Timing apparatus
First Claim
1. An electronic timing apparatus for determining the time at which specific vehicles (81, 82) pass over a timing line (A1-A4). said apparatus including an electronic transmitter (28) for attachment to each vehicle to be monitored, each transmitter being adapted, in use, to emit a unique identifying signal, characterized in that, a series of separate loop antennas (26) are arranged in closely adjacent relationship one to another across the width of a road or track (20) at said timing line to receive a signal from a said transmitter passing thereover, each loop being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, the width (x) of each loop in a direction across said road or track, relative to the width of the vehicles to be monitored, being such that only one said transmitter can pass over a particular loop at the one time whereby the respective signals of a plurality of transmitters passing over said line simultaneously are received in different said loops.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic timing apparatus for determining precisely when vehicles pass over a particular line on a road, particularly a race track (20), has a series of separate loop antennas (26), arranged in closely adjacent relationship one to another across the width of the track. Each vehicle (81,82) is fitted with a transmitter (28) for transmitting a unique identifying signal which is received by a loop antenna as the vehicle passes over the line. The width (x) of the antenna loops relative to the width of the vehicles is such that only one transmitter (28) can pass over a particular loop at the one time whereby when two or more vehicles cross the line simultaneously, signals from the respective transmitters are received in different antennas. A respective receiver module (27) is connected to each antenna loop and processes the identifying signal which is then fed to a micro-controlled (43) which calculates the time at which the particular vehicle crossed the line. A supervisory computer (24) collates and provides a database of timing information.
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Citations
11 Claims
- 1. An electronic timing apparatus for determining the time at which specific vehicles (81, 82) pass over a timing line (A1-A4). said apparatus including an electronic transmitter (28) for attachment to each vehicle to be monitored, each transmitter being adapted, in use, to emit a unique identifying signal, characterized in that, a series of separate loop antennas (26) are arranged in closely adjacent relationship one to another across the width of a road or track (20) at said timing line to receive a signal from a said transmitter passing thereover, each loop being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, the width (x) of each loop in a direction across said road or track, relative to the width of the vehicles to be monitored, being such that only one said transmitter can pass over a particular loop at the one time whereby the respective signals of a plurality of transmitters passing over said line simultaneously are received in different said loops.
Specification