EP1182409B1 - Computer controlled equipment for maintaining and covering skiing slopes with snow - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a computer-controlled device for snowmaking and care of at least one ski slope.

Similarly, the invention also relates to a method for controlling the snowmaking and care of at least one ski slope.

For the artificial snow production on ski slopes, which are to be understood here in particular alpine ski slopes, but possibly also cross-country slopes, it is well known to use snow guns in the form of connected to taps or water pipes snow cannons. Such snow cannons have been described many times in the literature, cf. For example, EP 277 933 A or US 5 322 218 A. Furthermore, it is also common to distribute artificial snow or even natural snow with the help of piste equipment on ski slopes and to prepare the ski slopes using these piste equipment. In the case of artificial snow-making, it should also be borne in mind that slope preparation immediately after artificial snow-making is inappropriate and that snow-grooming is best done about 3 to 6 hours after snow-making when the snow has dried. Frequently, therefore, artificial snow-making preferably takes place in the evenings, and on the morning of the following day, the slopes are groomed accordingly with the groomers.

For artificial snow, various other factors are important, such as the weather conditions. For example, the so-called wet-bulb temperature is determined in a known manner from air temperature and atmospheric humidity, with artificial snow-conditioning conveniently taking place at wet-bulb temperatures of -3.5 ° C. or below. From the wet bulb temperature and the water temperature, the so-called control temperature for the snow gun is also determined. In turn, this control temperature is important for the possible water throughput: the lower the control temperature, the greater the water throughput can be.

In the past, central computers were also used in practice to control the snow guns from a central station. However, this remote control of the snow operation was usually limited to the Switching snow generator on or off at predetermined times, with a commissioning of the snow guns further only was possible if they were in turn in the provision. The latter was the case when the meteorological conditions (in particular the snowball temperature ≤ -3.5 ° C) were corresponding.

The artificial snow production was so far, despite the use of a central computer, associated with numerous manual activities and checks, which entailed a considerable time and cost, and also prevented an optimization in snow grooming and grooming.

It is further known from US 5 930 743 A to use Global Positioning System (GPS) in conjunction with ski and snowboarding summer and winter vehicles. In this case, the monitoring of the thickness of a snow layer is affected, and for this purpose in summer a base map with altitude rates of snow-free slopes, by driving down the summer vehicle created, and in winter, the slope is run with a groomer and measured in height, with From the height difference, the thickness of the snow layer is determined.

It is an object of the invention to achieve an increase in the efficiency of the control of the various equipment used in snowmaking and care for ski slopes, namely snow guns and snow groomers (where appropriate, the snow groomers with snow guns, namely snow cannons, can be equipped) to achieve. The invention is based on the fact that the central computer can be used in a corresponding supply of data to a much greater extent than before for the control of snow cannons and snow groomers. As a result, it should also be possible, with comparatively short operating times to find the snow makers and snow groomers Auslangen.

To solve this problem, the invention primarily provides a device as defined in claim 1, as well as a method as defined in the independent method claim. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

In the snowmaking and piste grooming technique according to the invention, the central computer is thus always exactly on the position the snow groomer (s) or the (stationary) snow grower (s) via GPS. As a result, with appropriate detection of the piste equipment during the day in terms of their position on the ski slopes, these piste equipment can be used in an optimized way for piste preparation, including the central computer corresponding information to the piste equipment, ie more accurate to the Pistengerätefahrer transmitted. On the other hand, the central computer also knows at any time the exact positions of the snow guns, even if they should change their location, and depending on information regarding Wirtterung and snow depth, the snow guns can be put into operation specifically for snowmaking. As a result, the central computer is naturally informed of those ski slopes where artificial snowmaking has recently taken place, and a corresponding control of piste equipment for the preparation of these ski slopes will take about 3 to 6 hours after some time when the snowpack has dried up after snowmaking, depending on the weather conditions. The efficient use of snow groomers and snow guns can also be used to increase the use of mobile snow guns, which can be dismantled after their operation and rebuilt elsewhere, including on other ski slopes. This makes it possible in an advantageous, economically possible to rent such snow producers to ski slope operators, and it should also be considered that the operating times of the snow gun (as well as the piste equipment) can be substantially reduced by the invention optimized snowmaking and piste care. The operating times can even be shortened to about half of the normal snowmaking operating times in favorable cases. This also contributes to the possibility of rapid Beschneiens measuring the plants with the GPS system, using only existing fixed hydrants, ie taps are used. Artificial snowmaking can easily be designed in such a way that an artificial snow cover of 30 to 40 cm (as has been shown - optimal snow thickness) is produced. The extent of the snowmaking is expediently to refer to the end of the ski season, so that the snow pad, which should of course be sufficient for skiing as long as the ski operation is running, should not be too high.

