METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A DISTANCE

• US 20110098924A1
• Filed: 10/28/2009
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: BALARDETA, JOSEPH, DENTON, SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/607,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• 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 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications

Abstract

A device and method for determining a distance from the device to a distant point is disclosed herein. The device includes a GPS component, a laser component, a camera component, a memory, a display component, a user input, and a processor comprising means for determining a distance between any two points.

Claims

1. A portable golf GPS device having a distance locating function, the device comprising:

a housing having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface opposing the first surface, the housing having a height of no more than 4 inches, a width of no more than 1.9 inches and a thickness of no more than 0.6 inch;

a GPS component dispersed within the housing, the GPS component comprising a GPS receiver and an antenna, the GPS component determining a location of the device;

a camera component comprising a lens positioned at a first opening in the second surface of the housing, the camera component enhancing a viewing of a flagstick located on a green of a hole of a golf course, the camera component having a five megapixel or greater resolution;

a laser component comprising a light source and a receiver, the receiver located on the second surface, the light source comprising a pulsed laser diode having a wavelength of 850 nanometers, an optical peak power up to 10 Watts, and capable of short laser pulses from 1 to 100 nanoseconds, the light source transmitting a beam of light through a second opening in the second surface of the housing, the laser component determining a distance from the device to the flagstick on the green;

a memory within the housing comprising a plurality of aerial images of portions of golf courses, at least one of the plurality of aerial images including the flagstick on the green;

a single display component disposed on the first surface of the housing, the single display component displaying images from the camera component and the plurality of aerial images, the single display component having a diagonal screen dimension ranging from 1.5 inches to 4.0 inches;

a processor, the processor in electrical communication with the camera component, the laser component, the memory, the single display component and the GPS component;

the processor configured to display on the single display component the flagstick on the green on the at least one aerial image based on the location of the device from the GPS component and the distance to the flagstick on the green obtained from the laser component; and

a power source for providing power to the processor, the camera component, the laser component, the display component, the memory, and the GPS component.