WO2000057969A2 - Device and method for determining and displaying the progressive motion variables or fitness variables pertaining to a user of a piece of sports equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for determining and displaying progressive motion variables or fitness variables pertaining to a user of a piece of sports equipment, especially a roller skate, an inline skate, a rolling board, a skateboard or a snakeboard, that at least temporarily contacts a ground. The inventive device comprises means which are arranged in or at the piece of sports equipment and which receive or at least partially process progressive motion data or fitness data, said reception or processing being based on an interaction between the piece of sports equipment and the ground. The inventive device also comprises sending means for transmitting progressive motion data or fitness data to means which can be seen by the user and which are provided with corresponding receiving means. Said means serve for further processing and/or displaying the recorded or at least partially processed progressive motion data or fitness data. The sending means and/or receiving means are embodied for sending or receiving during first time intervals respectively. The sending or reception is interrupted during second time intervals which occur between said first time intervals.

Description

 Apparatus and method for determining and displaying a user's mobility or fitness size

Sports equipment

The present invention relates to a device for determining and displaying locomotion variables of a user of a sports device, in particular at least occasionally in contact with a surface, according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and a corresponding method according to the preamble of patent claim 5.

For example, sports equipment that can be attached to the feet, such as inline skates, roller skates, dry skis, skateboards, snakeboards or sports shoes, are very popular. In this context, other types of sports equipment should also be pointed out, for example fitness equipment, power machines, skis, sledges, bobs, bicycles, ... There is a need to use the sports performance provided with the aid of such sports equipment, for example distances covered or speeds reached (current Speed, maximum speed, average speed).

From DE-GM 92 09 825.8 a road skate with a ride computer is known which is attached to the shoe of the road skate. A friction wheel is provided for transmitting data from rollers of the road skate to this trip computer, which cooperates with a driving wheel attached to the roller suspension. The determined or calculated travel data of a user is displayed here on the top of the shoe of the road skate. To be there- seeing this ad must be considered impractical and unfriendly.

A wheel for roller skates and roller boards with means arranged in the wheel for determining its rotational speed and / or the actual speed of travel of a user of the sports device is known from W098 / 26846. In particular, it is provided that the wheel is designed with radio connection means for data transmission to a display device, in particular a wrist watch, for displaying determined data.

DE 297 13 992 U1 discloses a device for measuring locomotion parameters in inline skates. Here, too, locomotion data are transmitted to a display device, for example a wristwatch, by means of a transceiver system. A disadvantage of this device is that the determined data is continuously transmitted to the receiver or the display device. Therefore, there is inline skate, i.e. the location of the transmitter of the transceiver system, a high energy requirement. In the case of a battery-operated sensor, for example, this has the consequence that the battery must be replaced frequently, as a result of which the user-friendliness of the device is greatly reduced.

A speed measuring device for roller skates, in particular inline skates, is also known from O98 / 06466, in which the rollers are arranged one behind the other. At least one measuring unit per foot is attached or integrated to the inline skate. In a preferred embodiment, a pulse generator system consists of a magnet and a magnetic switch. A similar system is finally known from US 5,721,539.

The object of the invention is to provide a device and a method with which a user can be determined and displayed in terms of locomotion sports equipment that is at least temporarily in contact with an underground is possible in a simple manner, a greater ease of use and a lower energy requirement being realized compared to conventional devices or methods.

This object is achieved by a device with the features of claim 1 and a corresponding method with the features of claim 5.

According to the invention, it is now possible to determine and display the movement variables of a user of a sports device, for example an inline skate, in a very simple, user-friendly and energy-saving manner. Because transmission or reception only takes place during certain tent intervals, the energy consumption of the transmission or reception means can be noticeably reduced compared to solutions known from the prior art. This has the consequence that, for example, a battery provided on the sports device, in particular in or on a wheel of an inline skate, which is used to operate the transmitter and / or, for example, a microcontroller for processing recorded locomotion or fitness data, is essential has a longer lifespan than conventional solutions.

It should be understood that the term “sports device” used in the present application, in particular in the claims, is intended to encompass all conceivable sports devices from which locomotion or fitness data can be derived. In addition to the sports equipment that can be attached to the feet, sports equipment that can be gripped by hand, for example tennis or golf clubs, or static fitness equipment, such as pedal machines or step machines, may be mentioned. By attaching an appropriately designed sensor with transmission means to the head of a golf or tennis club, it is possible, for example, lent to transfer speed or acceleration data of such a hit onto a display visible to the player. Altimeters are also included in the term used.

Typical locomotion data include, in particular, current speed, average speed, distance traveled, acceleration, or height meters overcome. Typical fitness data are, for example, pulse rates, sweating rates etc. However, the term “fitness data” also includes any other measurable physiological data or parameters.

The device according to the invention is distinguished by the synchronization means associated with the transmission means and the reception means for coordinating switching times and switch-off times of the transmission means and the reception means with one another. Such synchronization means can be implemented in the manner of both hardware and software, wherein appropriately trained microcontrollers are expediently used in this context.

Corresponding advantages result from a battery for supplying energy to the device which is visible to the user for further processing and / or for displaying the locomotion or fitness data.

Advantageous embodiments of the device according to the invention and of the method according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the transmission means and the reception means are designed such that their respective first intervals, ie the intervals during which transmission or reception takes place, essentially overlap. This measure makes it possible to reduce the energy consumption both on the transmitter side and on the receiver side minimize. The respective first intervals of the transmitter means and receiver means can be synchronized, for example, by activating the receiver-side device for further processing or for displaying the locomotion or fitness data before the start of a measurement, whereupon a microcontroller of this device detects the receiver for a certain start time interval (for example 30 seconds) switches on. If the receiver receives a signal from the transmitter electronics at this time, this signal can be used to synchronize the respective first intervals of the transmitting means and the receiving means. The result of this is that the receiving means are only switched on when a transmission by the transmitting means is to be expected. If the receiver means does not recognize a signal during the start interval, it is possible, for example, to automatically switch off the device on the receiver side for further processing or for displaying the locomotion or fitness data, it preferably then having to be manually switched on again in order to carry out a measurement.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, for which protection is sought separately, the means for recording or at least partially processing locomotion data determine an intermediate signal on the basis of the revolutions of a wheel of the sports device, in particular a function representing the time per wheel rotation, this function Intermediate signal can be transmitted to the means for further processing and can be modified there taking into account an adjustable actual wheel diameter. This measure makes it possible in a simple manner to carry out a large part of the processing of the locomotion or fitness data on the transmitter side, ie directly on the sports device. On the receiver side, it is possible, for example, to enter a pre-programmable standard wheel diameter or circumference, so that software arranged in the receiver actually determines the software Locomotion data (such as distance per time) can easily calculate.

The rotation of the wheel is expediently determined by means of a reed contact which is not rotatable or is formed on the wheel and which interacts with a magnet which can be rotated with the wheel. The magnet is integrated into the wheel in such a way that it closes a circuit in the reed contact, which is part of the means for receiving or at least partially processing locomotion data. A reed contact mechanism of this type proves to be particularly robust and reliable in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. In this shows:

1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a wheel for inline skating which can be used in the context of the device according to the invention, the arrangement of the wheel on an inline skate and the transmission of measurement data to a wristwatch being additionally equipped to illustrate the device according to the invention Device for further processing and / or display of recorded or partially processed locomotion data are shown,

2 shows a further preferred embodiment of a wheel of an inline skate that can be used in the context of the invention,

3 e is a schematic block diagram to explain the transmitter-receiver system that can be used in accordance with the invention, Fig. 4 e diagram, in which the real times per revolution of a wheel are plotted against the revolutions, and

5 em diagram, in which the respective time per revolution is plotted against time, and

6 shows a schematic top view of a preferred embodiment of a display device which can be used according to the invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, the individual components of the device according to the invention are first explained using the example of a tachometer for an inline skate.

E wheel 20 has a wheel body 21 formed with a recess 22. A permanent magnet 32 is integrated in the wheel body 21.

A possible positioning of the wheel on a roller skate or in-line skate 100 is also shown schematically in FIG. 6. The wheel axle 9 is attached to a wheel rail 101 in a manner known per se and will not be explained further here.

In the recess 22 of the wheel body 21, a puck-shaped or cylindrical disk-shaped, in particular frustoconical, component 30 can be inserted or fitted. In this component 30, the necessary electrical or electronic components for receiving or at least partially processing locomotion data are integrated on the basis of an interaction between the Inlme skate and a surface, not shown. A coil 5, resistors or em amplifiers 7a and em microcontroller 7b of the control electronics are shown schematically (by way of example). These components are preferably cast in the component 30, which consists in particular of synthetic resin or encapsulated watertight. Component 30 has a central recess 30a, which is aligned with a central recess 21a formed there when component 30 is inserted into recess 22 of wheel body 21. A rotationally fixed axis 9 can be passed through the aligned recesses 21a, 30a. The component 30 can be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the axis 9. When the wheel rolls off, the axle 9 and the component 30 therefore remain rotationally fixed with respect to the rotating wheel 20. Rotary or roller bearings expediently used here are not shown in FIG. 1. It proves to be advantageous that the component 30 containing the control electronics can be replaced in a modular manner. By means of a transmitter or transmitter 34, recorded locomotion data or partially processed by means of the microcontroller 7b can be transmitted by radio to a wristwatch-like device 50, which is used for further processing or for displaying the locomotion data, as is also shown schematically in FIG. 1 . It should be pointed out at this point that the complete processing of the locomotion data (for providing the locomotion variables) can already take place by means of the microcontroller 7b, ie on the transmitter side. In this case, the device 50 only serves to display the locomotion variables determined on the basis of the locomotion data.

