JP2011191172A - Racehorse clocking system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a racehorse clocking system having lower risk of calculation failure of a transit time of a racehorse, as well as, being capable of detecting the running position in the runway-width direction of the racehorse. <P>SOLUTION: The racehorse clocking system 1 includes a bar code 2 mounted on the racehorse H; a bar code reader 3 mounted on a gate G, for reading the bar code 2; an IC tag 5 mounted on the racehorse H for transmitting identifier data; a tag reader 6 mounted on a gate G for receiving the identifier data; and a control section 4 for controlling the bar code reader 3 or the like. When the identifier detected from the bar code 2 is proper, the control section 4 detects the identifier and a passing time of the racehorse H from the bar code 2, calculates the transit time between optional gates G, and detects the running position in the runway width direction. When the identifier is not proper, the control section 4 calculates not only the passing time but also the transit time by using the identifier of the identifier data received by the tag reader 6 as the identifier of the racehorse H. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a racehorse timing system that calculates a travel time during training of a racehorse.

  Conventionally, in calculating the running time during training of a racehorse, a barcode indicating an identifier for distinguishing the racehorse for which the running time is to be calculated from other racehorses is attached to the racehorse. There is known a racehorse timing system that calculates a running time by reading a barcode with a barcode reader provided at a position (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The bar code is attached upward to the rear part of the back of the racehorse so that the reading direction of the bar code is horizontal and perpendicular to the traveling direction of the racehorse. The barcode reader is attached to the gate provided along the runway at the start position, the goal position, and between each start position and the goal position of the runway. The barcode is read by scanning in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the runway and detecting the reflected light from the barcode of the laser beam light. The identifier of the racehorse that has passed through each gate and the passage time are detected from the read barcode, and the running time between the arbitrary gates of each racehorse is calculated based on the detected identifier and passage time. .

  In such a racehorse timing system, the scanning direction of the laser beam is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the track, the directivity of the laser beam is strong, and the width of the laser beam is set narrow. The range of the position where the code can be read becomes narrower in the longitudinal direction of the runway, and the passing time and thus the running time can be calculated accurately.

  In addition, when the laser beam is scanned, it is possible to detect the running position of the racehorse in the running width direction depending on which position in the scanning range the barcode is detected. By assessing the running speed of the racehorse from the position and training the racehorse, it is possible to reduce contact accidents caused by the skewing.

  However, the barcode may not be read accurately due to wrinkles or dirt on the surface of the barcode. Further, the laser beam light may be attenuated by obstacles such as raindrops or fog in the air between the barcode reader and the barcode, and the barcode may not be read accurately. If the barcode surface is severely flawed or dirty, or if the laser beam reflected from the barcode surface is severely attenuated, you cannot even recognize that the barcode has been read. You can recognize what you read. Even if it is possible to recognize that a barcode has been read in this way, the identifier of the racehorse that has passed cannot be properly detected unless the barcode is correctly read, so it is possible to recognize which racehorse has passed. It is impossible to calculate the travel time.

  Also, as another racehorse timing system, a transmitter that transmits identifier data indicating the racehorse identifier by radio wave is attached to the back of the jockey, and the identifier data from the transmitter is received at the start position and the goal position. Is known to calculate the running time from the start to the goal of each racehorse (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  However, in such a racehorse timing system, since the radio wave spreads, the running position of the racehorse in the running road width direction cannot be detected.

JP-A-1-248290 JP-A-2004-213442

  The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the related art, and is less likely to fail to calculate the running time of the racehorse, and can detect the running position of the racehorse in the runway width direction. It is an object to provide a racehorse timing system that can be used.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a barcode that is attached to a racehorse and indicates an identifier for identifying the racehorse and other racehorses, and a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the racehorse runway. A barcode reader that is attached to the gate provided to read the barcode, and a control unit that controls the operation of the barcode reader, wherein the barcode is read in a horizontal direction. The bar code reader is mounted so as to be perpendicular to the traveling direction of the racehorse, and the bar code reader scans the laser beam light applied to the bar code in a direction that is horizontal and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the running path. The bar code is read by detecting reflected light of the beam light, and the control unit reads the bar code attached to the racehorse passing through each gate. -The identifier and the passage time of the racehorse that passes through each gate are detected by reading the code reader, and the running time between any gates of each racehorse is calculated based on the identifier and the passage time. In a racehorse timing system for detecting a running position of the racehorse in the width direction based on which position in the scanning range of the laser beam light the bar code is read, each racehorse attached to the racehorse An IC tag that transmits identifier data indicating an identifier of the tag, and a tag reader that is attached to the gate and receives identifier data from the IC tag, and the control unit is an identifier whose identifier detected from the barcode is appropriate The identifier data received by the tag reader when it is determined that the identifier is not proper. Providing racehorses timing system, characterized in that the identifier of 該競 Hashiuma identifier indicated.

