Active Play Interactive Game System

Abstract

A system featuring a server communicating with the network with game hosting software programmed on the server, a terrain database and a time sequence GPS position linked message database each stored on the server and accessed by the game hosting software is disclosed. The terrain database stores a plurality of three dimensional renderings of golf courses created from digital aerial photographs of each golf course, wherein each photo includes elevational and slope data for each aerial photo. The time sequence GPS position linked message database contains a plurality of messages collected by a portable computing device and transmitted to the server by the device during an actually played round of golf. Each message is: transmitted by the device to the server; associated with an elapsed time from the beginning of the play of the round of golf; and linked to a GPS determined position from where the message was transmitted.

1 . A method by steps comprising:
 activating a first portable computing device programmed with an active game support software module and comprising a global positioning system receiver;   initiating a round of golf on a golf course;   recording a GPS determined position of a golf ball relative to a golf hole of the golf course using the first portable computing device;   striking the golf ball with a golf club to advance the ball on the golf hole;   confirming a fee payment through a golfer application on the portable computing device prior to interaction with a predetermined golf professional; and   soliciting the advice of the predetermined golf professional before striking the golf ball again.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the portable computing device further comprises a voice/data transceiver, and by steps further comprising:
 preparing a message for delivery to a server communicating with a network;   measuring an elapsed time between a beginning of a transmission of the prepared message, and the initiation of the round of golf;   transmitting the prepared message, measured elapsed time, and global positioning system determined position of the golf ball to the server using the voice/data transceiver; and   storing the message, elapsed time, and global positioning system determined position of the golf ball in a time sequence and global positioning system position linked message database on the server.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , in which the server further comprises a Golfer database, and by steps further comprising:
 identifying what type of golf club was used to strike the golf ball;   recording a second global positioning system determined position of the golf ball relative to the golf course resulting from the striking of the golf ball with the golf club;   transmitting to the server, the type of golf club used to strike the golf ball, and the second global positioning system determined position of the golf ball relative to the golf course using the voice/data transceiver; and   storing the type of golf club used to strike the golf ball in the Golfer database of the server, and the second global positioning system determined position of the golf ball relative to the golf course in a terrain database stored on the server.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , and by steps further comprising:
 accessing a three dimensional image rendering of the golf course from the terrain database on the server;   superimposing an animation of a Golfer and a Golf Analyst on said image rendering;   synthesizing an announcement by said animated Golf Analyst of said Golfer, said type of golf club used to strike the golf ball, distance traveled by said golf ball; and   re-creating by animation a golf swing for execution by said animated Golfer based on a change of position of the golf ball relative to the golf course between said determined position, and said second determined position.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , by steps further comprising:
 producing an animation of said animated Golfer executing said re-created golf swing;   generating an animation of a flight of the golf ball resulting from the striking of the golf ball by the golf club, based on the change of position of the golf ball relative to the golf course;   depicting said animated Golf Analyst approaching said animated Golfer for solicitation of a comment by said animated Golfer following a conclusion of the animated flight of the golf ball;   providing a setting within said three dimensional rendering for delivery of a commentary by said animated Golfer following the depiction of said animated Golf Analyst approaching said animated Golfer; and   verbalizing the stored message as the commentary delivered by said animated Golfer at said setting within said three dimensional rendering.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , by steps further comprising:
 activating a voice recognition programs;   displaying each of a plurality of golf terms on a display of the portable computing device; and   enunciating the displayed golf terms into the portable computing device such that the portable computing device will recognize each of the plurality of terms as pronounced by a golfer using the portable computing device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , in which each golf term displayed on the display is selected from a group of golf terms consisting of (fee, tee box, hole, cup, pin, green, fairway, rough, sand trap, bunker, swing, sliced, hook, mulligan, hole-in-one, eagle, birdie, par, bogey, double bogey, triple bogey, wood, iron, putter, bag, cart, and caddy). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a second portable computing device used by the predetermined golf professional. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second portable computing device provides a flyover image of the golf hole being played when the golf ball was struck. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second portable computing device identifies a position of the golf ball in relation to the golf hole. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second portable computing device activates an audio interface that allows verbal interaction between the first and second portable computing devices after viewing the flyover image of the golf hole and the position of the golf ball in relation to the golf hole. 
     
     
         12 . A portable computing device configured for interaction with each a client computing device linked to a network and a server connected to the network, the portable computing device comprising:
 an enclosure supporting a printed circuit board assembly;   a mobile processor attached to the printed circuit board assembly and comprising a memory portion;   a nonvolatile memory communicating with said processor; and   an active game support software module encoded on the nonvolatile memory and executed by the said processor, wherein the execution of the active game support software module by the processor provides:
 a global positioning system determined location of a golf ball relative to a physical golf course; 
 a measurement of an elapsed time for play by a Golfer playing a round of golf on said physical golf course; and 
 means for obtaining golf advice. 
   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a system interface security to the printed circuit board assembly and communicating with the processor;   a global positioning system receiver attached to the printed circuit board assembly and communicating with the system interface;   a global positioning system activation means supported by the enclosure and communicating with the system interface; and   a voice/data transceiver supported by the printed circuit board assembly and communicating with the system interface, whereupon activation of said global positioning system activation means, said system interface collects position data, provided by said global positioning system receiver, and provides said position data to said processor.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , in which said processor provides said position data to a server communicating with a network, wherein said position data is wrapped in a transmission packet and broadcast to said server by said voice/data transceiver. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an input/output device supported by said enclosure and communicating with said systems interface; and   an audio interface attached to said printed circuit board assembly and communicating with said system interface, wherein said input/output device comprises a screen responsive to an applied pressure for inputting data to said software module, and wherein in response to voice commands said audio interface provides data input to said software module.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the means for obtaining golf advice is an expert shot advisory database accessed via is a wireless transmission through the server from the client computing device.