METHOD OF MEASURING A TIME IN A SPORTS COMPETITION USING A TRANSPONDER MODULE, AND TRANSPONDER MODULE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD

• US 20140169140A1
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swiss Timing Ltd (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Swiss Timing Ltd (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: BISIG, Martin, ZANETTA, Andre
• Granted Patent: US 10,481,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/2
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 in connection with sports or games

Abstract

The invention concerns a method of measuring at least one time or an elapsed period of a competitor in a sports competition via a transponder module which is personal to the competitor and accompanies the competitor throughout the competition in a measuring system. The personalised transponder module is activated at the start of the competition or in intermediate positions or at the finish line of the competition (6). Detection of at least one variation in motion or vibration level is effected by a motion sensor (11) integrated in the transponder module. The transponder module transmits data related to the detection effected by the motion sensor on the competition route or in intermediate positions or at the finish line of the competition, to a decoder unit (4) of the measuring system to check a time or elapsed period related to the detection of the competitor'"'"'s motion sensor.

Claims

1. A method of measuring at least one time or an elapsed period of a competitor in a sports competition via a transponder module personal to the competitor and accompanying the competitor during the competition in a measuring system, the method including the steps consisting in:

activating the personalised transponder module at the start of the competition or in one or more intermediate positions of the competition or at the finish line of the competition,

detecting at least one variation in motion or a level of vibrations via a motion sensor, which is integrated in the transponder module, and

transmitting, via the transponder module, the data linked to one or more detections effected by the motion sensor on the competition route or in intermediate positions or at the finish line of the competition, to a decoder unit of the measuring system in order to check at least one time or an elapsed period linked to one or more detections by the motion sensor of the competitor.

2. The measuring method according to claim 1, wherein the transponder module is activated by a low frequency signal transmitted by at least one antenna of a transmission unit of the measuring system on the competition route.

3. The measuring method according to claim 2, wherein the transponder module is activated by the low frequency signal by at least one antenna arranged in or on the ground of the competition route in an intermediate position or at the finish line of the competition.

4. The measuring method according to claim 2, wherein the motion sensor is activated upon the reception by the transponder module of the low frequency signal from at least one antenna of the transmission unit, and wherein a variation in the level of a motion sensor measurement signal is detected in the transponder module so as to define at least one time of the competitor on the competition route by the transmission of a data signal from the transponder module.

5. The measuring method according to claim 4, wherein the measuring system is arranged to measure at least one time of a track cycling race, the transponder module personal to the cyclist being arranged on the front fork of the bicycle and the antenna of the transmission unit being arranged centred on a finish line, which includes a strip of determined thickness for generating a variation in the motion sensor measurement signal when the front wheel of the bicycle crosses the finish strip, wherein the motion sensor detects a variation in the measurement signal when the finish line is crossed, so that the transponder module transmits to the decoder unit of the measuring system, the data relating to the measurement signal to determine an intermediate time or a finish time for the cyclist.

6. The measuring method according to claim 5, wherein as soon as the transponder module is activated upon the reception of the low frequency signal from the transmission unit, the transponder measures various amplitude levels of the received low frequency signal via a received signal strength indicator circuit in an integrated microcontroller, and transmits, in a data signal, to the decoder unit, the different measured amplitude levels to determine an intermediate time or a finish time of the cyclist on the basis of a maximum amplitude calculated from the various levels measured by the transponder.

7. The measuring method according to claims 1, wherein the transponder module transmits a data signal at a carrier frequency of between 800 MHz and 900 MHz to the decoder unit of the measuring system.

8. The measuring method according to claim 1, wherein the transponder module which includes an integrated time base, is activated at the start of the sports competition and wherein the time base is synchronised at the start of the sports competition.

9. The measuring method according to claim 8, wherein the transponder module is intended to be worn on a part of a skier'"'"'s equipment for a ski competition, wherein the transponder motion sensor detects each turn made by the skier passing each slalom or downhill pole, wherein the time at which a certain number of poles are passed is recorded in the microcontroller after detection of a variation in motion by the motion sensor connected to a microcontroller of the transponder module, and wherein the transponder module transmits a data signal to the decoder unit, the data signal including the stored times at which the poles were passed.

10. The measuring method according to claim 9, wherein the data signal is transmitted to the decoder unit when the ski competition finish line is crossed.

11. The measuring method according to claim 8, wherein the transponder module is intended to be placed on a competitor or on a bicycle, to determine an off ground time in a mountain biking, BMX, ski or snowboard competition or in athletics to calculate the number of a competitor'"'"'s strides, wherein the motion sensor can detect several variations in motion or several levels of vibration for determining several times or periods of non-vibration to define an off ground time, wherein the times and periods are stored in the microcontroller following detection of the variations in motion or vibrations by the motion sensor, which is connected to the microcontroller of the transponder module, and wherein the transponder module transmits a data signal to the decoder unit, on the basis of the stored times or periods, the data signal including the stored times at which the poles were passed.

12. A transponder module suitable for implementing the measuring method according to claim 1, wherein the transponder module includes a motion sensor able to deliver at least one measurement signal of at least one detection of a variation in motion of said module or a level of vibrations of said module, in order to transmit the data from one or more detections of the motion sensor to a decoder unit of a measuring system to determine a time or an elapsed period of a competitor in a sports competition.

13. The transponder module according to claim 12, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer with three measurement axes.

14. The transponder module according to claim 12, wherein the motion sensor is a unit including a triaxial accelerometer, a triaxial gyrometer and a triaxial magnetic sensor.

15. The transponder module according to claim 12, wherein the motion sensor is connected to a microcontroller of the transponder module for controlling the measurement signals or storing the various motion sensor measurement signals.

16. The transponder module according to claim 12, wherein the module includes a low frequency signal receiver for receiving low frequency signals via a triaxial antenna, and wherein the transponder module is of the active type with a battery for the electrical powering of the electronic components of the module.

17. The transponder module according to claim 16, wherein the module includes a power handling unit for controlling the electrical powering of the electronic components of the module upon the reception of a low frequency signal by the transponder module.

18. The transponder module according to claim 12, wherein the transponder module includes a high frequency transceiver for the transmission by a loop antenna of one or more data signals at a carrier frequency of between 800 MHz and 900 MHz to a decoder unit of a measuring system.

19. The transponder module according to claim 12, wherein the module includes a time base in conjunction with a microcontroller, said time base being able to be synchronised at the start of a sports competition via a decoder unit of the measuring system.

20. The transponder module according to claim 15, wherein the motion sensor connected to the microcontroller also enables the speed or acceleration of the competitor to be determined for an athletics competition for a sprint.