JPS6342494A - Stopwatch generating signal sound - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate an error in time measurement by generating a signal from either a starting element for the start of time measurement or a terminating element for interruption or stop, or a signal from an incorporated electric signal in synchronization with both operations as a sound. CONSTITUTION:A time measurement part 1 is the base part of a stopwatch and starts measuring the time with the starting element 2 and interrupts or stop the counted time with the terminating element 2. Those starting element 2 and terminating element 3 are connected to an electric signal source 4. The signal source 4 is stored with a waveform similar to the explosion sound of powder and the starting element 2 or terminating element 3 is operated to generate an electric signal similar to the explosion sound. This signal is transmitted to an amplifier 5, amplified, and radiated by a speaker 7 as a signal sound through a sound volume control circuit 6. Consequently, the measurement error of time can be eliminated without generating any difference between the generation of the sound signal and the time measurement start of the stopwatch.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a stopwatch for measuring time in sports events and the like.

The number of fans of sports competitions is increasing year by year, and it is said that more than half of the population enjoys some kind of sport. Broadly speaking, sports can be divided into those that compete for the most points, such as ball games, and those that compete for the shortest amount of time, such as swimming and racing. This time measurement is usually done with a stopwatch.

As a first specific example, let's look at a case where a runner starts from the starting line in a race and returns to the finish line near the starting line.

Time measurement is performed as follows. First, the runners arrive at the starting line, and the starter/timekeeper stands near the starting line with a pistol-shaped start signal and a stopwatch in hand, and says, "Get ready for position," and then pulls the trigger of the starting signal. explode the gunpowder,
At the same time, press the starter of the Stonnoff watch to start measuring time. Runners begin the race by the signal sound caused by the explosion. When the runner has run around the track the required number of times and reached the goal, the starter/timekeeper again generates a signal sound using the traffic light and at the same time presses the end button on the stopwatch to end the time measurement.

The first drawback of this time measurement method is that it creates a difference between the generation of the acoustic signal and the start of time measurement by the stopwatch. This is because human actions always include a finite time delay. Since this time lag varies slightly depending on the individual and the situation, this time lag is included in the measurement results as part of the measurement error.

The second drawback is that time measurement becomes complicated. The start signal uses explosives. Because explosives are inherently dangerous, special care must be taken in their storage and handling, and each time they are used, complicated preparations are required to remove the explosion residue and load new explosives.

The third drawback is that explosions often fail.

A fourth drawback is that the magnitude of the acoustic signal from the explosion cannot be controlled. A large sound signal is necessary for a large number of athletes or spectators, but a small sound signal is sufficient when training a single runner. In particular, when practicing repeatedly in a small schoolyard surrounded by houses, acoustic signals should be suppressed to avoid noise pollution.

However, the loudness of gunpowder cannot be freely controlled. This can be considered a major drawback.

As a second specific example, when a runner runs on a straight course, the measurement for 9 hours is carried out as follows.

First, the runners arrive at the starting line.

The starter stands near the starting line and says ``take position'' and ``ready'' and then pulls the trigger of the start signal to generate a signal sound. Another timer at the finish line sees the gunpowder glow from the start signal and presses the trigger on the stopwatch in his hand, starting the 9-hour measurement.

Runners begin the race by the sound of a signal. When the runner reaches the goal, the timing device presses the end button on the stopwatch to end the time measurement.

The disadvantage of this time measurement method is that it introduces a larger error between the generation of the acoustic signal and the start of time measurement by the stopwatch than in the first embodiment.

In the case of the first specific example, the same person operates the start signal and the stopwatch at the same time.

The intention to start is unified, and there is relatively little time lag between them. However, in the case of the second specific example, different people operate the start signal and stopwatch, so the intention to start is not unified.

Moreover, the light emitted from the gunpowder at the start signal is weak, and since competitions are often held under strong sunlight, it is not easy to identify the light emitted. Therefore, it is inevitable that errors in time measurement will be introduced.

