Illuminating and/or laser-emitting golf ball

Abstract

A laser light-emitting golf ball having a laser emitter for emitting coherent light in an outwardly extending direction from the ball, a power module, and an activation switch. An illuminating tilt-sensing golf ball having an illuminating component for emitting light at a predetermined frequency, a tilt sensor coupled to a control module, and upon the control module receiving a tilt detection signal, the control module being adapted to control the illuminating component to emit light at a second predetermined frequency if the tilt ball tilts more than a predetermined angle. The ball can also include a motion sensor, recording medium and transceiver for storing and transmitting motion sensor readings.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A laser light emitting golf ball comprising:
 a substantially spherical body including a transparent section wherein at least the transparent section is made of at least partially transparent material;   a light-emitting module positioned at least in part within the body having:
 a laser emitter for emitting coherent light in an outwardly extending direction from the ball through at least a portion of the transparent section along a target alignment plane; 
 a power module coupled to the laser emitter for powering the laser emitter; and 
 an activation switch coupled to the power module for activating the laser emitter; 
   
       wherein the ball is balanced, such that the ball has a center of gravity at approximately a center of the substantially spherical body. 
     
     
         2 . The ball of  claim 1 , wherein the body is made of at least partially transparent material; and
 the light-emitting module further comprises an illuminating component coupled to the power module for emitting light at a predetermined frequency.   
     
     
         3 . The ball of  claim 1 , wherein the body further includes a second transparent section made of at least partially transparent material coplanar with the target alignment plane; and
 the light-emitting module further includes an illuminating component coupled to the power module for emitting light at a predetermined frequency through at least a portion of the second transparent section.   
     
     
         4 . The ball of  claim 2  or  3 , wherein the light-emitting module further includes:
 a control module coupled to the illuminating component for controlling the illuminating component; and 
 a tilt sensor coupled to the control module, wherein the tilt sensor is adapted to determine if the target alignment plane tilts more than a predetermined angle from vertical; upon said determination the tilt sensor generating a tilt detection signal and inputting the tilt detection signal to the control module; and upon the control module receiving a tilt detection signal, the control module being adapted to control the illuminating component to emit light at a second predetermined frequency. 
 
     
     
         5 . The ball of  claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting module further comprises a motion sensor for sensing the motion of the ball and generating motion sensor readings, a recording medium for storing motion sensor readings, and a transceiver for transmitting motion sensor readings. 
     
     
         6 . An illuminating and tilt-sensing golf ball comprising:
 a substantially spherical body having a transparent section wherein at least the transparent section is made of at least partially transparent material and wherein the ball is balanced such that it has a center of gravity at approximately a center of the substantially spherical body;   a light-emitting module positioned at least in part within the body including:
 an illuminating component for emitting light at a predetermined frequency through at least a portion of the transparent section along a target alignment plane; 
 a control module coupled to the illuminating component for controlling the illuminating component; 
 a power module coupled to the illuminating component for powering the illuminating component; and 
 an activation switch coupled to the power module for activating the illuminating component; 
 a tilt sensor coupled to the control module, wherein the tilt sensor is adapted to determine if the target alignment plane tilts more than a predetermined angle from vertical; upon said determination, the tilt sensor generates a tilt detection signal and inputs the tilt detection signal to the control module; and upon the control module receiving a tilt detection signal, the control module being adapted to control the illuminating component to emit light at a second predetermined frequency. 
   
     
     
         7 . The ball of  claim 6 , wherein the body further comprises a second transparent section made of at least partially transparent material, said transparent section being coplanar with the target alignment plane; and
 the light-emitting module further including a laser emitter coupled to the power module for emitting coherent light in an outwardly extending direction from the ball through at least a portion of the second transparent section.   
     
     
         8 . The ball of  claim 7 , wherein the light-emitting module further comprises a motion sensor for sensing the motion of the ball and generating motion sensor readings, a recording medium for storing motion sensor readings, and a transceiver for transmitting motion sensor readings.