DE10343043A1 - Distance traveled and speed measurement device for skiers and snowboarders determines distance by measuring gradients and height differences with electronic air pressure sensor and angle sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

The device determines the distance traveled by measuring gradients and height differences. The height difference is measured using an electronic air pressure sensor. Gradients are measured using an electronic angle sensor. The angle measurement can be carried out by an acceleration sensor that can measure both static acceleration and dynamic acceleration.

Description

The invention relates to a measuring device, in particular a measuring device for measuring distances or speeds, especially for Skier or snowboarder.

It's known speeds a skier or snowboarder when driving past e.g. by radar to be measured using the Doppler effect.

The invention has for its object a novel measuring device, especially for measuring speed as well as the distance traveled To measure the distance in particular of a skier or snowboarder and display them directly to the skier or snowboarder.

The invention solves the above. and other tasks through the objects of claim 1.

Advantageous further developments and embodiments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

With the invention i.a. a simple measurement and output or display of the measured speed or distance allowed.

Is particularly advantageous according to the invention a measuring device is provided which, without the use of mechanical, moving parts the speed or distance traveled Skier or snowboarders measures by sensors like GPS (global Position system) sensors are used, the speed or the distance traveled Distance by means of satellites or the transit time of the radio signals to be measured by or from these.

The signal is transmitted through a GPS receiver of the GPS satellites received and evaluated. From this data then the current position, time and speed or distance can be calculated. The calculation of the distance or speed is done either by calculating the position shift or by using the Doppler effect.

This is particularly advantageous Calculation of the speed and from this the calculation of the distance taking advantage of the Doppler effect, since this also involves covering a distance from a 3D movement can be taken into account without here the height information GPS (which is proportionate are inaccurate) must be included.

It is also advantageous for Use of a GPS receiver, that the device can be used in a multifunctional manner the speed or distance of each moving object or each person can be identified.

The will also be advantageous Speed or distance traveled Distance through the combination of the slope of the slope and the difference in altitude measured per time.

It is also advantageous Device (in particular the display device) by means of a battery, to operate in particular by means of an inexpensive button cell.

The will also be advantageous Device (in particular the transmitter device) by means of a rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries operated.

It is also advantageous To design the device, in particular the display device, that they can be operated with just one button / button or switch is. He takes over then both the function to turn the device on, the desired one Set functional area (e.g. display of speed, View the distance traveled Distance etc.) as well as e.g. delete certain stored values (e.g. the measured maximum speed) e.g. by pressing the button for a longer one predetermined time e.g. 4 seconds, or switching a display area (e.g. Switch the speed display from km / h to mph) by pressing the Button for an even longer one Time, e.g. 15 seconds. The construction with just one button has the advantage that the manufacturing costs are lower than the construction with 2 or more buttons.

Are also advantageous in the device provided the resulting vibrations or shocks that filter arise when the device is attached to a ski or snowboard is filter out. These filters can be hardware filter elements or filter stages solved by the software of the central microcontroller his.

It is also advantageous Device on the ski or snowboard with the help of an elastic, shock and vibration absorbing material, e.g. foam, a double-sided adhesive material, or a self-adhesive Attach Velcro.

It is also advantageous To design the device so that different operating modes are possible or selectable are. These modes of operation are e.g. Display of speed, Display of the maximum speed reached so far, display of the covered Distance, display of the total distance covered on the respective day Distance, display of the total distance traveled so far, display the distance covered on the respective day Ski runs, display of the number of total trips made so far Ski runs, temperature display.

It is also advantageous for the distance traveled only to be included in the calculation or cumulated if these are distances in which the difference in altitude results from a falling Height comes from. This has the advantage that only distances are used in the Skiers or snowboarders go down the slope and not those in them he (idle) located in the ski lift.

Also advantageous is the display of the (highest) speed and during the distance covered by the last departure is automatically reset to 0 after a defined height increase (e.g. 50m). This has the advantage that this data does not have to be reset manually, since this is not possible for a skier in particular while driving. It is also very difficult for the driver to read his current speed from a display device while driving; he is therefore dependent on a temporary storage and later display of his highest speed in order to then be able to read it off when standing.

The will also be advantageous Displays the speed and the speed traveled during the last departure Distance automatically after a defined height increase (e.g. 50m) and after recognizing the next (Slope down) speed data reset to "0". This has the advantage that the skier or snowboarder captures the data Data in the ski lift can still be viewed without being deleted.

