Apparatuses, methods and systems relating to findable golf balls

Abstract

Golf balls and a system for finding golf balls and methods for making golf balls and methods for using such balls. In the case of one exemplary golf ball, the ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased in the shell and a tag which is disposed within the core material and which has at least one perforation. The tag includes a diode and an antenna which are coupled together. Another exemplary golf ball includes a shell and a core material which is encased within the shell and a tag which is within the core material and which includes an electrical element which is coupled to an antenna; the tag is detectable over a range of at least 20 feet from a handheld device, and the golf ball has high durability and substantially complies with the golf ball specifications of the United States Golf Association.

1 . A method for operating a golf course, the method comprising: 
 determining whether a golfer will use a system to physically find and locate a golf ball, the system including a radio frequency (RF) handheld device and the golf ball, wherein the RF handheld device is configured to receive a RF signal from the golf ball in order to find the golf ball and wherein the RF handheld device has a communication range of at least about 20 feet with the golf ball and provides a signal indicating the proximity of the golf ball based on receipt of the RF signal from the golf ball;    providing a legal consideration to the golfer if the golfer will use the system to find the golf ball when playing on the golf course, 
 wherein the golf ball has high durability and substantially complies with golf ball specifications of at least one of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient (R&A) Golf Club of St. Andrews that may include size, weight and flight characteristics.  
   
   
   
       2 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 requiring at least a group of golfers to use the system.    
   
   
       3 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 searching, by golf course personnel using the system, for lost golf balls from rounds of golf which have ended.    
   
   
       4 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the legal consideration is at least one of (a) a green fee discount; (b) a credit toward a future playing of golf; (c) a monetary payment or credit; or (d) a promise to perform an obligation.  
   
   
       5 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein the RF handheld device is both a transmitting and a receiving device.  
   
   
       6 . The method as in  claim 5  wherein the RF handheld device transmits a RF signal at a first frequency and the ball responds to the first frequency by radiating a second frequency.  
   
   
       7 . The method as in  claim 6  wherein the second frequency is a harmonic of the first frequency.  
   
   
       8 . The method as in  claim 6  wherein the RF handheld device complies with regulations of the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) during RF signal transmission and transmits a RF signal of no more than about 1 Watt peak power or about 4 Watts effective isotropic radiated power.  
   
   
       9 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein the golf ball further comprises a tag having a diode coupled to an antenna and wherein the diode is coupled to the antenna by a compressible and resilient material.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the compressible and resilient material is also conductive.  
   
   
       11 . The method as in  claim 10  wherein the second frequency is a harmonic of the first frequency.  
   
   
       12 . The method as in  claim 9  wherein the tag is passive and the antenna does not serve to provide power to any memory elements.  
   
   
       13 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein the golf ball comprises a tag having an integrated circuit coupled to an antenna by a compressible and resilient and conductive material.  
   
   
       14 . The method as in  claim 13  wherein the high durability includes being able to withstand at least 20 cannon test hits.  
   
   
       15 . A method for operating a golf course, the method comprising: 
 allowing a golfer to play on the golf course;    searching, by golf course personnel, for lost golf balls from rounds of golf which have ended, by using a system to physically find said lost golf balls, the system including a radio frequency (RF) handheld device and at least one golf ball, wherein the RF handheld device is configured to receive a RF signal from a golf ball in order to find the golf ball and the RF handheld device and the golf ball has a communication range of at least about 20 feet, and wherein the RF handheld device provides a signal indicating the proximity of the golf ball based on receipt of the RF signal from the golf ball; and 
 wherein the golf ball has high durability and substantially complies with golf ball specifications of at least one of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient (R&A) Golf Club of St. Andrews that may include size, weight and flight characteristics.  
   
   
   
       16 . The method as in  claim 15  wherein the handheld device is both a transmitting and a receiving device.  
   
   
       17 . The method as in  claim 15  wherein the handheld device transmits a RF signal at a first frequency and the ball responds to the first frequency by radiating a second frequency.  
   
   
       18 . The method as in  claim 15  wherein the golf ball further comprises a tag having a diode coupled to an antenna and wherein the diode is coupled to the antenna by a compressible and resilient material.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the compressible and resilient material is also conductive.  
   
   
       20 . The method as in  claim 18  wherein the tag is passive and the antenna does not serve to provide power to any memory elements.  
   
   
       21 . The method as in  claim 15  wherein the golf ball comprises a tag having an integrated circuit coupled to an antenna by a compressible and resilient and conductive material and the high durability includes being able to withstand at least 20 cannon test hits and wherein the handheld device complies with regulations of the FCC during signal transmission and transmits an RF signal of no more than about 1 Watt peak power or about 4 Watts effective isotropic radiated power.  
   
   
       22 . A method for operating a golf course, the method comprising: 
 providing a system which a golfer can rely upon for physically finding a golf ball, the system including a radio frequency (RF) handheld device and the golf ball and the RF handheld is configured to receive a RF signal from the golf ball in order to find the golf ball, and wherein the RF handheld device provides a signal indicating the proximity of the golf ball based on receipt of the RF signal from the golf ball, and 
 wherein the RF handheld device complies with regulations of the Federal communications Commissions (FCC) during signal transmission and transmits an RF signal of no more than about 1 Watt peak power or about 4 Watts effective isotropic radiated power, and  
 wherein the golf ball comprises a tag having an integrated circuit coupled to an antenna by a compressible and resilient and conductive material, has high durability which includes being able to withstand at least 20 cannon test hits, and substantially complies with golf ball specifications of at least one of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient (R&A) Golf Club of St. Andrews that may include size, weight and flight characteristics;  
   requiring the golfer, as a condition of using the golf course, to use the system while playing golf on the golf course in order to find a lost ball by using the system, wherein the RF handheld device and the golf ball of the system has a communication range of at least about 20 feet.    
   
   
       23 . A method as in  claim 22  wherein the providing is one of (a) allowing the golfer to use a handheld system which is owned by the golfer; or (b) allowing the golfer to use a handheld system which is not owned by the golfer.  
   
   
       24 . The method as in  claim 22  wherein the handheld device is both a transmitting and a receiving device.  
   
   
       25 . The method as in  claim 24  wherein the handheld device transmits a RF signal at a first frequency and the ball responds to the first frequency by radiating a second frequency.  
   
   
       26 . A method for operating a golf course, the method comprising: 
 renting, to a golfer, a system to find a golf ball, the system including a radio frequency (RF) handheld device and a golf ball, the RF handheld device is configured to receive an RF signal from the golf ball in order to find the golf ball and wherein the RF handheld device provides a signal indicating the proximity of the golf ball based on receipt of the RF signal from the golf ball, 
 wherein the RF handheld device complies with regulations of the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) during signal transmission and transmits an RF signal of no more than about 1 Watt peak power or about 4 Watts effective isotropic radiated power, and  
 wherein the golf ball comprises a tag having an integrated circuit coupled to an antenna by a compressible and resilient and conductive material, has high durability which includes being able to withstand at least 20 cannon test hits and substantially complies with golf ball specifications of at least one of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews that may include size, weight and flight characteristics;  
   allowing the golfer to use the RF handheld device on a golf course to physically find and locate the golf ball, wherein the RF handheld device and the golf ball has a communication range of at least about 20 feet.    
   
   
       27 . A method as in  claim 26  wherein an operator of the golf course rents the system to the golfer.  
   
   
       28 . A method as in  claim 27  wherein the system comprises a handheld unit and at least one ball having a tag in the ball.  
   
   
       29 . A method as in  claim 26  further comprising: 
 searching, by golf course personnel, for lost golf balls from rounds of golf which have ended.    
   
   
       30 . The method as in  claim 26  wherein the handheld device is both a transmitting and a receiving device.  
   
   
       31 . The method as in  claim 30  wherein the RF handheld device is configured to transmit a first RF signal at a first frequency and to receive a second RF signal at a second frequency.  
   
   
       32 . The method as in  claim 30  wherein the second frequency is generated by the ball in response to the first frequency transmitted from the RF handheld device.  
   
   
       33 . The method as in  claim 32  wherein the second frequency is a harmonic of the first frequency.  
   
   
       34 . A method for operating a golf course, the method comprising: 
 determining whether a golfer will use a system to physically find and locate a golf ball, the system including a radio frequency (RF) handheld device and the golf ball, 
 wherein the RF handheld device is configured to receive a RF signal from the golf ball in order to find the golf ball and wherein the RF handheld device has a communication range of at least about 20 feet with the golf ball, complies with regulations of the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) during RF signal transmission and transmits a RF signal of no more than about 1 Watt peak power or about 4 Watts effective isotropic radiated power, and provides a signal indicating the proximity of the golf ball based on receipt of the RF signal from the golf ball, and  
   providing a legal consideration to the golfer if the golfer will use the system to find the golf ball when playing on the golf course, 
 wherein the golf ball comprises a tag having an integrated circuit coupled to an antenna by a compressible and resilient and conductive material, has high durability includes being able to withstand at least 20 cannon test hits, and substantially complies with golf ball specifications of at least one of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient (R&A) Golf Club of St. Andrews that may include size, weight and flight characteristics.  
   
   
   
       35 . A method for operating a golf course, the method comprising: 
 allowing a golfer to play on the golf course;    searching, by golf course personnel, for lost golf balls from rounds of golf which have ended, by using a system to physically find said lost golf balls, the system including a radio frequency (RF) handheld device and at least one golf ball, 
 wherein the RF handheld device is configured to receive a RF signal from a golf ball in order to find the golf ball and the RF handheld device and the golf ball has a communication range of at least about 20 feet, and wherein the RF handheld device complies with regulations of the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) during RF signal transmission and transmits a RF signal of no more than about 1 Watt peak power or about 4 Watts effective isotropic radiated power, and provides a signal indicating the proximity of the golf ball based on receipt of the RF signal from the golf ball; and  
 wherein the golf ball comprises a tag having an integrated circuit coupled to an antenna by a compressible and resilient and conductive material, has high durability includes being able to withstand at least 20 cannon test hits, and substantially complies with golf ball specifications of at least one of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient (R&A) Golf Club of St. Andrews that may include size, weight and flight characteristics.