WO2007037705A1

WO2007037705A1 - Recreational game

Info

Publication number: WO2007037705A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2006/000250
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ralph Wynyard Nation
Original assignee: Golfline International Limited
Priority date: 2005-09-28
Filing date: 2006-09-27
Publication date: 2007-04-05

Abstract

Apparatus for facilitating the playing of a recreational game more particularly golf. The apparatus includes an intelligent camera (8) for detecting and tracking the presence of an object e.g. ball on a target area (2). A display (20) in a kiosk (7) remote from the target area (2) displays the target area and the object moving to a rest position on the target area. A computer maintains details of a target overlay which can be displayed on the screen to alter the characteristics of the target area. The computer is programmed to enable a score to be allocated to an object lying on the target area. The camera (8) is programmed to plot the path of movement and final position of an object on the target area and to provide an output to enable the plotted path and position of the object to be displayed on the screen (20).

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

RECREATIONAL GAME BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a recreational game and in particular to a form of game which may be played with golf clubs or similar hitting devices and with golf balls or with balls or other objects which can be impelled by a hitting object.

In our New Zealand patent specification 310596 there is described apparatus for facilitating the playing of a recreational game more particularly golf. The apparatus includes a camera capable of detecting the presence of an object on a target area and means to detect and record the movement of an object on the target area. There is also included a means of displaying the target area and the position of an object lying on the target area.

In relation to the game of golf in particular, an overlay can be displayed over the target area to replicate a physical appearance of a target area such as a golf green. There is also disclosure of the overlay including scoring rings or areas so that the value of a score can be determined by the scoring ring or area into which the object that has been hit ends up on the physical target area.

Consequently, with the game of golf the target area can include a target flag toward which the ball ideally is directed. Thus the position of the golf ball on the target area (green) will be determined in relation to the flag and a score allocated commensurate with the closeness of the ball, in its final resting position on the target area, to the target flag.

When applied to the game of golf the apparatus can, for example, be used to transform a driving range into a skill orientated venue. Thus a competition for a number of players can be established whereby a plurality of target areas at different distances from the teeing area can be used to simulate a golf based game. By translating the accuracy of each player hitting a ball onto each of the target areas, electronic scoring can provide an element of competition between the players.

According to the invention as disclosed in NZ 310596 the target area is surveyed by a camera which can provide a real time view of the target area and, therefore, the presence of a ball on the target area. The apparatus, furthermore, includes a motion detector means mounted adjacent the camera such that the motion detector means has a field of vision approximately equating to the field of vision of the camera.

As disclosed in NZ 310596 the camera and motion detection means enables the movement of a ball on the target area to be sensed traced and the final resting position of the ball identified. In this way, the player who has hit the ball to the green can, by reference to a monitor screen, adjacent the hitting area, see the line of movement of the ball on the target area and the final resting position. With the overlay giving the screen the appearance of an actual golf green the player gets a visual representation of the ball moving across the green to its final resting position relative to the target flag on the green.

Disclosed in NZ 310596 are various ways in which the apparatus can be employed to provide various forms of competition for a plurality of players. However, it also has application for one player practicing (as at a driving range) to obtain more accuracy when playing onto a green.

Also, NZ 310596 describes various means of bringing the apparatus into effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for facilitating the playing of recreational game, which represents an improvement over the apparatus as disclosed in NZ 310596. Broadly according to one aspect of the invention there is thus provided apparatus for facilitating the playing of a recreational game said apparatus including means for detecting and tracking the presence of an object on a target area, means remote from the target area to display the target area and an object moving to a rest position on the target area, the remote means includes a screen, means to maintain details of a target overlay which can be displayed on the screen to alter the characteristics of the target area and means to enable a score to be allocated to an object lying on the target area, the detecting and tracking means being an intelligent camera programmed to plot the path of movement and final position of an object on the target area and to provide an output to enable the plotted path and position of the object to be displayed on the screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following more detailed description of the invention reference will be made to accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a view of a typical area layout of the type as disclosed in NZ 310596,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a target area together with a camera,

Figure 3 is a typical screen display at the commencement of a playing session,

Figure 4 is a typical screen display prior to hitting an object to the target area,

Figure 5 is a typical screen layout display showing the path and final position of the object on the target area, and

Figure 6 is a typical screen display at the conclusion of a playing session. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As described in NZ 310596 the playing area can be located within a defined zone and may, for example, be part of say a golf driving range. Generally because of the specialist nature of the playing area 1 , it will be separate from or closely adjacent to a general driving range.

In the following the invention will be described, by way of example, in relation to the game of golf for which the apparatus is particularly suited. Other applications will be apparent to the skilled person.

As shown the playing area 1 can have a number of target areas 2. Generally these will be 4 or 5 in number simply due to physical constraints to the playing area 1 . As illustrated the target areas 2 will be located at different distances from tee off areas 7. In the preferred form of the invention each tee off area 7 will be in the form of a separate tee bay much in the nature of the separate teeing off areas normally found in a driving range.

Each target area 2 will be provided with a marker pole or stick 3. In the illustrated form of the playing area 1 there may also be provided one or more bunkers 4 or other hazards adjacent one or more of the target areas 2. Hazards can also include trees or shrubs 5 though these can also be used for aesthetic purposes so as to assist in improving the appearance of the playing area 1.

Each target area 2 is provided with a camera 8 which is positioned high on a pole 9. The camera 8 will be supported at a height above the target area 2 such that the lens of the camera can survey substantially all or a major part of the total area of the target area 2. The camera 8 is provided with a cover (not shown) that can protect the camera against vandalism and/or theft though more particularly to protect it from damage from balls and other objects. Cabling 1 0 extends from each camera 8 to a switching apparatus 1 1 (e.g. gigabit switches or similar) located in the playing field 1 . The switching apparatus collects the data for transmission between the cameras 8 and computers (not shown) in the kiosks 7. Cables 12 extend from the switching apparatus 1 1 to a junction 1 3.

A monitor 14 is provided in each kiosk 7. The monitors 14 are connected via cabling 1 5 back to the junction 1 3. Also connected to the junction 1 3 by cabling 1 6 is an administration computer 1 7 and preferably an associated printer 18. Each kiosk 7 includes its own computer device.

In one preferred form of the invention the camera 8 is mounted to the pole 9 by a remotely adjustable mounting. Thus, for example, the camera 8 could be mounted on a turntable or the like which is able to be moved angularly by a suitable drive means such as a stepper motor or the like. Other possible camera mountings for remote adjustment will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The camera 8 is, in accordance with the present invention, an intelligent camera. In the preferred form it is a high digital resolution camera. According to one form of the invention the digital camera can be a MegaCamera Sl-1 300 but it is stressed that this is by way of example only.

The camera 8 has its own firmware and thus is in the nature of an intelligent camera that can sense the arrival of a ball and track the movement of a ball across the target area to its final resting position. This can be achieved by the camera being programmed to divide the target area into a grid array of coded pixels. As the ball moves over the target area (irrespective of whether it is on the ground or in the air) the camera will identify the coded pixels across which the ball moves and the pixel which corresponds to the final resting position of the ball. The camera transmits this information back to the kiosk computer in the kiosk 7 to enable the kiosk computer to display on the screen of the monitor the path and final position of the ball on the target area 2.

In the preferred form of the invention the camera 8 is active all the time. In the kiosk there is provided a sensor 19 which can sense a ball being hit from the teeing area in the kiosk 7. In the preferred form of the invention the sensor 19 is an audio detector. However, the sensor could be a motion detector, infra red, laser or camera detector or any combination of these types of detectors.

The computer in the kiosk 7 is programmed such as to be activated to receive information from the camera 8 for a set period of time (e.g. four seconds) from the time the hitting of a ball is sensed by sensor 19. The kiosk computer is furthermore programmed to transmit a signal to the camera 8 on the target area 2 that has been identified by the player (by an input into the computer as hereinafter described) as being the particular selected target area 2 to which the player is aiming. As a consequence the camera 8 associated with that selected target area 2 knows to expect the arrival of a ball from a particular kiosk within the preset period of time e.g. 4 seconds.

Consequently, if a ball arrives on the target area 2 within that period of time the ball is tracked and its final position determined by the camera. The appropriate information relating to the path and final position of the ball is then transmitted back via cables 10 and

12 to the kiosk computer for the kiosk computer to create a trace on the monitor screen representing the path of the ball to its final position on the target area. In the event that the camera "times out" and fails to detect the arrival of a ball on the target area, a default signal is sent to the kiosk computer to indicate that the ball failed to reach the target area 2.

In the event that the camera 8 detects, within the preset period, the arrival of more than one ball on the target area 2, it will track the path and position of each ball and provide relevant data signals to the kiosk computer. The arrival of data for a plurality of balls on the target area will either be flagged as a fault condition or detected as such by the kiosk computer whereupon an alert will be provided on the monitor screen. This will enable the player having hit the ball to the target area to identify the correct ball position.

