JP2894410B2 - Caddy cart management device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a caddy cart management apparatus mainly used in a golf course of a type in which play is performed without a caddy or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, a method of playing at a golf course is to form a set of parties for several players and start each party at intervals of several minutes.
In general, play proceeds in the order of each hole, and efforts are made to make the play as smooth as possible by using a special caddy so that each party does not concentrate on one hole. . However, at golf courses in recent years, while addressing the shortage of caddies, with the aim of saving labor and improving efficiency,
The use of movable caddy carts instead of caddies is also increasing. As an example of such a caddy cart operation management device, a golf cart is installed in each caddy cart by incorporating a global positioning system (hereinafter referred to as GPS) receiver capable of knowing a three-dimensional position by a time signal wave from an artificial satellite. A method of managing the situation of the entire course in real time has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-134715.

[0003]

In the caddy cart management device using the artificial satellite in the above-mentioned prior art, in addition to essential error factors such as a satellite clock, an orbit error, a radio wave delay due to the ionosphere and the atmosphere, An error factor called “selectable availability” (S / A) due to the intentional deterioration of accuracy of the operator
The position measurement accuracy of the receiver is about 15 mRMS (RMS: root mean square). For this reason, when monitoring the entire golf course, a practical problem does not occur because the entire golf course is reduced and displayed on the monitor.
For example, it is not possible to accurately display the distance to the green in units of one yard as information provision to a player, and it is impossible to achieve complete position management and caddy-less in the future. In recent years, accuracy correction services using other artificial satellites have begun to be gradually operated on a global scale, but require dedicated GPS receivers and software, and are difficult to spread in general.

To solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-10 / 1986
Japanese Patent No. 8982 discloses that each of a fixed station and a mobile station is provided with an antenna unit capable of receiving a signal radio wave from an artificial satellite. The mobile station receives a signal radio wave from a predetermined artificial satellite and transmits the distance data to the fixed station. When transmitted to the fixed station, the fixed station calculates a deviation between the measured position of the fixed station based on the signal wave received from the predetermined artificial satellite received in advance and the known accurate position already measured, and A mobile station positioning system for correcting an error in distance data is disclosed.

However, when such a positioning system is applied to a management device in which an unspecified number of caddy carts move, there is a concern that the following adverse effects may occur. In other words, to correct the error of the positioning data of each caddy cart,
As long as the error caused by the movement of the caddy cart does not become significant, information must be constantly sent from the fixed station to the caddy cart of the mobile station, and a means of data transmission from the fixed station to the caddy cart is indispensable. In other words, the burden on the fixed station increases significantly. Also, unless the data can be mutually transferred between the fixed station and the caddy cart, a final error correction cannot be made, so that a golf course in which individual caddy carts move randomly within the golf course. In such a case, there is a concern that data transfer between the individual caddy carts tends to be interrupted, and the position management of each caddy cart cannot be performed accurately. In addition, the fixed station and the caddy cart are the same satellite
Caddy
The satellites are receiving satellite signals at different times.
Caddy cart will not be corrected
You. Therefore, in such a configuration, the burden on the fixed station side
And the error cannot be reliably corrected.
No.

In addition, “Ship Electronics” published by the Ship Technology Association
Navigation Note (129) ”, Science of Ships, Vol. 41,19
In 88-2, the user sends the uncorrected user position to the reference station.
When transmitted, the reference station will receive the same security as the one selected by the user.
Calculate position with stars and calculate error with known position
And obtain position correction data for each user.
A differential GPS method is disclosed.

However, such a wide range of accuracy correction system
Error factors due to the effects of the ionosphere and the atmosphere,
Negligible error factor due to ctable availability
I can't. Also, do you receive positioning data from the user?
The reference station receives the signal from the same satellite and corrects the error.
Do the correction, or the reference station and the user are random
Receive the same satellite signal and correct the error.
Even if there is a time lag in signal reception between the reference station and the user,
As long as there is a yard unit in the golf course
Cannot be achieved.

[0008] The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and uses a simple system configuration to provide a golf course.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a caddy cart management device capable of performing a complete position management and a caddy-less operation in a yard unit, reducing a burden on a fixed station side, and performing a reliable error correction.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to achieve the above object, and has a plurality of movable caddies provided with a mobile GPS receiver capable of receiving radio waves from artificial satellites at predetermined time intervals. A cart and a fixed GP installed at a known coordinate position and capable of receiving radio waves from artificial satellites at predetermined time intervals
An error caused by the ionosphere or atmospheric layer
Errors caused by differences or selectable availability
Installed in a golf course in a specific area where the differences are almost uniformly distributed
The fixed station calculates a difference between the positioning data transmitted from the fixed GPS receiver and the coordinate position as a positioning error, and, when the positioning data is transmitted from the mobile GPS receiver, performs positioning at the same time. The movement G based on the positioning error
The system includes a correction position calculating means for correcting an error of the positioning data from the PS receiver, and a control means for centrally controlling the caddy cart based on the correction data from the correction position calculating means.

