SYSTEM, APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR USING MOBILE SPORTING GOODS

• US 20170216682A1
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Kline
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Kline
• Inventors: Kline, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US15/484,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20170216682A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/004 Multiple detectors or sensors each defining a different zone
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0053 for locating an object, e.g. a lost ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0641 with a marker advancing in function of the exercise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0054 Bowling, i.e. ten-pin bowling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/04 Bow shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/16 Spear or javelin throwing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 : Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 : Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 : Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 : Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 : electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/357 : for golf cups or holes, e.g. flags
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/40 : Golf cups or holes
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/02 : Special golf games, e.g. miniature golf or golf putting games played on putting tracks; putting practice apparatus having an elongated platform as a putting track
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3652 : Inclined platforms for practising drives from slopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 : Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 : Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods for using mobile sporting goods. In one aspect, the system permits a sporting enthusiast to track the location of a mobile sporting good, such as a golf ball, relative to a target, such as a target on a driving range, and correlate that location to a simulated location on a simulated golf hole.

Claims

1. A golf ball having a center, an equator, an outer cover, and an inner core having an outer surface, the golf ball further including, embedded therein, at least one tracking device comprising:

a. a thin layer located between the outer cover and the inner core;

or

b. a sphere.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the tracking device comprises a thin layer that partially or fully circumnavigates the equator.

3. The golf ball of claim 2 wherein the tracking device comprises a spherical layer that covers the outer surface of the inner core.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the tracking device comprises a sphere located proximate the center of the golf ball.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the tracking device is configured and located to minimize effects of the tracking device on a center of gravity of the golf ball.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein the tracking device comprises one or more of an RFID chip, a homing beacon, a transmitter, a receiver, an antenna, a microprocessor, and a rechargeable power source.

7. A mobile sporting good having at least one curvilinear outer surface and having a shape selected from the group consisting of round, cylindrical, bat-shaped, and football-shaped, the mobile sporting good further including at least one tracking device comprising:

a. A thin layer having a curvilinear shape conforming to the at least one curvilinear shape of the outer surface of the mobile sporting good;

or

b. A shape having an outer surface conforming to the shape of the outer surface of the mobile sporting good.

8. The mobile sporting good of claim 7 wherein the mobile sporting good is selected from the group consisting of round balls, footballs, pucks, bats, and cylindrically-shaped objects.

9. The mobile sporting good of claim 7 wherein the tracking device comprises a shape having an outer surface conforming to the shape of the outer surface of the mobile sporting good, and is located within the mobile sporting good to minimize effects of the tracking device on a center of gravity of the mobile sporting good.

10. The mobile sporting good of claim 7 wherein the tracking device comprises one or more of an RFID chip, a homing beacon, a transmitter, a receiver, an antenna, a microprocessor, and a rechargeable power source.

11. The mobile sporting good of claim 7 wherein the mobile sporting good comprises a football-shaped object, and the tracking device comprises a thin strip either positioned longitudinally relative to the football-shaped object, or positioned so as to partially or fully circumnavigate the football-shaped object.

12. The mobile sporting good of claim 7 wherein the mobile sporting good comprises a round ball having a center, and the tracking device comprises a sphere located proximate the center of the round ball.

13. The mobile sporting good of claim 7 wherein the mobile sporting good comprises a cylindrical-shaped object selected from the group consisting of javelins, bullets, or arrows, and the tracking device nests within a shaft, slug, or casing of the cylindrical-shaped object.

14. A system comprising an actual mobile sporting good comprising a tracking device, a field of play comprising an actual target, the tracking device configured to enable tracking a location of the actual mobile sporting good in relation to the actual target, a signal generating device configured to relay a position of the actual mobile sporting good relative to the actual target to a display, wherein the display is configured to display an image of a simulated mobile sporting good in relation to a simulated target corresponding to the location of the actual mobile sporting good relative to the actual target, and wherein the mobile sporting good has at least one curvilinear outer surface having a shape selected from the group consisting of round, cylindrical, bat-shaped and football-shaped, the tracking device comprising:

a. a thin layer having a curvilinear shape conforming to the at least one curvilinear shape of the outer surface of the mobile sporting good;

or

b. a shape having an outer surface conforming to the shape of the outer surface of the mobile sporting good.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a reading device configured to read the tracking device when the actual mobile sporting good is within a predetermined range of the reading device.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the mobile sporting good comprises a golf ball, the field of play comprises a driving range, and the simulated target comprises an image associated with a golf course.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the golf ball has a center, an equator, an outer cover, and an inner core having an outer surface, the golf ball further including, embedded therein, the tracking device, the tracking device comprising at least one of:

a. a thin layer located between the outer cover and the inner core;

or

b. a sphere.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the tracking device comprises a thin layer that partially or fully circumnavigates the equator.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the tracking device comprises a spherical layer that covers the outer surface of the inner core.

20. The golf ball of claim 17 wherein the tracking device comprises a sphere located proximate the center of the golf ball.