IP Library Granted Patent US 12,029,962
Granted Patent B2
US 12,029,962 · App. 17/456,705 · Granted Jul 9, 2024

User terminal and search system

Inventors: Osamu Yamaguchi (Tokyo, JP); Shinya Kishimoto (Tokyo, JP); Hiroshi Gamou (Koshigaya, JP)
Assignee: NTT Communications Corporation
A63B71/0622A63B43/00A63B57/00G01S1/68A63B37/0003A63B2071/0625A63B2071/0655A63B2071/0691A63B2220/12A63B2225/54A63B2225/74
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,029,962
App. No.
17/456,705
Granted
Jul 9, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A user terminal includes a communication device configured to receive radio waves transmitted from a wireless communication tag provided on a golf ball, an output device configured to output information to a user, and a controller configured to control the output device and output information according to radio waves transmitted from the wireless communication tag provided on a golf ball.

Claims (37)

1. A user terminal comprising:

a memory; and

a processor connected to the memory, the processor being configured to:

transmit first radio waves to a wireless communication tag provided on or in a golf ball;

receive second radio waves transmitted, according to the first radio waves, from the wireless communication tag;

output, to a user, information according to the second radio waves; and

acquire positional information indicating a current position of the user terminal,

wherein, in case of a registration state of the golf ball, the processor is configured to set strength of the first radio waves to a lower strength than that in a search state of the golf ball, and

the processor is configured to

estimate, in the search state, a plurality of regions where the golf ball registered may be positioned based on reception strength of the second radio waves received and the positional information acquired, and

estimate a region included in all of the plurality of regions as a region where the golf ball registered is positioned.

2. The user terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine an output mode of the user terminal according to reception strength of the second radio waves.

3. The user terminal according to claim 1 ,

wherein the wireless communication tag transmits the second radio waves using electric power generated by receiving the first radio waves,

the processor is capable of outputting third radio waves, and

the processor is configured to determine a timing for outputting the third radio waves from the user terminal according to reception strength of the second radio waves received from the wireless communication tag.

4. The user terminal according to claim 3 , wherein the third radio waves are radio waves in a 2.4 GHz band.

5. The user terminal according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processor is configured to determine an output mode of the user terminal according to reception strength of the second radio waves,

the wireless communication tag transmits the second radio waves using electric power generated by receiving the first radio waves transmitted from the user terminal,

the user terminal is capable of outputting third radio waves, and

the processor is configured to determine a timing for outputting the third radio waves from the user terminal according to reception strength of the second radio waves received from the wireless communication tag.

6. The user terminal according to claim 5 , wherein the third radio waves are radio waves in a 2.4 GHz band.

7. A search system that comprises

a golf ball having a wireless communication tag and a user terminal,

wherein the user terminal comprises:

a memory; and

a processor connected to the memory, the processor being configured to:

transmit first radio waves to the wireless communication tag provided on or in the golf ball;

receive second radio waves transmitted, according to the first radio waves, from the wireless communication tag;

output, to a user, information according to the second radio waves; and

acquire positional information indicating a current position of the user terminal,

wherein, in case of a registration state of the golf ball, the processor is configured to set strength of the first radio waves to a lower strength than that in a search state of the golf ball, and

the processor is configured to estimate, in the search state, a plurality of regions where the golf ball registered may be positioned based on reception strength of the second radio wave received and the positional information acquired, and estimate a region included in all of the plurality of regions as a region where the golf ball registered is positioned.

8. The user terminal according to claim 1 , the processor being further configured to:

store, in the memory, one or plurality of identification information of one or plurality of golf ball, the one or plurality of identification information being search target, the one or plurality of identification information being registered by the user; and

output the one or plurality of identification information in case only that radio wave including the one or plurality of identification information stored in the memory is received.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 19, 2025
From: NTT COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
To: NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS, INC.
Reel/Frame 073800/0678 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2021
From: YAMAGUCHI, OSAMU; KISHIMOTO, SHINYA; GAMOU, HIROSHI
To: NTT COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058226/0383 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-104521 · Jun 4, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2020022142 · Jun 4, 2020
Related Publication 20220080283A1 · Mar 17, 2022