System and method for a golf game

• US 9,468,828 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shane Bush
• Original Assignee: Shane Bush
• Inventors: Bush, Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US14/338,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20160023073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• 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 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/02 for picking-up or collecting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/40 Golf cups or holes
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/08 with substantially horizontal opening for ball, e.g. for basketball A63B57/40, A63B63/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/02 Special golf games, e.g. miniature golf or golf putting games played on putting tracks; putting practice apparatus having an elongated platform as a putting track
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method of golf-related leisure game. One or more targets is/are placed on an open playing field. Each target comprises a frame, a landing area, a lighting unit and a golf ball receptacle unit that contains a push solenoid and an illuminating photoelectric color sensor. Players of the game use standard golf clubs to strike the balls towards the target, wherein each player is assigned golf balls of distinct color. Players earn points by landing golf balls in the targets. Upon landing in the landing area of the target, the player'"'"'s ball is fed into the receptacle unit. A color sensor within illuminates the received golf ball and measures the characteristics of the light reflected from its surface across three frequencies. The data from the color sensor is processed and, used for score keeping amongst the players.

Claims

1. A target-based leisure gaming system for deploying in a golf-related gaming environment, said leisure gaming system comprising:

a golf target, said golf target including;

an outer frame having a plurality of detachably coupled supporting legs,

a landing-area overlay detachably coupled to a top side of the frame, said landing-area overlay having an aperture at a centroid location,

a receptacle unit attached to the underside of the landing-area overlay, said receptacle unit attached to a central location of the landing-area overlay, said receptacle unit further including;

a funnel section having one end operatively coupled to said aperture,

a delivery tube section having one end operatively coupled to another end of said funnel,

a golf-ball receptacle section having an opening operatively coupled to another end of said delivery tube,

a color sensor positioned relative to a center of said golf-ball receptacle section,

an illuminating source positioned adjacent to the color sensor at an offset position relative to said center of said golf-ball receptacle section,

an insertive resilient member operatively coupled to said golf-ball receptacle section,

a receptacle processor operatively coupled to said color sensor, said receptacle processor capable of receiving reading signals from said color sensor, processing said reading signals, and generate output signals,

an output transmitter for transmitting said generated output signal; and

a receiving terminal comprising;

a receiver capable of receiving, from said output transmitter of said receptacle unit, said generated output signal and forwards the received generated output signal to a managing processor, said managing processor capable of further processing the generated output signal to generate display signal, and

a display for displaying said generated display signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said frame is made of one of PVC, plastic or metallic material.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said landing-area overlay is made of one of canvas, vinyl and plastic material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said frame is one of polygonal and circular in shape.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the legs of said golf target are individually adjustable in height.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the output transmitter transmits said generated output signal to said receiving terminal via wireless transmission.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said reading signals from color sensor includes red, blue, and green value components.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the receptacle processor and managing processor is capable of identifying a RGB ID of a golf ball based on the reading signals received from the color sensor.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one lighting element affixed to the frame, wherein said at least one lighting element capable of light illumination in different colors.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein one of said receptacle processor and managing processor is capable of generating lighting signals for controlling the illumination of said at least one lighting element.

11. A target-based leisure gaming system for deploying in a golf-related gaming environment, said leisure gaming system comprising:

a golf target, said golf target including;

an outer frame having a plurality of detachably coupled supporting legs,

a landing-area overlay detachably coupled to a top side of the frame, said landing-area overlay having an aperture at a centroid location,

a receptacle unit attached to the underside of the landing-area overlay, said receptacle unit attached to a central location of the landing-area overlay, said receptacle unit further including;

means for guiding a golf ball from said aperture to a rest section of said receptacle unit,

means for illuminating said receptacle unit,

means for detecting red, green, and blue illumination values of light reflected from a golf ball at a rest position in the rest section of said receptacle unit and generating an output signal using said detected red, green, and blue illumination values,

means for ejecting said golf ball from said rest position towards an exist opening of said receptacle unit, and

means for transmitting output signal to a receiving terminal,

said receiving terminal comprising;

means for receiving, from said receptacle unit, said generated output signal,

means for further processing the generated output signal to generate display signal,

a display for displaying said generated display signal.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for identifying a RGB ID of said golf ball using the detected red, green, and blue illumination values.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said landing-area overlay is made of one of canvas, vinyl or PVC material.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said frame is one of polygonal and circular in shape.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the legs of said golf target are individually adjustable in height.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said generated output signal is wirelessly transmitted to said receiving terminal.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one lighting element affixed to the frame, wherein said at least one lighting element capable of light illumination in different colors.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for controlling the color of illumination of said at least one lighting element.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for determining the RGB ID of a colored golf ball using output signal generated from said detected red, green, and blue illumination values.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said receiving terminal further comprises means for tallying up a score of at least one player of said target-based leisure game using the determined RGB IDs of the golf balls.