In order to obtain information relating to snow depth on the ski slopes in this context, it is advantageous if the snow groomer has a sensor, in particular a radar sensor, for measuring the thickness of the snow cover which is connected to the signal transmission device. This allows the piste device when driving down a ski slope continuously send snow thickness signals to the central computer, so that it is informed about the local snow depths.

For cyclic, automatic signal transmission, it is further advantageous if the piste device is a wireless signal transmission device for communication with the central computer. On the other hand, the snow gun (s) may be connected to the central computer per se, if they are stationary, but they also have wireless signal transmission facilities in view of the above-mentioned mobile installation.

The various data, such as in particular the position data, but possibly also the measurement data relating to the thickness of the snow cover, are preferably cyclically, for example every 15 s, detected, and it is favorable, if the signal transmission means a memory for temporarily storing by means of GPS unit detected position data, possibly also of the thickness of the snow cover indicating measurement data is assigned. It can further be provided that a signal transmission to the central computer only takes place when there is a significant change in certain data, such as at the current position of moving snow groomers.

For the determination of control information, it is also advantageous if the snow groomer for processing and transmission of the position signals contains its own processor, which preferably further determines the driving speed of the snow groomer from the detected position data.

In order to make the desired control of snowmaking and grooming particularly efficient, the water taps for the snow guns usually set up in the slope area can be automatically detected in terms of their position, including a GPS unit is provided, and the position data in turn by means of a transmission device from the tap - which is supplied with electrical energy - are transmitted to the central computer. Such tapping points, also called hydrants, are also referred to as "electrons" with regard to the supply of electrical energy. As a result of the existing power supply and signal transmission device, these taps or electrifiers can also advantageously be used as an emergency call column at the same time. In this case, in the case of an emergency call the position of the tap can be detected by GPS and transmitted together with the emergency call signal to the central computer, so that immediately the emergency call position on the ski slope is centrally visible.

For the optimization of the snowmaking, it is then further advantageous if the snow gun or the tap with a weather station detecting the air temperature, humidity and air pressure and with a transmitting device for transmitting such meteorological data together with the snow gun or the tap identifying position or address data to the central computer is equipped. In this way, depending on the local weather conditions, optimized local snow production can be achieved via the central computer. In order to graphically quickly provide an overview of the snow conditions on various ski slopes on the central computer, it is also advantageous if the central computer is assigned an image scanner for entering piste area maps and the central computer is set up, at least the thicknesses of the snowpack locations in the piste area maps corresponding to the detected Assign positions of the snow groomer. As a result, regardless of the fact that the central computer preferably controls the snow guns or snow groomers in an automatic operation, an operator is provided with a quick overview of the runway situation, whereby manual intervention by the operator is also made possible in an efficient manner.

Above all, before the first snowmaking, with still green slopes, the specification of a priority scheme is appropriate to select certain ski slopes or sectors for the first snowmaking, and depending on the gradient of the terrain, etc. specific snow depth requirements are appropriate. In this context, it is therefore particularly advantageous if, in the case of several ski slopes, snow guns and piste equipment, the central computer has a priority module for generating command information concerning ski slopes to be snowed first, this information being selective to one or more of the snow guns or to one or more of the piste equipment assigned to these ski slopes.

• Fig. 1 schematisch ein Gelände mit mehreren alpinen Skipisten; und
• Fig. 2 in einem Blockschaltbild eine Einrichtung zur Steuerung von Schneeerzeugern und Pistengeräten mit Hilfe eines Zentralrechners im Zuge einer automatisierten Skipisten-Pflege.

The invention will be explained below with reference to embodiments with reference to the drawings.
Show it:

• Fig. 1 shows schematically a terrain with several alpine ski slopes; and
• 2 is a block diagram of a device for controlling snow guns and snow groomers with the aid of a central computer in the course of automated ski slope maintenance.

In Fig. 1 are very schematic on a mountainside three alpine ski slopes 1, 2 and 3 with associated cable car systems 1 ', 2' and 3 'shown. Furthermore, a water pumping station 4 is schematically illustrated, of which only partly illustrated water pressure lines, e.g. 5, 5 ', lead to taps or hydrants 6, 6' with the snow guns 7, 7 'connected snow cannons (not shown in detail in Fig. 1). Several of these snow guns 7, 7 'are each assigned to one of the ski slopes 1, 2 and 3, respectively, in order to artificially snow them if necessary. The snow cannons (8 in FIG. 2) used for this purpose in detail can be of any conventional design, and they do not in themselves form the subject matter of the present invention, so that a further explanation of this can be omitted here.

The same applies to in Fig. 1 further very schematically shown piste equipment 9, 9 ', which are formed in a conventional manner as a self-propelled tracked vehicles with Pistenpräparierungseinheiten, such as plow and roller. As far as special elements are provided for these snow groomers 9, 9 'as well as for the snow guns 7, 7' or taps 6, 6 ', they will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.

In Fig. 1, finally, is still very schematically illustrated at 10 in the valley station a building in which u.a. a central computer (11 in Fig. 2) is housed with the individual snow guns 7, 7 'or taps 6, 6' as well as with the piste devices 9, 9 ', i. their driver's cab and thus with their drivers, is in communication to - in particular wirelessly - to transmit signals to or from the central computer 11. This will now be explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.

From Fig. 2 it can be seen that the or each piste device 9, the or each snow gun 7 and each associated water tapping point 6 (to which the snow cannon is connected via a water pipe 8 ') are equipped with a GPS unit 12, in order to enable a position determination of the respective component 9, 7 or 6 in a conventional manner in conjunction with a satellite 13. (In FIG. 1, by way of example only one piste device 9, one snow generator 7 or one tapping point 6 is illustrated, but in each case several such facilities can exist and will be available in practice.)

A local computer (microprocessor, μP) 14 is connected to the GPS unit 12, which processes the corresponding position signals and transmits them via a transmitting / receiving unit 15 to the central computer 11, to which a corresponding transmitting / receiving unit 16 is assigned. The transmission takes place preferably wirelessly for all components 6, 7, 9, although it would also be possible to connect the taps 6 or snow gun 7 via cable to the central computer 11. The position signals are transmitted, for example, every 15 seconds to the central computer 11. Instead, however, it can also be provided that position signals are transmitted initially, and that thereafter new position signals are transmitted only with corresponding position changes. The latter will apply especially to piste equipment 9 in use. In these, the processor 14 may moreover be set up in such a way that it immediately locally determines signals from the position signals, which represent the travel speed of the respective piste device 9, and that it also transmits corresponding driving speed signals to the central computer 11 by radio.

For the at least temporary storage of the individual data, in particular with regard to position, driving speed, the processors 14 are each assigned a memory 17 in order to be able to write in the respective data with the aid of the processors 14 and to be able to read at predetermined times.

