Target Golf Game System

Abstract

A golf target system featuring a hitting bay including a golf ball launch monitor system, a playing area including a plurality of illuminated panels, and a controller in communication with the golf ball launch monitor system and the plurality of illuminated panels, wherein the controller selectively controls the illumination of the plurality of panels to define one or more visual targets observable from the hitting bay and receives information from the golf ball launch monitor system such that, when a golf ball is hit from the hitting bay towards the playing area, the golf ball launch monitor system communicates data to the controller sufficient for the controller to identify a landing position of the golf ball with respect to the one or more visual targets.

Claims

1. A golf target system comprising: a hitting bay including a golf ball launch monitor system; a playing area including a plurality of illuminated panels; and a controller in communication with the golf ball launch monitor system and the plurality of illuminated panels, wherein the controller selectively controls the illumination of the plurality of panels to define one or more visual targets observable from the hitting bay and receives information from the golf ball launch monitor system such that, when a golf ball is hit from the hitting bay towards the playing area, the golf ball launch monitor system communicates data to the controller sufficient for the controller to identify a landing position of the golf ball with respect to the one or more visual targets.

2. The golf target system of claim 1, wherein the hitting bay further includes a user interface in communication with the controller such that the user interface receives information related to the landing position of the golf ball with respect to the one or more visual targets.

3. The golf target system of claim 2, wherein the user interface communicates a user's selection of the illumination of the plurality of panels defining one or more visual targets observable from the hitting bay to the controller.

4. The golf target system of claim 2, wherein the user interface displays target information related to the one or more visual targets observable from the hitting bay.

5. The golf target system of claim 1, wherein the golf ball launch monitor system includes a first camera and a second camera.

6. The golf target system of claim 5, wherein the first camera communicates information to the controller regarding an initial position of the ball hit from the hitting bay and the second camera communicates information to the controller regarding a subsequent position of the ball hit from the hitting bay.

7. The golf target system of claim 1, wherein one or more panels positioned within the playing area and are angled towards the hitting bay.

8. The golf target system of claim 7, wherein one or more of the panels are supported by a pivot point enabling the positioning of the supported panel within a range of angles.

9. The golf target system of claim 1, wherein the identified landing position of the golf ball is calculated based on the information received from the golf ball launch monitor system.

10. The golf target system of claim 1, wherein the identified landing position of the golf ball is observed based on the information received from the golf ball launch monitor system.

11. A golf ball flight tracking system comprising: a first camera; a second camera; a controller communicatively coupled; wherein the controller receives from the first camera data regarding a first location of a golf ball prior to the ball being struck and receives from the second camera data regarding a second location of the ball subsequent to the ball being struck; wherein the controller determines a landing location of the golf ball by utilizing the data regarding the balls first and second positions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a top down view of a target golf system's playing area.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a side view of a target golf system.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a side vide of a target golf system without barriers.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hitting bay in use.

[0043] FIG. 5 is a diagram of the electronic components of the target golf system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0044] FIG. 1 is a top down view of a target golf system's 100 playing area 120. As is shown, the target golf system 100 includes a hitting structure 110 and bays 112 overlooking a rectangular driving range playing area 120. Each hitting bay 112 within the hitting structure 110 may be at least 10-feet wide and feature a control panel 500 (discussed in FIG. 5). The side of the hitting structure 110 that faces the playing area 120 may be curved so that it is the same distance from each hitting bay 112 (shown in FIGS. 3-5) to the center of the playing area 120. The hitting structure 110 may also house the front desk, snack bar, meeting rooms and party rooms, rest rooms, indoor hitting facilities and maintenance areas. Hitting bays 112 may be located on multiple levels of the hitting structure 110. The playing area 120 may be subdivided into various panels 125 for scoring, as shown here in contrasting patterns (note: different colors, images, shapes, etc. can be displayed upon the panels 125). When a user hits a ball onto a given panel 125, the user may be awarded points for the landing location of the ball.

[0045] In this embodiment, pattern differentiation of the designs on the panels 125 may allow players to visually distinguish one panel 125 from another. The patterns, colors, images, etc. on panels 125 may be alternated in a repeating pattern to help distinguish landing areas and targets (with different points being awarded for different panels which a user lands a ball on). For example, this differentiation could be as simple as alternating rows of light green and dark green turf In the example shown in FIG. 1, panels with differing patterns have been arranged at random to provide users a high degree of difficulty when attempting to land a specific targeted panel 125. An out of bounds area 127 may surround the outside of the playing area 120 and be made up of partial panels. For playing purposes, the out of bounds area does not award points when a user's ball lands upon this area.

[0046] Another example of alternating panel 125 design could be the Rigby-DML pattern, which stands for Red, Yellow, Green, Blue-Dark, Medium, Light. The pattern of the Rigby-DML field would alternate with rows of Red, Yellow, Green and Blue, while the columns would alternate with shades of dark, medium and light. The outer 10-feet of the left and right sides and partial panels 125 at the front of the playing surface may be considered OB (out of bounds) and will not be used in scoring.

