METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POWER CONSERVATION OF A RF DEVICE DURING SHIPPING

• US 20120015752A1
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: BALARDETA, JOSEPH, DENTON, SCOTT
• Granted Patent: US 9,289,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/222
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• 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 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for conserving battery power during shipping for an impact activated device for transmitting a radiofrequency signal. The method comprises forming an impact activated device for transmitting a radiofrequency signal. The shot tracking device is shipped in commerce and received at a retailer. The shot tracking device is stored at the retailer, wherein the battery has at least 90% of its capacity until paired with a receiver.

Claims

1. A shot tracking device for attachment to a golf club for tracking a golfer'"'"'s round of golf, the shot tracking device comprising:

a battery having no more than 225 milli-amp hours of power;

a microprocessor in electrical communication with the battery, the microprocessor operating during a sleep mode, a sampling mode, an analysis mode, a monitoring mode and a transmission mode; and

a radiofrequency component in electrical communication with the microprocessor, the radiofrequency component only operable during a transmission mode;

wherein the shot tracking device only operates in the sleep mode and the sampling mode until the shot tracking device is paired with a receiver.

2. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 further comprising a multi-axis accelerometer for determining movement, monitoring movement and communicating the movement to the microprocessor, the multi-axis accelerometer in electrical communication with the microprocessor, the power for the multi-axis accelerometer drawn from the battery, the multi-axis accelerometer only active during the sampling mode, the analysis mode and the monitoring mode.

3. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the shot tracking device consumes less than 600 nano-amps during the sleep mode, the sleep mode having a time period ranging from 10 seconds to 30 seconds;

wherein the shot tracking device consumes less than 15 micro-amps during the sampling mode;

wherein the shot tracking device consumes less than 50 micro-amps during the analysis mode;

wherein the shot tracking device consumes less than 200 micro-amps during the monitoring mode; and

wherein the shot tracking device consumes less than 12 milli-amps during the transmission mode.

4. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the radiofrequency component operates at 2.4 giga-Hertz, the power for the radiofrequency component being drawn from the battery.

5. The shot tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the device comprises a housing composed of a polymer material, the housing having a main body and a projection body extending from the main body, the projection body having a length ranging from 1 mm to 5 mm and a diameter ranging from 20 mm to 25 mm.

6. The shot tracking device according to claim 2 wherein a signal is transmitted from the radiofrequency component during the transmission mode, the signal comprising data related to the movement monitored by the multi-axis accelerometer.

7. A method for conserving battery power during shipping for an impact activated device for transmitting a radiofrequency signal, the method comprising:

forming an impact activated device comprising

a battery having no more than 225 milli-amp hours of power,

a microprocessor in electrical communication with the battery, the microprocessor operating during a sleep mode, a sampling mode, an analysis mode, a monitoring mode and a transmission mode,

a motion activation component, and

a radiofrequency component in electrical communication with the microprocessor, the radiofrequency component only operable during a transmission mode,

wherein the shot tracking device only operates in the sleep mode and the sampling mode until the shot tracking device is paired with a receiver;

shipping the shot tracking device in commerce;

receiving the shot tracking device at a retailer; and

storing the shot tracking device at the retailer, wherein the battery has at least 90% of its capacity until paired with a receiver.

8. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 7 wherein the device further comprises a multi-axis accelerometer for determining movement, monitoring movement and communicating the movement to the microprocessor, the multi-axis accelerometer in electrical communication with the microprocessor, the power for the multi-axis accelerometer drawn from the battery, the multi-axis accelerometer only active during the sampling mode, the analysis mode and the monitoring mode.

9. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 7 wherein the device comprises a housing composed of a polymer material, the housing having a main body and a projection body extending from the main body, the projection body having a length ranging from 1 mm to 5 mm and a diameter ranging from 20 mm to 25 mm.

10. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 7 wherein the radiofrequency component operates at 2.4 giga-Hertz, the power for the radiofrequency component being drawn from the battery.

11. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 7 wherein the sleep mode has a time period ranging from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.

12. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 7 wherein the device consumes less than 600 nano-amps during the sleep mode.

13. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 8 wherein a signal is transmitted from the radiofrequency component during the transmission mode, the signal comprising data related to the movement monitored by the multi-axis accelerometer.

14. A method for conserving battery power during shipping for an impact activated device for transmitting a radiofrequency signal, the method comprising:

forming an impact activated device comprising

a housing composed of a polymer material, the housing having a main body and a projection body extending from the main body, the projection body having a length ranging from 1 mm to 5 mm and a diameter ranging from 20 mm to 25 mm,

a battery having no more than 225 milli-amp hours of power,

a microprocessor in electrical communication with the battery, the microprocessor operating during a sleep mode, a sampling mode, an analysis mode, a monitoring mode and a transmission mode, the sleep mode having a time period ranging from 10 seconds to 30 seconds,

a motion activation component, and

a radiofrequency component in electrical communication with the microprocessor, the radiofrequency component only operable during a transmission mode,

wherein the shot tracking device only operates in the sleep mode and the sampling mode until the shot tracking device is paired with a receiver;

shipping the shot tracking device in commerce;

receiving the shot tracking device at a retailer; and

storing the shot tracking device at the retailer, wherein the battery has at least 90% of its capacity until paired with a receiver.

15. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 14 wherein the device consumes less than 600 nano-amps during the sleep mode.

16. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 14 wherein the device consumes less than 50 micro-amps during the analysis mode.

17. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 14 wherein the device consumes less than 200 micro-amps during the monitoring mode.

18. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 14 wherein the device consumes less than 12 milli-amps during the analysis mode.

19. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 14 wherein the radiofrequency component operates at 2.4 giga-Hertz, the power for the radiofrequency component being drawn from the battery.

20. The method for conserving battery power according to claim 14 wherein the device further comprises a multi-axis accelerometer for determining movement, monitoring movement and communicating the movement to the microprocessor, the multi-axis accelerometer in electrical communication with the microprocessor, the power for the multi-axis accelerometer drawn from the battery, the multi-axis accelerometer only active during the sampling mode, the analysis mode and the monitoring mode.