Dead reckoning range finding device for cart

Abstract

A dead reckoning range finding device is disclosed for removably detachable mounting to a cart, such as a golf cart. The golf cart, having more than one wheel, is mechanically monitored as to wheel position of at least two wheels to provide at least two required outputs. The first output is the cart distance traveled; the second output is the radius of curvature of the track of the cart, which gives the change in direction per unit of path length traveled with respect to the bearing of a target, such as a golf hole. As specifically applied to the game of golf, at each tee, initialized parameters of range and direction of hole are input to a dedicated microprocessor. Thereafter, even though travel from the tee to hole occurs along a random path (typically a level as possible route following the random direction to which golf balls can be hit by one or two cart riders) a continuous read-out of range to the hole is provided. This continuous read-out is provided by an essentially continuous integration of the direction of travel, as provided by the radius of curvature of the path as well as the path length. Provision is made for either the manual or memory entry of the initial hole parameters of flag direction and range. Provision is made for displaying length of drive from the tee. Specific embodiments include adaptation of the invention to a self-propelled cart having at least three wheels or to a simplified cart having paired co-axial wheels separated by a fixed distance capable of toting only a golf bag.