WO1990001707A1 - Sports speedometer - Google Patents

Sports speedometer Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1990001707A1
WO1990001707A1 PCT/GB1989/000870 GB8900870W WO9001707A1 WO 1990001707 A1 WO1990001707 A1 WO 1990001707A1 GB 8900870 W GB8900870 W GB 8900870W WO 9001707 A1 WO9001707 A1 WO 9001707A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
sports
speedometer
piece
ski
speed
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1989/000870
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Peter Gordon Adams
Original Assignee
Peter Gordon Adams
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Peter Gordon Adams filed Critical Peter Gordon Adams
Publication of WO1990001707A1 publication Critical patent/WO1990001707A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/02—Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
    • G01S13/50—Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target
    • G01S13/58—Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
    • G01S13/60—Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track

Definitions

  • the sports speedometer may be a ski speedometer for mounting by a skier on one of his skis, in order to determine and display information such as the skier's current speed, average speed and maximum speed.
  • the sports speedometer is a ski speedometer and the piece of sports equipment is a ski
  • the skier is provided with a speedometer on his ski and which may provide him with an indication of his speed.
  • the sports speedometer may be used in relation to sports apart from skiing.
  • the speedometer may be mounted on a windsurfing board or a sailing dinghy.
  • the control means is also arranged to process the output of the doppler speed sensing means to produce other data.
  • Such other data may, for example, be average speed data and/or maximum speed data.
  • the skier is provided with a range of information that he can display on the display means of the ski speedometer.
  • the ski speedometer further comprises a display selection means, for selecting which data produced by the control means is displayed by the display means.
  • a display selection means for selecting which data produced by the control means is displayed by the display means.
  • the skier may choose to display his speed for a period of time and then use the display selection means to change the display means to show his average speed.
  • the display selection means therefore makes the ski speedometer more versatile.
  • the ski speedometer may be powered by a range of power sources (e.g. the ski speedometer could include solar cells), it is preferable that the ski speedometer further comprises power input means for receiving power from a detachable power source (e.g. disposable batteries); and rechargeable power source means arranged to be charged by the detachable power source when connected to the power input means for providing back-up power upon the detachable power source becoming discharged or disconnected from the power input means.
  • the back-up power may be used to ensure that a memory of the control means does not lose its stored data upon the detachable power source becoming discharged or disconnected.
  • the ski speedometer further comprises a water- resistant housing within which the rest of the ski speedometer is housed, the housing having a radar-transparent portion adjacent to the doppler speed sensing means.
  • the water-resistant housing ensures that the ski speedometer is resistant to the water, snow and dirt that it may be expected to encounter during use.
  • the radar beam emitted by the doppler speed sensing means has an included angle in plan view of greater than 90°.
  • the included angle is greater than 120° or 150°.
  • the ski speedometer is still able to determine accurately the speed of the skier even when the ski, and hence the ski speedometer mounted on the ski, is angled relative to the direction of movement of the skier, such as may happen during the performance of turning manoeuvres.
  • the control means is arranged to switch the doppler speed sensing means from a normal power consumption mode to a lower power consumption mode upon the speed data indicating that the ski has not moved for at least a predetermined period of time.
  • the predetermined period of time may be, for example, 30 seconds or one minute and the lower power consumption of the doppler speed sensing means may be achieved, if the doppler speed sensing means emits a pulsed radar signal, by increasing the pulse interval from, for example, 0.1 seconds to 10 seconds.
  • the control means may be further arranged to return the doppler speed sensing means from the lower power consumption mode to the normal power consumption mode upon the speed data indicating that the ski has started to move again.
  • the present invention also includes the piece of sports equipment with the sports speedometer mounted thereon.
  • Figure 1 is a plan view of a sports speedometer in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a section along the line II— II of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuitry of the sports speedometer of Figures 1 and 2.
  • the sports speedometer of Figures 1 to 3 is a ski speedometer.