A particularly preferred embodiment of a wheel for use in the present invention is shown in FIG. 2 in an exploded perspective view. The same components are designated here with reference numerals corresponding to FIG. 1.

It can be seen particularly clearly here how the magnet 32 is integrated into the wheel body 21 of the wheel 20. Furthermore, two further recesses 42, 43 are provided after the recess 22, into which ball or roller bearings 44, 45 can be inserted. After the first roller bearing 44 has been introduced into the recess 42, hen, a spacing element 46, which has a spacing projection 46a, is inserted into the central recess of the roller bearing 44 up to the stop (ie contact between roller bearing 44 and projection 46a), and accordingly the roller bearing 45 on the opposite side of the projection 46a of the spacing element 46 to be postponed. The right part (in the figure) of the spacing element 46 has such a length that a housing 47 together with a housing cover 48 can be pushed onto the spacing element. The housing 47 is provided for receiving the puck-like component 30 (not shown in FIG. 2) which contains the electronic components of the device according to the invention.

The wheel shown has the function of a normal inline skate wheel and can therefore be exchanged for a conventional roller without difficulty.

The wheel axle 9 shown in FIG. 1 can be passed through the spacing element 46 and can be fixed thereon.

As already explained with reference to FIG. 1, the components 30, 47, 48 and 46 are rotationally fixed when using the inline skate, while the wheel body 21 with the magnet 32 integrated therein rotates about the axis of rotation of the wheel.

The magnet 32 is integrated in the wheel body 21 such that it closes a circuit in a reed contact (not shown in detail) of the non-rotating wheel electronics. The pulses generated in this way are processed by the microcontroller 7b arranged in the component 30. Other suitable means, in particular pulse generators for determining the wheel revolutions are also conceivable. In particular, the time period of the wheel revolutions is determined and buffered. From the function of time per wheel revolution created in this way (the exemplary real The course of such a function is shown in FIG. 4, a schematic, smoothed course of this function in FIG. 5), for example, once per second (although any other time interval is also conceivable) the standard distance per second valid for a pre-programmed standard wheel diameter (or extent) or time interval determined by software integrated in the microcontroller 7b. The standard route represents a route standardized to the standard wheel diameter.

The standard route, which in the sense of the present invention represents a partial processing of the determined locomotion data (wheel revolutions), is transmitted wirelessly from the transmitter 34 integrated in the puck-like component 30 to the display device 50, which in the sense of the invention means for further processing and / or Displays the at least partially processed locomotion data transmitted. As already explained with reference to FIG. 1, the display device 50 is preferably attached to the wrist of the user of the inline skate.

The transceiver system of the present invention is shown again schematically in FIG. 3. As already mentioned, the microcontroller 7a receives pulses on the input side via the reed contact. The microcontroller 7a and the transmitter 34 are preferably supplied with power by means of a battery 80.

The signal representing the standard route is transmitted to the transmitter 34, which transmits the signal wirelessly to a receiver 51 of the display device 50. The transmitter 34 is controlled by means of the microcontroller 7a in such a way that it only transmits within certain transmission time intervals (for example 0.1-0.05 seconds per second). The rest of the time, the transmitter is switched off by means of the microcontroller 7a and only switched on again in time for the next transmission process. A typical signal curve is shown schematically in FIG. 3, below. It can be seen that in a total time interval of 1000 milliseconds the signal containing the desired information is only transmitted over a period of 100 milliseconds. No signal transmission takes place for the remaining 900 milliseconds.

The receiver 51 can be controlled or switched on and off in an analogous manner by means of a microcontroller 52 provided in the display device 50, which is supplied with current via a battery 53.

The signal received by the receiver 51 is sent to the microcontroller 52. As already explained, the signal is a standard route standardized on a wheel with a standard diameter. This standard distance is multiplied in the microcontroller 52 by the individual current wheel diameter or wheel circumference. As a result, the distance actually traveled per time interval is now available, which is transmitted to an LCD display 54 for display.

Since the current or actual wheel diameter decreases over the life of an in-line skate roller, this decrease can be automatically compensated or updated by means of a wear function integrated in the microcontroller 52.