  According to the present invention, the identifier data indicating the racehorse identifier is transmitted from the IC tag attached to the racehorse, and the identifier data is received by the tag reader attached to each gate. The identifier of the racehorse can be recognized. Therefore, the control unit determines whether or not the identifier detected from the barcode is an appropriate identifier, and when it is determined that the identifier is not an appropriate identifier, the identifier indicated by the identifier data received by the tag reader is used as the racehorse identifier. Can be calculated. Thus, even if the identifier of the racehorse cannot be recognized by the barcode, the identifier can be recognized by the IC tag, so that the possibility of failure in calculating the racehorse running time is reduced.

  In addition, when the barcode is read by scanning the laser beam light in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the track with a barcode reader, the directivity of the laser beam light is strong and the width of the laser beam light is set narrow. Therefore, the range of the position where the barcode can be read becomes narrow in the longitudinal direction of the runway, the passing time of the racehorse can be read with high accuracy, and the running time can be calculated with high accuracy.

  Further, the running position of the racehorse in the running width direction can be detected depending on which position in the scanning range the barcode is detected when the laser beam light is scanned. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a contact accident due to the skew by evaluating the sloping saddle of the racehorse from the travel position in the running width direction of each gate and training the racehorse.

  Preferably, the present invention further includes a transmission unit that transmits a transmission signal that instructs the IC tag to transmit the identifier data, and the IC tag transmits the identifier data in response to reception of the transmission signal, The control unit causes the transmission unit to transmit the transmission signal when the barcode is read by the barcode reader.

  According to such a preferred method, the transmission of the identifier data from the IC tag is limited when the racehorse passes through each gate. As a result, interference with surrounding communication devices due to transmission of identifier data can be reduced, and power consumption for transmission of identifier data can be suppressed.

  According to the present invention, the identifier data indicating the racehorse identifier is transmitted from the IC tag attached to the racehorse, and the identifier data is received by the tag reader attached to each gate. The identifier of the racehorse can be recognized. Therefore, even if the identifier of the racehorse cannot be recognized by the barcode, the identifier can be recognized by the IC tag, so that there is less possibility that the calculation of the running time of the racehorse will fail. Further, the running position of the racehorse in the running width direction can be detected depending on which position in the scanning range the barcode is detected when the laser beam light is scanned.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a racehorse timing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external view of a part of the racehorse timing system. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a barcode of the racehorse timing system. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a racehorse timing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, the racehorse timing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings 1 to 3 as appropriate. In FIG. 2, only one gate is shown without showing all the gates on the runway.
The racehorse timing system 1 includes a barcode 2 that is attached to the racehorse H and indicates an identifier for identifying the racehorse and other racehorses, a barcode reader 3 that reads the barcode 2, and a barcode reader. 3 is provided. The racehorse timing system 1 includes an IC tag 5 that is attached to the racehorse H in the same manner as the barcode 2 and transmits data having the same identifier as the barcode 2, and a tag reader 6 that receives transmission data from the IC tag 5. The tag reader 6 is controlled by the control unit 4 in the same manner as the barcode reader 3.

  The barcode 2 is attached to the barcode label 21, and the barcode label 21 is attached to the back of the racehorse so that the reading direction of the barcode 2 is horizontal and perpendicular to the traveling direction of the racehorse H. .

  The bar code reader 3 is attached to each gate G provided along the runway C in each start point, goal position, and each halon between the start position and the goal position of the runway C on which the racehorse H runs. . The halon means a position provided at an interval of 200 m, and gates G are provided at an interval of 200 m from the start position to the goal position. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the distance from the start position to the goal position is 800 m and the number of gates G is five. However, the distance from the start position to the goal position and the number of gates G are not limited.

  The gate G has columns built on both sides in the width direction of the runway C and beams connecting the upper portions of the columns on both sides, and the barcode reader 3 is attached to the beams downward. The barcode reader 3 has the same configuration as the barcode reader described in Patent Document 1, for example. The barcode reader 3 scans the laser beam R irradiated to the barcode 2 in a direction that is horizontal and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the runway C, and detects the reflected light from the barcode 2 of the laser beam R. As a result, the barcode 2 is read and transmitted to the control unit 4.

  The control unit 4 is connected to the barcode reader 3. The control unit 4 has a timer (not shown), and detects the racehorse H identifier and the passage time based on data from the barcode reader 3. The control unit 4 includes a storage unit (not shown) that stores an identifier, a passage time, and the like detected at each gate G, and the traveling time between arbitrary gates G of each racehorse H is set to each gate G. Is calculated based on the identifier of the racehorse H detected in step 1 and the passage time. The control unit 4 outputs the calculated travel time from an output unit (not shown) such as an output screen or a printer. Since the laser beam R has high directivity and the range of the position where the barcode 2 can be read is narrow in the longitudinal direction of the track C, the passing time of the racehorse H can be detected with high accuracy.