  • the ski speedometer comprises a housing 1 having a main body portion 2 moulded out of polypropylene and a front end cap 3 moulded out of radar-transparent polycarbonate.
  • the housing 1 also includes a polypropylene battery compartment cover 4 covering a battery compartment 5 containing six batteries 6.
  • a printed circuit board 7 on which is mounted the electrical circuitry for the control means and on which is also mounted the display means in the form of a liquid crystal display 8.
  • the liquid crystal display 8 is visible through an optically transparent portion 9 of the end cap 3.
  • a doppler speed spensing unit 10 Underneath the printed circuit board 7 is located a doppler speed spensing unit 10, which produces a beam of radar radiation having an included angle, in plan view, of approximately 180°. The radar beam is able to pass through the radar-transparent end cap 3 on both its outward and return journeys.
  • the ski speedometer also includes two membrane switches SI and S2 located at the positions shown in Figure 1 under respective recesses formed in the body portion 2.
  • the switches SI and S2 are therefore protected from the outside weather conditions and each may be activated by pressing, for example with a ski stick, on the part of the end body portion 2 immediately above the switch.
  • the switches SI and S2 are connected to the control means on the printed circuit board 7 in order to control the functions thereof.
  • the ski speedometer is mounted on a ski by means of attachments, part of such attachments being shown indicated by numeral 11 in Figure 2.
  • the ski speedometer is arranged to point backwards.
  • the electrical circuitry of the ski speedometer comprises the doppler unit 10 which feeds an analogue signal representative of speed along line 101 into an analogue signal processor 12, which produces a digital signal representative of speed.
  • This digital signal is output along line 13 into a microprocessor 14.
  • the analogue signal processor 12 and microprocessor 14 together form the control means of the ski speedometer. From the digital signal received on line 13, the microprocessor 14 is able to calculate the maximum speed achieved, average speed achieved, distance travelled and elapsed time since the skier started ski-ing.
  • the switch SI is used to select which of the data stored in the microprocessor 14 (e.g.
  • actual speed, maximum speed, average speed etc. is to be transmitted along a line 15 for display on the liquid crystal display 8.
  • the selection is achieved by repeated closure of the switch SI cycling through the various stored data and causing each data (e.g. actual speed, average speed etc.) to appear in turn on the liquid crystal display 8.
  • the switch S2 is used to reset the currently displayed data to zero and, in combination with switch SI, may be used to turn the ski speedometer on and off.
  • a further switch may be provided to enable the microprocessor 14 to produce the data in either metric or imperial units, or any other convenient units.
  • the microprocessor 14 is arranged to send a signal along a line 16 to the doppler unit 10 in order to switch it from its normal power consumption mode to a lower power consumption mode.
  • the doppler unit 10 emits pulses of radiation
  • the normal power consumption mode may involve 10 ms pulses every 0.1 seconds
  • the lower power consumption mode involve pulses of the same length (10 ms) every 10 seconds. In this way, power is saved.
  • a further command may be sent along line 16 in order to return the doppler unit 10 from its lower power consumption mode back to its normal power consumption mode.
  • the components shown in Figure 3 are powered by the batteries 6 (see Figure 2).
  • the doppler unit 10 requires a 9 volt supply provided by the six batteries 6, which each have a voltage of 1.5 volts.
  • the 9 volt power supply is reduced to a regulated 5 volt supply for use by the other components including the microprocessor 14 and the switches SI and S2.
  • the regulated 5 volt supply is arranged to recharge a small rechargeable battery forming part of the ski speedometer (rechargeable battery not shown). Should the six batteries 6 become discharged or be removed, this rechargeable battery is arranged to continue to power the microprocessor 14 in order to prevent loss of data stored in memories within the microprocessor.
  • a temperature transducer 17 may be arranged to supply an a ⁇ nuacnlougyuueo temperature signal to the microprocessor 14 along a line 18.
  • the analogue temperature signal is converted by an analogue to digital converter 19 forming part of the microprocessor 14 in order to permit the microprocessor to handle the temperature information.
  • the temperature may be displayed on the liquid crystal display 8.

Abstract

A sports speedometer such as a ski speedometer which may be mounted on a ski has a doppler unit (10) for determining the skier's speed, which is displayed on a liquid crystal display (8). Control circuitry (12, 14) can also determine average speed, maximum speed etc. and turn the doppler unit (10) to a low-power mode after a period of, for example, 1 minute of the ski not moving.

Description

Sports 5peedometer
This invention relates to a sports speedometer for mounting on a piece of sports equipment. For example, the sports speedometer may be a ski speedometer for mounting by a skier on one of his skis, in order to determine and display information such as the skier's current speed, average speed and maximum speed.
According to the present invention, a sports speedometer for mounting on a piece of sports equipment comprises doppler speed sensing means for using doppler sensing to produce an output dependent on the speed of the piece of sports equipment; control means for processing the output of the doppler speed sensing means to produce speed data giving the speed of the piece of sports equipment; and display means for displaying data output by the control means.
Thus, if the sports speedometer is a ski speedometer and the piece of sports equipment is a ski, the skier is provided with a speedometer on his ski and which may provide him with an indication of his speed.
The sports speedometer may be used in relation to sports apart from skiing. For example, the speedometer may be mounted on a windsurfing board or a sailing dinghy. However, for the sake of convenience, the following discussion will be in relation to skiing, although the invention must be understood as being usable in other sports. Preferably, the control means is also arranged to process the output of the doppler speed sensing means to produce other data. Such other data may, for example, be average speed data and/or maximum speed data. Thus, the skier is provided with a range of information that he can display on the display means of the ski speedometer.
Preferably, the ski speedometer further comprises a display selection means, for selecting which data produced by the control means is displayed by the display means. Thus, for example, the skier may choose to display his speed for a period of time and then use the display selection means to change the display means to show his average speed. The display selection means therefore makes the ski speedometer more versatile.
Whilst it is envisaged that the ski speedometer may be powered by a range of power sources (e.g. the ski speedometer could include solar cells), it is preferable that the ski speedometer further comprises power input means for receiving power from a detachable power source (e.g. disposable batteries); and rechargeable power source means arranged to be charged by the detachable power source when connected to the power input means for providing back-up power upon the detachable power source becoming discharged or disconnected from the power input means. The back-up power may be used to ensure that a memory of the control means does not lose its stored data upon the detachable power source becoming discharged or disconnected.
Preferably, the ski speedometer further comprises a water- resistant housing within which the rest of the ski speedometer is housed, the housing having a radar-transparent portion adjacent to the doppler speed sensing means. The water-resistant housing ensures that the ski speedometer is resistant to the water, snow and dirt that it may be expected to encounter during use.
Preferably, the radar beam emitted by the doppler speed sensing means has an included angle in plan view of greater than 90°. Preferably, the included angle is greater than 120° or 150°. In this way, the ski speedometer is still able to determine accurately the speed of the skier even when the ski, and hence the ski speedometer mounted on the ski, is angled relative to the direction of movement of the skier, such as may happen during the performance of turning manoeuvres.
Preferably, the control means is arranged to switch the doppler speed sensing means from a normal power consumption mode to a lower power consumption mode upon the speed data indicating that the ski has not moved for at least a predetermined period of time. In this way, power is conserved. The predetermined period of time may be, for example, 30 seconds or one minute and the lower power consumption of the doppler speed sensing means may be achieved, if the doppler speed sensing means emits a pulsed radar signal, by increasing the pulse interval from, for example, 0.1 seconds to 10 seconds. The control means may be further arranged to return the doppler speed sensing means from the lower power consumption mode to the normal power consumption mode upon the speed data indicating that the ski has started to move again.
The present invention also includes the piece of sports equipment with the sports speedometer mounted thereon.
The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a plan view of a sports speedometer in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a section along the line II— II of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuitry of the sports speedometer of Figures 1 and 2.
