ES1300881U - Electronic device for marking the degree of difficulty and control of climbing routes. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Electronic device for marking the degree of difficulty and control of climbing routes, comprising: - an initial qualifying element (GS) located in the lower area of each climbing route, - a final qualifying element (GT), located at the top of each climbing route, - a computer equipment (EL) that includes a server (Serv) in communication with the different qualifiers (GS, GT) existing in the different controlled climbing routes, in which implemented a software that communicates with the qualifying elements, manages a database (DB), and determines the degree of difficulty of each route based on the evaluation of the users, the analysis of their morphology, or automatic learning software ; where the initial qualifying element (GS) includes: - means of identification (UI) of the climber user, - means of communication (CU) with the user and/or administrator of the climbing wall, - means of monitoring the climber (SU) , which allow checking that it follows and reaches all the holds on the climbing route, - a wall inclination sensor to be able to calculate the difficulty of the route. and where the final qualifier element includes: - means of communication with the initial qualifier (GS), the user and/or administrator of the climbing wall, - means to verify that the climber follows and reaches all the holds of the climbing route . (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Electronic device for marking the degree of difficulty and control of climbing routes

Technical sector

The object of the present invention has application in the field of apparatus for physical training, gymnastics, swimming, climbing or fencing; especially in training equipment for climbing, recreational or competitive sports.

The device of the present invention performs the following functions:

- Mark the difficulty of the climbing routes, both at a recreational and competition level.

- Study, by means of a software, the difficulty of a route according to its morphology, degree of difficulty and sex of the climber.

- Inform the user of the weather and climbing style.

- Record the number of climbing routes made by users.

- Inform and notify users of the status of the route, current weather in a climbing wall, etc.

- Surveillance control, for which it has an alarm system to notify the administrator that a user makes use of the facilities or routes without prior authorization, so that the administrator has control of the people who are using it and their state.

state of the art

At present there is a growing number of climbing walls, which are facilities, generally covered, for the practice of climbing. These climbing walls simulate natural rock walls using different holds or grips, vertical surfaces, inclined surfaces, ceilings and reliefs, in which various grips are fixed, allowed and not allowed, that make up a climbing route. The usual thing is to carry out these routes using permanent marks, such as colored holds, or non-permanent chalk marks, paints on the panel, plastic strips, signs, etc. These routes can be reconfigured, new routes added and routes can also be shared between climbers in order to allow the use simultaneous use of the facilities by climbers of any level and, as far as possible, training according to the needs of each one of them.

Each of these routes is assigned a ranking that takes into account technical difficulty, strength, resistance, danger, exposure, etc. There are several of these graduation scales depending on the country or region and, in addition, these scales are subjective and can vary depending on the climber, so it is necessary to have opinions from different climbers to establish the final grade, but currently, the marking of the degree of difficulty of a climbing route remains a subjective matter.

Some control system is also known to register and mark holding sequences or routes in structures and to rate the performance of a climber in ascent of such routes; but there is no knowledge of any electronic system for marking the degree of difficulty.

Description of the invention

Based on the prior state of the art, the objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic device for marking the degree of difficulty and for controlling climbing routes, which has the characteristics of claim 1.

The device of the invention comprises hardware and software that allows marking the degree of difficulty of the climbing routes and their security control, as well as controlling the use of said routes and the material used.

The device of the invention essentially comprises three hardware devices: computer equipment and two elements that we will call qualifiers, which are placed on the route of the climbing wall to be marked; these elements are:

- A qualifying element that marks the start level (Grader-Start) that is located at the bottom of the climbing route and is in charge of identifying the user and reporting the level of the route. Likewise, this device controls the access of the route. - A qualifier located in the highest part of the route (Grader-Top), essentially consisting of a sensor that verifies if the climber has reached the end of the climbing route, in order to certify his ascent and serve as control of security for the manager of the climbing wall.

Optionally, and depending on the height and configuration of the route, one or several sensors located in different areas of the route (Grader-Zone) are also placed to verify that the climber touches that area, which allows expanding with an infinite number of levels climbing areas.

The computer equipment is in communication with the different graders existing in the different controlled climbing routes, receiving all the inputs they provide. This computer equipment, by means of a software implemented in it, communicates with the qualifying elements, manages a database, and determines the degree of difficulty of each route based on the evaluation of the users, the analysis of their morphology or through machine learning. In addition, said software provides information to the user and the administrator of the climbing wall, either through a mobile application, or through the different elements placed in the installation that make up this device.

