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US 8,998,737 B2Granted
Golf system
AssigneeBlack Hole Golf Ltd
InventorMartin Reid
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A golf shot recordal system permits images of a golfer's shot to be recorded. The system comprises a tee unit adjacent to the tee comprising a tee camera and a green unit in the golf hole on the green comprising a green camera. The tee unit further comprises a radio frequency video receiver to receive and decode signals corresponding to the image from the green camera and a video encoder to receive signals corresponding to the image from the tee camera and signals corresponding to the green images from the radio frequency receiver. The green unit further comprises a pin located in the golf hole, wherein the green camera is mounted on the pin, and a radio frequency video transmitter to send signals to the radio frequency video receiver in the tee unit. Also provided is a method of recording video images of a golfer's shot using the recordal system.
Claims25
A golf shot recordal system that permits images of a golfer's shot to be recorded, the system comprising:
- (a) a tee unit that comprises a tee camera, which can provide a video image of the golfer and a golf ball at a tee, and down a fairway towards a green, the tee unit being locatable adjacent to the tee;
- and
- (b) a green unit that comprises a green camera, which can provide a video image of the golf ball when it has been hit onto the green, the green unit being locatable in a golf hole on the green;
- the green unit further comprising a pin that can be securely located in the golf hole on the green, with the green camera being mounted on the pin and with a central axis of a field of vision of the green camera being substantially directly in line with the pin, such that a video image of the golf ball when it has been hit onto the green can be obtained;
- the tee unit further comprising:
- (i) a radio frequency video receiver which can receive and decode signals corresponding to the image from the green camera;
- and
- (ii) a video encoder that can receive signals corresponding to the tee images from the tee camera and that can receive signals corresponding to the green images from the radio frequency receiver;
- and the green unit further comprising:
- a radio frequency video transmitter which can send signals to the radio frequency video receiver in the tee unit;
- wherein the tee unit can receive video images from the tee camera of the golfer and the golf ball at the tee, and down the fairway towards the green, and the tee unit can also receive video images from the green camera of the golf ball when it has been hit onto the green, meaning that a video image from the tee camera and a video image from the green camera can both be provided at the tee;
- wherein the system further comprises one or both of:
- (a) a time delay system, such that image recording of the image from the green camera is started using said time delay system;
- and (b) a sensor to detect the instant at which the ball is struck and to trigger the image to start recording from that point;
- and
- wherein the recorded video images may be replayed, thereby allowing the golfer to be able to watch the golfer's shots after a round of golf has finished.
13 more elements
A golf hole system including a tee, a fairway and a green provided with a golf hole, which is a cup for receiving a golf ball, wherein the golf hole system further comprises a golf shot recordal system, said golf shot recordal system comprising:
- (a) a tee unit that comprises a tee camera, which can provide a video image of a golfer and the golf ball at the tee and down the fairway towards the green, the tee unit being locatable adjacent to the tee;
- and
- (b) a green unit that comprises a green camera, which can provide a video image of the golf ball when it has been hit onto the green, the green unit being locatable proximate the golf hole on the green;
- the green unit further comprising a pin that can be securely located in the golf hole on the green, with the green camera being mounted on the pin and with a central axis of a field of vision of the green camera being substantially directly in line with the pin, such that a video image of the golf ball when it has been hit onto the green can be obtained;
- the tee unit further comprising:
- (i) a radio frequency video receiver which can receive and decode signals corresponding to the image from the green camera;
- and
- (ii) a video encoder that can receive signals corresponding to the tee images from the tee camera and that can receive signals corresponding to the green images from the radio frequency receiver;
- and the green unit further comprising a radio frequency video transmitter which can send signals to the radio frequency video receiver in the tee unit;
- wherein the tee unit can receive video images from the tee camera of the golfer and the golf ball at the tee, and down the fairway towards the green, and the tee unit can also receive video images from the green camera of the golf ball when it has been hit onto the green, meaning that a video image from the tee camera and a video image from the green camera can both be provided at the tee;
- wherein the golf shot recordal system further comprises one or both of:
- (a) a time delay system, such that image recording of the image from the green camera is started using said time delay system;
- and (b) a sensor to detect the instant at which the golf ball is struck and to trigger the image to start recording from that point;
- and
- wherein the recorded video images may be replayed, thereby allowing the golfer to be able to watch the golfer's shots after a round of golf has finished, wherein the tee unit is located at or near the tee, and the green unit is located in the golf hole on the green.
12 more elements
A method of recording video images of a golfer's shot, the method comprising:
- providing a golf shot recordal system, said system comprising:
- (a) a tee unit comprising a tee camera, the tee unit being locatable adjacent to a tee;
- and
- (b) a green unit comprising a green camera, the green unit being locatable proximate a golf hole on a green;
- the green unit further comprising a pin that can be securely located in the golf hole on the green, with the green camera being mounted on the pin and with a central axis of a field of vision of the green camera being substantially directly in line with the pin;
- the tee unit further comprising:
- (i) a radio frequency video receiver which can receive and decode signals corresponding to the image from the green camera;
- and
- (ii) a video encoder that can receive signals corresponding to the tee images from the tee camera and that can receive signals corresponding to the green images from the radio frequency receiver;
- the green unit further comprising a radio frequency video transmitter which can send signals to the radio frequency video receiver in the tee unit;
- wherein the tee unit can receive video images from the tee camera of a golfer and a golf ball at the tee and down a fairway towards the green, and the tee unit can also receive video images from the green camera of the golf ball when it has been hit onto the green, meaning that a video image from the tee camera and a video image from the green camera can both be provided at the tee;
- wherein the system comprises one or both of:
- (a) a time delay system, such that image recording of the image from the green camera is started using said time delay system;
- and (b) a sensor to detect the instant at which the golf ball is struck and to trigger the image to start recording from that point;
- recording a video image of the golfer striking the golf ball on the tee using the tee camera, said video image being of the golfer and the golf ball at the tee and down the fairway towards the green such that a video image of the golfer and the golf ball at the tee is obtained;
- and
- recording a video image of the golf ball on the green using the green camera, said video image being of the golf ball when it has been hit onto the green such that a video image of the golf ball when it has been hit onto the green is obtained, wherein said recording of the image by the green camera is started using said time delay system or said sensor;
- wherein said video image from the tee camera and said video image from the green camera are both provided at the tee, and wherein said recorded video images may be replayed, thereby allowing the golfer to be able to watch the golfer's shots after a round of golf has finished.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.