The sports speedometer of Figures 1 to 3 is a ski speedometer. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the ski speedometer comprises a housing 1 having a main body portion 2 moulded out of polypropylene and a front end cap 3 moulded out of radar-transparent polycarbonate. The housing 1 also includes a polypropylene battery compartment cover 4 covering a battery compartment 5 containing six batteries 6.
Within the part of the housing 1 defined by the body portion 2 and end cap 3 is located a printed circuit board 7 on which is mounted the electrical circuitry for the control means and on which is also mounted the display means in the form of a liquid crystal display 8. The liquid crystal display 8 is visible through an optically transparent portion 9 of the end cap 3. Underneath the printed circuit board 7 is located a doppler speed spensing unit 10, which produces a beam of radar radiation having an included angle, in plan view, of approximately 180°. The radar beam is able to pass through the radar-transparent end cap 3 on both its outward and return journeys.
The ski speedometer also includes two membrane switches SI and S2 located at the positions shown in Figure 1 under respective recesses formed in the body portion 2. The switches SI and S2 are therefore protected from the outside weather conditions and each may be activated by pressing, for example with a ski stick, on the part of the end body portion 2 immediately above the switch. The switches SI and S2 are connected to the control means on the printed circuit board 7 in order to control the functions thereof.
The ski speedometer is mounted on a ski by means of attachments, part of such attachments being shown indicated by numeral 11 in Figure 2. The ski speedometer is arranged to point backwards.
Referring to Figure 3, and using the .same reference numerals where applicable as used in respect of Figures 1 and 2, the electrical circuitry of the ski speedometer comprises the doppler unit 10 which feeds an analogue signal representative of speed along line 101 into an analogue signal processor 12, which produces a digital signal representative of speed. This digital signal is output along line 13 into a microprocessor 14. The analogue signal processor 12 and microprocessor 14 together form the control means of the ski speedometer. From the digital signal received on line 13, the microprocessor 14 is able to calculate the maximum speed achieved, average speed achieved, distance travelled and elapsed time since the skier started ski-ing. The switch SI is used to select which of the data stored in the microprocessor 14 (e.g. actual speed, maximum speed, average speed etc.) is to be transmitted along a line 15 for display on the liquid crystal display 8. The selection is achieved by repeated closure of the switch SI cycling through the various stored data and causing each data (e.g. actual speed, average speed etc.) to appear in turn on the liquid crystal display 8. The switch S2 is used to reset the currently displayed data to zero and, in combination with switch SI, may be used to turn the ski speedometer on and off.
A further switch may be provided to enable the microprocessor 14 to produce the data in either metric or imperial units, or any other convenient units.
If the digital speed signal received by the microprocessor on line 13 indicates that the ski to which the speedometer is attached has not moved for a period of time (e.g. 30 seconds or 1 minute), the microprocessor 14 is arranged to send a signal along a line 16 to the doppler unit 10 in order to switch it from its normal power consumption mode to a lower power consumption mode. If the doppler unit 10 emits pulses of radiation, the normal power consumption mode may involve 10 ms pulses every 0.1 seconds, and the lower power consumption mode involve pulses of the same length (10 ms) every 10 seconds. In this way, power is saved. Upon the microprocessor 14 determining that the skier has started to move again, a further command may be sent along line 16 in order to return the doppler unit 10 from its lower power consumption mode back to its normal power consumption mode.
The components shown in Figure 3 are powered by the batteries 6 (see Figure 2). The doppler unit 10 requires a 9 volt supply provided by the six batteries 6, which each have a voltage of 1.5 volts. The 9 volt power supply is reduced to a regulated 5 volt supply for use by the other components including the microprocessor 14 and the switches SI and S2.
The regulated 5 volt supply is arranged to recharge a small rechargeable battery forming part of the ski speedometer (rechargeable battery not shown). Should the six batteries 6 become discharged or be removed, this rechargeable battery is arranged to continue to power the microprocessor 14 in order to prevent loss of data stored in memories within the microprocessor. A temperature transducer 17 may be arranged to supply an a αnuacnlougyuueo temperature signal to the microprocessor 14 along a line 18. The analogue temperature signal is converted by an analogue to digital converter 19 forming part of the microprocessor 14 in order to permit the microprocessor to handle the temperature information. The temperature may be displayed on the liquid crystal display 8.

