JPH04218810A - Robot cart - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To take over the principal business of a caddie by moving a golf cart so that it follows up a player and calculating and displaying the present position of the golf cart and the direction and the distance to a pinhole. CONSTITUTION:A robot card 1 is driven in accordance with the position signal from a remote control unit so that the robot cart 1 follows up the motion of the player. The advancing direction of the robot card 1 is detected by an H gyro 33 and a V gyro 34, and the extent of movement is detected by a tachometer 32 to calculate the present position by a CPU 36. The direction and the distance to a green to be used are displayed on a display device 6 based on information related to a golf course read from an IC card and the present position.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to a golf cart.
In particular, the present invention relates to a robot cart that can carry a set of golf clubs by following the movements of a player.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, at a golf course, one caddy is assigned to each of the four players, and the caddy operates a golf cart to transport the clubs of each golf player. When asked for advice from a player, the caddy verbally tells the player about the topography of each hole, the OB line, the distance from the ball's position to the green to be used, etc. Some golf carts run on a monorail and the caddy commands the cart to move forward and stop using a remote control, while others run electrically and the caddy operates the steering wheel.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, recently, due to a shortage of manpower, it has become difficult for each golf course to gather caddies. In particular, there has been an increase in the number of caddies requesting holidays on Saturdays and Sundays, which are the busiest days, and public holidays, and the reality is that part-time housewives and part-time students are being hired to fill the gaps.

[0004] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a robot cart that can take over the main work of a caddy at a golf course.

[0005]

[Means for solving the problem] The invention according to claim 1 is:
A robot cart that receives a position signal from a remote control unit attached to a player and moves while being driven by a driving means while keeping a certain distance from the player and following the player's movements, and the robot cart moves in both horizontal and vertical directions. A gyro for detecting the traveling direction angle of the direction, a tachometer for detecting the travel distance, a reading means for reading information regarding the golf course from a card-shaped storage medium storing information regarding the golf course, and a display means for displaying various information. The current position is calculated based on the traveling direction angle detected by the gyro and the travel distance detected by the tachometer. and a calculation control means for calculating the direction and distance to the current position, displaying it on the display means together with the current position, and giving a drive signal to the drive means so as to follow the position signal from the remote control unit.

[0006] According to the second aspect of the invention, selection information of the golf club most suitable for the player to hit the ball is displayed in accordance with the calculated current position and the distance to the green used.

[0007] The invention according to claim 3 causes the display means to display the information regarding the golf course read by the reading means in response to a command from the keyboard to display information regarding the golf course.

[0008] The invention according to claim 4 causes the display means to display information regarding golf play in response to commands from the keys on the keyboard.

The invention according to claim 5 is provided with wind speed and direction measuring means for measuring the wind speed and direction of the golf course, and in response to a command to display the wind speed and direction from the keyboard,
Information on the measured wind speed and direction is displayed on the display means.

[0010] The invention according to claim 6 is provided with golf club storage means that stores golf club sets by number and includes a sensor that detects when any golf club is pulled out. The information regarding the use of the golf club is displayed on the display means.

[0011] The invention according to claim 7 includes a voice notification means for notifying various information by voice. The invention according to claim 8 is:
The apparatus includes a voice recognition means for recognizing the voice generated by the player, and displays information corresponding to the recognized voice on the display means.

0012

[Operation] The robot cart according to the present invention calculates the current position of the robot cart according to the traveling direction angle detected by the gyro and the travel distance detected by the tachometer, and the golf course read from the card-shaped storage medium. By calculating the direction and distance from the current position to the green in use according to the information on the green and the calculated current position, displaying it along with the current position, and driving it to follow the position signal from the remote control unit.
Appropriate advice can be given while following the player.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a robot cart 1 is provided with four wheels 2 and is driven by a built-in engine or electric motor. The robot cart 1 is provided with a rotatable club mount 3, and an insertion hole 5 for inserting a club 4 is formed around the mount 3. A sensor (not shown) is provided at the bottom of the insertion hole 5 to detect whether the club 4 is removed. Club stand 3
A display 6 is provided in front of the. This display 6 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display panel, and displays various information. Furthermore, a keyboard 7 is provided in front of the display 6, and various information can be entered. A card insertion hole 44 is formed in front of the keyboard 7. An IC card is inserted into the card insertion hole 44 and has course information for each hole of the golf course and player's personal information (name, gender, handicap) stored in advance, and the information is read by a built-in card reader. be read. A sun visor 8 is provided to cover the upper part of the club rest 3, and protects the golf club 4 from rain and direct sunlight. A handle 9 is provided on the rear side of the robot cart 1 so that it can be pushed by hand, and a wind speed anemometer 40 is provided on the sun visor 8 for measuring the wind speed and direction near the player.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a remote control unit (hereinafter referred to as remote control). The remote control shown in FIG. 2 is carried by the player at all times and is so small that it can be placed in a pocket or hung on a waistband. The remote control includes a CPU 11, an H gyro 12, a keyboard 13, and a transmitter 14. The CPU 11 has a built-in ROM and RAM. The H gyro 12 detects the direction of the player when the player moves. The keyboard 13 is used to input various information, and the transmitter 14 transmits the direction detected by the H gyro 12 and the information input from the keyboard 13 to the robot cart 1 shown in FIG.

