Golf Compass

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Golf Compass

• Never lose a ball in the weeds again!

Jacob Bowden Tim Himmelberger Devon Thompson
Julia Shipp
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Outline

• Introduction
• Needs of Primary and Secondary Customers
• Golf Compass System
• Possible objections to Golf Compass
• Comparison to existing solutions
• Benefits of Golf Compass
• Summary and Team Issue

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Introduction
The Golf Compass is a system that points a golfer
right to his/her golf ball in any terrain
normally found on a golf course. This is
accomplished by using a special golf ball with an
embedded radio frequency transmitter and a
handheld tracking unit.

• This helps the golfer by
• Reducing the number of penalty strokes in a game.
• Eliminates lost balls.
• Golfer spends less time searching for balls and
  more time playing golf.

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Needs of the Primary Customer
Primary customer is the amateur golfer in North
America. We have determined the following
requirements for Golf Compass based on the
primary customers needs.

• Simple to use.
• Ball performance must be competitive with other
  commercially available golf balls.
• Operates in all weather conditions.
• Locates the golf ball at 300 yards
• Fits in a standard golf bag.
• Can be used for a full round of golf everyday.
• Affordable to the average golfer at Less than
  300.

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Secondary Customers
Secondary customers are people or entities that
are effected by the Golf Compass, but are not the
primary users.

• Golf Courses
• Residents that live near golf courses
• Wildlife and Habitat on or near golf courses.
• United States Golf Association
• Federal Communications Commission

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Needs of Secondary Customers

• Complies with the USGA rules for golf.
• Complies with FCC rules and regulations.
• Ball performance must meet USGA rules and be
  competitive with other commercially available
  golf balls.
• Meets noise requirements of all golf courses in
  North America.
• Shall not interfere with normal operation of
  other commercial wireless electronics.

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Top Level System Description
Golf Compass consists of a special golf ball and
a tracking unit. The ball has an embedded radio
transmitter which is capable of transmitting
several channels or frequencies. The tracking
device uses multiple frequencies and receives the
signal transmitted from the ball using multiple
antennas. The magnitude and/or phase differences
from the antennas are used to figure out which
direction the ball is in with respect to the
tracking unit.
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Golf Compass Balls

• Golf Compass Balls shall have the following
  characteristics.
• Identical performance to an off the shelf golf
  ball.
• Can be reused up to 100 times.
• Replacement cost less than 15.
• Each ball is capable of transmitting 32 different
  channels.

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Tracking Unit

• The Golf Compass tracking device has the
  following characteristics
• Detects the balls radio signal to over 300
  yards.
• Tracking device is rechargeable.
• Operates for more than 8 hours when fully
  charged.
• Has built in system test.
• Tracking device also serves as a frequency
  selector for the ball and toggles the transmitter
  on and off.

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Enabling Technologies
Technically challenging subfunctions necessary to
produce the Golf Ball Compass

• Radio transmitter that fits in golf ball
• Biotrack, a British company, currently makes a
  radio transmitter that is less than 20um3 and
  has a range of 200 to 600m ground-to-ground
  tracking distance. It should be possible to
  build a custom transmitter that fits in a golf
  ball. (www.bitrack.co.uk)
• Ball that performs as well as other commercially
  available balls
• USGA is currently considering stricter rules on
  golf ball performance. If the ball performance
  is limited for the sake of the game it will be
  easier to produce a ball with a transmitter
  inside that is competitive with other balls.

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Possible Objections to Golf Compass

• USGA may ban the use of the Golf Compass or the
  use of transmitters in golf balls.
• Some people may claim the transmitter in the ball
  causes cancer.
• Some people may claim that the transmitter in the
  ball is damaging to the environment or ecosystem.
• Golfers that love to go out and find free golf
  balls could be out of a hobby.

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Plans for Dealing with Objections to Golf Compass

• Plan for dealing with objections to Golf Compass
• Talk with USGA ahead of time to find out how they
  will react to Golf Compass.
• Redesign Golf Compass for use in Europe, Japan
  and Australia.
• Make people aware that the system conforms with
  FCC rules and regulations and is less dangerous
  than a cell phone since the ball is not held next
  to the brain for long periods.
• Point out that there will be very few lost Golf
  Compass Golf Balls and less regular golf balls
  lost.
• Suggest the purchase of a Golf Compass so that
  golf balls arent lost.

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Comparison to Existing Golf Ball Finding Systems

• Visiball Special glasses that filter out the
  background light to make ball more visible.
• Range is shorter when ball is hidden from view.
• Cheaper than Golf Compass.

• Mike Ramseys Golf Ball Finder Shines UV light
  and senses reflections.
• 10 Meter range is shorter than Golf Compass
• 1 of ball surface must be visible to work.
  Golf Compass will
• find a ball completely covered.

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Additional Benefits of Golf Compass

• Golf courses will have higher throughput with
  golfers spending less time searching for golf
  balls.
• The Golfer can stop worrying about tracking the
  ball flight visually and concentrate on hitting
  the ball properly.
• Allows golfer to play with more aggressive
  strategy such as hitting straight for the green
  on a par 5 dogleg.
• Golfer will not have to stock up on golf balls.
• Golf Course maintenance crews will not have to
  sharpen lawn mower blades as often.

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Summary

• Golf Compass is an affordable and effective
  system for locating a lost ball while playing
  golf. Golf Compass allows golfers to take less
  penalty strokes, lose fewer balls and spend less
  time searching for lost golf balls.
• Golf Compass benefits golf courses and other
  golfers by speeding up play.
• Golf Compass is based on technologies that are
  already in use in other industries. The design
  is a feasibly one.

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Team Issue

• Seattle, Atlantic City, and Tucson