Method and apparatus for displaying golf ball location

Abstract

A method for identifying position and displaying information about the position is provided, including the steps of digitizing visual images and electronically storing information regarding positions displayed in the visual images; electronically displaying the visual images; and electronically displaying information regarding user-selected positions displayed in the visual images. A device is provided that includes an electronic display screen for displaying visual images and information stored on a removable memory module. A control panel includes a control pad and buttons that enable a user to selectively display the digitized photographs and selected information concerning positions and objects shown on the display device.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A method for identifying a location of a golf ball relative to any location on a displayed photograph of a golf course hole, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) positioning at least one marker having known linear dimensions on one or more golf course holes and taking one or more aerial photographs of the one or more golf course holes that include the marker;    (b) digitizing the one or more aerial photographs [of one or more holes of a golf course] into bit-mapped pixel data and storing said data in a memory device for display on an electronic display device;    (c) scaling the bit-mapped pixels to the at least one marker having known linear dimensions and storing the bit-mapped pixel scaling in electronic memory;    (d) spotting a location of the golf ball visually on a golf course and manually inputting the location of the golf ball on an input device so that an indicator representing the golf ball appears at the location on the golf course hole displayed on the electronic display device;    (e) electronically calculating on an electronic calculation device a calculated distance between the location of the golf ball and one or more locations on the displayed golf course hole using only the scaled digitized aerial photograph and the stored bit-mapped pixel scale and;    (f) displaying the calculated distance between the location of the golf ball and the one or more locations on the displayed golf course hole.    
     
     
         2 . A method for identifying the location of a golf ball, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) placing at least one marker having known linear dimensions on at least one golf course hole;    (b) obtaining an aerial photograph of the at least one golf course hole and at least one marker;    (c) converting the aerial photograph into a digital bit map having pixels assigned an address in electronic memory;    (d) scaling the digital bit-mapped pixels to the linear dimension of the at least one marker; and    (e) storing the scaled digital bit-mapped pixel information in electronic memory;    (f) displaying the digital aerial photograph on an electronic display device; and    (g) calculating and displaying on the electronic display device the linear distance between user-selected locations on the displayed aerial photograph with an accuracy of plus or minus five yards.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said step of calculating and displaying the linear distance further comprises calculating the linear distance using only the scaled digital bit-mapped pixel information stored in electronic memory.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of obtaining includes taking an aerial photograph at an altitude in the range of 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet above the at least one golf course hole.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of obtaining an aerial photograph further comprises taking an aerial photograph having a resolution of no greater than {fraction (1/1000)} th  of an inch to achieve an accuracy in linear distance calculation of at least ±5 yards.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of obtaining an aerial photograph further comprises taking the aerial photograph from a position that is approximately above the center of the golf course hole to reduce oblique angle distortion at the edges of the aerial photograph.  
     
     
         7 . A method for calculating and displaying linear distances between user-selected locations on an electronic display of at least one golf course hole, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) positioning on at least one golf course hole at least one marker having known linear dimensions of sufficient length to be visible in an aerial photograph taken from an aircraft at an altitude of between 1,000 feet and 2,000 feet above ground level;    (b) photographing the at least one golf course hole having the at least one marker positioned thereon from an aircraft at an altitude in the range of 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet above ground level to create at least one aerial photograph    (c) converting the at least one aerial photograph into digital electronic form having bit-mapped pixels;    (d) determining the scale of the digital bit mapped pixels by referencing the known linear dimensions of the at least one marker to the bit-mapped pixels; and    (e) displaying the scaled digital aerial photograph on an electronic display device for calculating and displaying linear distances between user-selected locations on the displayed digital aerial photograph using only the scaled bit-mapped pixel information.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said step of photographing the at least one golf course hole further comprises using a high speed, fine grain film to achieve a resolution of no greater than {fraction (1/1000)} th  of an inch to enable a linear distance calculation accuracy of at least ±5 yards.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said at least one golf course hole is photographed at an altitude of about 1,500 feet above ground level.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said step of photographing the at least one golf course hole further includes positioning the aircraft approximately above the center of at least one golf course hole to reduce oblique angle distortion at the edges of the photograph.  
     
     
         11 . A method of electronically displaying a golf course hole and calculating and displaying linear distances between user-selected locations on the golf course hole, the steps of the method comprising: 
 (a) converting into digital bit-mapped format an aerial photograph of at least one golf course hole having at least one linear scaling marker pre-positioned thereon;    (b) calculating the scale of the pixels in the bit-mapped aerial photograph by referencing the at least one linear scaling marker in the photograph; and    (c) displaying the bit-mapped aerial photograph on an electronic display device for calculating and displaying distances between user-selected locations on the displayed aerial photograph.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said step of calculating the scale comprises the additional steps of verifying the scaling by calculating at least one linear distance and comparing the calculated linear distance with a known reliable measurement of the same distance.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising the further steps of: 
 (a) transferring the scaled bit-mapped aerial photograph to a portable memory device; and    (b) connecting the portable memory device to the electronic display device for calculating and displaying linear distances between user-selected locations on the displayed aerial photograph.