As a matter of course, other drawbacks such as the complexity of measurement, occurrence of misfires, and difficulty in controlling the magnitude of the acoustic signal described in the first example still exist.

As a third specific example, when a plurality of runners run on a straight course at the same time, the 9-hour measurement is performed as follows. When the runners arrive at the starting line, the starter says ``take position'' and ``ready'' and triggers the start signal to generate a signal sound. The multiple timers at the goal position see the gunpowder glow from the start signal and press the starters on their stopwatches to begin measuring the hour. When the runners reach the finish line, the timing device presses the end button on the stopwatch, ending the measurement of each runner's time.

The disadvantage of this time measurement method is that it introduces a larger error than in the second embodiment between the generation of the acoustic signal and the start of time measurement by the stopwatch.

The timekeepers at the goal position each move at different speeds,
Attention levels also change depending on the situation.

Therefore, there are always individual differences in the time it takes for each person to see the gunpowder emit light and start measuring time with a stopwatch.
The margin of error tends to increase as the number of people working on the timekeeping device increases. As a result of such errors, there may be a clear time difference in the time measurement results of two runners who should have arrived at the goal at the same time, or a runner who should have won by a narrow margin may have the ranking reversed. This will cause inconvenience.

As a matter of course, other drawbacks such as the complexity of measurement and the difficulty in controlling the magnitude of the misfired acoustic signal described in the first example still exist.

As a fourth specific example, let us consider a case where one runner runs on a straight course and only one person measures the distance for 9 hours. During actual training, one coach will work one-on-one with the athlete.
This seems to be the most common case because it is common to practice repeatedly.

Time measurement in this case is usually performed as follows.

First, the runners go to the starting line, and the coach stands near the finish line. The coach has a start signal and a stopwatch, and can shout "Get in position" and "Get ready" so that runners who are separated can hear them.

As soon as you pull the trigger of the traffic light, the stopwatch starts measuring the time. When the runners reach the finish line, the coach presses the stopwatch to finish timing.

The disadvantage of this method of measuring time is that the coach's instructions to the runner to start are unclear, resulting in errors. Naturally, the audio from the coach will be weaker if the coach is further away, and the signal sound from the start signal will also be weaker. There is also a time delay in the transmission of sound, and this delay varies depending on the direction of the wind. These result in errors between the operation of the start signal and the start of the runner.

To avoid this error, runners start by relying on the light and smoke from the gunpowder at the start signal, rather than relying on sound. One of the purposes of sports training is to turn an athlete's movements into conditioned reflexes through repetition of ffl+drills. Athletes who should originally have started using the signal sound are starting the routine 5th race.
In the 11th practice, repeating the start with a different light emission will result in acquiring different conditioned reflexes, which can lead to mistakes such as delayed starts and flying in the actual official competition. This leads to the undesirable result of making it easier.

Other drawbacks include those described in the first specific example.

In the measurement of time in sports competitions, etc., there is no difference between the generation of the acoustic signal and the start of time measurement, the measurement is not complicated, the magnitude of the acoustic signal is controllable, and therefore there is an error in time measurement. The aim is to get a stopwatch with less.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the basic configuration of a stopwatch according to the present invention. The time measuring section (1) is the basic part of a stopwatch, and it starts measuring time by operating the starter (2), and interrupts or stops the 9-hour measurement by operating the terminator (3). . The starting element (2) and the ending element (3) are connected to an electric signal source (4). The electrical signal source (4) stores a waveform similar to the sound of an explosion of gunpowder, and when the starter (2) and end member (3) are operated, an electrical signal similar to the explosion sound is generated. The signal is sent to the amplifier (5), where it is amplified and sent to the volume control circuit (6).
The signal is then radiated to the outside as signal sound from the speaker (7).

The output signal of the amplifier (5) is sent to a communication function section (8). This communication function section (8) is a section that transmits information in this stopwatch to the outside, and in this example, electric signals are taken out to the outside via a low frequency transformer.

