Topgolf International, Inc.

Systems and apparatus for receiving golf balls include an apparatus including: a body having an ingress and an egress for golf balls passing through the body, wherein each of the golf balls includes a radio frequency identification tag; at least one antenna of a radio frequency identification reader, the at least one antenna arranged with respect to the body to receive information from the golf balls for identification of the golf balls; and multiple protrusions located within the body, the multiple protrusions being positioned with respect to each other in a Galton configuration that both (i) impedes the golf balls from passing through the body without being read by the radio frequency identification reader, and (ii) allows the golf balls to pass through the body without jamming therein.

A golf ball dispenser includes: a receptacle configured to hold multiple golf balls; a passageway connecting an outlet of the golf dispenser with the receptacle; a gateway coupled between the passageway and the receptacle to restrict a passage of the multiple golf balls into the passageway, the gateway being selectively moveable to allow a golf ball to pass into the passageway for delivery to a tee area; and a display device embedded in the golf ball dispenser to present at least information regarding the golf ball in flight after the golf ball is hit from the tee area. Further, methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for use with such golf ball dispensers, can control holding and dispensing of golf balls at a golf facility, e.g., a driving range.

A method and system for bandwidth reduction in a motion tracking apparatus are disclosed herein. The system includes an image sensor and a computing apparatus in communication with the image sensor. The method splits an input image into a 2x2 binned representation and a native-pixel clipped image, then applies a statistical noise modelling on each of them separately and then combines the results into one combined list of interesting points. The invention achieves a 50% reduction of bandwidth, neither sacrificing the launch precision or the distant resolution.

A golf ball identification apparatus and system for is disclosed herein. The golf ball identification apparatus includes a housing, a cover, a helical track within the housing, and an antenna. The antenna is positioned at a bottom of the housing and is configured to identify a golf ball that has a wireless identification device.

A method and system for playing a player reactive game at a golf entertainment venue are disclosed herein. The system includes golf ball tracking sensors, hitting bays and a server. The golf ball tracking sensors are positioned at a golf driving range. The hitting bays are also at the golf driving range, and each hitting bay has a video display. The server is configured to modify gameplay based on the shot types detected.

A system includes: a golf range; targets on the golf range; a building including golf bays including golf ball dispensers, each including a receptacle, a passageway, a gateway, and a display device embedded in the golf ball dispenser; at least one golf ball sensor; one or more computers communicatively coupled with the at least one golf ball sensor and the golf ball dispensers, the one or more computers being configured to track a golf ball in flight on the golf range, identify where the golf ball lands on the golf range, identify the golf bay from which the golf ball was hit, and present information, regarding the golf ball hit from the golf bay, on the display device of the golf ball dispenser associated with the golf bay, the information being in accordance with where the golf ball lands on the golf range.

A method and system playing a game with a fully scoreable outfield at a golf entertainment venue are disclosed herein. The system includes golf ball tracking sensors, hitting bays and a server. The golf ball tracking sensors are positioned at a golf driving range. The hitting bays are also at the golf driving range, and each hitting bay has a video display. The game includes tiles that cover an entire virtual outfield of the golf driving range.