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US 12,623,129 B2Granted
Golf ball imaging for golf entertainment venue
AssigneeTaylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
InventorsTodd Beach, Ben Raymond, Joshua Dipert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Golf entertainment venues with a computing system configured to optically identify and track graphical images located on golf balls hit by players. The graphical image located on a golf ball can be associated with a player and the computing system can assign the player a score when that player's golf ball successfully arrives at a target area. In some embodiments, the graphical images can be printed on the golf balls using, for example, a single pass inkjet printing technique. In some embodiments, the computing system can be configured to sort golf balls based on optically identified graphical images.
Claims20
A computing system for a golf entertainment venue, the computing system comprising:
- one or more memories that store a golf ball registration database, the golf ball registration database including a plurality of graphical images included on a plurality of golf balls within the golf entertainment venue;
- and
- one or more processors configured to execute instructions stored in the one or more memories, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configuring the one or more processors to:
- receive a first digital image of a golf ball from among the plurality of golf balls that is to be hit by a player from a teeing area within the golf entertainment venue,
- identify a graphical image included on the golf ball from the first digital image,
- register the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in the golf ball registration database,
- receive a second digital image of the golf ball in response to the golf ball arriving at a target area within the golf entertainment venue,
- identify the graphical image included on the golf ball from the second digital image,
- identify that the player hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area from the graphical image included on the golf ball using the golf ball registration database,
- receive a third digital image of the golf ball as the golf ball is travelling through a sorting system of the golf entertainment venue,
- calculate a statistical measure of the golf ball from the third digital image to numerically quantify a degradation level of the golf ball, and
- compare the statistical measure to a golf ball degradation threshold to determine whether to remove the golf ball from being used within the golf entertainment venue.
9 more elements
A method for operating a golf entertainment venue, the method comprising:
- capturing, by a first image capture device within the golf entertainment venue, a first digital image of a golf ball that is to be hit by a player from a teeing area within the golf entertainment venue, the first digital image including the golf ball having a graphical image to differentiate the golf ball from other golf balls within the golf entertainment venue;
- registering, by a computing system within the golf entertainment venue using the first digital image, the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in a golf ball registration database;
- capturing, by a second image capture device within the golf entertainment venue, a second digital image of the golf ball in response to the golf ball arriving at a target area within the golf entertainment venue, the second digital image including the golf ball having the graphical image;
- identifying, by the computing system using the second digital image, that the player hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area from the graphical image included on the golf ball using the golf ball registration database;
- capturing, by the computing system, a third digital image of the golf ball as the golf ball is travelling through a sorting system within the golf entertainment venue;
- calculating, by the computing system using the third digital image, a statistical measure of the golf ball to numerically quantify a degradation level of the golf ball;
- and
- comparing, by the computing system, the statistical measure to a golf ball degradation threshold to determine whether to remove the golf ball from being used within the golf entertainment venue.
5 more elements
A golf entertainment venue, comprising:
- a first image capture device configured to capture a first digital image of a golf ball that is to be hit by a player from a teeing area within the golf entertainment venue, the first digital image including the golf ball having a graphical image to differentiate the golf ball from other golf balls within the golf entertainment venue;
- a second image capture device configured to capture a second digital image of the golf ball in response to the golf ball arriving at a target area within the golf entertainment venue, the second digital image including the golf ball having the graphical image;
- a golf entertainment venue computing system configured to:
- identify the graphical image included on the golf ball from the first digital image,
- register the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in a golf ball registration database,
- identify the graphical image included on the golf ball from the second digital image, and
- identify that the player hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area from the graphical image included on the golf ball using the golf ball registration database;
- and
- a sorting system configured to:
- capture a third digital image of the golf ball as the golf ball is travelling through the sorting system;
- calculate a statistical measure of the golf ball from the third digital image to numerically quantify a degradation level of the golf ball;
- and
- compare the statistical measure to a golf ball degradation threshold to determine whether to remove the golf ball from being used within the golf entertainment venue.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.