Swim timer, lap cunter and swim analyzer

• US 20110149694A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masami Sakita
• Original Assignee: Masami Sakita
• Inventors: Sakita, Masami
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/12 Arrangements in swimming pools for teaching swimming or for training
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 in connection with sports or games

Abstract

The swim device includes a wrist unit system wearable on a wrist and a hand, at least one hand sensor unit that is wearable on a hand, and at least one foot sensor unit wearable on a foot. The wrist unit system includes a wrist unit and at least one pressure sensor. The wrist unit includes an integrated circuit chip (ICC) computer; a battery; an alarm, a display and housing with input buttons, and a wrist band with an embedded antenna. The hand/foot sensor unit includes an integrated circuit chip (ICC) computer with a battery. The pressure sensor is attached to a cap that is worn on the first segment of a finger or big toe in such a manner that the pressure sensor faces the water-bound side of the finger or big toe.

Claims

1. A wearable swim device that is worn by a swimmer and that measures elapsed time and count number of laps in a swim including at least a wrist unit system wherein

said wrist unit system includes a wrist unit worn on a wrist,

said wrist unit system includes at least one pressure sensor,

said pressure sensor is attached to a cap or equivalent worn on first segment of a finger of a hand on same side of a body as said wrist unit is worn, and

said pressure sensor is connected to said wrist unit by at least one wire.

2. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein

said pressure sensor is a touch pressure sensor that is able to detect said swimmer'"'"'s hand stroking water during said swim.

3. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein said pressure sensor is a touch pressure sensor wherein said touch sensor is able to detect said swimmer hand touching a swimming pool wall but not said swimmer'"'"'s hand stroking of water during said swim.

4. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein said pressure sensor detects various levels of pressure applied to said pressure sensor.

5. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein

said wrist unit system includes two pressure sensors wherein

said pressure sensors are touch pressure sensors,

one of said pressure sensors detects swimmer'"'"'s hand touching a swimming pool wall but does not detect swimmer'"'"'s hand stroking water, and

the other one of said touch pressure sensors detects swimmer'"'"'s hand touching a swimming pool wall and swimmer'"'"'s hand stroking said water while said swimmer swims.

6. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein

said wrist unit includes at least one integrated circuit chip computer.

7. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein

said swim device includes a hand sensor unit,

said hand sensor unit includes at least one pressure sensor, and

said hand unit includes at least one integrated circuit chip computer.

8. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein

said swim device includes at least one foot sensor unit,

said foot sensor unit includes at least one pressure sensor, and

said foot unit includes at least one integrated circuit chip computer.

9. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein

said wrist unit system, said hand sensor unit and said foot unit generate pressure sensor data,

said swim device includes at least one hand sensor unit,

said hand sensor unit includes at least one integrated circuit chip computer having an internal clock,

said swim device includes at least one foot sensor unit,

said foot sensor unit includes at least one integrated circuit chip computer having an internal clock,

said hand sensor unit and said foot sensor unit include radio frequency interface,

said wrist unit includes input data, transmits at least one of said input data to said hand and foot sensor units via radio frequency interface, receives said pressure data generated by said hand and foot sensor units from said hand and foot sensor units via said radio frequency interface, processes said pressure data, and displays results of processed said pressure data.

10. A swim device as defined in claim 9 wherein said input data includes such data as pool length, a swim stroke type, and number of laps or total distance to swim.

11. A swim device as defined in claim 9 wherein

said hand sensor unit stores said pressure sensor data generated by said pressure sensor during said swim, and

said foot sensor unit stores data generated by said pressure sensor during said swim.

12. A swim device as defined in claim 9 wherein

said swim device includes a set of software that is run in a computer of a PC or equivalent wherein

said computer has an internal clock,

said set of software includes software used to synchronize said internal clock of said integrated circuit chip computers of said wrist unit, said hand sensor unit and said foot sensor unit with said internal clock of said computer of a PC or equivalent, software used to input data to said hand sensor unit, software used to analyze output data from said hand sensor unit and software used to display analysis results, and

said computer of a PC or equivalent is equipped with a contactless interface for communications with said wrist unit, said hand sensor unit and said foot sensor unit.

13. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein

said swim device includes a pressure sensor that is attached to a cap or equivalent and worn on first finger of a hand on the other side of body as said wrist unit, and

said pressure sensor is connected to said wrist unit at least by one wire.

14. A swim device as defined in claim 1 wherein

said swim device includes at least one pressure sensor that is attached to a cap or equivalent and worn on a big toe, and

said pressure sensor is connected to said wrist unit at least by one wire.

15. A swim device including at least one hand sensor unit and a set of software wherein

said hand sensor unit includes at least one integrated circuit chip computer and at least one pressure sensor,

said hand sensor unit is equipped with a contactless interface,

said integrated circuit chip computer of a PC or equivalent includes an internal clock,

said set of software is run in a computer of a PC or equivalent,

said computer of a PC or equivalent has an internal clock,

said set of software includes software used to synchronize said internal clock of said integrated circuit chip computer with said internal clock of said computer of a PC or equivalent, software used to input data to said hand sensor unit, software used to analyze output data from said hand sensor unit and software used to display analysis results,

said computer is equipped with a contactless interface for communications with said hand sensor unit,

said hand sensor unit includes at least one pressure sensor, and

said pressure sensor is connected to said integrated circuit chip computer by at least one wire.

16. A swim device as defined in claim 15 wherein

said swim device includes at least one foot sensor unit that includes at least one integrated circuit chip computer and at least one pressure sensor,

said integrated circuit chip computer includes an internal clock, said foot sensor unit is equipped with a contactless interface, and

said pressure sensor is connected to said integrated circuit chip computer by at least one wire.

17. A swim device as defined in claim 15 wherein

said hand pressure sensor generates pressure data, and

said software set includes software to construct a pressure diagram from said pressure data generated by said hand pressure sensor wherein

said pressure diagram shows estimated pressure on y-axis and time on x-axis.

18. A swim device as defined in claim 15 wherein

said hand pressure sensor generates on/off pulse data, and

said software set includes software to construct an on/off pulse diagram from said on/off pulse data generated by said hand pressure sensor wherein

said on/off pulse diagram shows on/off state on y-axis and time on x-axis.

19. A swim device including at least a chronograph or equivalent having a start/stop button for starting and stopping of said chronograph or equivalent, a push button type pressure sensor and a wire wherein

said chronograph or equivalent has an alarm,

said chronograph or equivalent starts timing as said alarm makes sounds for starting of a swim,

said push button is able to detect touching of a swimming pool wall, and

said wire is a flexible coil-shaped wire enclosed in a tube having a push button on one end and connected to said start/stop button of said chronograph or equivalent on the other end.

20. A swim device as defined in claim 19 wherein said swim device includes a push button type pressure sensor, a counter and a wire wherein

said pub button type pressure sensor is worn on a big toe,

said push button type sensor is able to detect touching of a swimming pool wall, and

said wire is a flexible coil-shaped wire enclosed in a tube having said push button type sensor on one end and said chronograph or equivalent on the other end.