An electronic tracking system for assisting a user in determining distances to landmarks and objects in a sporting environment includes a user tracking system for determining the location of a user, a heads up display for displaying information to the user, and a processor operable to communicate with the user tracking system and the heads up display. The heads up display is designed to be worn on the user's head, and to display an image within the user's field of view. The processor is programmed to determine a distance between the user's determined location and an object or a landmark on. This information is displayed via the heads up display as a numeric representation of the determined distance.

Methods for determining performance information for an object located within an area include obtaining magnetic field information for the area, measuring first magnetic field data when the object is located at a first position within the area, and determining performance information for the object within the area based on the magnetic field information for the area and the first magnetic field data.

A golf aid system for assisting a user with a golf shot on a golf course includes a user tracking system configured to determine the location of the user on the golf course, a portable electronic device with a display screen, and a processor. The processor, which is operable to communicate with the user tracking system and the portable electronic device, is configured to determine one or more target locations on the golf course, with each of the target locations representing a recommended target for a respective one of the golf clubs. The processor directs the portable electronic device to display an indicator of the respective golf club proximate the corresponding target location via the display screen, such that the user perceives at least a portion of the indicator to be coincident with the corresponding one of the target locations.

A three-dimensional golf ball marker for marking a position of a golf ball on a putting green includes a housing with a bottom surface and a spherical cap including a texture selected from the group consisting of golf ball like dimples, smooth, grooved, ridged, rubbery, and polished. The spherical outer surface of the housing may rotate and includes an alignment mark formed around at least part of a diameter of the housing. The three-dimensional golf ball marker may include a removable marking disc, with an alignment mark formed on at least one side, which is retained adjacent the bottom surface of the housing by a magnet or retained within a slot. The three-dimensional golf ball marker may include a wireless location device that transmits a wireless signal to allow a tracking device to determine a location of the three-dimensional golf ball marker and to generate information of the golfer.

Methods and apparatuses related to monitoring basketballs are described. In particular, a system for monitoring basketballs may include at least one non-intrusive sensor for sensing motion of a basketball during a missed basketball shot as the basketball travels along a rebound flight path from a basketball goal. The system may also include at least one processor configured to i) generate, based on the sensed motion, trajectory parameters that characterize one or more states of the basketball along the rebound flight path and ii) generate feedback information using the trajectory parameters. The system may further include at least one feedback output mechanism for providing the feedback information to a user.

A method and apparatus for determining the precise location of a target on a surface by utilizing a plurality of objects that are fixed in their position proximate to the location, thereby constituting a plurality of fixed reference points, upon which the target(s) resides or is otherwise located. The plurality of fixed references points are used either in conjunction with images of the target or certain distance measurements between the target and the fixed reference points to determine the precise location of the target(s) on the surface.

A golf aid system for assisting a user with a golf shot on a golf course includes a user tracking system configured to determine the location of the user on the golf course, a portable electronic device with a display screen, and a processor. The processor, which is operable to communicate with the user tracking system and the portable electronic device, is configured to determine one or more target locations on the golf course, with each of the target locations representing a recommended target for a respective one of the golf clubs. The processor directs the portable electronic device to display an indicator of the respective golf club proximate the corresponding target location via the display screen, such that the user perceives at least a portion of the indicator to be coincident with the corresponding one of the target locations.

A method and apparatus for determining the precise location of a target on a surface by utilizing a plurality of objects that are fixed in their position proximate to the location, thereby constituting a plurality of fixed reference points, upon which the target(s) resides or is otherwise located. The plurality of fixed references points are used either in conjunction with images of the target or certain distance measurements between the target and the fixed reference points to determine the precise location of the target(s) on the surface.

The invention relates to a mobile charging station for at least one ball game device, in particular in the form of a golf ball, comprising at least one internal energy source and at least one holding means for holding and fixing at least one ball game device having integrated electronics, wherein the at least one held ball game device can be charged or can be supplied with energy by the at least one internal energy source.

Systems and methods of gathering and transmitting golf tournament information, including a server configured to receive data from a plurality of portable devices carried by spotters of the golf tournament, the data being entered by the spotters into their respective portable devices in real time during the golf tournament, the data being related to the status of golf balls played by particular players after the balls have been hit by the players, the server being configured to selectively transmit at least some of the collected data to another portable device in a format permitting display according to pre-formatted screens.