John G Pippin

US Patent:

6496141, Dec 17, 2002

Filed:

Jun 13, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/880418

Inventors:

John Festus Pippin - Alpharetta GA

Assignee:

VXT, L.L.C. - Suwanee GA

International Classification:

G01S 514

US Classification:

34235708, 34235703

Abstract:

A system using GPS navigation signals to aid in distance determination on a golf course includes a cart-based unit, a hand-held distance determining unit that can be interconnected with the cart-based unit, and a central base station. The central base station includes an RF transceiver for wireless communications and a controller. The hand-held distance determining unit includes a GPS receiver, a display, memory for storing golf course location data, and a controller. The cart-based unit includes an RF transceiver, a display, and a connector cradle into which the hand-held unit can be inserted in order to share information with the cart-based unit. With the hybrid system of the invention, the benefits of the fill features, large display screen and rich functionality of a cart-mounted GPS-based distance determining system are provided along with the benefits of a small, inexpensive, portable hand-held unit that a golfer can use away from the golf cart, such as in âcart path onlyâ situations. The system provides improved accuracy either through use of differential GPS techniques or through use of WAAS satellite GPS correction signals. The invention also provides a method of determining distances on a golf course including the steps of inserting a hand-held distance determining unit in a connector cradle in a cart-based unit and relaying information between the hand-held unit and the cart-based unit.

US Patent:

20020082122, Jun 27, 2002

Filed:

Jan 22, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/235233

Inventors:

JOHN FESTUS PIPPIN - ALPHARETTA GA, US
MICHAEL V. MOORE - DULUTH GA, US
RICHARD DAVIS COLLIER - LAWRENCEVILLE GA, US
MARK BURTON HUSTED - AUBURN GA, US
MARK DENNIS ROGERS - LAWRENCEVILLE GA, US
MICHAEL RAY PUGH - NORCROSS GA, US

International Classification:

A63B057/00

US Classification:

473/407000

Abstract:

The present invention provides a system for updating mobile distance determination units on a golf course that includes a first mobile unit that determines a new location for a point-of-interest defined for a golf course. The first mobile unit wirelessly transmits update data to identify the new location to a base station computer. The base station computer processes the updated data for broadcasting to activated second mobile distance determination units. The base station computer then wirelessly broadcasts the updated data from the base station computer to the second mobile distance determination units. The second mobile distance determination units update their point-of-interest location data and use this updated data to determine distances between the second mobile distance determination units and the new locations. The mobile distance determination units may operate in a golfer mode to provide distance measurements to golfers, may operate in the greenskeeper mode to update the pin positions, or may operate in a surveyor mode to define new points of interests and their locations on the golf course.

US Patent:

62784021, Aug 21, 2001

Filed:

Sep 28, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/406894

Inventors:

John Festus Pippin - Alpharetta GA

Assignee:

VXT, L.L.C. - Suwanee GA

International Classification:

G01S 502
H04B 7185

US Classification:

34235708

Abstract:

A system using GPS navigation signals to aid in distance determination on a golf course includes a cart-based unit, a hand-held distance determining unit that can be interconnected with the cart-based unit, and a central base station. The central base station includes an RF transceiver for wireless communications and a controller. The hand-held distance determining unit includes a GPS receiver, a display, memory for storing golf course location data, and a controller. The cart-based unit includes an RF transceiver, a display, and a connector cradle into which the hand-held unit can be inserted in order to share information with the cart-based unit. With the hybrid system of the invention, the benefits of the full features, large display screen and rich functionality of a cart-mounted GPS-based distance determining system are provided along with the benefits of a small, inexpensive, portable hand-held unit that a golfer can use away from the golf cart, such as in "cart path only" situations. The system provides improved accuracy either through use of differential GPS techniques or through use of WAAS satellite GPS correction signals. The invention also provides a method of determining distances on a golf course including the steps of inserting a hand-held distance determining unit in a connector cradle in a cart-based unit and relaying information between the hand-held unit and the cart-based unit.