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| United States Patent | 6571143 |
| Link to this page | http://www.wikipatents.com/6571143.html |
| Inventor(s) | Mallamo; James (P.O. Box 30098, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420) |
| Abstract | The present invention includes a golf scoring system for at least one golf
competition, wherein at least one participant plays at a first geographic
location with a set of results and at least one participant plays at a
second geographic location with another set of results. This system
includes determining at least one normalizing factor for each of the
geographic locations relative to each other; compiling results from each
of the participants; applying the normalizing factor to each of the
results; and determining a final score for each of the participants. The
normalizing factor can be stored in a data source; wherein the results are
compiled also stored in the data source. The final score for each of the
participants may also be stored in the data source and users can access
the data source to view the final score for each of the participants.
Moreover, participants can communicate with each other using email or chat
rooms. |
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Title Information  |
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| Inventor |
Mallamo; James (P.O. Box 30098, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420) |
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| Publication Date |
May 27, 2003 |
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| Filing Date |
September 19, 2000 |
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| Parent Case |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of Provisional Patent Application Ser.
No. 60/154,714 filed on Sep. 19, 1999. |
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Title Information |
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References |
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U.S. References |
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| | Reference | Relevancy | Comments | Reference | Relevancy | Comments | 6321128
Costin, IV
700/92
Nov,2001 |   Your vote accepted
[1.5 after 2 votes] | | 6062991
Moriarty
473/407
May,2000 | Your vote accepted
[1 after 1 votes] | | 5949679
Born
700/91
Sep,1999 | Your vote accepted
[1 after 1 votes] | | 5779549
Walker
Jul,1998 | Your vote accepted
[1 after 1 votes] | | 5439224
Bertoncino
473/153
Aug,1995 | Your vote accepted
[1 after 1 votes] | | 4910677
Remedio
700/92
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Lyon
473/409
Jun,2000 | Your vote accepted
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Nation
Jan,2000 | Your vote accepted
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Wilens
Jul,1998 | Your vote accepted
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Kinney
473/171
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Cornell
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Lang
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Brooks
473/150
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Chartrand
473/131
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Morrison
235/375
Apr,1996 | Your vote accepted
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Colley
340/323R
Feb,1994 | Your vote accepted
[0 after 0 votes] | | 4988105
Perry
473/169
Jan,1991 | Your vote accepted
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Public's "Guesstimation" of Royalty Value
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Market Review |
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Technical Review |
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Claims |
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What is claimed is:
1. In a golf scoring method for a golf competition, wherein at least one
participant plays in said competition at a first geographic location with
a set of results used to determine a final score in said competition and
at least one participant plays in said competition at a second geographic
location with another set of results used to determine another final score
in said competition, wherein said geographic locations are diverse, said
method comprising the steps of:
determining at least one normalizing factor for each of said diverse
geographic locations relative to each other, said normalizing factor being
based upon current information at the time each of said participants plays
at said first and second geographic locations;
compiling said results from each of said participants from each of said
diverse geographic locations;
applying said normalizing factor to each of said results; and
determining a final score for said competition for each of said
participants.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of storing said
normalizing factor in a data source; compiling said results, storing said
results in said data source; and storing said final score for each of said
participants in said data source.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of allowing access to
said data source to view said final score for each of said participants.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing each of
said participants to communicate with each other using email.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing each of
said participants to communicate with each other using a chat room.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said normalizing factor is based upon one
or more selected from the group consisting of weather conditions at said
geographic locations, the layout of said geographic locations, the
complexity of said geographic locations, the playing difficulty of said
geographic locations from scratch golfers, the playing difficulty of said
geographic locations for non-scratch golfers, and said other participant's
scoring ability relative to the scoring ability of an expert amateur on a
course of standard difficulty.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographic location comprises one or
more selected from the group consisting of a 9-hole golf course, an
18-hole golf course, a single hole, a driving range, a fairway, and a
putting green.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said golf competition comprises at least
one 18-hole round of golf.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said golf competition comprises a driving
phase, a pitching phase, and a putting phase.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said normalizing factor is applied to
only one of said driving phase, said pitching phase, or said putting
phase.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein said driving phases comprises having
each of said participants drive a golf ball at least once, said drive
having a centerline, and wherein said results for said participants in
said driving phase are calculated from the length of said drive minus the
distance from said centerline of said drive.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein said pitching phase comprises having
each of said participants pitch from a predetermined distance from a hole,
wherein said predetermined distance is selected based upon the age of said
participant.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein said putting phases comprises having
each of said participants putt from a predetermined distance from a hole,
wherein said predetermined distance is selected based upon the age of said
participant.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing each of
said participants to communicate with each other using translation
software.
