Apparatuses, methods and systems relating to semi-automatic golf data collecting and recording

• US 9,005,047 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tag Golf LLC
• Original Assignee: Tag Golf LLC
• Inventors: Savarese, Chris, Marshall, Noel H. C., McGill, Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Kang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weatherford, Syvila
• Application Number:
  US12/258,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,363 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 473/222, 473/407
• US Class Current: 473/283
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0611 Automatic tennis linesmen, i.e. in-out detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• 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 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• 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 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10227 loading programming parameters or programs into the interrogator, e.g. for configuring the interrogator

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods and systems relating to golf data collecting and recording are described. In one embodiment an apparatus on a golf club includes an integrated reminder and a stroke cancellation system and is semi-automatic in that the recording of the stroke is directly in response to changing the state (e.g. activating) of a switch which indicates that the golfer has pressed a button on the golf club. The pressing of the button indicates that the golfer will or has taken a stroke with the golf club and that the stroke is to be recorded, optionally with the location of the stroke and an identifier of the club (e.g. 9 iron).

Claims

1. An apparatus for collecting golf data, the apparatus comprising:

a substrate to attach the apparatus to a golf club;

a transmitter coupled to the substrate;

a memory coupled to the transmitter, wherein the memory and the transmitter form an RFID that is disposed on the golf club when the substrate is attached to the golf club; and

a switch coupled to the transmitter, the switch, when activated manually in a first manner by a user before or after a stroke, causing the transmitter to transmit, directly in response to the manual activation of the switch by the user before or after the stroke;

an identifier of the golf club, the identifier stored in the memory, and

a command to a golf data collection system, the command causing the golf data collection system to register the stroke, directly in response to the manual activation of the switch by the user before or after the stroke, by recording information indicating that the stroke was taken using the golf club identified by the identifier, wherein recording the information includes storing the club identifier and a location on a golf course for the stroke taken, and wherein the golf data collection system registers the stroke, in response to the manual activation, regardless of whether the stroke was actually taken,

wherein the switch is disposed on the golf club when the apparatus is attached to the golf club, and

wherein the switch is further configured to cancel the recording of the stroke when the switch is activated manually in a second manner.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a display device coupled to the substrate, the display device configured to remind the user to manually activate the switch before or after the stroke to cause the golf data collection system to register the stroke.

3. The apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising:

a solar energy source coupled to the display device to provide power to the display device; and

a battery coupled to the transmitter to provide power to the transmitter, wherein the transmitter includes an RFID transmitter.

4. The apparatus as in claim 3, further comprising:

logic coupled to the switch and to the transmitter, the logic configured to determine whether a user activation of the switch indicates that the stroke is to be cancelled or recorded.

5. The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the display device enters, for a period of time, a lower power state after the user manually activates the switch.

6. The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the apparatus does not include an RF receiver.

7. A golf club comprising:

a grip;

a shaft coupled to the grip, the shaft coupled to a surface, the surface configured to contact a golf ball;

a switch coupled to one of the grip or the shaft, wherein the switch is physically disposed on one of the grip or the shaft;

a memory in an RFID circuit;

a transmitter coupled to the switch and coupled to the memory, wherein the transmitter transmits, directly in response to a user activation of the switch in a first manner before or after a stroke;

an identifier of the golf club, the identifier stored in the memory, and

a command to a golf data collection system, the command causing the golf data collection system to register the stroke, directly in response to the user activation of the switch before or after the stroke, by recording information indicating that the stroke was taken using the golf club identified by the identifier, wherein recording the information includes storing a club identifier and a location on a golf course for the stroke taken, and wherein the golf data collection system registers the stroke, in response to the manual activation, regardless of whether the stroke was actually taken, and

wherein the switch is further configured to cancel the recording of the stroke when the switch is activated manually in a second manner.

8. The golf club as in claim 7, further comprising a display device coupled to one of the grip or the shaft, the display device configured to remind the user to manually activate the switch before or after the stroke to cause the golf data collection system to register the stroke.

9. The golf club as in claim 8 further comprising:

a solar energy source coupled to the display device to provide power to the display device; and

a battery coupled to the provide power to the transmitter.

10. The golf club as in claim 9 further comprising:

logic coupled to the switch and to the transmitter, the logic configured to determine whether a user activation of the switch indicates that the stroke is to be canceled or recorded.

11. The golf club as in claim 8, wherein the display device enters, for a period of time, a lower power state after the user activates the switch.

12. A golf data collection system comprising:

a golf data collection apparatus comprising;

a radio location receiver configured to receive at least one radio frequency (RF) signal from which a location of the radio location receiver can be determined,

a data collection receiver configured to receive a first signal from a transmitter on a golf club, the first signal indicating a request to record a stroke taken using the golf club, and the data collection receiver being configured to receive a second signal from the transmitter, the second signal indicating a request to cancel the request to record, and

a processor coupled to the radio location receiver and coupled to the data collection receiver and coupled to a storage device, the processor being configured to store, in the storage device, stroke data indicating that the stroke was taken using the golf club at the location, if the second signal is not received, wherein the stroke data includes a club identifier of the golf club and the location on a golf course for the stroke taken; and

a golf club comprising;

a grip;

a shaft coupled to the grip, the shaft coupled to a surface, the surface configured to contact a golf ball;

a transmitter coupled to one of the shaft or the grip, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the first signal and the second signal;

a button disposed on one of the shaft or the grip, wherein the transmitter is activated by the button to send the first signal and the second signal;

a switch coupled to one of the grip or the shaft, the switch being coupled to the button, wherein when the button is activated manually in a first manner by a golfer holding the golf club before or after the stroke, the switch activates the transmitter to transmit the first signal, directly in response to the manual activation of the button by the golfer before or after the stroke, to cause the processor to record the stroke, directly in response to the manual activation of the button by the golfer before or after the stroke, wherein recording the stroke includes storing the stroke data including the club identifier and the location on the golf course for the stroke taken, wherein the golf data collection apparatus registers the stroke, in response to the manual activation, regardless of whether the stroke was actually taken, and wherein when the button is activated manually in a second manner by the golfer holding the golf club before or after the stroke, the switch activates the transmitter to transmit the second signal to cause the processor to cancel the recording of the stroke.

13. An apparatus for collecting golf data, the apparatus comprising:

a substrate to attach the apparatus to a golf object;

a transmitter coupled to the substrate;

a memory coupled to the transmitter, wherein the memory and the transmitter form an RFID that is disposed on the golf object when the substrate is attached to the golf object;

a button configured to be pressed by a user;

a switch coupled to the transmitter and coupled to the button, the switch, when activated by the user pressing the button in a first manner before or after an action with the golf object, causing the transmitter to transmit, directly in response to the user pressing the button before or after the action with the golf object;

an identifier of the golf object, the identifier stored in the memory, and

a command to a golf data collection system, the command causing the golf data collection system to register the action with the golf object, directly in response to the user pressing the button before or after the action with the golf object, by recording information indicating that an action was taken using the golf object, wherein recording the information indicating that the action was taken includes storing the club identifier and the location on the golf course for the stroke taken, and wherein the golf data collection apparatus registers the action taken, and

wherein the switch is further configured to cancel the recording of the stroke when the switch is activated manually in a second manner.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising:

logic coupled to the switch and to the transmitter, the logic configured to determine whether a user activation of the switch indicates that the action with the golf object is to be canceled or recorded.

15. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the apparatus includes an RF receiver.

16. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the apparatus does not include an RF receiver.

17. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the apparatus is integrated into the golf object at a time of manufacture of the golf object.