Digital compass ball marker

Abstract

The present invention extends to a digital compass ball marker that can be used to provide timely information to assist the golfer in determining a direction and force for a golf shot on a green. The digital compass ball marker can output this information using minimal information input by the golfer so that the use of the ball marker does not slow play, and in many cases, can speed play. The information provided by the ball marker can include a force with which to hit the shot and a direction to aim.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A digital compass ball marker for determining the location of a ball on a green of a golf course, the ball marker comprising:
 a housing containing an indication for orienting the ball marker with respect to a hole in the green when the ball marker is placed on the surface green proximate to a position of a ball lying on the green, the orientation defining a line from the ball marker that intersects the hole;   a compass that determines an angle between the line defined by the orientation and true north;   an input module for receiving user input that defines an estimated distance between the position of the ball and the hole;   a communication module that transmits the determined angle and the input distance to a server system and receives recommended swing parameters for putting the ball into the hole, the recommended swing parameters being calculated using the determined angle, the input distance, a known position of the hole, and known topography of the green; and   a display for displaying the recommended swing parameters.   
     
     
         2 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the indication comprises an arrow. 
     
     
         3 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 2 , wherein the arrow is displayed on the display. 
     
     
         4 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the compass comprises 3-axis tilt compensated compass. 
     
     
         5 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the compass includes circuitry for compensating for the earth's magnetic distortions. 
     
     
         6 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the input module comprises one or more of:
 a touch screen;   one or more buttons;   one or more wheels; or   a speech input module.   
     
     
         7 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the communication module transmits the determined angle and the input distance to a mobile computing device which routes the determined angle and input distance to the server system. 
     
     
         8 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 7 , wherein the communication module transmits the determined angle and input distance via a Bluetooth connection with the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         9 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the recommended swing parameters comprise a force with which to hit the ball and a distance relative to the hole at which to aim. 
     
     
         10 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the recommend swing parameters include recommended swing parameters for the input distance and for one or more other distances. 
     
     
         11 . The digital compass ball marker of  claim 1 , wherein the display comprises one or more of: a visual display, or an audible display. 
     
     
         12 . A method, performed by a computing device, for generating recommended swing parameters for putting a golf ball on a green, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a digital compass ball marker that is placed on a green, proximate to a ball lying on the green, in an orientation that defines a line between the ball marker and a hole in the green, an angle between the line defined by the orientation and true north;   receiving an indication of a distance between the ball and the hole;   submitting the angle and the indication of the distance to a server system; and   receiving, from the server system, recommended swing parameters for putting the ball into the hole, the recommended swing parameters being based on the angle, the distance, a known position of the hole, and known topography of the green.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 sending the recommended swing parameters to the digital compass ball marker for display on the digital compass ball marker.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising;
 displaying the recommended swing parameters on the computing device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the indication of the distance comprises an estimated distance input by a golfer into the digital compass ball marker. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the indication of the distance comprises an estimated distance input by a golfer into the computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the indication of the distance comprises one or more photographs that each include either a pin in the hole, or the ball and the pin, the method further comprising:
 submitting the one or more photographs to the server system to enable the server system to determine an estimated distance using stereophotogrammetry.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more photographs include:
 a photograph taken from behind the ball that includes the ball and the pin that includes the ball and the pin in the vertical field;   a photograph taken from between the ball and the pin that includes the ball and the pin in the horizontal field; or   a photograph taken from above the ball that includes the pin but not the ball.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the angle is received from the digital compass ball marker via one or more Bluetooth communications. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the computing device is a smart phone.