The piste equipment 9 are further preferably equipped with a snow depth measuring sensor in the form of a radar sensor 18, which detects the thickness of the snow pad in the respective slope area and transmits a corresponding measurement signal to the computer 14. Such snow depth signals are then transmitted to the central computer 11, where they are used for evaluation with regard to future snowmaking and slope preparations. Furthermore, the central computer 11 may be associated with a scanner 19, with which a corresponding ski map is scanned, and the central computer 11 then enters at the measuring points, as defined by the position signals for the piste device 9, the associated snow depths. In this way, a decision can be made at an early stage, including from the time course of a decrease in snow depth in certain slopes areas, When or where to arrange a cheap snowmaking.

Regardless, the central computer 11 may be assigned a priority module shown schematically at 20 (for example, a software implemented module with corresponding input options) to selectively cause the snowmaking or preparation of certain slopes prior to other slopes. This is especially important for the first time snowmaking, at the beginning of the season, if by that time no (or too little) natural snow has fallen.

The taps or at least some taps 6 (or snow guns 7, if they are situated away from the taps) can then be equipped with a so-called weather station 21 for acquiring meteorological data, such as air temperature, humidity, air pressure, and corresponding data via the local processor 14 also sent to the central computer 11 so as to be able to determine at the site of the central computer 11 on the one hand, whether the respective snow gun 7 due to the weather conditions at all for a snow can be ready, or if the weather conditions for snowmaking just inappropriate are.

As a result of the equipment of the taps 6 or snow gun 7 with the GPS unit 12 and a weather station 21 they are to be supplied with electrical energy, and in terms of position detection of the taps 6 results in combination with the power further the advantageous possibility to design these taps or "electrons" 6 as "emergency call columns", as indicated schematically at 14 'in FIG. 2; thereby a possible emergency call, e.g. in an accident on the associated ski slope, then located via GPS or reported to the central computer 11 together with the position signal.

During operation of the device described, the individual components 6, 7, 9 continuously report their position recorded via GPS, and likewise the weather situation at the tapping points is reported. This information is registered in the central computer 11.

In a Erstbeschneiung decides the priority circuit, on which ski slope 1, 2 or 3, the snow gun 7 should be primarily put into operation. It is also specified by the central computer 11, when the first cheap snowmaking should take place (for example, from 7 o'clock in the evening), and how long the snowmaking is to be made. If on the ski slopes 1, 2 and 3 already a snow cover is present, which is passable with piste equipment 9, so from the piste equipment 9 with the help of the radar sensor 18 respectively, the snow depth, ie the thickness of the snow pad measured, which together with this snow depth information and the associated position data, indicate the current location of the piste device 9, are transmitted to the central computer 11. The central computer 11 can be set up accordingly, depending on the gradient of the considered slope area and depending on the measured snow depth to decide independently whether a new snowmaking is required, or whether the existing snow depth is still sufficient. Such data can be stored in table form on the basis of empirical values from past seasons in a memory belonging to the central computer 11, not shown in detail in FIG. 2 for comparison purposes.

After an artificial snowmaking of ski slopes, the piste equipment 9 are driven to prepare the ski slopes, first those slopes are to be driven by the piste equipment 9, where the new snow is already dried (about 3 to 6 hours after snowmaking, depending on humidity) , since only after this drying out of the artificial snow a meaningful preparation can take place. In the course of the slope preparation, the snow depth is again measured with the aid of the radar sensors 18 of the piste equipment 9, in order to enter the corresponding values in the runway map and, if necessary, to initiate further snowmaking.

In order to visually or acoustically display the instructions coming from the central computer 11 to the driver of the respective piste device 9, each piste device 9 is equipped with an optical or acoustic display unit 22.

Of course, within the scope of the invention, modifications with regard to the detailed design of the individual components are possible, such as that the piste device drivers are continuously informed via radio and headphones by a person operating the central computer 11. A snow depth measurement can also be carried out instead of with the described radar sensors 18 with the aid of other conventional devices and in particular with the aid of a height measurement made via the GPS satellite 13. In the latter case, a measurement of the height position in the snow-less state is made as a basis at predetermined points, and in the presence of a Snow cover is determined by measuring the respective absolute height position with this snow cover, from which the "green" height position is deducted, the thickness of the snow cover.

