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).

  • Publication number: 20180047059
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Phillip LAZO, Thomas A. LOCKWOOD, David B. RANKIN
  • Publication number: 20120264532
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventor: DAVID B. RANKIN
  • Patent number: 8282499
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: David B. Rankin
  • Patent number: 8192295
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: David B. Rankin
  • Publication number: 20120077608
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventor: DAVID B. RANKIN
  • Patent number: 8070620
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: David B. Rankin
  • Publication number: 20090280920
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventor: David B. Rankin
  • Publication number: 20090280921
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventor: DAVID B. RANKIN
  • Publication number: 20080204704
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: David B. Rankin, Mark D. Reasor
  • Patent number: 5489099
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Accu-Sport International, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Rankin, Edgar P. Roberts, Jr., James W. Kluttz
  • Patent number: 5342051
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Accu-Sport International, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Rankin, Edgar P. Roberts, Jr., James W. Kluttz
  • Patent number: D542875
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: AccuSport International, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Rankin, Mark D. Reasor