This stopwatch has the following advantages over traditional time measurement methods: Firstly, there is no difference between the generation of the acoustic signal and the start of time measurement by the stopwatch.

Since both are activated by the operation of one starter (2), both are naturally activated at the same time. Therefore, there is essentially no time error, which is a drawback in the conventional method. The second advantage is that competition time can be easily measured.

There is no need to use a start signal, which was a drawback of the conventional method. Furthermore, there is no need to manage or carefully handle explosives, which are dangerous materials, and there is no need to load explosives or remove explosion residue after each use.

A third advantage is that there is no failure to generate signal sounds.

In the case of a start signal using conventional explosives, the misexplosion phenomenon that often occurred due to moisture absorption deterioration of the explosives and improper loading essentially no longer occurs.

The fourth advantage is that the magnitude of the acoustic signal can be adjusted to any desired magnitude, unlike when exploding gunpowder. If the system is used for a single runner in a small schoolyard surrounded by houses, the volume control circuit (6) can be used to reduce the sound signal to the minimum necessary level, thereby eliminating the risk of causing sound pollution to the surrounding area. If there are several runners, the volume control circuit (6) may be operated to slightly increase the volume. On the other hand, if a large acoustic signal is required for a large number of athletes or spectators, the 9 communication function section (
8) can be used.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration when a large signal sound is required.

The electric signal similar to the explosion sound in the stopwatch (9) according to the present invention is extracted via the communication function section (8).

The input signal of the loudspeaker (11) is amplified by the signal cable (10) to generate any loud sound required.

As described above, the stopwatch according to the present invention overcomes most of the drawbacks of conventional systems. In FIG. 2, the number of loudspeakers (11) is one, but of course any number of loudspeakers can be placed at any position. Also in the above explanation.

The communication function section (8) is based on a low-frequency transformer, but this is an example of extracting electrical signals to the outside, and uses electromagnetic coupling, unlike the stopwatch (9), which does not use a connector and is There are also methods that extract electrical signals through contact, and methods that use radio waves to transmit electrical signals from the stopwatch (9) to the loudspeaker (11) without a signal cable.

And not just electrical signals.

Of course, it is also possible to use a method in which the stopwatch emits light pulses like a strobe in synchronization with this. In this case, it is easier to obtain a more powerful light than the gunpowder light of the start signal, so it becomes possible to reliably send the start signal to people in distant locations.

Furthermore, although the electrical signal is assumed to be similar to an explosion sound, it goes without saying that it may be a single tone or double tone of any frequency.

The above-mentioned stopwatch solves all the drawbacks of the conventional method for the first example of time measurement in a race, where a runner starts from the starting line and returns to a finish line near the starting line. It is something to do. However, there is still a problem when many runners compete for ranking, that is, errors occur due to individual differences in the movement of each timer to press the start button (2) of the stopwatch in their hand to start measuring one hour. Not resolved.

Another example of the basic configuration of the stopwatch according to the present invention, which includes a solution to this problem, is shown in FIG.

A time measurement unit (1), a starter (2), a terminator (3), an electrical signal source (4), an amplifier (5), a volume control circuit (6), and a speaker (7).

The communication function section (8) has the same functions as the basic configuration example shown in FIG. The difference is that a magnetically sensitive circuit (12) is arranged.

This magnetically sensitive circuit (12) has a function of closing contacts in response to external magnetic pulses. The starter (2) also has a contact point that is closed by operation, and a contact point of the magnetically sensitive circuit (12) is connected in parallel with the contact point. To start the time measurement of this stopwatch, press the starter (2).
) or external magnetic pulses.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a configuration in which a large number of runners compete for ranking using this magnetically sensitive stopwatch.

The magnetically sensitive stopwatch (13) is held in the hand of the starter who instructs the start.

