GOLF CLUB APPARATUSES AND METHODS

• US 20130144411A1
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tag Golf LLC
• Original Assignee: Radar Corporation
• Inventors: Savarese, Chris, Marshall, Noel H.C., McGill, Susan, Gilliland, Kenneth P., Vickers, Marvin L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,195,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 55/00 Bags for golf clubs; Stands for golf clubs for use on the course; Wheeled carriers specially adapted for golf bags
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1481 with optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing golf clubs and for collecting golf data, such as golf strokes, are described. In one embodiment, a golf data collection system includes a golf accessory worn on the golfer'"'"'s wrist, such as a watch, equipped with a GPS receiver, impact sensing and motion sensing means, and a transceiver to communicate with golf club tags (e.g. at 2.4 GHz such as Bluetooth). The golf accessory senses the motion of the golf club being swung by the golf and/or senses the impact of the golf club striking the golf ball. When swinging motion or impact is sensed the device uses the transceiver to communicate with golf club tags. The closest golf club (i.e. the club in the golfer'"'"'s hand during the swing) is captured as the club used by the swing based on RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator). Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A system for collecting golf data, the system comprising:

a set of golf club RFID tags each having an RF transmitter and at least one sensor;

a portable device comprising;

a mechanism configured to attach the portable device to a golfer'"'"'s arm or hand;

a processing system;

a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver coupled to the processing system;

a personal area network (PAN) transceiver coupled to the processing system;

an RFID receiver coupled to the processing system and configured to receive one or more club identifiers and one or more club status indicators from the RF transmitters in the set of golf club RFID tags;

at least one of (a) an impact sensor coupled to the processing system or (b) a user activatable switch coupled to the processing system, wherein the impact sensor is configured to detect an impact of a golf club on a golf ball and to provide a signal to the processing system which indicates that a stroke has occurred; and

wherein the user activatable switch is configured, when activated by the golfer, to indicate to the processing system that a stroke has or will be taken and to mark the location of the stroke with the golf club that is determined to be in use based on the club identifier and the club status indicator received from an RFID tag in the set of golf club RFID tags.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:

a tablet computer having (1) a PAN transceiver that is configured to wirelessly communicate with the PAN transceiver in the portable device in order to receive position information and club identifiers from the portable device and (2) a memory for storing one or more maps of golf courses and (3) a display coupled to the memory to display the one or more maps; and

wherein the SPS receiver is a GPS receiver which provides position information when a stroke occurs to mark a location of the stroke on the one or more maps and the impact sensor determines a stroke was taken automatically without requiring the golfer to indicate manually the stroke to the system.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein the portable device is a GPS watch or is part of a golf glove or is a GPS arm band and wherein the portable device includes both of the impact sensor and the user activatable switch.

4. The system as in claim 3 wherein the PAN transceiver is one of (1) a Bluetooth transceiver, or (2) a WiFi transceiver, or (3) a ZigBee transceiver or (4) an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) transceiver;

and

wherein the club status indicators comprise an in/out status of a golf club relative to a golf bag and a motion status which indicates whether the golf club is in motion.

5. The system as in claim 4 wherein each of the golf club RFID tags comprises at least one light sensor configured to determine an in/out status of a golf club relative to a golf bag and configured to determine a motion status of a golf club.

6. A system for collecting golf data, the system comprising:

a set of golf club RFID tags each having an RF transmitter and at least one sensor;

a portable device comprising;

a mechanism configured to attach the portable device to a golfer'"'"'s arm or hand;

a processing system;

a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver coupled to the processing system;

a personal area network (PAN) transceiver coupled to the processing system;

an RFID receiver coupled to the processing system and configured to receive one or more club identifiers and one or more club status indicators from the RF transmitters in the set of golf club RFID tags;

at least one of (a) an impact sensor coupled to the processing system or (b) a motion sensor coupled to the processing system, wherein the impact sensor is configured to detect an impact of a golf club on a golf ball and/or the motion sensor is configured to detect a swinging motion; and

either the impact sensor or motion sensor or both are configured to provide a signal(s) to the processing system which indicates that a golf club swing or stroke has occurred; and

wherein

signal strength circuitry coupled to the processing system, the signal strength circuitry configured to measure one or more signal strengths or proximity profiles of signals received from one or more golf club RFID tags, the one or more signal strengths or proximity profiles representing one or more distances between the portable device and the one or more golf club RFID tags; and

wherein the processing system is configured to determine, from the one or more signal strengths or proximity profiles, which golf club is being used to take a stroke, and the stroke detected when the impact sensor or motion sensor provides the signal, to the processing system, which indicates that the golf club swing or stroke has occurred.

