Electronic marker stakes for sports fields

• US 8,070,630 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2011
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joe T. Minarovic
• Original Assignee: Joe T. Minarovic
• Inventors: Minarovic, Joe T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiu, Raleigh W.
• Application Number:
  US13/026,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20110136598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 297 Days
• Field of Search: 473/490, 116/209, 116/222, 116/241, 324/67, 324/329
• US Class Current: 473/490
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/08 Mechanical means for marking-out
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/22 Radio waves emitting or receiving, e.g. remote control, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip

Abstract

A marker stake for locating a boundary reference point on a sports field can be buried and out of sight when not in use, and then quickly located using an electronic receiver which detects a signal emitted by an electronic marker in the marker stake. Various field boundary indicators can be removably attached to the marker stake. The stake may be embodied in a cylindrical body constructed of a moldable polymer with a socket at one end for receiving a pin or post of the field boundary indicator, and the electronic marker embedded inside the body. The electronic marker may be a passive LC marker tuned to a frequency associated with a known field sport. Different sets of such marker stakes tuned to different frequencies may be used to mark and relocate reference points for multiple sports played on the same field.

Claims

1. An electronic marker stake system for locating reference points in a field to be used for multiple sports, comprising:

a plurality of first field boundary indicators;

a plurality of second field boundary indicators;

a first set of marker stakes adapted to be placed in the ground and removably receive the first field boundary indicators, wherein said first set of marker states emit a first signal associated with a first field sport; and

a second set of marker stakes adapted to be placed in the ground and removably receive the second field boundary indicators, wherein said second set of marker states emit a second signal associated with a second field sport;

wherein at least one of said marker stakes in said first set emits both the first signal and the second signal.

2. The electronic marker stake system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic locator which selectively detects either of the first signal and the second signal.

3. The electronic marker stake system of claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of marker stakes have passive electronic markers.

4. The electronic marker stake system of claim 3 wherein:

passive electronic markers in said first set of marker stakes are tuned to a first frequency associated with the first field sport; and

passive electronic markers in said second set of marker stakes are tuned to a second frequency associated with the second field sport.