System and method for measuring distance between two objects on a golf course

• US 5,469,175 A
• Filed: 03/29/1993
• Issued: 11/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Electric Car Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Golf Scoring Systems Unlimited, Inc.
• Inventors: Boman, Bertho
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US08/038,268
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357, 342/450, 342/451, 342/457, 342/458, 364/444, 364/449, 364/460, 364/561, 273/32 B, 273/32 H, 273/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.52
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• 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 2220/14 Geo-tagging, e.g. for correlating route or track location data with specific information related to that specific location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]

Abstract

A global position receiver receives navigation signal from navigation satellites, in space, from a fixed location on a golf course, the location defined in stable location data. Location data derived from the navigation signals defines the fixed location in unstable location data. The stable location data and the unstable location data are compared for generating an error signal. A mobile global position receiver, on a fairway of the golf receives concurrently transmitted navigation signals from the navigation satellites from an undefined location. Location data derived from the navigation signals by the mobile unit defining the location of the mobile unit in unstable location data is combined with the error signal generating stable location data defining the undefined location of the mobile unit on the fairway. The distance and direction of a golf ball from the mobile unit, are measured. The stable location data, defining the location of the mobile unit, is combined with the measured distance and direction and stable location data defining the location of the golf ball is obtained, The distance between the golf ball and the hole on the green, the location of which is fixed and known in compatible location data, is measured by simple mathematics.

Claims

1. A system for providing a player on a golf course with the distance between a golf ball on said golf course and a stationary object on said golf course, where the location of said object is previously known and defined by object location data, said system comprising:

a) a first unit transmitting an error data signal to each of a plurality of mobile units on said golf course which mobile units are remotely spaced from said golf ball, said first unit including;

i) a fixed receiving means, positioned in a fixed location, said fixed location being accurately defined by known location data, said known location data preserved and stored for use, said receiving means receiving navigation signals from navigation satellites and deriving, from said navigation signals, first location data generally defining said fixed location,

ii) a location data comparing means for receiving and comparing said known location data and said first location data and for generating said error data signal corresponding to differences between said known location data and said first location data, and

iii) data transmission means for transmitting said error data signal to said mobile units;

b) each of said mobile units including;

i) a mobile receiving means for receiving navigation signals from navigation satellites and for deriving, from said navigation signals, second location data generally defining the location of said mobile unit,

ii) data receiving means for receiving said error data signal transmitted from said data transmission means,

iii) a data adjusting means for receiving said second location data from said mobile receiving means and for receiving said error data signal from said data receiving means and for adjusting said second location data with said error data signal for generating a third location data accurately defining the location of said mobile unit,

iv) a golf ball locating means for measuring and determining ball distance data defining the distance said golf ball is positioned from said location of said mobile unit and for determining a ball direction data defining the direction said golf ball is positioned from said mobile unit,

v) a data shifting means for receiving said third location data from said data adjusting means and for receiving said ball distance data and said ball direction data from said golf ball locating means and for shifting said third location data by said ball distance data and said ball direction data for generating a ball location data defining the location of said golf ball,

vi) a calculation means for receiving said object location data and said ball location data and for calculating a distance between said golf ball and said object on said golf course.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said object is a hazard on said golf course.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said object is a hole on a green of said golf course.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said distance between said golf ball and said object is expressed in yardage.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said error data signal corresponds to an inverse of the differences between said known location data and said first location data.

6. A system for measuring a distance between a golf ball on a golf course and a hole on a green of said golf course where the location of said hole is stationary and previously known and defined in hole location data, said system comprising:

a) a first receiver means in a first location, said first location known and defined in fixed location data, said first receiver means receiving navigation signals transmitted by navigation satellites and deriving a first location data from said navigation signals, said first location data defining said first location;

b) a comparator means for receiving and comparing said fixed location data and said first location data and for generating an error data signal corresponding to a differential between said fixed location data and said first location data;

c) a data transmitter means for receiving said error data signal from said comparator means and for transmitting said error data signal to mobile unit means in said system which mobile unit means are remotely spaced from said golf ball;

d) each said mobile unit means including;

i) a second receiver means, transported by said mobile unit means, said mobile unit means positionable, on demand, at a second location, on said golf course, said second location being an undefined location, said second receiver means for receiving navigation signals from navigation satellites and for deriving a second location data from said navigation signals defining said second location;

ii) a data receiving means for receiving said error data signal transmitted by said data transmitter means;

iii) a data adjusting means for receiving said second location data and said error data signal and for adjusting said second location data by said error data signal for generating an adjusted location data defining said second location;

iv) a distance measuring means for determining a distance and a direction between said golf ball and said second location and for shifting said adjusted location data in accordance with said distance and direction determined for generating a ball location data defining a location of said golf ball on said golf course, and

v) calculation means for calculating a difference between said ball location data and said hole location data and for converting said difference into a measurement of the distance between said golf ball on said golf course and said hole on said green.