15. A golf scoring apparatus for a golf competition, wherein at least one
participant plays in said competition at a first geographic location with
a set of results used to determine a final score for said competition and
at least one participant plays in said competition at a second geographic
location with another set of results used to determine another final score
for said competition, wherein said geographic areas are diverse, said
apparatus comprising:
a user interface for electronically receiving said results of each of said
participants;
a data source capable of storing said results and said final score for said
competition, wherein said data source contains at least one normalizing
factor for each of said diverse geographic locations relative to each
other, said normalizing factor being based upon current information at the
time each of said participants plays at said first and second geographic
locations; and
a data source interface in communication with said user interface and said
data source, said data source interface being capable of calculating said
final score for said competition from said results using said normalizing
factor.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said user interface is further
capable of transmitting said results and said final scores for each of
said participants.
17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said data source comprises at least
one relational database.
18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said user interface comprises a Web
server in combination with a Web browser.
19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a message server in
communication with said user interface for transmitting messages to and
from said participants.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said message server is selected from
one or more of the group consisting an email server and a chat room.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein said message server is further capable
of allowing each of said participants to communicate with each other using
translation software.
22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said normalizing factor is based
upon one or more selected from the group consisting of weather conditions
at said geographic locations, the layout of said geographic locations, the
complexity of said geographic locations, the playing difficulty of said
geographic locations for scratch golfers, the playing difficulty of said
geographic locations for non-scratch golfers, and said participant's, or
said other participant's scoring ability relative to the scoring ability
of an expert amateur on a course of standard difficulty.
23. In a golf scoring method for a golf competition, wherein at least one
participant plays in said competition at a first geographic location with
a set of results used to determine a final score in said competition and
at least one participant plays in said competition at a second geographic
location with another set of results used to determine another final score
in said competition, wherein said geographic locations are diverse, said
method comprising the steps of:
determining at least one normalizing current weather factor for each of
said diverse geographic locations relative to each other at the time each
of said participant plays at said first and second geographic locations;
compiling said results from each of said participants from each of said
diverse geographic locations;
applying said normalizing current weather factor to each of said results;
and
determining a final score for said competition for each of said
participants.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of storing said
normalizing weather factor in a data source; compiling said results,
storing said results in said data source; and storing said final score for
each of said participants in said data source.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of allowing access
to said data source to view said final score for each of said
participants.
26. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of allowing each of
said participants to communicate with each other using email.
27. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of allowing each of
said participants to communicate with each other using a chat room.
28. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of allowing each of
said participants to communicate with each other using translation
software.
29. The method of claim 23, wherein said geographic location comprises one
or more selected from the group consisting of a 9-hole golf course, an
18-hole golf course, a single hole, a driving range, a fairway, and a
putting green.
30. The method of claim 23, wherein said golf competition comprises at
least one 18-hole round of golf.
31. The method of claim 23, wherein said golf competition comprises a
driving phase, a pitching phase, and a putting phase.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein said normalizing weather factor is
applied to only one of said driving phase, said pitching phase, or said
putting phase.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein said driving phases comprises having
each of said participants drive a golf ball at least once, said drive
having a centerline, and wherein said results for said participants in
said driving phase are calculated from the length of said drive minus the
distance from said centerline of said drive.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein said pitching phase comprises having
each of said participants pitch from a predetermined distance from a hole,
wherein said predetermined distance is selected based upon the age of said
participant.
35. The method of claim 31, wherein said putting phases comprises having
each of said participants putt from a predetermined distance from a hole,
wherein said predetermined distance is selected based upon the age of said
participant.
36. A golf scoring apparatus for a golf competition, wherein at least one
participant plays in said competition at a first geographic location with
a set of results used to be determine a final score for said competition
and at least one participant plays in said competition at a second
geographic location with another set of results used to determine another
final score for said competition, wherein said geographic areas are
diverse, said apparatus comprising:
a user interface for electronically receiving said results of each of said
participants;
a data source capable of storing said results and said final score for said
competition, wherein said data source contains at least one normalizing
current weather factor for each of said diverse geographic locations
relative to each other at the time each of said participants plays at said
first and second geographic locations; and
a data source interface in communication with said user interface and said
data source, said data source interface being capable of calculating said
final score for said competition from said results using said normalizing
current weather factor.
37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said user interface is further
capable of transmitting said results and said final scores for each of
said participants.
38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said data source comprises at least
one relational database.
39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said interface comprises a Web
server in combination with a Web browser.
40. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a message server in
communication with said user interface for transmitting messages to and
from said participants.
41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said message server is selected from
one or more of the group consisting an email server and a chat room.
42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said message server is capable of
allowing each of said participants to communicate with each other using
translation software. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for tracking and comparing golf
scores from geographically diverse location through the use of a computer
network, and particularly to a system verifying tabulating geographically
diverse golf scores using the Internet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Historically, golf competitions have been conducted on one course in one
specific geographic location. Each competition is localized and is
conducted at one period of time to put all participants on equal footing.
It has previously been extremely difficult, if not impossible, to
effectively conduct a single golf competition in geographically diverse
areas due to variations in playing conditions and the inability to quickly
communicate and compare competition results. Moreover, the disparity in
course conditions due to weather and other factors has prevented
competitions held at multiple locations because the participants cannot be
scored on an equal footing.
The advent of computers and computer networks has enhanced the speed with
which participants, who may be playing on different holes on the same golf
course, may quickly communicate their scores to a central location, may
compute their handicap or ranking, and may rate themselves against other
players. Examples of such conventional systems are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,949,679; 5,283,733; and 4,910;677--the contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference herein. However, these prior art system all have
the distinct disadvantage that they do not allow for the same competition
to be held on multiple courses or in multiple locations.
Accordingly, there is a growing need to provide a scoring system that
allows participants to compete in a single competition on a national and
even international basis, while playing in geographically diverse
locations and differing periods of times. Moreover, a system is needed for
effectively compiling player scores from each location, calculating the
results and determining rankings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a golf scoring system for at least one golf
competition, wherein at least one participant plays at a first geographic
location with a set of results and at least one participant plays at a
second geographic location with another set of results. This system
includes determining at least one normalizing factor for each of the
geographic locations relative to each other; compiling results from each
of the participants; applying the normalizing to each of the results; and
determining a final score for each of the participants.
The normalizing factor can be stored in a data source; wherein the results
are also compiled and stored in the data source. The final score for each
of the participants may also be stored in the data source and users can
access the data source to view the final score for each of the
participants. Moreover, participants can communicate with each other using
email or chat rooms.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of the
present invention used over the Internet.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the scoring of the driving portion of the
preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed
description given below and from the accompanying drawings of preferred
embodiments of the invention which, however, should not be taken to limit
the invention to a specific embodiment but are for explanation and
understanding only.
A system is needed for effectively conducting a single golf competition in
geographically diverse locations. A system is further needed for compiling
scoring information and processing the results. One preferred means of
transmitting information over geographically diverse locations in use
today is the Internet.
The Internet is a vast "network of networks" connecting a large number of
computer networks and sub-networks to each other through several regional
backbone systems around the world. One portion of the Internet, the World
Wide Web ("Web"), is growing at a rapid pace, as more and more businesses
go online.
The Web is the most popular segment of the Internet today because it allows
users to interact with each other and access content through a graphical
user interface, or "GUI." The most commonly used GUI's are Web browsers,
which are software, applications that allow users to access and view
electronic documents in a browser window.
