PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING A REACTION TIME AT THE START OF A RACE

• US 20170065871A1
• Filed: 08/30/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swiss Timing Ltd (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Swiss Timing Ltd (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: GALLI, Reto
• Granted Patent: US 10,653,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/36 Speed measurement by electric or magnetic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63K 3/023 Starting-blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 in connection with sports or games

Abstract

The process enables a reaction time of an athlete at the start of a race to be measured with a personalised transponder module positioned on the athlete and a base station. The module comprises a receiver unit, a processing unit, a transmitter unit for data signals and a motion sensor to supply measurement signals to the processing unit. The module is activated by a received wake-up signal and a measurement of the movement is performed by the sensor at the start of the race. The data signals are transmitted to the base station and a determination of the reaction time of the athlete at the start of the race is performed to determine a possible false start if the reaction time is below a determined time threshold following the starting signal.

Claims

1. A process for measuring or determining a reaction time of an athlete at the start of a race by means of a personalised transponder module positioned on the athlete and a base station of a measurement system, wherein the transponder module comprises at least a signal receiver unit, a processing unit for data, measurements or commands, a transmitter unit for data and/or measurement and/or command signals, and at least one motion sensor to supply measurement signals to the processing unit,

wherein the process comprises the following steps:

activating the personalised transponder module following the receipt of a wake-up signal in the receiver unit,

measuring a movement of the athlete by the motion sensor following at least the signaling of a starting signal of the race,

transmitting measurement signals directly or formatted with determination of the variations in movement following the starting signal in the processing unit by the transmitter unit to the base station, and

determining a reaction time of the athlete at the start of the race in the base station or on the basis of the determination in the processing unit of the transponder module for determination of a possible false start if the defined reaction time is below a time threshold determined after generation of the starting signal.

2. The measurement process according to claim 1, in which the motion sensor is an accelerometer with one, two or three measurement axes, wherein after having activated the transponder module by the wake-up signal, the accelerometer measures the acceleration of the athlete following the signaling of the start of the race, and wherein the transmitter unit transmits the measurement signals supplied by the processing unit directly to the base station, or data signals on the basis of the determination of the variations in acceleration in the processing unit following the start of the race.

3. The measurement process according to claim 1, in which the transponder module is arranged on an upper part of the body of the athlete and in which the motion sensor is a gyroscope with one, two or three measurement axes, wherein after having activated the transponder module by the wake-up signal, the gyroscope measures the rotation speed of the transponder module on the athlete following the signaling of the start of the race, and wherein the transmitter unit transmits the measurement signals supplied by the processing unit directly to the base station, or data signals on the basis of the determination of the variations in rotation of the transponder module in the processing unit following the start of the race.

4. The measurement process according to claim 1, in which the transponder module is arranged on an upper part of the body of the athlete and in which the transponder module comprises two motion sensors, which are an accelerometer with one, two or three measurement axes and a gyroscope with one, two or three measurement axes, wherein after having activated the transponder module by the wake-up signal, the accelerometer and the gyroscope measure the acceleration of the athlete, on the one hand, and the rotation speed of the transponder module on the athlete, on the other hand, following the signaling of the start of the race, and wherein the transmitter unit transmits the measurement signals of the accelerometer and the gyroscope supplied by the processing unit directly to the base station, or data signals on the basis of the determination of the variations in acceleration and variations in rotation of the transponder module in the processing unit following the start of the race.

5. The measurement process according to claim 1, wherein the wake-up signal is received by the receiver unit of the transponder module to activate it from the base station or an emitter at a race starting point of the athlete after a signaling for preparation of the start of an athletics race or directly at the instant of a starting signal generated by a starting gun shot of the measurement system.

6. The measurement process according to claim 1, wherein the athlete pushes against bearing blocks of a starting block for a start of an athletics race, and wherein the motion sensor or sensors measure an acceleration and/or a rotation speed of the transponder module positioned on an upper part of the body of the athlete for determination of a reaction time following the starting signal.

7. The measurement process according to claim 3, wherein after having activated the transponder module by the wake-up signal, the gyroscope or the accelerometer and the gyroscope supply measurement signals to the processing unit to determine directly in the processing unit the reaction time following the signaling of the start of the race on the basis of a threshold of the increase in acceleration and/or of the speed of rotation of the transponder module before transmitting the data signals to the base station to determine a possible false start if the reaction time is below the time threshold determined after the generation of the starting signal.

8. The measurement process according to claim 3, wherein after having activated the transponder module by the wake-up signal, the gyroscope or the accelerometer and the gyroscope supply measurement signals to the processing unit for the transmission of measurement signals by the transmission unit to the base station in order to determine in the base station the reaction time following the signaling of the start of the race on the basis of a threshold of the increase in acceleration and/or of the speed of rotation of the transponder module and to determine a possible false start if the reaction time is below the time threshold determined after the generation of the starting signal.

9. The measurement process according to claim 7, wherein the determination of a reaction time and the determination of a possible false start take into account the measurement of an angle of rotation of the transponder module worn on the upper part of the body of an athlete and supplied in the measurement signals of the gyroscope, wherein the angle of rotation must be defined above a defined threshold to confirm a real start of the race of the athlete.

10. A system for measuring or determining a reaction time of one or more athletes at the start of a race for implementing the measurement process, wherein the measurement system comprises at least one a personalised transponder module positioned on an athlete and a base station, wherein said transponder module comprises at least a signal receiver unit, a processing unit for data, measurements or commands, a transmitter unit for data and/or measurement and/or command signals, and at least one motion sensor to supply measurement signals to the processing unit, wherein the transponder module is configured to be woken up by a wake-up signal received by the receiver unit in order to enable the motion sensor to measure a movement of the athlete following a signaling of the start of the race, and wherein the base station or the processing unit is arranged to determine a reaction time at the start of the race on the basis of measurement signals from the motion sensor.

11. The measurement system according to claim 10, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer with one, two or three measurement axes.

12. The measurement system according to claim 10, wherein the motion sensor is a gyroscope with one, two or three measurement axes for the transponder module intended to be positioned on an upper part of the body of an athlete.

13. The measurement system according to claim 10, wherein the transponder module, which is intended to be positioned on an upper part of the body of an athlete, comprises two motion sensors, which are an accelerometer with one, two or three measurement axes and a gyroscope with one, two or three measurement axes.