Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2002-01-08
Assouad, Patrick (Department: 2857)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system
C702S146000, C702S150000, C702S151000, C702S155000, C702S156000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06338027
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to shade modification techniques and in particular the use of analytical methods to simulate and increase the amount of sunlight exposure of a golf green.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED PRIOR ART
Proper maintenance of golf greens is essential to the running of a good golf course. A poorly maintained green can unfairly affect scoring while a well maintained green is consistent for all players. A well maintained green can also render putting more predictable and therefore less frustrating. A major component to maintaining a good golf green is having the grass grow evenly across the green and to have the grass grow without any diseases. Unfortunately, given the topography and tree cover that makes golf courses so aesthetically pleasing, sunlight is not evenly distributed throughout the green. A tree adjacent to a green, while pleasing to the eye, may block significant amounts of sunlight from reaching parts of the green throughout the day. This leads to uneven grass growth and makes grass more susceptible to diseases. Shaded parts of the green will have lesser growth and more susceptibility to diseases while unshaded parts would have healthier, better growing grass. Furthermore, players who enjoy being in the sun may find greens that are shaded bothersome for significant parts of the day.
However, even with the problems above, it is difficult to determine the amount of sunlight and, concomitantly, shade that a green receives. In order to do so the interaction between the sun and any trees or features blocking the sun must be studied and analyzed. Such an analysis can only be accomplished if the sun's path across the sky is charted in conjunction with the position of any trees or features that may block sunlight.
While tracking the sun's movement is an eons old occupation and while observing the shadows cast by various objects is also quite old, there are no analytical tools which are specifically tasked to assist an arborist or turf manager in accomplishing these tasks with respects to trees. There have been devices which can track the sun and some that even have been able to give an indication however slight, of the sun's path and its effect on a structure's silhouette.
A patent issued to Gutschick (U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,330) measures the solar radiation in a vegetative canopy by attaching sensors to the leaves of the vegetative canopy. A computer then samples the sensor readings and determines the amount of solar radiation that the canopy receives. While this invention is quite ingenious, it does not accomplish what is required by golf managers and arborists. Gutschick provides data and a data processing capability to determine solar radiation in specific spots but does not provide any means to determine shade data, sunlight exposure analysis, nor a what-if capability to determine which tree, structure, or even tree branch can be modified to provide better light exposure. While this apparatus can be used for this purpose, it would be a time consuming and tedious process to attach a multiplicity of sensors to leaves on each and every relevant tree adjacent the green. Also, Gutschick does not provide any means to determine which trees are the relevant ones in terms of a golf green's light exposure.
Another patent, issued to Dalrymple (U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,371) provides for a device which can be used to determine the path of the sun at any given time and day. The device is a hand-held cylindrical device through which the user can view an area of interest. By viewing the area of interest through the lens of the device and through the markings on the lens, the viewer can see the path the sun would travel at certain times of the year. The markings are graduated to show where the sun would be at certain times of the day and at certain times of the year. Unfortunately, this patent does not show the actual amount of sunlight the sun provides to an area. The device only shows the path the sun would travel. While one can theoretically determine the amount of sunlight an area may get, there is no means to determine the behavior of either the sunlight or of shadows cast because of the sun. To determine the amount of sunlight an area may receive, the user would have to perform a mental projection of how the sun would effect shadows in the area. Also, Dalrymple does not provides any means to model sunlight behavior nor any means to provide a what-if capability to determine the impact of any canopy modification.
A third patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,922, issued to Lewis, is a device which has a wide angle viewer and a transparent screen which has marked on it the paths the sun travels at various times of the year. When the viewer peers through the viewer, the paths of the sun can be determined for different times of the year. Also, by having the area of interest in front of the device, the relevant features, such as a tree or a church, is superimposed on the transparent screen. Thus, by looking through the viewer, the user can then quickly determine how long, per day, the area of interest would be covered in shade at specific times of the year. While Lewis seems to be accomplishing what is required, it runs into problems when there are multiple trees or items that contribute to the shade. If, for example, a clump of trees were providing shade, there is no means to determine which tree contributed most to the combined shade. One may extrapolate by a rough estimate, using this invention, which tree contributes the most to the shade. However, this rough estimate is by no means conclusive of the desired results. The Lewis device, when used with a judicious eye and sound judgment, may provide an approximation of what would happen if a tree or a branch were removed. However, this again depends on the abilities of the user. Human judgment is by definition imprecise and therefore not suitable for determining proper canopy coverage.
A fourth patent, (U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,297) issued to Owner-Peterson et al. is for a sunlight calculator that is comprised of a base portion and two sliding plates. One of the sliding plates is transparent and has a double curve system that allows the plotting of any day/hour combination. A further curve gives an indication of the heating effect of the sun given the relevant data such as the time and sun position. The invention is in effect a large slide rule that allows the user to calculate specific information regarding the sunlight that enters a specific window on a facade. By sliding the plates properly, one can determine the path the sun would take on a specific day, how much heat the sun would generate through square units of window portions of the facade. Clearly, this device was envisioned as a calculator to be used to determine the effect of sunlight entering through a window. Owner-Peterson is directed towards, among other things, determining the amount of heat energy entering through a window. While this invention does track the sun's movement, it does not give an indication of shade or sunlight behavior.
Another patent in this area (U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,215) was issued to Kruhoeffer et al. and related to a weather visualization system. With this system, the user can generate a three dimensional picture, complete with sunlight, shadows, clouds, and other weather effects. Also, the user can generate a simulated “fly-by” of the scene. The invention uses a computer to generate the image and it takes into account all the relevant data such as the date and the time of day. The invention also extracts information from satellites and other sources of real-time information to continually update the image. While Kruhoeffer does provide an image of the general area with an indication of the sun's position and its effects on the landscape, it does not have the capability to project possibilities. Also, the invention provides a macroscopic view of the area whereas what is needed is a more localized view of the area. Furthermore, this invention makes use of a pre-made three dimensional terrain map, requiring
Arborcom Technologies Inc.
Assouad Patrick
Baker Harold C.
Hendry Robert G.
Tsai Carol S.
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