  The barcode 2 may not be accurately read due to wrinkles or dirt on the surface of the barcode 2. Further, the laser beam R may be attenuated by obstacles such as raindrops or fog in the air between the barcode reader 3 and the barcode 2, and the barcode 2 may not be read accurately. However, unless the bar code reader 3 can read the bar code 2 accurately, the control unit 4 does not need to use the bar code reader 3 unless the bar code reader 3 can read the bar code 2 accurately. Since it can be recognized that some barcode 2 has been read, the passing time of the racehorse H can be detected.

  In addition, when the laser beam R is scanned, the control unit 4 detects the running position of the racehorse H in the runway C width direction depending on which position in the scanning range the barcode 2 is detected. Thereby, by evaluating the slanting saddle of the racehorse H from the travel position of each gate G in the runway C width direction and training the racehorse H, it is possible to reduce contact accidents due to skew.

  The detection of the running position of the racehorse H in the runway C width direction is performed as follows, for example. As described in Patent Document 1, a known optical scanning device that scans laser beam light R in one direction and detects reflected light is used, and a light detection element is provided at a predetermined position on the scanning path of laser beam light R. The irradiation direction of the laser beam R when the photodetection element receives the laser beam R is used as a reference for the position in the width direction of the runway C, and the control unit 4 determines the laser beam R when the barcode 2 is read. The running position of the racehorse H in the width direction of the runway C is detected from the irradiation direction. Specifically, the traveling position in the width direction of the traveling path C is detected based on the elapsed time from the time when the light detection element receives the laser beam R to the time when the barcode 2 is read and the scanning speed. As a result, the traveling position can be detected with high accuracy, and a position resolution of about 10 mm can be obtained.

  The IC tag 5 is attached to the barcode label 21 and has an IC tag main body 51 and an antenna 52 that is provided around the barcode 2 and transmits radio waves. The antenna 52 may be built in the IC tag main body 51. Further, the IC tag 5 may be attached to a jockey, for example, without being attached to the barcode label 21.

  The tag reader 6 is attached to each gate G and connected to the control unit 4 similarly to the barcode reader 3, receives transmission data from the IC tag 5, and transmits it to the control unit 4. The control unit 4 detects the identifier of the racehorse H based on the data from the tag reader 6. The reception range is set so that the tag reader 6 receives only transmission data from the racehorse H passing near the gate G. Since the tag reader 6 communicates with the IC tag 5 by radio waves, the identifier can be detected with high accuracy regardless of dirt on the IC tag 5, raindrops in the air, fog, or the like. If this tag reader 6 is provided on the beam of the gate G above the racehorse H as shown in FIG. 2, obstacles such as other racehorses H do not enter between the IC tag 5 and the tag reader 6. Furthermore, the identifier can be detected with high accuracy.

  However, if the tag reader 6 tries to detect the running position of the racehorse H in the running direction C width direction based on the reception intensity of the radio wave from the IC tag 5, the position detection accuracy is poor. For example, when two tag readers 6 are provided at both ends in the width direction of the runway C and the running position of the racehorse is detected based on the intensity ratio of the radio waves received by the two tag readers 6, the position resolution is about 2.5 m. Therefore, it is considerably inferior to the position resolution when the barcode 2 and the barcode reader 3 are used.

  The IC tag 5 and the tag reader 6 are configured to transmit identifier data from the IC tag 5 to the tag reader 6 using so-called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology. The IC tag 5 may be a so-called active tag with a built-in battery, or a so-called passive tag that operates using radio waves from the tag reader 6 as an energy source without incorporating a battery. In the case of a passive tag, the trouble of replacing the battery is saved and the maintainability is improved.

  Since the barcode 2 and the IC tag 5 have the characteristics as described above, by using both the barcode 2 and the IC tag 5, the running time of the racehorse H can be accurately calculated and the running in the running road C width direction can be performed. Position detection can be performed.

  In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, one barcode reader 3 and one tag reader 6 are provided for each gate G. The number of barcode readers 3 and tag readers 6 is the same as that of the barcode reader 3 and tag reader 6, respectively. The detection range may be appropriately determined so as to cover the entire width of the runway C.

  Next, the operation of the racehorse timing system 1 will be described. The bar code reader 3 scans the laser beam R, reads the bar code 2 of the racehorse H passing through the gate G, and transmits the read data to the control unit 4. The tag reader 6 receives the identifier data from the IC tag 5 of the racehorse H that passes through the gate G, and transmits the identifier data to the control unit 4. Based on the data from the barcode reader 3 and the tag reader 6, the control unit 4 detects the racehorse H identifier and the passage time as follows.