To complement the description that is being made and in order to facilitate the understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached to this specification in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a climbing wall, in which two climbing routes (R1, R2) have been defined, in which the device of the invention has been installed.

Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of one of the essential elements of the invention: the qualifier that marks the starting level (GS) of each climbing route.

Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of the elements associated with the computer equipment that it controls and that forms part of the electronic device for marking the degree of difficulty and control of climbing routes, object of the invention.

Realization of the invention

The device of the present invention comprises 3 essential elements:

- A qualifying element that marks the starting level (GS), located in the lower zone of each climbing route.

- A qualifying element (GT), located at the top of each climbing route, which verifies if the climber has reached the end of the climbing route, in order to certify his ascent and serve as a security control for the administrator of the climb. climbing wall

- A computer equipment (EL) that is in communication with the different qualifiers (GS, GT, GZ) existing in the different controlled climbing routes, and includes a server (Serv) in which software has been implemented that communicates with the qualifying elements, manages a database (DB), and determines the degree of difficulty of each route.

Optionally, and depending on the height and configuration of the route, this device also includes one or more intermediate qualifying elements (GZ) located along each climbing route, designed to verify that the climber reaches that area and touches certain holds. existing on the climbing route.

The initial qualifying item (GS) is a small electronic equipment (CEl) that includes components and means to:

- Identify (UI) the climber user.

- Communicate (CU) with the user and/or administrator of the climbing wall.

- Follow the ascent or descent of the climber (SU), in order to check that he follows and reaches all the holds on the climbing route.

- And, a wall inclination sensor (SI), which fixed on the wall of the climbing wall, facilitates the calculation of the degree of difficulty of the route.

The final qualifier element (GT) and the intermediate qualifier (GZ) are similar to the initial qualifier but less important since they only need to include:

- A means of communication with the initial qualifier (GS), the user and/or the administrator of the climbing wall. AND,

- Means to verify that the climber follows and reaches all the holds of the climbing route.

All the qualifying elements (GS, GT, GZ) are electronic equipment, which incorporate their own battery and communication antennas, so their installation does not require any wiring and they can be fixed on the wall of the climbing wall (1) in any free area of dams (2). For each climbing route (R1, R2) it is necessary to mount at least the qualifying elements (GS and GT), as well as the necessary qualifiers (GZ). In the example of the Fig.1, both in the route R1 and R2, there are two initial qualifiers (GS) and at the end of the route (GT); in the case of route R1 it has been considered convenient to also set an intermediate qualifier (GZ) at an intermediate point, but in other routes it may not be necessary, or it may be necessary to place more than one intermediate qualifier (GZ) to achieve good tracking throughout the climber.

Physically, such qualifiers have a color changeable halo or casing to indicate the color of the route to the user.

The means of communication with the users and/or administrator of the climbing wall can be:

- A Wi-Fi antenna, which connects the qualifiers (GS, GT, GZ) with an application installed on the users' mobile phones.

- A series of colored LEDs to inform users and/or administrators of the degree of difficulty of the route.

- A laser that indicates the position that the four extremities of the climber have to occupy at the exit point, and that also reports the score of each of the holds on the climbing route.

- A screen to inform users or administrators of the elapsed time or any other information of interest to the user.

- A loudspeaker to give basic emergency information.

- A beep to inform users or administrators with sounds when they touch a hardware button.

The climbing user identification means consist of:

- A front-facing camera on the initial qualifier (GS) with facial recognition software; I

- An RFID antenna or a means to identify NFC chips, which detect an RFID bracelet or an NFC chip located in any garment, or in the user's mobile.

Regarding the means to verify that the climber follows and reaches all the holds (2) of the climbing route, indicate that they may consist of:

- Some pressure sensors that allow detecting when force is exerted on the climbing holds (2).

- Some sensors that determine the distance from the climber to the closest qualifier (GS, GT, GZ), in order to determine if he is going up or down.

- Some sensors that indicate prey (2) with a camera or a laser and detect if they have been touched.

- A bluetooth antenna that connects with existing sensors on the climbing route.

The device of the invention also includes means to ensure the safety of the climbing wall arranged in the initial qualifier (GS) and/or in the final qualifier (GT), For example, a camera located in the initial qualifier (GS) that allows the identification of the climber to determine in conjunction with the computer if he is authorized to climb that route, if he is tethered when the ascent requires it, or if he is touching the appropriate holds. Another of the safety means is a pressure switch that allows determining if the climber has grabbed the safety rope carabiner when this action is required.

