Golf data management system, data center, and method of managing golf data

• US 20020004723A1
• Filed: 02/08/2001
• Published: 01/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Saito, Hiroshi, Mizuma, Keiji, Meifu, Yoshinobu
• Granted Patent: US 7,175,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0056 for statistical or strategic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/14 Geo-tagging, e.g. for correlating route or track location data with specific information related to that specific location
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• 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 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 71/0616 Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0697 Reservation devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

The present invention relates to a golf data management system that stores and manages golf score data, and to a data center and a golf data management method. This golf data management system includes a portable communication terminal that is carried by a player and a data center connected to the portable communication terminal via a communication network. The data center includes: an individual data storage unit that stores and manages play data supplied from the portable communication unit and practice data supplied from a practice data processing unit; a group data storage unit that manages performances of a group of accompanying players; and a common data storage unit that stores course map data of a plurality of golf courses. In response to an advice request containing measurement data obtained by a measuring unit in the portable communication terminal, the data center provides advice for each individual player based on the data stored in the individual data storage unit.

Claims

1. A golf data management system comprising:

a portable communication terminal; and

a data center that transmits data to and receives data from the portable communication terminal via a communication network,

wherein

the portable communication terminal comprises;

a recording unit that records play data including a score and measurement data obtained by measuring a position of a shot or a putt by a measuring unit;

a transmission unit that adds an individual identification number of a player who carries the portable communication terminal to the play data recorded by the recording unit, and transmits the play data to the data center via the communication network after holing out of each hole; and

a display unit that stores the data transmitted from the data center via the communication network, and displays the stored data, and

the data center comprises;

an individual data storage unit that stores and manages practice result data and the play data corresponding to the individual identification number in accordance with each golf course and each play date;

a common data storage unit that stores course map data of a plurality of golf courses; and

an output unit that outputs the play data stored in the individual data storage unit in response to a request from the portable communication terminal.

2. The golf data management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data center further comprises a first output unit that receives an advice request including the measurement data obtained by the measurement unit from the portable communication terminal and the individual identification number of the player added to the measurement data, and produces and transmits individual advice for the player, based on the data accompanied by the individual identification number stored in the individual data storage unit, the course map data stored in the common data storage unit, and a current location on a course map according to the measurement data.

3. The golf data management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the data center further comprises a second output unit that judges the performance of the player by comparing a ratio of the number of failed shots to the total number of shots based on the play data stored in the individual data storage unit, and produces and outputs, in response to the advice request, individual advice for the player based on play data and practice data stored in the individual data storage unit in accordance with a judgment result of the performance.

4. The golf data management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the portable communication terminal comprises:

a recording part that records measurement data obtained by the measurement unit when an input button is pressed at a location of a shot or a putt; and

a communication part that adds an uploading header to the play data recorded by the recording part when a holed-out button is pressed at a time of sinking a ball in cup, and transmits the play data with the uploading header to the data center via the communication network, and

the data center stores the play data and practice data obtained during a practice in the individual data storage unit in accordance with the uploading header.

5. The golf data management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the data center comprises a group data storage unit that manages data on performance of a sub-group in which each member carries the portable communication terminal, and

a distribution processing unit that distributes the play data from the individual storage unit to each portable communication terminal of the sub-group when it is determined that all members of the sub-group have holed out.

6. The golf data management system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a unit that registers the sub-group in the group data storage unit based on the measurement data obtained when a shot button is pressed at a tee shot.

7. A data center that transmits and receives data with a portable communication terminal via a communication network, said data center comprising:

an individual data storage unit that stores play data accompanied by an individual identification number of a player and practice data;

a common data storage unit that stores course map data of a plurality of golf courses;

a group data storage unit that manages a group of accompanying players; and

a data analysis unit that produces and outputs, in response to an advice request, advice on a shot or a putt for the individual player at a current location, based on individual data stored in the individual data storage unit, the course map data stored in the common data storage unit, and measurement data supplied from the portable communication terminal.

8. The data center as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a group data storage unit that manages data on performance of each of accompanying players that constitute a sub-group or a group made up of a plurality of sub-groups; and

a distribution processing unit that determines store data from the individual data storage unit when it is determined that all members in a sub-group have holed out, and distributes the score data to all the members in the sub-group.

9. A method of managing golf data of each individual player, which golf data is transmitted between a portable communication terminal and a data center via a communication network,

said method comprising the steps of:

storing course map data of a plurality of golf courses in a common data storage unit;

receiving play data including measurement data and a score provided with an individual identification number supplied from the portable communication terminal, or practice data provided with the individual identification number;

storing and managing the received data in an area corresponding to the individual identification number in the individual data storage unit;

reading out the course map data from the common data storage unit or the play data corresponding to the individual identification number from the individual data storage unit, in response to a course map data request or a play data request provided with the individual identification number supplied from the portable communication terminal; and

transmitting the read-out course map data or the play data to the portable communication terminal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

determining a current location on the course map according to the measurement data, in response to an advice request provided with the individual identification number and the measurement data supplied from the portable communication terminal;

producing advice data on choice of a golf club or a shot at the current location based on the play data and the practice data corresponding to the individual identification number stored in the individual data storage unit; and

transmitting the advice data to the portable communication terminal that has issued the advice request.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

determining the current location on the course map according to the measurement data in response to an advice request provided with the individual identification number and the measurement data supplied from the portable communication terminal;

analyzing the play data and the practice data corresponding to the individual identification number stored and managed by the individual data storage unit;

producing the advice data on the choice of golf clubs and shots based on performance data obtained from a failed shot ratio, shot distance data of each golf club, and target distance data; and

transmitting the advice data to the portable communication terminal that has issued the advice request.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

storing and managing the individual identification number and data on performance of each of players that constitute a sub-group or a group made up of a plurality of sub-groups in a group data storage unit;

reading out the play data of each member in the sub-group from the individual data storage unit when it is determined that all members in the sub-group have holed out; and

distributing the read-out play data to each of the members in the sub-group.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the course map data of the plurality of golf courses from the common storage unit in response to a request from the portable communication terminal; and

charging the portable communication terminal with a fixed amount of money or a service charge corresponding to the amount of provided data when the data stored in the individual data storage unit and advice data on the play are transmitted in response to a request from the portable communication terminal.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

lending the terminal portable communication terminal to a player;

registering the player in the data center using the portable communication terminal;

transmitting the play data from the portable communication terminal to the data center;

storing and managing the play data in the individual data storage unit;

transmitting course map data or advice data in response to a service request supplied from the portable communication terminal; and

charging the player with a service charge for the service rendered in response to the service request.