The communication function section (8) is connected to a signal cable (10) by a connector, and a current amplifier (15) and a magnetic coil (14) are connected to the end of the signal cable (10). Magnetic coil (14)
At the top of the racetrack, there are 13 magnetically sensitive stopwatches placed to measure each runner's time.

When the starter operates the starter (2) to instruct the start, a signal sound is emitted, and in synchronization with this, an electric signal arrives at the current amplifier (15), causing current to flow through the magnetic coil (14). A magnetic pulse is generated in the magnetic coil (14),
It is detected by a magnetically sensitive stopwatch placed there (13 magnetically sensitive circuits (12)).

The time measuring section (1) starts.

This is because the generation of the signal sound and the start of the stopwatch time measurement are performed by the same electrical signal.

There is no delay or error during this time, and all magnetically sensitive stopwatches start measuring for 9 hours in perfect synchronization.

Therefore, a drawback of the conventional method was that many timekeepers pressed the starter (2) of their own stopwatches.

The occurrence of errors due to individual differences in movement when starting time measurement is fundamentally solved.

When the magnetically sensitive stopwatch (13') starts measuring time, each timer who measures the time of each runner picks up the magnetically sensitive stopwatch (13') and holds it in his/her hand. Once the runners have completed the required number of runs around the trunk and have reached the finish line, the timekeepers use a magnetically sensitive stopwatch (1
3') Press the end button (3) to finish measuring the time and determine the ranking of the runners.

In the above explanation, the start of the 9-hour 31+1 constant was performed by an external magnetic pulse, but this need not be limited to magnetic pulses alone. Of course, there may also be a method of starting the measurement, or a method of using a photosensitive circuit and starting the measurement by an optical signal from the outside. In short, if there is a built-in external signal sensing circuit that will drive the starters (2) of other stopwatches without human intervention based on the signal generated when the judge instructing the start operates the starter (2). good.

The stopwatch of FIG. 3 overcomes all the drawbacks of the conventional system when a large number of runners start from the starting line and return to a finish line near the starting line. However, if the starting line and the goal are far apart.

It would be unreasonable to extend the signal cable (10) of the system shown in FIG. 4 to accommodate this problem. This means that the starter's movements and commands such as "take position" and "get ready" are not communicated to the timekeepers waiting at the goal.

The goal timekeepers are required to place and remove the magnetically sensitive stopwatch (13') on the magnetic coil (14) at the appropriate times;
It is necessary to be able to clearly hear the starter's command to start.

Another example of the basic configuration of the stopwatch according to the present invention, which includes a solution to this problem, is shown in FIG.

Time measurement unit (1), starter (2), termination unit (3), electrical signal source (4), amplifier (5), sound adjustment circuit (6), speaker (7) 1 communication function unit (8) ), magnetically sensitive circuit (1
2) has the same function as the basic configuration example shown in FIG. The difference is that a microphone (16) is placed.

The purpose of this microphone (16) is to pick up sound from the outside and convert it into an electrical signal, and it is connected to the input circuit of an amplifier (5) similar to the electrical signal source (4), and its output signal is is connected to the communication function section (8).

In other words, this stopwatch has the function of transmitting external sound to the outside via the communication function section (8) and the actuator (2).
An acoustic signal is emitted from the speaker (7) in synchronization with the start of time measurement by operating the .

It has a function of transmitting the start electric signal from the communication function section (8).

FIG. 6 shows an example of a stopwatch with this configuration used when the starting line and the goal are far apart.

A magnetically sensitive stopwatch (13) is held in the hand of the starter at the starting point.

The communication function section (8) is connected to a loudspeaker (11) and a current amplifier (15) at the goal point via a signal cable (10).
), connected to the magnetic coil (14). A required number of magnetically sensitive stop switches (13') are placed above the magnetic coil (14) to measure the time of each runner.

