Process and system for measuring or predicting a hurdle race time

• US 10,420,998 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• 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, Richard, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US15/246,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20170065864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/088 hurdling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63K 3/043 Athletics hurdles
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 in connection with sports or games

Abstract

The process enables a time of an athlete in a hurdle race to be measured or predicted with a personalized transponder module positioned on the athlete and a base station. The transponder 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 wake-up signal and a measurement of the movement is conducted by the sensor after the start of the race on passage of each hurdle. The data signals are transmitted to the base station and determination of a passage time over each hurdle is conducted.

Claims

1. A process for measuring or predicting a time in a hurdle race of at least one athlete 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 at least one variation in movement of the athlete by the motion sensor on passage of one or more hurdles during the race,

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

determining a passage time of the athlete over one or more hurdles by one or more measurements of variations in movement of the motion sensor, and

during the hurdle race, predicting at least one of a placing of the athlete and a final race time of the athlete.

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 one or more variations in acceleration or movement of the athlete on passage of one or more hurdles during the race, and in that 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 or movement in the processing unit to determine at least one passage time of the hurdle or hurdles passed.

3. The measurement process according to claim 2, wherein the determination of a passage time of each hurdle is obtained by a measurement of the variation in acceleration or movement following the received contact of a foot of an athlete on the ground after passage of each hurdle.

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 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 a speed or a direction of rotation of the transponder module on the athlete on passage of one or more hurdles to determine at least one passage time of the hurdle or hurdles passed, and in that the transmitter unit transmits the measurement signals supplied by the processing unit directly to the base station, or formatted in the processing unit on the basis of the measurement of the speed or direction of rotation of the transponder module on the athlete on passage of the hurdle.

5. The measurement process according to claim 4, wherein the processing unit takes into consideration the change in direction of rotation in the measurement signals of the gyroscope for determination of a passage time over each hurdle during the race.

6. 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 measures one or more variations in acceleration or movement of the athlete on passage of one or more hurdles during the race, and in that the gyroscope measures a speed or direction of rotation of the transponder module on the athlete on passage of one or more hurdles on the athlete, and in that the transmitter unit transmits the measurement signals of the accelerometer and the gyroscope supplied directly or formatted by the processing unit to the base station for determination of a passage time over each hurdle during the race.

7. 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 or at a point of the race track of the athlete at the instant of a starting signal generated by a starting gun shot of the measurement system.

8. The measurement process according to claim 2, wherein after having activated the transponder module by the wake-up signal, the accelerometer or the gyroscope or the accelerator and the gyroscope supply measurement signals to the processing unit to determine directly in the processing unit a passage time over each hurdle during the race on the basis of a threshold of variations in movement or rotation speed of the transponder module or a change in the direction of rotation of the transponder module before transmitting the data signals to the base station for determination of a passage time over each hurdle during the race.

9. The measurement process according to claim 2, wherein after having activated the transponder module by the wake-up signal, the accelerometer or 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 for determination of a passage time over each hurdle during the race.

10. The measurement process according to claim 1, wherein following the measurement of the motion sensor or sensors on passage of two or three successive hurdles of several racing athletes, the processing unit or the base station having received the measurement signals determines placings of the athletes in real time during the race.

11. The measurement process according to claim 1, wherein following the measurement of the motion sensor or sensors on passage of a number N of hurdles, where N is a whole number higher than 1, the synchronised processing unit or the base station is able to predict final race times of each athlete to be displayed before passing through the finishing line.

12. A system for measuring or determining a time in a hurdle race of an athlete 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 one or more variations in movement of the athlete on passage of one or more hurdles during the race, and

in that the base station or the processing unit is arranged to determine a passage time over the hurdle or hurdles during the race and to predict, during the race, at least one of a placing of the athlete and a final race time of the athlete.

13. The measurement system according to claim 12, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer with one, two or three measurement axes.

14. The measurement system according to claim 12, 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.

15. The measurement system according to claim 12, 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.

16. A process for measuring or predicting a time in a hurdle race of at least one athlete 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 at least one variation in movement of the athlete by the motion sensor on passage of one or more hurdles during the race,

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

determining a passage time of the athlete over one or more hurdles by one or more measurements of variations in movement of the motion sensor, and

at least one of;

(a) following the measurement of the motion sensor or sensors on passage of a number N of hurdles, where N is a whole number higher than 1, the synchronised processing unit or the base station is able to predict a final race time of each athlete to be displayed before passing through the finishing line, and

(b) following the measurement of the motion sensor or sensors on passage of two or three successive hurdles of several racing athletes, the processing unit or the base station having received the measurement signals determines a placing of the athletes in real time during the race.