The keyboard 13 has an ON/OFF key 15, a course information key 16, a zoom key 17, a ball hitting key 18, an OB key 19, a hazard key 20, and a putting key 2.
1 and a numeric keypad 22. ON/OFF key 15 is O
When set to N, when the player comes closest to the robot cart 1 (within 1 m from the cart body) and then moves away, the robot automatically tracks the player. When the ON/OFF key 15 is turned OFF, the drive of the robot cart 1 is stopped. It is turned off when the robot cart 1 is parked at a designated parking spot near the green when putting, or when the robot cart 1 is unable to approach or advance toward obstacles on the course (hazards, bunkers, ditches, ponds, trees, etc.). There are times when the ball is not in play, when hitting a ball that is in a bunker, and when going to pick up an out-of-bounds ball. In addition, Robot Cart 1, which was parked in the designated parking area near the green, will be parked again.
If you select N, you will automatically move to the teeing ground of the next hole.

The course information key 16 is operated to display various information on the course. The zoom key 17 instructs to enlarge or reduce the course screen. When the ball hitting key 18 is pressed once for each ball hit, the ball is added. When the OB key 19 is pressed once when the player goes OB, it issues a command to display information on whether to replay the ball on the spot or to replay the ball from a special tee. The hazard key 20 is operated when the ball is hit in a hazard. The putting key 21 and numeric keypad 22 are used to input the number of putting strokes until the cup is reached.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the robot cart. Referring to the figure, a sensor 31 is built into the club mounting table 3 shown in FIG. 1, and detects the removal of each club. The detection output of the sensor 31 is given to the CPU 36. The CPU 36 has a built-in ROM and RAM (not shown). The tachometer 32 detects the travel distance of the robot cart 1 and provides it to the A/D converter 35, and the digitized travel distance is provided to the CPU 36. The H gyro 33 detects the horizontal orientation angle of the robot cart 1, and the V gyro detects the vertical orientation angle of the robot cart 1. The detection output of each gyro is digitized by the A/D converter 35 and provided to the CPU 36. keyboard 7
and card reader 43 are connected to CPU 36.

The speech synthesis device 37 notifies the information displayed on the display 6 by voice. The voice recognition device 39 recognizes the voice pronounced by the player, such as "OB", and
/D converter 42, and the digitized audio signal is C
It is given to PU36. The wind speed anemometer 40 detects wind speed and wind direction, and the detected output is digitized by the A/D converter 42 and given to the CPU 36. The receiver 41 receives radio waves transmitted from the remote control shown in FIG. 2 and emergency communications transmitted by radio waves from the clubhouse, and the received output is digitized by the A/D converter 42 and sent to the C.
It is given to PU36. The CPU 36 supplies the D/A converter 44 with a drive signal for tracking the position signal from the remote control carried by the player, which is supplied from the receiver 41 . The D/A converter 44 converts the drive signal into an analog signal and drives a drive device 45 such as an engine or an electric motor.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are flowcharts for explaining the specific operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

Next, the specific operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. First, the player loads the club and necessary items onto the robot cart 1 at the clubhouse. Then, it is confirmed whether the club 4 is correctly inserted into the insertion hole of the club mounting base 3. Then, the player wears the remote control on his waist and turns on the power to the robot cart 1. When the power is turned on, CPU3
6 is a step (abbreviated as SP in the illustration) step SP
In step 1, initial settings such as clearing the current position information etc. stored up to that point are performed. Step SP
In step 2, the player checks the operation in test mode. In step SP3, the CPU 36 inputs the detection output from the sensor 31, the detection distance of the tachometer 32, the direction detected by the H gyro 33 and the V gyro 34, the course information read by the card reader 43, the player's personal information, etc. Process. When the player operates the ON/OFF key 15 of the remote control, an ON or OFF command signal is transmitted from the transmitter 14 of the remote control. This signal is received by the receiver 41 of the robot cart 1, and the received output is converted into a digital signal by the A/D converter 42 and provided to the CPU 36.