[0047] It is appreciated that the playing area 120 is large. Accordingly, for a 400×900 foot playing area 120, there may be approximately 1,200 individual panels 125. If each panel 125 is individually colored or patterned, the playing area 120 may become visually overwhelming. Therefore, multiple panels 125 may be visually combined to display a single color, pattern, etc. as a mosaic. For example, it would make sense to combine four panels into a 2 by 2 matrix resulting in a color section that measures 40-feet wide by 30-feet deep. The depth of 30-feet equals 10-yards (a fairly standard measure in golf) and the diagonal of the colored area would be 50-feet. This would work well in allowing a player to quickly, visually determine the length of his or her own shot without the aid of the computer.

[0048] In an embodiment, artificial turf may coat the top side of the panels 125 and incorporate optic fibers for display purposes. The optic fibers may be woven into the fabric of the artificial turf and may be distributed evenly throughout the turf. The optic fibers may extend above the turf to approximately the same height as the turf fibers to avoid being blocked by the turf fibers. LED lights incorporated into the panel below the turf may illuminate the optic fibers. The LED lights may, in turn, be controlled by the controller to illuminate the optic fibers. In an embodiment, each optical fiber may be connected to a red, a green, and a blue LED to permit a full range of displayable colors. Alternatively, laser projections may also be used for display purposes to create more detailed colors, images, targets (e.g., a bullseye or virtual hole).

[0049] When illuminated, the optic fibers mentioned above can be used to display targets, graphics and messages on the playing surface that are visible from the hitting bays 112. In addition, each panel 125 may be surrounded on three sides (top, left and right) with boundary LEDs (these can be colored to match the color of the artificial turf). These boundary LEDs may be recessed into the gap between the panels to prevent damage due to contact with moving golf balls and help create a seamless visual display for users.

[0050] The system 100 may utilize these display capabilities to identify a particular target before a shot or to identify a panel 125 once a ball hits it. For example, in an embodiment, the LEDs of all panels 125 may initially start out a specific color (e.g., green) and may be changed to another color (e.g., red) upon being hit by a player from any bay. The lighting of the LEDs and optic fibers may be controlled by the controller based on inputs by the users or the calculated ball trajectory as determined by input from cameras.

[0051] In some embodiments, the LEDs and optic fibers may be illuminated, as required, to define certain target boundaries. For example, LEDs and optic fibers could be illuminated to outline the wedges of a dartboard for certain games. Alternately, different LEDs and optic fibers within this same matrix could be illuminated to display the Target Golf logo or to broadcast text or pictorial announcements to all users.

[0052] Additional physical targets and patterns may be built into the playing surface. The additional targets may be recessed to prevent damage from ball strikes but not so recessed as to limit visibility from the hitting bays 112. The additional targets may be removable so that they are installed and used only for certain occasions. These additional targets may be used to highlight targets and acknowledge hits.

[0053] In an embodiment, ball flight and strikes may be embellished using sounds played from the computer console in a given hitting bay. For example, free games earned by a user can be announced by an accompanying sound of a golf ball falling into a cup; this sound is both familiar and satisfying. Sounds and display lights may be used to indicate the initial strike of a ball on the playing surface and distract the player's attention from subsequent bounce and roll of their ball. In an embodiment, the bounce and roll of the balls will approximate, as closely as possible, the performance of a ball in actual play through the selection of playing surface materials, but because of the artificial contours of the playing surface this performance cannot be the same as actual ball performance experienced on a golf course. The player may look to the user interface for an estimate of the actual bounce and roll of their ball.

[0054] Targets may be displayed on the computer console in each hitting bay and in the LEDs and optic fibers on the playing surface. Displays on the panels 125 may be momentarily brightened or flashed by highlighting them on the computer console in each hitting bay to assist the player in visually identifying the targeted panel 125.

[0055] FIG. 2 is a side view of a target golf system 100. As shown in FIG. 2, barriers 200 in the form of walls, netting, opaque panels, etc. enshroud the exterior of the playing area 120. This keeps plays hit by system 100 users from the hitting bays 112 (within the hitting structure 110) in the playing area 120 while also preventing balls from hitting nearby cars, structures, etc. The angled nature of the panels 125 relative to the hitting bays 112 can also be seen in this figure.

[0056] FIG. 3 is a side vide of a target golf system 100 without barriers 200. In this embodiment, the lower level bay(s) 114 may be used for players who want the traditional driving range experience. These lower level bays 114 may not be equipped with computers or cameras. The panels 125 of the fully equipped bays 112 may be situated above the eye level of an average height player standing in one of the lower hitting bays 114 to maintain the enjoyment of use for users of the lower bays 114. The panels 125 may also have a pivot point 126 to allow repositioning and maintenance as well as a heating element embedded within them to prevent ice and snow accumulation.

[0057] In an embodiment, the playing area 120 may range from 300 ft.×750 ft. to 450 ft.×1050 ft. Ideally, the playing area 120 will measure 420 ft.×900 ft. with a 10-ft. wide out-of-bounds (OB) area 127 along each side inside the barriers 200. In an embodiment, the hitting structure 110 that is located at a narrow end of the playing area 120 and will measure approximately 470 ft.×100 ft.

[0058] In an embodiment, the orientation of the facility housing this system 100 may be planned to minimize problems caused by wind and sun. For example, if the facility is built in Northern Illinois, to take advantage of the prevailing winds and to position the sun predominately at the player's back, the entire facility should be situated so that the balls are hit from Southwest to Northeast. Hitting balls from South to North would be less desirable. Hitting balls from West to East would be even less desirable because the morning sun could be in a player's eyes. For this example, hitting in any other direction would not be acceptable.

[0059] In one example, the water collection and ball-return surface 300 may be angled upward away from the hitting structure on a two percent grade (the minimum angle required to guarantee the free flow of water). For a return surface 300 under a playing area 125 with a 900-foot run, this translates to an 18-foot rise. A smooth, non-porous covering may cover the heating material to provide a surface for the water and balls to travel upon as they head toward the hitting structure. The heating material may warm the water and ball return surface to just above the freezing point of water, when needed, to prevent the accumulation of ice and snow on the surface. The panels of the playing surface may be mounted on scaffolding and elevated above the water and ball return surface. The panels and scaffolding may be angled to match the two percent grade of the water and ball return surface. The panels may be attached to the scaffolding on hinges that allow the panels to be tilted beyond the two percent grade. The hinges may be configured to be locked to provide fixed tilt-angles of the individual panels. The locked position of the panels may be set to provide a minimum gap between panels to allow balls to pass through and drop to the ball return surface, below. The tilt of the panels may also be increased, if required, to exceed the minimum angle of repose for golf balls on the specific turf material being used. An individual panel may also be angled and locked in place to allow maintenance access to the next adjacent panel away from the hitting structure and provide a protective screen for the maintenance worker from moving golf balls that are travelling away from the hitting structure.

[0060] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hitting bay 112 in use. As shown in this figure, each bay 112 may include two or more high-speed bay cameras 400 to permit determination of the ball's trajectory in three-dimensions. For example, in this embodiment, the bay includes a first camera 401 with a field of view including the golf tee 101 from a front facing angle to the user and a second camera 402 with a field of view including the golf tee 101 from an overhead angle to the user. A controller 510 (shown in FIG. 5) may use the video feeds from the first camera 401 and the second camera 402 to determine the velocity, direction, and rotation of the ball shortly after being struck by the user. The frame rate of the cameras 400 may be chosen such that each camera (401 and 402) captures multiple locations of the ball before it leaves the field of view of the given camera 400. Additionally, the shutter speed may be chosen to minimize motion blur of the ball in each capture. The cameras (401 and 402) may record video continuously into a limited-size buffer.

[0061] In addition, hitting bays 112 may be equipped with the cameras 400 to aid in a person's ability to monitor their own performance. Golf is a side-on sport, meaning that one side (their leading side) is facing the playing field. Cameras 400 may be positioned facing the player and on their trailing side to record the swing for each shot. The player may review the swing on the user interface (shown in FIG. 5) in real time or in slow motion. This monitoring equipment may capture and display club-head speed, ball speed, ball rotation, as well as, swing motion. These images may be available to the player on a display console and uploaded to flash drives for review and swing analysis. Players may also compare their swings to recorded examples of other players. Markers may be added to the recorded video to identify body parts, body angles, and swing planes. Players may also access instructional videos on their computer console. Digital copies of their recorded sessions may also be purchased.

[0062] Each bay may also be used to provide a timed practice session. The focus of a timed practice session is to provide feedback on a person's technique rather than to promote access to the restaurant and bar. The player may view the actual flight-path of each shot displayed on the control panel. The control panel may also allow the players to identify their intended target and their proximity to that target or accept a computer-recommended target and subsequent proximity. A comparison may also be made between intended flight path and actual flight path.

[0063] FIG. 5 is a diagram of the electronic components of the target golf system 100. As shown in FIG. 5, the target golf system 100 may feature a control console 500 within a hitting bay 112 which can be any type of interactive computer system (in this case a touchscreen computer, but could also be a mobile device, PC, etc.). This control console may display a system 100 control graphical user interface 505 from which users can review data collected by the system. For example, users can review footage of their screen captured by the system's 100 cameras 400 (as shown in FIG. 4). The console 500 is supported by a system 100 controller 510. The controller 510 can be incorporated into the console 500 or be a standalone device (e.g., a separate computing device). The controller 510 not only supports the information displayed on the console 500 but also communicates with the system 100 panels 125, cameras 400, and other sensors to collect and send information to and from these components. Such communication may be carried out by wired (e.g., networking cable, USB connection, etc.) or wireless means (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee). For example, in the embodiment shown, the controller 510 may receive instructions via the control console 500 to highlight a certain panel 125 in the playing area 120. The controller will then communicate with the chosen panel 125 (wirelessly in this example) and the panel 125 will be more brightly lit, have its color changed, etc. to make it stand out. Once the panel is highlighted, the user may then carry out their shot. The system 100 will record the shot data, landing spot, etc. via its cameras 400 and other sensors. Such data will be sent to the controller 510 (in this case data from the camera 400 is sent via wired connection). The controller 510 will then analyze, collate, and pass the data on to the console 500 for display to end users.

[0064] It should also be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.