IntelliGolf Accused of Infringing “Handheld Golf Reporting and Statistical Analysis Apparatus and Method” Patent
An interesting golf patent infringement lawsuit was filed back in February and flew under my radar screen until now. The lawsuit (6:07-cv-00065) was filed by L&H Concepts LLC in the Eastern District of Texas against the owners / operators of IntelliGolf.
So, you may ask “who is L&H Concepts?” L&H is the owner of USPN 5779566 titled “Handheld Golf Reporting and Statistical Analysis Apparatus and Method.”
The patent describes the invention as:
A handheld computerized golf data recording, reporting and advising unit, and a method for its operation. The unit itself is a small, comfortably handheld computerized unit with a generally writable display and a simplified key control panel to enter and retrieve data. Using the key control panel, a golfer can selectively retrieve a number of pre-formatted screens corresponding to pre-game, game-interactive and post-game recording and reporting of golf facts statistics and general golf knowledge. The pre-game screens contain data input fields having predetermined sets of values a user selects to provide information required by the game-interactive and game-reporting screens and algorithms to process, store and report information. The information entered in the pre-game and game-interactive mode is automatically stored in the memory of the unit and subsequently formatted into one or more statistical reports upon request by the user.
I encourage you to read the claims of this patent and really try to understand what they cover. If you can honestly say that you understand what is covered by the claims then you should be a patent lawyer.
It will be interesting to see how this lawsuit plays out!
David Dawsey – Keeping an Eye on Golf Patent Litigation
So, you may ask “who is L&H Concepts?” L&H is the owner of USPN 5779566 titled “Handheld Golf Reporting and Statistical Analysis Apparatus and Method.”
The patent describes the invention as:
A handheld computerized golf data recording, reporting and advising unit, and a method for its operation. The unit itself is a small, comfortably handheld computerized unit with a generally writable display and a simplified key control panel to enter and retrieve data. Using the key control panel, a golfer can selectively retrieve a number of pre-formatted screens corresponding to pre-game, game-interactive and post-game recording and reporting of golf facts statistics and general golf knowledge. The pre-game screens contain data input fields having predetermined sets of values a user selects to provide information required by the game-interactive and game-reporting screens and algorithms to process, store and report information. The information entered in the pre-game and game-interactive mode is automatically stored in the memory of the unit and subsequently formatted into one or more statistical reports upon request by the user.
I encourage you to read the claims of this patent and really try to understand what they cover. If you can honestly say that you understand what is covered by the claims then you should be a patent lawyer.
It will be interesting to see how this lawsuit plays out!
David Dawsey – Keeping an Eye on Golf Patent Litigation