The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 03, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 13, 1999
Kirk Bingeman, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Richard Velasquez, Phoenix, AZ (US);
William Tekniepe, Mesa, AZ (US);
Prolink, Inc., Chandler, AZ (US);
Abstract
A system is disclosed for determining precise locations of the golf carts on a golf course in real time as the carts are in use during play of the course. Each cart is outfitted with a dead reckoning navigation (DRN) system for determining speed and direction, and a compass for determining heading of the cart during play. With these parameters and a known origin of the cart to which the DRN system has been calibrated, such as location of a tee box, the location of the cart relative to a known feature of the course such as a cup or hazard may be calculated. The DRN system uses a magnetic wheel sensor assembly having a magnetic strip with spaced alternating opposite magnetic poles affixed to the rim of an inside wheel well or mounting fixture therefor of the cart, mounted to confront a Hall effect sensor. During rotation of the wheel and the strip when the cart is moving, the sensor detects passage of the alternating poles, to measure speed and forward or backward direction of the cart. A compass determines heading of the cart. The DRN system allows operation on courses where GPS-based systems cannot maintain LOS, and is periodically calibrated by a known signal, such as a DGPS signal.