Arrangement for timing moving objects
First Claim
1. An arrangement for the identification of a plurality of moving objects and determination of the instant of their passing over a reference line, such arrangement comprising a fixed station including a transmitter-receiver provided with an antenna located in the neighborhood of the reference line and a plurality of moving stations including a transmitter-receiver mounted in each of the moving objects, the fixed station being arranged to broadcast a radioelectric signal and to receive radioelectric signals coming from the different moving objects, the moving stations being arranged to receive the radioelectric signal broadcast by the fixed station and in response to said signal, to broadcast a radioelectric signal which is picked up by the fixed station, wherein the radioelectric signal broadcast by the fixed station is modulated by a low-frequency synchronization signal of period T which is received by the moving station, each moving station including means for placing the moving station into a state to broadcast a signal of duration Tn<
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T during each period T, occupying within the period T a rank peculiar thereto relative to a time to marking the beginning of each period T, such rank remaining the same for all of the successive periods T, the moving station further comprising means for attributing an identification code peculiar to each moving object to each signal of duration Tn, the signal of duration Tn thus obtained modulating the radioelectric signal broadcast by the moving station, wherein the radioelectric signals broadcast by the moving stations are received by the fixed station which includes first means for recognizing the signals of duration Tn belonging to the same moving object, second means for taking into account the respective amplitude of such signals, third means for ranking such signals relative to an absolute time and a memory for storing the signals thus obtained within a predetermined zone attributed to each moving object, and wherein the signals stored in the memory are processed in a microcomputer so as to render them usable in a display system, said stored signals enabling the determination of the time of passing over the reference line of each of the moving objects.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
This arrangement enables the identification of a plurality of vehicles (4) and determination of the instant of their passing over a reference line (30). It includes a moving station (1) mounted on the vehicle and a fixed station (2) arranged alongside a racetrack (3). The fixed station broadcasts a low-frequency synchronization signal of period T which is received by the moving station, the latter in turn broadcasting a series of signals of duration Tn located in a predetermined rank relative to the time to marking each start of period T. Conjointly the moving station allocates an identification code peculiar to a given moving object to each signal Tn. The signals received by the fixed station are stored in a memory which for each signal memorizes its absolute time, its association with a given vehicle and its amplitude. The arrangement is used for motor vehicle races which include a large number of competitors.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An arrangement for the identification of a plurality of moving objects and determination of the instant of their passing over a reference line, such arrangement comprising a fixed station including a transmitter-receiver provided with an antenna located in the neighborhood of the reference line and a plurality of moving stations including a transmitter-receiver mounted in each of the moving objects, the fixed station being arranged to broadcast a radioelectric signal and to receive radioelectric signals coming from the different moving objects, the moving stations being arranged to receive the radioelectric signal broadcast by the fixed station and in response to said signal, to broadcast a radioelectric signal which is picked up by the fixed station, wherein the radioelectric signal broadcast by the fixed station is modulated by a low-frequency synchronization signal of period T which is received by the moving station, each moving station including means for placing the moving station into a state to broadcast a signal of duration Tn<
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T during each period T, occupying within the period T a rank peculiar thereto relative to a time to marking the beginning of each period T, such rank remaining the same for all of the successive periods T, the moving station further comprising means for attributing an identification code peculiar to each moving object to each signal of duration Tn, the signal of duration Tn thus obtained modulating the radioelectric signal broadcast by the moving station, wherein the radioelectric signals broadcast by the moving stations are received by the fixed station which includes first means for recognizing the signals of duration Tn belonging to the same moving object, second means for taking into account the respective amplitude of such signals, third means for ranking such signals relative to an absolute time and a memory for storing the signals thus obtained within a predetermined zone attributed to each moving object, and wherein the signals stored in the memory are processed in a microcomputer so as to render them usable in a display system, said stored signals enabling the determination of the time of passing over the reference line of each of the moving objects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An arrangement for the identification of a plurality of moving objects and determination of the instant of their passing over a reference line, said arrangement comprising:
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a fixed station including a first transmitter and a first receiver having an antenna located in the neighborhood of the reference line; a plurality of moving stations, each moving station comprising a second receiver and an associated second transmitter mounted on a respective one of said moving objects; means at said fixed station for energizing said first transmitter to transmit a synchronization signal having a period T to each of said second receivers; first means at each of said moving stations responsive to the second receiver for causing the associated second transmitter to transmit to said first receiver a signal Tn<
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T for a fixed interval of time during each period T, the fixed intervals of time being non-overlapping and, for each associated second transmitter, beginning at a different time relative to the beginning of said period T;second means at said fixed station responsive to said first receiver for deriving from each signal Tn an indication of the second transmitter which transmitted it and the magnitude of the signal Tn as received by said first receiver; and
,third means at said fixed station responsive to said second means for determining the time at which each of said moving objects passes over said reference line. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification