GOLF DATA RECORDER WITH INTEGRATED MISSING CLUB REMINDER AND THEFT PREVENTION SYSTEM

• US 20090233735A1
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tag Golf LLC
• Original Assignee: The Nicholas Zwick Pourover Trust
• Inventors: Savarese, Chris, Marshall, Noel H. C., McGill, Susan, Gilliland, Kenneth P., Vickers, Marvin L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,226,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/407
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2055/402 Warning devices for indicating missing golf clubs
• 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 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• 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 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• 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 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1481 with optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0266 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact distance between parent and child or surveyor and item
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 : Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods and systems relating to at least one or more of golf club reminding and golf data collecting and recording. 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, with the location of the stroke and an identifier of the club (e.g. 9 iron). The system may also be equipped with a missing club reminder and theft prevention function that notifies the golfer is a golf club has been left behind or if a club or golf bag has been removed without authorization.

Claims

1. A golf club component adapted to be coupled to a golf club, the golf club component comprising:

a first light sensor which has an output;

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter coupled to the first light sensor, the RF transmitter being configured to transmit one or more signals indicating that a golf club has been removed from or replaced into a golf bag, the one or more signals being generated in response to a change of state of the output of the first light sensor.

2. The golf club component as in claim 1 wherein the golf club component is adapted to be attached to a grip of the golf club and wherein the golf club component further comprises:

a battery;

a logic circuit coupled to the battery and coupled to the first light sensor and coupled to the RF transmitter, the logic circuit being configured to cause the RF transmitter to transmit the one or more signals.

3. The golf club component as in claim 2 further comprising:

a second light sensor coupled to the logic circuit, the second light sensor configured to measure a light intensity and to provide one or more measurements of light intensity to the logic circuit;

wherein;

the logic circuit is configured to control the RF transmitter and configured to process the one or more measurements to determine whether to cause the transmitter to transmit the one or more signals and wherein the logic circuit is configured to change the power consumption state of the logic circuit and the second sensor and the RF transmitter in response to the change of state of the output of the first light sensor.

4. The golf club component as in claim 3, wherein the golf club component has a first golf club component power consumption state and a second golf club component power consumption state, and wherein:

in the first golf club component power consumption state, the first light sensor consumes power to detect a change of light and the logic circuit consumes power in a first logic circuit power consumption state in order to process and respond to the change of state of the output of the first light sensor, and the second light sensor consumes power in a first second light sensor power consumption state, and the RF transmitter consumes power in a first RF transmitter power consumption state; and

wherein;

in the second golf club component power consumption state, the second light sensor consumes power in a second second light sensor power consumption state, which consumes more power than the first second light sensor power consumption state, and the RF transmitter consumes power in a second RF transmitter power consumption state, which consumes more power than the first RF transmitter power consumption state and the logic circuit consumes power in a second logic circuit power consumption state, which consumes more power than the first logic circuit power consumption state, in order to process the one or more measurements.

5. The golf club component as in claim 4, wherein the RF transmitter in the first RF transmitter power consumption state consumes substantially no power and wherein the logic circuit comprises a microprocessor and wherein the golf club component is adapted to be attached to the top of the grip;

and wherein the microprocessor causes the second light sensor to return to the first second light sensor power consumption state and causes the RF transmitter to return to the first RF transmitter power consumption state and causes the microprocessor to return to the first logic circuit power consumption state after a period of time after the change of state of the output of the first light sensor.

6. The golf club component as in claim 5 wherein the golf club component is configured so that the first light sensor provides a first sensitivity to light and the second light sensor provides a second sensitivity to light, the first sensitivity to light being more sensitive than the second sensitivity to light and wherein the one or more signals indicating that the golf club has been removed from or replaced into the golf bag include a unique identifier of the golf club relative to at least a set of other golf clubs of a golfer, and wherein the golf club component comprises memory, coupled to the microprocessor, for storing the unique identifier.

7. The golf club component as in claim 6 wherein the microprocessor is configured to cause the second light sensor to make a plurality of measurements over a period of time and wherein the microprocessor is configured to process the plurality of measurements to determine whether to cause the transmitter to transmit the one or more signals indicating that the golf club has been removed from or replaced into the golf bag.

8. The golf club component as in claim 6, wherein the microprocessor is configured to cause the RF transmitter to transmit data representing the one or more measurements of light intensity provided by the second light sensor to a mobile device which provides a message to a golfer that the golf club is not in the golf bag.

9. A golf club component, adapted to be coupled to a golf club, the golf club component comprising:

a first light sensor which has an output;

a logic circuit coupled to the first light sensor to receive the output;

an RF transmitter coupled to the logic circuit;

a timer circuit coupled to the logic circuit, the timer circuit being configured to cause the logic circuit to repeatedly cause the RF transmitter to transmit a signal indicating that a golf club has been removed from or replaced into a golf bag, wherein the signal is generated in response to a change of state of the output of the first light sensor.

10. The golf club component as in claim 9 wherein the timer circuit and the logic circuit are fabricated on the same integrated circuit and wherein the signal includes a unique identifier of the golf club relative to other golf clubs in the golf bag.

11. The golf club component as in claim 9 wherein the logic circuit comprises a microprocessor and the timer circuit comprises a relaxation oscillator.

12. The golf club component as in claim 9 further comprising a battery coupled to the logic circuit and wherein the logic circuit comprises a microprocessor and the timer circuit provides a series, over time, of timed signals to the microprocessor, each of the timed signals causing the microprocessor to obtain a measurement of light intensity from the first light sensor and wherein the microprocessor processes a plurality of the measurements of light intensity from the first light sensor to determine whether to cause the RF transmitter to transmit the signal indicating that the golf club has been removed from or replaced into the golf bag.

13. The golf club component as in claim 12 wherein the timer circuit is configured to cause the microprocessor to cause the RF transmitter to transmit the signal a plurality of times, and wherein the signal comprises a unique identifier, relative to the other golf clubs in the golf bag, which identifies the golf club which has been removed from or replaced into the golf bag.

14. The golf club component as in claim 9 further comprising:

a battery coupled to the logic circuit;

a second light sensor coupled to the logic circuit, the second light sensor configured to measure a light intensity and to provide a plurality of measurements of light intensity to the logic circuit, and wherein the timer circuit is configured to cause the logic circuit to obtain each of the plurality of measurements of light intensity in response to a signal from the timer circuit, and wherein a signal from the output of the first light sensor causes the logic circuit to begin to obtain the plurality of measurements of light intensity, and wherein the logic circuit processes the plurality of measurements of light intensity from the second light sensor to determine whether to cause the RF transmitter to transmit the signal indicating that the golf club has been removed from or replaced into the golf bag.

15. The golf club component as in claim 14 wherein the timer circuit is configured to cause the logic circuit to cause the RF transmitter to transmit the signal a plurality of times, and wherein the signal comprises a unique identifier, relative to other golf clubs in the golf bag, which identifies the golf club which has been removed from or replaced into the golf bag and wherein the golf club component comprises a memory, coupled to the logic circuit, for storing the unique identifier.

16. The golf club component as in claim 15 wherein the signal from the output of the first light sensor causes the logic circuit to exit a low power mode and causes the logic circuit to cause the timer circuit, the second light sensor, and the RF transmitter to exit a low power mode and wherein the logic circuit causes, after a period of time after the signal from the output of the first light sensor, the RF transmitter, the second light sensor and the timer circuit to enter the low power mode, and wherein the golf club component is adapted to be attached to the top of a grip of the golf club, and wherein the golf club component is configured so that the first light sensor provides a first sensitivity to light and the second light sensor provides a second sensitivity to light and the first sensitivity to light being more sensitive than the second sensitivity to light.

17. The golf club component as in claim 16 wherein the logic circuit is configured to cause the RF transmitter to transmit data, representing the plurality of measurements of light intensity provided by the second light sensor, to a mobile device which provides a message to a golfer that the golf club is not in the golf bag.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver configured to determine a position of the mobile golf rangefinder relative to a golf course and to determine a time of day;

a radio receiver configured to receive data representing one or more measurements of light intensity provided by a light sensor on a golf club;

a display configured to display a message to a golfer that the golf club is not in a golf bag;

a processing system coupled to the SPS receiver and to the display and to the radio receiver, the processing system configured to process the data representing one or more measurements of light intensity and data representing time of day and the position in order to determine whether to display the message.

19. The apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the processing system comprises a timer which determines when to alert a golfer that a golf club appears to be missing and wherein the apparatus is a golf rangefinder.

20. The mobile golf rangefinder as in claim 19 wherein the processing system is configured to display an identifier of the golf club to allow the golfer to record the use of the golf club to take a stroke, and wherein the processing system comprises a plurality of timers, each for a corresponding golf club which has been determined to have been removed from the golf bag and wherein the processing system is configured to display a message to remind a golfer about the golf club in response to determining that the apparatus is moving from one hole to the next hole on a golf course having a known layout.