Systems for determining distances to and locations of features on a golf course
First Claim
1. A system for determining distances on a golf course, comprisinga portable interrogation unit for being carried on a golf course to encode and transmit an interrogation signal from any position occupied by a golf ball on the golf course, wherein the interrogation signal includes portable unit identification data and a request pertaining to the distance between the location of the portable interrogation unit and a specified location selected from various predetermined locations on the golf course;
- at least three remote stations located at known locations about the golf course to define a triangle encompassing a substantial portion of the golf course, wherein at least one of the remote stations includesmeans for receiving the interrogation signal from the portable interrogation unit; and
means responsive to receipt of the interrogation signal for encoding and communicating an interrogation information signal to a central station, wherein the interrogation information signal includes remote station identification data, data pertaining to the location of the source of the interrogation signal relative to the remote station, the portable unit identificatjion data and the request included in the received interrogation signal; and
wherein each of the other remote stations includesmeans for receiving the interrogation signal from the portable interrogation unit; and
means responsive to receipt of the interrogation signal for encoding and communicating an interrogation information signal to a central station wherein the interrogation information signal includes remote station identification data and information pertaining to the location of the source of the interrogation signal relative to the remote station; and
a central station includingmeans for receiving the interrogation information signals from the remote stations;
memory means for storing golf course position information for each of said predetermined locations;
processing means, responsive to said request, for obtaining, from said memory means, position information for said specified location and for, based upon said received interrogation information signals and said obtained position information, determining the distance between the portable interrogation unit and said specified location; and
means responsive to said distance determination and to said received interrogation information signals for encoding and transmitting a response signal addressed to the portable interrogation unit indicated by the portable unit identification data in the received information signals, wherein the response signal indicates the requested distance; and
wherein the portable interrogation unit further includesmeans for receiving the response signal addressed to the portable interrogation unit; and
means reponsive to the response signal for displaying an indication of the requested distance.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A golfer wishing to know the distance to a specified feature on a golf course, such as the pin on the next green, operates a portable interrogation unit, which transmits an interrogation signal including a request for the distance to the location of the specified feature. Three remote stations located to define a triangle encompassing a substantial portion of the course receive the interrogation signal and communicate interrogation information signals to a central station. The interrogation information signals include the interrogation signal data, remote station identification data, and pertaining to the location of the source of the interrogation signal relative to the remote station. The central station includes a memory which stores the locations of various predetermined features on the course and a CPU which processes the interrogation information signals from the remote stations to determine the location of the portable interrogation unit and further processes the determined unit locations with the location of the specified feature to determine the distance from the portable unit to the specified feature. The central station transmits a response signal to the portable unit indicating the determined distance, which the portable unit then displays. To survey the locations of the various predetermined features on the course, a portable survey unit is substituted for the portable interrogation unit and transmits a survey signal including feature identification data. The CPU determines the location of the portable survey unit and causes such location to be stored in an area of the memory addressed by the feature identification data in the survey signal.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A system for determining distances on a golf course, comprising
a portable interrogation unit for being carried on a golf course to encode and transmit an interrogation signal from any position occupied by a golf ball on the golf course, wherein the interrogation signal includes portable unit identification data and a request pertaining to the distance between the location of the portable interrogation unit and a specified location selected from various predetermined locations on the golf course; -
at least three remote stations located at known locations about the golf course to define a triangle encompassing a substantial portion of the golf course, wherein at least one of the remote stations includes means for receiving the interrogation signal from the portable interrogation unit; and means responsive to receipt of the interrogation signal for encoding and communicating an interrogation information signal to a central station, wherein the interrogation information signal includes remote station identification data, data pertaining to the location of the source of the interrogation signal relative to the remote station, the portable unit identificatjion data and the request included in the received interrogation signal; and wherein each of the other remote stations includes means for receiving the interrogation signal from the portable interrogation unit; and means responsive to receipt of the interrogation signal for encoding and communicating an interrogation information signal to a central station wherein the interrogation information signal includes remote station identification data and information pertaining to the location of the source of the interrogation signal relative to the remote station; and a central station including means for receiving the interrogation information signals from the remote stations; memory means for storing golf course position information for each of said predetermined locations; processing means, responsive to said request, for obtaining, from said memory means, position information for said specified location and for, based upon said received interrogation information signals and said obtained position information, determining the distance between the portable interrogation unit and said specified location; and means responsive to said distance determination and to said received interrogation information signals for encoding and transmitting a response signal addressed to the portable interrogation unit indicated by the portable unit identification data in the received information signals, wherein the response signal indicates the requested distance; and wherein the portable interrogation unit further includes means for receiving the response signal addressed to the portable interrogation unit; and means reponsive to the response signal for displaying an indication of the requested distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification