BALL SEPARATION DEVICE FOR A GOLF RANGE TARGET
First Claim
1. A ball separation device for a golf range target system comprising:
- a golf range target comprising a golf ball delivery shaft;
a ball isolation system within the golf ball delivery shaft configured to temporarily trap the ball within the shaft;
an RFID reader;
an actuator configured to change the configuration of a gate, the gate configured to control the routing of a golf ball released from the ball isolation system;
a ball separation control system configured to;
query the RFID reader when a ball is isolated in the ball isolation system;
if the RFID reader determines that the trapped ball is an RFID golf ball, route the ball to an RFID ball collector;
if the RFID reader determines that the trapped ball is not an RFID golf ball, route the ball to a secondary location;
the ball isolation system further configured to release the ball after the control system has made a routing determination.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A ball separation device for a golf range target system is described. The ball separation device comprises a golf range target having a golf ball delivery shaft. A ball isolation system within the golf ball delivery shaft is configured to temporarily trap the ball within the shaft. A gate is configured to control the routing of a golf ball released from the ball isolation system. A control system queries the RFID reader while a ball is trapped in the ball isolation system. If the RFID reader receives a signal that identifies the golf ball as an RFID golf ball, the ball separation control system routes the ball to an RFID ball collector, otherwise, the ball is routed to a secondary location. After the determination is made as to where the trapped golf ball is to be routed, the ball isolation system releases the ball.
10 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A ball separation device for a golf range target system comprising:
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a golf range target comprising a golf ball delivery shaft; a ball isolation system within the golf ball delivery shaft configured to temporarily trap the ball within the shaft; an RFID reader; an actuator configured to change the configuration of a gate, the gate configured to control the routing of a golf ball released from the ball isolation system; a ball separation control system configured to; query the RFID reader when a ball is isolated in the ball isolation system; if the RFID reader determines that the trapped ball is an RFID golf ball, route the ball to an RFID ball collector; if the RFID reader determines that the trapped ball is not an RFID golf ball, route the ball to a secondary location; the ball isolation system further configured to release the ball after the control system has made a routing determination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 19)
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8. A ball separation device for a golf range target system comprising:
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a golf range target comprising a golf ball delivery shaft; an RFID reader; a ball isolation system within the golf ball delivery shaft configured to temporarily trap the ball within the shaft, the ball isolation system comprising a helical ramp configured such that the RFID tag embedded in the RFID golf ball rotates at least 180 degrees relative to an antenna of the RFID reader; an actuator configured to change the configuration of a gate, the gate configured to control the routing of a golf ball released from the ball isolation system; a ball separation control system configured to; query the RFID reader when a ball is isolated in the ball isolation system; if the RFID reader determines that the trapped ball is an RFID golf ball, route the ball to an RFID ball collector; if the RFID reader determines that the trapped ball is not an RFID golf ball, route the ball to a secondary location; the ball isolation system further configured to release the ball after the control system has made a routing determination. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for separating golf balls with a golf range target system comprising:
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capturing a golf ball in a golf range target, the golf range target comprising a golf ball delivery shaft; temporarily trapping the ball within the golf ball delivery shaft with a ball isolation system; querying the RFID reader with a ball separation control system when a ball is trapped in the ball isolation system; if the RFID reader determines that the trapped ball is an RFID golf ball, routing the ball to an RFID ball collector with the ball separation control system; if the RFID reader determines that the trapped ball is not an RFID golf ball, routing the ball to a secondary location with the ball separation control system; changing the configuration of a gate to control the routing of a golf ball released from the ball isolation system; releasing the ball after the ball separation control system has made a routing determination and the gate configuration has been changed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 20, 21)
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Specification