AU710894B2 - Method and apparatus for identifying position - Google Patents

Description

P:\OPER\SSB\47680-96. RES 3/8/99 -1- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING POSITION Technical Field Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatus for identifying position, and, more particularly, to a hand-holdable electronic device that displays an area and information about user-selected positions and objects in the area, such as relative distances between positions, objects, and geographic features, or the identity of an object, such as a building, including its address and owner.

Background of the Invention Various methods have been developed for tracking objects relative to known positions and for displaying information about the objects, such as the distance between the object and the known positions, the identification of the object, etc.

These methods, such as radar and the global positioning system (GPS), while sufficient for their purposes, require sophisticated electronic equipment that is expensive and cumbersome.

In many activities, including sports, topographical surveying, and emergency services, the ability to accurately and quickly identify the position of an object, such as a ball, a building, or a person, is critical to the successful outcome of the activity. The present invention relates to methods for doing so that are less complicated, expensive, and cumbersome than prior methods, or at least provide useful alternatives. While the present invention was designed as an aid for use in playing the game of golf, and will be described herein in the context of the game of golf, it is to be understood that it will have application in many other activities.

In the game of golf, the object is to hit a golf ball from the tee into a hole on a green in as few strokes as possible. The clubs used by a golfer to hit the ball are constructed of varying shaft lengths and angled faces on the club head to provide varying ball trajectories and distances of travel, thereby enabling placement of the ball on the green as close to the hole as skillfully possible.

It is important that a golfer have an accurate measurement of the distance j from the ball to the green in order to select the correct club. Because of sightblocking obstacles, such as trees and hills, it is not always possible for a golfer to see the green and thus judge the distance a ball must travel to reach the green. In most cases, a golfer will estimate distances based on prior experience, which can be very subjective and imprecise. Limitations in a golfer's eyesight and experience P:\OPER\SSB\47680-96.RES 3/8/99 -3can result in gross misjudgement of distance. While cards that depict the layout of the golf course holes and the distance from the green to the tee are sometimes provided by the golf course as well as private companies, they do not facilitate quick and accurate measurement from any location on a golf course hole to the green.

While various methods have been proposed for measuring the distance travelled by a golf ball, such as lasers, radio signals, sighting devices, etc., such devices can be expensive, cumbersome, and relatively inaccurate. Hence, there is a need for a.portable, lightweight, relatively inexpensive device that enables a golfer to quickly and accurately locate the position of a golf ball relative to a green or other geographic feature and calculate or measure the distance from the ball to the green or other selected geographic feature. In addition, such a device is needed by emergency service providers, surveyors, hikers, pilots, government officials, and others who must quickly locate the position of an object relative to other objects or known geographic features and to obtain other information about the object.

*1 Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a method for identifying the location of a golf ball, comprising the steps of: placing at least one marker having known linear dimensions on at least one golf course hole; S" obtaining an aerial photograph of the at least one golf course hole and at least one marker; converting the aerial photograph into a digital bit map having pixels R/ assigned an address in electronic memory; P:\OPER\SSB\4768O-96. RES 3/8/99 -4scaling the digital bit-mapped pixels to the linear dimension of the at least one marker; and storing the scaled digital bit-mapped pixel information in electronic memory; displaying the digital aerial photograph on an electronic display device; and calculating and displaying on the electronic display device the linear distance between user-selected locations on the displayed aerial photograph with an accuracy of plus or minus five yards.

The "location" in this case may include, but is not limited to, a relative position in terms of distances from other positions, geographic terrain feature, and objects, such as property, structures, buildings, streets, markers, etc. The "identification information" may include, but is not limited to, the distance between the position and one or more other positions on the displayed image, the address of the position, such 15 as the address and telephone number associated with real property, the owner of the property, etc.

An embodiment of the present invention includes a relatively simple, pinexpensive, and portable device to enable a golfer, as well as other sports enthusiasts, government officials, emergency service providers, and others to quickly S" 20 and easily locate a position of an object and display information about the object, such as distance from the object to geographic terrain features, the identity of the object, determining the distance of the golf ball to the green or other objects on the golf course. Furthermore, the device may assist emergency service providers in locating a building or residence and identifying the owner. This ability may also be useful to P: \OPER\SSB\47680-96. RES 3/8/99 government officials, utilities, and surveyors. Consequently, the present invention can be seen to have wide application in many activities.

Brief Description of the Drawings The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description, by way of example, when taken in conjunction with and the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 is a flow chart depicting the steps of a representative embodiment of the method of the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a front elevational sketch of hand-holdable, electronic device formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and showing the controls and a sample opening screen; FIGURE 2A is a front elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the 15 display device of the present invention; FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 2, illustrating a second screen of displayed information; FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 2, showing a third screen of displayed information; 00 20 FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 2, showing a fourth screen displaying a hole of a golf course; FIGURE 6 is front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 2, displaying a fifth screen showing the hole displayed in FIGURE 5 with the ball in a different location; P:\OPER\SSB\47680-96.RES 3/8/99 -6- FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 2, showing a sixth screen displaying the selection of a score; FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 2, showing a seventh screen displaying a different hole of a golf course; FIGURES 9 and 10 are reproductions of a display screen depicting a golf course hole and information about the position of a golf ball thereon; and FIGURE 11 is a block diagram of the electronics of an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatus for locating position. The position can be a relative position in terms of distances from other positions, or an object, including, but not limited to, a golf ball, a building, a geographic terrain feature, or an object in space, such as a vehicle, planet, etc.

15 Referring initially to FIGURE 1, depicted therein are the steps that comprise the method of one embodiment of the present invention, locating the position of a golf "ball on a golf course. Is it to be understood that while the method of the present S"invention will be described in this context, the method can be applied in other activities, to such as surveying, providing emergency services, hiking, flying, and space travel.

Turning to FIGURE 1, the first step of the method is depicted in the first box which is labelled "Aerial Photo Scaled". In this step, an aerial photograph is taken of the desired geographic area. In the representative embodiment being described herein, the photograph will be that of a golf course. A pilot flies over a 1The next page is page 9 WO 96/22132 PCT/US96/01012 predetermined area and photographs the area from three different altitudes. This permits scaling of each photograph at the three different altitudes. The use of three altitudes is the result of the different layout of golf courses; some are compact and require low-altitude shots, while others are more expansive and require photographs from a higher altitude.

Ideally, the aircraft is a fixed-wing, single-engine craft that can maintain an air speed of 50 miles per hour or less. This slow speed permits the use of slower, finer-grain film in combination with a slightly higher camera shutter speed of around 250. While a helicopter would be ideal, it can be cost-prohibitive. A fixed-wing aircraft is suitable because it can take relatively low-altitude photographs that may then be enlarged without substantial loss of detail when digitized into and displayed on an electronic medium.

A professional 35-millimeter camera having an 85-millimeter lens has been found to produce acceptable photographs. If possible, the photographs should be taken between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to eliminate shadows. Cloud cover is ideal, if enough light is available, because shadows are not formed. Each hole of a golf course is individually photographed, preferably directly in the center of the fairway in order to eliminate as much geometric distortion as possible. By centering the photograph and maintaining an altitude of approximately 1,500 feet above the golf course hole, the measurable geometric distortion from the tee to the green is greatly reduced.

9 IISIUE SHM (RUS WO 96/22132 PCT/US96/01012 In taking the photographs, the aircraft and camera must be calibrated by flying over a known 25-foot marker in an X pattern at 1,000 feet, 1,500 feet, and 2,000 feet. This enables scaling of the photographs for later processing and identifying of the geometric distortion at the corners of the photograph. The photograph is considered usable for commercial purposes as long as it is within plus or minus a yard by scale. In order for the commercialized version of the product to be accurate within plus or minus five yards, the photograph itself must be accurate within a yard due to built-in distortion from the actual processing of the aerial photography and electronic scanning or digitization.

The photographs themselves should have a resolution of no greater than 1/1000th of an inch. This enables the enlargement that is required without losing the detail in the final displayed image. The photograph is developed and digitized into an enlarged eight inch by ten inch photo. The digitized photograph is then cropped, scaled, and additional data established (yardage, par, center of green, etc.) and then compressed into the program module.

