GB2070809A - Timing device - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic timing device, particularly for use by a competitor in a race produces a spoken time indication to warn the competitor of the time remaining until the start of the race and the time expired during a race. The device of Figure 1 is in the form of a wrist watch. It comprises a clock signal generator 6. The clock signals are counted at counters 13, 14 and 15 and the outputs of these counters are fed to a voice synthesiser 7. This a produces a speech signal which is passed to an earphone 16 along a flexible lead 15. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Timing device This invention relates to a portable timing device particularly for keeping a competitor informed of the time remaining before the start of a race or the time which has expired since the start.

The invention arose in an attempt to overcome difficulties encountered when racing saiiing dinghys.

The normal procedure in such races is for an officer to fire a starter gun ten and five minutes before the start and again at the start of the race. Hitherto, in order that they might be prepared for the starting signal and have their dinghys correctly positioned at that time, the competitors have to look frequently at their wrist watches after the ten and five minute signals. This poses a very real problem because controlling the dinghy to the best of one's ability, perhaps in a strong wind, requires all one's visual, and manual attention.

In an effort to overcome this problem special wrist watches have been marketed with a coloured indicator which enables the competitor to see at a glance approximately how much time remains before the start of a race. This reduces the time during which one's attention needs to be diverted from controlling the dinghy but does not remove the problem completely. By employing the present invention the problem can be completely removed.

The invention provides a portable timing device for use by a competitor in a race comprising: means for performing a timing operation; an actuator by which the competitor may com mence the timing operation; and an electronic voice synthesiser which indicates, to the competitor, the progress of the timing operation.

The means for performing the timing operation preferably includes a counter which is arranged to count clock signals and which controls the voice synthesiser so that the latter generates words or combinations of words depending on the content of the counter at any one time.

The aforementioned actuator is preferably a switch accessible from the exterior of a casing of the device. This switch is operated by the competitor when the five minute signal occurs and the device then commences the count-down.

Although it is preferred that the device be arranged to count in a downward direction it is also possible for the device to be designed to count in a forward direction. This can be of value in circumstances where the competitor requires to know how much time has expired since the beginning of a race.

In one form ofthe invention the means for performing the timing operation, the voice synthesiser and a power source are all contained within a casing, this casing being connected by a flexible lead to an earphone or integral loudspeaker. The casing may be attached to a wrist strap or a band, cord or other tie for hanging from the competitor's neck.

The voice synthesiser preferably includes a binary digital memory but it would be possible to employ other means such as a recorded magnetic tape or disc.

Particular embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a wrist mounted timing device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of an alternative timing and voice synthesising circuit for a device otherwise similar to that of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a table showing code numbers stored in the random access memory 7A of Figure 2, these code numbers representing the words to be synthesised; and Figure 4 is a table showing the vocabulary stored in a read only memory 8A of Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings the device comprises a casing 1 having lugs 2 and spindles 3 by which it is fixed to wrist straps 4 shown partly broken away in the drawing. The casing contains a battery 5 which powers circuitry which will now be described.

Circuit 6 produces clock signals which are fed to a voice simulator 7 (to be described later) and to a dividing circuit 8. Ouptut pulses from circuit 8 occur at a rate of four per second. These are received by a selector 9 which enables AND gates 10, 11 and 12 in turn as the clock signals are received. In doing so, each second, the contents of counters 13, 14 and 15 are fed sequentially, as four bit binary codes, to the voice synthesiser 7. The synthesiser 7 contains ten digital memories holding information defining respectively the spoken words "one, two, three, .........

nine and zero". The four bit word received by the voice synthesiser 7 selects the appropriate digital memory and the content of this is read out by the clock signals received from circuit 6. The output of the circuit 7 is amplified at 13 and passed to a socket 14 mounted in the case 1 of the device.

A flexible lead 15 feeds the output signal to an earphone 16.

After the content of counter 15 has been read out, a pulse is produced at the fourth (bottom) output of selector 9. Such pulses occur once per second and are fed to the input of the counter 15. When this has accumulated a count of ten a signal appears at 17 which simultaneously clocks the counter 14 and resets the counter 15 through gate 18. The counter 14 is arranged in a similarwaywith respect to counter 13.

In use, the device is strapped to the wrist of the competitor, who, when he hears the ten or five minute signal, presses the switch 19. This sets to zero the counters 13, and 15through the gates 18, 20 and 21. Thereafter the contents of counters 13, 14 and 15 are passed in turn, each second, to the voice synthesizer 7. This informs the competitor of the number of seconds remaining before the start of the race.

In an alternative timing and voice synthesising arrangement shown in Figure 2 a circuit 1A produces clock pulses on line 2A which are divided by a circuit 3A to produce "interrupt" pulses on line 4A at 10 millisecond intervals.