Also advantageous, shows the Display device the respective maximum speed of an individual Section of a ski run for a certain period of time, advantageously flashing. On Section of a ski run can e.g. by standing still Skier (e.g. recognizable by the lack of speed information for a certain Time, e.g. 10 seconds) after a running departure. After the period of time during this speed can be displayed e.g. again the previous one top speed the respective departure are displayed (which may be higher, and would have prevented the section speed from being displayed).

The will also be advantageous Display of the distance covered on the respective day, as well the number of ski runs completed on the respective day, automatically reset if the device the next times we turn on (e.g. next Day) and the next (Slope down) speed data be recorded. This has the advantage that the skier or snowboarder can switch the device on again (e.g. in the evening) around the View daily data without deleting it before the next Departure the data are automatically reset to "0".

Is particularly advantageous through a clock integrated in the evaluation device, the advantageous way by the time information from the GPS receiver the GPS signal can be read out, is synchronized; at the Skip the current date to the next day or the current one Time from 23:59 to 00:00 the display of the distance traveled on the respective day Distance as well as the number of ski runs covered on the respective day, automatically reset.

It is also advantageous To construct the device so that the data of the total so far covered Distance, the maximum speed reached so far as well the total number of previous ski runs by pressing the Selection button or switch of more than a defined time (e.g. 3 seconds) automatically reset to "0".

It is also advantageous To construct the device so that the display of the speed or the distance traveled Path through even longer To press the selection button or switch (e.g. 15 seconds) from the display in km / h or km switched to a display of miles or mph (miles / h) and / or the temperature display from the display in ° C to a Display of ° F.

It is also advantageous To construct the device in such a way that the device is unique short press on the selector button or switch is switched on.

It is also advantageous To design the device so that the device automatically turns off when over a predefined period of time (e.g. 1 hour) no speed measured or no GPS signal is received.

It is also advantageous To construct the device so that after switching on the device automatically the mode of speed display is activated is.

It is also advantageous To construct the device so that after each short press of the Selection button or switch the display mode is changed.

For example, Speed mode -> «short press» -> max. Speed mode -> «short Press »-> Distance mode -> «short press» -> completed today Distance -> «short Press »-> total distance traveled Distance -> «short Press »-> Number of trips made today Departures -> «short press» -> number of total departures also advantageous is it to construct the device so that in addition the average during speed of a departure is displayed.

It is also advantageous To design the device so that the sink rate, while the ski or snowboard descent or

Rate of climb during the Use of the ski lift is displayed.

In addition, the device, in particular the display device, is advantageously designed such that it can be switched between a “ski / winter sport” mode and a normal mode (and back). This has the advantage (in particular when the device is operated with a GPS receiver) that there is a special mode, for example for joggers, who have different requirements for the displayed data than, for example, skiers (for joggers, for example, the number of runs or the length of a run plays not matter).

A separate one is particularly advantageous (Display) menu Display device for Skiers or snowboarders as well as another (general) menu for everyone else (especially athletes) available.

The (general) Menu in particular at least the following points:

• - current speed
• - Daily distance
• - total distance

It is also advantageous in the display device also the required quality of the GPS signal then differentiated which menu was selected. For example, the commitment to Skier a higher quality the GPS signal, since this is a 3D movement.

Also shows the advantageous Device, in particular the display device, by (in particular Symbols like "noGPS") indicate whether it is in operation with a GPS receiver sufficient GPS signal is received.

It will also be beneficial at an advertisement of e.g. "NoGPS" on the display device, those that are insufficient or of sufficient quality GPS reception signals; no current data, especially speed, distance or current altitude displayed to indicate a failure due to an inferior GPS signal prevent.

The device is preferably on attached to a ski or snowboard.

The device is particularly preferred with the help of an elastic, shock and / or vibration absorbing Material attached to the ski or snowboard.

Are particularly preferred in the Different operating modes possible or selectable, e.g. Display of speed, display of the maximum reached so far Speed, display of the distance traveled Distance, display of the total distance covered on the respective day Distance, display of the total distance traveled so far, display the distance covered on the respective day Ski runs, display of the number of total trips made so far Ski runs, temperature display.

Preferred are covered Routes (especially in the mode for skiers or snowboarders) only included in the calculation when it comes to distances acts that arose with falling or constant height.

