Towrope Winch Rider Profile

• US 20100121493A1
• Filed: 01/18/2010
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Innovative Sports Incoporated
• Original Assignee: Global Innovative Sports Incoporated
• Inventors: Welch, John M., Hales, Devin, Christensen, Ladd E., Triplett, Tyson
• Granted Patent: US 9,592,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/16 using winches winches per se B66D
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/67 Connection means on the towing watercraft, e.g. pylons, side poles or winches

Abstract

A system for controlling a towrope winch may comprise a computing device configured to send and receive data to and from the towrope winch, and a towrope winch application configured to operate on the computing device, in which the computing device is configured to operate the towrope winch based on data inputted by the user to the towrope winch application. A towrope winch user interface may comprise a processor configured to send and receive data to and from a towrope winch, and a towrope winch application configured to operate with the processor, in which the processor is configured to operate the towrope winch based on data inputted by the user to the towrope winch application.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a towrope winch comprising:

a computing device configured to send and receive data to and from the towrope winch; and

a towrope winch application configured to operate on the computing device,

in which the computing device is configured to operate the towrope winch based on data inputted by the user to the towrope winch application.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the data comprises one of a rider'"'"'s name, a rider'"'"'s username, a rider'"'"'s age, a rider'"'"'s height, a rider'"'"'s weight, a starting towrope length, an ending towrope length, minimum towrope length, maximum towrope length, reel-in speed of the towrope, reel-out speed of the towrope, reel-in acceleration of the towrope, reel-out acceleration of the towrope, a ramp-up, a ramp-down, an acceleration profile, a rider'"'"'s skill level, and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, in which the data is used to determine the skill level of the rider.

4. The system of claim 1, in which the data comprises a number of preferences for a number of water sports.

5. The system of claim 4, in which the preferences vary for each water sport.

6. The system of claim 2, in which when the skill level data is entered, the towrope winch application is further configured to define a number of other data.

7. A towrope winch user interface comprising:

a processor configured to send and receive data to and from a towrope winch; and

a towrope winch application configured to operate with the processor,

in which the processor is configured to operate the towrope winch based on data inputted by the user to the towrope winch application.

8. The towrope winch user interface of claim 7, further comprising a number of input devices for inputting data to the towrope winch user interface.

9. The towrope winch user interface of claim 7, further comprising a number of output devices for outputting information to a user.

10. The towrope winch user interface of claim 7, further comprising a touch screen for inputting data to the towrope winch user interface and outputting information to a user.

11. The towrope winch user interface of claim 7, in which the processor is further configured to operate a watercraft to which the towrope winch is coupled based on data inputted by the user to the towrope winch application.

12. The towrope winch user interface of claim 7, in which the data comprises one of a rider'"'"'s name, a rider'"'"'s username, a rider'"'"'s age, a rider'"'"'s height, a rider'"'"'s weight, a starting towrope length, an ending towrope length, minimum towrope length, maximum towrope length, reel-in speed of the towrope, reel-out speed of the towrope, reel-in acceleration of the towrope, reel-out acceleration of the towrope, a ramp-up, a ramp-down, an acceleration profile, a rider'"'"'s skill level, and combinations thereof.

13. A method for defining operating parameters of a towrope winch, comprising:

prompting a user for data; and

operating the towrope winch based on the data inputted by a user.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the data comprises one of a rider'"'"'s name, a rider'"'"'s username, a rider'"'"'s age, a rider'"'"'s height, a rider'"'"'s weight, a starting towrope length, an ending towrope length, minimum towrope length, maximum towrope length, reel-in speed of the towrope, reel-out speed of the towrope, reel-in acceleration of the towrope, reel-out acceleration of the towrope, a ramp-up, a ramp-down, an acceleration profile, a rider'"'"'s skill level, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising prompting a user for data regarding a watercraft to which the towrope winch is coupled.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising operating the watercraft based on data inputted by the user.

17. The method of claim 15, in which the data regarding a watercraft comprises one of an owner of the watercraft, the make of the watercraft, the model of the watercraft, a registration number of the watercraft, the dimensions of the watercraft, the name of the watercraft, the existence of a tower on the watercraft, the make of the tower, the model of the tower, the distance from a point on the tower to the back of the watercraft, and combinations thereof.

18. A computer program product for defining operating parameters of a towrope winch, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code configured to prompt a user to enter data; and

computer usable program code configured to operate the towrope winch based on data inputted by the user.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, in which the data comprises one of a rider'"'"'s name, a rider'"'"'s username, a rider'"'"'s age, a rider'"'"'s height, a rider'"'"'s weight, a starting towrope length, an ending towrope length, minimum towrope length, maximum towrope length, reel-in speed of the towrope, reel-out speed of the towrope, reel-in acceleration of the towrope, reel-out acceleration of the towrope, a rider'"'"'s skill level, a ramp-up, a ramp-down, an acceleration profile, and combinations thereof.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer usable program code configured to prompt a user for data regarding a watercraft to which the towrope winch is coupled.