The clock pulses at 2A are presented to a processor 5A to control its progress through various steps of its program. An interrupt pulse on line 4A increments a counter 9A and instructs the processor SAto commence its program buy presenting the new content of the counter via bus 6A to a random access memory 7A. The random access memory 7A has different addresses corresponding to the times at which the apparatus is required to commence the accouncementofatime. At each of these addresses islare stored one or more code numbers identifying the word or words to be synthesised as shown in the table of Figure 3. In Figure 3 the code numbers represent words contained in a vocabulary of the system, this vocabulary being shown in the table of Figure 4.If the output of the counter matches one of the addresses in memory 7A, the processor 5A, under the control of its program, presents the code number or numbers at that address to a read only memory 8A, the content of which will now be described.

The sound of each of the words listed in Figure 4 can be reproduced from three parameters which vary during the time interval when the word is spoken. These parameters are stored in memory 8A and are as follows.

1. The "first formant". This is a frequency value which varies with time and is equal, at any one time, to the lower of two principal intensity peaks in a frequency spectrum of the human voice.

2. The "second formant". This is similar to the first formant but represents the upper of the two principal peaks.

3. "Sibilance". This is a frequency range which also varies during the interval during which the word is spoken and within which substantially random noise exists.

The three parameters for each of the sixteen words listed above are stored in digital form in the memory 8A and are read out by the codes received from the memory 7A under the control of the processor 5A. Part of each code read out of the memory 8A is presented via port B to a digital to analogue convertor 9A. Another three parts are presented via port A to respective switches 1 OA'.

11A', 12A' of sample and hold circuits 10A, 11A and 12A. Another part is presented to a noise source 13A and a final part is used to select one or more sibilant filters contained within a circuit 14A.

Operation of one or more of the switches 1 OA', 11A', 12A' loads respective capacitors 10A', 11A', 12A' with charges related to the current analogue output of the convertor 9A and this in turn controls a voltage controlled oscillator 1 5A, a first formant filter 1 6A and a second formant filter 17A.

The output from oscillator 15A is modulated by the circuits 16A and 17A and then passed through an amplifier 18A to the transducer 16 (also shown in Figure 1). The output from the noise source 13A is added to the output of the oscillator 1 5A and is also passed to the circuit 14Awhere it is processed by a filter selected according to the signal received from port A. The output of the circuit 14A is added to the input of the amplifier 18A.

The nature of the formant and sibilant filters is well known in the field of speach synthesis, being described for example in Wireless World December 1978 pages 37-41 and in Wireless World January 1979 pages 77-80. It is therefore not believed necessary to describe in detail the construction of circuits 14A', 15A,and 17A.

When a word, for example the word "ten" has been synthesized the processor interrogates the same address as the store 8A to see whether any other word is stored there. If so, the next word, e.g.

"minutes" is synthesised. The processor then resumes a dormant state until the next interrupt is received.

Claims (8)

1. A portable timing device for use by a competitor in a race comprising: means for performing a timing operation; an actuator by which the competitor may commence the timing operation; and an electronic voice synthesiser which indicates, to the competitor, the progress of the timing operation.

2. A timing device according to claim 1 in which the means for performing the timing operation includes a generator of clock signals and a counter which counts the clock signals; and in which the voice synthesiser is adapted to generate different words or different combinations of words depending on respective different contents of the counter.

3. A timing device according to claim 1 or 2 in which the actuator is a switch accessible on the exterior of a casing of the device.

4. A timing device according to any preceding claim in which the voice synthesiser is arranged to give a countdown indicating to the competitor the time remaining before the start of the race.

5. Atiming device according to any preceding claim which includes an earphone connected by a flexible lead to a casing containing a power source, a means for performing the timing operation and the voice synthesiser.

6. Atiming device according to any preceding claim including a strap, cord or other fixing device by which it may be attached to the competitor.

7. Atiming device according to any preceding claim in which the voice synthesiser is a binary digital memory.

8. Atiming device according to any preceding claim in which: said means defining the specific times is a memory having a plurality of addresses associated with the respective specific times, the memory containing at each said address a code or codes defining a word or words to be synthesised at the appropriate time; the means for performing the timing operation is adapted to read the said code or codes from each address at the appropriate times, and the voice synthesiser is arranged to receive the said code or codes and to announce the appropriate words in response thereto.

8. Atiming device substantially as described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A timing device substantially as described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

New Claims or amendments to claims filed on 5th June1981 Superseded claims 1 and 8 New or amended claims:

1. A portable timing device for use by a competitor in a race comprising: means for performing a timing operation; an actuator by which the competitor may commence the timing operation; means defining specific times, during said timing operation, when the progress of the timing operation is to be communicated to the competitor, said specific times being more frequent during a final period of the timing operation than at an earlier period thereof; and an electronic voice synthesiser which indicates to the competitor, at said specific times, the progress of the timing operation.