Correlation method and apparatus for target-oriented sports activities

• US 6,179,720 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Accusport International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Accusport International, Inc.
• Inventors: Rankin, David Benjamin, Kluttz, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US09/081,985
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 473/168-170, 473/151-155
• US Class Current: 473/154
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction

Abstract

The correlation method and apparatus matches the impact location of an object at or near a predetermined target with one of many shots at the target. For example, the correlation method and apparatus can match the golf ball driven from a tee box with an impact location within the target area. The correlation method and apparatus can therefore identify which one of a number of golf balls landing within the target area was hit from a specific tee box at a golf practice range having numerous tee boxes using the same target area. The correlation apparatus includes a first sensor for determining a golf ball striking time at which the golf ball is driven from the tee box toward the target area. The correlation apparatus also includes a second sensor for determining the respective impact locations and times of a plurality of golf balls within the target area. In addition, the correlation apparatus includes a signal processor for discriminating between the plurality of golf balls which landed within the target area so as to match the respective impact location of one of the plurality of golf balls with the golf ball driven from the tee box at the golf ball striking time. Thereafter, the signal processor can determine the flight distance of the golf ball even though the golf ball was not tracked during flight.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use at a golf practice range having a tee box and a target area for matching a golf ball driven from the tee box with an impact location within the target area, the apparatus comprising:

first sensor means for determining a golf ball striking time at which the golf ball is driven from the tee box toward the target area, wherein said first sensor means also determines an initial velocity and a launch angle of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area such that a predicted range of the golf ball can be determined;

second sensor means for determining the respective impact locations of a plurality of golf balls within the target area and for generating signals representative of the respective impact locations of the plurality of golf balls; and

signal processing means, responsive to said first and second sensor means, for matching the respective impact location of one of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with the golf ball driven from the tee box at the golf ball striking time such that the flight distance of the golf ball can be determined without tracking the golf ball during flight.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said signal processing means comprises:

means for comparing the respective flight distances of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with the predicted range of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area; and

means, responsive to said comparing means, for identifying each of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area which has a respective flight distance within a predetermined window about the predicted range of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area as a potential match.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second sensor means determines respective golf ball impact times for the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said signal processing means comprises:

means for determining respective flight times of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area based upon the respective golf ball striking and golf ball impact times;

means, responsive to said flight time determining means, for comparing the respective flight times of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with a predetermined flight time window; and

means, responsive to said comparing means, for identifying each of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area which has a respective flight time within the predetermined flight time window as a potential match.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said signal processing means comprises:

means for determining respective ball velocities for the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area based upon the respective golf ball striking and golf ball impact times and the respective flight distances of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area;

means, responsive to said ball velocity determining means, for comparing the respective ball velocities of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with a predetermined ball velocity; and

.

means, responsive to said comparing means, for identifying each of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area which has a respective ball velocity within a predetermined window about the predetermined ball velocity as a potential match.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said signal processing means comprises means for identifying the respective impact locations of a plurality of the golf balls landing within the target area as potential matches, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means, responsive to said signal processor, for identifying one of the plurality of potential matches as the impact location of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area at the golf ball striking time.

7. An apparatus for use at a golf practice range having a tee box and a target area for matching a golf ball driven from the tee box with an impact location within the target area, the apparatus comprising:

a first sensor for determining a golf ball striking time at which the golf ball is driven from the tee box toward the target area, wherein said first sensor also determines an initial velocity and a launch angle of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area such that a predicted range of the golf ball can be determined;

a second sensor for determining the respective impact locations of a plurality of golf balls within the target area and for generating signals representative of the respective impact locations of the plurality of golf balls; and

a signal processor, responsive to said first and second sensors, for discriminating between the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area such that the flight distance of the golf ball driven from the tee box at the golf ball striking time can be determined without tracking the golf ball during flight.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said signal processor comprises:

means for comparing the respective flight distances of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with the predicted range of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area; and

means, responsive to said comparing means, for identifying each of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area which has a respective flight distance within a predetermined window about the predicted range of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area as a potential match.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said second sensor determines respective golf ball impact times for the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said signal processor comprises:

means for determining respective flight times of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area based upon the respective golf ball striking and golf ball impact times;

means, responsive to said flight time determining means, for comparing the respective flight times of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with a predetermined flight time window; and

means, responsive to said comparing means, for identifying each of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area which has a respective flight time within the predetermined flight time window as a candidate to be the golf ball driven from the tee box at the golf ball striking time.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said signal processor comprises:

means for determining respective ball velocities for the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area based upon the respective golf ball striking and golf ball impact times and the respective flight distances of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area;

means, responsive to said ball velocity determining means, for comparing the respective ball velocities of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with a predetermined ball velocity; and

means, responsive to said comparing means, for identifying each of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area which has a respective ball velocity within a predetermined window about the predetermined ball velocity as a candidate to be the golf ball driven from the tee box at the golf ball striking time.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said signal processor comprises means for identifying the respective impact locations of a plurality of the golf balls landing within the target area as candidates to be the golf ball driven from the tee box at the golf ball striking time, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means, responsive to said signal processor, for identifying one of the plurality of candidates as the impact location of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area at the golf ball striking time.

13. A method for matching a golf ball driven from a tee box of a golf practice range with an impact location within a target area of the golf practice range, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a golf ball striking time at which the golf ball is driven from the tee box toward the target area, wherein said step of determining the golf ball striking time also comprises the steps of determining an initial velocity and a launch angle of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area such that a predicted range of the golf ball can be determined;

determining the respective impact locations of a plurality of golf balls within the target area;

generating signals representative of the respective impact locations of the plurality of golf balls; and

matching the respective impact location of one of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with the golf ball driven from the tee box at the golf ball striking time such that the flight distance of the golf ball can be determined without tracking the golf ball during flight.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said matching step comprises the steps of:

comparing the respective flight distances of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with the predicted range of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area; and

identifying each of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area which has a respective flight distance within a predetermined window about the predicted range of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area as a potential match.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein said step of determining the respective impact locations comprises the step of determining respective golf ball impact times for the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein said matching step comprises the steps of:

determining respective flight times of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area based upon the respective golf ball striking and golf ball impact times;

comparing the respective flight times of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with a predetermined flight time window; and

identifying each of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area which has a respective flight time within the predetermined flight time window as a potential match.

17. A method according to claim 13 wherein said matching step comprises the steps of:

determining respective ball velocities for the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area based upon the respective golf ball striking and golf ball impact times and the respective flight distances of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area;

comparing the respective ball velocities of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area with a predetermined ball velocity; and

identifying each of the plurality of golf balls landing within the target area which has a respective ball velocity within a predetermined window about the predetermined ball velocity as a potential match.

18. A method according to claim 13 wherein said matching step comprises identifying the respective impact locations of a plurality of the golf balls landing within the target area as potential matches, and wherein the method further comprises the step of identifying one of the plurality of potential matches as the impact location of the golf ball driven from the tee box toward the target area at the golf ball striking time.