Golf Data Collection Device Using Sensor-Triggered RFID Activation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing golf data collection systems face challenges in accurately recording golf strokes while conserving battery power, as they often result in accidental recordings due to the continuous operation of RFID readers and lack of deliberate user interaction.

Innovation Solution

A golf data collection device that incorporates an impact or proximity sensing mechanism to activate the RFID reader only when a golfer intentionally taps or brings a tagged golf club into close proximity, ensuring a deliberate stroke is recorded by combining sensor detection with RFID tag reading within a predetermined time frame.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the RFID reader operates continuously to ensure accurate stroke recording, then the reliability of stroke detection is improved, but the battery power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestroke detection accuracyVSAvoidbattery power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The RFID reader operates periodically rather than continuously, activating only when triggered by sensor detection. The system uses motion sensors, vibration sensors, or impact sensors to detect golfer actions, then activates the RFID reader temporarily to read the tag and record the stroke, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining detection reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection using motion, vibration, or impact sensors before activating the RFID reader. This preliminary action identifies potential stroke events, allowing the RFID reader to be activated only when needed, thus reducing unnecessary power consumption while ensuring accurate stroke recording

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the RFID reader operates continuously to capture all strokes, then the completeness of data collection is improved, but accidental recordings increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata collection completenessVSAvoidrecording accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from motion, vibration, and impact sensors to control RFID reader activation. These sensors provide feedback about actual golfer actions, allowing the system to distinguish between deliberate strokes and accidental movements, thereby improving recording accuracy while maintaining data collection completeness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Motion sensors, vibration sensors, and impact sensors serve as intermediaries between the golfer's physical actions and the RFID reader. These intermediary sensors filter and validate actions before triggering the RFID reader, ensuring that only genuine strokes are recorded while preventing accidental recordings

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the RFID reader is activated by any proximity detection, then the ease of operation is improved, but false detections increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interaction simplicityVSAvoiddetection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple sensor types (motion sensors, vibration sensors, impact sensors, and proximity sensors) into a unified detection system. By combining these sensors, the system maintains ease of operation through simple proximity-based activation while improving detection accuracy through multi-sensor validation that filters out false detections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution effectively records golf strokes with reduced battery consumption by ensuring only deliberate interactions are registered, minimizing accidental recordings and optimizing power usage.

Implementation Method 1

an RFID reader in the device. A golf stroke is recorded when the golfer taps or touches the golf club to the device or brings a tagged golf club into close proximity of the RFID reader device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRFID (Radio Frequency Identification): Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

The golf collection device may contain an impact sensing device, such as an impact sensor, motion sensor, vibration sensor, accelerometer, motion sensing device, magnetic sensor, capacitive sensor or similar

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact sensing: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentUS9805231B2Golf data collection system with RFID in golf club

Publication Date: 2017.10.31 TAG GOLF LLC

AI summary

A golf data collection system can use a near field communication system in a data processing application to record golf club identifiers and golf strokes, taken (with the identified club) at GPS identified positions.