Interactive golf game with automatic scoring

• US 9,492,729 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas P. Foley
• Original Assignee: Thomas P. Foley
• Inventors: Foley, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAHAM, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/472,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20140370998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 473150-155, 473/176, 473/192, 473/169, 473221-225
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/357 for golf cups or holes, e.g. flags
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/40 Golf cups or holes
• 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 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices

Abstract

A golf game system is provided, including at least one ball, at least one club and at least one hole area. The club has a striking sensor for sensing a striking action of the club on the ball, and a score display for displaying a score related to the striking action. The hole area has a tee for placing the ball and a hole for receiving the ball, wherein the hole has a ball-in-the-hole sensor for communicating with the club. Scores are automatically printed for players at game conclusion.

Claims

1. A method for displaying scores of a game, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one ball comprising a passive electronic identification unit storing a ball identification code identifying said at least one ball, wherein the passive electronic identification unit requires no power source to provide power thereto;

providing at least one club having a striking sensor for communicating with the at least one ball, and a score display for displaying a score related to a striking action by the at least one club;

providing at least one hole for receiving the at least one ball;

providing a ball-in-the-hole sensor in the at least one hole;

transmitting a ball-in-the-hole signal from the hall-in-the-hole sensor to the at least one club when the at least one hole receives the at least one ball; and

displaying a score on the score display upon receiving the ball-in-the-hole signal;

wherein each of the at least one club is configured to read the ball identification code of one of the at least one ball to pair with said one of the at least one ball for an entirety of a game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one club further comprises an electronic interrogator for interrogating the passive electronic identification unit to retrieve the ball identification code.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising when the at least one ball falls into the hole, using the ball-in-the-hole sensor to interrogate the passive electronic identification unit to read the ball identification code and send a signal to the at least one club to identify the at least one ball and the hole.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a central station having a computer for receiving a name of at least one player and relating the name of the player to the at least one ball delivered to the player.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one hole comprises a plurality of holes;

and

wherein the at least one club further comprises a memory for storing scores of the plurality of holes and an aggregated score of the game.

6. A method for displaying scores of a game, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one bail comprising a passive electronic identification unit storing a ball identification code identifying said at least one ball;

providing at least one club having a striking sensor for communicating with the at least one ball, and a score display for displaying a score related to a striking action by the at least one club;

providing at least one hole for receiving the at least one ball;

providing a ball-in-the-hole sensor in the at least one hole;

transmitting a ball-in-the-hole signal from the ball-in-the-bole sensor to the at least one club when the at least one hole receives the at least one ball;

displaying a score on the score display upon receiving the ball-in-the-hole signal; and

when the at least one ball falls into the hole, using the ball-in-the-hole sensor to interrogate the passive electronic identification unit to read the ball identification code and send a signal to the at least one club to identification the at least one ball and the hole.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the at least one ball comprises a plurality of bails, each of the balls having a ball identification code different from other ball identification codes;

the at least one club comprises a plurality of clubs; and

at least one hole area comprises a plurality of hole areas, the hole in each of the hole areas having a hole identification code different from the hole identification codes of other holes.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the passive electronic identification unit requires no power source to provide power thereto.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one club further comprises an electronic interrogator for interrogating the passive electronic identification unit to retrieve the ball identification code.

10. A method for displaying scores of a game, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of balls, each of the bails comprising a passive electronic identification unit storing a ball identification code identifying the ball, wherein each of the balls have a ball identification code different from other ball identification codes;

providing a plurality of clubs, each of the clubs having a striking sensor for communicating with the plurality of balls, and a score display for displaying a score related to a striking action by the club;

providing a plurality of hole areas comprising a plurality of holes for receiving the plurality of balls, the hole in each of the hole areas having a hole identification code different front the hole identification codes of other holes;

providing a ball-in-the-hole sensor in the plurality of holes;

transmitting a ball-in-the-hole signal from at least one of the ball-in-the-hole sensors to at least one of the clubs when at least one of the holes receives at least one of the balls; and

displaying a score on the score display upon receiving the ball-in-the-hole signal;

wherein each of the plurality of clubs is configured to read the ball identification code of one of the plurality of balls to pair with said one of the plurality of balls for an entirety of a game.

11. A method for displaying scores of a game, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one ball comprising a passive electronic identification unit storing a ball identification code identifying said at least one ball, wherein the passive electronic identification unit requires no power source to provide power thereto; and

providing at least one club having a striking sensor for communicating with the at least one ball, and a score display for displaying a score related to a striking action by the at least one club;

wherein each of the at least one club is configured to read the ball identification code of one of the at least one ball to pair with said one of the at least one ball for an entirety of a game.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one club further comprises an electronic interrogator for interrogating the passive electronic identification unit to retrieve the ball identification code.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one club comprises:

a shaft having a first end and a second end;

a head attached to the first end of the shaft, the head having the striking sensor; and

a handle attached to the second end of the shaft, the handle having the score display.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one hole area includes at least nine hole areas, each of the hole areas further comprising:

a fairway located between a tee and the hole, the fairway having vertical sides and a plurality of bevels selectively attached to the vertical sides to prevent the at least one ball from resting against the vertical sides.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a central station having a computer for receiving a name of at least one player and relating the player'"'"'s name to the at least one ball received by the player.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing at least one message board located near the hole of at least one hole area, for communicating with the central station and displaying messages to each player.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a tee of the at least one hole area comprises a tee sensor for communicating with the central station.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the tee sensor is configured to interrogate the passive electronic identification unit to retrieve the bail identification code.

14. The method of 11, further comprising printing a final game score, using a printing device.