METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LOCATING A LOST GOLF BALL

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to a method, a system and a computer program

product for locating a lost golf ball. More particularly, the present invention relates to a

method, a device and a computer program product for detecting the location of a lost

golf.

Description of the Prior Art:

Typically, the sport of golf is played on terrain having a variety of characteristics,

such as grass, sand, trees, water, a specified distance, etc. It is not uncommon for a golf

ball to become lost while playing golf due to the characteristics of the environment in

which it is played. Once a golf ball is lost, a substantial amount of time can be spent

trying to find it. This results in an increase of playing time for the player who lost the

ball, as well as other players playing behind or with the player. In cases where the golf

ball cannot be located, the player who lost the ball is accessed a penalty stroke increasing

the player's final score. There are a variety of techniques that have been implemented to

assist a golfer locate a lost golf ball in a more expedient manner than combing through

the area where the golf ball is believed to have been lost. Some techniques implement a

golf ball including an electromagnetic signal transmitter that transmits a signal that can

be detected by a receiver antenna. Another technique implements a golf ball that has

been subjected to an aroma that can be detected by an electronic detection circuit. Yet

another technique implements a golf ball with a radioactive core, where the golf ball's

radioactive rays can be detected. However each of these techniques require that the golf

ball is modified in some capacity during the manufacturing of the golf ball. Because the

rules of golf restrict the inclusion of object in a golf ball or the modification of a golf ball,

these methods of locating a golf ball are undesirable.

Accordingly, there is a need for a device that detects the location of a golf ball.

There is further need for the device to be mobile. There is a further need for the device to

detect the location of a golf ball over long distances. There is a need for the device to

locate a golf ball without modifying the golf ball at the time of manufacturing. There is a

need for the device to apply an object or an amount material to the interior of a golf ball

to enable detection of the golf ball. There is a need for the device to apply an object or an

amount of material to the exterior of a golf ball to enable the detection of the golf ball.

There is a need for the application of the object or the material to not adversely affect the

aerodynamic properties of the golf ball. There is a need for the device to decrease the

amount of time required to locate an object.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to embodiments of the present invention, a method, a device and a

computer program product for detecting the location of a golf ball are provided. The

method applies an object to a golf ball without adversely affecting the aerodynamic

properties of the golf ball. The object can be applied using Pin Printing technology to at

least one dimple of a golf ball.

According to a method of the present invention detecting the location of a golf ball

includes receiving a golf ball, locating an area on the golf ball, transferring an object to

the area on the golf ball by removing the object from a reservoir of objects, and detecting

a property of the object transferred to the golf ball. The object can be one of: a highly

reflective substance, a naturally radioactive substance, a RFID chip, and an organic

substance. The property detected can include any one of: reflected light, vapor,

radioactivity and RF signal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above described features and advantages of the present invention will be more

fully appreciated with reference to the detailed description and appended figures in

which:

Fig. 1 depicts an exemplary functional block diagram of a device in which the

present invention can find application;

Fig. 2 depicts an exemplary diagram of Pin Printing system depicted in Fig. 1;

and

Fig. 3 depicts an exemplary flow diagram for a method of detecting the location of

a golf ball Pin Printed with an object.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is now described more fully hereinafter with reference to the

accompanying drawings that show embodiments of the present invention. The present

invention, however, may be embodied in many different forms and should not be

construed as limited to embodiments set forth herein. Appropriately, these embodiments

are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey

the scope of the present invention.

Fig. 1 depicts a functional block diagram of a system 100 in which the present

invention can find application. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the system 100 is a hand¬

held device operable to determine the location of a golf ball and apply an object to the

golf ball that is detectable by the device. In the Fig. 1 embodiment of the present

invention, the system 100 includes a processor (CPU) 102, Pin Printing system 104,

detection circuitry 106, memory 110, data 112, display 108, and program 114. In an

embodiment of the present invention, Pin Printing system 104 is a separate standalone

system from system 100. In the Fig. 1 embodiment, detection circuitry 106 detects a golf

ball that has been applied with an object using Pin Printing system 104. The detection

circuitry 106 detects the location of the golf ball by monitoring for the properties of the

object applied to the golf ball. The objects detected include, but are not limited to,

distinctive high vapor pressure organic materials, unregulated materials that exhibit

natural radioactivity, phosphors materials, fluorescent materials, highly reflective

materials, and RFID chips. In an embodiment of the present invention, the object is

applied to the golf ball after the golf ball has been manufactured and is to be used in a

round of golf. In an embodiment of the present invention, detection circuitry 106 detects

a weak emission of the properties of the object. While the present invention described

herein may be described to a particular object, such as a golf ball, it will be understood

that this is just an example for illustrative purposes only.

The vapor properties of organic materials may be detected by well known

analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry or various types of gas chromatography.

The natural radioactivity properties of certain materials, such as clays, marble and

thorium compounds, is readily detected by various forms of a Geiger counter. The

reflective properties of materials, such as phosphors and other fluorescent substances,

may be detected using laser lights sources in the near infrared region (NIR). For

example, the backscatter of the laser light can be detected and locate golf ball Pin Printed

with such reflective substances. An RFID chip's signal can be detected by the RF

receiver antenna that may be incorporated in system 100. The details of ultra high

frequency (UHF) RFID chips and detection are given in, e.g., Gildden et al, "Design of

Ultra-Low-Cost UHF RFID Tags for Supply Chain Applications, IEEE Communications

Magazine, August 2004, 140-150, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its

entirety.