The control unit 4 determines whether or not the identifier detected from the barcode 2 is an appropriate identifier in each gate G. The control unit 4 determines that the identifier detected from the barcode 2 is not appropriate, for example, in the following case.
1. When the format of the detected identifier is different from the predetermined format.
2. When the identifier of the racehorse H running on the track C is registered in advance and the detected identifier is different from any registered identifier.

  When determining that the identifier detected from the barcode 2 is appropriate, the control unit 4 determines that the racehorse H represented by the identifier has passed through the gate G at the detected passage time. On the other hand, when the control unit 4 determines that the detected identifier is not appropriate, the identifier data transmitted from the IC tag 5 corresponding to the barcode 2 of the identifier determined to be inappropriate is extracted from the storage unit and represented by the identifier data. It is determined that the racehorse H passed through the gate G at the detected passage time. The correspondence between the barcode 2 of the identifier determined to be inappropriate and the IC tag 5 is that the time difference between the time when the barcode 2 is read and the time when the identifier data from the IC tag 5 is received is a predetermined time difference. It may be determined depending on whether or not it falls within the range. And the control part 4 calculates the driving | running | working time between arbitrary gates G based on the passage time of each gate G. FIG.

  By configuring the racehorse timing system 1 as described above, the identifier can be recognized by the IC tag 5 even if the identifier of the racehorse H cannot be recognized by the barcode 2, so the racehorse H The risk of failing to calculate the travel time is reduced.

  Further, when the barcode 2 is read by scanning the laser beam R with the barcode reader 3 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the runway C, the directivity of the laser beam R is strong and the barcode 2 is read. Since the position range in which the racehorse can run is narrow in the longitudinal direction of the runway C, the passing time of the racehorse H can be read with high accuracy, and the travel time can be calculated with high accuracy.

  Further, the running position of the racehorse H in the running road C width direction can be detected depending on which position in the scanning range the barcode 2 is detected when the laser beam R is scanned. Thereby, by evaluating the slanting saddle of the racehorse H from the travel position of each gate G in the runway C width direction and training the racehorse H, it is possible to reduce contact accidents due to skew.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a racehorse timing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the present embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the time for transmitting the identifier data from the IC tag 5 is limited. The tag reader 6 includes a transmission unit 61 that transmits a transmission signal that instructs the IC tag 5 to transmit identifier data. The control unit 4 causes the transmission unit 61 to transmit a transmission signal when the barcode reader 3 reads the barcode 2. When receiving the transmission signal, the IC tag 5 transmits the identifier data.

  Thereby, since the transmission of the identifier data from the IC tag 5 is limited to when the racehorse H passes each gate G, it is possible to reduce interference with surrounding communication devices due to the transmission of the identifier data. It is possible to reduce power consumption for transmitting the identifier data. When the IC tag 5 is a passive tag, when the barcode reader 3 reads the barcode 2, a radio wave as an energy source is transmitted from the tag reader 6 to activate the IC tag 5, and the IC tag 5 receives the identifier data. You may make it transmit. Further, the transmission unit 61 may be provided in another place without being provided in the tag reader 6.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Racehorse timing system 2 ... Barcode 3 ... Barcode reader 4 ... Control part 5 ... IC tag 6 ... Tag reader 61 ... Transmission part C ... Runway G ... Gate H ... Race horse R ... Laser beam light

Claims (2)

A bar code attached to a racehorse and indicating an identifier for distinguishing the racehorse from another racehorse, and the bar attached to a gate provided at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the racehorse runway A barcode reader for reading the code, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the barcode reader,
The barcode is attached so that the reading direction of the barcode is horizontal and perpendicular to the traveling direction of the racehorse, and the barcode reader is horizontal to the laser beam light that irradiates the barcode. The barcode is read by scanning in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the runway and detecting the reflected light of the laser beam, and the control unit is attached to the racehorse that passes through each gate. Is detected by the bar code reader to detect the racehorse identifier and the passage time of each racehorse, and the running time between arbitrary gates of each racehorse is calculated based on the identifier and the passage time. In addition, the bar code reads the running position of the racehorse in the running width direction at any position in the scanning range of the laser beam light. In racehorses timing system to detect on the basis of Taka,
An IC tag attached to the racehorse for transmitting identifier data indicating an identifier of each racehorse;
A tag reader attached to the gate for receiving identifier data from the IC tag,
The control unit determines whether or not the identifier detected from the barcode is an appropriate identifier, and when determining that the identifier is not an appropriate identifier, the identifier indicated by the identifier data received by the tag reader is the identifier of the racehorse A racehorse timekeeping system characterized by A transmission unit that transmits a transmission signal that instructs the IC tag to transmit the identifier data;
The IC tag transmits the identifier data in response to reception of the transmission signal,
The racehorse timing system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the transmission unit to transmit the transmission signal when the barcode is read by the barcode reader.

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