In the preferred form of the invention the monitor screen is a touch screen. Therefore, the player will by touching the screen in the appropriate position be able to identify the correct ball whereupon the data relating to the other ball or balls will be disregarded and the computer will score on the basis of the ball selected on the touch screen by the player.

As disclosed in NZ 31 0596 the system will provide for an overlay to be displayed on the monitor screen, this overlay representing a graphic illustration of the target area in the form of a putting green. Thus, for example, as shown in Figure 4 the overlay on the screen may provide a 3-dimensional representation of the putting area together with hazards such as one or more bunkers and one or more water hazards.

The kiosk computer will enable a player to select one of a number of overlays. This will provide the ability to select target greens of different degrees of difficulty. Thus, at the lowest level of difficulty the putting green will be shown devoid of any hazards. In the highest level of difficulty the putting green will be shown with bunkers, water hazards, difficult pin placements relevant to these hazards and a physically reduced size of green. In this way the apparatus can be used by beginners and professionals alike.

As shown in Figure 3 an initial display on the screen 20 of the monitor will identify the target greens and the distance of the greens from the kiosk 7. A player can select a particular target area 2 to which he/she wishes to hit.

The screen of figure 3 is one to which the player can return at any time during a playing session so as to alter the selected target area. If, however, the player(s) has selected a game option the target areas and sequence of these areas will be determined automatically by the computer at the kiosk 7 in accordance with the rules of the game option selected. For example, each player may be required to hit to each of the target areas in sequence.

Figure 4 of the drawings shows a typical display on the screen of the kiosk monitor prior to a player teeing off. There is shown an overlay which provides a visual representation of the green to which the player is hitting. As disclosed above the particular overlay will represent the green in an appearance which is commensurate with the level of difficulty selected by the player.

A part of the screen 20 will include an area 21 for the name or names of the player(s) together with accumulated points scored and the number of balls hit. The screen, furthermore, provides an indication at 22 of the number of the ball about to be hit by the player.

The screen 20, as shown in Figure 4, also provides a touch area 23 that enables the player to obtain an aerial view of the putting green such as shown in Figure 5. Typically before hitting to the target area selected the player may select the screen of Figure 5 such as to determine the layout of the putting green and in particular the position of the pin, the relative positions of hazards etc.

Prior to hitting the player can, in one form of the invention, press the view aerial area 23 to obtain a plan view of the putting green. On this plan view there will ultimately be shown the track T of the ball onto the green and its final position P together with an indication of the points scored. Each score reflects how close the ball lies to the target flag 3 and where it lies in "scoring zones" 25 depicted on the screen.

The touch screen can also include a "replay" touch area (not shown) which can provide a replay function and obtain an indication of the points scored of the previous ball hit. In the preferred form of the invention, the kiosk computer is programmed to move automatically to the aerial view upon sensor 19 detecting the hitting of the ball. Thus, after hitting the ball the player will, by looking at the screen, be able to ascertain whether his/her ball has arrived at the target area, its path across the target area and its final resting position.

The computer can be programmed to remain on the screen display 20 of Figure 5 when a single player is continually playing to a selected target area 2. In such a case the computer will be programmed to remove, after a present period, the display tracking T of the ball to its final resting position P as well as the scoring (at 27) for that particular ball. The scoring display 26 on the screen will remain current for the number of total points scored and the number of balls hit but scoring section 27 will go blank so far as the scoring of an individual ball is concerned in preparation for the arrival of the next ball.

However, in a preferred form of the invention the kiosk computer will be programmed to automatically revert to the screen display of Figure 4. This will occur after a present period of time. This period of time will be commensurate with the time necessary to enable the player to determine the path and position of the ball before reverting back to the "Tee Off When Ready" screen (Figure 4) for the next shot/player.

In a typical arrangement the target overlay image of the target area 2 will consist of say three or more scoring zones 25 set up in a pattern similar to concentric circles or shaped areas. The inner circle/area 25' can be known as the "red zone" and be likened to a bullseye on a dart board.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the programme/software loaded into the computers at the kiosk and the cameras 8 enables the cameras to interact with the kiosk computers. Accordingly, any one camera can display on the associated screen of the kiosk monitor an image of the target green. The camera on the target green can thus automatically identify the arrival of the ball and create a trace reflecting the path of a ball into the target area 2 and then identify the final position of the ball. Upon this information transmitted back to the kiosk computer the computer can allocate a score based on the position of the ball in the particular scoring zone 26.

The computer is programmed so as to accumulate a score after repeated hits into the target area and can store this information for up to four players in any one game. A final game result can then be generated upon the players hitting the specific number of balls for the game.

The software can be arranged so as to enable score adjustments to be made based on an official golf handicap. It can also provide a variety of game options that includes offering the size of scoring zones and adding hazards attracting negative points as well as providing a graduated scoring system according to degrees of difficulty.

Thus, in a typical game situation, each player up to a maximum of four to participate in a game will purchase a bucket of balls (say 40 in number) and the right to play a particular game in a designated kiosk. Play for the game will commence by the players inputting their name and selecting a game option via the touch screen 20 interface on the kiosk monitor. The data processor of the computer in the monitor automatically identifies and displays the appropriate image for the target area on the screen according to the players game selection.

The player will then identify the target area 2 in the playing field 1 with the image on the monitor and then hit a ball aiming at the flag 3 of the target area 2. The data processor of the computer automatically identifies and scores the ball once it has moved to its final position within the confines of the target area 2. The successful shot will be visually displayed on the screen with a prominent line or trace T depicting the balls flight path and movement on the ground to its final resting position P. The actual score (shown at 27) will be dependant on which scoring zone 25 the ball lies and the degree of difficulty (software driven) according to target distance and game option.

The players will hit off in the same sequence as they input their names and details into the computer. After all the players have hit their allocated number of balls the screen will show the game is ended and display a summary of the final scores. This will appear on a screen such as that shown in Figure 6.

In a preferred form of the invention the administration computer 1 7 will track all computers in monitors 14 and store scoring etc. Thus, at the conclusion of the a game, the administration computer can generate a report that can be printed from printer 1 8. This can include a pictorial/graphical representation of each target area 2 with a plot of each scoring shot.

While the above description relates to a preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that operations and modifications may be made to the preferred form of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art and/or such modifications and alternations are intended to be and included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAlMS:-

1. Apparatus for facilitating the playing of a recreational game said apparatus including means for detecting and tracking the presence of an object on a target area, means remote from the target area to display the target area and an object moving to a rest position on the target area, the remote means includes a screen, means to maintain details of a target overlay which can be displayed on the screen to alter the characteristics of the target area and means to enable a score to be allocated to an object lying on the target area, the detecting and tracking means being an intelligent camera programmed to plot the path of movement and final position of an object on the target area and to provide an output to enable the plotted path and position of the object to be displayed on the screen.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the camera is a high resolution digital camera.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein the camera is programmed to divide the target area into a grid array of coded pixels and to identify the coded pixels over which the object moves.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the camera is programmed to identify a pixel corresponding to the location of the final position of the object on the target area.

5. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4 further including transmitting means associated with the camera to transmit information to the remote means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the remote means includes a computer programmed to receive information from the camera for a predetermined time period after an object has been projected toward the target area.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further including sensing means to sense an object being projected toward the target area.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 or 7 wherein the computer is programmed to transmit a signal to the camera to notify the camera to expect the arrival of an object at the target area.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the camera is programmed to time out after a predetermined period of time following the receipt of the signal from the computer.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the camera is programmed to issue a default signal to the computer in the event that an object is not detected in the target area within the predetermined period of time.

1 1. The apparatus of any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the camera is programmed to sense the arrival of more than one object at the target area and provide data signals relating to the tracking and final position of the objects.

1 2. The apparatus of claim 1 1 wherein the computer is programmed to generate an alert upon receiving data signals from the camera indicating arrival of more than one object at the target area.

13. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 1 2 wherein the remote means includes a display screen of a touch screen type.

14. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 1 3 wherein the means to maintain details of a target overlay includes a plurality of different overlays a selected one of which can be displayed on the screen.

1 5. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the overlay provides a visual representation of zones within the target area.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 5 wherein the zones are concentric circles on shaped areas.

1 7. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 1 6 wherein the target area is an area simulating a putting green in the game of golf and the object is a golf ball hit from the vicinity of the remote means.

1 8. The apparatus of claim 1 7 wherein the overlay depicts a layout of the putting surface and optionally hazards adjacent the putting green.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 7 or 18 wherein the camera is mounted on a pole adjacent the target area.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 7, 18 or 1 9 including a plurality of target areas each with an associated camera, the target areas being located at different distances from the position from which a ball can be hit toward the target area.

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 wherein each camera is coupled by a cable to switching apparatus, the switching apparatus being arranged to collect data for transmission between the cameras and the remote means.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein there are a plurality of hitting zones from each of which a ball can be hit toward a selected target area, each hitting zone including a remote means.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein each remote means is connected to a junction which is coupled to the switching apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein an administration computer is connected to the junction.

25. Apparatus for facilitating the playing of a recreational game substantially or herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.