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Hybrid system and method for golf course distance determination using GPS navigation signals

  • US 6,278,402 B1
  • Filed: 09/28/1999
  • Issued: 08/21/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A system for receiving position data from GPS satellites and for determining distances to a plurality of selected points of interest on a golf course, the system comprising:

  • a central base station unit, the base station unit comprising;

    a base station RF transceiver adapted to communicate via a wireless communications link; and

    a base station controller adapted to control the base station RF transceiver;

    a hand-held unit, the hand-held unit comprising;

    a hand-held unit GPS receiver adapted to receive and process navigation signals from GPS satellites and to thereby provide GPS-derived hand-held unit location data;

    a hand-held unit display for displaying graphics, distance information, location information, and other information to users of the system;

    a hand-held unit memory for storing a plurality of stored location data; and

    a hand-held unit controller adapted to control the hand-held unit GPS receiver, the hand-held unit display, and the hand-held unit memory;

    wherein the hand-held unit is still further adapted to calculate a distance between the hand-held unit and a selected one of the points of interest on the golf course by comparing the hand-held unit location information with the stored location data for the selected point of interest;

    a cart-based unit, the cart-based unit comprising;

    a cart-based unit battery;

    a cart-based unit RF transceiver adapted to communicate with the base station RF transceiver via the wireless communications link;

    a cart-based unit display for displaying graphics, distance information, location information, and other information to users of the system;

    a connector cradle for receiving therein the hand-held unit, the connector cradle comprising;

    a battery connector adapted to electrically connect the cart-based unit battery to the connector cradle;

    a hand-held unit connector adapted to electrically interconnect the cart-based unit and the hand-held unit when the hand-held unit is received in the connector cradle; and

    a DC power connector for providing energy from the cart-based unit battery through the connector cradle to the hand-held unit; and

    a cart-based unit controller adapted to control the cart-based unit RF transceiver, the cart-based unit display, and communications between the cart-based unit and the hand-held unit via the connector cradle;

    wherein the cart-based unit is adapted to receive the hand-held unit location information via the connector cradle;

    wherein the hand-held unit is adapted to electrically interconnect the hand-held unit to the cart-based unit via the connector cradle for providing the hand-held unit location information to the cart-based unit; and

    wherein the base station controller is adapted to manage communication between the central base station unit and the cart-based unit.

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