Method and system for locating a lost golf ball
An object is applied to a golf ball after the golf ball is manufactured for the purpose of allowing the golf ball to be easily located if lost during play in a round of golf. The object is applied to the golf ball without adversely affecting the aerodynamic properties of the golf ball. The object can be applied using Pin Printing technology to at least one dimple of a golf ball. The object applied can be detected by a hand-held device operable to detect one or more properties of the object.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, a system and a computer program product for locating a lost golf ball. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, a device and a computer program product for detecting the location of a lost golf.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, the sport of golf is played on terrain having a variety of characteristics, such as grass, sand, trees, water, a specified distance, etc. It is not uncommon for a golf ball to become lost while playing golf due to the characteristics of the environment in which it is played. Once a golf ball is lost, a substantial amount of time can be spent trying to find it. This results in an increase of playing time for the player who lost the ball, as well as other players playing behind or with the player. In cases where the golf ball cannot be located, the player who lost the ball is accessed a penalty stroke increasing the player's final score. There are a variety of techniques that have been implemented to assist a golfer locate a lost golf ball in a more expedient manner than combing through the area where the golf ball is believed to have been lost. Some techniques implement a golf ball including an electromagnetic signal transmitter that transmits a signal that can be detected by a receiver antenna. Another technique implements a golf ball that has been subjected to an aroma that can be detected by an electronic detection circuit. Yet another technique implements a golf ball with a radioactive core, where the golf ball's radioactive rays can be detected. However each of these techniques require that the golf ball is modified in some capacity during the manufacturing of the golf ball. Because the rules of golf restrict the inclusion of object in a golf ball or the modification of a golf ball, these methods of locating a golf ball are undesirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that detects the location of a golf ball. There is further need for the device to be mobile. There is a further need for the device to detect the location of a golf ball over long distances. There is a need for the device to locate a golf ball without modifying the golf ball at the time of manufacturing. There is a need for the device to apply an object or an amount material to the interior of a golf ball to enable detection of the golf ball. There is a need for the device to apply an object or an amount of material to the exterior of a golf ball to enable the detection of the golf ball. There is a need for the application of the object or the material to not adversely affect the aerodynamic properties of the golf ball. There is a need for the device to decrease the amount of time required to locate an object.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to embodiments of the present invention, a method, a device and a computer program product for detecting the location of a golf ball are provided. The method applies an object to a golf ball without adversely affecting the aerodynamic properties of the golf ball. The object can be applied using Pin Printing technology to at least one dimple of a golf ball.
According to a method of the present invention detecting the location of a golf ball includes receiving a golf ball, locating an area on the golf ball, transferring an object to the area on the golf ball by removing the object from a reservoir of objects, and detecting a property of the object transferred to the golf ball. The object can be one of: a highly reflective substance, a naturally radioactive substance, a RFID chip, and an organic substance. The property detected can include any one of: reflected light, vapor, radioactivity and RF signal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe above described features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated with reference to the detailed description and appended figures in which:
The present invention is now described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show embodiments of the present invention. The present invention, however, may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to embodiments set forth herein. Appropriately, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention.
The vapor properties of organic materials may be detected by well known analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry or various types of gas chromatography. The natural radioactivity properties of certain materials, such as clays, marble and thorium compounds, is readily detected by various forms of a Geiger counter. The reflective properties of materials, such as phosphors and other fluorescent substances, may be detected using laser lights sources in the near infrared region (NIR). For example, the backscatter of the laser light can be detected and locate golf ball Pin Printed with such reflective substances. An RFID chip's signal can be detected by the RF receiver antenna that may be incorporated in system 100. The details of ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID chips and detection are given in, e.g., Gildden et al, “Design of Ultra-Low-Cost UHF RFID Tags for Supply Chain Applications, IEEE Communications Magazine, August 2004, 140-150, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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The door 214 allows for the object to be inserted into Pin Printing system 104 and includes a shaft 216 that centers the golf ball into the concave surface of the stage to allow for wobble-free rotation of the golf ball. In an embodiment of the present invention, the shaft 216 is made from an appropriate plastic, such as nylon, so that the golf ball is supported, but not damaged during Pin Printing. In an embodiment of the present invention, the end of this shaft 216 is concave to better support the golf ball. The Pin Printing system housing 212 houses the components of Pin Printing system 104.
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While specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art that changes can be made to those embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A method of detecting the location of an golf ball, the method comprising:
- receiving a golf ball;
- locating an area on the golf ball;
- transferring an object to the area on the golf ball;
- detecting a property of the object transferred to the golf ball.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein locating an area on the golf ball further comprises rotating the golf ball.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the area on the golf ball is a dimple.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the object in a reservoir
5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising removing the object from the reservoir.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the object is one of: a highly reflective substance, a naturally radioactive substance, a RFID chip, and an organic substance.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the property includes any one of: reflected light, vapor, radioactivity and RF signal.
8. An apparatus for determining detecting the location of an golf ball comprising:
- a processor operable to execute computer program instructions; and
- a memory operable to store computer program instructions executable by the processor, for performing the steps of:
- receiving a golf ball;
- locating an area on the golf ball;
- transferring an object to the area on the golf ball;
- detecting a property of the object transferred to the golf ball.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein locating an area on the golf ball further comprises rotating the golf ball.
10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the area on the golf ball is a dimple.
11. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising computer program instructions executable by the processor, for removing the object from a reservoir
12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the object is one of: a highly reflective substance, a naturally radioactive substance, a RFID chip, and an organic substance.
13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the property includes any one of: reflected light, vapor, radioactivity and RF signal.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 21, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 24, 2006
Applicant:
Inventors: Peter Zanzucchi (Princeton Junction, NJ), Jonathan Bernstein (New York, NY)
Application Number: 11/357,222
International Classification: A63B 57/00 (20060101);