Golf club apparatuses and methods
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining whether a golf club has been removed from a golf bag, comprising:
- a first light sensor which has an output;
a second light sensor;
a light pipe, the light pipe being configured to direct light toward the first light sensor;
a radio frequency (RF) transmitter coupled to the first light sensor, the RF transmitter being configured to transmit one or more signals indicating that a golf club has been removed from or replaced into a golf bag, the one or more signals being generated in response to a change of state of the first light sensor; and
a logic circuit coupled to the first light sensor and coupled to the second light sensor, the logic circuit being configured to be activated based on a comparison of one or more measurements of light from the first light sensor with a first stored value, and wherein the logic circuit is configured to determine whether to change a status of the logic circuit based on a second comparison between one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor and a plurality of second stored values, wherein when the second comparison is smaller than a first value the logic circuit adds the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor to one of a plurality of stored averages and the status does not change, wherein when the second comparison is greater than the first value the logic circuit compares the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor with a second value, wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor is greater than the second value the status is changed and a golf club identifier and the status are transmitted, wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor is less than the second value the status does not change, and wherein the logic circuit is configured to enter a sleep mode when the first and the second light sensors do not detect light for a period of time.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses, methods and systems related to an improved golf data collecting and golf club notification system. The system reminds golfers when a club has been mistakenly left behind on the golf course and notifies the golfer when a golf club or clubs are in or out of the golf bag. The system can notify a golfer if a club or golf bag has been removed without authorization. In one preferred embodiment an apparatus that attaches to a golf club includes dual light sensors—one light sensor configured as a switch and one light sensor configured as a light meter. Algorithms make use of the light sensor data to determine whether a golf club is in or out of a golf bag.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining whether a golf club has been removed from a golf bag, comprising:
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a first light sensor which has an output; a second light sensor; a light pipe, the light pipe being configured to direct light toward the first light sensor; a radio frequency (RF) transmitter coupled to the first light sensor, the RF transmitter being configured to transmit one or more signals indicating that a golf club has been removed from or replaced into a golf bag, the one or more signals being generated in response to a change of state of the first light sensor; and a logic circuit coupled to the first light sensor and coupled to the second light sensor, the logic circuit being configured to be activated based on a comparison of one or more measurements of light from the first light sensor with a first stored value, and wherein the logic circuit is configured to determine whether to change a status of the logic circuit based on a second comparison between one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor and a plurality of second stored values, wherein when the second comparison is smaller than a first value the logic circuit adds the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor to one of a plurality of stored averages and the status does not change, wherein when the second comparison is greater than the first value the logic circuit compares the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor with a second value, wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor is greater than the second value the status is changed and a golf club identifier and the status are transmitted, wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor is less than the second value the status does not change, and wherein the logic circuit is configured to enter a sleep mode when the first and the second light sensors do not detect light for a period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of determining whether a golf club has been removed from a golf bag, comprising:
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comparing one or more measurements of light intensity to a first stored value to provide a first comparison; activating a processing system based on the first comparison of the one or more measurements of light intensity with the first stored value; determining whether to change a status of the processing system based on a second comparison between the one or more measurements of light intensity and a plurality of second stored values, wherein when the second comparison is smaller than a first value, the processing system adds the one or more measurements of light intensity to one of a plurality of a stored averages and the status does not change, wherein when the second comparison is greater than the first value, the processing system compares the one or more measurements of light intensity with a second value, wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity is greater than the second value, the status is changed, and a golf club identifier and the status are transmitted, and wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity is less than the second value, the status does not change; and enabling a sleep mode when one or more light sensors do not detect light for a period of time. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium comprising executable instructions which when executed on a processing system cause said processing system to perform a method comprising:
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comparing one or more measurements of light intensity to a first stored value to provide a first comparison; activating a processing system based on the first comparison of the one or more measurements of light intensity with the first stored value; determining whether to change a status of the processing system based on a second comparison between the one or more measurements of light intensity and a plurality of second stored values, wherein when the second comparison is smaller than a first value, the processing system adds the one or more measurements of light intensity to one of a plurality of stored averages and the status does not change, wherein when the second comparison is greater than the first value, the processing system compares the one or more measurements of light intensity with a second value, wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity is greater than the second value, the status is changed, and a golf club identifier and the status are transmitted, and wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity is less than the second value, the status does not change; and enabling a sleep mode when one or more light sensors do not detect light for a period of time. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A tag configured to be attached to a golf club, the tag comprising:
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a first light sensor which has a first output; a second light sensor which has a second output; a processing system coupled to the first output and coupled to the second output; a radio frequency (RF) transmitter coupled to the processing system, the RF transmitter being configured to transmit one or more signals indicating that a golf club has been removed from or replaced into a golf bag, the one or more signals being generated in response to signals from the second output; and wherein the processing system is configured to be activated based on a comparison of one or more measurements of light from the first light sensor with a first stored value, and wherein the processing system is configured to determine whether to change a status of the processing system based on a comparison between one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor and a plurality of second stored values comprising a dark average and a light average, wherein when the second comparison is smaller than a first value, the processing system adds the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor to one of a plurality of a stored averages and the status does not change, wherein when the second comparison is greater than the first value the processing system compares the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor with a second value, wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor is greater than the second value the status is changed and a golf club identifier and the status are transmitted, wherein when the one or more measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor is less than the second value the status does not change, and wherein the processing system is configured to enter a sleep mode when the first and the second light sensors do not detect light for a period of time. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification