US-12623129-B2 - Golf ball imaging for golf entertainment venue

US12623129B2US 12623129 B2US12623129 B2US 12623129B2US-12623129-B2

Abstract

Golf entertainment venues with a computing system configured to optically identify and track graphical images located on golf balls hit by players. The graphical image located on a golf ball can be associated with a player and the computing system can assign the player a score when that player's golf ball successfully arrives at a target area. In some embodiments, the graphical images can be printed on the golf balls using, for example, a single pass inkjet printing technique. In some embodiments, the computing system can be configured to sort golf balls based on optically identified graphical images.

Inventors

Todd Beach
Ben RAYMOND
Joshua DIPERT

Assignees

TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220422

Claims (20)

1 . A computing system for a golf entertainment venue, the computing system comprising: one or more memories that store a golf ball registration database, the golf ball registration database including a plurality of graphical images included on a plurality of golf balls within the golf entertainment venue; and one or more processors configured to execute instructions stored in the one or more memories, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configuring the one or more processors to: receive a first digital image of a golf ball from among the plurality of golf balls that is to be hit by a player from a teeing area within the golf entertainment venue, identify a graphical image included on the golf ball from the first digital image, register the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in the golf ball registration database, receive a second digital image of the golf ball in response to the golf ball arriving at a target area within the golf entertainment venue, identify the graphical image included on the golf ball from the second digital image, identify that the player hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area from the graphical image included on the golf ball using the golf ball registration database, receive a third digital image of the golf ball as the golf ball is travelling through a sorting system of the golf entertainment venue, calculate a statistical measure of the golf ball from the third digital image to numerically quantify a degradation level of the golf ball, and compare the statistical measure to a golf ball degradation threshold to determine whether to remove the golf ball from being used within the golf entertainment venue.
2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to: identify a second graphical image from among the plurality of graphical images of the golf ball registration database that matches the graphical image included on the golf ball; and associate the second graphical image to the player in the golf ball registration database to register the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in the golf ball registration database.
3 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to: identify a second graphical image from among the plurality of graphical images of the golf ball registration database that matches the graphical image included on the golf ball; and identify the player that is associated with the second graphical image in the golf ball registration database as the player that hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area.
4 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to: receive the first digital image from a teeing area image capture device associated with the teeing area; and receive the second digital image from a target area image capture device associated with the target area.
5 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of graphical images are configured and arranged on the plurality of golf balls to differentiate the plurality of golf balls from one another.
6 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to: identify the graphical image included on the golf ball from the third digital image; and sort the golf ball to be collected with other golf balls within the golf entertainment venue having the graphical image.
7 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to: process the third digital image to generate an edge matrix representing edge detection values of the golf ball; compare neighboring, adjacent edge detection values from among the edge matrix to identify a plurality of edges of the golf ball; and calculate the statistical measure of the plurality of edges of the golf ball to numerically quantify the degradation level of the golf ball.
8 . A method for operating a golf entertainment venue, the method comprising: capturing, by a first image capture device within the golf entertainment venue, a first digital image of a golf ball that is to be hit by a player from a teeing area within the golf entertainment venue, the first digital image including the golf ball having a graphical image to differentiate the golf ball from other golf balls within the golf entertainment venue; registering, by a computing system within the golf entertainment venue using the first digital image, the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in a golf ball registration database; capturing, by a second image capture device within the golf entertainment venue, a second digital image of the golf ball in response to the golf ball arriving at a target area within the golf entertainment venue, the second digital image including the golf ball having the graphical image; identifying, by the computing system using the second digital image, that the player hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area from the graphical image included on the golf ball using the golf ball registration database; capturing, by the computing system, a third digital image of the golf ball as the golf ball is travelling through a sorting system within the golf entertainment venue; calculating, by the computing system using the third digital image, a statistical measure of the golf ball to numerically quantify a degradation level of the golf ball; and comparing, by the computing system, the statistical measure to a golf ball degradation threshold to determine whether to remove the golf ball from being used within the golf entertainment venue.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the capturing the first digital image comprises capturing the first digital image at the teeing area, and wherein the capturing the second digital image comprises capturing the second digital image at the target area.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the registering the graphical image comprises: identifying a second graphical image from among a plurality of graphical images of the golf ball registration database that matches the graphical image included on the golf ball; and associating the second graphical image to the player in the golf ball registration database to register the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in the golf ball registration database.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying that the player hit the golf ball comprises: identifying a second graphical image from among a plurality of graphical images of the golf ball registration database that matches the graphical image included on the golf ball; and identifying the player that is associated with the second graphical image in the golf ball registration database as the player that hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area.
12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising sorting the golf ball to be collected with other golf balls within the golf entertainment venue having the graphical image.
13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the calculating comprises: processing the third digital image to generate an edge matrix representing edge detection values of the golf ball; comparing neighboring, adjacent edge detection values from among the edge matrix to identify a plurality of edges of the golf ball; and calculating the statistical measure of the plurality of edges of the golf ball to numerically quantify the degradation level of the golf ball.
