Personal golfing assistant and method and system for graphically displaying golf related information and for collection, processing and distribution of golf related data

• US 7,118,498 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SkyHawke Technologies LLC (SkyHawke Technologies)
• Original Assignee: SkyHawke Technologies LLC (SkyHawke Technologies)
• Inventors: Root, Richard L., Edmonson, Richard C., Nash, Dallas L. II, Meadows, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US10/668,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20040147329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 473/407, 473/409, 473/169, 473/131, 473/405, 273/317.2, 273/317, 701/200, 701/207, 701213-215, 701/208, 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/995.1, 342/454, 342/456.5, 342/466
• US Class Current: 473/407
• 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 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 2220/76 Wind conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• 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 69/3605 Golf club selection aids informing player of his average or expected shot distance for each club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning

Abstract

A personal golfing assistant system includes a handheld device and a GPS receiver that enables the user to survey and/or electronically capture geophysical golf data. The system can be used during the course of play to mark a ball location automatically, determine the distance to golf course targets or objects, analyze golf related data and generate statistics. The system provides a graphical display of useful golf-related information and can send a set of parameters tailored for a specific course to a real time tunable GPS to adjust for optimal performance and can adjust measurements to compensate for environmental condition changes. There is also provided a method for collecting and uploading golf course geographic information to an internet accessible server, processing the uploaded data, distributing data upon an authorized user request and downloading the requested data to an electronic device.

Claims

1. An integrated handheld apparatus for measuring and displaying distances between a golfer and an object on a golf course comprising:

a computing device;

a GPS device connected to said computing device;

an apparatus display connected to said computing device;

said GPS device adapted to produce measured location information corresponding to a location of said GPS device independent of golf course infrastructure;

means, within said handheld apparatus, for modifying said measured location information to account for changes in environmental conditions to obtain corrected location information;

means, within said handheld apparatus, for determining a distance, independent of said golf course infrastructure, between said GPS device and said object by using said corrected location information and previously stored information concerning the location of said object; and

wherein a representation of said object is displayed on said apparatus display, as viewed from above said object, and said representation automatically rotates to orient said representation to coincide with said golfer'"'"'s line of sight to said object and said integrated handheld computing device is adapted to selectively display said distance on said apparatus display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said object is a green, a moveable cross hair is displayed on said apparatus display and the distance between said handheld apparatus and the apparent position of the cross of said crosshair relative to said green is computed and displayed.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said cross hair is displayed so that a portion thereof intersects the boundary of said displayed green at an intersection point and wherein the distance between said handheld apparatus and the apparent position of said intersection point relative to said green is computed and displayed.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said cross hair is displayed so that one or more portions thereof intersect the boundary of said displayed green at two intersection points and wherein the distance between said handheld apparatus and the apparent position of each of said two intersection points relative to said green are computed and displayed.

5. An integrated handheld apparatus for measuring and displaying distances between a golfer and an object on a golf course comprising:

a computing device;

a GPS device connected to said computing device;

an apparatus display connected to said computing device;

said GPS device adapted to produce measured location information corresponding to a location of said GPS device independent of golf course infrastructure;

means, within said handheld apparatus, for determining a distance, independent of said golf course infrastructure, between said GPS device and said object by using said measured location information and previously stored information concerning the location of said object; and

wherein a representation of said object is displayed on said apparatus display, as viewed from above said object, and said representation automatically rotates to orient said representation to coincide with said golfer'"'"'s line of sight to said object and said integrated handheld computing device is adapted to selectively display said distance on said apparatus display.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said object is a green, a moveable cross hair is displayed on said apparatus display and the distance between said handheld apparatus and the apparent position of the cross of said crosshair relative to said green is computed and displayed.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said cross hair is displayed so that a portion thereof intersects the boundary of said displayed green at an intersection point and wherein the distance between said handheld apparatus and the apparent position of said intersection point relative to said green is computed and displayed.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said cross hair is displayed so that one or more portions thereof intersect the boundary of said displayed green at two intersection points and wherein the distance between said handheld apparatus and the apparent position of each of said two intersection points relative to said green are computed and displayed.