The display is particularly preferred the speed as well as the during the last departure Distance automatically after a defined height increase (e.g. 50m) automatically reset to 0.

The display of the speed is preferred as well as the during the last departure Distance automatically after a defined height increase (e.g. 50m) as well after recognizing the next (Slope down) Speed data reset to "0".

The display is particularly preferred the distance covered on the respective day, and / or the number of ski runs completed on the respective day, automatically reset when the device the next times (e.g. the next day) and the next (downhill) speed data be recorded.

It is particularly preferred after each short presses of the selection button or switch the display mode changed.

The is also preferred average during speed achieved during a descent is displayed.

The device is preferably on attached to a ski or snowboard, as well as one - the determined Data (e.g. distance and / or speed) displaying device (these can be integrated in the device).

The device can be advantageous also have a transmitting device that the measured and / or determined data to a - removed provided by the device - receiving device (e.g. by means of appropriate radio signals, e.g. Bluetooth, GSM, or UMTS signals, etc.).

It is advantageous on one with the Receiving device connected display device whether a radio link between the transmitter device and the receiver device exists, in particular by a symbol in the display of the display device.

The receiving device is with a Display device coupled to that of the receiving device received data are then displayed (if necessary after previous evaluation of the received data from one coupled to the receiving device Evaluation). The receiving device (and possibly also the Evaluation device) can e.g. provided in or on a bracelet be, or e.g. on one - accordingly similar to conventional Clocks, in particular wristwatches, built-up clock, in particular wristwatch (The display device can then be the one on the watch or wristwatch - anyway by default - provided Display device can be used).

The transmission device is advantageous at pre-determined intervals (e.g. 1 second) Data in individual records sent to the receiving device and there by the display device displayed.

These records can e.g. following informations contain

• - maximum speed since last transmission
• - covered Distance since last transmission

Alternatively, the function of the Receiving device and / or the display device (and / or the Evaluation device) e.g. can also be met by a mobile phone (which are the measured and / or determined and sent out by the device Receiving data, and - if necessary after previous evaluation - then indicates).

The transmitter device is advantageous Fixed code sent with every data record. this has the advantage that with several transmitting and receiving devices in no receiving device evaluates a data record in an area the for another receiving device was intended.

Each receiving device can advantageously be automatic can be programmed to a code of a transmitter by these e.g. several intervals in a row just the code of this a transmission device receives. At the time of programming, this receiving device accepts only records with this program code.

They can use their mobile phones Data (or a - predefined or selected - part of the data) be sent to a central computer (e.g. the highest, achieved Speed). The data can from a mobile phone e.g. using appropriate SMS data service protocols be sent, or e.g. by means of appropriate WAP, GPRS, or other mobile data service protocols. On the central computer - each assigned to different users - from different mobile phones or data originating from devices are stored and / or evaluated are compared, in particular with each other, so that e.g. the user who can achieve the highest speed can be determined has (and / or the second highest Speed, etc.).

Those stored by the central computer, in particular correspondingly evaluated data can e.g. accessed on the Internet become.

The device is particularly advantageous if this contains a transmitting device and can be operated independently of the display device, designed so that it contains a fastening device with which them on the body of a Can be attached to the user. This can be a clip that e.g. allows attachment to the waistband of the user or a bracelet that allows to wear it on the wrist or (upper) arm.

In the - e.g. on a ski or a Snowboard attached - (distance- anti-theft device can also be integrated his. If this is activated, the intended GPS receiver becomes anyway used an "unauthorized" (moving) of the Ski or snowboard (or a corresponding movement of the device) to detect (or - to Error compensation - a one correspondingly long duration, e.g. movement lasting several seconds). If a corresponding movement is detected, an alarm is triggered, e.g. a corresponding optical and / or acoustic alarm signal is sent (and / or a corresponding theft report signal to a (or the above) - removed - Arranged by the device - sends (e.g. a or the above-mentioned mobile phone, a or the above-mentioned wristwatch, etc.), and triggered an "alarm" there (i.e. a corresponding optical and / or acoustic alarm signal is sent).

As an alternative or in addition, the (distance or speed measuring) device, for example attached to a ski or a snowboard, can also perform the function of a contactless (wireless) ski pass (correspondingly similar to corresponding ones, for example in special watches, for example from the company Swatch ^© , or, for example, contactless ski passes integrated in special gloves.