As we have already indicated, the device includes a computer equipment (EL) in which a server (Serv) manages a database (BD) in which the various routes or configuration of the routes (R1, R2) proposed in a given moment, its degree of difficulty and the climbers who have managed, or not, to complete it, as well as the times they have spent in the climb. This database (DB) associated with the software implemented in the server (Serv) provides information to the climbing users through an application installed on their mobile devices.

This computer equipment (EL) also includes means of communication (Com), wifi and/or bluetooth, with the different graders, with the users and/or with the administrator of the climbing wall. It will also include several interfaces (Intf) to connect various components, for example a USB port.

The software implemented in the server (Serv) allows the degree of difficulty of each climbing route controlled by these devices to be marked based on the evaluation made by users after completing the route, the analysis of their morphology, or also through software learning machine that has a set of metadata about routes, climbers, times, etc. climbing.

Once the nature of the invention has been sufficiently described, as well as a preferred embodiment example, it is stated for the appropriate purposes that the materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements described may be modified, as long as this does not imply an alteration of the essential characteristics of the invention that are claimed below.

Claims (9)

1. - Electronic device for marking the degree of difficulty and control of climbing routes, which includes: - an initial qualifying element (GS) located at the bottom of each climbing route, - a final qualifier element (GT), located at the top of each climbing route, - a computer equipment (EL) that includes a server (Serv) in communication with the different graders (GS, GT) existing in the different controlled climbing routes, in which software has been implemented that communicates with the graders, manages a database (DB), and determines the degree of difficulty of each route based on the evaluation of the users, the analysis of their morphology, or automatic learning software; where the initial qualifying element (GS) includes: - means of identification (UI) of the climbing user, - means of communication (CU) with the user and/or administrator of the climbing wall, - means of monitoring the climber (SU), which allow checking that he follows and reaches all the holds on the climbing route, - a wall inclination sensor to be able to calculate the difficulty of the route. and where the final qualifying element includes: - means of communication with the initial qualifier (GS), the user and/or administrator of the climbing wall, - a means to check that the climber follows and reaches all the holds of the climbing route. 2. - Device according to claim 1, further comprising one or more intermediate qualifying elements (GZ) located along each climbing route, each of which includes: - means of communication with the initial qualifier (GS), the user and/or administrator of the climbing wall, - a means to check that the climber follows and reaches all the holds of the climbing route. 3. - Device according to claims 1-2, in which the means of communication with the user and/or administrator of the climbing wall comprise at least one of the following means: - a Wi-Fi antenna, which connects the qualifiers (GS, GT, GZ) with an application installed on the users' mobile phones, - a series of LEDs to inform users or administrators of the degree of difficulty of the route, - at least one indicator laser that indicates at the exit point the position that the four extremities of the climber must occupy at the exit, and to inform of the score that the holds of the climbing route have, - a screen to inform the users or administrator of the elapsed time or any other information of interest to the user, - a loudspeaker to give basic emergency information, - a beep to inform users or administrators with sounds when they touch a hardware button. 4. - Device according to claims 1-2, in which the means to verify that the climber follows and reaches all the holds of the climbing route consist of: - pressure sensors: to calculate the force exerted on the holds (2) of the climbing route, - sensors that determine the distance from the climber to the nearest qualifier (GS, GT, GZ), in order to determine if he is climbing or descending, - sensors that mark prey and detect if they have been touched, - a bluetooth antenna that connects with existing sensors on the climbing route. 5. - Device according to claim 1, in which the climbing user identification means consist of: - a front-mounted camera on the initial qualifier (GS) with facial recognition software; I - an RFID antenna or a means to identify NFC chips, which detect an RFID bracelet or an NFC chip located in any garment, or in the user's mobile. 6. - Device according to claim 1, in which the database (BD) associated with the computer equipment (EL) stores the various routes or configuration of the routes raised at a given time, their degree of difficulty and the climbers who have managed, or not, to complete it, as well as the times they have spent climbing. 7. - Device according to claim 1, in which the database (BD) associated with the software implemented in the server (Serv) provides information to climbing users through an application installed on their mobile computers. 8. - Device according to claim 1, further comprising, as security measures, means arranged in the initial qualifier (GS) and/or in the final qualifier (GT), which identify the climber to determine in conjunction with the computer equipment (EL) if you are authorized to climb that route, if you are tethered when the ascent requires it, or if you are touching the appropriate holds. 9. - Device according to claim 1, further comprising security measures: - a pressure switch that makes it possible to determine if the climber has grasped the safety rope carabiner.