IP Library Granted Patent US 8,444,499
Granted Patent B2
US 8,444,499 · App. 13/429,118 · Granted May 21, 2013

Method and system for shot tracking

Inventors: Joseph Balardeta (Encinitas, CA); Scott Denton (Carlsbad, CA)
Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,444,499
App. No.
13/429,118
Granted
May 21, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for shot tracking disclosed herein. The system preferably includes a golf club and a receiver. The golf club preferably includes an active RFID transponder, a power source, a switch and an accelerometer.

Claims (22)

1. A system for automatically tracking shots of a golfer during a round of golf, the system comprising:

a plurality of golf clubs, each of the plurality of golf clubs comprising a shaft and a golf club head, the golf club having an accelerometer in electrical communication with a wireless radiofrequency transponder, the accelerometer temporarily closing a switch during impact with a golf ball to provide power from a power source to the wireless radiofrequency transponder for transmission of a wireless signal, the wireless signal containing data for a specific golf club of the plurality of golf clubs, wherein each golf club of the plurality of golf clubs has the accelerometer, the wireless radiofrequency transponder, the switch, and the power source located within the shaft of the golf club; and

the receiver having a second antenna;

wherein the system captures a swing speed and swing motion of a golf club swung by golfer and wherein the interactions of characteristic three dimensional amplitude variations in the antennas allow for the measurement of relative positions of the golf club over the time of the swing.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the receiver is a GPS unit.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the receiver stores data for each shot by the golfer for a round of golf.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the data of the signal comprises type of club and force of the shot.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the type of golf club of the plurality of golf clubs is selected from wedge, 9-iron, 8-iron, 7-iron, 6-iron, 5-iron, 4-iron, 3-iron, 2-iron, 9-wood, 7-wood, 5-wood, 3-wood, driver, putter, 1-hybird, 2-hybrid, 3-hybrid, 4-hybrid, 5-hybrid and 6-hybrid.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the accelerometer is a 50 G accelerometer.

7. A method for automatically tracking shots of a golfer during a round of golf, the method comprising:

impacting a golf ball with a golf club;

activating an accelerometer positioned within a shaft of the golf club;

closing a switch for a set time period, the switch positioned between a power source and a wireless radiofrequency transponder within the shaft of the golf club;

powering the wireless radiofrequency transponder with power from the power source;

transmitting a wireless signal from the wireless radiofrequency transponder, the wireless signal comprising golf club data for a swing speed and swing motion for the golf club swung by the golfer; and

receiving the wireless signal at a receiver, the receiver having a second antenna;

wherein the interactions of characteristic three dimensional amplitude variations in the antennas allow for the measurement of relative positions of the golf club over the time of the swing.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the receiver is a GPS unit.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the receiver stores data for each shot by the golfer for a round of golf.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein the data of the wireless signal comprises type of club and force of the shot.

11. The method according to claim 7 wherein the type of club is selected from wedge, 9-iron, 8-iron, 7-iron, 6-iron, 5-iron, 4-iron, 3-iron, 2-iron, 9-wood, 7-wood, 5-wood, 3-wood, driver, putter, 1-hybird, 2-hybrid, 3-hybrid, 4-hybrid, 5-hybrid and 6-hybrid.

12. The method according to claim 7 wherein the accelerometer is a 500 G accelerometer.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 063665/0176 Recorded Jun 1, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY (F/K/A TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP.); TRAVISMATHEW, LLC; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; WORLD GOLF TOUR, LLC
Reel/Frame 075834/0150 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2023
From: TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP.; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TOPGOLF INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TRAVISMATHEW, LLC; WORLD GOLF TOUR, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063692/0009 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2023
From: TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP. (FORMERLY CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY); OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TOPGOLF INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TRAVISMATHEW, LLC; WORLD GOLF TOUR, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063665/0176 →
RELEASE (REEL 048172 / FRAME 0001) Recorded Mar 17, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP. (F/K/A CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY); OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 063622/0187 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2019
From: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF SALES COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF BALL OPERATIONS, INC.; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERACTIVE, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERNATIONAL SALES COMPANY; TRAVISMATHEW, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 048110/0352 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 4, 2019
From: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 048172/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2018
From: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF SALES COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF BALL OPERATIONS, INC.; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERACTIVE, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERNATIONAL SALES COMPANY
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 045350/0741 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2012
From: BALARDETA, JOSEPH; DENTON, SCOTT
To: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
Reel/Frame 027921/0028 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 12837136 · Jul 15, 2010
Provisional Application 61229831 · Jul 30, 2009
Related Publication 20130079170A1 · Mar 28, 2013