GB2343019A

GB2343019A - Game timing watch

Info

Publication number: GB2343019A
Application number: GB9924789A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Richard Dabney; Catherine Elaine Salter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-10-21
Filing date: 1999-10-21
Publication date: 2000-04-26
Also published as: GB9822862D0; GB9924789D0

Abstract

A watch for use by a referee at a football or rugby match includes a visual display unit 5 for displaying elapsed time, a "stop" button 2 which is pressed when there is an interruption to the game and a "start" button (3) which is pressed when play starts or resumes. Signals are transmitted to a remote display unit 7 on a scoreboard 6 so that the match spectators can see the same time formation as the referee.

Description

WATCHES Field of the Invention This invention relates to watches and is concerned with the provision of an improved form of watch which has particular application for use at sporting events.

Summarv of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a watch which includes display means for displaying time-related information, advancing means for progressively advancing the information displayed by said display means, manually operable control means for stopping and starting said advancing means, and transmitting means for transmitting signals to a remote display unit to enable the remote display means to display the same information as the display means of the watch.

For use by a referee at a football or rugby match, the display means of the watch preferably displays either the time which has elapsed during a particular period of play or the time remaining during that period of play. Thus, for a football match, the display may either start at"45. 00" and count down to"00. 00" in seconds, or start at"00. 00" and count up to 45. 00" in seconds. For a rugby match, the display may either start at"40. 00" and count down to "00. 00" in seconds, or start at"00. 00" and count up to"40.00" in seconds.

In addition to the display means, the watch may include means for generating an audio alarm, for example, two blips when there is only say five or ten seconds to the end of the time period and a continuous buzzer at the end of the time period.

The manually operable control means preferably comprises "stop"and"start"buttons, the"stop"button being pressed by the referee when there is an injury or other interruption to play and the "start"button being pressed by the referee at the commencement of the game and when play resumes.

The transmitting means is preferably in the form of a radio transmitter having a range such that the radio signals transmitted from any part of the pitch can be received by the remote display unit, which may form part of a score board or other form of display board.

The radio transmitter may be a long-range transmitter incorporated in the watch. Alternatively, it may be a short-range transmitter which sends its signals to a receiver/transmitter unit carried on a belt or waist-band worn by the referee.

The signals transmitted by the radio transmitter may be generated in response to pressing of the"stop"and"start"buttons.

The radio transmitter and the remote display means may include encoder and decoder security modules to ensure that there can be no outside interference to effective operation of the system.

As most sports fans will know, the timing of a game of football is all down to the referee and nobody knows, apart from the referee when the final whistle will be blown. This has produced a grey area in that games can be won and lost in the last few minutes, injuries can occur and players and spectators can be aggrieved because they feel that the final whistle was blown either too soon or too late.

The best effort that has so far been seen to combat this grey area has been the use of a board which has been held up just before the end of a half to provide an indication as to the number of minutes of time then remaining. This is still not ideal in that the board is not held up until just before the end of the half (or the end of the match) which can be the time when incidents, injuries and time-wasting tactics may be the most likely to occur.

It will accordingly be seen that the present invention provides the solution to this grey area and, although the watch of the present invention has been designed for use by a referee at a football or rugby match, it is envisaged that the watch will have other applications, particularly in the sporting world.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a watch wom by a referee at a football match, and Figure 2 shows a scoreboard used in conjunction with the watch.

Description of the Preferred Embodimen The watch shown in Figure 1 includes an operating unit 1 comprising a chip and a radio transmitter in the body of the watch. There are two manually pressable buttons on the watch case, at clearly spaced locations, i. e. a"stop"button 2 and a"start"button 3.

There is a tough, hardy, comfortable strap 4 for attachment of the watch to the wrist of the referee and a personal visual display unit 5.

The visual display unit 5 gives an indication of the time elapsed during a game or, normally, a half of a game of football or rugby. The display may start at"00. 00" and count up to"45. 00 for a game of football, or it may start at"45. 00" and count down to "00. 00". If a"count-down"system is employed, an addition timesetting button (not shown) may be provided for setting the different length of time which applies to"extra"time, when this is required.

At the commencement of the game or half, the referee will press the"start"button 3 to initiate advancing of the display (either counting up or counting down) and the displayed time will continue to increment until the referee presses the Ustop"button 2, which he will do when there is an injury or some other interruption to the game. When the interruption is over, the referee will then press the Ustart"button 3 once more and the displayed time will continue to increment.

The scoreboard 6 has a portion which displays the score and a display unit 7 which displays the same information as the display unit 5 on the referee's watch and is controlled by an advancing unit so that it increments in seconds for each second that play takes place. The scoreboard 6 includes a radio receiver (not shown) having an aerial 7, the receiver being synchronised with or otherwise tuned to the radio transmitter within the body of the watch. The initial display of the display unit 7 corresponds to that of the display unit 5.

When the"start"button 3 is pressed, a signal is transmitted to the scoreboard receiver to cause operation of the advancing unit in the scoreboard 6 to cause the display unit 7 to increment. The unit 7 will continue to increment, in unison with the watch display unit 5, until the"stop"button 2 is pressed and a radio signal is transmitted from the watch to the scoreboard receiver.

A continuous timing display will thus be obtained which is readily visible to the players, managers and their assistants, as well as to the spectators, ensuring that all parties involved are fully and accurately informed of the length of time remaining to be played.

In a modification to the arrangement described above, the radio transmitter within the watch is a short-range transmitter which sends its signals to a receiver/transmitter unit carried on a belt or waist-band worn by the referee. The receiver/transmitter unit acts as a relay to send the signals from the watch to the scoreboard receiver.

In addition to the visual display, the watch may also include means for generating an audible signal. For example, there may be an audible alarm which produces a double blip or other discontinuous signal when there is a limited time left before the end of the time period, and a continuous signal at the end of the time period. The discontinuous signal may be generated, for example, five or ten seconds before the end of the time period.

Claims

Claims : 1. A watch which includes display means for displaying timerelated information, advancing means for progressively advancing the information displayed by said display means, manually operable control means for stopping and starting said advancing means, and transmitting means for transmitting signals to a remote display unit to enable the remote display means to display the same information as the display means of the watch.
2. A watch as claimed in Claim 1 and for use by a referee at a football or rugby match, in which the display means displays the time which has elapsed during a particular period of play.
3. A watch as claimed in Claim 1 and for use by a referee at a football or rugby match, in which the display means displays the time remaining during a particular period of play.
4. A watch as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the manually operable control means comprise"stop"and"start" buttons, the"stop"button being pressed by the referee when there is an injury or other interruption to play and the Ustart"button being pressed by the referee at the commencement of the period of play and when play resumes after an interruption.
5. A watch as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4, which includes means for generating an audio alarm.
6. A watch as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5, in which the transmitting means is in the form of a radio transmitter having a range such that the radio signals transmitted from any part of the pitch can be received by the remote display unit.
7. A watch as claimed in Claim 6, in which the radio transmitter is incorporated in the watch.
8. A watch as claimed in Claim 7, in which the radio transmitter in the watch communicates with a receiver/transmitter unit carried on a belt or waist-band.
9. A watch for use at a sporting event substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.