Transmitter tag

Abstract

The transmitter tag for a ball includes a transmitter configured to issue a signal for location of the ball, a power source for powering the transmitter, an activation circuit for activating the transmitter when the ball is in use, and a deactivation circuit operable for manual deactivation of the transmitter after the ball is located. The activation circuit may include an impact switch, and the deactivation circuit may be a magnetic switch such as Hall effect switch.

1 . A transmitter tag for a ball, the tag comprising: 
 a transmitter configured to issue a signal for location of said ball;    a power source for powering said transmitter;    activation means operable for activating said transmitter when said ball is in use;    and deactivation means operable for remote manual deactivation of said transmitter after said ball is located.    
   
   
       2 . A tag as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said activation means comprises an impact switch operable to activate said transmitter in response to said ball being struck.  
   
   
       3 . A tag as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising wherein said deactivation means comprises a magnetic switch operable to deactivate said transmitter in response to the presence of a magnetic field.  
   
   
       4 . A tag as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said magnetic switch is a Hall effect switch.  
   
   
       5 . A tag as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said transmitter is configured for issuing a signal comprising a series of pulses modulated with a carrier signal.  
   
   
       6 . A tag as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said signal is allocated to a specific carrier frequency, said frequency being configurable to provide an identifier for identifying said ball.  
   
   
       7 . A tag as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said issued signal has a duty cycle of less than 1%.  
   
   
       8 . A tag as claimed in  claim 5  wherein each pulse has a width in the region of 200 μs, and wherein one pulse is issued in the region of every 60 ms.  
   
   
       9 . A tag as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said transmitter comprises an oscillator for producing said carrier signal.  
   
   
       10 . A tag as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said oscillator comprises a surface acoustic wave resonator.  
   
   
       11 . A golf ball comprising a tag according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       12 . A golf ball according to  claim 11 , comprising a substantially spherical core embedded concentrically within said golf ball, wherein said tag is embedded in said core, and wherein said core, tag, and golf ball share substantially the same centre of mass.