14 . A golf entertainment venue, comprising: a first image capture device configured to capture a first digital image of a golf ball that is to be hit by a player from a teeing area within the golf entertainment venue, the first digital image including the golf ball having a graphical image to differentiate the golf ball from other golf balls within the golf entertainment venue; a second image capture device configured to capture a second digital image of the golf ball in response to the golf ball arriving at a target area within the golf entertainment venue, the second digital image including the golf ball having the graphical image; a golf entertainment venue computing system configured to: identify the graphical image included on the golf ball from the first digital image, register the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in a golf ball registration database, identify the graphical image included on the golf ball from the second digital image, and identify that the player hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area from the graphical image included on the golf ball using the golf ball registration database; and a sorting system configured to: capture a third digital image of the golf ball as the golf ball is travelling through the sorting system; calculate a statistical measure of the golf ball from the third digital image to numerically quantify a degradation level of the golf ball; and compare the statistical measure to a golf ball degradation threshold to determine whether to remove the golf ball from being used within the golf entertainment venue.
15 . The golf entertainment venue of claim 14 , wherein the golf entertainment venue computing system comprises: a teeing area computing device; and a golf entertainment venue computing device, wherein the teeing area computing device and the golf entertainment venue computing device are configured to functionally cooperate to register the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in the golf ball registration database.
16 . The golf entertainment venue of claim 14 , wherein the golf entertainment venue computing system comprises: a target area computing device; and a golf entertainment venue computing device, wherein the target area computing device and the golf entertainment venue computing device are configured to functionally cooperate to identify that the player hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area from the graphical image included on the golf ball using the golf ball registration database.
17 . The golf entertainment venue of claim 14 , wherein the golf entertainment venue computing system is configured to: identify a second graphical image from among a plurality of graphical images of the golf ball registration database that matches the graphical image included on the golf ball; and associate the second graphical image to the player in the golf ball registration database to register the graphical image included on the golf ball to the player in the golf ball registration database.
18 . The golf entertainment venue of claim 14 , wherein the golf entertainment venue computing system is configured to: identify a second graphical image from among a plurality of graphical images of the golf ball registration database that matches the graphical image included on the golf ball; and identify the player that is associated with the second graphical image in the golf ball registration database as the player that hit the golf ball that arrives at the target area.
19 . The golf entertainment venue of claim 14 , wherein the sorting system is further configured to sort the golf ball to be collected with other golf balls within the golf entertainment venue having the graphical image.
20 . The golf entertainment venue of claim 14 , wherein the golf entertainment venue computing system is configured to: process the third digital image to generate an edge matrix representing edge detection values of the golf ball; compare neighboring, adjacent edge detection values from among the edge matrix to identify a plurality of edges of the golf ball; and calculate the statistical measure of the plurality of edges of the golf ball to numerically quantify the degradation level of the golf ball.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/178,992, filed on Apr. 23, 2021, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/246,586, filed on Sep. 21, 2021, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND The modern game of golf can be traced to 15th century Scotland, but some believe that its ancient origins can be traced back to the first century B.C. and the Roman game of paganica. A modern golf course includes either nine or eighteen holes. Each of these holes can include a teeing ground, a fairway area, rough and other hazard areas such as water traps or sand traps, and a putting green having a hole that is often marked with a target flag. Players must navigate through these holes with the goal of hitting golf balls into the hole in the least number of swings at the golf ball, also referred to as shots or strokes. Many golf related venues have been developed to allow players to practice different golf shots without having to be on a golf course. These venues can include driving ranges, chipping areas, and/or putting greens to provide some examples to allow players to practice different long, medium, and/or short-range golf shots. And these venues have developed different types of golf-related games that have attracted a wide variety of players. In some cases, these golf-related games include various target areas at different locations within the venues that are assigned to different point values. These point values are often related to the difficulty of the golf shots required to hit these target areas. Players can accumulate points while playing these golf-related games and the player with the most points at the conclusion of the golf-related games can be declared the winner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principals thereof and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the same. Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is noted that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. FIG. 1 graphically illustrates a simplified exemplary golf entertainment venue according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart for an exemplary golf entertainment game that can be played at the exemplary golf entertainment venue in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B graphically illustrate simplified exemplary teeing areas that can be implemented within the exemplary golf entertainment venue according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4A through FIG. 4D graphically illustrate exemplary images of golf balls that can be utilized by the exemplary golf entertainment venue according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 graphically illustrates an exemplary golf ball registration procedure within the exemplary golf entertainment venue according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart for an exemplary golf ball registration procedure in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B graphically illustrate simplified exemplary target areas that can be implemented within the exemplary golf entertainment venue according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 graphically illustrates an exemplary operation to identify players that hit golf balls within the exemplary golf entertainment venue according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart for an exemplary golf ball identification procedure in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 graphically illustrates another simplified exemplary golf entertainment venue according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 graphically illustrates a further simplified exemplary golf entertainment venue according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 illustrates a simplified block diagram of a computer system suitable for use with embodiments described herein according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary golf ball that can be used within the exemplary golf entertainment venue according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 14A through FIG. 14C illustrate exemplary graphical images that can be used on the exemplary golf ball according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 15A through FIG. 15C illustrate exemplary golf balls having multiple