Patent ID: 9339697
Filing Date: 2016-05-17
CPC Classification: A63B

Claim Text:
1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) golf ball range target system comprising: a plurality of golf hitting booths; a plurality of RFID golf balls, wherein each RFID golf ball includes a RFID tag fixedly coupled to the surface of a spherical golf ball core and the RFID tag is disposed between the spherical golf ball core and a spherical golf ball shell; each RFID golf ball including an omnidirectional antenna associated with the RFID tag that operates in the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) range; each RFID golf ball including a flexible substrate that encapsulates the RFID tag, wherein the flexible substrate is disposed between the spherical golf ball core and a spherical golf ball shell, wherein the flexible substrate includes an elastomeric material that encapsulates the RFID tag that includes an RFID antenna and an RFID chip; each RFID golf ball including a unique RFID golf ball identifier; a scanner disposed in each hitting booth that scans an electronic device associated with a particular player so that the electronic device includes a player ID; a client computer disposed in each hitting booth that includes a touch screen display that presents a plurality of player information associated with the player ID; a golf ball dispenser disposed in each hitting booth that houses a plurality of RFID golf balls; an RFID reader disposed within the golf hitting booth and associated with the golf dispenser, the RFID reader that reads each RFID golf ball associated with the player ID, the RFID reader communicatively coupled to a network communications module; a target area having a known geographic location that reads each golf ball that lands in a capture area and identifies each RFID golf ball that is associated with the player ID; a game of skill associated with hitting the RFID golf ball at the target area and awarding a skill based prize for hitting the golf ball at the target area; and at least one game of chance that awards a prize according to a random outcome, wherein the game of chance prize is awarded only when the golf ball misses the target area.