7. The system as in claim 6, wherein the system further comprises;

a user activatable switch which is configured, when activated by the golfer, to indicate to the processing system that a stroke has or will be taken and to mark the location of the stroke with the golf club that is determined to be in use based on the club identifier;

a tablet computer having (1) a PAN transceiver that is configured to wirelessly communicate with the PAN transceiver in the portable device in order to receive position information and club identifiers from the portable device and (2) a memory for storing one or more maps of golf courses and (3) a display coupled to the memory to display the one or more maps; and

wherein the SPS receiver is a GPS receiver which provides position information when a stroke occurs to mark a location of the stroke on the one or more maps and the impact sensor or motion sensor determines a stroke was taken automatically without requiring the golfer to indicate manually the stroke to the system.

8. The system as in claim 6 wherein the portable device is a GPS watch or is part of a golf glove or is a GPS arm band or part of an accessory worn on the golfer'"'"'s arm or hand.

9. The system as in claim 8 wherein the PAN transceiver is one of (1) a Bluetooth transceiver, or (2) a WiFi transceiver, or (3) a ZigBee transceiver or (4) an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) transceiver;

and

wherein the club status indicators comprise an in/out status of a golf club relative to a golf bag.

10. The system as in claim 9 wherein each of the golf club RFID tags comprises at least one light sensor configured to determine an in/out status of a golf club relative to a golf bag.

11. The system as in claim 10 wherein the RFID receiver in the portable device is part of the PAN transceiver in the portable device and the PAN transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver;

a tablet computer having (1) a PAN transceiver that is configured to wirelessly communicate with the PAN transceiver in the portable device in order to receive position information and one or more club identifiers from the portable device and (2) a memory for storing one or more maps of golf courses and (3) a display coupled to the memory to display the one or more maps; and

wherein the SPS receiver is a GPS receiver which provides position information when a stroke occurs to mark a location of the stroke on the one or more maps.

12. The system as in claim 11 wherein each golf club RFID tag in the set of golf club RFID tags includes a Bluetooth transceiver and the RF transmitter in each golf club tag is part of the Bluetooth transceiver in the golf club tag.

13. The system as in claim 12 wherein the signal strength circuitry is part of the PAN transceiver in the portable device.

14. A method performed in a GPS golf accessory worn by a golfer on the arm or hand, the method comprising:

detecting motion or detecting an impact through the golfer'"'"'s hand when a golf club hits a golf ball;

causing a Bluetooth transceiver in the GPS golf accessory to communicate with one or more Bluetooth transceivers in one or more golf club tags to determine one or more representations of distances between the GPS golf accessory and the one or more golf club tags;

determining which golf club was used to make the impact based on the one or more representations of distances;

receiving a golf club identifier from the golf club that was used;

recording a stroke being taken with the golf club at a location determined by a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver in the GPS golf accessory.

15. The method as in claim 14 wherein the causing is in response to at least one of the detected motion or the detected impact and wherein the GPS golf accessory is a watch.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving an input from a user activatable switch, the input confirming a potential stroke detected by one or both of detecting motion and detecting impact, and wherein the recording is in response to receiving the input.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving, by the Bluetooth transceiver in the GPS golf accessory, the golf club identifier from one of the Bluetooth transceivers in one of a golf club.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving an out status indicator from the golf club that was used;

receiving an in status indicator from the golf club that was used, the out status indicator indicating that the golf club was removed from a golf bag and the in status indicator indicating that the golf club was returned to the golf bag after the recording of the stroke taken with the golf club.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the golf club tag in the golf club includes at least one light sensor configured to determine the in/out status of the golf club relative to the golf bag.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

transmitting the golf club identifier for the golf club that was used and transmitting the location from the GPS golf accessory to a data processing system that includes a display for displaying one or more maps of one or more golf courses and includes a memory for storing the one or more maps and a processing system for displaying the one or more maps.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the display includes an integrated touch screen to receive inputs relative to the one or more maps.

