GOLF GAME

• US 3,712,624 A
• Filed: 11/22/1967
• Issued: 01/23/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1967
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert M. Conklin
• Original Assignee: Robert M. Conklin
• Inventors: Conklin, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US04/685,176
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 95/85 273/176,184,185
• US Class Current: 473/152
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf

Abstract

A golf game for accurately and realistically displaying the results of golf shots to a golfer including a tee area whereat a golfer may hit a golf ball, data sensors for providing information relative to the trajectory of a ball hit from the tee by a golfer, a computer responsive to the data sensors for computing the trajectory of the ball, a screen in front of the tee area, a scene projector for projecting a perspective scene of a golf fairway onto the screen including a device for accurately aligning the projected scene at a predetermined location on the screen and a ball spot projector responsive to the computer for projecting a spot of light on the screen and on the scenes displayed thereon to illustrate the trajectory of the ball to the golfer. A plurality of golf fairway scenes illustrating different portions of a fairway having a generally planar surface are employed to be projected onto the screen by the scene projector with each scene having a reference point, the reference point of each scene being located at the same place with respect to the vertical. Also disclosed is a method of providing the perspective scenes including the step of photographing a scaled down golf hole having a planar fairway.

Claims

1. A golf game for accurately and realistically displaying the results of golf shots to a golfer including a tee area whereat a golfer may hit a ball, a screen in front of the tee area, a plurality of scenes illustrating different portions of a golf hole having a generally planar playing surface, each scene including a reference point thereon, each reference point on each scene being located in the same position with respect to the vertical as the reference point on each other scene, each scene further illustrating the green on a golf hole with the reference point located so that a golfer viewing a scene on the screen would observe the reference point above said screen and to the rear thereof, means for projecting any one of said plurality of scenes on the screen, data acquisition means for providing information relative to the trajectory of a ball hit from the tee by a golfer, means responsive to the data acquisition means for computing the tratectory of the ball, and ball spot projecting means responsive to said computing means for projecting a spot of light on the screen and on the scenes displayed thereon to illustrate the trajectory of the ball to the golfer, the planar golf hole illustrated by said scenes enabling the final location of the golf ball on the hole to be accurately and realistically indicated on the screen by the ball spot projecting means.

2. A golf game for accurately and realistically displaying the results of golf shots to a golfer including a tee area wHereat a golfer may hit a ball, a screen in front of the tee area, a plurality of scenes illustrating different portions of a golf hole having a generally planar playing surface, each scene including a reference point thereon, each reference point on each scene being located in the same position with respect to the vertical as the reference point on each other scene, each said reference point comprising a horizontal line demarking the horizon, means for projecting any one of said plurality of scenes on the screen, data acquisition means for providing information relative to the trajectory of a ball hit from the tee by a golfer, means responsive to the data acquisition means for computing the trajectory of the ball, and ball spot projecting means responsive to said computing means for projecting a spot of light on the screen and on the scenes displayed thereon to illustrate the trajectory of the ball to the golfer, the planar golf hole illustrated by said scenes enabling the final location of the golf ball on the hole to be accurately and realistically indicated on the screen by the ball spot projecting means.

3. A golf game for displaying the results of golf shots to a golfer including a tee area whereat a golfer may hit a golf ball, a screen in front of the tee area, a plurality of scenes illustrating differing portions of a golf course, each scene including a reference point with the reference point on each scene being at the same location on the scene with respect to the vertical as the reference point on each other scene, each of said scenes further illustrating the green on a golf course with the reference point located so that a golfer viewing a scene on the screen would observe the reference point above said green and to to the rear thereof, means for projecting any one of said plurality of scenes on the screen, data acquisition means for providing information relative to the trajectory of a ball hit from the tee by a golfer, means responsive to the data acquisition means for computing the trajectory of the ball, and ball spot projecting means responsive to the computing means for projecting a spot of light on the screen and on the scenes displayed thereon to illustrate the trajectory of the ball to the golfer.

4. A golf game for displaying the results of golf shots to a golfer including a tee area whereat a golfer may hit a golf ball, a screen in front of the tee area, a plurality of scenes illustrating differing portions of a golf course, each scene including a reference point with the reference point on each scene being at the same location on the scene with respect to the vertical as the reference point on each other scene, said reference point comprising a horizontal line demarking the horizon, means for projecting any one of said plurality of scenes on the screen, data acquisition means for providing information relative to the trajectory of a ball hit from the tee by a golfer, means responsive to the data acquisition means for computing the trajectory of the ball, and ball spot projecting means responsive to the computing means for projecting a spot of light on the screen and on the scenes displayed thereon to illustrate the trajectory of the ball to the golfer.