The information route per time interval can be used by means of the microcontroller 52 for the further calculation of functions or movement variables of the user. The current speed, the maximum speed, the average speed, the daily distance, the total distance, the duration of the skating, the current wheel diameter and / or wheel circumference are to be mentioned in particular as such functions or transport variables. These functions can be shown on the LCD display. It is also possible to determine these functions or locomotion variables already in the microcontroller 7a, in which case it is is always a "standard" function, which, as described, must be adjusted in relation to the current wheel diameter.

The display device 50 is equipped with a plurality of switches 60, which can be embodied in particular as push buttons, which enables the skater or user to access different functions of the device according to the invention. In particular, it is possible for the user to correct the diameter or the circumference of the wheels or rollers and to reset the daily payers of maximum speed, daily distance and duration of skating.

The wristwatch-like display device is shown again in FIG. 6. The four switches 60 can be seen here, which allow the device to be started, programmed or menu navigated.

The display device 50 is activated before the start of a measurement by the user of the inline skate (actuation of the start switch 60). When a corresponding start signal is received, the microcontroller 52 switches the receiver 51 for a specific start time interval, for example 30 seconds. If the receiver 51 receives a signal from the transmitter 34 of the wheel electronics during this period, this first signal is used by software integrated in the microcontroller 52 to synchronize the transmission and reception time intervals. In this way it can be achieved that the receiver 51 is only switched on when a transmission by the transmitter 34 of the wheel electronics can be expected. If the receiver 51 recognizes no signal during the start interval, the display device 50 switches off again and must be switched on again manually in order to carry out a new measurement.

The fact that the described transceiver system is only active for a short period of time means that probability that several Inlme skate users (skaters) send or receive in the same tent interval is very low. In this way, the technology shown can largely preclude the signals from skaters from being superimposed or influenced from one another or from interfering with the display of other skaters.

A signal frequency modulated onto a carrier frequency is preferably used as the transmission signal. For example, it is possible to divide an interval of usable times per wheel revolution into specific subintervals, and to assign a specific signal frequency to each subinterval. When using a carrier wave with a frequency of 433 MHz, for example, a signal or information wave modulated thereon can have a bandwidth of, for example, 1 kHz, adjacent subintervals differing in their information frequency by 1 Hz.

It is also possible to provide digital signal transmission. It would be possible, for example, to transmit the relevant information using 2-byte signals, it also being possible to transmit a check byte. Such a check byte makes it possible in particular to distinguish transmitted signals from a number of Inlme skate users located in the immediate vicinity of one another.

Claims

claims 1.Device for determining and displaying locomotion or fitness parameters of a user of a sports device in particular (at least temporarily in contact with a surface), in particular a roller skate, an inline skate, a roller board or a skate or snake board, with or means (7a, 7b) arranged on the sports device for recording or at least partially processing locomotion or fitness data, in particular on the basis of an interaction between the sports device and the ground, transmission means (34) for transmitting the locomotion or fitness data to the user Visible means designed with corresponding receiving means (51) for further processing and / or displaying the recorded or at least partially processed locomotion or fitness data, characterized in that the transmitting means (34) and / or the receiving means (51) for transmitting or receiving during first row each it is formed at intervals, wherein there is an interruption of transmission or reception m between the first time intervals and second time intervals. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmitting means (34) and the receiving means (51) are designed such that their respective first intervals essentially overlap. Device according to one of the preceding claims or according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the means (7a) for receiving and / or at least partially processing locomotion or fitness data an intermediate signal based on the revolutions of a wheel of the sports device, in particular a determine the function representing the time per wheel rotation, this intermediate signal being transferable to the means (52) for further processing, by means of which the intermediate signal can be modified taking into account an actual wheel diameter or circumference in order to obtain a locomotion or fitness variable. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the rotation of the wheel can be determined by means of a reed contact which interacts with a magnet (34) which can be rotated with the wheel, the reed contact not being rotatable or being formed on the wheel Method for determining and displaying movement or fitness parameters of a user of a sports device, in particular at least temporarily in contact with a surface, in particular a roller skate, an inline skate, a roller board, a skate or snakeboard, with the following steps: Recording and / or at least partially processing movement or fitness data in particular lo based on an interaction between the sports equipment and the ground, Transmission of the locomotion or fitness data to means for further processing and / or display of the recorded or at least partially processed locomotion or fitness data which are visible to the user and are designed with corresponding receiving means, characterized in that the transmission and / or reception of the locomotion or fitness data takes place during first time intervals, the transmission and / or reception of the locomotion or fitness data being interrupted in second time intervals lying between the first time intervals. Method according to claim 5 or the preamble of claim 5, characterized in that an intermediate signal is determined on the basis of the revolutions of a wheel of the sports equipment, in particular a function representing the time per wheel revolution, this intermediate signal being transmitted to the means for further processing , by means of which the intermediate signal is modified taking into account an actual wheel diameter or circumference to obtain a locomotion or fitness size.