Golf autoranging system

An electronic golf course ranging apparatus for determining a distance to a pin selected among pins of holes of a golf course, wherein a golfer's lie is a current position of a golf ball and the selected pin is a current target pin for the golfer, the apparatus comprising:

• a golfer unit which is positionable near the golfer's lie, the golfer unit including a means for indicating the selected pin, the golfer unitcomprising:
• means for transmitting a ranging signal, the ranging signal including at least a pin selection signal;
• a plurality of pin units, wherein a pin unit is positioned at the selected pin, and the pin unit comprises:
• means for receiving the ranging signal at the pin;
• means for processing the ranging signal to isolate the pin selection signal;
• a pin unit identifier which provides an electronically-readable indication of an identifier uniquely identifying the pin unit from the pin units within the range of the golfer unit;
• a means for comparing the pin unit identifier with the pin selection signal;
• and
• means for transmitting a response signal to the golfer unit in response to receipt of a pin selection signal matching the pin unit identifier;
• and
• means for calculating the distance to the pin unit from a time delay between the transmission of the ranging signal and the receipt of the response signal, wherein the ranging signal and the response signal are transmitted in a plurality of frequency bands and the means for calculating the ranging distance discounts measurements taken at frequencies subject to interference.

An electronic golf course ranging apparatus for determining a drive distance from a selected tee to a golfer's lie, wherein the golfer's lie is a current position of a golf ball following a drive and the selected tee is a point of origination of the drive, the apparatus comprising:

• a golfer unit which is positionable near the golfer's lie, the golfer unit including:
• a ranging transceiver activated by the golfer to send a direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) ranging signal to the selected tee;
• a processor coupled to the ranging transceiver;
• a tee unit positioned at the selected tee, the tee unit including:
• a tee transceiver that transmits a DSSS response signal to the golfer unit in response to the DSSS ranging signal;
• and
• wherein the processor calculates the drive distance from the golfer unit to the tee unit from a time delay between the transmission of the DSSS ranging signal and the receipt of the DSSS response signal, the processor being operable in a loop-back mode to calculate an internal signal delay which is subtracted from the time delay to determine the drive distance;
• and wherein the tee and ranging transceivers operate in a plurality of frequency bands.

A golf course ranging system comprising:

• a pin unit located at a golf hole, the pin unit having a transceiver section coupled to a digital electronics section, the digital electronics section including a processing unit that encodes spread spectrum transmit signals and decodes spread spectrum receive signals, the pin unit also including a power control circuit that manages power by placing the pin unit in either an active or a sleep mode of operation;
• a ranging unit also having a transceiver section coupled to a digital electronics section, the digital electronics section including a processing unit that encodes spread spectrum transmit signals and decodes spread spectrum receive signals;
• in response to a handshake signal transmitted by the ranging unit, the power control circuit placing the pin unit in the active mode of operation and transmitting a handshake response signal, after receiving the handshake response signal the ranging unit transmitting a first ranging signal at a first epoch, t.sub.1, responsive to the first ranging signal the pin unit transmitting a second ranging signal that includes a group time delay, t.sub.r, of the pin unit, the second ranging signal being received by the ranging unit at a second epoch, t.sub.2 ;
• wherein a golf distance, d, from the ranging unit to the golf hole is calculated as
• d=c(t.sub.2 -t.sub.1)/2
• where c is the speed of light.

A golf course ranging system comprising:

• first and second pin units located first and second offset distances, respectively, from a golf hole, each pin unit having a transceiver section coupled to a digital electronics section, the digital electronics section including a processing unit that encodes spread spectrum transmit signals and decodes spread spectrum receive signals;
• a ranging unit also having a transceiver section coupled to a digital electronics section, the digital electronics section including a processing unit that encodes spread spectrum transmit signals and decodes spread spectrum receive signals;
• in response to a first ranging signal at a first epoch, transmitted by the ranging unit, the first and second pin units transmitting second and third ranging signals, respectively, that includes a value indicative of the first and second offset distances, the second and third ranging signals being received by the ranging unit at second and third epochs, respectively;
• wherein a golf distance from the ranging unit to the golf hole being calculated from a first delay between the second and first epochs, a second delay between the third and first epochs, and the value, according to a trilateration formula.