[0021] In step SP4, the CPU 36
It is determined whether the N key has been operated. When it is determined that the ON key has been operated, it is determined in step SP6 whether or not a position signal has been received. The remote control's H gyro 12 constantly detects the angle the player is facing, and the
The PU 11 constantly transmits position signals from the transmitter 14 according to its detection output. This position signal is received by the receiver 41 of the robot cart 1, converted into a digital signal by the A/D converter 42, and provided to the CPU 36. The CPU 36 controls the tachometer 32 in step SP7.
, H gyro 33, V gyro 34, and position signals from the remote control, the current position of the robot cart 1 is calculated. In step SP8, the CPU 36 calculates the distance and direction from the robot cart to the green to be used, based on the course information read from the IC card by the card reader 43 and the current position of the robot cart 1.

[0022] In step SP9, the CPU 36 outputs a drive signal so that the robot cart 1 follows the player. This drive signal is converted into an analog signal by a D/A converter 44, and a drive device 45 is driven. When the player pulls out an arbitrary club 4 from the club mounting table 3, the pulled out club is detected by the sensor 31, and the sensor output is given to the CPU 36. The CPU 36 determines whether or not there is a sensor output in step SP10, and when determining that the sensor output has been provided, determines the pulled club in step SP11.

[0023] The player presses the course information key 16 on the remote control.
When the CPU 36 operates, the CPU 36 determines that the course information key has been input in step SP12, and proceeds to step S12.
In P13, the entire image of the hole read from the IC card, the current position and trajectory of the ball calculated in step SP7 mentioned above are displayed, and the green to be used is clearly indicated. If you operate the course information key 16 again,
The CPU 36 determines that the course information key has been input in step SP14, and displays the total score before hitting the ball on the display 6 in step SP15, and causes the voice synthesizer 37 to notify the user of audio via the speaker 38.

Furthermore, when the course information key 16 is operated, the CPU 36 determines in step SP16 that the course information key has been input. If the course information key is not input, it is determined in step SP35 whether a predetermined time has elapsed or not, and if it has not elapsed, the process returns to step SP15 and continues to display the total score before hitting the ball. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the display returns to step SP13. When it is determined in step SP35 that the course information key has been input, in step SP17 the wind speed and wind direction at the current position measured by the wind speed anemometer 40 are displayed on the display 6, and the speaker 38 is used to notify the user by voice.

The CPU 36 determines again in step SP18 whether or not there is any input from the course information key 16, and if there is no input, the CPU 36 determines in step SP19 whether or not a predetermined period of time has elapsed. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process returns to step SP17 and continues to display the wind speed and direction at the current position. After a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the display returns to step SP13 again. When there is a key input of course information, the process proceeds to step SP20, where information regarding the club to be selected is displayed and notified by voice. Step SP
At step SP21, it is determined whether or not there has been a course information key input, and if there has been no key input, the process proceeds to step SP22, and it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the display in step SP20 continues, and if the predetermined time has elapsed, the display returns to step SP13. Also, if the course information key 16 is input, step SP13
Return to display.

[0026] In the above step SP12, the CPU
When 36 determines that there is no input to the course information key 16, the process proceeds to step SP23 in FIG. 6, and determines whether or not the zoom key 17 has been operated. When it is determined that the zoom key 17 has been operated, the course screen is enlarged or reduced in step SP24. Further, when the ball hitting key 18 is operated, the CPU 36 moves to step SP.
In step 25, it is determined that the ball hitting key 18 has been operated,
In step SP26, the scores are added up, and the added scores, club number used, and OB information are displayed on the display 6, and are announced by voice from the speaker 38.

When the OB key 19 is operated, it is determined in step SP27 that the OB key 19 has been operated, and in step SP28, information on whether to re-hit or to re-hit on a special tee is displayed on the display 6, and the speaker Notification will be made by voice from 38. When the ball hit by the player enters an obstacle, the player operates the hazard key 20 and the ball hitting key 17. Then, the CPU 36 determines in step SP29 that the hazard key 20 has been operated, and proceeds to step S29.
In step SP30, it is determined that the ball hitting key has been operated, and in step SP31, information to the effect that there is a hazard is displayed on the display 6, and the speaker 38 is used to notify the operator by sound.

