Golf ball locator

• US 6,634,959 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt PC
• Original Assignee: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt PC
• Inventors: Kuesters, Eckhard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARKS, CHRISTINA M
• Application Number:
  US09/754,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 473/131, 473/353, 473/152, 473/155, 473/198, 473/199, 473/200, 473/165, 473/156, 473/570, 700/91, 700/92, 700/93
• US Class Current: 473/353
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0053 for locating an object, e.g. a lost ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/52 modulated by measured values
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0055 with non-spherical insert(s)
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

A golf ball locator system including a golf ball including an electromagnetic signal transmitter; at least two electromagnetic signal receivers configured to receive an electromagnetic signal transmitted by the golf ball; and a processor coupled to the receivers and configured to receive signals from the receivers, to determine a location of the golf ball using triangulation calculations, and to output at least one signal indicating the location of the golf ball in relation to a two-dimensional area including the location of the golf ball.

Claims

1. A golf ball locator system comprising:

a golf ball including an electromagnetic signal transmitter;

at least two electromagnetic signal receivers configured to receive an electromagnetic signal transmitted by the golf ball; and

a processor coupled to the receivers and configured to receive signals from the receivers, to determine a location of the golf ball using triangulation calculations, and to output at least one signal indicating the location of the golf ball in relation to a two-dimensional area including the location of the golf ball.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

a shock initiated switch circuit to turn the transmitter ON; and

a first timing circuit to turn the transmitter OFF.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

a second timing circuit configured to delay said electromagnetic transmission a predetermined time period after the transmitter has been turned ON by said shock initiated switch circuit.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

a pulsing circuit configured to generate said electromagnetic signal at a predetermined pulsing frequency assigned to said golf ball thereby allowing identification of said golf ball by said receivers.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

a modulator configured to modulate said electromagnetic signal with identification information thereby allowing identification of said golf ball by said receivers.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine at least part of the golf ball'"'"'s flight path, to interpolate a position of said golf ball based at least in part on the determined flight path, and to output a signal indicative of the interpolated positions.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said receivers comprise:

an angle of arrival detection system.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said receivers comprise:

a time of arrival detection system.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitter comprises:

a power source, and

at least one infrared diode coupled to the power source and capable of emitting infrared radiation.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

a modulation mechanism configured to modulate said at least one infrared diode with identification information.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitter comprises:

a radio frequency signal source.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said transmitter further comprises:

a modulation mechanism configured to modulate the radio frequency signal source with identification information.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein said modulation mechanism comprises:

a frequency modulator.

14. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein said modulation mechanism comprises a spread spectrum modulator.

15. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

means for determining a position of a golfer or golf cart associated with the golf ball; and

means for transmitting the position to said processor.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein said processor comprises:

means for generating traveling instructions based at least on the determined position of said golf cart or golfer and said golf ball location; and

means for transmitting said traveling instructions to said display means.

17. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein:

said traveling instructions comprise speech synthesized driving instructions.

18. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein said processor is configured to periodically update traveling instructions during travel of the golf cart or golfer to the golf ball.

19. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine distance to a pin based on the determined golf ball location and to output a signal indicative of the determined distance to the pin.

20. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to output a signal indicative of golf ball position coordinates in relation to a pre-existing golf course map.

21. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to output a signal indicative of golf ball position in relation to at least one landmark of the golf course.

22. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine times between selected strokes and comprises a memory configured to store the determined times.

23. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said processor is configured to add selected of the times stored in said memory and to output a corresponding sum signal.

24. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said processor is configured to add selected of the times stored in said memory and to output a signal indicative of when a corresponding sum exceeds a predetermined value.

25. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine a distance of ball travel in direction parallel to a fairway and a distance of ball travel in a direction perpendicular to the fairway for at least selected strokes and comprises a memory configured to store the determined distances.

26. A system as recited in claim 25, wherein said processor is configured to determine a play quality factor based on selected of the distances stored in said memory and to output a signal indicative of the determined play quality factor.

27. A system as recited in claim 25, wherein said processor is configured to determine a play quality factor based on selected of the distances stored in said memory and to output an alarm signal in dependence on the value of the determined play quality factor.

28. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor comprises a memory which stores quality numbers corresponding to respective zones of a golf course, and is configured to determine the zone in which said golf ball comes to rest after being hit, to assign the respective quality number corresponding to said zone in which said golf ball comes to rest to the respective stroke, and to store the assigned quality number for at least selected strokes in said memory.

29. A system as recited in claim 28, wherein said processor is configured to output a signal corresponding to the stored quality numbers.

30. A system as recited in claim 28, wherein said processor is configured to determine a play quality factor based on selected of the assigned quality numbers and to output a signal indicative of the determined play quality factor.

31. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said processor is configured to determine a distance of ball travel in a direction parallel to a fairway and a distance of ball travel in a direction perpendicular to the fairway for at least selected strokes and comprises a memory configured to store the determined distances.

32. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein said processor is configured to determine a play quality factor based on selected of the distances stored in said memory and to output a signal indicative of the determined play quality factor.

33. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein said processor is configured to determine a play quality factor based on selected of the distances stored in said memory and to output an alarm signal in dependence on the value of the determined play quality factor and the sum of the selected measured times.

34. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said processor comprises a memory which stores quality numbers corresponding to respective zones of a golf course, and is configured to determine the zone in which a golf ball comes to rest after being hit, to assign the respective quality number corresponding to said zone in which a golf ball comes to rest to the respective stroke, and to store the assigned quality number for at least selected strokes in said memory.

35. A system as recited in claim 34, wherein said processor is configured to output a signal corresponding to the stored quality numbers.

36. A system as recited in claim 34, wherein said processor is configured to determine a play quality factor based on selected of the stored quality numbers.

37. A system as recited in claim 34, wherein said processor is configured to determine a play quality factor based on selected of the quality numbers stored in said memory and to output an alarm signal in dependence on the value of the determined play quality factor and the sum of the selected measured times.

38. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor comprises a memory configured to store locations of the golf ball after each of plural strokes, and is configured to output said stored locations.

39. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine at least part of the golf ball'"'"'s flight path for at least one stroke and produce corresponding stroke flight data, and comprises a memory configured to store the stroke flight data.

40. A system as recited in claim 39, where said processor is configured to output signals corresponding to said stroke flight information.

41. A computer-based product storing computer instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

obtaining triangulation data indicative of a location of a golf ball;

processing the triangulation data to produce at least one location signal defining the location of the golf ball;

outputting the at least one location signal indicating the location of the golf ball in relation to a two-dimensional area including the location of the golf ball;

obtaining signals indicative of a position of a player playing the golf ball;

determining a location of the player playing the golf ball; and

communicating traveling instructions to the player to find the golf ball.

42. A computer-based product as recited in claim 41, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

obtaining a modulated signal emitted by the golf ball; and

identifying said golf ball from a modulation of the obtained signal.

43. A computer-based product as recited in claim 41, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

calculating the distance between the golf ball location and at least one landmark on a golf course; and

outputting a signal indicative of the calculated distance.

44. A computer-based product as recited in claim 41, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

outputting a signal indicative of golf ball position coordinates in relation to a pre-existing golf course map.

45. A computer-based product as recited in claim 41, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

outputting a signal indicative of golf ball position in relation to at least one landmark of the golf course.

46. A computer-based product as recited in claim 41, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

determining times between at least two selected strokes and storing the determined times in a memory.

47. A computer-based product as recited in claim 46, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

adding selected of the times stored in said memory; and

outputting a corresponding sum signal.

48. A computer-based product as recited in claim 46, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

adding selected of the times stored in said memory to produce a corresponding sum;

comparing the sum of the added times with a predetermined value; and

outputting a signal indicative of when the sum exceeds said predetermined value.

49. A computer-based product as recited in claim 41, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a distance of ball travel in a direction parallel to a fairway and a distance of ball travel in a direction perpendicular to the fairway for at least selected strokes; and

storing the determined distances in a memory.

50. A computer-based product as recited in claim 49, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a play quality factor based on the distances stored in said memory; and

outputting a signal indicative of the determined play quality factor.

51. A computer-based product as recited in claim 49, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a play quality factor based on the distances stored in said memory; and

outputting an alarm signal in dependence on the value of the determined play quality factor.

52. A computer-based product as recited in claim 41, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining for plural strokes a zone in which the golf ball comes to rest;

assigning to at least selected strokes a quality number corresponding to the respective zone in which the golf ball comes to rest; and

storing the assigned quality number for at least one of said selected strokes in a memory.

53. A computer-based product as recited in claim 52, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

outputting a signal corresponding to the stored quality numbers.

54. A computer-based product as recited in claim 52, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a play quality factor based on selected of the stored quality numbers; and

outputting a signal indicative of the determined play quality factor.

55. A computer-based product as recited in claim 52, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a play quality factor based on selected of the stored quality numbers; and

outputting an alarm signal based on the determined play quality factor.

56. A computer-based product as recited in claim 46, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a distance of ball travel in a direction parallel to a fairway and a distance of ball travel in a direction perpendicular to the fairway for at least one of said selected strokes; and

storing in a memory the determined distances for said selected strokes.

57. A computer-based product as recited in claim 56, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a play quality factor based on selected of the stored distances; and

outputting a signal indicative of the determined play quality factor.

58. A computer-based product as recited in claim 56, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a play quality factor based on selected of the stored distances; and

outputting an alarm signal in dependence on the value of the determined play quality factor and the sum of the selected measured times.

59. A computer-based product as recited in claim 46, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a zone in which the golf ball comes to rest for plural strokes;

assigning to at least one of said selected strokes a quality number corresponding to the respective zone in which the golf ball comes to rest; and

storing the assigned quality number for at least one of said selected strokes in a memory.

60. A computer-based product as recited in claim 59, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

outputting a signal corresponding to the stored quality numbers.

61. A computer-based product as recited in claim 59, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a play quality factor based on selected of the stored quality numbers; and

outputting a signal indicative of the determined play quality factor.

