Ball marker for golf information processing and golf information processing method using the same

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a ball marker for golf information processing and a golf information processing method using the same, wherein, when a user who plays a round of golf manages, processes, and receives golf information pertaining to a round of golf using a mobile terminal, such as a smartphone, a tablet PC, or a smart watch, it is possible for the user to easily and conveniently manage and process the golf information through the mobile terminal without directly controlling the mobile terminal or inputting necessary information into the mobile terminal, i.e. without a hassle, thereby improving user convenience.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ball marker for indicating a position of a ball in a round of golf played by a user, the ball marker comprising:
 a marker body;   a switch provided on the marker body at one side of the marker body so as to be manipulated by the user ;   a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile terminal that receives a satellite signal through a global positioning system (GPS) module to calculate information about a current position of the user, stores information about a topography of a golf course on which the user plays the round of golf, displays a position of the user on the golf course, and provides information about the round of golf played by the user; and   a controller configured to transmit a control signal to the mobile terminal through the communication unit in response to a manipulation of the switch such that golf information based on the round of golf played by the user is managed and processed by the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The ball marker according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to set a plurality of manipulation modes of the switch in advance, to set a control signal to be transmitted to the mobile terminal for each of the manipulation modes of the switch in advance, to determine in which of the manipulation modes the user has manipulated the switch, and to transmit a control signal preset for the determined manipulation mode to the mobile terminal. 
     
     
         3 . The ball marker according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit a control signal for commanding the mobile terminal to process golf information in response to the manipulation of the switch and to provide the processed golf information to the mobile terminal through the communication unit. 
     
     
         4 . The ball marker according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit a control signal for commanding the mobile terminal to process golf information in response to the manipulation of the switch and to provide the processed golf information to the mobile terminal through the communication unit, to receive information processed by the mobile terminal through the communication unit, and to provide the received information to the user in response to the manipulation of the switch. 
     
     
         5 . The ball marker according to  claim 4 , further comprising at least one selected from between a voice output unit configured to output the received information in a form of a voice in response to the manipulation of the switch and a display unit configured to display the received information. 
     
     
         6 . A golf information processing method using a ball marker for indicating a position of a ball in a round of golf played by a user and a mobile terminal for golf information processing, the golf information processing method comprising:
 setting a communication unit of the ball marker so as to wirelessly communicate with the mobile terminal configured to receive a satellite signal through a GPS module to calculate information about a current position of the user, to store information about a topography of a golf course on which the user plays the round of golf, to display a position of the user on the golf course, and to provide information about the round of golf played by the user;   transmitting a control signal to the mobile terminal through the communication unit in response to a manipulation of a switch of the ball marker such that golf information based on the round of golf played by the user is managed and processed by the mobile terminal; and   the mobile terminal managing and processing golf information preset for the received control signal in response to the received control signal.   
     
     
         7 . The golf information processing method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 the ball marker transmitting a control signal to the mobile terminal in response to the manipulation of the switch of the ball marker in a state in which the information about the topography of the golf course on which the user plays the round of golf is loaded; and   the mobile terminal calculating information about the current position of the user using the GPS module in response to the control signal received from the ball marker, mapping the calculated information about the current position of the user to the loaded golf course, and automatically recognizing a hole on which the user is playing the round of golf as a reference hole to be displayed on a screen of the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         8 . The golf information processing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the step of automatically recognizing the reference hole comprises:
 determining whether the current position is a position of a tee box or a position within an outline based on the information about the position of the user calculated by the mobile terminal using the GPS module in response to the control signal received from the ball marker; and   upon determining that the current position is the position of the tee box or the position within the outline, setting a hole, the tee box of which has been recognized, as the reference hole or setting the reference hole based on the outline.   
     
     
         9 . The golf information processing method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the step of transmitting the control signal to the mobile terminal comprises:   sensing a manipulation of the switch of the ball marker in a predetermined mode; and   the ball marker transmitting a control signal for commanding the mobile terminal to calculate a remaining distance from the current position of the user and to provide information about the calculated remaining distance to the mobile terminal in response to the sensed manipulation of the switch of the ball marker, and wherein   the step of the mobile terminal managing and processing the golf information comprises:   the mobile terminal calculating the information about the position of the user using the GPS module in response to the control signal received from the ball marker;   the mobile terminal calculating the remaining distance using the calculated position information and information about a position of a hole cup on a hole based on the position information; and   the mobile terminal performing at least one selected from among outputting the calculated remaining distance in a form of a voice, displaying the calculated remaining distance on a screen, and transmitting the calculated remaining distance to the ball marker in order to provide information about the remaining distance through the ball marker.   
     
     
         10 . The golf information processing method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the step of transmitting the control signal to the mobile terminal comprises:   sensing a manipulation of the switch of the ball marker in a predetermined mode; and   the ball marker transmitting a control signal for commanding the mobile terminal to record the current position of the user to the mobile terminal in response to the sensed manipulation of the switch of the ball marker, and wherein   the step of the mobile terminal managing and processing the golf information comprises:   the mobile terminal calculating the information about the current position of the user using the GPS module in response to the control signal received from the ball marker; and   the mobile terminal calculating the current position of the user based on the calculated information as a shot position, which is a position that a ball has reached as a result of a previous shot, or transmitting the position based on the calculated information to a server.   
     
     
         11 . The golf information processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of the mobile terminal managing and processing the golf information comprises calculating at least one selected from among information about a movement path based on a shot position recorded for each hole, information about a flight distance for each shot, and recording information for each shot using information stored in the mobile terminal or using information received from the server and providing the calculated information to the user.