Smart Portable Golf Ball Dispenser

Abstract

A smart portable golf dispenser comprises a golf ball container, a golf ball regulator, a rotary switch plate, a ball release box, three height-adjustable feet, and a golf ball control system. Golf balls run from the golf ball container into the golf ball regulator, where they are regulated and prepared to be dropped to the ball release box. A golf ball is released from the ball release box following a confirmed ball strike, determined by the combination of swing motion and ball strike sound. Each golf swing is recorded on video and can be played back in slow motion on a smart phone. The speed of each ball strike is calculated. Golf swing videos and ball strike data are stored in a smart phone through a smart phone APP. Three height-adjustable feet can automatically adjust to make the smart portable golf ball dispenser leveled.

1 . A ball release box comprising:
 a circular box with a top planar wall, an outer circular wall, an inner circular wall, and a ring cover at the bottom;   three ball receiving holes that spread evenly along the circumference of said top planar wall;   a release tube attached to said outer circular wall, which also has a hole cut into it;   a sink that is mounted in said top planar wall;   a circular ramp with a maximum 340 degrees span angle mounted on the top of said ring cover, featuring a lower semicircular-shape section;   a release gate consisting of a circular plate at the top and a thin half-tube at the bottom, where the axis of said half-tube is perpendicular to said circular plate and passes through its center.   
     
     
         2 . A ball release box as in  claim 1 , wherein said ring cover is mounted at the bottom of said circular box, and said release tube is positioned between two of said three receiving holes with equal distance from each. 
     
     
         3 . A ball release box as in  claim 1 , wherein said release tube, said sink and said circular box are aligned symmetrically. 
     
     
         4 . A ball release box as in  claim 1 , wherein said circular ramp changes direction at its lower end, guiding balls smoothly into said release tube. 
     
     
         5 . A ball release box as in  claim 1 , wherein said release gate is mounted inside said circular box and positioned underneath said sink with the axis of its half-tube being vertical and passing through the center of said sink. 
     
     
         6 . A ball release box as in  claim 1 , wherein said release gate enters its release position when its inner concave face completely points to said release tube. Said release gate enters its catch position after it turns 180 degrees from the release position. Balls queue up at lower portion of said circular ramp due to gravity. Said release gate catches a ball in the queue when it rotates to the catch position and releases the ball when it rotates to the release position. 
     
     
         7 . A ball release box as in  claim 1 , further comprising a gear mounted inside said sink, where an axle connects said gear to the center of the circular plate of said release gate. 
     
     
         8 . A ball release box as in  claim 1 , wherein the lower semicircular-shape section of said circular ramp has a radius 2 mm larger than the radius of a ball so that the ball can easily fit within said circular ramp, the inner tube face of said release gate has a radius 1 mm larger than the radius of a ball. 
     
     
         9 . A golf ball control system comprising:
 a high speed camera;   a secondary camera;   a microphone sensor;   a Bluetooth module;   an infrared sensor;   three light sensitive resistors;   a microcontroller;   a smart phone APP.   
     
     
         10 . A golf ball control system as in  claim 9 , wherein said high speed camera captures golfer's swing motions and ball positions, said microphone sensor detects ball strike sound and works together with said high speed camera to confirm a ball strike, said secondary camera starts recording golfer's swing video at the beginning of a swing and stops recording at the finish of a swing. 
     
     
         11 . A golf ball control system as in  claim 9 , wherein said microcontroller determines the start of a golf swing and the finish of a swing and calculates the speed of the ball at a ball strike by analyzing the data collected by said high speed camera, said microcontroller sends command to release a ball after a ball strike is confirmed, said microcontroller instructs the replenishment of a queue of golf balls waiting to be released when said three light sensitive resistors detect that the number of balls in the queue is insufficient, said microcontroller recognizes voice commands detected by said microphone sensor. 
     
     
         12 . A golf ball control system as in  claim 9 , wherein said infrared sensor detects an approaching golf club head then triggers the release of a ball, said Bluetooth module builds connection with a smart phone. Said smart phone APP utilizes smart phone's computing capacity and storage to boost the efficiency of swing data analysis, to keep sufficient ball strikes and swing data, and to display visual feedback of swings and ball strikes. 
     
     
         13 . A smart portable golf ball dispenser comprising:
 a golf ball container featuring a lid equipped with a handle;   a golf ball regulator featuring three discharge holes at its bottom;   a ball release box as in  claim 1 ;   a rotary switch plate with a penetration hole;   three height-adjustable feet;   a golf ball control system as in  claim 9 ;   a LED display module;   a Wi-Fi module to connect said smart portable golf ball dispenser to internet;   a group of weight sensors;   a tilt sensor.   
     
     
         14 . A smart portable golf ball dispenser as in  claim 13 , wherein said golf ball container sits on top of said golf ball regulator, said golf ball regulator sits on top of said ball release box, said rotary switch plate is positioned between said golf ball regulator and said ball release box, three height-adjustable feet are mounted at the bottom of said ball release box and spread evenly along the circumference of said ball release box. 
     
     
         15 . A smart portable golf ball dispenser as in  claim 13 , wherein said ball receiving holes, said discharge holes and said penetration hole have the same shape and size. Said golf ball regulator is aligned with said ball release box so that said discharge holes completely overlap with said ball receiving holes. 
     
     
         16 . A smart portable golf ball dispenser as in  claim 13 , wherein golf balls run from said golf ball container into said golf ball regulator, where they are regulated to be above said discharge holes. Said rotary switch plate covers said discharge holes shutting them off if said ball release box has enough balls inside. When said ball release box requires more balls, said rotary switch plate rotates to align said penetration hole with said discharge holes momentarily, allowing balls to drop into said ball release box through said ball receiving holes. 
     
     
         17 . A smart portable golf ball dispenser as in  claim 13 , wherein said golf ball control system assists golfers in practicing swing and ball strike. A golf ball is released from said ball release box following a confirmed ball strike, determined by the combination of swing motion and ball strike sound. A golf ball is released from said ball release box following a ball release voice command. A golf ball is released from said ball release box following an instruction from said smart phone APP. A golf ball is released from said ball release box when a golf club head is detected approaching said smart portable golf ball dispenser. Each golf swing is recorded on video and can be played back in slow motion on a smart phone. The speed of each ball strike is calculated. Golf swing videos and ball strike data are stored in a smart phone through said smart phone APP. 
     
     
         18 . A smart portable golf ball dispenser as in  claim 13 , wherein said tilt sensor determines whether said smart portable golf ball dispenser is leveled, and said three height-adjustable feet can automatically adjust to make said smart portable golf ball dispenser leveled. Said group of weight sensors assist the calculation of the number of golf balls in said smart portable golf ball dispenser. Said LED display module displays golf swing and ball strike practice information such as the number of balls in said smart portable golf ball dispenser, the number of ball strikes in a practice session, ball speed. 
     
     
         19 . A smart portable golf ball dispenser as in  claim 13 , wherein said golf ball container, said golf ball regulator, said ball release box, and said rotary switch plate are assembled in a manner that allows each component to be replaced individually in the event of malfunction or for upgrades.