In the Fig. 1 embodiment of the present invention, Pin Printing system 104 applies

at least one object into a dimple of a golf ball. In an embodiment of the present

invention, an object is applied into a plurality of dimples of a golf ball. In the Fig. 1

embodiment of the present invention, at least one pin in Pin Printing system 104 is

inserted into at least one dimple of a golf ball and transfers an object into the at least one

dimple. In an embodiment of the present invention, the object transferred to the dimple

of the golf ball has a property that is detectable by system 100. The Pin Printing system

104 can be of the type used in biochemistry and described in Schena, Microarray

Analysis, Wiley-Liss, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The properties of the object are received for further digital signal processing by CPU 102.

The CPU 102 is a microprocessor, such as an INTEL PENTIUM® or AMD® processor,

but can be any processor that executes program instructions in order to carry out the

functions of the present invention. In the Fig. 1 embodiment of the present invention,

memory 110, Pin Printing system 104, detection circuitry 106, CPU 102, display 108 and

network interface 116 communicate using bus 118.

In the Fig. 1 embodiment of the present invention, the memory 110 is coupled to

CPU 102 and stores program 114 and data 112. The data 112 includes, but is not limited

to, information pertaining to the properties of objects to be detected and data related to

the evaluation of the detected properties. In the Fig. 1 embodiment of the present

invention, the program 114 provides the functionality associated with detecting the

properties of an object applied to a golf ball and operating Pin Printing system 104, as

executed by the CPU 102. In an embodiment of the present invention, the program 114 is

designed to detect the properties of objects and presenting the results on display 108

Fig. 2 depicts an exemplary schematic of a Pin Printing system 104 shown in Fig.

1. In an embodiment of the present invention, the Pin Printing system 104 includes an

object reservoir 202, pin printer head and printer assembly 204, golf ball 206, stage and

stepper motor assembly 208, battery casing 210, Pin Printing system housing 212, door

214, shaft assembly 216 and reservoir door 218. The object reservoir 202 stores objects

for application to golf ball 206 using pin printer head and printer assembly 204. The

object reservoir 202 can be loaded with objects through door 218. The objects that can

be loaded into reservoir 202 include, but are not limited to, highly reflective substances,

naturally radioactive substances, RFID chips, and organic substances.

In the Fig. 2 embodiment of the present invention, the motor assembly 208

receives an object, such as a golf ball, and rotates the golf ball in response to feedback

received from pin printing head and printer assembly 204. In an embodiment of the

present invention, the motor assembly 208 includes a stage and a stepper motor. The

stage of motor assembly 208 receives an object, such as a golf ball, for Pin Printing in

accordance with the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the

stage can have a concave configuration to increase the stability of the object on the stage.

Batteries in case 210 provide power to the stepper motor 208 and pin printer head and

printing assembly 204.

The door 214 allows for the object to be inserted into Pin Printing system 104 and

includes a shaft 216 that centers the golf ball into the concave surface of the stage to

allow for wobble-free rotation of the golf ball. In an embodiment of the present

invention, the shaft 216 is made from an appropriate plastic, such as nylon, so that the

golf ball is supported, but not damaged during Pin Printing. In an embodiment of the

present invention, the end of this shaft 216 is concave to better support the golf ball. The

Pin Printing system housing 212 houses the components of Pin Printing system 104.

In the Fig. 2 embodiment of the present invention, the pin printer head and

printing assembly 204 is a miniaturized robotic device with the ability to move back and

forth as well as rotate. In an embodiment of the present invention, the pin printer senses

the maximum and minimum in depth of the golf ball surface in order to locate the dimple

bottom. This sensing operation is based on feedback provided to the stepper motor 208

so that the stepper motor 208 moves the golf ball back and forth until the pin finds the

dimple minimum. Once the minimum is located, the pin printer head rotates to face

reservoir 202 and removes a sample of material from the reservoir and prints this material

in the center of the dimple of the golf ball through the surface of the golf ball or on the

surface of the golf ball. The printing may be repeated several times to provide sufficient

material for detection. In an embodiment of the present invention, the pin of pin printing

head and printer assembly 204 can be split acting like tweezers or have a capillary core to

allow fluid transfer. In an embodiment of the present invention, the pin of pin printing

head and printer assembly 204 can be a millimeter or less in diameter and used to transfer

small amounts of an object as described herein to the center of dimples on golf balls.

Fig. 3 is an exemplary flow chart for a method of detecting the location of a golf

ball Pin Printed with an object. The method begins in step 302. In step 302, an object,

such as a golf ball is positioned on a stage of stepper motor. In step 304, the bottom of a

dimple on the golf ball is located by a pin printer head. In an embodiment of the present

invention, locating the bottom of a dimple on a golf ball includes the pin printer head

providing feedback to the stepper motor to move the golf ball back and forth until the pin

printer head finds the dimple minimum. In step 306, the pin printer head rotates to face

the reservoir storing objects for application to golf ball. In step 308, the pin printer head

removes a sample of the objects from the reservoir. In step 310, the pin printer head

transfers the object to the golf ball dimple. In an embodiment of the present invention,

the object is printed to the exterior surface of the golf ball. In an embodiment of the

present invention, the object is printed in the interior of the golf ball though the golf

ball's surface. In an embodiment of the present invention, steps 304-310 can be repeated

to other dimples of the golf ball. In step 312, the golf ball can be located by detecting the

properties of the object.

While specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and

described, it will be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art that changes can

be made to those embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the

invention.