EP0678837A1

EP0678837A1 - Transmitter in the flag of linesman activates referee worn receiver having vibrating or acoustic outputs

Info

Publication number: EP0678837A1
Application number: EP95830136A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gianfranco Marano
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-04-13
Filing date: 1995-04-07
Publication date: 1995-10-25
Also published as: ITPD940071A0; ITPD940071A1

Abstract

It is a flag with a tele-signalling device which emits a vibratory or sonorous signal (or any other signal not based on the visual channel). By operating on the flag directly or pressing a button or another device the signaller sends a signal that is immediatly received by the receiver.

The signaller is allowed to coordinate the moment of the starting, the duration and the end of the signal with the corresponding chronology of the event about which he intends to communicate with the receiver (event A).

Since the message about the event (A) is perceived by means of a sensory channel different from the visual one (vibratory or sonorous), the receiver can use the visual sensory channel to focus attention upon another event (B) which may occur in a place far from (A).

In this way the receiver is able to compare exactly the chronology of (A) and (B), by comparing the visual perception of (B) with the vibratory perception of (A).

Description

Nowadays there are many situations where a danger signal,or a signal of other type, is expressed by means of flags, bright torches or other visible objects.
In these different conditions the transmission of the message folows these steps: a) the releasing of a signal by the transmitting subyect by means of a motor action such as raising, shaking or swinging the flag or the torch; b) the transmission of the signal through the space; c) the reception of the signal by the receiver by means of the visual sensory channel; d) the interpretation by the receiver of the message codified in the signal.
In the football game, for example, the observance of some important rules is assured by a referee and two linesmen who collaborate with him. The linesmen signal to the referee the irregular position or behavior of players (such as the off-side, the condition of last defender, a foul committed in a place far from the ball, etc.) or other events concerning the ball ( going out of the lateral or goal line).
The linesman sends the signal by raising the flag and the referee receives it by means of its visual sensory channel. The referee interprets the signal in the sense that the event the signal is referred to is actually occurred.
The limit of the traditional message transmission with flags consists in the fact that the message transmitted is of the "all or nothing" type. Namely, the downward position is intended to mean that the event has not occurred while the upward position is intended to mean that the event has actually occurred . In many situations there whould be an evident advantage in transmitting a more articulated message carrying out a greater amount of information.
In the use of flags as signallers in the football game, it whould be particularly important to be able to convey more detailed temporal information about the beginning, the duration and the conclusion of the event. In fact the referee has to correlate two events occurring in different locations of the ground.
In the off-side, for example, the referee has to stop the game only if a player of the attacking team is beyondthe imaginary line tangential to the last player of the defending team; however the off-side position is relevant only if it occurs before the player who is controlling the ball kicks it with the intention of reaching exactly the player in the off-side position.
At present both the referee and the linesman have to look alternatively at the player who is controlling the ball and at the player in the potential off-side position.
That's why at the very moment in which the ball is kicked they should both be looking at the same player. In any case, according to technical instructions of several Referees' Associations the decision about the off-side is committed to the linesman.
The invention described here has the advantage of improving the reliability of the manual signalling, allowing the transmission of a more detailed message as far as it concerns the beginning, the duration and the end of the event. Furthermore, the invention allows the receiver to decodify the message completely by the cooperation of two perceptual channels.
Specifically the invention combines two signal sources into the same signalling set (tele-signalling flag) of : the first addressed to the visual and the second to the vibratory sensory channel of the receiver.
The tele-signalling appliance placed into the flag transmits the signal to the receiver (for example the referee or the other linesman).
The signal may be sent by raising the arm or by pressing an activation device. The signal is detected by the receiver through a receiving appliance.
The advantages offered by the present inventation consist in the simplification and clear definition of the following points: a) the signaller records only the event (A) and not the event (B) which has to be chronologically correlated whith (A). He uses only one perceptul channel (f. e. the visual or auditory channel) and detects the onset, the duration and the end of the event (A); b) the signaller, by actioning the flag, transmits both a visual and vibratory (or of other type) signal which is in perfect temporal synchrony with the event A (the signal starts with the beginning of the event and stops when the event ends); c) the receiver can visually concentrate only on the event (B) and thus easily compare the chronology of (A) and (B); in fact at this point the receiver has only to decide if the vibratory stimulus (synchronous with (A)) reached him before, simultaneously or after the beginning of the event (B) visually perceived.
The appliance works on batteries or can be rechargeable assuring an uninterrupted functionality; moreover it can be made watertight.
As a not restrictive example a practical realization of the invention is here shown.
Figure 1 shows an application concerning a tele-signalling flag for linesmen in foot-ball (or other sports).
In the handle M there is the battery for energy feeding and the transmitter R, which is controlled by the device P or by the mechanical modification of O and A caused by the lifting of the flag. The transmitter induces in the receiving set V (or L or X) which is in contact with the epidermis of the receiver, a vibratory response of adequate intensity, which lasts as long as the device P is kept pressed or the flag is kept in vertical position.
These schematic shapes are sufficient to an expert person for the realization of the invention; consequently, in the actual realization there could be some variations without altering the essence of the innovating concept.
Therefore, with reference to the preceding description and to the drawing accluded, the following claims are made.

Claims

Flag with telesignaller emitting a vibratory or sonorous signal ( it can be synchronous with the movement of the arm actioning the flag). The duration of the signal is controlled by the signaller so that there is a chronological coincidence between the signal and the duration of the target event. In this way the subject holding the receiving device can compare precisely the chronology of the event (A) signalled by the vibratory or sonorous stimulus with that of another event (B) perceived by means of the visual sensory channel.
Flag with tele-segnalling device characterized by the preceding claims in such a way that its production and commercialization are covered by the protection of the present patent for industrial inventions, everything as described and illustrated.