Display monitor for golf cart yardage and information system

• US 6,236,940 B1
• Filed: 03/01/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GPS Industries LLC (Ingersoll Rand, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prolink Inc.
• Inventors: Rudow, Richard W., Lecker, Douglas L., Camiano, Robert D., Coffee, John, Bingeman, Kirk H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/259,344
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 701/215, 701/213, 701/214, 701/208, 701/211, 701/300, 340/989, 340/990, 405/92, 405/93, 342/357.08, 342/357.09
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0056 for statistical or strategic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/02 posture
• 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: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/305 Remote servicing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 55/60 Wheeled carriers specially adapted for golf bags
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 55/61 motorised
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/00 Golfing accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 : DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 : of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/009 : Transmission of differential positioning data to mobile

Abstract

A ball position determining and course management system for a golf course includes a base station for course management and a plurality of golf carts for use during play of the course. The base station and the golf carts are adapted to operate in conjunction with a system for use in determining the relative position of and distance between objects on the course. Each golf cart has a roof and a monitor for displaying a map of each hole of the golf course with its tee boxes, fairways, greens and cups, and hazards. The monitor is mounted on the underside of the roof for shading and ease of viewing in sunlight, and has a screen which is canted back by a predetermined angle to reduce the amount of light reflected from the screen into the eyes of a viewer seated in the golf cart. The underside of the roof has a diffuse, black coating to reduce the reflectivity of its surface and to enhance the contrast of the display on the monitor. The monitor displays images in color, and the map of each hole of the course displayed on the monitor has selected features in distinctive colors relatively closely matching those of the respective actual features of each hole, for enhanced realistic display. The position determining system enables the position of the respective golf cart itself to be displayed in real time on the monitor as a unique symbol whose movement tracks that of the golf cart on the displayed map.

Claims

1. A ball position determining and course management system for a golf course, comprising a base station for course management and a plurality of golf carts for use during play of the course, each of the base station and the golf carts being adapted to operate in conjunction with a system for use in determining the relative position of and distance between objects on the course, each golf cart having a roof, and means for displaying a map of each hole of the golf course with its tee boxes, fairways, greens and cups, and hazards;

said means for displaying comprising a monitor mounted on the underside of the roof of the respective golf cart for shading and ease of viewing said monitor in sunlight.

2. The system of claim 1 further including means for generating a data base driven graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying a plurality of windows on said monitor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein

said monitor has a screen canted back by a predetermined angle with respect to a vertical reference line, to reduce the amount of light reflected from the screen into the eyes of a viewer seated in the golf cart.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein

said underside of the roof has a diffuse coating to reduce the reflectivity of the surface thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein

said underside of the roof has a black coating to enhance the contrast of the display on the monitor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein

said monitor is a color monitor to display images in color, and

the map of each hole of the course displayed on the monitor has selected features in distinctive colors relatively closely matching those of the respective actual features of each hole, for enhanced realistic display.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein

said monitor has a screen canted back by a predetermined angle with respect to a vertical reference line, to reduce the amount of light reflected from the screen into the eyes of a viewer seated in the golf cart.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein

said underside of the roof has a black coating to enhance the contrast of the display on the monitor.

9. The system of claim 1, further including:

timing means in the position determining system for enabling the position of the respective golf cart itself to be displayed in real time on the monitor as a unique symbol whose movement tracks that of the golf cart on the displayed map.