Claims

1. A sports speedometer for mounting on a piece of sports equipment comprises doppler speed sensing means for using doppler sensing to produce an output dependent on the speed of the piece of sports equipment; control means for processing the output of the doppler speed sensing means to produce speed data giving the speed of the piece of sports equipment; and display means for displaying data output by the control means.
2. A sports speedometer according to claim 1, wherein the control means is also arranged to process the output of the doppler speed sensing means to produce other data.
3. A sports speedometer according to claim 2, further comprising a display selection means for selecting which data produced by the control means is displayed by the display means.
4. A sports speedometer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising power input means for receiving power from a detachable power source and rechargeable power source means arranged to be charged by the detachable power source when connected to the power input means for providing back-up power upon the detachable power source becoming discharged or disconnected from the power input means.
5. A sports speedometer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a water-resistant housing within which the rest of the sports speedometer is housed, the housing having a radar-transparent portion adjacent to the doppler speed sensing means.
6. A sports speedometer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the radar beam emitted by the doppler speed sensing means has an included angle in plan view of greater than 90°.
7. A sports speedometer according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control means is arranged to switch the doppler speed sensing means from a normal power consumption mode to a lower power consumption mode upon the speed data indicating that the piece of sports equipment has not moved for at least a predetermined period of time.
8. A sports speedometer according to claim 7, wherein the control means is arranged to return the doppler speed sensing means from the lower power consumption mode to the normal power consumption mode upon the speed data indicating that the piece of sports equipment has started to move again.
9. A sports speedometer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sports speedometer is a ski speedometer.
10. A piece of sports equipment having mounted thereon a sports speedometer in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.
11. A piece of sports equipment having mounted thereon a sports speedometer in accordance with claim 9, wherein the piece of sports equipment is a ski.
PCT/GB1989/000870 1988-07-29 1989-07-31 Sports speedometer WO1990001707A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB888818119A GB8818119D0 (en) 1988-07-29 1988-07-29 Ski speedometer
GB8818119.3 1988-07-29

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1990001707A1 true WO1990001707A1 (en) 1990-02-22

Family

ID=10641337

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1989/000870 WO1990001707A1 (en) 1988-07-29 1989-07-31 Sports speedometer

Country Status (3)

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AU (1) AU4058989A (en)
GB (1) GB8818119D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1990001707A1 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0416382A1 (en) * 1989-09-05 1991-03-13 Jürgen Severin Apparatus for measuring the speed and distance travelled for shiers
WO1996005520A1 (en) * 1994-08-12 1996-02-22 Tilmann Noller Speedometer
DE19524842A1 (en) * 1995-07-07 1997-01-09 Josef Meier Device for recording relative speed of sporting equipment, e.g. skis, ice-skates, snow-boards etc. - comprises slidable scanner on ski contacting snow for successive contact-point time signalling via spaced sensors and lens
GB2332580A (en) * 1997-12-18 1999-06-23 Bolton School Doppler speedometer

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4297701A (en) * 1979-08-08 1981-10-27 John D. Angleman Rangefinder using expanded time delay
EP0125108A2 (en) * 1983-05-05 1984-11-14 Deere & Company Radar ground speed sensing system
US4722222A (en) * 1986-09-25 1988-02-02 Skisonics Corporation Ski speedometer
WO1988002494A1 (en) * 1986-09-25 1988-04-07 Insight, Inc. Speed sensor and head-mounted data display

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4297701A (en) * 1979-08-08 1981-10-27 John D. Angleman Rangefinder using expanded time delay
EP0125108A2 (en) * 1983-05-05 1984-11-14 Deere & Company Radar ground speed sensing system
US4722222A (en) * 1986-09-25 1988-02-02 Skisonics Corporation Ski speedometer
WO1988002494A1 (en) * 1986-09-25 1988-04-07 Insight, Inc. Speed sensor and head-mounted data display

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0416382A1 (en) * 1989-09-05 1991-03-13 Jürgen Severin Apparatus for measuring the speed and distance travelled for shiers
WO1996005520A1 (en) * 1994-08-12 1996-02-22 Tilmann Noller Speedometer
US6570526B1 (en) 1994-08-12 2003-05-27 Tilmann Noller Speedometer
DE19524842A1 (en) * 1995-07-07 1997-01-09 Josef Meier Device for recording relative speed of sporting equipment, e.g. skis, ice-skates, snow-boards etc. - comprises slidable scanner on ski contacting snow for successive contact-point time signalling via spaced sensors and lens
DE19524842C2 (en) * 1995-07-07 1999-07-15 Josef Meier Speed measuring device for winter sports equipment
GB2332580A (en) * 1997-12-18 1999-06-23 Bolton School Doppler speedometer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU4058989A (en) 1990-03-05
GB8818119D0 (en) 1988-09-01

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