Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Target or obstacle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-21
2001-01-23
Wong, Steven (Department: 3304)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Target or obstacle
C473S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176789
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a scoring method and apparatus and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for scoring a golf shot.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Golf ranges, both outdoor and indoor, are commonplace and serve to permit a golfer to practice a variety of shots with different clubs. While practice is required if a golfer wishes to improve their game, many golfers find practice at a golf range to be quite boring, particularly in comparison to actual play. Accordingly, Accu-Sport International, Inc. of Winston-Salem, N.C. has developed an apparatus for simulating a golf game at a practice range as described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,924 to James W. Kluttz, et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
As described by the Kluttz '924 patent, the golf game apparatus includes a display positioned adjacent to the tee area of the practice range to display a simulated golf hole layout. Following a golf shot, the golf game apparatus determines the total distance of the shot based upon the actual flight time of the golf ball, the linear flight distance of the golf ball to an initial impact position and a simulation of the anticipated roll of the golf ball following impact. As a result, the display can also provide an indication of the final resting position of the golf ball relative to the simulated golf hole layout. The golf game apparatus of the '924 patent therefore provides a golfer with a significant amount of information regarding their practice shots, including the linear flight distance and the total distance of each shot. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,898,388 and 5,029,866 to Bryce P. Beard, III, et al. which describes a system including a number of vibration sensors for determining the impact location of a golf ball and a display for providing a golfer with a visual representation of the relative position of the impact location with respect to a predetermined target. The contents of the Beard '388 and '866 patents are also incorporated herein in their entireties.
While the devices described by the Kluttz '924 patent and the Beard '388 patent represent great advances in the art, golfers must still attempt to interpret the displayed results in order to determine how well or how poorly they are hitting the golf ball. Accordingly, golfers may find it to be relatively difficult to compare the performances during different visits to the practice range or to compare their performance to the performance of another golfer at the same practice range.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The method and apparatus of the present invention scores a golf shot, such as a golf shot at a practice range, in order to provide a golfer with a meaningful index by which to measure their improvement and/or by which to compare their performance to the performance of other golfers at the practice range. The scoring method and apparatus includes means for determining the final position of the golf ball following the golf shot and for generating a signal representative of the final position. The scoring method and apparatus also includes a signal processor, responsive to the final position determining means, for determining the score of the golf shot. The signal processor determines the score based, at least in part, upon a predetermined difficulty function and a dispersion distance between the final position of the golf ball and a predetermined target toward which the golf ball was driven. Preferably, the predetermined difficulty function is at least partially based upon a target distance from the initial position of the golf ball to the predetermined target toward which the golf ball was driven, i.e., from the tee to the flag. In addition, the predetermined difficulty function can be at least partially based upon a predetermined contour function which takes into account the contour or layout of a particular golf hole such that the resulting difficulty function defines contour lines of uniform difficulty surrounding the predetermined target.
By providing a score, the method and apparatus for the present invention allows a golfer to readily compare their golf shots during different trips to the practice range. As a result, a golfer can quickly ascertain if their golf game is improving. In addition, the score provided by the method and apparatus of the present invention permits a golfer to readily compare their golf shots to the golf shots of any other golfer at the practice range. Accordingly, the scoring method and apparatus should help golfers to increase their concentration on each shot taken at a practice range in order to maximize their resulting score. In addition, the scoring method and apparatus should make practice at a practice range more enjoyable since golfers can compete either with one another or with their results from prior visits to the practice range. In addition, the score generated by the method and apparatus of the present invention can be correlated to the standard golf handicapping system, such as by the scaling means of the signal processor, in order to provide a golfer with a score in terms readily appreciated by most avid golfers.
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patent: 5303924 (1994-04-01), Kluttz et al.
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patent: 5489099 (1996-02-01), Rankin et al.
patent: 5513841 (1996-05-01), Takagi
patent: 490717 (1953-02-01), None
Kluttz James Whittle
Rankin David Benjamin
Accu-Sport International, Inc.
Alston & Bird LLP
Wong Steven
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