ELECTRONIC TRACKING FOR DISC GOLF

Abstract

A trackable disc includes an electronic tracker configured to provide location information. The electronic tracker can communicate with a paired user device through any suitable wireless communication to receive instructions or determine relative location information. The user device can include a user interface that displays the relative distance and/or direction to the player. The electronic tracker can emit a sound when the player is close to the disc, either automatically or in response to user input. The electronic tracker can be embedded within the disc. The electronic tracker can be positioned in the center of the disc such that the center of mass remains at the geometric center of the disc. Some amount of disc substrate material can be removed and replaced with the electronic tracker. Additional disc material can also be removed so offset the weight of the electronic tracker.

Claims

1. A trackable disc for disc golf, comprising: a base disc; and an electronic tracker attached to the base disc.

2. The trackable disc of claim 1, wherein a center of mass of the trackable disc is located at a geometric center of the base disc.

3. The trackable disc of claim 1, further comprising: a center opening in the base disc, wherein the electronic tracker is positioned within the center opening and flush with a substrate of the base disc.

4. The trackable disc of claim 3, further comprising: a plurality of peripheral openings surrounding the center opening, wherein a first mass of the electronic tracker is offset by a second mass of the substrate absent from the base disc due to the center opening and the plurality of peripheral openings.

5. The trackable disc of claim 3, wherein the electronic tracker includes a wedge configured to interlock with a corresponding notch of the center opening.

6. The trackable disc of claim 1, wherein the electronic tracker includes an accelerometer.

7. The trackable disc of claim 6, wherein the electronic tracker includes a location tracker configured to activate in response to the accelerometer detecting a force that exceeds a predefined threshold.

8. The trackable disc of claim 1, wherein the electronic tracker includes a GPS component, where the GPS component is configured to communicate with one or more satellites to determine a location of the trackable disc.

9. The trackable disc of claim 1, wherein the electronic tracker is configured to provide a tracking signal usable by a user device for determining a distance between the user device and the trackable disc based on at least one of: a signal strength of the tracking signal, a time of flight of the tracking signal, or GPS coordinates included in the tracking signal.

10. The trackable disc of claim 1, wherein the electronic tracker includes an audio speaker configured to emit sound in response to a command signal from a user device.

11. The trackable disc of claim 10, wherein the electronic tracker is configured to provide a tracking signal configured to cause the user device to send the command signal.

12. A method for determining a location a trackable disc for disc golf, the method comprising: receiving, by the trackable disc, activation of an electronic tracker of the trackable disc; receiving, by the trackable disc, a force from a user that imparts motion to a new location; and sending, by the trackable disc, a tracking signal to a user device of the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the tracking signal includes coordinates of the trackable disc.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the force from the user includes: detecting, by an accelerometer of the trackable disc, the force.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: determining, by a processor of the trackable disc, that the force exceeds a predefined threshold.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising: in response to detecting the force, activating a location tracker.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the location tracker is a GPS component, where the GPS component is configured to communicate with one or more satellites to determine the location of the trackable disc.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising: detecting, by the accelerometer of the trackable disc, an absence of force, wherein the tracking signal is sent in response to detecting the absence of force.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the absence of force caused by the trackable disc coming to a stop.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the tracking signal is sent in response to detecting the force.

21.-47. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. In the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an example disc with electronic tracker, according to embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 2A illustrates a top-down view of a base disc, according to embodiments.

[0016] FIG. 2B illustrates a side view of a vertical cross section of the base disc, according to embodiments.

[0017] FIG. 3 shows an example of an electronic tracker, according to embodiments.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows an example of a bottom label cover, according to embodiments.

[0019] FIG. 5 shows an example of a top label cover, according to embodiments.

[0020] FIG. 6 illustrates a disc with dimples, according to embodiments.

[0021] FIG. 7 shows a flow diagram of a method for modifying a disc to include an electronic tracker, according to embodiments.

[0022] FIG. 8 shows a flow diagram of a method for assembling a disc with an electronic tracker, according to embodiments.

[0023] FIG. 9 shows a flow diagram of a method for tracking a disc, according to embodiments.

[0024] FIG. 10 shows a flow diagram of a method for determining a location in response to an accelerometer measurement, according to embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] A disc golf disc can include an electronic tracker configured to provide location information to a player. The electronic tracker can communicate with a paired user device of the player through any suitable wireless communication to receive instructions and/or determine relative location information. The user device can include a user interface that displays the relative distance and/or direction to the player. Additionally, the electronic tracker can emit a sound when the player is close to the disc, either automatically or in response to user input.

[0026] The electronic tracker can be embedded within the disc. The electronic tracker can be positioned in the center of the disc such that the center of mass remains at the geometric center of the disc. Some amount of disc substrate material can be removed and replaced with the electronic tracker. Additional disc material can also be removed so offset the weight of the electronic tracker.

I. Trackable Disc Configuration and Features

[0027] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an example trackable disc, according to embodiments.

[0028] The trackable disc 100 can include a base disc 110, an electronic tracker 120, a foam spacer 130, a bottom adhesive cover 141, a top adhesive cover 142, a bottom label cover 151, and/or a top label cover 152.

[0029] The base disc 110 (also referred to as a disc) can include a substrate 113 in the shape of a continuous disc (e.g., circular shape) with a rim around the perimeter. The substrate 113 can include one or more plastics (e.g., polypropene, polyethylene, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomer) and/or any other suitable substrate materials.

[0030] FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate the base disc 110 in isolation. FIG. 2A illustrates a top-down view of the base disc 110, while FIG. 2B illustrates a side view of a vertical cross section of the base disc 110 along dotted line A-A in FIG. 2A.