In the next step, depicted as the second box 12 in FIGURE 1, the negative of the photograph is scanned into a computer. Scanning of photographs into a computer is known to those skilled in the art, and it can be accomplished with commercially-available scanning or digitizing equipment. If necessary, after scanning each hole of the golf course is separated into individual screens as noted in the third box 14. A scanning program can be readily developed by one of SBSWUME ST (RME WO 96/22132 PCTIUS96/01012 ordinary skill that outlines the contour of each hole, separates it, labels it, and stores it in electronic memory.

A computer operator then inputs information about the yardage and the recommended par for each hole. Also, as shown in the fourth box 16 in FIGURE 1, information about the scale of the photograph is also inputted into the computer to enable precise yardage measurement, calculation, and display.

Each hole is then individually retrieved on the computer and indicia are placed on the digitized photographs indicating the position of blue, white, and red tees. As is well known to golfers, every golf course lays out its course starting with the longest yardage as measured from the blue tees. This area is set by regulation from the National Golf Association as 12 feet from the back of the tee area. In addition, the center of the green, not the actual hole itself, is also identified with indicia on the digitized photograph. Measurements are then entered as data, identifying distances in yardage from blue, white, and red tees to the center of the green. Using the known distance of 12 feet from the back of the tee to the blue tee or blue stake, enables a computer operator to enter data of measurements to other areas on the golf course hole. For instance, fairways having doglegs would be measured by adding the two measured distances down the center of the fairway, as would be done using a conventional tape measure.

This step of scaling each hole is depicted in the sixth box The data and other required information for each hole is then used to scale each hole as a bit map, making each pixel an address from and to the identified 11 SBS ES SET (RUE26) WO 96/22132 PCTIUS96/01012 targets on the golf course hole, the tees and the middle of the green. The yardage is then verified by displaying the hole on a computer monitor and moving an indicator (using a mouse or arrow keys) to the blue stake position. The calculated yardage "from tee" should read 0. The indicator is then moved to the center of the green and the yardage "to green" should also read 0. This is one method of verifying yardage scaling, as shown in the seventh box 22.

Next, the data for the golf course is compressed into a program consisting of either 9 or 18 holes. The program is then "burned" or loaded into a plug-in module. Ideally, each module will have two to three megs of memory and be able to hold up to four 18-hole golf courses. The modules may also contain programming that permits storing of the history of the number of strokes for the last two times the user has played that hole. This information will be entered by the user during the actual play of the hole.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, following the eighth box 24, which depicts the step of loading the program into the modules, is the step referred to in the ninth box 26 of programming a base unit, such as a hand-holdable electronic display device, to retrieve and display golf course holes as identified by a series of screen options selected by a user. Referring to options displayed in the screen, the user manipulates the controls on the base unit to look up the history of strokes for the hole currently displayed. The user can retrieve current standings, how far above or below par for the displayed course. In addition, the base unit can be programmed to display which golf course is chosen, information about the golf 12 SUBS E SHEET(RE26) WO 96/22132 PCT/US96/01012 course, such as phone number, address, number of holes, slope, and rating. In addition, advertising can be programmed into the modules for display at various times in the program.

Referring next to FIGURE 2, depicted therein is a front elevational sketch of a hand-holdable display device 28, the lower half of which is a control panel 30 and the upper half of which is a display screen 32. The display device 28 is constructed of commercially-available components, including a 1/4 VGA LCD display 32, such as the Sharp Electronics Corp. LM320081. The actual case may be designed to have a variety of shapes, such as the ergonomically designed device 28 shown in FIGURE 2A.

In the representative embodiment depicted in FIGURE 2, the control panel includes a control pad 34 and four buttons 36-42. The control pad 34 controls movement of the cursor, which is shown on the display screen 32 as a darkened triangle 44. Movement of the cursor is illustrated with the dotted lines. The control pad 34 has four legs 46 at right angles to each other, with small triangleshaped indicia 48 thereon indicating the direction of cursor movement when the leg is depressed. This type of control pad is known in the art and is readily commercially available.

Shown in FIGURE 2 is a representative example of an opening screen. The screen contains the words "Welcome to Golf Guide," and "Using the arrow, select the course you are playing." The three courses available for display listed below, which are Fair Oaks, Valley View II, and Ogden Valley in Utah. The courses to be 13 siml SHET (RULE 2) WO 96/22132 PCT/US96/01012 displayed on the display screen 32 are selected from the courses that are loaded onto a plug-in module 50 shown projecting upward from the displayed device 28).

The plug-in module is a five volt 4Mb EEPROM commercially available from Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., part no. 285F040 SuperFlash EEPROM.

Loaded onto the module 50 is a compressed program containing the digitized photographs of the golf course holes for each of the golf courses and the scaling information and yardage. The display of this information in the module is partially controlled by the control pad 34. In addition, the buttons 36-42 control the processor and memory storage components (not shown) inside the display device 28. These components are also commercially available units, such as a Motorola, Inc. MC 68HC000 micropower microprocessor and a Motorola, Inc.

MCM54800 A DRAM.

In operation, a user will power up the display device 28 after the module has been plugged in. The opening screen directs the user on how to select courses and the courses that are available on that particular module 50. In the example illustrated in FIGURE 2, the golf course "Valley View 11" has been selected with the control pad 34.

More particularly, the first menu shown in FIGURE 2 will be displayed upon power up of the device 28. The particular golf course of choice will be selected by using the control pad 34 to toggle through the choices. Once a choice has been selected, the user will push button 36 to pop up the next menu screen shown 14 SIBSmllE SHET (RUlE26) WO 96122132 PCTIUS96/01012 in FIGURE 3. This screen will be displayed until the user again pushes button 36, which then pops up the third screen depicted in FIGURE 4.

Turning next to FIGURE 3, illustrated therein is a front plan view of the display device 28 of FIGURE 2 showing the second screen on the display screen 32. This screen gives the name, address, telephone numbers, number of holes, and slope rating for each of the blue, white, and red tees. This second screen 52 is then de-selected by pressing the button 36.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the third screen 54, which contains directions to the user on how to select the hole on which the user is starting.

By using control pad 34, the user will be able to toggle through the various hole selections. Once having determined the hole the user would like to view, the user again pushes button 36. This displays the bit-mapped graphics representation of the whole the user has selected, as shown in FIGURE 5. In this case, the user has selected hole number 3 of the selected golf course, which then causes the fourth screen 56 depicted in FIGURE 5 to be displayed.

Shown on the display screen 32 is a digitized aerial photograph of the entire hole, including the tee 58, the fairway 60, sand traps 62, and the green 64. Also displayed on the screen are the par and total yardage figures for the course as well as a history of the user's average score for playing this hole.

In the bottom right-hand portion of the display screen 32 are the words "From Tee" 66 and "To Green" 68. Following each of these words is a numeral for the distance measured in yards from the ball location arrow 70 to the specific S N E sEE (RLEN 2) WO 96/22132 PCTIUS96/01012 geographic feature, in this case the tee and the green. More specifically, in FIGURE 5 the ball location arrow 70 is on the tee. Therefore, the distance "From Tee" 66 is and the distance "To Green" is "276" yards. While in this screen, the user, by utilizing control pad 34, will be able to move the cursor displayed on the screen. Simultaneously, the yardage from the cursor to the green and from the cursor to the tee will be displayed.

Turning next to FIGURE 6, the fifth screen 72 shows the same hole 3.

However, the golfer has now hit the ball from the tee 58 onto the fairway After spotting the ball on the fairway, the golfer moves the ball location arrow with the control pad 34 to indicate within plus or minus five yards the position of the golf ball on the fairway 60. Now, the distance "From Tee" reads 180, which is the distance in yards, and the distance "To Green" now reads 95, which is the distance to the green in yards from the location of the ball. Pressing button 36 will cause the sixth screen 74 to be displayed.

FIGURE 7 depicts the sixth screen 74, which is the screen in which the golfer selects the score and enters it into the computer in the display device 28.

The user will be able to toggle through the various stroke choices by utilizing the control pad 34. Once having toggled to the stroke, the user wishes to save, the user pushes button 36 and the strokes for this hole will be saved. This action also pops up the third menu screen 54 shown in FIGURE 4. Since the third hole has just been completed, the user will select the fourth hole, which is illustrated as the seventh screen 76 in FIGURE 8. The above process is then repeated until the 16 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 96/22132 PCTIUS96/01012 user has finished playing all nine or eighteen holes. The user closes this golf course by pushing button 38, which brings the user back to the first screen 32 illustrated in FIGURE 2. The user can then either choose to go to another golf course or to quit by turning the power off on the device.