[0028] In the case of a hazard, the player
OFF is commanded by the N/OFF key 15. Then,
The CPU 36 determines that the OFF key has been operated in step SP14, stops outputting the drive signal, and stops driving the robot cart 1. Similarly, the robot cart 1 is stopped when it arrives at a designated parking place near the green. Then, the player makes a putt and inputs the number of putting strokes until the ball hits the cup from the numeric keypad 22, and operates the putting key 21. The CPU 36 determines that a numerical value has been input from the numeric keypad 22 in step SP32, and proceeds to step S
At P33, it is determined that there has been an input from the putting key 21. Then, in step SP34, the number of putting strokes is displayed on the display 6 and notified by voice.

[0029] Through this series of operations, the hole is made,
When the player issues an ON command using the ON/OFF key 15, the robot cart 1 advances to the teeing ground of the next hole.

[0030] In the above-described embodiment, commands are given from each key on the remote control, but the present invention is not limited to this; the player may emit a voice, the voice recognition device may recognize the voice, and then issue a command to the CPU 36. You may also give it to them.

[0031]

[Effect of the invention] As described above, according to the invention of claim 1,
The golf cart can be moved to follow the player, and the current position of the golf cart and the direction and distance to the pinhole can be calculated and displayed, and the main job of the caddy can be taken over. can.

[0032] According to the second aspect of the invention, it is possible to inform the player of the selection of the most suitable golf club for the player to hit the ball with.

According to the third aspect of the invention, information regarding the golf course can be displayed by the player giving a display command as needed.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, by inputting information regarding golf play such as the number of strokes, OB, and putting as necessary, the number of strokes can be cumulatively added and displayed.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the wind speed and direction at each hole can be informed to the player.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, information regarding the golf club used by the player can be displayed.

According to the seventh aspect of the invention, various information can be announced by voice. According to the eighth aspect of the invention, it is possible to recognize the voice produced by the player in place of the key input on the remote control unit, and display information or notify the player by voice.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a remote control unit used in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a robot cart according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Robot cart 3 Club stand 6 Display 7 Keyboard 11,36 CPU 12,33 H gyro 13 Keyboard 14 Transmitter 15 ON/OFF key 16 Course information key 17 Zoom key 18 Ball hitting key 19 OB key 20 Hazard key 21 Putting key 22 Numeric keypad 31 Sensor 32 Tachometer 35, 42 A/D converter 37 Speech synthesis device 38 Speaker 39 Voice recognition device 40 Wind speed anemometer 41 Receiver 44 D/A converter 45 Drive device

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A robot cart that receives a position signal from a remote control unit carried by a player and moves while being driven by a driving means while following the movement of the player at a constant distance from the player. A gyro for detecting horizontal and vertical traveling direction angles, a tachometer for detecting travel distance, and a reading means for reading golf-related information from a card-shaped storage medium storing information about the golf course.
a display means for displaying various information; a current position is calculated according to the traveling direction angle detected by the gyro and the travel distance detected by the tachometer; information regarding the golf course read by the reading means; and the calculated current position, calculate the direction and distance from the current position to the pinhole, display the direction and distance together with the current position on the display means, and display the position from the remote control unit. A robot cart, comprising: arithmetic control means for applying a drive signal to the drive means so as to follow the signal. 2. The calculation means causes the display means to display selection information of a golf club most suitable for the player to hit the ball in accordance with the calculated current position and the distance to the green used. 1 robot cart. 3. The remote control unit includes a keyboard for instructing display of information regarding the golf course, and the arithmetic control means responds to an instruction from the keyboard to display information regarding the golf course. and displaying information regarding the golf course read by the reading means on the display means;
The robot cart according to claim 2. 4. The keyboard includes a key for commanding the display of information regarding golf play, and the calculation control means causes the display means to display information regarding the golf play in response to a command from the key. Item 3: Robot cart. 5. The keyboard further includes wind speed and direction measuring means for measuring wind speed and wind direction on a golf course, and the keyboard further comprises:
4. The method of claim 4 further comprises a key for specifying a display of wind speed and direction, and wherein the calculation control means causes the display means to display the wind speed and direction measured by the wind speed and direction measuring means in response to a command from the key. robot cart. 6. The golf club storage means further includes a golf club storage means for storing golf clubs by number and having a sensor for detecting when any golf club is pulled out,
The calculation control means causes the display means to display information regarding the golf club detected by the sensor.
The robot cart according to claim 5. 7. The robot cart according to claim 1, further comprising voice notification means for notifying the various information by voice. 8. The player further comprises voice recognition means for recognizing the voice generated by the player, wherein the calculation control means causes the display means to display information corresponding to the voice recognized by the voice recognition means. Item 1: robot cart.