[0031] Embodiments allow the base disc 110 to take the form of a disc golf disc. A disc golf disc may generally be a circular, saucer-shaped flying object designed to be thrown by hand. A disc golf disc can include structural components such as a central flight plate 136, an annular rim 135, and a contoured peripheral edge 137. The annular rim 135 can be beveled and weighted to promote gyroscopic stability and aerodynamic lift during flight. The curvature, rim configuration, and mass distribution of a disc golf disc can be configured for to provided desired levels of stability, glide, and other flight characteristics. A disc golf disc may be molded from a durable, lightweight thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyurethane-based blends, with optional additives for rigidity, flexibility, or grip enhancement.

[0032] Typical dimensions of a disc golf disc include a diameter ranging from approximately 21.0 to 21.4 centimeters, a height (measured from top to bottom at the center) of approximately 1.8 to 2.5 cm, and a rim width (measured radially) of approximately 1.0 to 2.4 cm, depending on the disc type (e.g., putter, midrange, driver). FIG. 2B illustrates an example disc with a height of 1.86 cm. The weight of a disc golf disc may be within the range of 150 to 180 grams.

A. Openings in Disc Substrate

[0033] Typical disc golf discs may have a continuous structure. However, embodiments allow a disc golf disc to include one or more openings (also referred to as holes or gaps) configured to accommodate an electronic tracker, to reduce the mass of the disc, and/or to adjust a center-of-mass or weight distribution of the disc.

[0034] FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate an example of a base disc 110 with gaps in the substrate 113. The base disc 110 includes a center opening 111 and a plurality of peripheral openings 112.

[0035] In some embodiments, the base disc 110 can be initially molded with the center opening 111 and/or peripheral openings 112. Alternatively, the base disc 110 can be formed without the center opening 111 and/or peripheral openings 112, and then the base disc 110 can be modified at a later time to add the center opening 111 and/or peripheral openings 112. For example, the center opening 111 and/or peripheral openings 112 can be created by removing predefined amounts of substrate 113 from the base disc 110 through a computer numerical controlled (CNC) machining process, a stamping process, etc.

[0036] The center opening 111 can be shaped and sized to accommodate the electronic tracker 120 and/or the foam spacer 130. As examples, the center opening 111 may circular gap in the substrate 113 with a diameter of 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm, 8 cm, 9 cm, 10 cm, 11 cm, 12 cm, 13 cm, 14 cm, 15 cm, a diameter within the range of 1 cm to 15 cm, or any other suitable diameter. The center opening 111 can also have any other suitable shape, such as an oval, rectangle, hexagon, or the like.

[0037] In some embodiments, the center opening 111 can include a notch 132. A notch 132 can be an extra gap in the substrate 113 on the periphery of a central primary gap (e.g., a circle). The notch 132 may have a wedge shape configured to accommodate a wedge of the electronic tracker 120 as discussed below with respect to FIG. 3.

[0038] The center opening 111 can be located at or near the center of the base disc 110, according to embodiments. By providing the center opening 111 at the center of the base disc 110, the disc's center of mass can remain at the geometric center of the disc, such that flight characteristics of the disc remain unchanged by the center opening 111 and or electronic tracker 120. Additionally, the geometric center of the disc typically experiences much lower intensity impact forces than the outside edge areas of the disc, as the center typically does not directly contact the ground when the disc lands. The disc may temporarily deform about the center to absorb impacts incident on the outer edge, resulting in a low amount of translated force from the edge to the center. As a result, placement at the center of the disc may protect the electronic tracker 120 from damage.

[0039] The peripheral openings 112 may be included in order to reduce total mass or weight of the trackable disc 100. In some embodiments, the electronic tracker 120 may have a mass that is more than a mass of the first amount of substrate 113 removed from the base disc 110 to create the center opening 111, and as a result the electronic tracker 120 may increase the total mass of the trackable disc 100. However, in certain applications (e.g., the game of disc golf), it may be undesirable to modify a predetermined mass of a disc. Accordingly, the peripheral openings 112 can be provided to correct for the added mass of the electronic tracker 120 such that the total weight of the trackable disc 100 remains the same as an original unmodified base disc. A first mass (e.g., an excess mass) of the electronic tracker 120 can be offset by a second mass of the substrate 113 absent from the base disc 110 due to the center opening 111 and the plurality of peripheral openings 112.

[0040] For example, an unmodified base disc may have a weight of 180 grams. The electronic tracker 120 may have a weight of about 8 grams. The first amount of the substrate 113 removed for the center opening may have a weight of about 3 grams. To correct for the surplus 5 grams, a set of peripheral openings 112 can be included that, taken together, remove an additional 5 grams of substrate 113 weight from the base disc. As an example, each of the peripheral openings 112 may allow an amount of substrate to be removed equal to about 0.05 grams, or any other suitable weight. In total, the weights of the electronic tracker 120, center opening 111, and peripheral openings 112 cancel out to zero or neutral, so that the total weight of the trackable disc 100 remains 180 grams.

[0041] The one or more peripheral openings 112 can be distributed around the center opening 111 in any suitable manner. For example, the peripheral openings 112 can be evenly spaced and symmetrically arranged around the center of the disc to maintain balance, keep the center of mass at the center of the base disc 110, or otherwise maintain or improve flight characteristics.

[0042] In some embodiments, the peripheral openings 112 can be provided in one or more rings. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, there can be four rings. A first (innermost) ring can include 20 peripheral openings, a second ring can include 26 peripheral openings, a third ring can include 33 peripheral openings, and a fourth ring can include 38 peripheral openings, for a total of 117 peripheral openings. As shown in FIG. 2A, the peripheral openings 112 can be positioned closer to the center of the base disc 110 than the annular rim 135 of the base disc 110. For example, each of the peripheral openings 112 may be located within 1/2 radial distance (or any other suitable distance) of the center of the base disc 110.

[0043] Any suitable number, size, spacing, pattern, locations, and distribution of peripheral openings 112 can be provided to counter the added weight of the electronic tracker 120. Each of the peripheral openings 112 may have the same size and shape, or alternatively the peripheral openings 112 may vary in size and/or shape. A base disc 110 with a denser or heavier substrate material may include less peripheral openings 112 than a different base disc with a less dense or lighter substrate material.

[0044] In some embodiments, the peripheral openings 112 may be arranged to provide a center of mass at the center of the trackable disc 100. For example, the electronic tracker 120 may have an unsymmetric weight distribution (e.g., due to the battery and/or wedge). To correct for this, the peripheral openings 112 may be arranged unsymmetrically about the center of the disc. For example, a greater number or size of peripheral openings 112 can be added to the area or side of the battery and/or wedge, such that the added and subtracted weights counterbalance in those areas and the center of mass becomes the geometric center of the disc (e.g., as an aftermarket process).

B. Electronic Tracker

[0045] According to embodiments, an electronic tracker can be configured for attachment to a disc. For example, an electronic tracker can be embedded within an opening of a disc. An electronic tracker can include any suitable components for tracking a location, communicating with a user device, and/or assisting a user with finding a disc.

[0046] Referring back to FIG. 1, the electronic tracker 120 and/or the foam spacer 130 can be sized, shaped, and otherwise configured for positioning inside the center opening 111 of the base disc 110. The electronic tracker 120 and center opening 111 can each be configured to provide an interference fit (also referred to as a pressure fit), such that the electronic tracker 120 can become lodged within or otherwise attached to the base disc 110.

[0047] For example, the electronic tracker 120 can have a circular shape or approximately circular shape that corresponds to a shape of the center opening 111. The electronic tracker 120 may have the same or similar diameter as the center opening 111, or otherwise have a same or similar shape and size as the center opening 111.

[0048] In some embodiments, the electronic tracker 120 may have a slightly smaller size than the center opening 111 to allow the electronic tracker 120 to be inserted into the center opening 111. For example, the electronic tracker 120 may have a diameter that is 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, or any other suitable length shorter than the diameter of the center opening 111.

[0049] The foam spacer 130 can be a ring of foam (or other suitable material) that contributes to the interference fit of the electronic tracker 120 within the center opening 111 by flexibly filling any open spaces and/or increasing the pressure between the electronic tracker 120 and the base disc 110. Additionally, the foam spacer 130 can provide shock absorption for the electronic tracker 120.

[0050] A thickness of the electronic tracker 120 can also be configured to match a corresponding thickness of the substrate 113 at the periphery of the center opening 111. For example, the substrate 113 may have a thickness of 0.3 cm, 0.5 cm, 0.8 cm, 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, or any other suitable thickness in the center of the base disc 110 or areas near the center of the base disc 110. The electronic tracker 120 may be configured to have a thickness (also referred to as height) that matches the substrate 113 of the base disc 110. For example, a top side of the electronic tracker 120 may be flush or approximately flush with a top edge of the substrate 113 and/or a bottom side of the electronic tracker 120 may be flush or approximately flush with a bottom edge of the substrate 113.

[0051] In some embodiments, the electronic tracker 120 may have a thickness that is slightly less (e.g., 0.1 cm, 0.2 cm, 0.3 cm, 0.4 cm, or 0.5 cm thinner than) that the thickness of the substrate 113 such that the electronic tracker 120 does not protrude beyond the substrate 113 when inserted into the center opening 111. In this case, one or neither of the top side and bottom side of the electronic tracker 120 may be flush with the substrate 113.

[0052] In alternative embodiments, instead of placing the electronic tracker 120 into a cutout center hole in the base disc 110, the electronic tracker 120 may instead be attached to a bottom surface of the base disc 110. For example, adhesives and/or labels (e.g., as discussed below) can be used to secure the electronic tracker 120 onto the surface of the base disc 110. Peripheral openings 112 can still be included in the base disc 110 to counterbalance for the added weight. Additionally, the base disc 110 can include a printed guide for attaching the electronic tracker 120 onto a desired area (e.g., center) of the base disc 110.

[0053] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of an example electronic tracker 120, according to embodiments. The electronic tracker 120 can include a chip substrate 121 (e.g., a silicon wafer) with various electronic circuitry and components, such as a processor 124, an electronic tracker 120, one or more light emitting diodes 125 (LEDs), an audio speaker 127, a battery 123, a battery charging port 126, a button 129 and/or other user interface components, and/or any other suitable components. According to embodiments, the chip substrate 121 can have a circular shape. Additionally, the chip substrate 121 may include a peripheral wedge 122 and/or an opening or gap to accommodate a battery 123.

[0054] The wedge 122 (also referred to as an ear) protruding from a main body of the chip substrate 121 can provide additional strength to the attachment between the electronic tracker 120 and the base disc 110. The wedge 122 can be configured to interlock with a corresponding notch of the center opening of the base disc. For example, the wedge 122 can provide resistance to slippage or relative rotation between the electronic tracker 120 and the base disc 110 during the rapid rotation experience during flight.

[0055] Additionally, the wedge 122 can provide a guide for alignment. For example, the wedge 122 can provide a reference point for aligning the bottom label cover 151 and/or the top label cover 152 with the electronic tracker 120, such that relevant labels and openings in the bottom label cover 151 and/or the top label cover 152 align with corresponding parts of the electronic tracker 120 (e.g., charging port, LED, etc.).

[0056] The battery 123 can provide power to other components of the electronic tracker 120, and can take any suitable shape, size, storage level, and/or output power level.

[0057] The electronic tracker 120 can include any suitable processors, microprocessors, and/or computer readable medium encoded with instructions for performing any suitable tracking operations, as discussed in more detail below. A representative processor 124 is illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0058] In some embodiments, a button 129 is positioned on the wedge 122. The button 129 can be configured for controlling one or more electronic tracker functions. For example, the button 129 can be configured for turning on/off the electronic tracker 120, activating a pairing mode, activating an LED 125, changing an LED 125 color, turning on/off an audio speaker 127, and/or any other suitable functionality.

[0059] In some embodiments, a plurality of buttons can be included and configured for different functions. Additionally or alternatively, different user inputs can be coupled to different functions via the same button 129 (e.g., one click, two clicks, long click).

[0060] Multiple LEDs 125 can be included, such as red, green, and blue. This can provide for any color by combining the base colors. According to embodiments, LED colors can be used to indicate a current mode of operation (e.g., paired, not paired, tracking, sound on, etc.).

[0061] The audio speaker 127 can be positioned for emitting sound upward, relative to the top of the disc when positioned with the topside up. The audio speaker 127 may be configured and/or selected based on a balance between providing sufficient volume while also drawing less than a predefined threshold amount of power from the battery, so as to allow a lightweight battery 123 to be utilized. In some embodiments, the base disc 110 substrate and/or a bottom-side chamber of the base disc 110 under a center flight plate and between the rim can provide sound-amplification via, for example, resonance.

[0062] Any suitable battery charging port 126 can be included, such as a charging port with a magnetic connector, an induction charger, or a micro USB.

[0063] The electronic tracker 120 can also include any suitable hardware components configured for wireless communications (e.g., with a user device, cell tower, satellite, other trackable discs, etc.). For example, the electronic tracker 120 can include one or more antennae and/or any other suitable hardware for providing remote communication capabilities to a network. Examples of remote communication capabilities include using a mobile phone (wireless) network, wireless data network (e.g., 3G, 4G or similar networks), Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, or any other communication medium that may provide access to a network such as the Internet or a private network.

[0064] The electronic tracker 120 can further include a location tracker 128, which can include one or more components configured for determining a location and/or location-related communications. For example, the location tracker 128 can include ultra-wide band communication equipment (e.g., an AirTag or the like), Bluetooth technology, a GPS component (also referred to as a GPS circuit or receiver), RFID, and/or any other suitable antenna or reflector components. A GPS component may be configured to communicate with one or more satellites to determine a location of the trackable disc.

[0065] C. Accelerometer

[0066] The electronic tracker 120 can further include an accelerometer 140. The accelerometer 140 can be an electromechanical device that is configured to measure the acceleration of an object. The accelerometer 140 can be configured to measure changes in an object's velocity, detecting when it transitions between a stationary state and a moving state, or when its direction or speed changes. The accelerometer 140 may be configured to produce an electrical signal (voltage, capacitance, or resistance) proportional to an acceleration experienced by the device. This signal can then be processed to determine parameters like acceleration, velocity, or displacement. As an example, the accelerometer 140 can take the form of a piezoelectric accelerometers that generates an electrical charge when compressed or stretched by the movement of the internal mass due to acceleration, a capacitive accelerometer that detects changes in capacitance between a fixed and a movable electrode as a mass moves under acceleration, a piezoresistive accelerometers with materials that experience a change in electrical resistance when under mechanical stress caused by acceleration.

[0067] The accelerometer 140 may be in communication with the processor 124, and may provide information about detected forces to the processor 124. The processor 124 can be configured to compare each force measurement from the accelerometer 140 with one or more predefined threshold force values, or otherwise evaluate each force measurement. The processor 124 may be configured to determine when a force measurement exceeds a predefined threshold and therefore indicates the disc has been thrown and/or landed. In response, the processor 124 can cause one or more actions to take place, such as activating a location tracker, determining a location, activating an audio speaker, and/or, sending one or more tracking signals.

D. Covers and Labels

[0068] While an electronic tracker can be sufficiently lodged into a disc via interference fit, embodiments include further covers and labels for strengthening the attachment and/or providing labels and directions.

[0069] The bottom adhesive cover 141 can be configured to cover a bottom side of the electronic tracker 120 and/or provide additional support for keeping the electronic tracker 120 in place within the base disc 110. The bottom adhesive cover 141 may be larger than the electronic tracker 120 and/or center opening 111 so that it can adhere to a portion of the substrate 113 surrounding the electronic tracker 120. Any suitable type of adhesive and/or base substrate can be included in the bottom adhesive cover 141. In some embodiments, the bottom adhesive cover 141 can be a layer of polyimide backing (or other suitable thin, flexible, high-strength polymer) with pressure sensitive adhesive. A pressure-sensitive adhesive can be activated by pressure from a person or object (e.g., pressing, scraping).

[0070] The top adhesive cover 142 can be configured to cover a top side of the electronic tracker 120 and/or provide additional support for keeping the electronic tracker 120 in place within the base disc 110. The top adhesive cover 142 may be similar to the bottom adhesive cover 141. For example, the top adhesive cover 142 may be larger than the electronic tracker 120 and/or center opening 111 so that it can adhere to a portion of the substrate 113 surrounding the electronic tracker 120.

[0071] The bottom label cover 151 can be configured to cover a bottom side of the electronic tracker 120 and/or the bottom adhesive cover 141. The bottom label cover 151 can provide additional support for keeping the bottom adhesive cover 141 in place and/or the electronic tracker 120 in place within the base disc 110. The bottom label cover 151 may be larger than the bottom adhesive cover 141 so that it can adhere to a portion of the substrate 113 surrounding the bottom adhesive cover 141. Additionally, the bottom label cover 151 can obscure the view of the electronic tracker 120, such that the player only sees the bottom label cover 151 when viewing the trackable disc 100 from the bottom. Any suitable type of adhesive and/or base substrate can be included in the bottom adhesive cover 141. In some embodiments, the bottom label cover 151 can include a sheet of vinyl or plastic, and may include printed information.

[0072] The top label cover 152 can be configured to cover a top side of the electronic tracker 120 and/or the top adhesive cover 142. The top label cover 152 can provide additional support for keeping the top adhesive cover 142 in place and/or the electronic tracker 120 in place within the base disc 110. The top label cover 152 may be larger than the top adhesive cover 142 so that it can adhere to a portion of the substrate 113 surrounding the bottom adhesive cover 141. Additionally, the top label cover 152 can obscure the view of the electronic tracker 120, such that the player only sees the top label cover 152 when viewing the trackable disc 100 from the top. Materials of the top label cover 152 may be similar to the bottom label cover 151.

[0073] The combination of the inner adhesive covers (e.g., the bottom adhesive cover 141 and the top adhesive cover 142) and the outer label covers (e.g., the bottom label cover 151 and the top label cover 152) can beneficially provide redundant structural support to the electronic tracker 120. Additionally, different types of adhesives can be included in the different parts, which can enable better tolerance for exposure to a wider range of temperatures and humidities.

[0074] Typical adhesives may be standardized, while printed vinyl labels may vary based on printer. Accordingly, the bottom adhesive cover 141 and top adhesive cover 142 can provide consistency in attachment across different manufacturers that may use varying materials for the bottom label cover 151 and the top label cover 152.

[0075] According to embodiments, one or more of the bottom adhesive cover 141, top adhesive cover 142, bottom label cover 151, and/or top label cover 152 can be omitted. For example, the electronic tracker 120 may be sufficiently kept in place by the interference fit, and may not require one or more extra layers for support.

[0076] FIG. 4 shows an example of a bottom label cover, according to embodiments. As shown, the bottom label cover 151 can be circular and/or include any suitable printed information and images. The bottom label cover 151 can include openings for one or more components of the electronic tracker 120. For example, a first opening 155 can provide a pass through for light from an LED and/or sound from a speaker. A second opening 156 can provide access to a button of the electronic tracker 120. A third opening 157 can provide access to a charging port.

[0077] FIG. 5 shows an example of a top label cover as applied to a disc, according to embodiments. As shown, the top label cover 152 may include a decorative image and/or any other suitable displayed information. While not illustrated in FIG. 5, top label cover 152 can include openings for access to one or more components (e.g., button, speaker, LED, etc.) of the electronic tracker 120.

[0078] FIG. 6 illustrates a disc with dimples, according to embodiments. Dimples 160 can promote less drag (e.g., via localized turbulent flow) and thereby provide further travel distance when a disc is thrown. The dimples 160 may be included in the substrate of the base disc (e.g., in addition to or instead of peripheral openings). As discussed above, the surface of the base disc may be covered by layers such as the top label cover 152. To activate some or all of the dimples 160, a player can press into the bottom label cover 151 and/or a top label cover 152, for example, in order push the labels into the dimples 160.

II. Manufacture and Assembly

[0079] FIG. 7 shows a flow diagram of a method 700 for modifying a disc to include an electronic tracker, according to embodiments.

[0080] At step M1, a base disc comprising a substrate in a shape of a continuous disc with a rim can be received. For example, a person can select a disc for modification. The person may place the disc into a disc modification apparatus. The disc modification apparatus can thereby receive the base disc.

[0081] At step M2, a first portion of the substrate from a center of the base disc can be removed from the base disc to form a center opening. For example, the disc modification apparatus can be operated to remove the first portion of the substrate. The person may manually operate the disc modification apparatus (e.g., moving a lever arm to operate a stamping mechanism) or the disc modification apparatus may perform an automated substrate removal process.

[0082] At step M3, a plurality of second portions of the substrate may be removed from the base disc. In some embodiments, the first portion and the plurality of second portions may be removed simultaneously (e.g., via a single stamping motion).

[0083] At step M4, an electronic tracker may be inserted into the center opening. For example, a person may insert the electronic tracker. In other embodiments, the disc modification apparatus can perform an automated insertion process. The first portion and/or the plurality of second portions may offset a mass of the electronic tracker.

[0084] In some embodiments, the process for modifying the disc can be performed as an after-market procedure by a service provider or by an individual user. In other embodiments, the disc modification process may be performed by an original manufacturer of the base disc and/or integrated into the initial disc manufacturing process. In this case, the method can further include a step of forming the base disc comprising the substrate in the shape of the continuous disc with the rim (e.g., before step M1). In further embodiments, steps M2-M3 may be replaced by a disc forming (e.g., injection molding or other plastic molding) process that creates the base disc with the center opening and/or peripherical openings (e.g., via a mold that is configured to create the openings instead of a continuous disc shape).

[0085] FIG. 8 shows a flow diagram of a method 800 for assembling a disc with an electronic tracker, according to embodiments.

[0086] In the example of FIG. 8, a base disc may already include a center opening. For example, a base disc that has already been modified or prefabricated to include a center opening and/or a set of peripheral openings can be provided to a user.

[0087] At step A1, a base disc comprising a substrate in a shape of a continuous disc with a rim can be received by a player (e.g., via in-person purchase or mail order).

[0088] At step A2, an electronic tracker may be inserted into the center opening. For example, the player may insert the electronic tracker.

III. Tracking Techniques

[0089] Embodiments include various techniques for tracking a trackable disc. In some embodiments, a player (also referred to as a user or a person) may possess both a trackable disc and a user device. The player may operate the user device for tracking and/or communicating with the trackable disc.

