Golf Ball Tracking System

Abstract

Provided is a data processing system configured for golf ball tracking, comprising: a host computing system; a display in communication with the host computing system; one or more smart golf balls, each comprising a Real Time Location System (RTLS) Ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter/receiver and a corresponding ID, in communication with the host computing system; three or more beacons, each comprising an RF transmitter/receiver, in communication with the host computing system; and a golf ball tracking module.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A data processing system configured for golf ball tracking, the golf ball tracking system comprising:
 a host computing system comprising memory and at least one processor;   fixed storage coupled to the host computing system;   a display in communication with the host computing system;   one or more smart golf balls, each comprising a Real Time Location System (RTLS) Ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter/receiver and a corresponding ID, in communication with the host computing system;   three or more beacons, each comprising an RF transmitter/receiver, in communication with the host computing system; and   a golf ball tracking module in communication with the host computing system wherein the golf ball tracking module comprising computer program instructions executing in the memory of the host computing system that upon execution are adapted to perform:
 receiving pings of the corresponding ID of a one of the smart golf balls by at least three of the three or more beacons, each ping received by each beacon at different times; 
 determining the 3D position of the one of the smart golf balls using a Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) algorithm based on each of the different times each ping is received by each of the beacons and a position of each of the beacons; and, 
 displaying the 3D position of the one of the smart golf balls on the display. 
   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the golf ball tracking module further comprises computer program instructions executing in the memory of the host computing system that upon execution are adapted to perform:
 receiving pings of the corresponding ID of a different one of the smart golf balls by at least three of the three or more beacons, each ping received by each beacon at different times;   determining the 3D position of the one of the smart golf balls and the different one of the smart golf balls using a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) algorithm and the Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) algorithm; and,   displaying the 3D position of the one of the smart golf balls and the different one of the smart golf balls.   
     
     
         3 . The golf ball tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more smart golf balls each further comprise a 3 axis gyroscope and an accelerometer and wherein the golf ball tracking module further comprises computer program instructions executing in the memory of the host computing system that upon execution are adapted to perform:
 receiving measurements from the 3 axis gyroscope and accelerometer of the one of the smart golf balls by at least one of the beacons;   determining spin data of the one of the smart golf balls based on the received measurements from the 3 axis gyroscope and accelerometer of the one of the smart golf balls; and,   displaying the spin data of the one of the smart golf balls on the display.