Buttons 40 and 42 may be eliminated or used to control additional features, such as displaying other distances or additional information about the user's history on playing this particular golf course. For instance, while the screen is displaying the bit-mapped graphics, the user may zoom in on a particular geographic area on the golf course. This zoom function is initiated by pressing one of the buttons, button 36. By repeatedly pressing this button, the area on which the cursor is placed will be enlarged, preferably in 25% increments, until the zoom reaches a maximum of preferably 200%. Pressing the button after the maximum is reached will return the display to the 100% display. In other words, once the zoom function has begun, the user must zoom to the maximum in order to return to the regular display.

FIGURES 9 and 10 are reproductions of display screens showing a digitized photograph 90 of a golf course hole. The cursor 98 is shown as a circle having vertical and horizontal cross-hairs 100, 102 intersecting in the center thereof. On the top portion of the display illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10 is an optional menu bar 104 that includes the various options available to the user in this alternative embodiment. Depicted under the menu bar 104 is a display bar 106 displaying the par for the hole, the distance in yardage from the blue, white and red tees, the 17 SimiBSE ESW(ME2) WO 96/22132 PCTIUS96/01012 number of the hole presently being played, and a button 108 that activates the zoom or enlargement feature.

Displayed on the lower portion of the screen illustrated in FIGURES 9 and is another display bar 110 showing the yardage from the intersection of the cross hairs 100, 102 in the cursor 98 to the green 114 and from the tee 112. In FIGURE 9, the cursor 98 is placed over the approximate position of the ball, and the yardage is displayed in the lower display bar 110. Similarly, in FIGURE 10, the golf ball has been moved closer to the green 114. Hence, the cursor 98 has been moved to the right on the display 90, with the resultant change in the yardage depicted in the lower display bar 110.

Turning next to FIGURE 11, illustrated therein is a block diagram of the electronics for the display device 28. The "LCD" module block 78 is the primary display screen 32 for the display device 38. It consists of a 1/4 VGA color Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) for the color unit and a 1/4 VGA LCD for the monochrome unit.

The LCD controller block 80 represents the LCD controller that receives bit mapped graphics (BMP) and characters from the microprocessor 82 and stores this data in the video memory 84. The video memory 84 is provided to relieve the microprocessor 82 of continually sending the BMP to the controller 80 each time the display screen 32 is refreshed. The display is a restor scanned device that essentially has rows and columns of pixels or individual light outputting or modulating devices. These pixels are turned on in rows one by one down the 18 SUBSm I E T(R E26) WO 96/22132 PCTIUS96/01012 screen. This is known as a restor scan. Once the restor scan has reached the bottom of the device, the process is started over, and this is called the refresh.

In addition to decoding characters, the controller 80 interfaces the LCD module 78 to the microprocessor 82 and the video memory 84. Decoding characters is here meant to be the process of receiving digital information and translating this information into pixels to be displayed on the display screen 32.

The block 86 is the programmable input-output (PIO) device that the microprocessor 82 programs to send the BMP and characters out to the LCD controller 80. Additionally, the microprocessor 82 uses the PIO device 86 to retrieve user information from the keyboard 88. In this case, the voltage level signal from the keyboard 88 is converted to digital information for the microprocessor 82, analog-to-digital conversion. The keyboard 88 is a five-key device that consists of the control pad 34 with the four legs 46 and the four enter/select buttons 36-42.

The microprocessor 82 is the main processing unit of the display device 28.

It consists of a 16-bit microprocessor chip (not shown) along with all of its supporting electronics. These supporting electronics interface the microprocessor 82 to the other components, and they protect the microprocessor 82 from potentially destructive input from an open connector when the ROM plug-in module 50 is not present.

The ROM module 50 is a plug-in cartridge that stores the microprocessor operating system, the BMPs, and the microprocessor program. It consists of 19 SUBSnVESIErT(E 2) WO 96/22132 PCT/US96/01012 programmable, read-only memory (PROM). The microprocessor operating system is the information the processor needs to communicate with all the components described herein. The microprocessor program is the instructions the microprocessor carries out to provide information to the user.

The hand-holdable display device 28 also contains random access memory (RAM) 92. The microprocessor will retrieve the operating system and the program from the module PROM 90 and store this in RAM 92. This is because the RAM 92 is much faster than the ROM memory and the module 90 and facilitates an increase in speed of the system.

The power supply 94 may be self-contained voltage output devices, such as standard alkaline batteries or rechargeable nicad batteries. The clock 96 includes a crystal oscillator. This oscillator provides system timing to the LCD module 78 and the microprocessor 82. The system timing is necessary to synchronize the microprocessor 82 output and input to and from the other digital devices in the hand-held display device 28.

It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein, various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, the present invention has many uses outside the field of golf.

By way of illustration, an additional use would be for government agencies, such as emergency rescue teams, permitting departments, land development SUISTWNIE SHElm (RULE 2) WO 96/22132 PCT/US96/01012 entities, real estate industry, engineers, utilities and city and county officials for locating buildings or other objects within a geographical area.

For instance, aerial photographs of a city in one-half square mile, two and a half square mile, and ten square mile increments are digitized. In addition, the one-square-mile ownership maps held in each county are also scanned into the computer. The aerial photograph is then identified and matched with the ownership plots. The outline of the city is also scanned in to establish lines that divide the city into quarters. Each quarter of the city would have a computer address of which the aerial photos belong. Each one-half square mile digitized photo would have corresponding stored memory of the one-half square mile ownership. A user would be able to use this unit to locate the owner of a certain building, land, lot, etc.

A user would simply toggle the arrow over to the section of the city on the digitized photograph, press the enter button, and receive a ten-square mile aerial view of the part of the city located by the arrow. The user would then toggle over with the arrow and locate the quarter-mile or two and-a-half mile area of interest and again hit enter. Then using a zoom function, the user could zoom into the photograph and identify the area within one-half square mile. The user then zooms in again to the actual building, lot, etc., and hits another key that causes the program to display the name, address, and phone number of the owner of the identified building or property. In addition, the device 28 can be configured to print instead of or in addition to displaying the information.

21 sus IEr(RU WO 96/22132 PCTUS96/01012 Another use is to slave the present invention with a global positioning system (GPS). In this use, the aerial photograph of all airports and landing sites available to small aircraft would be digitized and entered into the computer. Since each landing site is already mapped and identified by longitude and latitude in degrees, each landing site would be so identified and the program interfaced with the GPS so the actual photograph of the nearest landing site will appear on the screen and display how far and what heading needs to be taken to get to this landing site. This device would also enable the pilot to enter the coordinates into the GPS, which would then signal to the program what landing sites are available by photo. Currently, the GPS will list the landing sites in order by name and degrees, but the addition of the present invention would enhance visual identification of the site by the pilot through seeing the photograph of the runways on the display device.

Finally, another use would be assisting park rangers, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts in locating their position. Similar to the method described above for locating the owner of a building, a geographic area, such as a federal park, would be photographed and digitized into the computer. The user would zoom in on his exact location to within one-half square mile. This would permit the user to visually see where trails lead and enable him to navigate on the exact trail shown in the photograph. A GPS system could also be used in connection with this proposed use.

22 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) P:\OPER\SSB\47680-96.RES 3/8/99 -22A- Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

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Claims (17)

1. A method for identifying the location of a golf ball, comprising the steps of: placing at leas one marker having known linear dimensions on at least one golf course hole; obtaining an aerial photograph of the at least one golf course hole and at least one marker; converting the aerial photograph into a digital bit map having pixels assigned an address in electronic memory; scaling the digital bit-mapped pixels to the linear dimension of the at least one marker; and storing the scaled digital bit-mapped pixel information in electronic memory; displaying the digital aerial photograph on an electronic display device; 4 15 and calculating and displaying on the electronic display device the linear 44*o distance between user-selected locations on the displayed aerial photograph with an accuracy of plu or minus five yards. 20

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of calculating and displaying the linear distance further comprises calculating the linear distance using only the scaled digital bit-mapped pixel information stored in electronic memory.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of obtaining includes taking an aerial P:\OPER\SSB\47680-96 RES 3/8/99 24 photograph at an altitude in the range of 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet above the at least one golf course hole.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of obtaining an aerial photograph further comprises taking an aerial photograph having a resolution of no greater than 1/1000 t h of an inch to achieve an accuracy in linear distance calculation of at least yards.

