IP Library Granted Patent US 12708829
Granted Patent B2
US 12708829 · App. 18/804,863 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Estimating golfer position using vehicle sensors

Inventors: Shayne Evan Rimer (North Augusta, SC); Brian Wanta (North Augusta, SC)
Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
A63B71/0605A63B24/0062A63B71/0622A63B55/61A63B2220/05A63B2220/12A63B2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12708829
App. No.
18/804,863
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf system includes a golf cart, one or more sensors coupled to the golf cart, and one or more processing circuits including one or more memory devices coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more memory devices are configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine, based on one or more first signals from the one or more sensors, that a golfer has exited the golf cart, determine, based on one or more second signals from the one or more sensors, a current location of the golf cart, determine, based on one or more third signals from the one or more sensors, a golf stroke of the golfer has occurred, determine a relative position of the golfer during the golf stroke to the current location of the golf cart, and determine a shot position of the golfer based on the relative position of the golfer and the current location of the golf cart.

Claims (55)

1 . A golf system comprising:

a first sensor configured to couple to a golf cart, the first sensor including at least one of a seat sensor or an inertial measurement unit that facilitates determining that a golfer has exited the golf cart;

a second sensor configured to couple to the golf cart; and

one or more processing circuits including one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine, based on one or more first signals from the first sensor, that a golfer has exited the golf cart;

determine, based on one or more second signals, a current location of the golf cart;

determine, based on one or more third signals from the second sensor, a golf stroke of the golfer has occurred;

determine a relative position of the golfer during the golf stroke to the current location of the golf cart; and

determine a shot position of the golfer based on the relative position of the golfer and the current location of the golf cart.

2 . The golf system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processing circuits includes at least one of (a) a first processing circuit located on the golf cart or (b) a second processing circuit located remote from the golf cart.

3 . The golf system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

monitor, based on the one or more third signals from the second sensor, at least one of poses or movements of the golfer;

classify at least one of (a) a respective pose of the poses or (b) a respective movement of the movements of the golfer as indicating the golf stroke; and

mark the golf stroke as indicative of a shot being taken.

4 . The golf system of claim 3 , wherein classifying the at least one of the respective pose or the respective movement of the golfer as indicating the golf stroke is based on an amount of time the golfer is in the respective pose.

5 . The golf system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to identify one or more golf strokes as practice strokes, and, responsive to identifying a practice stroke, refrain from marking the practice stroke as the shot.

6 . The golf system of claim 1 , wherein the golf stroke is a first golf stroke, the relative position is a first relative position, and the shot position is a first shot position on a respective hole, and wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine that the golfer has re-entered the golf cart and then subsequently re-exited the golf cart;

determine, based on the one or more third signals from the second sensor, a second golf stroke of the golfer has occurred on the respective hole;

determine a second relative position of the golfer during the second golf stroke to the current location of the golf cart; and

determine a second shot position of the golfer based on the second relative position of the golfer and the current location of the golf cart.

7 . The golf system of claim 6 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to link the first shot position to the second shot position to track a shot path of the golfer on the respective hole.

8 . The golf system of claim 6 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to display, on a user interface, the first shot position and the second shot position on the respective hole.

9 . The golf system of claim 6 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to display, on a user interface, shot data based on the first shot position and the second shot position.

10 . The golf system of claim 9 , wherein the shot data includes a distance between the first shot position and the second shot position.

11 . The golf system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to display, on a user interface, the shot position and the current location of the golf cart on a respective hole of a golf course.

12 . The golf system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to capture a history of golf strokes and shot positions of the golfer.

13 . The golf system of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor includes at least one of a camera or a lidar sensor.

14 . The golf system of claim 1 , further comprising a global positioning system sensor that facilitates determining the current location of the golf cart.

15 . The golf system of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor includes at least one of a camera, a lidar sensor, or a proximity sensor that facilitates determining the golf stroke of the golfer has occurred and the relative position of the golfer.

16 . A golf system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine, based on one or more first signals from one or more sensors, that a golfer has exited a golf cart;

determine, based on one or more second signals from the one or more sensors, a current location of the golf cart;

determine, based on one or more third signals from the one or more sensors, a golf stroke of the golfer has occurred;

determine, a relative position of the golfer during the golf stroke to the current location of the golf cart; and

determine a shot position of the golfer based on the relative position of the golfer and the current location of the golf cart;

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to at least one of:

(a) identify one or more golf strokes as practice strokes, and, responsive to identifying a practice stroke, refrain from marking the practice stroke as indicative of a shot being taken; or

(b) classify a respective pose of the golfer as indicating the golf stroke has occurred based on an amount of time the golfer is in the respective pose.

17 . The golf system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more first signals are acquired by a first sensor and the one or more third signals are acquired by a second sensor different from the first sensor.

18 . The golf system of claim 16 , wherein the golf stroke is a first golf stroke, the relative position is a first relative position, and the shot position is a first shot position on a respective hole, and wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine that the golfer has re-entered the golf cart and then subsequently re-exited the golf cart;

determine, based on the one or more third signals from the one or more sensors, a second golf stroke of the golfer has occurred on the respective hole;

determine a second relative position of the golfer during the second golf stroke to the current location of the golf cart;

determine a second shot position of the golfer based on the second relative position of the golfer and the current location of the golf cart; and

link the first shot position to the second shot position to track a shot path of the golfer on the respective hole.

19 . A golf cart comprising:

one or more first sensors including at least one of an inertial measurement unit, a proximity sensor, or a seat sensor;

one or more second sensors including at least one of a camera or a lidar sensor; and

one or more processing circuits including one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine, based on one or more first signals from the one or more first sensors, that a golfer has exited the golf cart;

determine, based on one or more second signals, a current location of the golf cart on a golf course;

determine, based on one or more third signals from the one or more second sensors, a relative position of the golfer to the current location of the golf cart; and

determine a position of the golfer on the golf course based on the relative position of the golfer and the current location of the golf cart.