Improved system for monitoring play of a golfer
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring a golfer'"'"'s play within a golf course, comprising:
- a mobile transmitter carried in association with the golfer for transmitting an identification signal associated therewith;
a plurality of location receivers each proximate to a corresponding golf hole within said golf course and each operable to receive said identification signal in response to the golfer being proximate to said corresponding golf hole;
a plurality of location transmitters each operable to transmit a play monitoring signal in response to a polling signal, said play monitoring signal indicating whether the golfer is proximate to said corresponding golf hole during a time period in response to a number of times an associated one of said location receivers receives said identification signal during said time period; and
means for determining whether the golfer plays one of said corresponding golf holes within a predetermined length of time in response to said play monitoring signals transmitted from said location transmitters.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring play of a golfer (24, 26) comprises Location Information Transmitters (LIT) (54, 56) at predetermined locations within a golf course and a Mobile Electronic Transmitter/Receiver (METAR) (48, 50) carried in association with a golfer (24, 26) on a golf cart (28) or golf bag (32). A METAR (48) periodically transmits a METAR code over a restricted transmission range (300). In response to the METAR (48) being proximate to a LIT (54), LIT (54) receives the METAR code. After receiving the METAR code, LIT (54) transmits a play monitoring signal including its LIT code and the received METAR code to a Tracking Center (227) located in a clubhouse (22). Golf course personnel in the clubhouse (22) can monitor a display terminal (242) of the Tracking Center (227) and determine play of golfers (24, 26), use of golf carts (28, 34) and use of golf holes (10, 14). If a golfer (24) causes a slow play condition, the Tracking Center (227) is notified and the golfer (24) is asked to increase the rate of play or leave the golf course. Additionally, in response to METAR (48) receiving a signal from an LIT (54) associated with a particular hole, METAR (48) can count down the time allotted to play that hole, and notify golfer (24) if that time is exceeded.
83 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring a golfer'"'"'s play within a golf course, comprising:
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a mobile transmitter carried in association with the golfer for transmitting an identification signal associated therewith; a plurality of location receivers each proximate to a corresponding golf hole within said golf course and each operable to receive said identification signal in response to the golfer being proximate to said corresponding golf hole; a plurality of location transmitters each operable to transmit a play monitoring signal in response to a polling signal, said play monitoring signal indicating whether the golfer is proximate to said corresponding golf hole during a time period in response to a number of times an associated one of said location receivers receives said identification signal during said time period; and means for determining whether the golfer plays one of said corresponding golf holes within a predetermined length of time in response to said play monitoring signals transmitted from said location transmitters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for monitoring a golfer'"'"'s play within a golf course, comprising:
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a mobile transmitter carried in association with the golfer for transmitting an identification signal associated therewith; a plurality of location receivers each proximate to a corresponding golf hole within said golf course and each operable to receive said identification signal in response to the golfer being proximate to said corresponding golf hole; a plurality of location transmitters operable to transmit a data packet; a plurality of packet receivers operable to receive said data packet; a plurality of modifying means each for modifying said data packet in response to an associated one of said packet receivers receiving said data packet such that said data packet transmitted from an associated one of said location transmitters comprises a play monitoring signal, said play monitoring signal indicating whether the golfer is proximate to said corresponding golf hole during a time period in response to a number of times an associated one of said location receivers receives said identification signal during said time period; and means for determining whether the golfer plays one of said corresponding golf holes within a predetermined length of time in response to said play monitoring signals in said data packet. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of monitoring a golfer'"'"'s play within a golf course, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting an identification signal associated with a mobile transmitter carried in association with the golfer; receiving said identification signal with each of a plurality of location receivers each proximate to a corresponding golf hole within said golf course and each in response to the golfer being proximate to said corresponding golf hole; transmitting from each of a plurality of location transmitters a play monitoring signal in response to a polling signal, said play monitoring signal indicating whether the golfer is proximate to said corresponding golf hole during a time period in response to a number of times an associated one of said location receivers receives said identification signal during said time period; and determining whether the golfer plays one of said corresponding golf holes within a predetermined length of time in response to said play monitoring signals transmitted from said location transmitters. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of monitoring a golfer'"'"'s play within a golf course, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting an identification signal associated with a mobile transmitter carried in association with the golfer; receiving said identification signal with each of a plurality of location receivers each proximate to a corresponding golf hole within said golf course and each in response to the golfer being proximate to said corresponding golf hole; transmitting a data packet from each of a plurality of location transmitters; receiving said data packet with each of a plurality of packet receivers; modifying said data packet in response to an associated one of said packet receivers receiving said data packet such that said data packet transmitted from an associated one of said location transmitters comprises a play monitoring signal, said play monitoring signal indicating whether the golfer is proximate to said corresponding golf hole during a time period in response to a number of times an associated one of said location receivers receives said identification signal during said time period; and determining whether the golfer plays one of said corresponding golf holes within a predetermined length of time in response to said play monitoring signals in said data packet. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification