In recent years, golf-driving ranges have become popular facilities which allow players to practice and improve their golf game. Generally, such facilities consist of a number of bays or tees from which the player hits a predetermined number of golf balls in the general direction of artificial golf greens, holes or targets. However, since the distance travelled by a golf ball may be several hundred metres, it is often very difficult for the player to accurately estimate the position of the struck ball, and adjust his subsequent shot accordingly. As a result, such facilities often provide distance indicators along the length of the range to aid the player, although their benefit is somewhat limited.

In an attempt to overcome this problem, US 5,798,519 discloses a camera-based system which senses the golf ball immediately after it is struck.

By monitoring the initial velocity and direction of the struck ball, the distance that such will travel is calculated and relayed back to the tee. However, the system is complex and the requirements in terms of processing power and speed are considerable.

A similar system is disclosed in US 6,113,504, whereby a series of elevated directional finders are installed at regular intervals around a golf course. The elevated directional finders are then used to monitor the golf ball immediately after it is struck and to determine the golf ball's initial flight path.

The flight path is then used to interpolate the golf ball's landing position on the basis of complex interpolation tables that must be derived empirically, and stored for use by the processor. Again, the problems associated with this complex approach are that substantial processing power is required, together with the associated significant installation costs involved.

In order to overcome these problems, various golf ball detection systems have been developed utilising an electronically tagged golf ball.

Electronic tagging systems are well-know and have found application mainly in retail stores or libraries, where the theft of goods can be a serious problem.

Generally, these systems comprise of an energised tag or transponder element which is secured to the object to be detected, and electronic circuitry configured to sense a signal produced by the tag upon interaction with an electromagnetic monitoring field, said field being provided by an antenna or coil arrangement. Upon sensing the tag signal output, an alarm or other warning means can be activated.

Utilising this approach, US 5,743,815, GB 2 267 222 and WO 99/48046 all disclose similar systems for detecting the position of an electronically tagged golf ball after being struck by a player on a driving range or golf course. However, these systems are all implemented by incorporating specific target areas or regions into the driving range, and having a variety of slopes, burms, retaining walls or the like to direct the struck golf ball towards a desired location for identification. Generally speaking, the detection of the struck golf ball is achieved using a series of readers or scanners which are located near to, or even buried directly in the holes or gullies at the bottom of these slopes. As such, all of the above techniques require that the golf-driving range or course would have to be significantly landscaped to place such slopes and burms into the target areas, and which is clearly different from the present invention, wherein the position of the uniquely identified golf ball is detected by using a field antenna array which is simply laid onto the ground or buried below floor level.

In order to address the specific problem of theft of golf balls from driving ranges, US 5,626,531 discloses a golf ball having a tag or transponder element encapsulated and sealed within the golf ball. As such, any customer of the range passing through the controlled detector exit with a tagged golf ball in his possession will cause the alarm to be activated.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for detecting the position of a tagged golf ball after being struck by a player upon, for example, a driving range. Said position of tagged golf ball being detected upon interaction with an electromagnetic field which is provided by a plurality of antenna arrays. Such positional information of each uniquely energised golf ball is processed and relayed back to the player in the appropriate bay or tee.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for detecting the position of an electronically tagged golf ball, comprising: a first antenna array situated in close proximity to a driving bay or tee for energising a tagged golf ball ; a plurality of energised second antenna arrays having predetermined frequency and field strength characteristics for detecting the presence of a tagged golf ball ; processing means for processing the output of each of said plurality of energised second antenna arrays to determine the position of a tagged golf ball ; and display means for displaying the processed positional information.

Preferably, said electronically tagged golf ball further comprises an outer cover surrounding a core having tag means encapsulated therein. Said tag means further comprises, preferably, at least one capacitive or magnetic element having a predetermined frequency response. Each individual second antenna array being energised, preferably, to provide an electromagnetic field having predetermined frequency and field strength characteristics.

Preferably, the interaction between the energising field of the antenna array and the tag embedded in the golf ball is sensed by said processing means. Said processing means, preferably, identifies said individual array into which the golf ball has landed and also determines the distance between the player and the golf ball. Further preferably, said display means further comprises an audio and visual display which is situated in the appropriate bay or tee.

Also, according to the present invention there is provided a method for detecting and displaying the position of a golf ball on a golf range, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of golf balls having uniquely energised tag means encapsulated therein; providing a plurality of energised antenna arrays having predetermined frequency and field strength characteristics for detecting the presence of said tag means; processing the output of each of said plurality of antenna arrays to provide an estimation of the position of said golf ball ; and displaying said position to a player in the appropriate tee or bay.

The advantages of the present invention are that a golf player is provided with real time information concerning the distance that each ball travels, or the distance to a target object situated within different scoring zones. As such, the player is able to adjust his subsequent shot if necessary.

The present invention also provides assistance for players receiving professional coaching, in that subtle changes to their game can be measured qualitatively.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations of the present invention are possible and it is intended that the present invention may be used other than specifically described herein.

A specific non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a golf ball having tag means encapsulated therein.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows schematically how the present invention may be implemented for a driving range having a plurality of bays or tees.

Referring now to the drawings, the cross-section of a tagged golf ball is illustrated in Figure 1. Specifically, the golf ball 11 has an outer cover 14 and a core 12 with a uniquely addressed electronic transponder or tag device 13 encapsulated therein. The tag 13 may comprise of a capacitive or magnetic element.

The proposed scheme is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, wherein the first step involves placing golf ball 11, having a passive transponder or tag 13 inserted within its interior, within the golf ball address antenna array 15. The uniquely addressed tag is detected by being energised by the electromagnetic field into emitting an electronic signal. The signal is detected by an electronic circuit within the antenna array and digitally transmitted to the central processor unit 22 via the network connections 17. The server/central processor unit 22 analyses this digital information and stores it. The server then sends a signal to the network repeaters 16. Any amount of network repeaters can be utilised depending on the specific dimensions of the total area of the field of use.

The signal passes through the signal and power isolation transformer circuits 21. This signal activates a program in the network repeaters 16 to energise the passive field antenna arrays 19 algorithmically to detect this uniquely addressed golf ball 11.

The golf ball is then hit by the player and if it lands within one of the field antenna arrays 19, the golf ball tag is energised by its closest field antenna array 19 into emitting its unique address signal. This address signal is detected by an electronic circuit within the field antenna array 19. The unique digital signal is transmitted to the network repeater 16. The network repeater 16 stores this unique digital information and transmits it to the server/central processor unit 22 via network connections 17 and the signal and power isolation transformer 21. It is programmed via the server network to not detect this unique golf ball tag. The network repeater is then made available via programming to detect any other golf balls that land within its area. At the same the server receives this information via the network it programmes all the network repeaters in the system to not detect this identified golf ball tag. The server makes all the field antenna arrays available to detect any other golf ball tags that are identified as having been placed in a ball address antenna array 15. If the golf ball does not land within a field antenna array in a pre-set timeframe, the network is again signaled by the server to stop detection for that particular golf ball tag.

The server decodes the digital information from the golf ball tag that has landed within that field antenna array 19. The server encodes the digital information into a pre-programmed score and distance travelled digital signal and transmits this to the multimedia point 20 adjacent to the ball address reader antenna 15, which originally detected the golf ball tag.

At the multimedia point 20, a monitor or visual display unit indicates the field antenna array 18 where the golf ball tag was detected, its designated score and the distance travelled. The player can store this information for a printout when he completes his allotted golf balls.

Various alterations and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the present invention described herein could also be provided on a golf course or indeed any suitable area where the detection means can be laid out upon or even below a floor level.