Web documents are created using Hypertext Markup Language ("HTML"), which
allows authors to add special format tags to plain text documents to
control the appearance of the text in the Web browser. HTML tags also
allow for the insertion of additional components into the Web document,
such as image files, audio files, and applets. Applets are small pieces of
programming code that are run on the user's computer when downloaded.
Applets allow for such effects as scrolling text and animation, and for
use in the secure transfer of information across the Internet.
To enhance security, the scoring server may use Secure Socket Layer ("SSL")
technology, which is widely known by those skilled in the art and is
integrated into most commercially acceptable web browsers.
The following is a description of the score collection and computation
system of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the
invention (although not limited thereto), individual scores from each
geographic location are submitted over the Internet, such as through the
use of a series of HTML forms, to a scoring server, which stores this
information in a data source. From this information, all scores are
calculated for each phase of the single golf competition to achieve a
total score for each participant at each location. These scores are then
normalized to account for changes in each location due to weather,
providing a normalized score. This allows for a single competition to be
conducted in diverse geographic locations.
FIG. 1 is a schematic demonstrating the typical components used in a
preferred embodiment of the invention when used over the Internet. In this
example, there are three User Sites, which may be located, for example, at
one of the golf courses used for a competition, at the home of one of the
participants, or at the home or office of one or more of the organizers of
the competition.
An electronic document, such as a web page created using HTML, is loaded
into Document Viewer 2, 6, or 10 by a user. The document viewer may be any
software application capable of viewing electronic documents and loading
additional electronic documents from within the original document, such as
through the use of a hypertext link (although not limited thereto).
For example, the document viewer could include a Web browser, such as
Navigator from Netscape Communications or Microsoft's Internet Explorer.
The electronic document may be loaded automatically when the document
viewer is first started, or may be opened into the viewer by the user from
a file stored locally or at a remote URL. For example, the user may load
the document by typing the document's URL into the Web browser's command
line.
Document Viewer 2, 6, or 10 may be accessed by the user through any of a
number of computer systems, such as through the use of a terminal
connected to a mainframe system, from a personal computer, or over
computer connected to a local computer network.
Document Viewer 2, 6, or 10 is connected to the Internet along with other
document viewers and computers, such as Personal Computer 3, 7, or 11
through Network Connection 4, 8, or 12. This connection is typically made
through local telephone lines using an analog, ISDN, or DSL modem, though
it can be over a direct network connection, such as an Ethernet network.
The administrator of the network connection (e.g. an Internet Service
Provider or "ISP") maintains a computer network that routes any requests
from the document viewer to the appropriate location on the Internet. This
is accomplished in a conventional manner, such as through the use of a
modem pool connected to a local server and Internet gateway (not shown).
The network connects the document viewer to Information Exchange System 13
through any of a number of well-known connection schemes, such as through
the use of leased lines.
Information Exchange System 13 may comprise Web Server 14, Data Source
Interface 15, Data Source 16, and Email Server 17, the operation and
interrelation of which will be described in more detail below.
Web Server 14 is typically a software application running on a remote
computer that is capable of forwarding or processing HTTP requests from
each document viewer. For example, Web Server 14 may include any one of a
number of well-known server applications, such as the NSCA Web server, the
Apache Web server, etc. Web Server 14 passes a document request from a
document viewer to Data Source 16 using Data Source Interface 15.
Information is transmitted over the Internet using the TCP/IP protocol.
With this protocol, each location on the Internet, typically a specific
computer or Web server, has its own unique IP (Internet Protocol) address.
This address identifies where that computer or server is located on the
network.
After a Web document is loaded into the document viewer, the document
viewer waits until the hypertext link is activated, generating a signal to
Web Server 14 in Information Exchange System 13. This is preferably in the
form of an HTTP request sent Over the Internet using TCP/IP and SSL. The
HTTP request may include a request for scoring information, submitted
scoring information, or both. It will be appreciated that the details of
HTTP operation in conjunction with TCP/IP are well known to those of
ordinary skill in the art and will, therefore, not be elaborated on here.
When the HTTP request is received by Web Server 14, Web Server 14 accesses
Data Source 16 using Data Source Interface 15 to retrieve any requested
information, or to submit information, based upon si | | |
