFID golf balls and a player,

an RFID golf ball identification from the first target RFID reader,

an RFID golf ball identification from the second target RFID reader, and

the geographic location of the movable target.

8. The movable golf range target system of claim 7, wherein the database is further configured to store a score associated with the player, the score based on a point value associated with a movable target in which an RFID golf ball associated with the player lands.

9. The movable golf range target system of claim 8 wherein the server is configured to make one or more scores available for retrieval over a network.

10. The movable golf range target system of claim 9 further comprising a display configured to display a plurality of scores, wherein each score is associated with a separate player.

11. A movable golf range target system comprising:

an issuing area RFID reader configured to read a plurality of RFID golf balls associated with a player account, each RFID golf ball having a unique identification, said issuing area RFID reader communicatively coupled to an issuing area network communications module;

a tee area RFID reader configured to read an RFID golf ball at the tee area, said tee area RFID reader communicatively coupled to a tee area network communications module; and

a movable target that includes,

a first enclosed boundary capture component configured to receive at least one RFID golf ball in a first capture area,

a first target RFID reader associated with the first capture area,

a second enclosed boundary component that encompasses the first enclosed boundary component funnel, the second enclosed boundary capture area configured to receive at least one RFID golf ball in a second capture area,

a second target RFID reader associated with the second capture area,

a GPS receiver coupled to the movable target, wherein the GPS receiver is configured to determine a geographic location of the movable target,

a target area network communications module communicatively coupled to the first target RFID reader, the second target RFID reader and the GPS receiver; and

a server communicatively coupled to the issuing area network communications module, the tee area network communications module, and the target area network communications module.

12. The movable golf range target system of claim 11 wherein the server further comprises a database configured to store data comprising:

an association between a plurality of RFID golf balls and a player,

an RFID golf ball identification from the tee area RFID reader,

an RFID golf ball identification from the first target RFID reader,

an RFID golf ball identification from the second target RFID reader, and

the geographic location of the movable target.

13. The movable golf range target system of claim 11, wherein the tee area RFID reader is configured to detect an identification of each RFID golf ball placed on the tee area.

14. The movable golf range target system of claim 11, wherein the database is further configured to store a score associated with the player, the score based on a point value associated with a movable target in which an RFID golf ball associated with the player lands.

15. The movable golf range target system of claim 11 further comprising a display configured to display a plurality of scores, wherein each score is associated with a separate player.

16. A method for using a movable golf range target system, the method comprising:

issuing a plurality of RFID golf balls;

reading the plurality of RFID golf balls with an issuing area RFID reader, wherein each RFID golf ball has a unique identification, said issuing RFID reader communicatively coupled to an issuing area network communications module;

transmitting the unique identifications of the RFID golf balls from the issuing area network communications module to a server;

storing an association between the plurality of RFID golf balls and a player in a database; and

receiving an RFID golf ball in a movable target that includes;

a first enclosed boundary capture component configured to receive at least one RFID golf ball in a first capture area,

a first target RFID reader associated with the first capture area,

a second enclosed boundary component that encompasses the first enclosed boundary component, the second enclosed boundary capture area configured to receive at least one RFID golf ball in a second capture area,

a second target RFID reader associated with the second capture area,

a GPS receiver coupled to the movable target, wherein the GPS receiver is configured to determine a geographic location of the movable target, and

a target area network communications module communicatively coupled to the first target RFID reader, the second target RFID reader and the GPS receiver.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising transmitting from the target area network communications module to the server data comprising:

an RFID golf ball identification from the first target RFID reader,

an RFID golf ball identification from the second target RFID reader, and

the geographic location of the movable target.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing in the database a score associated with the player, the score based on a point value associated with a movable target in which an RFID golf ball associated with the player lands.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising generating a higher player score when the RFID golf ball is read by the first target RFID reader than when the RFID golf ball is read by the second target RFID reader.

20. The method of claim 16 comprising displaying a plurality of scores, wherein each score is associated with a separate player.

21. The method of 16 further comprising making one or more scores available from the server for retrieval over a network.