GOLF GAME COMPUTER INCLUDING IMPROVED DRAG CIRCUIT

• US 3,633,007 A
• Filed: 01/07/1970
• Issued: 01/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James W. Sanders
• Original Assignee: James W. Sanders
• Inventors: Sanders, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Botz, Eugene G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US05/001,188
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 235/151,151.32,197 273/184-185 73/13,379
• US Class Current: 473/199
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 7/48 Analogue computers for specific processes, systems or devices, e.g. simulators

Abstract

A golf game computer including a circuit for computing the instantaneous velocity of a golf ball hit from a tee and including a circuit operative to receive a signal representative of the initial velocity of a golf ball hit from a tee and apply thereto, the effect of drag. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, a plurality of electrically parallel circuits, each having a switch therein, are utilized to provide a signal proportional to the mathematical square of the instantaneous velocity which is used in computation.

Claims

1. In a golf game including means for determining the initial velocity of a golf ball hit from a tee and providing a signal representative thereof, the combination comprising:

a first operational amplifier in an inverting circuit;

means for feeding said initial velocity signal to said operational amplifier;

a plurality of electrically parallel circuits, at least one of which consists of a resistance and the remainder each comprising a serial combination of a resistance and a semiconductor having a known breakover voltage;

a plurality of biasing circuits, one for each of said remaining circuits and connected to its associated remaining circuit at the junction of said resistance and said semiconductor, at least some of said biasing circuits including temperature compensator means to provide for temperature compensation for the parallel circuits;

means connecting an output of said first operational amplifier to one side of each of said parallel circuits;

a second operational amplifier in an inverting circuit;

means connecting the opposite side of said parallel circuits to the input of said second operational amplifier;

a first resistance shunting said second operational amplifier;

a second resistance shunting said second operational amplifier;

means for controlling the conduction of said second resistance including a semiconductor having a predetermined breakover voltage in series therewith and a biasing circuit including a variable resistance connected to the junction of said lastnamed semiconductor and said second resistance;

a potentiometer including a wiper connected to the output of said second operational amplifier;

means defining a spin velocity function output terminal connected to the output of said second operational amplifier;

a relay including normally open contacts adapted to be closed when said relay is energized;

means conducting said potentiometer wiper to one side of said coNtacts;

a third operational amplifier in an integrating circuit and including a capacitor shunting said third operational amplifier;

means connecting the other side of said contacts as an input to said third operational amplifier;

said relay further including normally closed contacts shunting said third operational amplifier whereby, when said relay is deenergized, said capacitor will be discharged; and

means including a resistance connecting the output of said third operational amplifier to the output of said first operational amplifier to issue a signal proportional to the instantaneous velocity of a golf ball hit from a tee during the flight thereof.

2. The combination of claim 1 further including a second relay having normally open contacts and adapted to be energized when the theoretical free flight trajectory of a golf ball contacts the ground;

means including a resistance interconnecting one side of said second relay contacts to said one side of the normally open contacts of said first-named relay; and

means connecting the other side of said second relay contacts at least partially in parallel with said potentiometer whereby when the theoretical free flight of a golf ball causes the same to contact the ground, an increase in drag will be effected to increase the rate of decay of said instantaneous velocity signal during the bouncing and/or rolling of the ball on the ground.