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

• US 8,523,711 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2012
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• 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: Meadows, James W., Root, Richard L., Nash, Dallas L. II, Edmonson, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): McClellan, James S
• Application Number:
  US13/447,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20120264544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 473/407, 701/208, 701/213
• 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 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/72 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/75 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/76 Wind conditions
• 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 57/00 Golfing accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• 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 19/40 Correcting position, velocity or attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 : Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 : Services

Abstract

A handheld apparatus for displaying a graphic representation of a golf course. The handheld apparatus including a location measuring device that generates location information corresponding to a location of the handheld apparatus; a memory that stores location information corresponding to each of a plurality of features of the golf course; a computing device connected to the location measuring device and the memory that retrieves a subset of the plurality of features of the golf course based on the measured location information generated by the location measuring device; and a display connected to the computing device that displays a graphic representation of the retrieved subset of the plurality of features of the golf course.

Claims

1. A handheld apparatus for displaying a graphic representation of a golf course, comprising:

circuitry configured to;

determine location information corresponding to a location of the handheld apparatus;

store location information corresponding to each of a plurality of features of the golf course;

retrieve a subset of the plurality of features of the golf course based on the determined location information; and

control a display to display a graphic representation of the retrieved subset of the plurality of features of the golf course, wherein

the circuitry is configured to control the display to display a line on the graphic representation extending from a first point of a hole to at least a second point of the hole, and

the circuitry is configured to control the display to display a distance from a point on the line to at least a first intersection point of at least one of the subset of the plurality of features when the at least one of the subset of the plurality of features intersects the line.

2. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the line corresponds to a virtual shot path.

3. The handheld apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the circuitry is configured to retrieve the virtual shot path as one of the subset of the plurality of features of the golf course.

4. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the circuitry is configured to control the display to display the subset of the plurality of features collectively as a graphic representation of at least a portion of a single hole of the golf course.

5. The handheld apparatus of claim 4, wherein

the subset of the plurality of features includes at least one of a green, tee box, fairway, rough, tree, bunker, water hazard, waste area and out-of-bounds area.

6. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface configured to receive an input to move a point of the line on the graphic representation.

7. The handheld apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the circuitry is configured to adjust the line on the display in response to the input.

8. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the subset of the plurality of features correspond to a green.

9. The handheld apparatus of claim 8, wherein

the circuitry is configured to control the display to display the subset of the plurality of features collectively as a graphic representation of the green.

10. The handheld apparatus of claim 9, wherein

the subset of the plurality of features include at least one of a sloped area of the green and an outline of the green, and the circuitry is configured to control the display to display the sloped area so as to differentiate the sloped area from other portions of the green.

11. The handheld apparatus of claim 9, wherein

the subset of the plurality of features include at least one of a sloped area of the green, and the circuitry is configured to control the display to display a dark line indicating a high point of the slope and display the sloped area so as to differentiate the sloped area from other portions of the green.

12. A method performed by a handheld device for displaying a graphic representation of a golf course, comprising:

determining, by circuitry of the handheld device, location information corresponding to a location of the handheld apparatus;

storing, by the circuitry, location information corresponding to each of a plurality of features of the golf course;

retrieving, by the circuitry, a subset of the plurality of features of the golf course based on the determined location information; and

displaying, by a display of the handheld device, a graphic representation of the retrieved subset of the plurality of features of the golf course, wherein

the displaying includes displaying a line on the graphic representation extending from a first point of a hole to at least a second point of a hole, and displaying a distance from a point on the line to at least a first intersection point of at least one of the subset of the plurality of features when the at least one of the subset of the plurality of features intersects the line.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-program instructions, which when executed by a handheld device for displaying a graphic representation of a golf course, causes the handheld device to:

determine location information corresponding to a location of the handheld apparatus;

store location information corresponding to each of a plurality of features of the golf course;

retrieve a subset of the plurality of features of the golf course based on the determined location information; and

display a graphic representation of the retrieved subset of the plurality of features of the golf course, wherein

the displaying includes displaying a line on the graphic representation extending from a first point of a hole to at least a second point of a hole, and displaying a distance from a point on the line to at least a first intersection point of at least one of the subset of the plurality of features when the at least one of the subset of the plurality of features intersects the line.