[0090] A user device or player device may be a device that is operated by a user. Examples of user devices may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server computer, a thin client device, a tablet PC, etc. Additionally, user devices may be any type of wearable technology device, such as a watch, earpiece, glasses, etc. The user device may include one or more processors capable of processing user input. The user device may also include one or more input sensors for receiving user input. As is known in the art, there are a variety of input sensors capable of detecting user input, such as cameras, microphones, touchscreens, etc. The user input obtained by the input sensors may be from a variety of data input types, including, but not limited to, audio data, visual data, or biometric data. The user device may comprise any electronic device that may be operated by a user, which may also provide remote communication capabilities to a network. Examples of remote communication capabilities include using a mobile phone (wireless) network, wireless data network (e.g., 3G, 4G or similar networks), Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, or any other communication medium that may provide access to a network such as the Internet or a private network.

A. Method for Tracking

[0091] FIG. 9 shows a flow diagram of a method 900 for tracking a disc, according to embodiments.

[0092] Before the steps illustrated in FIG. 9, a player may install a tracking application onto the user device. The player may initiate a pairing mode on the trackable disc by, for example, double pressing a button of the trackable disc. The player may also activate the tracking application on the user device and select an option in the tracking application for creating a new disc pairing. The user device and trackable disc may then become paired together through wireless communications (e.g., Bluetooth or Wi-Fi). At later times, such as at step 2 discussed below, the user device and trackable disc can automatically pair when activated and within proximity.

[0093] The player may begin a game of disc golf or otherwise desire to track the trackable disc.

[0094] At step 1, the trackable disc can receive activation of an electronic tracker on the trackable disc. For example, the player may press a button on the trackable disc.

[0095] At step 2, the trackable disc can establish a wireless communications connection with paired a user device of the player.

[0096] At step 3, the trackable disc can receive a force that imparts motion to a new location. For example, the trackable disc may be thrown by player during a round of disc golf. The trackable disc may detect the force and/or motion through one or more sensors, such as an accelerometer and/or a location tracker component.

[0097] In some embodiments, the trackable disc (e.g., via a processor in communication with the accelerometer) may determine that the force exceeds a predefined threshold force. For example, the trackable disc may detect relatively smaller forces when the player is walking, carrying the disc, handling the disc, etc. The motion of throwing may cause a relatively larger force that is beyond a predefined threshold. The detection of the larger force can serve as an indication that the disc has been thrown by the player.

[0098] Also or instead, the trackable disc may determine that the trackable disc is traveling at a speed beyond a predefined threshold speed. The speed can be determine based on accelerometer measurements and/or based on live location analysis by location tracking (e.g., GPS).

[0099] At step 4, the trackable disc can transmit a tracking signal (also referred to as a signal) to the user device. The trackable disc may transmit the tracking signal (or otherwise activate the location tracker or other tracking functionality) in response to an event. An event can include a detection of a throwing force (e.g., a first force that exceeds a predefined threshold), determining the disc is traveling at a flying speed, detection of a landing force (e.g., a second force that exceeds the predefined threshold), determining that the disc has stopped moving (e.g., by an onboard location tracker, or a lack of detected forces) after detecting of a throwing force or determining the disc is traveling at a flying speed, and/or any other suitable activity or occurrence. A landing force may be a second force that follows a first force within a predetermined amount of time (e.g., within 60 seconds) and/or that exceeds a predefined threshold. In some embodiments, a throwing force may be associated with a first predefined threshold, and a landing force may be associated with a second predefined threshold that is different than (e.g., lesser or greater than) the first predefined threshold. In some embodiments, the trackable disc can transmit tracking signals in response to each of multiple events, such as detecting the disc being thrown, detecting the disc landing, and/or detecting a stop in motion.

[0100] In some embodiments, the tracking signal can take the form of a ranging signal, which can be used by the user device to determine a distance and/or direction to the trackable disc (e.g., based on signal travel time or signal strength). Additionally or alternatively, the tracking signal may include any suitable information, such as a location (e.g., GPS coordinates or relative coordinates) of the disc, a time of flight, a chart of flight speed, etc.

[0101] At step 5, the user device can receive the tracking signal, and the user device can determine a distance and/or direction to the trackable disc.

[0102] The user device can calculate a relative distance and/or direction of the trackable disc based on one or more wireless communications (e.g., including the tracking signal) exchanged with the trackable disc. Embodiments can include any suitable form of wireless communications for determining the distance, direction, and/or any other suitable location information.

[0103] For example, the user device and trackable disc can include Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) technology. The user device may include Apple's Nearby Interaction API, and the Nearby Interaction API can determine the distance and/or direction (e.g., through one or more time-of-flight calculations and/or triangulations) of the trackable disc in response to a query from the tracking application, which may be sent in response to receiving the tracking signal.

[0104] Additionally or alternatively, the user device and trackable disc can include Bluetooth technology. The user device can determine a distance of the trackable disc based on the strength of a Bluetooth signal (e.g., the tracking signal) received from the trackable disc. An earlier calibration process can be performed by measuring the relative strength of the Bluetooth signal at known distances (e.g., 10 feet, 20 feet, 30 feet, 100 feet, 400 feet, etc.). As a result, a new distance can be determined based on a regression of a new measured signal strength, based on a lookup table of previous calibration data, based on a piecewise linear function determined form the calibration data, or in any other suitable manner.

[0105] Additionally or alternatively, the user device and trackable disc can include Global Positioning Service (GPS) technology. The trackable disc may activate an onboard GPS component in response to the accelerometer detecting the throwing force (e.g., a force that exceeds a predefined threshold. The trackable disc can transmit (e.g., via the tracking signal) a current location of the trackable disc to the user device. The user device can then determine a relative distance and direction of the trackable disc based on a comparison of a GPS location of the user device and a received GPS location of the trackable disc.

[0106] In some embodiments, the trackable disc may be configured to locally determine a flight distance and/or change in location of the disc. For example, measurements from the accelerometer can be used to determine a time when the disc is thrown (e.g., based on detecting an impulse force), determine a time when the disc lands on the ground (e.g., based on a detecting a second impulse force), and determine flight speeds and direction during flight. The trackable disc (e.g., via onboard processor) can thereby determine a flight path and new final location relative to the starting location. Some or all of this information can be transmitted to the user device.

[0107] In some embodiments, the user device can continuously or regularly determine an updated distance and/or direction to the trackable disc while paired. For example, the trackable disc may continue to send tracking signals continuously (e.g., every second, every second, every 2 seconds, every 5 seconds, or at any other suitable interval). Each signal may include current location, updated location, or real time location of the trackable disc, or otherwise be usable for determining a current or real time location of the trackable disc.

[0108] At step 6, the user device can display (e.g., via the tracking application in conjunction with a user device interface) a visual indication of the distance and/or direction of the trackable disc. For example, the display can include a numerical distance (e.g., in meters, feet, or any other suitable unit). The display can further include an arrow, a compass, or other indication of direction.

[0109] The display may also include a color scale representative of distance and that can update when the distance changes. For example, greater distances (e.g., 100 feet and above) can be represented by varying tones of a first color (e.g., blue), middle distances (e.g., 30 feet to 100 feet) can be represented by varying tones of a second color (e.g., green), while closer distances (e.g., 0 feet to 30 feet) can be represented by tones of third color (e.g., red or yellow).

[0110] The player can proceed to move toward the trackable disc. The user device can continuously update the location display (e.g., distance, color, arrow) as the user moves toward the location of the trackable disc.

[0111] If the trackable disc is initially out of communication range or becomes out of communication range, the user device (e.g., via the tracking application) may prompt the player to walk toward the general area where the disc was thrown so that communications can reconnect.

[0112] At step 7, the user device can send to the trackable disc a command signal to play a sound on a speaker. For example, in response to a user selection of an audio alert option in the tracking application, or in response to a tracking signal configured to cause the user device to send the command signal.

[0113] At step 8, the trackable disc can receive the command signal to play a sound on a speaker. In response, the trackable disc operate the audio speaker to emit sound. This can assist the player with finding the exact location of the trackable disc, which may be in location or position that is difficult to ascertain even when nearby (e.g., underneath thick grass or within a bush).

[0114] At step 9, the user device can send to the trackable disc a command to stop playing the sound on the speaker. For example, after obtaining the disc, the player can silence the audio through the application.

[0115] At step 10, the trackable disc can receive the command to stop playing the sound on the speaker, and can control the audio speaker to stop playing the sound. Alternatively, the player can press a button on the trackable disc to stop the sound. In some embodiments, the trackable disc can automatically stop the sound after a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 5 minutes).

[0116] In alternative embodiments, the audio functions of step 8 and/or step 10 can automatically activate and/or deactivate without the player's input. For example, the user device can automatically send the instruction to the trackable disc to emit sound in response to the user device location reaching a predefined proximity distance threshold to the trackable disc (e.g., 30 feet, 20 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet) when approaching the disc after it was thrown. In other words, the user device can send the command to play a sound to the trackable disc in response to the tracking signal received from the trackable disc (e.g., when the tracking signal indicates the user is approaching the disc).

[0117] At a later time, the user device can automatically send the second instruction to the trackable disc to stop emitting the sound in response to the user device location reaching a second predefined proximity to the trackable disc (e.g., 3 feet, 2 feet, 1 foot). For example, if the user device is within 1 foot of the trackable disc, it may be likely that the player has located and is now holding the trackable disc. This can reset the sound function to stand-by mode (or hysteresis mode), such that the user device does not cause reactivation of the sound until the trackable disc is thrown again. For example, the sound may not be reactivated until after the trackable disc crosses a third predetermined distance threshold (e.g., 30 feet, 40 feet, or 50 feet) that indicates the trackable disc has been thrown again, and then again crosses back underneath the first predefined distance threshold. This can be referred to as a geofence mode. The geofence may be selected by a user via the tracking application of the user device.

[0118] The player can continue using the disc, and steps 3-10 can repeat any suitable number of times. When finished with the trackable disc, the player can deactivate the electronic tracker (e.g. via long press on the button) at step 11.

B. Accelerometer as Trigger for Location Determination

[0119] As discussed above with respect to steps 3-5 of FIG. 9, embodiments include multiple manners in which the trackable disc and user device can communicate to determine a location, and multiple possible events can be used as a trigger for the location determination. One specific example of a set of events and operations for determining a location is discussed below.

[0120] FIG. 10 shows a flow diagram of a method 1000 for determining a location in response to an accelerometer measurement, according to embodiments.

[0121] At step 111, an accelerometer of the trackable disc can detect a first force. The first force may be caused by a user's disc-throwing action. The accelerometer may be communicatively coupled to a processor of the trackable disc, and therefore the accelerometer may provide information about the measurement of the first force to the processor in real time.

[0122] At step 112, the processor of the trackable disc can determine that the detected first force exceeds a predefined threshold force. For example, the trackable disc may detect relatively smaller forces when the player is walking, carrying the disc, handling the disc, etc. The motion of throwing may cause a relatively larger force that is beyond a predefined threshold. The detection of the larger force can serve as an indication that the disc has been thrown by the player.

[0123] At step 113, in response to determining that the detected first force exceeds the predefined threshold force, the processor of the trackable disc can operate a location tracker of the trackable disc to determine a first location of the trackable disc. The first location may be determined immediately when the disc is thrown or being thrown, and therefore may reflect a position where user is located or a nearby location (e.g., within 1 foot, 5 feet, 10 feet, 20 feet, or any other suitable distance). The location tracker may be a GPS component that uses GPS to determine coordinates of the trackable disc. Embodiments also include using other forms of triangulation to determine the location of the trackable disc.

[0124] At step 114, the accelerometer of the trackable disc can detect an absence of force and/or motion. For example, the trackable disc may come to rest (e.g., on the ground) after completion of a flight (in addition to any bouncing, rolling, or other movements). The accelerometer may detect forces and/or movements during the duration of the flight and other disc movements. When the trackable disc comes to rest, the accelerometer may no longer detect any forces or movement (e.g., detect zero forces).

[0125] At step 115, the processor of the trackable disc can determine that the trackable disc is no longer moving in response to the accelerometer detecting zero forces or movement. The processor may determine that the trackable disc is no longer moving immediately upon lack of detecting any motion or forces, or if the absence of force is maintained for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 1 second, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or any other suitable amount).

[0126] In other embodiments, the accelerometer of the trackable disc can detect a second force. The second force may be caused by the disc coming to rest (e.g., landing on the ground, impacting a tree or other object, etc.). The processor of the trackable disc can determine that the detected second force exceeds the predefined threshold force. In some embodiments, a throwing force may be associated with a first predefined threshold, and a landing force may be associated with a second predefined threshold that is different than (e.g., lesser or greater than) the first predefined threshold. Additionally, in some embodiments, a landing force may be a second force that follows a first force within a predetermined amount of time (e.g., within 60 seconds) and/or that exceeds a predefined threshold.

[0127] At step 116, in response to determining that the trackable disc is no longer moving, the processor of the trackable disc can operate the location tracker of the trackable disc to determine a second location of the trackable disc. The second location may reflect a new position of the disc upon coming to rest after being thrown.

[0128] At step 117, the processor of the trackable disc can determine a distance traveled. For example, the second location can be compared with the first location to determine the distance between the two locations. The distance may be a vector with directional information.

[0129] At step 118, the trackable disc (e.g., via processor and antenna) can transmit information associated with the trackable disc's new location (e.g., the second location) to a user device. For example, the trackable disc can transmit a tracking signal as discussed above with respect to FIG. 9. The tracking signal can include information about the second location (e.g., GPS coordinates) determined in step 117. The tracking signal may also include information about the first location determined in step 113. Additionally or alternatively, the tracking signal can include information about the distance traveled and/or the new location of the disc relative to the user device and/or throwing location as determined in step 117. As discussed above with respect to FIG. 9, the user device can then use the information received from the trackable disc to assist the user with physically finding the trackable disc.

[0130] Aspects of embodiments can be implemented in the form of control logic using hardware circuitry (e.g. an application specific integrated circuit or field programmable gate array) and/or using computer software with a generally programmable processor in a modular or integrated manner. As used herein, a processor can include a single-core processor, multi-core processor on a same integrated chip, or multiple processing units on a single circuit board or networked, as well as dedicated hardware. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art will know and appreciate other ways and/or methods to implement embodiments of the present disclosure using hardware and a combination of hardware and software.

[0131] Any of the software components or functions described in this application may be implemented as software code to be executed by a processor using any suitable computer language such as, for example, Java, C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, or scripting language such as Perl or Python using, for example, conventional or object-oriented techniques. The software code may be stored as a series of instructions or commands on a computer readable medium for storage and/or transmission. A suitable non-transitory computer readable medium can include random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a magnetic medium such as a hard-drive or a floppy disk, or an optical medium such as a compact disk (CD) or DVD (digital versatile disk) or Blu-ray disk, flash memory, and the like. The computer readable medium may be any combination of such devices. In addition, the order of operations may be re-arranged. A process can be terminated when its operations are completed, but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function

[0132] Such programs may also be encoded and transmitted using carrier signals adapted for transmission via wired, optical, and/or wireless networks conforming to a variety of protocols, including the Internet. As such, a computer readable medium may be created using a data signal encoded with such programs. Computer readable media encoded with the program code may be packaged with a compatible device or provided separately from other devices (e.g., via Internet download). Any such computer readable medium may reside on or within a single computer product (e.g. a hard drive, a CD, or an entire computer system), and may be present on or within different computer products within a system or network. A computer system may include a monitor, printer, or other suitable display for providing any of the results mentioned herein to a user.

[0133] Any of the methods described herein may be totally or partially performed with a computer system including one or more processors, which can be configured to perform the steps. Thus, embodiments can be directed to computer systems configured to perform the steps of any of the methods described herein, potentially with different components performing a respective step or a respective group of steps. Although presented as numbered steps, steps of methods herein can be performed at a same time or at different times or in a different order. Additionally, portions of these steps may be used with portions of other steps from other methods. Also, all or portions of a step may be optional. Additionally, any of the steps of any of the methods can be performed with modules, units, circuits, or other means of a system for performing these steps.

[0134] The specific details of particular embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner without departing from the spirit and scope of embodiments of the disclosure. However, other embodiments of the disclosure may be directed to specific embodiments relating to each individual aspect, or specific combinations of these individual aspects.

[0135] The above description of example embodiments of the present disclosure has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form described, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching above.

[0136] A recitation of a, an or the is intended to mean one or more unless specifically indicated to the contrary. The use of or is intended to mean an inclusive or, and not an exclusive or unless specifically indicated to the contrary. Reference to a first component does not necessarily require that a second component be provided. Moreover, reference to a first or a second component does not limit the referenced component to a particular location unless expressly stated. The term based on is intended to mean based at least in part on.