`
`(12) UK Patent Application (1., GB 1m 2 249 202(14A
`
`(43) Date of A publication 29.04.1992
`
`
`(51)
`INT CL5
`(21) Application No 9120325.?
`A638 69/36 71/06, 6013 5/14, GOSF 15/20
`
`
`
`(52) UK CL (Edition K)
`64A ADT AUX
`A60 0713 mac
`H4O D23X 0235 D264 0550 0561 0576 0580 D584
`U1S S1171
`
`(56) Documents cited
`WO 88/00487 A1 US 4703444 A
`
`(58) Fieldot search
`UK CL(Edition K) 64A ADT Aux, H40 DAB DPBC
`INT CL‘ A633, GDGF
`On-line database :W.P.l.
`
`(22) Date or filing 24.09.1991
`
`(72)
`
`Inventor
`Fuke Osemu
`
`
`(30) Prioritydata
`
`(31) 03233945
`(32) 20.03.1991
`(39) JP
`02254851
`25.09.1990
`
`
`(71) Applicant
`
`Fuke Osamu
`630-138 Shlbumi-Cha, Tsu-Shl, Mia-Ken, Japan
`
`
`
`(74) Agent and/or Address for Service
`Beresford 81 00
`
`2-5 Warwick Court, High Holborn, London, WC1 R SDJ,
`
`United Kingdom
`
`
`(54) Golfing data recorder
`
`(57) Data on goli play is recorded by apparatus carried by a player and comprised of an input unit A. B to be operated by
`the player at each place where a stroke is played, a globalpositioning-satellite (GPS) receiver unit, and a unit for measuring
`the locations of the apparatus by means of the GPS receiver in response to operation of the input unit and for storing the
`location. score and club selection data. The data stored may be displayed at 20, or transferred to a base computer after the
`game for processing and display of the successive play locations superimposed over a simulated map of a golf course. The
`apparatus may be mounted on the player's belt E.
`The GPS receiver may operate in conjunction with a fixed receiver at the clubhouse, to provide a differential
`positioning system of greater accuracy.
`Fig.1
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`v3036178aas
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 1
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 1
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`Fig.1
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 2
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 2
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 3
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`Fig.3
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 4
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 4
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`Fig.4
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 5
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 5
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`Fig.5
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 6
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 6
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 7
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 7
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`7/10
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`Fig.7
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 8
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 8
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 9
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 10
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 10
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`SKYHAWKE EX. 1007, page 11
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 11
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`2249212
`
`SPECIFICATION
`
`TITLE OF THE INVENTION
`
`APPARATUS FOR RECORDING DATA ON GOLF PLAY AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING
`
`THE DATA
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to an apparatus for recording data on golf
`
`play to be carried by a golf player or caddy assistant and a lethod
`
`for displaying the same data or information therefrom with use of
`
`a suithle data processing installation.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
`
`It has been conventionally well known that scores of a golf player
`
`are recorded into a paper card, but such scoring is nuisance, and
`
`if not assisted with other data, such a record does not cake a good
`
`reference to evaluate his golfing technique, because the scores are
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`much dependent on a golf course design; sometimes easy and sometimes
`
`hard to obtain a good result.
`
`For the purpose of knouing a golfer's correct capability,
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`it is
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`customarily accepted advice to record,
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`together with conventional
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`scores, data on each carry distance of his shot as well as each
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`location of his ball
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`through the green to produce as an image a
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`route map for his shots covering from a tee shot
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`to a green.
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`Further,
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`the data on which numbered club or what identified club
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`was used versus how long a carry distance was obtained makes
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`SKYHAWKE EX. 1007, page 12
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 12
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`,4
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`advisable information to brush up the golfing technique.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention is intended to offer a.gadget or apparatus for
`
`recording data on golf play which general golfers are enabled to
`
`conveniently handle while‘playing and by which he or she can store
`
`his shot history including a route map for each hole.
`
`Other aspects of this invention are to offer an apparatus for
`
`recording a carry distance of his shot and such data in relation to
`
`a club used and for facilitating score countings, and summing up
`
`thereof, further to offer a method comprising displaying a route
`
`map of his shots in a superimposed form on a simulated map of each
`
`hole course on a display screen.
`
`An aspect of this invention features a portable apparatus for
`
`recording data on golf play to be carried by a player, which
`
`comprises: an operation sector to be operated by the player at a
`
`place of a tee shot and at other places where a shot ball
`
`is
`
`located in a golf course; a GPS receiver; a measurement sector for
`
`measuring where the apparatus is present
`
`in response to each
`
`operative act on the operation sector; a memory sector for storing
`data on locations measured by the measurement sector.
`
`Therein the apparatus of the invention enables finding a carry
`distance of a shot based on the data which is prestored in the
`
`memory sector and the same sector will store the result, and the
`
`operation sector enables storing the data on which club is used,
`
`2
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 13
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 13
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`
`
`thereby the relationship of
`
`the club used with a carry distance
`
`will be recorded. Further operation sector will store the scores,
`
`thereby conventional
`
`lanual writing of scores into a paper card is
`
`replaced by electronic leans and such data is enabled to display on
`
`the screen. The GPS receiver which defines the location sector is
`
`desirably a systen for locating a place by differential navigation
`
`systel.
`
`Another aspect of this invention features a method of display which
`
`comprises: reading out data on locations stored in the nelory sector
`
`of the apparatus; and joining such locations to ilage a route cap
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`which will be displayed in a superimposed for: on a sinulated lap of
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`the golf course concerned. Therein the data on carry distances
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`and/or on the clubs used are enabled to be displayed together with
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`the route lap nentioned above.
`
`The tern "GPS" stands for the navigation system with use of Global
`
`Positioning Satellites, which system is today available any tine to
`
`locate a position of a receiver. This invention features that the
`
`apparatus including the GPS receiver is carried by a golf player or
`
`caddy assistant or anybody who serves to the player while walking
`
`around the course, and he is neant
`
`to input
`
`the locations of the
`
`tee shots and of the locations where his shot ball
`
`is found in the
`
`golf course, by which inputs the basis for imaging the route cap is
`
`built up.
`
`It is to be noted here that,
`
`in the present
`
`invention, another
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`electronic and connunications installtion including a UPS stationary
`
`SKYHAWKE EX. 1007, page 14
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 14
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`
`
`receiver is meant
`
`to be set up on the roof of a club house, for
`
`example,
`
`to assist the job of
`
`location by a navigation system,
`
`that is, by the differential navigation system for improvelent
`
`in
`
`measurements.
`
`In addition, during a passage which a golfer would
`
`take, there are a number of points to be made the datum or standard
`
`points, for example, places for tee shots, and places for bole out.
`
`measurements at such places enable corrections, by which further
`
`in the accuracy are obtained. Consequently, with use of
`inprovenent
`such a sinple portable GPS receiver as a moving station, it is
`
`certainly allowed to build up a route map for his bail.
`
`Herein,
`
`the art of trajectography, a kind of differential navigation
`
`system, has a higher accuracy (plus/minus about 0.5 meter) than an
`
`ordinary differential navigation system (plus/ninus about 2
`
`meters). The use of the trajectography reduces a possible error
`
`distance and hence more advantage.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`1 shows a perspective view of key portions of an embodied
`Fig.
`apparatus for recording data on golf play.
`
`Fig. 2 shows a side view of key portions of the sale apparatus.
`
`Fig. 3 shows a plan view of key portions of the sane apparatus.
`Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the apparatus in whole when
`carried at the waist belt of a person.
`
`Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of another antenna when carried at
`the waist belt of a person.
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 15
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 15
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`
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`Fig. 6 shows a block diagram to explain the internal construction
`
`of the apparatus.
`
`Fig.
`
`7 shows a record prepared by a method of
`
`the present
`
`invention.
`
`Fig. 8 shows another record with the same concept as above.
`
`Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of another example of the apparatus
`
`in whole when carried at the waist belt of a person.
`
`Fig. 10 shows key portions of the apparatus with the sale concept
`as in Fig. 9.
`.
`I
`
`These drawings are presented to illustrate the invention, and
`
`therefore these should not be construed as limiting the invention.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE EHBODIHENT(S)
`
`Below,
`
`the invention will be described on embodiment(s) with
`
`reference to the drawings.
`
`A preferred embodiment of the present
`
`invention has, as Figs.
`
`1
`
`to
`
`4 show, an input panel A and a cover B which is linked by a hinge,
`
`and an apparatus body C which is connected by a wire to the
`
`input panel A. The panel A may be carried at a belt of a golfer by
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`a book which is provided on the back side of the panel A, and it is
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`closed with the cover B when the panel A is out of use.
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`Do the input panel A,
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`there are nuoeral keys or ten keys and
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`additionaly,
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`four club designation keys;
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`I (iron clubs), W (wood
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`clubs), PU (pitching club), SH (sand wedge), and seven other data
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`input keys each to designate; OB (out of bound), LB (lost ball), UP
`
`5
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 16
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 16
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`
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`(unplayable), H (hazard), P (penalty), PT (puttings), NB
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`(membership number), DIS (display of the record), HN (hole number),
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`F (finish). C (cancel). These define input leans 10 together with
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`three other keys which will be noted later.
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`On the cover B provided are a liquid crystal dispaly (LCD) panel 20
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`as a display means, and three keys as noted above to input which
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`number of tee start-hole in (UN), shot (S) to denote how many shots,
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`penalty (P) to denote how many penalty.
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`The apparatus body C connected to the input panel A contains a GPS
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`receiver, micro-computer,
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`IC memory, and antenna. The GPS receiver
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`is of the differential navigation system to perform locations. The
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`antenna is of helical type, but
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`in the case of microstrip type,
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`the
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`antenna F may be of external equipment type as Fig. 5 shows.
`
`The differential navigation system leans a system which includes
`
`another stationary receiver station in addition to an outstanding
`moving receiver station. Therein, a stationary station and a moving
`station or portable receiver will receive waves from the sale
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`satellites and in the meantime,
`
`the stationary receiver will
`
`inevitably produce sole errors, but the stationary receiver error
`
`can be determined and by cancelation or correction of such error
`from the moving receiver data in deciding locations of the loving
`receiver,
`the accuracy is improved. Therein,
`the stationary station
`
`as noted above is desirably the type of having an equal or a higher
`accuracy than the moving one and is desirably set up, for example,
`on the top of the club house, and it is desirably operated to
`
`6
`
`SKYHAWKE EX. 1007, page 17
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 17
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`
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`receive location data during the time covering the golf play and to
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`store data on the stationary one, which will make the background
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`date. And after finished the play, with use of the data stored in
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`the stationary one through treat-ant of software, errors found at
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`the stationary are canceled or corrected iron the data neasured by
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`the saving one to the lost accurate data.
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`In the post treatlent as
`
`noted above,
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`the data that were leasured at known points, for
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`exanple, places of tee shots, places of green holes, helps to
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`further correction.
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`The component units contained in the apparatus body C; GPS
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`receiver, microcomputer, and IC lelory, provides functionally the
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`system of
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`location sector 30, nenory sector 40, and conputation
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`sector 50 as shown in Fig. 6. Therein,
`
`through input operations by
`
`keys or pushbuttons, various data are sent to the location sector
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`30 and memory sector 40. The colputation sector 50 will colpute
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`with use of the data stored in the memory sector 40, of which
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`results will be sent
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`to the melory sector 40. And therefrom the
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`data will be, according to call-out instructions, displayed in the
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`LCD panel 20 as function of the display sector. Below, further
`
`details involved will he described.
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`A golfer who comes to a tee shot place at each hole is meant
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`to
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`start the inputs by pushing the key of tee start-hole in, by which
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`the location of the tee shot
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`is measured and the data thereof is
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`stored. He
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`is also meant
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`to input
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`the hole number. After the tee
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`shot, he is meant
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`to input when he comes to the location of his
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 18
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 18
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`
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`ball
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`in the golf course. Then, each time he inputs a location of
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`his ball, data on these locations and carry distances are Ielorized
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`and computed, and displayed, with shot countings. And Identity of
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`the clubs used is meant to be input as necessary.
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`As noted before,
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`the data on carry distances will he further
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`corrected when the data is post~treated with use of the colputer
`
`installation connected with the stationary receiving station
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`installed in the club house.
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`After the green-on,
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`the golfer is leant to input the shot key at
`
`the location of putting each tile or to push the key of tee start-
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`. Then, GPS receivers
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`normally available as portable type are hardly enabled of
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`therefore only putting
`discriminating different places on a green,
`counts will persist although the shot key was pushed.
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`When an out of bound,
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`lost hall or another penalty case takes
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`place, he is meant to use appropriate keys or shot count equivalent
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`to the penalty.
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`Scores input are all stored, which may he reviewed by displaying on
`the LCD panel 20 as desired. The information according to the
`
`that is,
`in this invention,
`inventive idea on the method aspect
`display of the outcome will be present after the finish of golf
`play as will be noted below.
`
`After the play is finished,
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`in the club house or at the place where
`
`8
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 19
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 19
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`
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`the stationary installation is set up,
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`the data stored in the
`
`portable apparatus is sent a computer accompanying to the stationary
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`receiver for post treating and editing of the data to convert
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`them
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`to further information. The data sent
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`includes the hole numbers,
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`route of shots, carry distances, scores,
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`identity of clubs, penalty
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`counts, putting counts. The camputer is meant
`
`to correct the data
`
`as noted before and to prepare an ilage‘of a route map for each
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`hole which is displayed on a screen attached to the computer as
`
`shown in Fig. 7, wherein the route of shots is superimposed on a
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`simulated hole map and as required, carry distances and identity of
`
`the clubs are numerically displayed. Further through computer
`
`operation, a simulated bird-eye-view map covering the whole holes
`
`with the ball routes is prepared and displayed as shown in Fig. 8,
`
`wherein weather data; wind, rain, are imparted as required. Further
`
`a score table, ranking table in a competition, and correlation
`
`between a club used and wind nature may be prepared, wherein
`
`players' handicaps can he taken into acount
`
`in preparation of the
`
`competition list.
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`The data or information thus prepard are stored in an auxiliary
`
`memory sector, which will he used for the purpose of deciding
`
`handicaps of players, average performance for a season or through a
`
`year to serve to players.
`
`The embodiment(s) as noted above is not
`
`limitative, but
`
`illustrative- For example, design of the apparatus,
`
`layout of the
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 20
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`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 20
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`
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`operation sector, process of treating the data way be changed to suit
`
`convenience in case. Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of another
`
`enhodinent of the present invention, and Fig. 10 shows key portions
`
`of the sane in enlarged view.
`
`Referring to this enhodinent,
`
`the apparatus conprises the operation
`
`panel A and the apparatus body 0. The operation panel A is leant to
`
`be connected to the body 0 which is fastened to a belt E of a
`
`golfer and it is carried with placed in a pocket while inoperative.
`
`This operation panel A icludes,
`
`in addition to the operation
`
`sector 10,
`
`the LCD display panel 20, and antenna F. This type of
`
`apparatus has lore freedom with the operation panel A, easier
`
`operation, and easier to change a position and/or a direction of
`
`the antenna F when put
`
`in the receiving status. Thereby, avoidance
`
`of possible obstruction by other persons or trees nearby nay he
`
`performed. Further, such modification is allowable as installing
`antennas singly in the operation panel A and the body 0 so as to
`
`receive the navigation lessage from the satellites by the antenna A
`
`and to use the antenna 0 as location leasurenents.
`
`invention per-its,
`Use of the apparatus and nethod of the present
`without naking trouble in playing golf, recording of routes of
`golfers's balls with aid of a GPS receiver, and the records thus
`obtained facilitates golfers to have a chance of reviewing their
`level or defects and thereby to improve their technique, wherein
`they are entitled to know real carry distance under various
`
`conditions and correlation of clubs used to carry distances, and
`
`1 0
`
`SKYHAWKE EX. 1007, page 21
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 21
`
`
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`they can stock such information. Further lanual writing into a
`
`conventional paper card is replaced by electronic lelorization of
`
`such data, which will dispense with the paper cards.
`
`Use of the visual display produced by the present invention gives
`
`strong impression to golfers who are enabled to understand their
`
`technique so objective together with other conditions which were
`
`difficult to be taken into consideration quantitatively._Speaking
`
`fron the lanagelent of a golf course,
`
`they need not use the
`
`location systen by use of the GPS receiver, which lessens their
`
`initial installation cost, and they can offer better service by use
`
`of the system to custoner playhers.
`
`l
`
`1
`
`SKYHAWKE EX. 1007, page 22
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 22
`
`
`
`{an
`
`CLAIM
`
`What is claimed is:
`
`1. An apparatus for recording data on golf play to he carried by a
`
`player himself, which comprises:
`
`an operation sector to be operated by the player at a place of tee
`
`shot and at each place where his shot hall
`
`is located;
`
`a GPS receiver unit;
`
`a measurement sector for measuring a location of the apparatus by
`
`the GPS receiver in response to each operative act on the operation
`
`sector;
`
`a memory sector for storing a location the data measured by the
`
`measurement sector.
`
`2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus
`
`further comprises a computer sector for computing a carry distance
`
`of the ball based on the data stored in the memory sector.
`
`3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data stored in
`
`the memory sector further comprises a score played, and/or an
`
`identity of a club used.
`
`4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus
`
`further comprises a display sector which displays the data stored
`
`in the memory sector.
`
`5. An apparatus as claimed in claim I, wherein the GPS receiver
`
`uses a location system which conforms to differential navigation
`system.
`
`6. A method for displaying data on golf play, which comprises:
`
`1 2
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 23
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 23
`
`
`
`inputting data on golf play with use of an apparatus which is
`
`defined and colprised of;
`
`an operation sector to be operated by the player at a place of
`
`tee shot and at each place where his shot hall
`
`is located;
`
`a GPS receiver unit;
`
`a leasurelent sector for leasuring a location of the apparatus
`
`by the GPS receiver in response to each operative act on the
`
`operation sector;
`
`a lelory sector for storing a location the data leasured by the
`
`measure-ant sector;
`
`reading out
`
`the data on locations of a golf ball from the salary
`
`sector of the apparatus;
`
`and connecting the ball
`
`locations to produce a route nap for the
`
`ball; and
`
`displaying said route nap in superimposed Ianner over a silulated
`
`map of a golf course.
`
`7. A method for displaying data on golf play as clailed in claim 6,
`
`which comprises displaying a carry distance of a hit ball computed
`
`from the location data and/or identity of a club used,
`
`together
`
`with the route lap for the ball,
`
`in superilposed lanner over the
`
`simulated lap of the golf course.
`
`1 3
`
`SKYHAWKE EX. 1007, page 24
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 24
`
`
`
`_ 14 _
`
`Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described
`8.
`with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
`
`on golf play
`data
`displaying
`of
`A method
`9.
`substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
`accompanying drawings.
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 25
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 25
`
`
`
`
`’ l5 ”
`Patents Act 1977
`Examiner's report to the Comptroller under
`
`9120325.?
`
`Section 17 (The Search Report)
`
`
`Search Examiner
`
`rm
`
`
`Relevant Technical fields
`
`
`Application number
`
`(”UKCHEd't'on
`
`K)
`
`G4A (ADT,AUX); H4D(DAB,DPBC)
`
`(ii) Int Cl (Edition
`
`5 )
`
`A633; G06F
`
`Databases (see over)
`
`(i) UK Patent Office
`
`(ii)
`
`ONLINE DATABASES:WPI
`
`
`
`B G WESTERN
`
`Date of Search
`
`13 JANUARY 1992
`
`
`
`
`
`Documents considered relevant following a search in respect of claims
`
` Category
`
`(see over)
`
`Relevant to
`claimlsl
`
`A
`
`A
`
`WO 88/00487 A1 (TRANSCONTINENTAL CART)
`see whole document
`
`US 4703444 A (STORMS ET AL) see whole
`document
`
`1-9
`
`1-9
`
`SF2(p)
`
`sf
`
`— c:\wp51\doc99\fi1001269
`
`a:
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 26
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 26
`
`
`
`Category
`
`Identity of document and relevant passages
`, l6 s
`
`Relevant
`to claimls)
`
` W X
`
`: Document indicating lack of novelty or of
`inventive step.
`.
`.
`.
`.
`Y: Document indicating lack of inventive step if
`combined with one or more other documents of the
`same category.
`'
`
`P: Document published on or after the declared
`priority date but before the filing date of the
`resent a
`lication.
`p
`pp
`.
`.
`E: Patent document published on or after. but with
`priority date earlier than, the filing date of the
`present application.
`
`A‘ Document indicating technological background
`and/or state of the art.
`
`8:: Member of the same patent family,
`corresponding document.
`MK
`Databases: The UK Patent Office database comprises classified collections of GB, EP, W0 and US
`patent specifications as outlined periodically in the Official Journal (Patents). The on-line databases
`considered for search are also listed periodically in the Official Journal (Patents).
`
`i
`
`‘
`"
`
`.
`
`Published 1992 at The Patent 0
`nice. Concept House. Cardlfl' Road. Newport. Gwent NPS IRH. Further copies may be obtained from
`Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point. Cwmfelinfach. Cross Keys. Newport. NP] 7H2. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd. St Mary Cray. Kent.
`
`SKYHAWKE EX. 1007, page 27
`
`SKYHAWKE Ex. 1007, page 27
`
`