US5486002A — Golfing apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 126 words

A golfing apparatus for determining the carry distance of a golf ball which a golfer has struck, said golfing apparatus comprising: (a) a speed measuring mechanism which has a boresight and which measures a component of the speed of the golf ball, said speed measuring mechanism being aimed at the golf ball while in flight, wherein said boresight of said speed measuring mechanism is disposed at angle in the range of zero degrees to twenty five degrees with respect to level ground; and (b) correlating means for correlating said measured component of the speed of the golf ball with an empirically derived factor for use in determining the estimated carry distance of the golf ball, said correlating means being electrically coupled to said speed measuring mechanism.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 126 words

A golfing apparatus for determining the carry distance of a golf ball which a golfer has struck, said golfing apparatus comprising: (a) a speed measuring mechanism which has a boresight and which measures a component of the speed of the golf ball, said speed measuring mechanism being aimed at the golf ball while in flight, wherein said boresight of said speed measuring mechanism is disposed at angle in the range of zero degrees to twenty five degrees with respect to level ground; and (b) correlating means for correlating said measured component of the speed of the golf ball with an empirically derived factor for use in determining the estimated carry distance of the golf ball, said correlating means being electrically coupled to said speed measuring mechanism.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising displaying means for displaying the estimated carry distance of the golf ball, said displaying means being electrically coupled to said correlating means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said correlating means includes a counter which counts for a period of time determined by said empirically derived factor.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said empirically derived factor corresponds to one or more different faced golf clubs.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said empirically derived factor includes a plurality of factors.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 66 words

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein: (a) each of the plurality of factors corresponds to one of a plurality of different faced golf clubs, and (b) said correlating means further comprises (i) a manually operated selector switch for selecting one of said plurality of factors, and (ii) a counter which counts for a period of time determined by the selected one of said plurality of factors.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 139 words

A golfing apparatus for estimating the carry distance of a struck golf ball, said golfing apparatus comprising: (a) a speed measuring mechanism having a boresight disposed at an angle in the range of zero degrees to twenty five degrees with respect to level ground wherein said speed measuring mechanism measures the speed of the struck golf ball; (b) a storage device holding an empirically derived factor, said empirically derived factor relating a speed of a previously struck golf ball as measured by the speed measuring mechanism to an observed carry distance of the previously struck golf ball; (c) a circuit coupled to said speed measuring mechanism and to said storage device whereby said circuit correlates the measured speed of the struck golf ball with the empirically derived factor, thereby producing an estimated carry distance for the struck golf ball.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 139 words

A golfing apparatus for estimating the carry distance of a struck golf ball, said golfing apparatus comprising: (a) a speed measuring mechanism having a boresight disposed at an angle in the range of zero degrees to twenty five degrees with respect to level ground wherein said speed measuring mechanism measures the speed of the struck golf ball; (b) a storage device holding an empirically derived factor, said empirically derived factor relating a speed of a previously struck golf ball as measured by the speed measuring mechanism to an observed carry distance of the previously struck golf ball; (c) a circuit coupled to said speed measuring mechanism and to said storage device whereby said circuit correlates the measured speed of the struck golf ball with the empirically derived factor, thereby producing an estimated carry distance for the struck golf ball.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a display electrically coupled to said circuit.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said speed measuring mechanism is a Doppler radar device.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said speed measuring mechanism is a single Doppler radar device.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said circuit includes a counter which counts for a period of time determined by said empirically derived factor.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 103 words

A golfing apparatus for determining the carry distance of a struck golf ball, said golfing apparatus comprising: (a) a speed measuring mechanism having a boresight disposed at an angle in the range of zero degrees to twenty five degrees with respect to level ground wherein said speed measuring mechanism measures a component of the speed of the struck golf ball; and (b) a correlator electrically coupled to said speed measuring mechanism whereby said correlator correlates said measured component of the speed of the struck golf ball with an empirically derived factor for use in estimating the carry distance of the struck golf ball.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 103 words

A golfing apparatus for determining the carry distance of a struck golf ball, said golfing apparatus comprising: (a) a speed measuring mechanism having a boresight disposed at an angle in the range of zero degrees to twenty five degrees with respect to level ground wherein said speed measuring mechanism measures a component of the speed of the struck golf ball; and (b) a correlator electrically coupled to said speed measuring mechanism whereby said correlator correlates said measured component of the speed of the struck golf ball with an empirically derived factor for use in estimating the carry distance of the struck golf ball.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a display electrically coupled to said correlator.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said speed measuring mechanism is a Doppler radar device.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said speed measuring mechanism is a single Doppler radar device.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or claim 12, wherein a line drawn between the speed measuring mechanism and the golf ball defines a line of sight, and the measured component of the speed of the golf ball is taken along the line of sight.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 27 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the measured component of the speed of the golf ball includes a component taken along a line parallel to the boresight.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the line parallel to the boresight is coincident with the boresight.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of obtaining a predetermined factor for estimating the carry distance of a struck golf ball, said method comprising the steps of: (a) orienting a Doppler radar in an anticipated direction of the struck golf ball, (b) measuring a Doppler shift from the struck golf ball, (c) observing the actual carry distance of the struck golf ball, and (d) correlating the measured Doppler shift to the observed actual carry distance said correlation constituting the predetermined factor.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of obtaining a predetermined factor for estimating the carry distance of a struck golf ball, said method comprising the steps of: (a) orienting a Doppler radar in an anticipated direction of the struck golf ball, (b) measuring a Doppler shift from the struck golf ball, (c) observing the actual carry distance of the struck golf ball, and (d) correlating the measured Doppler shift to the observed actual carry distance said correlation constituting the predetermined factor.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method of claim 19, wherein said step of orienting a Doppler radar in an anticipated direction of the struck golf ball includes the step of disposing a boresight at an angle in the range of zero degrees to twenty five degrees with respect to level ground.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 20, wherein said step of orienting a Doppler radar in an anticipated direction of the struck golf ball includes the step of disposing a boresight at an angle of ten degrees with respect to level ground.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 82 words

A method of estimating tile carry distance of a struck golf ball, said method comprising the steps of: (a) orienting a Doppler radar in an anticipated direction of the struck golf ball, (b) measuring a Doppler shift from the struck golf ball, and (c) correlating the measured Doppler shift to an estimated carry distance of the struck golf ball using a predetermined factor, said predetermined factor relating the measured Doppler shift to an observed carry distance of a previously struck golf ball.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 82 words

A method of estimating tile carry distance of a struck golf ball, said method comprising the steps of: (a) orienting a Doppler radar in an anticipated direction of the struck golf ball, (b) measuring a Doppler shift from the struck golf ball, and (c) correlating the measured Doppler shift to an estimated carry distance of the struck golf ball using a predetermined factor, said predetermined factor relating the measured Doppler shift to an observed carry distance of a previously struck golf ball.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-01-22	1999-07-24	2000-01-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-01-22	2003-07-24	2004-01-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-01-22	2007-07-24	2008-01-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Golfing apparatus

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag