Patents by Inventor David B. Rankin
David B. Rankin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20180047059Abstract: A system uses beacons with point-of-purchase displays and other in-store displays to direct customers to certain products of interest to the customer. The system determines which beacons should receive electrical power based on sensors within the displays.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2016Publication date: February 15, 2018Inventors: Phillip LAZO, Thomas A. LOCKWOOD, David B. RANKIN
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Publication number: 20120264532Abstract: A method, system and golf ball of the present invention determine the side spin and/or back spin of a golf ball in order to facilitate the evaluation of a putt. In one embodiment, a system includes a golf ball and an offboard display device. The golf ball includes a golf ball body, a motion sensor disposed within the golf ball body and configured to measure acceleration of the golf ball along each of three mutually perpendicular axis, and a transmitter disposed within the golf ball body configured to transmit data representative of spin of the golf ball. The display device includes a receiver and a display, and the receiver is configured to receive data representative of the spin of the golf ball from the transmitter and the display is configured to provide a representation of a measure of the spin of the golf ball.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANYInventor: DAVID B. RANKIN
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Patent number: 8282499Abstract: A method, system and golf ball are provided to determine the deceleration of a golf ball and, in turn, the speed of a green. The system may include a golf ball and an offboard display device. The golf ball may include a golf ball body, a motion sensor disposed within the golf ball body to measure acceleration of the golf ball along each of three mutually perpendicular axes, and a transmitter disposed within the golf ball body to transmit data representative of deceleration. The display device may include a receiver to receive data representative of the deceleration of the golf ball from transmitter and a display to provide a representation of the deceleration of the golf ball. At least one of the golf ball and the display device may include a processor to determine deceleration of the golf ball based upon the acceleration measured by the motion sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2011Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: David B. Rankin
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Patent number: 8192295Abstract: A method, system and golf ball determine the side spin and/or back spin of a golf ball to facilitate the evaluation of a putt. In one embodiment, a system includes a golf ball and an offboard display device. The golf ball includes a golf ball body, a motion sensor disposed within the golf ball body and configured to measure acceleration of the golf ball along each of three mutually perpendicular axis, and a transmitter within the golf ball body transmits data representative of spin of the golf ball. The display device includes a receiver and a display, and the receiver receives data representative of the spin of the golf ball from the transmitter and the display is configured to provide a representation of a measure of the spin of the golf ball.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: David B. Rankin
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Publication number: 20120077608Abstract: A method, system and golf ball are provided to determine the deceleration of a golf ball and, in turn, the speed of a green. The system may include a golf ball and an offboard display device. The golf ball may include a golf ball body, a motion sensor disposed within the golf ball body to measure acceleration of the golf ball along each of three mutually perpendicular axes, and a transmitter disposed within the golf ball body to transmit data representative of deceleration. The display device may include a receiver to receive data representative of the deceleration of the golf ball from transmitter and a display to provide a representation of the deceleration of the golf ball. At least one of the golf ball and the display device may include a processor to determine deceleration of the golf ball based upon the acceleration measured by the motion sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANYInventor: DAVID B. RANKIN
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Patent number: 8070620Abstract: A method, system and golf ball are provided to determine the deceleration of a golf ball and, in turn, the speed of a green. The system may include a golf ball and an offboard display device. The golf ball may include a golf ball body, a motion sensor disposed within the golf ball body to measure acceleration of the golf ball along each of three mutually perpendicular axes, and a transmitter disposed within the golf ball body to transmit data representative of deceleration. The display device may include a receiver to receive data representative of the deceleration of the golf ball from transmitter and a display to provide a representation of the deceleration of the golf ball. At least one of the golf ball and the display device may include a processor to determine deceleration of the golf ball based upon the acceleration measured by the motion sensor.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2009Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: David B. Rankin
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Publication number: 20090280920Abstract: A method, system and golf ball are provided to determine the deceleration of a golf ball and, in turn, the speed of a green. The system may include a golf ball and an offboard display device. The golf ball may include a golf ball body, a motion sensor disposed within the golf ball body to measure acceleration of the golf ball along each of three mutually perpendicular axes, and a transmitter disposed within the golf ball body to transmit data representative of deceleration. The display device may include a receiver to receive data representative of the deceleration of the golf ball from transmitter and a display to provide a representation of the deceleration of the golf ball. At least one of the golf ball and the display device may include a processor to determine deceleration of the golf ball based upon the acceleration measured by the motion sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2009Publication date: November 12, 2009Inventor: David B. Rankin
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Publication number: 20090280921Abstract: A method, system and golf ball are therefore provided in accordance with embodiments of the present invention in order to determine the spin of a golf ball, such as the side spin and/or back spin, in order to facilitate the evaluation of a putt. In one embodiment, a system includes a golf ball and an offboard display device. The golf ball may include a golf ball body, a motion sensor disposed within the golf ball body and configured to measure acceleration of the golf ball along each of three mutually perpendicular axis, and a transmitter disposed within the golf ball body configured to transmit data representative of spin of the golf ball. In turn, the display device may include a receiver configured to receive data representative of the spin of the golf ball from transmitter and a display configured to provide a representation of a measure of the spin of the golf ball.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2009Publication date: November 12, 2009Inventor: DAVID B. RANKIN
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Publication number: 20080204704Abstract: A monitoring system and associated method are provided to determine various parameters, such as the speed and/or angle of motion, of an object. The monitoring system includes a phototransmitter for illuminating the space through which the object will pass. The monitoring system also includes a plurality of photoreceivers spaced apart from one another with each photoreceiver including a plurality of receiver elements. The monitoring system further includes a controller to analyze output signals provided by the receiver elements and to detect the object in relation to a respective photoreceiver based upon differences between the output signals provided by the receiver elements of the respective photoreceiver. The controller is also configured to determine a parameter associated with the flight of the object, such as the speed and/or angle of motion of the object, based upon detection of the object in relation to each of a plurality of the photoreceivers.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2008Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: David B. Rankin, Mark D. Reasor
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Patent number: 5489099Abstract: The golf ball tracking apparatus has a video camera for producing data representative of video images of a golf ball, a video frame processor connected to receive data from the video camera for determining the golf ball image position within a video frame of the camera, a flight path predictor responsive to the video frame processor for predicting the flight path of the golf ball in response to data from the video frame processor, and a motion controller responsive to the flight path predictor for controlling the movement of the camera to thereby track the actual flight of the golf ball.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 1994Date of Patent: February 6, 1996Assignee: Accu-Sport International, Inc.Inventors: David B. Rankin, Edgar P. Roberts, Jr., James W. Kluttz
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Patent number: 5342051Abstract: The golf ball tracking apparatus has a video camera for producing data representative of video images of a golf ball, a video frame processor connected to receive data from the video camera for determining the golf ball image position within a video frame of the camera, a flight path predictor responsive to the video frame processor for predicting the flight path of the golf ball in response to data from the video frame processor, and a motion controller responsive to the flight path predictor for controlling the movement of the camera to thereby track the actual flight of the golf ball.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1992Date of Patent: August 30, 1994Assignee: Accu-Sport International, Inc.Inventors: David B. Rankin, Edgar P. Roberts, Jr., James W. Kluttz
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Patent number: D542875Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2006Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: AccuSport International, Inc.Inventors: David B. Rankin, Mark D. Reasor