7. A system for measuring a distance as in claim 6 and in which said measurement of distance is yardage.

8. A system for measuring a distance as in claim 6 and in which said first receiver means receives navigation signals on an ongoing basis.

9. A system for measuring a distance as in claim 6 and in which said error data signal corresponds inversely to said differential between said known location data and said first location data.

10. A method for measuring the distance between a golf ball positioned on a golf course and a stationary hole on a green of said golf course wherein the location of the hole is known by hole location data, comprising the steps of:

a) transporting a first global position receiver along the golf course mounted to a mobile cart and stopping said mobile cart at an undefined location on said golf course which mobile cart is remotely spaced from said golf ball;

b) positioning a second global position receiver in a fixed location and calculating a fixed location data defining said fixed location and preserving said fixed location data;

c) operating said second global position receiver, on an ongoing basis, from said fixed location for receiving first navigation signals from navigation satellites;

d) deriving first location data from said first navigation signals for defining said fixed location by said first navigation signals;

e) comparing said fixed location data with said first location data and detecting a differential between said fixed location data and said first location data;

f) generating an error signal corresponding to an inverse of said differential;

g) operating said first global position receiver from said undefined location for receiving second navigation signals from said navigation satellites;

h) deriving a second location data from said second navigation signals for defining said undefined location;

i) adjusting said second location data with said error signal for generating a first adjusted location data defining said undefined location;

j) calculating a ball distance and a ball direction between said golf ball and said undefined location, as defined by said first adjusted location data;

k) adjusting said first adjusted location data by said ball distance and said ball direction for generating a ball location data, defining a location of said golf ball; and

l) calculating a differential, in location data, between said hole location data and said ball location data and converting said differential into a measure of distance.

11. A method for measuring distance as in claim 10 and, between steps h) and i) further including the step of

delaying said second location data so that said second location data is in phase with said error signal.

12. A method for measuring distance as in claim 10 and further including the step of:

displaying said measure of distance between said golf ball location and said hole visually.

13. A method for measuring distance as in claim 12 and further including the step of:

printing said measure of distance on a substrate.

14. A method for measuring distance as in claim 12 and wherein said measured distance is yardage.

15. A method of measuring a distance as in claim 10 and further including the step of:

applying said differential data converted into said measure of distance to a speech synthesizer for audibly speaking said measure of distance.

16. A method for measuring the distance between a golf ball positioned on a fairway of a golf course and a hole on a green on said golf course, the location of said hole defined by a hole location data, comprising the steps of:

a) positioning a mobile cart transporting a mobile global position receiver on said golf course, in close proximity to said golf ball positioned on said fairway;

b) receiving navigation signals from one or more navigation satellites with said mobile global position receiver and converting said navigation signals into a first location data defining a first location of said mobile cart;

c) operating a fixed global position receiver from a known, fixed location, defined by known location data, for receiving navigation signals from said one or more navigation satellites and converting said navigation signals into a second location data defining said known, fixed location;

d) comparing said second location data with said known location data and generating a first error signal corresponding to a first differential between said second location data and said known location data;

e) changing said first location data in accordance with said first error signal into a first adjusted location data defining said first location of said mobile cart;

f) measuring a distance and a direction between said mobile cart as defined by said first adjusted location data, and said golf ball positioned on said fairway and changing said first adjusted location data in accordance with said distance and said direction so measured for generating a ball location data defining the location of said golf ball on said fairway; and

g) calculating a second differential between said ball location data and said hole location data and converting said second differential into a first distance.

17. A method for measuring a distance as in claim 16 and further including the steps of:

i) displaying said first distance on a display means.

18. A method for measuring a distance as in claim 17 and further including the step of:

ii) printing a hard copy of said first distance on substrate,

19. A method for measuring a distance as in claim 16 wherein said first distance is measured in yardage.

20. A method for measuring a distance as in claim 16 wherein said first error signal corresponds inversely to said first differential.

21. A method for determining a distance between a golf ball positioned on a golf course and a stationary object on the golf course, where the location of said object is defined in known and preserved location data, said method comprising the steps of:

a) operating a receiver from a fixed location defined accurately by a known location data, for receiving GPS navigation signals and for deriving, from said navigation signals, a first location data defining said fixed location;

b) comparing said known location data with said first location data and generating an error data corresponding to a differential between said known location data and said first location data;

c) transmitting said error data to mobile receivers on the golf course;

d) operating a mobile receiver, which is remotely spaced from said golf ball, from an undefined location on said golf course for receiving GPS navigation signals and deriving, from said navigation signals, a second location data defining said undefined location of said mobile receiver;

e) receiving said error data and applying said error data to said second location data for adjusting said second location data with said error data for generating an adjusted location data defining said undefined location;

f) determining the distance and direction between said undefined location as defined by said adjusted location data, and said golf ball and adjusting said adjusted location data by the determined distance and direction for generating a ball location data defining the location of said golf ball;

g) comparing said ball location data and said location data and calculating a difference data between said ball location data and said location data and converting said difference data into a measurement of distance between said golf ball and said object.

22. A method for determining as in claim 21 and in which step a) includes operating said fixed receiver on an ongoing basis.

23. A method for determining as in claim 21 and in which said error data corresponds inversely to said differential.

24. A method for determining as in claim 21 and further including the steps of:

i) sensing the direction and velocity of wind at said undefined location and defining said direction and velocity of wind in a wind data, said wind data being compatible with said ball location data;

ii) determining a direct flight path of a golf ball between the location of the golf ball, as defined by said ball location data and the location of said object, as defined by said location data, and converting said direct flight path into flight path data compatible with said wind data; and

iii) adjusting said flight path data by said wind data for generating an apparent flight path data for defining an apparatus flight path of said golf ball.

25. A method for measuring a distance as in claim 24 and further including the step of:

printing out the calculated distance on a substrate.

26. A method for determining as in claim 24 and further including the step of:

displaying said apparent flight path of said golf ball.

27. A method for measuring the distance between a golf ball positioned on a golf course and a stationary object on said golf course, wherein the location of said object is defined in a known and preserved location data, said method comprising the steps of:

a) operating a navigation signals receiver from a predetermined location, said predetermined location defined by a known location data, for receiving navigation signals from navigation satellites and deriving from said navigation signals a first location data defining said predetermined location;

b) comparing said known location data with said first location data and generating an error data corresponding to a differential between said known location data and said first location data;

c) transmitting said error data to mobile navigational signal receivers on said golf course which mobile navigational signal receivers are remotely spaced from said golf ball;

d) operating a mobile navigation signal receiver transported by a mobile unit at an undefined location on said golf course, said navigation signal receiver receiving navigation signals from said navigation satellites and deriving from said navigation signals a second location data defining said undefined location of said mobile receiver unit;

e) receiving said error data by said navigation signal receiver transported by said mobile unit and applying said error data to said second location data for adjusting said second location data with said error data for generating an adjusted location data defining said undefined location;

f) monitoring movement of said mobile unit and generating a local data defining movement of said mobile unit during steps d) and e);

g) adjusting said adjusted location data with said local data for generating a second adjusted location data defining said undefined location;

h) determining a distance and direction between said undefined location, as defined by said second adjusted location data, and said golf ball and adjusting said second adjusted location data by said determined distance and direction for generating a ball location data defining the location of said golf ball; and

i) comparing said ball location data and said known and preserved location data and calculating a difference data between said ball location data and said known and preserved location data and converting said difference data into a measurement data defining the distance between said ball and said object.

28. A method for measuring as in claim 27 and in which step a) includes operating said navigation signals receiver on an on-going basis.

29. A method for measuring as in claim 27 and in which said object is a hole on a green associated with said fairway.

30. A method for measuring as in claim 27 and wherein said measurement data is in yardage.

31. A method for measuring as in claim 27 and further including the steps of;

i) monitoring the direction and velocity of wind at said undefined location and converting wind direction and velocity into a wind data;

ii) determining an absolute flight path of a golf ball between the location of said golf ball, as defined by said ball location data, and the location of said object, as defined by said known and preserved location data and converting said absolute flight path into a ball flight data compatible with said wind data; and

,

iii) adjusting said absolute flight path, as defined by said ball flight data with said wind data for generating an apparent flight path of said golf ball.

32. A method for measuring as in claim 31 and further including the step of:

iiii) displaying said apparent flight path of said golf ball on a display means.