Racecar timing and track condition alert system and method
First Claim
1. A timing system for at least a first racecar moving along a racetrack, comprising:
- (a) a first timing station, disposed at a selected site on said racetrack, to provide a first timing signal to be received by said first racecar when said first racecar passes said first timing station, said timing signal comprising a light beam repeatedly sweeping across said racetrack, horizontally and vertically, in a plane orthogonal to the major axis of said racetrack, so as to produce a sheet of light orthogonal to said major axis of said racetrack such that two or more side-by-side racecars can virtually simultaneously receive said light beam; and
(b) receiving means disposed on said first racecar to receive said first timing signal and to provide an output indicative thereof, said receiving means being vertically disposed below the origin of said light beam.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a preferred embodiment, one or more timing stations disposed around a racecar track. At each station, a timing signal in the form of a repeating or oscillating beam of laser light causes a photodetector mounted on a racecar to turn on and off, the photodetector outputting a stream of electrical pulses. A microprocessor associated with the photodetector receives the stream of pulses, determines the real time when the signal is received, and stores that real time. When the microprocessor receives an RF polling signal, unique to that racecar, from a base station, the microprocessor transmits the real time data to the base station. When a second timing signal is received from the same or a second timing station, a second real time is determined, stored, and transmitted to the base station. The base station then computes the difference between the two real times. The base station processes data from all racecars in a race by sequentially polling the racecars. Different pulse rates are employed at different timing stations and recognized by the microprocessors so that lap time, total time, time through corners, and time in pit stops can be determined for each racecar. In a further embodiment, there is provided an on-board track condition display responsive to signals transmitted from the base station to the racecars.
65 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A timing system for at least a first racecar moving along a racetrack, comprising:
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(a) a first timing station, disposed at a selected site on said racetrack, to provide a first timing signal to be received by said first racecar when said first racecar passes said first timing station, said timing signal comprising a light beam repeatedly sweeping across said racetrack, horizontally and vertically, in a plane orthogonal to the major axis of said racetrack, so as to produce a sheet of light orthogonal to said major axis of said racetrack such that two or more side-by-side racecars can virtually simultaneously receive said light beam; and (b) receiving means disposed on said first racecar to receive said first timing signal and to provide an output indicative thereof, said receiving means being vertically disposed below the origin of said light beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of timing a first racecar moving along a racetrack, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a first timing station, disposed at a selected site on said racetrack, to provide a first timing signal to be received by said first racecar when said first racecar passes said first timing station, said first timing signal comprising a light beam repeatedly sweeping across said racetrack, horizontally and vertically, in a plane orthogonal to the major axis of said racetrack, so as to produce a sheet of light orthogonal to said major axis of said racetrack such that two or more side-by-side racecars can virtually simultaneously receive said light beam; and (b) receiving, at said first racecar at a vertical position below the origin of said light beam, said first timing signal and providing an output indicative thereof and receiving, at said first racecar, a subsequent, second timing signal from a timing station; and (c) determining the times when said first and second timing signals are received; and (d) determining the time interval between said first and second timing signals. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification