GB2238685A

GB2238685A - Information transfer system

Info

Publication number: GB2238685A
Application number: GB9025325A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Hutchinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-11-24
Filing date: 1990-11-21
Publication date: 1991-06-05
Also published as: GB8926618D0; GB9025325D0

Abstract

The system enables information to be transferred between a moving vehicle and a fixed station. Information is encoded and transmitted as a pulsed multibit signal. The transmitter may be attached to or form part of the vehicle or the fixed station. The signal receiver may be attached to or form part of the other of the vehicle or the fixed station. The receiver also decodes the signal. The transmitter and receiver are in communication when the vehicle passes the fixed station.

Description

INFORMATION TRANSFER SYSTEM The present invention relates to an information transfer system, more particularly but not exclusively, one for transferring information between a fixed station and a moving vehicle, such as a racing car.

The present invention will be described with reference to its use in motor racing, although many other uses can be foreseen, for example use in imparting information to motorway or other road traffic. It enables transmissions from or to vehicles moving at high speeds for example greater than 50 mph.

In the world of motor racing, it has always been necessary for the driver of a car to be in some form of communication with his base or with race officials. This is generally carried out by visual means such as hand signals, flags or marked boards. It is also necessary for the race officials to count laps of the race course and preferably record lap times. This is also generally carried out visually and/or using stop watches and the like.

So far as drivers are concerned, they may pass a black or other flag or hand signal without noticing it, their minds being directed solely to driving the car as quickly as possible. Even if they do notice it, but have chosen to ignore it, there is no record of the fact.

Similarly, where several cars pass a line in close succession, it is often difficult for the race officials to record accurately the relative positions and respective times of the cars.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least obviate the above disadvantages and provide an improved system for identifying vehicles and allowing communication between the cars and the trackside.

According to the present invention, there is provided a system for transferring information between a moving vehicle and a fixed station, comprising means to encode the information, electromagnetic radiation transmitting means to transmit said encoded information as a pulsed multibit signal and attached to or forming part of one of said vehicle or said fixed station, means to receive said signal and attached to or forming part of the other of said vehicle or said fixed station, and means to decode the signal, said transmitter means and said receiver means being in communication when the vehicle passes the fixed station.

Preferably the transmitting means is attached to the vehicle. In this case the information to be transferred may be an identification code unique to a particular vehicle. The receiving means may then be adapted to receive signals from a plurality of vehicles, each having their own unique code.

The signal may be a five bit word, in which case 31 unique binary codes may be provided. Alternatively, the signal may comprise an eight bit word to allow additional or more detailed information to be transformed.

There may be further provided one or more additional receiving means each adapted to receive radiation of a different frequency, whereby each frequency may have a predetermined number of unique codes, for example 31 for a five bit word. In this case up to 31 vehicles may have transmitting means adapted to transmit radiation of any one of said different frequencies.

In an alternative embodiment, the transmitting means may be attached to or form part of the fixed station and the receiving means may be attached to a vehicle.

Both embodiments may be combined so that a signal transmitted by and identifying a vehicle is received at a fixed station and actuates a transmitting means at or adjacent the fixed station to send a second signal conveying information to the identified vehicle.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail.

In one embodiment, the system is adapted to identify racing cars, motorcycles or lorries passing a fixed trackside station. Each car is provided with a unique code number from 1 to 32. This number is transmitted, possibly continuously, in the form of a pulsed 5 bit infra-red signal, the interval between pulses being either long or short to form the code. Typically the pulse repetition frequency is once per 6 milliseconds and the pulse width is 70 usecs.

In another embodiment, the data is transfered by means of 8 bit words. The rate of transfer of data is in exces of 20,000 bits per second. Indeed, it is possible that the transfer rate could be in excess of 20,000 k bits per second.

A transmitter unit fitted to the car may have four infra-red emitters mounted together, each giving the same signal to improve the chances of good reception.

The infra-red energy received by the receiver is extremely small. The transmitter, having four emitters each giving approximately 150 milliwatts, will have an energy output in the region of 600 milliwatts. In order for the signal to be received recognisably at such high passing speeds as may occur during motor races, each emitter is provided with a lens system to concentrate the infra-red beam spread to 400. Given that the car may be, say, 10 metres from the receiver, the amount of energy impinging on the receiver may be only 87 x 10-9 watts.

Thus it is clear that a high gain amplifier must be used to amplify this received signal. This amplifier system should be so designed that it has a restricted bandwidth to ensure exclusion of incident sunlight and other external interferences (e.g. infra-red radiation of different frequency which may be used to identify cars numbered 33 to 64 or whatever, depending on the number of bits used to convey this information). It should also have an automatic gain control to increase automatically the gain under low levels of incident radiation or to decrease automatically the gain under high levels of incident 1R radiation.

As stated above, a five bit code system allows only identification of up to 31 cars. However another 31 cars may use a similar code but operate on another frequency and have their signals received by a separate receiver. Further additions may be made.

The identification information may be transmitted either continuously, under control of the driver or be actuated by a signal shortly before the location of the receiver. Given the low power requirements of the system, the former is preferred.

The information received is decoded or otherwise made readable and preferably fed to a recoverable memory store, where it may be combined with timing details or such other information as may be desired.

The system may be used to convey more sophisticated amounts of information if the words used are greater than 5 bits. For example the car may transmit details of fuel consumption or engine performance.

It is, in another embodiment, possible to reverse the situation and transmit from the fixed station to the or one or more cars. The principles involved remain the same as described above. The information may comprise details of speed, race position and lap time; or instructions to stop or slow down. In order to ensure that such information is transmitted only to a desired car, it is advisable for the car to emit an identification signal, received at a point some meters prior to the trackside emitter, which is not actuated until the racing car in question appears in front of the emitters.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A system for transferring information between a moving vehicle and a fixed station, comprising means to encode the information, electromagnetic radiation transmitting means to transmit said encoded information as a pulsed multibit signal and attached to or forming part of one of said vehicle or said fixed station, means to receive said signal and attached to or forming part of the other of said vehicle or said fixed station, and means to decode the signal, said transmitter means and said receiver means being in communication when the vehicle passes the fixed station.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting means is attached to the vehicle, and the information to be transferred comprises an identification code unique to a particular vehicle.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the receiving means are adapted to receive signals from a plurality of said vehicles, each having their own unique code.

4. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal comprises a five bit word, in which case 31 unique binary codes may be provided.

5. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the signal comprises an eight bit word, whereby more detailed information may be transferred.

6. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more additional receiving means each adapted to receive radiation of a different frequency.

7. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein transmitting means are attached to or form part of the fixed station and the receiving means are attached to a vehicle.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, in which a signal transmitted by an identifying a vehicle is received at a fixed station and actuates a transmitting means at or adjacent the fixed station to send a second signal conveying information to the identified vehicle.

9. A system for transferring information between a moving vehicle and a fixed station, substantially as described herein.