Claims (16)

1. A computer-controlled equipment for providing at least one ski slope (1, 2, 3) with snow and maintaining the same, with at least one snow maker (7), at least one mobile slope device (9) and a central computer for controlling the snow-maker, wherein the slope device (9) and the snow maker (7) are equipped with a GPS unit (12) for detecting the position of the slope device (9) and of the snow maker (7), wherein corresponding position signals are transmitted to the central computer (11) via a signal-transmitting device (15), which computer is arranged to activate the slope device (9) and the snow maker (7) depending on the position.
2. An equipment according to claim 1, characterised in that the slope device (9) includes a snow maker.
3. An equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a stationary snow maker (7) is provided which is separated from the slope device (9) and which is equipped with a GPS unit (12).
4. An equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the slope device (9) comprises a sensor, in particular a radar sensor (18), for measuring the thickness of the snow cover on the slope, which sensor is connected to the signal-transmitting device (15).
5. An equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the slope device (9) comprises a wireless signal-transmitting device (15) for communicating with the central computer (11).
6. An equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that a memory (17) is associated with the signal-transmitting device (15) for temporarily storing position data detected by the GPS unit (12), optionally also data indicating the thickness of the snow cover.
7. An equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the slope device (9) includes an own processor (14) for processing and transmitting the position signals, which processor preferably furthermore determines the speed of the slope device (9) based on the detected position data.
8. An equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that at least one water tap connection (6) is installed for the snow maker in the slope region and in that the position of the tap connection (6) supplied with electric power is also detected by a GPS unit (12) and transmitted to the central computer (11) by a transmitting device (15).
9. An equipment according to claim 8, characterised in that the tap connection (6) at the same time is designed as SOS telephone.
10. An equipment according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the tap connection (6) is equipped with a weather station (21) which detects air temperature, air humidity and air pressure, as well as with a sending device (15) for transmitting to the central computer (11) such meterological data together with position and address data identifying the tap connection (6).
11. An equipment according to any one of claims 5 to 10, characterised in that an image scanner (19) is associated with the central computer (11) for inputting surface maps of the slopes and in that the central computer (11) is arranged to assign at least the thicknesses of the snow cover to sites on the surface maps of the slopes in accordance with the detected positions of the slope device (9).
12. An equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that in the case of several ski slopes (1, 2, 3), snow makers (7, 7') and slope devices (9, 9'), the central computer (11) comprises a priority modul (20) for generating instruction information concerning ski slopes (1, 2, 3) to be provided with snow or to be groomed, respectively, at first, wherein said information is selectively transmitted to one or several of the snowmakers (7, 7') and/or to one or several of the slope devices (9, 9') which are assigned to said ski slopes (1, 2, 3).
13. A method for controlling providing with snow of at least one ski slope (1, 2, 3) and maintenance of the same by the aid of at least one snow maker (7, 7'; 8) and at least one slope device (9, 9'), wherein command signals are sent to the snow maker (7, 7') via a central computer (11), wherein the positions of the snow maker (7, 7') und of the slope device (9, 9') are detected by means of GPS and transmitted to the central computer (11), and wherein the snow maker (7, 7') and the slope device (9, 9') are activated by the central computer (11), depending on their positions for selectively providing the respective ski slope (1, 2, 3) with snow and maintaining the same.
14. A method according to claim 13, characterised in that meteorological data concerning air temperature, air humidity and air pressure are taken into consideration for selectively activating the snow maker (7, 7'), or the slope device (9, 9'), respectively.
15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that data indicating the snow thickness are taken into consideration for selectively activating the snow maker (7, 7'), which data are detected by the slope device (9, 9') and transmitted to the central computer (11).
16. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterised in that known ski slopes are selected by the central computer (11), which are provided with snow and groomed in advance in a preferred manner.

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