22. An apparatus for determining whether a golf club has been removed from a golf bag, the apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to be coupled to a golf club;

a processing system coupled to the housing;

at least one light sensor coupled to the processing system, the at least one light sensor being configured to activate the processing system from a sleep state and being configured to provide a current light meter value;

an impact sensor coupled to the processing system, the impact sensor configured to detect an impact of the golf club hitting a golf ball;

an RF transmitter coupled to the processing system, the processing system being configured to cause the RF transmitter to transmit an identifier of the golf club and an indicator of a status of the golf club relative to a golf club bag, wherein the status is one of;

(a) in-bag or (b) out-of-bag; and

wherein the processing system is configured to determine a motion status of the golf club, the motion status determined, by the processing system, from light meter values measured over time by the at least one light sensor; and

wherein the processing system is configured to cause the RF transmitter to transmit a signal, to a golf GPS rangefinder, indicating that the golf club was used to take a stroke, the processing system causing the RF transmitter to transmit the signal based upon the combination of (1) the motion status indicating that the golf club was in motion and (2) data from the impact sensor that indicates the impact occurred.

23. The apparatus as in claim 22 wherein the impact sensor is one of:

(a) a piezoelectric sensor;

(b) a vibration sensor;

(c) an accelerometer;

or (d) a shock sensor; and

wherein the at least one light sensor comprises a first light sensor and a second light sensor, the first light sensor configured to activate the processing system and the second light sensor; and

wherein the second light sensor provides the light meter values from which the status of in-bag or out-of-bag are determined, and the second light sensor provides the light meter values from which the motion status is determined.

24. A method for operating a golf GPS rangefinder which includes a GPS receiver and an RF receiver configured to receive RF signals from one or more golf club tags, the method comprising:

receiving, at the RF receiver, club status signals from one or more golf club tags;

determining, by the GPS receiver, that the golf GPS rangefinder is in motion beyond a threshold motion amount;

filtering the club status signals received while the golf GPS rangefinder is determined to be in motion, the filtering preventing those club status signals from changing a club status;

determining, by the GPS receiver, that the golf GPS rangefinder is not in motion and processing club status signals received while the golf GPS rangefinder is determined to be not in motion.

25. The method as in claim 24 wherein the club status signals indicate at least one of (a) whether a club is used to hit a golf ball or (b) whether the club is in motion.

26. The method as in claim 25 wherein the club status signals do not include in-bag or out-of-bag status indicators.

27. The method as in claim 25 wherein the club status signals include signals to indicate in-bag or out-of-bag status.

28. A method for operating a golf club tag which includes at least one light sensor, an RF transmitter for transmitting RF signals to a golf GPS rangefinder, a motion sensor, and a processing system coupled to the at least one light sensor and coupled to the RF transmitter and coupled to the motion sensor, the method comprising:

determining, through first light measurements by the at least one light sensor, an in-bag or out-of-bag status of a golf club coupled to the golf club tag;

determining, through second light measurements by the at least one light sensor, whether the golf club is in motion or not in motion;

controlling power provided to the motion sensor based upon at least one of the first light measurements and the second light measurements.

29. The method as in claim 28 wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer;

and

wherein the accelerometer receives power for a predetermined period of time after the second light measurements indicate that the golf club is in motion.

30. The method as in claim 28 wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer;

and

wherein the accelerometer receives power for a predetermined period of time after the first light measurements indicate that the golf club has an out-of-bag status.

31. A method for operating a golf GPS rangefinder, the method comprising:

receiving, at an RF receiver of the golf GPS rangefinder, an out-of-bag status signal from a golf club tag coupled to a golf club, the out-of-bag status signal indicating that the golf club has been removed from a golf bag;

receiving, at the RF receiver, an in-motion status signal from the golf club tag, the in-motion status signal indicating that the golf club is in motion;

storing, in a memory of the golf GPS rangefinder, an in-motion indicator that indicates the motion status of the golf club is in-motion as a result of receiving the in-motion status signal;

receiving, at the RF receiver, an impact signal from the golf club tag, the impact signal indicating that a sensor on the golf club has detected an impact of the golf club on a golf ball;

recording a stroke taken by the golf club at a position determined by a GPS receiver in the golf GPS rangefinder, the recording being in response to determining, by a processing system in the golf GPS rangefinder, that the impact signal was received while the in-motion indicator was stored in the memory.

32. The method as in claim 31 wherein the processing system determines the stroke was taken by determining a conjunction in time of the receipt of the impact signal and the in-motion indicator having been stored in the memory.

33. The method as in claim 32 wherein the method is also performed with a method in a golf club tag, which method in the golf club tag comprises:

determining the in-motion status from variations in light measurements over time;

determining an out-of-bag status from at least one light measurement, the out-of-bag status being determined before determining the in-motion status.