[0010]

With the above arrangement, the error between the positioning data obtained by the fixed GPS receiver and the true value is calculated by the correction position calculation means based on the known coordinate data, so that the movement G is calculated.
An error between the positioning data obtained by the PS receiver and the true value is corrected. Thereby, the position of each caddy cart is accurately grasped, and centralized control is performed by the control means. Further, both the mobile GPS receiver and the fixed GPS receiver receive radio waves from the artificial satellite at predetermined time intervals, and the fixed station transmits the fixed data at the same time when the positioning data is transmitted from the mobile GPS receiver. Based on the positioning error calculated from the difference between the positioning data of the GPS receiver and the coordinate position, this mobile GPS
Since the error of the positioning data from the receiver is corrected, only the positioning data measured by the mobile GPS receiver is transmitted to the fixed station, and the fixed station detects the positioning error of the fixed station side at the same time. By making the determination, it is possible to correct the error of the positioning data in each caddy cart.

Further , error factors due to the ionosphere and the atmospheric layer,
Error due to selectable availability is almost one
Fixed stations and capacities are located in golf courses in specific areas
At least this is because the
These error factors are not taken into account for error correction of positioning data.
Become. Moreover, the positioning data from the mobile GPS receiver is
Based on the positioning error calculated by the fixed station at the same time
Error correction is performed.
The idea of applying differential GPS in the field
Together, it is a complete yard unit in golf courses
It is possible to realize location management and caddy-less operation.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the system configuration. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a well-known artificial satellite on which an atomic clock is mounted.
A very accurate time signal wave is transmitted by the center frequency of about 1.57 GHz, and the system is open to the private sector and can be freely received on the earth. Reference numeral 2 denotes a plurality of caddy carts movable in a golf course, and includes an antenna 3 capable of receiving a time signal wave from the artificial satellite 1. On the other hand, reference numeral 4 denotes a club house as a fixed station installed at an appropriate place in the golf course. This fixed station 4 is also provided with an antenna 5 capable of receiving a time signal wave from the artificial satellite 1. And caddy cart 2
Between the club and the house, bidirectional data transmission is performed via the antennas 3a and 5a.

Next, the structure inside the club house 4 will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, 6 is an antenna 5
Is a fixed GPS receiver integrated with the GPS receiver 6
As is well known, a built-in clock circuit is compared with a time signal wave from the artificial satellite 1 to display real-time positioning data of longitude, latitude and altitude based on the comparison result, and also through a connector or the like. Data to the outside. On the other hand, 7 is a computer processing device having image processing and arithmetic processing functions of various data,
The computer processing device 7 includes a CPU, a ROM, an RA
A control unit 8 serving as control means including M, an input / output circuit, and an input operation unit 9 serving as a keyboard device;
It comprises a display unit 10 such as a television monitor device. Also,
Reference numeral 11 denotes a transmitting / receiving device such as a transceiver connected to the antenna 5a. A receiving unit 12 for intensively receiving positioning data from each caddy cart 2 and a transmitting unit 13 for transmitting correction data to each caddy cart 2. It is composed of The GPS receiver 6 is installed at a known coordinate position in which accurate latitude, longitude, and altitude are measured in advance by a surveying instrument or the like, and the coordinate position of the GPS receiver 6 is provided inside the control unit 8. The correction position calculation means 14 stores the true value. Further, if necessary, a plurality of GPS receivers 6, 6 'whose exact coordinate positions are similarly known can be provided. The correction position calculating means 14 calculates the fixed GP
The difference between the positioning data transmitted from the S receiver 6 and the coordinate position stored in advance is calculated as a positioning error, and based on this positioning error, the error of each positioning data transmitted from the caddy cart 2 is corrected. . The correction data indicating the accurate position thus obtained is output from the correction position calculation means 14 to the outside via the transmission section 13 of the transmission / reception device 11.

FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the caddy cart 2. In the figure, reference numeral 15 denotes a mobile GPS receiver integrated with the antenna 3 and is provided on the caddy cart 2 in the same configuration as the fixed GPS receiver 6, and positioning data from the GPS receiver 15 is stored in a CPU, ROM, The data is transmitted to the control unit 16 including a RAM, an input / output circuit, and the like. Also, 17
Is a transmission / reception device such as a transceiver connected to the antenna 3a, a transmission unit 18 for transmitting positioning data obtained by the mobile GPS receiver 15 to the club house 4, and correction data from the club house 4 side. And a receiving unit 19 that receives the data. The control unit 16 is connected to an input operation unit 20 as a keyboard device and a display unit 21 such as an LCD for displaying the number of remaining yards to green based on the correction data.

Although not shown, the control section 8 tracks the position of the caddy cart 2 for each party immediately after the start of the play, based on the correction data from the correction position calculation means 14, A screen display unit for displaying the elapsed time on the display unit 10 together with a map screen of the entire golf course is provided. Further, the map screen on the screen display unit is arbitrarily enlarged to perform not only the entire golf course monitoring but also partial monitoring. It also has screen enlargement means. further,
The control unit 8 has play time monitoring means for judging whether or not each party has played within a normal time. The status is constantly displayed on the display unit 10 and this state is displayed for each party. Transmitting / receiving device to notify
From the display of the display section 21 provided on the caddy cart 2,
Alternatively, a warning is issued via a voice generating means (not shown).

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. First, an error correction method in the present apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. As a prerequisite, one or more fixed G
It is assumed that the true values of the coordinates of the positions of the PS receivers 6, 6 'are measured in advance by surveying or the like. For the sake of convenience, consider the case where there are two fixed GPS receivers 6, 6 '. Also, here, the altitude and latitude are not taken into account, and the true values of the latitude and longitude in one fixed GPS receiver 6 are (Na, Ea) and the other fixed GPS receiver 6
', The true value of the latitude and longitude is (Nb, Eb).
At this time, when positioning is performed in the specific area by the GPS receivers 6, 6 ', and 15 at the same time t, error factors due to the influence of the ionosphere and the atmosphere and errors due to S / A are substantially uniform. Therefore, the error between the positioning value (Nx, Ex) of the mobile GPS receiver 15 and the true value at a certain time t is determined by the fixed GPS receivers 6, 6 'positioned at the same time t.
Is equal to the difference between the measured values (Na ', Ea'), (Nb ', Eb') and the true values (Na, Ea), (Nb, Eb). That is, the positioning error in the fixed GPS receiver 6, that is, the correction vector Va (ΔNa, ΔEa) is Va
(ΔNa, ΔEa) = (Na, Ea) − (Na ′, Ea
'). Further, the positioning error in the fixed GPS receiver 6 ', that is, the correction vector Vb (ΔNb,
ΔEb) is Vb (ΔNb, ΔEb) = (Nb, Eb)
− (Nb ′, Eb ′). The point that minimizes the sum of the distances from two points obtained by these correction vectors Va and Vb and the positioning value (Nx, Ex) of the mobile GPS receiver 15 is the accurate value of the positioning value (Nx, Ex). Correction data indicating the correct position. Further, if the error between the fixed GPS receivers 6 and 6 ′ at a certain time t is uniform, accurate correction data can be obtained with a single fixed GPS receiver 6. When each of the GPS receivers 6, 6 ', and 15 calculates a positioning value based on a plurality of time signal waves having strong signal levels, the GPS receivers 6, 6', and 15 receive different time signal waves. 2 and 3, the GPS receivers 6, 6 'and 15 receive the time signal waves from the same artificial satellite 1 by the control signals from the control units 8 and 16 in FIGS. It may be obtained.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 3, in this embodiment, the time signal wave from the artificial satellite 1 is transmitted by the fixed GPS receiver 6 and the mobile GPS receiver 15 at the same time t every predetermined time, that is, about 5 seconds. Position every time. At this time, positioning data (Nx, Ex) from the mobile GPS receiver 15 installed on the caddy cart 2 is corrected by the control unit 8 provided on the club house 4 side via the transmission unit 18 and the reception unit 12. It is transmitted to the position calculating means 14. On the other hand, the fixed GPS receiver 6
The positioning data (Na ′, Ea ′) from the data is compared with the true value (Na, Ea) stored in advance by the correction position calculation means 14, and the comparison result is used as the correction vector Va (Δ
Na, ΔEa). Then, a value of correction data indicating an accurate position based on the correction vector Va (ΔNa, ΔEa) and the positioning data (Nx, Ex) from the mobile GPS receiver 15 is calculated by the least square method, and this is calculated. Transmit to caddy cart 2. The control unit 8 centrally controls the accurate position of the mobile GPS receiver 15 in real time based on the correction data, and controls the display on the display unit 10 and the like. Further, in the caddy cart 2, the display unit 21 displays, for example, an accurate number of yards to the green and an optimum club based on the correction data. In addition to these functions, for example, by using this correction data, it is possible to know the play time of each party, to display the prohibition of driving into the previous party, and to make a voice announcement of entry into the restricted area. Alternatively, information such as a lightning strike warning can be provided from the club house 4 via the transmission / reception devices 11 and 17.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, the fixed GPS receiver 6 is simply located at a point where the exact coordinate position is known.
Is installed, a positioning error between the positioning data transmitted from the fixed GPS receiver 6 and the coordinate position is calculated by the correction position calculating means 14 provided in the control unit 8, and the caddy cart is calculated based on the positioning error. Mobile GP provided in 2
By simply finding the correct position of the S receiver 15 as correction data, without using any accuracy correction service, etc.
With a simple system configuration, it is possible to achieve complete position management of each caddy cart 2 and caddy-less operation.

