Disc golf disc location system

• US 9,579,552 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher Leon Martin, Yong Juay Lee
• Original Assignee: Christopher Leon Martin, Yong Juay Lee
• Inventors: Martin, Christopher Leon, Lee, Yong Juay
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Don N
• Application Number:
  US14/702,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20150319562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 340/8.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• 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 67/06 Ring or disc tossing games , e.g. quoits; Throwing or tossing games, e.g. using balls; Games for manually rolling balls, e.g. marbles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/18 Throwing or slinging toys, e.g. flying disc toys discs used in athletics A63B65/10as part of a game A63F9/02; sling weapons F41B3/00; spring toy guns F41B7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system for locating a lost disc golf disc is disclosed. A disc having a Bluetooth transmitter is utilized to send a signal to a smartphone which measures the distance to the disc from the smartphone. Outfitted with a 3-axis accelerometer, the flight path of the disc golf disc can also be tracked.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the flight of a disc golf disc thrown by a disc golf user on a disc golf course comprising:

a) a disc golf disc having an integrated housing positioned in a bottom center of the disc golf disc for positioning devices therein, the devices comprising;

i. a removable Bluetooth location transmitter which has been made water resistant by positioning the transmitter within the housing, wherein the housing is made water resistant by means of one or more perpendicular ribs on the disc which mate via a threaded pattern with a dimpled cover, and an O-ring, positioned in the housing such that the transmitter does not interfere with the flight characteristics of the disc golf disc, which transmitter tracks the position of the user and the direction that the disc is located; and

ii. a removable GPS device for indicating the location of the disc golf disc;

b) a smartphone adapted to receive a transmission from the Bluetooth location transmitter indicating the step by step directions from the smartphone to the disc and adapted to receive a transmission from the GPS device indicating the location of the disc golf disc; and

c) an app running in resident memory on the smartphone which tracks the signal from the Bluetooth transmitter and GPS location and provides the step by step directions to the disc golf disc on a real time map.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the disc is further outfitted with a device that has at least one of a locating light and a device for making a locator sound.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the app records the distance, velocity, angle, speed of the rotation, and flight path for all of the disc throws of a user during a game of disc golf.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the dimpled cover of the housing screws into the housing via a threaded pattern to create a water tight seal with an O-ring.

5. The system according to claim 1 which further comprises an accelerometer positioned in the disc golf disc which can transmit its information to the app in the smartphone.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the accelerometer transmitted information is at least one of the disc'"'"'s distance, velocity of the disc'"'"'s forward momentum, angle, speed of the disc rotation, and flight path.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system further comprises at least one of a device for making a locating sound, and a locating light.

8. The disc, according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the lower surface of the disc is smooth, a portion is finely textured and a portion is roughly textured, the fine and rough textures positioned where it can aid in gripping of the disc.

9. The disc according to claim 8 wherein the fine and rough textures are positioned concentrically on the lower surface of the disc near an edge of the disc.

10. The system according to claim 6 wherein the system records the speed of the disc rotation and velocity of the disc'"'"'s forward momentum for presentation to the user.