Patent Application
20240245959
This disclosure relates to an improved multi-piece golf ball that includes a set of electronic components contained therein to provide play data including automatic scoring and acceleration and rolling data.
A wide variety of golf balls have been proposed in recent years, including some that contain electronic devices therein. Long term, reliable data of a type demanded by players has been greatly limited from such balls, which has impeded their commercial demand.
Additional factors that have limited the use of such golf balls include poor playing performance characteristics, poor durability of the polymer layers due to the need to configure the ball in a way that provides space for the electronics in the golf ball, and poor reliability of the electronics assembly due to impact forces. The normal force at impact between a golf ball and a golf club when the average golfer strikes the ball can be on the order of 2000 lbs. Even impact forces of shots closer to the green can cause issues when done repeatedly. Thus, an electronic golf ball must be configured in a way that protects the electronics for the intended play and use materials that are able to withstand many impacts.
Because of these and other shortcomings, there is a need for golf balls that have electronic devices that provide a broader range of play data that suits the needs of various types of play and are durable enough for repeated play and their power source can be recharged easily. Furthermore, there is a need for combinations of layer designs, materials, electronics design, and production techniques that allow electronic golf balls to be produced in large quantities at a cost that supports commercial success.
Golf balls are provided that include a cover layer having an outer surface defining a plurality of dimples and an inner surface opposite the outer surface; a spherical core having an outer surface disposed within the cover layer, wherein the spherical core has an internal cavity that holds an electronics assembly. In one embodiment, the golf ball further comprises a mantle layer disposed between the spherical core and the cover layer. In one embodiment, the golf ball further comprises an innermost mantle layer and an outermost mantle layer disposed between the spherical core and the cover layer, wherein the innermost mantle layer has an inner surface disposed on the outer surface of the spherical core and the outermost mantle layer has an outer surface disposed on the inner surface of the cover layer. In one embodiment, the electronics are configured to acquire data from the gyroscope and calculate the distance rolled after impact until the ball comes to a stop. In one embodiment, the electronics are configured to acquire data from the accelerometer and gyroscope and determine when a club has impacted the ball and reports such data to an external device as a stroke.
Further, golf balls are provided that include a cover layer having an outer surface defining a plurality of dimples and an inner surface opposite the outer surface; a spherical core having an outer surface disposed within the cover layer, wherein the spherical core has an internal cavity that contains an electronics assembly; wherein the spherical core has an outer surface that mates with the inner surface of the cover layer.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the disclosure, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Although claimed subject matter will be described in terms of certain embodiments, other embodiments, including embodiments that do not provide all of the benefits and features set forth herein, are also within the scope of this disclosure. Various structural or process step changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure is defined only by reference to the appended claims.
The present disclosure describes a golf ball comprising an electronic device contained within the ball near the center of the golf ball, that includes an outer cover layer with a dimpled pattern disposed over the spherical core. In one embodiment, the electronic device includes a multi-axis gyroscope, multi-axis accelerometer, and magnetic sensors. In some embodiments, a multi-axis magnetometer is included along with the accelerometer and gyroscope. The electronics device further comprises a microprocessor that is capable of storing and executing one or more software algorithms and a means to communicate with an external device, such as a smart phone or computer, through wireless means such as Bluetooth (BLE) communications. In a preferred embodiment, the microprocessor is capable of being programmed and re-programmed multiple times (e.g., software updates) wirelessly, such that the electronic device inside of a golf ball can be updated to improve performance on a regular basis. In one embodiment, the electronics are programmed with one or more software algorithms that make the device capable of detecting play data and/or determining when a stroke has occurred and keeping score of a player's golf play. In one embodiment, solid state oscillators are used in the electronic assembly solely or in combination with crystal oscillators. Solid state oscillators may provide operation under impact force in certain embodiments, when compared to crystal oscillators.
In another embodiment, the electronic device is contained within a spherical core near the center of the golf ball, an outer cover layer with a dimpled pattern as the outermost layer of the golf ball, and polymeric, elastomeric, and/or composite layers disposed between the spherical core and the cover layer. In another embodiment, the spherical core is a hollow shell made from a high stiffness material. In another embodiment, the outer cover layer may include a base layer that is designed to work with the outermost layer containing the dimple pattern.
In one embodiment, the golf ball has a cover layer formed of an ionomeric material or another material that is resistant to damage from external articles of the type normally encountered when playing golf, such as a golf club. The cover layer has an outer surface, defining a dimpled pattern, and an inner surface. The cover layer has a cover thickness between its outer surface and inner surface. The ball also includes a spherical core or layer that may contain void space therein to provide space for various electronic components. The sphere may be made out of material with a low hardness material to dampen the energy imparted on the ball at impact with a club and thereby protecting the electronics. Any remaining void space in the sphere may be filled with a potting material that demonstrates an ability to dampen the energy imparted on the ball at impact with a club and thereby protecting the electronics.
In one embodiment, the golf ball has a cover layer formed of an ionomeric material or another material that is resistant to damage from external articles of the type normally encountered when playing golf, such as a golf club. The cover layer has an outer surface, defining a dimpled pattern, and an inner surface. The cover layer has a cover thickness between its outer surface and inner surface. The ball also includes a spherical core or layer, such as one made from a metal, which has an outer surface and an inner surface. The spherical core or layer, which may be hollow, has a sphere thickness between its outer surface and inner surface. The outer surface of the spherical core can be supported or surrounded by an inner surface of a first polymeric, elastomeric, and/or composite mantle layer. The first mantle layer has an outer surface, which can be supported or surrounded by the inner surface of a second polymeric, elastomeric, and/or composite mantle layer. An outer surface of the second mantle layer can be supported or surrounded by the inner surface of the cover layer. In this embodiment, any transmitting or receiving devices would include antenna located outside of the metal sphere, as the metal sphere would serve as a Faraday Cage and block communications with wireless communications devices.
In another embodiment, the golf ball may include three, four, five, or more resin, polymeric, elastomeric, and/or composite mantle layers between the spherical core and the cover layer.
The electronics of the golf ball of one embodiment of the present disclosure provides at least one of the following wireless communication functions:
In one embodiment, passive or active external signals are used in combination with the ball to determine when the ball is in play. In one embodiment, magnets are included under the tee box and within the cup such that the magnetometer on the ball can detect the magnetic field in a way that can be discriminated from the background field created by the earth. These passive signals can be used to determine when a ball enters play (sitting in the tec box) and exits play (drops in the cup) for a given hole. Magnets of varying strength can be used such that each hole has a unique field strength and thus the ball can be programmed to identify which hole is being played by comparing the signal strength of the magnetic field to a data table stored in memory in the electronic device in the golf ball.
In one embodiment, the golf ball must be identified during play so that a player's score can be reported to an external device for display to the player or to a larger audience. In one embodiment, the mac address of the communications device included in the ball electronics is used as a unique identifier for the ball. Before the start of play, the unique mac address for the communications device on the ball will be associated with the player assigned to that ball by means of a data table. Various means are available to acquire the unique mac address for the communications device on the ball. For example, the mac address may be printed on the outside of the ball, or data table may be used to print a shorter label on the ball and linked to the mac address in the data table, or the ball may be connected thru the wireless communication device and the mac address may be interrogated and presented on a computer screen.
Referring now to
The spherical core 510 may be made from a hard plastic. The sphere made be made from a material such as fiber or carbon filled ABS and/or other hard plastics and filled hard plastics. The spherical core 510 has an outside diameter ranging from about 0.50 to 1.50 inches (about 1.27 to 3.8 cm), and a thickness from about 0.02 to 0.16 inches (0.05 to 0.41 cm) or from about 0.02 to 0.08 inches (0.05 to 0.20 cm), including all values and ranges therebetween. Preferably, the spherical core has internal void space therein to provide space for various electronic components. Preferably the spherical core has internal features designed in a shape to receive the various electronic components such that the electronic components may be easily placed inside the core at time of fabrication.
Adverting to
A hollow core made from a high stiffness plastic and used as the spherical core 510 can have a maximum outer diameter of about 22.86 mm (0.90 inches) or less to comply with new rules issued by the USGA. The outer surface of the spherical core 510 and the inner surface of the spherical core 510 together define a hollow core thickness, which may vary within the spherical core due to the features designed into the core to receive and support the electronic components. The core thickness may range from about 0.5 mm to about 6.4 mm.
One set of materials that can be used to create high stiffness cores is a blend of polymers and a secondary material such as ceramics to form a composites. Many polymers and ceramics may be used for this type of composite. Injection molded polymers for the core composites include, but are not limited to nylon, polyethylene, polystyrene, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Other materials may be as the strengthening phase in the polymer matrix composite as well. For example, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene, and other materials may provide stiffening of a polymer or elastomer when used in a composite as described above. Furthermore, elastomers may also be employed as the matrix or mixed with a polymer to provide the matrix. Other examples of polymers that may be used include an ethylene (meth)acrylic acid ionomer (such as HPF resin manufactured by DuPont), a polyether block amide (such as PEBAX® resin manufactured by Arkema Group), urethane/polyurethane, and/or polybutadiene.
The cover layer 540 has an outer surface 550 and an inner surface, which together define a thickness, which is about 4 mm, but may be any thickness between about 1 mm and about 6 mm or between about 2 mm and about 5 mm. The outer surface 550 has a surface dimple pattern and can be made of an ionomer resin (such as SURLYN® resin manufactured by DuPont), but may also be made of another ionomer, urethane, balata, polybutadiene, another synthetic elastomer, or any other material suitable for a golf ball cover. The cover layer 540 also forms the golf ball diameter, which can be 42.67 mm (1.68 inches), to meet USGA and industry standards, but may be any diameter equal to, greater, or less than 42.67 mm. For example, the diameter may be from about 40 mm and about 45 mm, including all values and ranges therebetween.
The first mantle layer 520 and second mantle layer 530 can be, for example, a polyether block amide or a polymeric resin.
Preferably, the spherical core 510 and the first mantle layer 520 have an elastic modulus within three, two, or one-and-a-half orders of magnitude of each other. Preferably, each of the first mantle layer 520, second mantle layer 530, and cover layer 540 has an elastic modulus within three, two, or one-and-a-half orders of magnitude of each adjacent layer. Thus, the first mantle layer 520 and second mantle layer 530 have an elastic modulus within three, two, or one-and-a-half orders of magnitude of each other. The second mantle layer 530 and cover layer 540 may also have an elastic modulus within three, two, or one-and-a-half orders of magnitude of each other.
In one embodiment, void space inside of spherical core 510 is filled with a potting material such as a two-part epoxy. Preferably, the two-part epoxy has a viscosity near that of water or maple syrup when initially mixed, so that it can flow into all of the void spaces. It is important to fill in void spaces because they will contain residual air that can cause issues during subsequent injection molding operations. In a preferred embodiment, the potting material is filled into the void space inside of spherical core 510 by use of a partial vacuum. The vacuum is used to expand the air occupying the void spaces while the potting material is being injected. In some embodiments, this is performed over a few vacuum cycles, where the vacuum is applied followed by release of vacuum with atmospheric air or a predetermined processing gas. This method can be used to remove most of the air pockets that occupy void spaces.
Referring now to
The electronic components, cover layer 650, mantle layers 620-640, and spherical core 610 in
Referring now to
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Cover layer 770, mantle layers, and spherical core 720 of
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic golf ball is designed to meet all of the current performance and construction rules set for golf balls by the United States Golf Association (“USGA”), excluding any rule specifically related to electronic components, if present. Included in the USGA rules, a golf ball must be spherical in shape and have equal aerodynamic properties and equal moments of inertia about any axis through its center. The ball must have a minimum diameter of 1.68 inches (4.267 cm), a maximum weight of 1.620 ounces (45.926 g), a maximum initial ball velocity of 255 feet per second, and travel a limited distance as measured on a standard USGA ball testing machine. In recent years, USGA has added a rule limiting some cores to about 0.9 inch diameter, so it may be desirable to limit electronic devices to produce a ball that fits within such an envelope. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic components fit within a core that has an outside diameter of 0.9 inches. Preferably, the core is a stiff core with a stiffness of at least 300 MPa, and more preferably at least 800 MPa, and even more preferably at least 1 GPa.
During a high-speed collision between a golf ball and golf club, the golf ball undergoes deformation such that the core of the golf ball deforms from a spherical shape to an oblong shape. At the point of maximum deflection of the golf ball, the golf ball and the golf club head travel together for a period of time at the same velocity. After this point, the golf ball projects forward, accelerating off the face of the golf club due to the elastic nature of the golf ball. The inventors have determined that, after the ball is struck at high impact (e.g., a high-speed swing with a drive), the physical deformation of the ball often results in catastrophic failure of the contained electronics. Even though the acceleration rates of the ball off a driver are measured in tens of thousands of G's (one ‘G’ is defined as the force of gravity, equal to approximately 9.8 meters/second/second), it is the physical deformation that most often leads to failure of the electronics. If the electronic components within a golf ball can be protected such that they are not subject to physical deformation as in a typical golf ball during high impact swings, they may continue to function indefinitely. A stiff core, such as a hollow metal or plastic core may be used to protect the electronics. The stiff core may also be formed from an epoxy or other material that can be cured in place around the electronics.
In one embodiment, the electronics may be set within a premanufactured inner core tightly, such that a cavity formed in the premanufactured inner core closely match the shape of the electronic components, such that they form a tight body when combined. In one embodiment, the shape of an internal cavity of a premanufactured inner core is larger than the electronic components, such that a material must be deposited between the premanufactured inner core and the electronic components. Preferably the material to deposit and fill the open volume between the premanufactured inner core and the electronic components is a flowable material that cures, such as an RTV or other curing material, which is injected around the electronics to fill any excess void space within the inner core. Materials to isolate and seal electronic devices are common in the electronics industry and are known as potting materials. In certain embodiments, materials that remain highly flexible after curing are preferred.
In one embodiment, golf balls are made by first placing the electronic components 730 in a hollow spherical body, followed by injecting a curable liquid epoxy around the electronic components 730. Next, the assembly comprising the spherical body, curable liquid epoxy, and the electronic components 730 is placed within a chamber where the air and/or other gases inside of the chamber are partially removed by means of a vacuum pump. Application of a vacuum within the chamber causes air pockets trapped within the electronic components 730 to expand and rise to the surface of the assembly. Preferably, a vacuum is applied to reduce the pressure inside of the chamber by at least 300 mmHg, more preferably the pressure is reduced inside of the chamber by at least 400 mmHg, and most preferably by at least 500 mmHg. In one embodiment, once the desired vacuum level is reached, it is held for no longer than 10 seconds, then the vacuum is released by allowing atmospheric air, nitrogen, or other gas to fill the chamber and rise back to atmospheric pressure. Applying vacuum and releasing vacuum can be performed one or more times, with the result of gas pockets inside of the electronic components 730 being replaced with the curable liquid epoxy. After the vacuum treatment is complete, the solution is cured according to the curing process specified for the curable liquid epoxy formulation.
Preferably, the largest individual air or other gas pocket within a finished, cured assembly is less than 200 cubic millimeters (mm3), more preferably less than 10 mm3, and most preferably less than 50 mm3. Preferably, the total volume of air or other gases trapped within a finished, cured assembly is less than 1,000 cubic millimeters (mm3), ore preferably less than 500 mm3, and most preferably less than 100 mm3.
Many types of curable liquid epoxies are suitable for use including single component and multi-component such as 2-part, epoxies, and can be used alone or in combination of more than one. In one embodiment, the epoxy is selected based on the viscosity, cure time, and compressive strength. Preferably, the viscosity is low to allow gas pockets to be removed during the manufacturing process. Preferably, the viscosity is less than 1,000 centipoise (Cp), more preferably less than 100 Cp and most preferably less than 10 Cp. In one embodiment, the time to cure is long enough to allow vacuum or other processing to remove gas pockets and short enough to provide a reasonable manufacturing time. Preferably, the amount of time between mixing to curing to a point where the viscosity twice that of the as-mixed viscosity is between 1 minute and 5 hours, more preferably between 2 minutes and 2 hours, and most preferably between 2 minutes and 1 hour. In certain embodiments, the strength of the fully cured epoxy must be large enough to allow the finished, cured assembly to be further processed to complete the manufacturing of a golf ball. In one embodiment, the finished, cured assembly is placed within a mold cavity and a thermoplastic or other suitable material is injected molded over the finished, cured assembly. In one embodiment, the epoxy has a preferred strength of at least 10 megapascals (MPa).
In certain embodiments, multiple materials are used to cover the electronic components 730. In one embodiment, the electronic components 730 are protected from high impact forces by a cushioning material that decreases the g-forces imparted to the electronics by allowing compression into the material. In one embodiment, a spherical mold with an internal volume slightly larger than the electronic components 730 is filled with an epoxy that is compressible after it is fully cured. In one embodiment, materials suitable for this material include expanded polyurethane and other materials that have a porous structure and can be easily compressed. In such embodiments, the gas pockets comprising the foamed volume must be either isolated so they do not interfere with further manufacturing processes and/or the further manufacturing processes are altered to allow the presence of gas pockets. After the first material is cured to a suitable level and removed from the mold, the spherical first layer molded electronic components 730 is placed into a spherical mold with an internal volume larger in diameter, to allow a second layer to be formed over the spherical first layer molded electronic components 730. In one embodiment, the second layer is comprised of an epoxy with high strength, preferably greater than 10 MPa, more preferably greater than 30 MPa, and most preferably greater than 50 MPa. Preferably, the second layer has a preferred thickness greater than 1 mm, more preferably greater than 2 mm and most preferably greater than 5 mm.
In one embodiment, a spherical mold is used to support the electronic components 730 while potting material is deposited and cured to form a solid spherical core and incudes spherical core 510. Electronic components 730 are thereby contained within the solid potted core, which is made in a manner to minimize the volume of trapped air or other gases inside of the core, as described herein. At this point in the manufacturing process, the core is processed further to form a completed golf ball.
In one embodiment, additional layers of material may be deposited onto the spherical core 510, followed by a final cover layer 540 that includes an outer surface 550 that may include surface features such as dimples to increase flight characteristics; Practically, the number of spherical layers deposited onto the spherical core 510 is limited to maintain a reasonable cost of manufacture; the materials used in each layer are chosen to improve impact characteristics and durability and may be selected from a wide range of materials; preferably, the cover layer 540 comprises a material known in the industry for golf ball coverings, such as Surlyn, urethane, or other cover materials;
In one embodiment, a single layers of material may be deposited onto the spherical core 510 comprising the final cover layer 540 that includes an outer surface 550 that may include surface features such as dimples to increase flight characteristics; and
In some embodiments, the cover layer 540 may be coated with materials to improve durable, aesthetics, and/or flight characteristics.
In one embodiment, materials for the golf ball are chosen to provide to reduce the impact force on the electronics, yet providing a golf ball with a high Coefficient of Restitution (COR) such that it performs in a similar manner to other modern golf balls when struck by a club at various speeds. As such, the materials next to the core are preferred to be energy absorbing and have a low COR value while the materials closer to the cover are preferred to have a high COR value.
The COR of a golf ball is determined empirically. The golf ball is launched at a predetermined velocity (v (initial)) toward a flat rigid object, such as a large steel plate fixed to a wall, and the velocity is measured after the golf ball bounces off of the plate (v (final)) in a manner such that the impact is perpendicular to the plate. The COR is calculated as shown in Equation 2:
COR can determine the elasticity of a golf ball and the value lies between an ideal case where all the energy at impact is returned to the ball and the final velocity matches the initial velocity with COR equal to 100% or 1.0 and the case where none of the energy at impact is returned to the golf ball and the final velocity is zero (i.e., the golf ball simply drops to the floor) and COR equals 0% or 0. The COR of a typical polymeric golf ball is around 70% to 85% and the golf balls of the present invention will have a preferred COR value between 50% to 90% and more preferably between 75% and 85%.
Stiffness is related to the impact and vibrational response of an object. The following Equation 1 for a simple harmonic oscillator relates the stiffness of a spring to various damping factors (including certain frictional forces) and the resulting vibrational response:
where t is time, b is the damping constant, wo is the characteristic angular frequency (equal to 2πfo, where f is frequency in cycles per second), Aocos(ωt)=Aocos(2πft) and is the driving force with an amplitude of Ao and an angular frequency of @, and x is the position.
Because the force exerted on a golf ball may be considered an impact or impulse force, the initial conditions (t=0) are such that the right-hand side of Equation 1 is zero. Focusing on the left-hand side of Equation 1, the damping coefficient and characteristic angular frequency can be important variables for design considerations in terms of controlling the impact force and vibration are imparted to the electronics. Since the damping coefficient may not determine the amount of energy coupled to the vibrational losses of the system, only the rate at which it is dissipated as heat, this shows that the characteristic frequency can be the primary variable for designers to reduce energy losses associated with vibration. Characteristic frequency is a function of the stiffness or spring constant, as well as the state of the pre-stress compression or tension forces. Materials for the filler, or potting materials, and optionally the inner spherical core with a high dampening coefficient are preferred.
The inventors have determined that the materials in the cover and near the cover govern the COR of golf balls with stiff cores that may be used to protect electronics. Thus, in one embodiment a stiff inner core may be used in combination with a filler/potting material, around the electronics that has a high dampening coefficient.
In golf balls with stiff inner cores used to protect the electronics from deformation the clastic modulus of the core may be much higher than the typical modulus range of polymeric/elastomeric materials used in subsequent outer layers and it may be necessary to have a transition from the core to the polymeric/elastomeric materials such that the modulus difference between the innermost layer and the hollow metal core is not greater than two orders of magnitude. Molding materials in several steps to produce a multi-component ball with several layers, where each layer is formed of a different combination of materials and/or using processing conditions to form such layers can result in decreasing stiffness from each layer moving out from the stiff core, is one example of a golf ball that achieves this objective. The selection for each layer will generally be determined through experimental and modeling means, testing each layer individually, as well as variations of completed balls.
The golf balls include algorithms stored on the electronic components and executed thereon to provide important playing data and scoring information. In one embodiment, the electronic components 730 include a component that is capable of being programmed and/or re-programmed (e.g., software updates) wirelessly, without the need to use wires or other mechanical connections between a programming module and the electronic components 730 to communicate and provide power for the electronic components 730. This allows the electronic device inside of a golf ball to be updated to improve performance on a regular basis. In one embodiment, a Bluetooth communication device manufactured by STMicroelectronics N.V. (ST Micro) based in Geneva Switzerland is used to provide wireless programming. ST Micro refers to their wireless programming functionality as OTA (Over-the-Air) updates. In a preferred embodiment, an ST Micro model STM32WB55VGY6TR microprocessor is used for wireless OTA software update, which includes a generation 5 Bluetooth communication module.
In one embodiment, the distance a ball rolls is calculated by first determining the rotational rate of the ball and multiplying the rotational rate by the circumference of the ball. To improve accuracy, the rotational rate is determined frequently and is determined every 0.1 seconds in one embodiment, thus determining the distance rolled each 0.1 seconds. The total distance is determined by summing all of the distance steps for each 0.1 second interval from the time the ball starts rolling until the ball stops rolling. The rotational rate can be determined using the gyroscope sensor, which typically reports in degrees per second In devices from most manufactures.
In an alternative embodiment, the accelerometer is used to determine the rotational rate of the ball. The accelerometer continuously indicates the downward direction of 1g, due to the force from acceleration of gravity. As the ball rolls, the downward force moves from axis to axis, depending on the axis on which the ball is rolling. As the ball rolls, the force will be cyclical and the time required to complete each cycle indicates the frequency at which the ball is rolling.
In one embodiment, an algorithm uses data from a gyroscope and/or accelerometer to predict a user's putting performance. When combined with a personal communication device such as a cell phone to compile data from a user on playing performance. In one embodiment, data about the putting surface is first gathered in the form of a topographical map of the putting surface. Playing data comprising more than one individual putts is compiled and retained in memory on the cell phone or data storage on the golf ball. After a predetermined number of putts is made, data can be analyzed to determine trends in how the user impacts the golf ball. With this data, the device can be used to instruct the user on the impact direction to compensate for the player's typical putt. After a number practice sessions, the user can be instructed to learn how to impact the ball to compensate for improper hits and become a better golfer with practice.
In one embodiment, an algorithm uses data from a gyroscope and/or accelerometer to determine the speed of a green or other putting surface. A Stimp Reading is a common measurement used in golf to indicate how fast a golf ball rolls on a green. In one embodiment, the ball is programmed to calculate the distance the ball rolls after it falls to a speed of 6 feet per second. The distance is reported in feet and is call the Stimp Reading.
In one embodiment, an alignment indicating mark is printed on the ball to allow a user to align the ball for play. In one embodiment, the alignment mark is aligned along a single axis of the gyroscope and/or accelerometer and/or other sensors located on the electronic device within the golf ball such that when the ball is rotated along the indicating mark, the axis on which the ball is spinning is the only, or a majority, axis of the sensor that is reporting motion. This type of configuration allows the data to be analyzed in an efficient manner, with a putt rolling along the axis indicated by the mark being on a single sensor axis, and data reported from other axis representing off axis movement.
Referring now to
At point 1200 the external hub will be configured to send various messages to a server that is present on or off the course via a WiFi network that is on-premise at the course. Each of the messages will be received by the server and an acknowledgement will be sent back to the hub. Key messages include a hub heartbeat every 60 seconds that provides notification to the server that the ball is working in the field message and all, or a select set, of the messages sent from the ball to a hub.
At point 1300 the system is configured for the server to receive messages from the hub and perform the processing necessary to determine the strokes from all of the balls in play. The server will update data for player and spectator access through leaderboard, and/or web page, with scoring and other data, including, for example, strokes played, hole number, and player name.
The embodiment of Example 1 includes the ability to automatically detect and present scoring information such as when a stroke has occurred for a given ball that may be assigned to a specific player name in a database. The software is configured to execute a state machine which will keep and determine the ball status such as in-play or in-handling. The state machine is executed upon every new data point read by the processor, which occurs about 100 times per second.
The state machine is described as follows in combination with
At point 1500 the ball microprocessor is configured to collect data from the Accelerometer/Magnetometer sensor at a rate of about 100 times per second. The processor will be continually calculating a sum of the absolute values of the X, Y and Z directions of the Accelerometer and comparing these values to previous sums. The difference between a previous sum and the present sum forms a set of values referred to as AccelDelta.
At point 1600 the IDLE state is configured to interrogate Magnetometer data from the Accelerometer/Magnetometer sensor. All other data is ignored until the Magnetometer data meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold value, at which time the state will change to On Tee; otherwise the state will remain in the IDLE state and continue to interrogate the Magnetometer. A magnetic device placed at or near each tee box on the course will provide a magnetic signal that meets or exceeds the predetermined value.
At point 1700 the On Tee state has been entered and the HOLE IN PROGRESS state will be entered if the ball remains at rest for a predetermined amount of time. At this point, the processor is configured to interrogate the sensor data and determine if the ball has moved by calculating AccelDelta and comparing it with a predetermined threshold value. At point 1701 while the ball is in the On Tee state or the HOLE IN PROGRESS state, movement has been detected because AccelDelta has reached or exceeded the predetermined threshold value and the processor is configured to determine is this movement was a stroke by comparing AccelDelta to a Stroke-movement threshold value; if AccelDelta meets or exceeds this threshold value, the state will change to Stroke In Progress state and the stoke total for that hole will incremented by one. If the movement was determined to not be a stroke because the Stroke-movement threshold value was not met, the state will change to Handling.
At point 1800 the Stroke In Progress state has been entered and the processor is configured to determine if the ball has gone into a hole. This is determined when the Magnetometer data meets or exceeds a predetermined in-hole threshold value, at which time the state will change to the In Hole state. The processor will store the hole data in memory for possible transfer via Bluetooth to the server via an available external hub. A magnetic device placed within or near each hole on the course will provide a magnetic signal that meets or exceeds the predetermined value. At point 1801 while in the Stroke In Progress state, the ball has come to rest for a predetermined amount of time while the Magnetometer data does not meet or exceed the predetermined in-hole threshold value, the state is changed to the End Stroke state.
At point 1900 once in the In Hole state has been entered, the state will change to After In Hole. At point 2000 while in the After In Hole state, the processor is configured to interrogate the Magnetometer data and will change the state to IDLE after the Magnetometer data falls below the predetermined in-hole threshold value, indicating that the ball has been removed from the hole by a player.
At point 2100 the ball has entered the End Stroke state and again enters the Hole In Progress state after it has come to rest for a predetermined amount of time. At point 2200 once in the Handling state, the processor determines if the ball has come to rest for a predetermined amount of time and, if so, and at least one stroke was taken, the state changes to Hole In Progress. If no strokes have been taken, the state changes to On Tee. The cycle continues for each new hole until the ball is taken out of play and turned off.
An example of an electronic golf ball made according to the present disclosure is shown below:
Three-piece ball plus electronic assembly: hollow ABS plastic spherical core having internal features to hold the electronic components and a minimum thickness of approximately 0.020 inches and an outside diameter of 0.9 inches, surrounded by a mantle layer of DuPont HPF 1000 with a thickness of 0.33 inches which is surrounded with an ionomer cover layer with a thickness of 0.060 inches. Other materials, such as polybutadiene, urethanes, and various resins may be used as layers as described above.
The electronic assembly within the three-piece ball includes the following key components:
Also included are various capacitors, resistors, power regulators, signal conditioners, connectors, oscillators, and other devices, as well as boards and circuitry well known in the art of electronics circuit design required to produce a working device from the aforementioned key components. In a preferred embodiment, solid state oscillators are used as they provide improved stability over crystal oscillators. However, in some embodiments, crystal oscillators may be used for some or all oscillator components. The microprocessor must also include programmed software according to the software flow charts shown in
The embodiments described above may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the embodiments may be combined together to form a further embodiment. A method or a system, disclosed herein, may comprise at least one of the embodiments described hereinbefore. It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. It will further be understood that reference to ‘an’ item refers to one or more of those items. The term “comprising” is used in this specification to mean including the feature(s) or act(s) followed thereafter, without excluding the presence of one or more additional features or acts.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63481069 | Jan 2023 | US |