As described above, the mobile GPS receiver 15
And the fixed GPS receiver 6 are receiving radio waves from the artificial satellite 1 at predetermined time intervals.
When the positioning data is transmitted from the mobile GPS receiver 15, the house 4 receives the positioning data from the mobile GPS receiver 15 based on the positioning error calculated by the difference between the positioning data of the fixed GPS receiver 6 and the coordinate position at the same time t. Since the error of the positioning data is corrected, the positioning data measured by the mobile GPS receiver 15 is transmitted to the club house 4 without transmitting information from the club house 4 to each caddy cart 2 one by one. Only by doing so, the club house 4 can judge from the positioning error on the side of the club house 4 measured at the same time t, and correct the error of the positioning data in each caddy cart 2. Therefore, as long as the position of each caddy cart 2 is managed on the club house 4 side, transmission means from the club house 4 to each caddy cart 2 becomes unnecessary, and the burden on the club house 4 side is reduced.
There is no need to consider the state of transmission from the club house 4 to each caddy cart 2 side, and accurate error correction can be performed.

Furthermore, error factors due to the ionosphere and the atmospheric layer
And errors due to selectable availability
A fixed station in a golf course in a specific area that is unevenly distributed
A club house 4 and a caddy cart 2
At least, these error factors are
Will not be taken into account for data error correction. Moreover, moving GP
The positioning data from the S receiver 15 is
・ Error correction based on the positioning error calculated on the house 4 side
Is carried out, so the golf course in the specific area
Combined with the idea of applying differential GPS,
Complete yard-based location management and
And caddy-less implementation.

Also, as an effect of the embodiment, for example, accurate information such as the number of remaining yards can be provided to the player in real time via the display section 21 provided on the caddy cart 2, and the entire play can be provided. Not only in terms of service, but also in terms of security and management as well as in terms of service.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the embodiment, the fixed GPS receiver is installed in the club house together with the control unit. However, if accurate coordinate positions are measured in advance, it is possible to install the fixed GPS receiver at an arbitrary position outside the club house. Is possible. Also, if a unified management system from reservation to fee settlement is added as a function on the software, either integrally with or separately from the control unit, the caddy cart management device of the present invention can also output management materials and the like by analyzing performance data. This makes it possible to further promote unified management of the entire golf course.

[0023]

According to the present invention, there are provided a plurality of movable caddy carts provided with a mobile GPS receiver capable of receiving radio waves from artificial satellites at predetermined time intervals, and a caddy cart installed at a known coordinate position and at predetermined time intervals. Fixed G that can receive radio waves from artificial satellites
A fixed station equipped with a PS receiver is connected to the ionosphere and atmospheric layer.
Due to error factors and selectable availability
Installed in a golf course in a specific area where the error is almost uniformly distributed
The fixed station calculates a difference between the positioning data transmitted from the fixed GPS receiver and the coordinate position as a positioning error, and, when the positioning data is transmitted from the mobile GPS receiver, performs positioning at the same time. The movement G based on the positioning error
A simple system configuration comprising a correction position calculating means for correcting an error of positioning data from a PS receiver, and a control means for centrally controlling the caddy cart based on the correction data from the correction position calculating means. By Gol
It is possible to provide a caddy cart management device capable of performing complete position management and caddy-less in a yard unit, reducing burden on a fixed station side, and performing accurate error correction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of the same club house.

FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram of the caddy cart.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of error correction according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Artificial satellite 2 Caddy cart 4 Club house (fixed station) 6, 6 'Fixed GPS receiver 8 Control part (control means) 14 Correction position calculating means 15 Mobile GPS receiver

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of movable caddy carts provided with a mobile GPS receiver capable of receiving radio waves from artificial satellites at predetermined time intervals, and a caddy cart installed at a known coordinate position and transmitted from artificial satellites at predetermined time intervals. and a fixed station having a fixed GPS receiver capable of receiving radio waves, error factors due to ionosphere and atmosphere layer
And errors due to selectable availability
The fixed station is provided in a golf course in a specific area uniformly distributed, the fixed station calculates a difference between positioning data transmitted from the fixed GPS receiver and the coordinate position as a positioning error, and the mobile GPS receiver When the positioning data is transmitted from the mobile GPS receiver, a correction position calculating unit that corrects an error of the positioning data from the mobile GPS receiver based on the positioning error measured at the same time, and based on the correction data from the correction position calculating unit. A control unit for centrally controlling the caddy cart.