When the starter who instructs the start calls out "position," the voice is transmitted by the microphone (16) from the loudspeaker (11) at the goal point, informing the timekeepers near the goal that the start is near, and the timekeepers. Each member of the team should attach their magnetically sensitive stopwatch (13) to the magnetic coil (1).
4) Place it on top. Eventually, the command to "ready" is heard, followed by the start signal sound, and all magnetically sensitive stopwatches (13) begin measuring time. The timekeepers each picked up their own magnetically sensitive stopwatches (13) and held them in their hands.

Take a standby position for arriving runners.

With this configuration, even if the starting line and the goal are far apart, all parties involved can accurately grasp the overall situation and accurately measure the time of each runner.

This method is also extremely effective when one coach repeatedly practices one-on-one with the players using a straight course.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration used in that case. A stopwatch with a microphone (17) is held in the hands of the coach who stands at the finish line, instructs the start, and measures the time. A loudspeaker (11) is placed at the starting point and connected via a signal cable (10) via a communication function section (8). When the coach issues commands such as ``take position'' and ``get ready,'' those commands are transmitted to the athletes at the starting point through the loudspeaker (11) at an appropriate volume. Next, when the actuator (2) of the stopwatch with microphone (17) is pressed, a signal sound is transmitted to the coach and the players at the appropriate volume from both the stopwatch with microphone (17) and the loudspeaker (11). Athletes start and timing begins at the same time. When the athlete reaches the goal, the coach presses the end button (3) to end the one hour measurement. With this configuration, instructions such as starting from the coach can always be clearly communicated regardless of the distance between the coach and the athlete. Since there is no time delay in the transmission, accurate time measurement can be performed.

In addition, athletes can hear the command and start signal sound from nearby, allowing them to train under conditions similar to those of an actual official competition. Therefore, this is a drawback of the conventional method. As the distance increases, instructions from the coach become unclear and errors in time measurement due to sound transmission delays are completely eliminated. It is also possible to prevent mistakes such as delayed starts and flying mistakes caused by athletes training under conditions different from those of official competitions.

The shape of the stopwatch of the present invention may be similar to a conventional stopwatch, or may be similar to a conventional start signal. Alternatively, it can take various shapes, such as a shape that can be incorporated as a detachable part into a portable loudspeaker, so-called a sound microphone.

As is clear from the above description of the representative embodiments of the present invention, the present invention eliminates error factors from time measurement in sports competitions, etc., and makes measurement simple rather than foolproof to enable accurate time measurement. , which prevents noise pollution by appropriately controlling the magnitude of acoustic signals, and its effects are extremely significant.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an example of the basic configuration of a stopwatch according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram when a loud signal sound is required, and FIG. 3 is another example of the basic configuration. FIG. 4 is a diagram of the configuration used when a large number of stopwatches start time measurement at the same time, FIG. 5 is another example of the basic configuration, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams of the configuration used. (1)...Time measuring section, (2)...Starter, (3)
...terminal child. (4)... Electric signal source, (5)... Amplifier, (6)
...Volume adjustment circuit. (7)...Speaker, (8)...Communication function section, (
9)... Stopwatch, (10)... Signal cable, (11)... Loudspeaker. (12)...magnetic sensitive circuit, (13), (13'
)...magnetic stopwatch, (14)...
Magnetic coil, (15)...Current amplification i, (16)
...Microphone, (17)...Stopwatch with microphone.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Starter for starting time measurement;
A stopwatch that generates a signal from a built-in electric signal source as a signal sound in synchronization with the operation of one or both of the stoppers. 2. The stopwatch according to claim 1, which incorporates an external signal sensitive circuit and a communication function section, and has an operation function that is equivalent to operating either the starter or the end, or the operation of both using an external signal. . 3. A stopwatch according to claim 1, which includes a built-in microphone, and outputs an electric signal from the microphone and an electric signal from an electric signal source to the outside through a common communication function section. 4. The stopwatch according to claim 1, which has a shape similar to a start signal, and in which the operation of the trigger has an operation function equivalent to that of the starter and the end.