The method of claim 2 wherein the step of obtaining an aerial photograph further comprises taking the aerial photograph from a position that is approximately above the center of the golf course hole to reduce oblique angle distortion at the edges of the aerial photograph.

6. A method for calculating and displaying linear distances between user-selected 15 locations on an electronic display of at least one golf course hole, the method comprising the steps of: positioning on at least one golf course hole at least one marker having known linear dimensions of sufficient length to be visible in an aerial photograph taken from an aircraft at an altitude of between 1,000 feet and 2,000 feet above ground level; 0 9 20 photographing the at least one golf course hole having the at least one marker positioned thereon from an aircraft at an altitude in the range of 1,00 feet to 2,000 feet above ground level to create at least one aerial photograph converting the at least one aerial photograph into digital electronic form having bit-mapped pixels; P:\OPER\SSB\47680-96. RES 3/8/99 25 determining the scale of the digital bit-mapped pixels by referencing the known linear dimensions of the at least one marker to the bit mapped pixels; and displaying the scaled digital aerial photograph on an electronic display device for calculating and displaying linear distances between user-selected location on the displayed digital aerial photograph using only the scaled bit-mapped pixel information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of photographing the at least one golf course hole further comprises using a high speed, fine grain film to achieve a resolution of no greater than 1 10 00 of an inch to enable a linear distance calculation accuracy of at least +5 yards.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said at least one golf course hole is photographed at an altitude of about 1,500 feet above ground level.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of photographing the at least one golf course hole further includes positioning the aircraft approximately above the center of 9* at least one golf course hole to reduce oblique angle distortion at the edges of the photograph. 49

"10. A method of electronically displaying a golf course hole and calculating and displaying linear distances between user-selected locations on the golf course hole, the steps of the method comprising: converting into digital bit-mapped format an aerial photograph of at least P:\OPER\SSB\47680-96.RES 3/8/99 26 one golf course hole having at least one linear scaling marker pre-positioned thereon; calculating the scale of the pixels in the bit-mapped aerial photograph by referencing the at least one linear scaling marker in the photograph; and displaying the bit-mapped aerial photograph on an electronic display device for calculating and displaying distances between user-selected locations on the displayed aerial photograph.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of scaling comprises the additional steps of: verifying the scaling by calculating at least one linear distance and comparing the calculated linear distance with a known reliable measurement of the same distance. sees

12. The method of claim 10 comprising the further steps of: 0 6 15 transferring the scaled bit-mapped aerial photograph to a portable a a p memory device; and connecting the portable memory device to the electronic display device for calculating and displaying linear distances between the user-selected locations on 0 o 0 the displayed aerial photograph. S*0 me So:

13. A method for identifying a location of a golf ball relative to any location on a displayed photograph of a golf course hole, comprising the steps of: positioning at least one marker having known linear dimensions on one Ror more golf course holes and taking one or more aerial photographs of the one or P:\OPER\SSB\47680-96.RFS 3/8/99 27 more golf course holes that include the marker; digitizing the one or more aerial photographs into bit-mapped pixel data and storing said data in a memory device for display on an electronic display device; scaling the bit-mapped pixels to the at least one marker having known linear dimensions and storing the bit-mapped pixel scaling in electronic memory; spotting a location of the golf ball visually on a golf course and manually inputting the location of the golf ball on an input device so that an indicator representing the golf ball appears at the location on the golf course hole displayed on the electronic display device; electronically calculating on an electronic calculation device a calculated distance between the location of the golf ball and one or more locations on the displayed golf course hole using only the scaled digitized aerial photograph and the stored bit-mapped pixel scale; and ooo* displaying the calculated distance between the location of the golf ball 15 and the one or more locations on the displayed golf course hole.

14. A method for identifying the location of a golf ball substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A method for calculating and displaying linear distances between user-selected locations substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A method of electronically displaying a golf course hole substantially as P:\OPER\SSB\47680-96. RES 3/8/99 -28- hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A method for identifying a location of a golf ball relative to any location on a displayed photograph of a golf course hole substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 3rd day of August 1999 SPORTS GUIDE, INC. By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE p. *o* *o* o *oo o