62. A computer-based product as recited in claim 59, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining a play quality factor based on selected of the stored quality numbers; and

outputting an alarm signal based on the determined play quality factor and the sum of the selected measured times.

63. A computer-based product as recited in claim 41, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

store in a memory locations of the golf ball after each of plural strokes; and

outputting at least selected of said stored locations of the golf ball after each of plural strokes.

64. A computer-based product as recited in claim 41, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

determining at least part of the golf ball'"'"'s flight path for at least one stroke and producing corresponding stroke flight data; and

storing the stroke flight data in a memory.

65. A computer-based product as recited in claim 64, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

outputting signals corresponding to said stroke flight information.

66. A computer-based product storing computer instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

storing in a first memory data field zone templates corresponding to plural holes of a golf course, each template identifying zones of play associated with respective holes; and

storing in a second memory data field quality numbers associated with each zone of play.

67. A computer-based product as in claim 66, wherein:

said storing in a first memory data field comprises storing plural zone templates for each hole, each zone template for the same hole identifying respective zones of play in dependence on a location of a golf ball in play on the hole; and

said second data field quality numbers associated with each zone of play for each template of each hole in dependence on the location of a golf ball in play at the respective hole.

68. A computer-based product as in claim 66, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a third memory data field quality numbers assigned to at least selected strokes based on a zone of play in which a golf ball comes to rest at said selected strokes.

69. A computer-based product as in claim 68, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a fourth memory data field a play quality factor derived based on the quality numbers included in the third data field.

70. A computer-based product as in claim 66, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a fourth memory data field times between strobes information.

71. A computer-based product as in claim 66, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a fifth memory data field times between strokes information.

72. A computer-based product as in any one of claims 66, 67, 68, 69, 70 or 71, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing a further memory data field golf ball locations for plural strokes.

73. A computer-based product as in any one of claims 66, 67, 68, 69, 70 or 71, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a further memory data base field ball flight data for plural strokes.

74. A computer-based product storing computer instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps:

obtaining, for each of plural strokes, first and second distances derived from golf ball locations obtained by triangulation calculations performed upon reception of a signal transmitted from a golf ball, said first distance representative of a distance of a respective stroke in a direction parallel to a centerline of a fairway and said second distance representative of a distance of a respective in a direction perpendicular to the centerline of the fairway; and

storing in a first memory data field, for said plural strokes, said first and second distances.

75. A computer-based product as in claim 74, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a second memory data field a play quality factor derived from said first and second distances stored in said first memory data field.

76. A computer-based product as in claim 74, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a second memory data field times between strokes information.

77. A computer-based product as in claim 74, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a third memory data field times between strokes information.

78. A computer-based product as in any one of claims 74, 75, or 76, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a further memory data field golf ball locations for plural strokes.

79. A computer-based product as in any one of claims 74, 75, or 76, further storing instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following step:

storing in a further memory data field ball flight data for plural strokes.

80. A golf ball position location device comprising:

an input section configured to receive golf ball position location information derived by remote performance of triangulation calculations performed on signals received by remote receivers for a signal transmitting golf ball transmitter;

a display coupled to the input section and configured to display at least one signal indicating the location of the golf ball in relation to a two-dimensional area including the location of the golf ball; and

a computer-based product storing computer instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps;

determining a distance of ball travel in a direction parallel to a fairway and a distance of ball travel in a direction perpendicular to the fairway for at least one of selected strokes; and

storing the determined distances in a memory.

81. A device as in claim 80, further comprising:

said computer-based product storing computer instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps;

determining times between at least two of said selected strokes; and

storing the determined times in a memory.

82. A device as in claim 81, further comprising:

said computer-based product storing computer instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps;

adding selected of the times stored in said memory to produce a corresponding sum;

comparing the sum of the added times with a predetermined value; and

outputting a signal indicative of when the sum exceeds said predetermined value.

83. A device as in claim 81, further comprising:

said computer-based product storing computer instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps;

adding selected of the times stored in said memory to produce a corresponding sum;

comparing the sum of the added times with a predetermined value; and

outputting a signal indicative of when the sum exceeds said predetermined value.

84. A device as in claim 80, further comprising:

said computer-based product storing computer instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps;

determining for plural strokes a zone in which the golf ball comes to rest;

assigning to at least selected strokes a quality number corresponding to the respective zone in which the golf ball comes to rest; and

storing the assigned quality number for at least one of said selected strokes in a memory.

85. A device as in claim 84, further comprising:

said computer-based product storing computer instructions which can be used to program a processor to perform the following steps;

determining a play quality factor based on selected of the stored quality numbers; and

outputting a signal indicative of the determined play quality factor.

86. In a golf ball locator system in which an electromagnetic signal transmitter provided in a golf ball emits a signal when the golf ball is hit by a golfer, the improvement comprising:

at least two electromagnetic signal receivers configured to receive an electromagnetic signal transmitted by the golf ball; and

a processor coupled to the receivers and configured to receive signals from the receivers, to determine a location of the golf ball using triangulation calculations, and to output at least one signal indicating the location of the golf ball in relation to a two-dimensional area including the location of the golf ball.