Because by a GPS receiver exact position determination possible is, can the curves driven by the ski or snowboard are also determined. This makes it possible the complete course of a ski or snowboard descent (with slope, curves, etc.) to determine and save. The corresponding data can then later (e.g. at home) about an appropriate interface (e.g. a cable (USB), or wireless (e.g. via radio, infrared, etc.) to a computer, e.g. PC transferred become. There you can the corresponding data is saved and evaluated (e.g. can on the display device assigned to the respective computer the complete descent with curves etc. are shown graphically, e.g. under additional Specification in appropriate places, e.g. Curves reached speeds (It is also conceivable, for example, to "readjust" the departure on the PC using appropriate game software).

The GPS position data are also advantageous transmitted by the transmitting device in order also to be relevant to navigation, in particular on the display device To be able to display data.

For example, map data is particularly advantageous through one, over an internet connection connected to the display device loaded into the display device and evaluated there.

To attach the device to Ski or snowboard can e.g. one - the corresponding form of top surface adapted to the ski or snowboard - bracket be used, or e.g. a - flexibly designed (and therefore usable on different skis or snowboards) - holder.

The corresponding holder can be designed, for example, in a U-shape, and can be made of plastic, for example, and - in a lying shape - can be attached to the upper surface of the ski or snowboard; the The device can then be attached to the corresponding (U-shaped) holder, for example inserted into the holder from above, and (with the aid of connecting means designed similarly to conventional cable ties) - can be snapped into place (and then at a correspondingly adjustable height) For example, be secured against movement to the left or right by the left or right section of the U-shaped holder (and / or from movement to the rear or front from the rear or front section).

To explain the invention in more detail in the following several embodiments described. Show it:

1 an inventive device for measuring the speed or distance;

1 represents a first embodiment of the invention.

The GPS antenna ( 6 ) receive the GPS signal and from the optional amplifier ( 7 ) (LNA - low noise amplifier) amplified. The signal is then sent to the actual GPS receiver module ( 8th ) fed. This is where the actual high-frequency filtering, amplification and processing of the received signal takes place. Together with the GPS controller ( 9 ) the actual GPS data (position, altitude, speed, time) are determined and mostly via standardized protocols (e.g. NMEA) via e.g. a serial interface of the GPS controller ( 9 ) issued.

The microcontroller ( 10 ) converts this data into a protocol which is then sent to the RF transmitter ( 11 ) transmitted and via the RF transmitter antenna ( 12 ) is sent.

The RF receiver antenna ( 13 ) receives the sent data and forwards it to the RF receiver ( 14 ) further, there the signal is amplified, if necessary demodulated and then connected to the microcontroller ( 15 ) transmitted. The microcontroller ( 15 ) evaluates the received data and shows it on the connected display ( 16 ).

Claims (12)

Distance and / or speed measuring device , characterized in that the distance or speed is determined by means of a GPS receiver. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized marked that the the GPS receiver with the distance or speed Determined with the help of the Doppler effect. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the device consists of a GPS receiving device and there is a separate evaluation device. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the separate evaluation device via a wireless radio link communicates with the GPS receiving device. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the device has a special "ski mode". Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that different operating modes are possible or selectable, in particular, display the speed, display the maximum so far speed reached, display of the distance covered, display the total distance covered on the respective day, display of the total traveled so far Distance, display of ski runs completed on the respective day, display the number of ski runs completed so far. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized that covered Travel distances can only be included in the calculation if there is are distances in which the height difference from a falling Height comes from. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized that the display of the (highest) speed as well the during the last departure Distance automatically after a defined height increase (e.g. 50m) automatically reset to 0. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized that the display of the speed as well as during the last departure Distance automatically after a defined height increase (e.g. 50m) as well after recognizing the next (Slope down) Speed data reset to "0". Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized that the display device the respective maximum speed of a single section of a ski run for a certain period of time indicates, especially flashing way. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized marked that the display of those covered on the respective day Distance, as well as the number of covered on the respective day Ski runs, automatically reset when the device is next times we turn on (e.g. next Day) and the next (Slope down) Speed data are recorded. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized by an integrated in the evaluation device Clock, which is characterized in particular by the time information provided by the GPS receiver be read from the GPS signal can, is synchronized; when changing the current date to the next Day or the current time from 23:59 to 00:00 the display of the am each day Distance as well as the number of ski runs covered on the respective day, automatically reset.