WO2001062356A1

WO2001062356A1 - Pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking

Info

Publication number: WO2001062356A1
Application number: PCT/FI2001/000172
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aki Karihtala; Timo BYGDÉN; Jukka Juselius
Original assignee: Exel Oyj
Priority date: 2000-02-21
Filing date: 2001-02-21
Publication date: 2001-08-30
Also published as: FI20000392A; AU2001240722A1; FI20000392A0

Abstract

A pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking, which comprises a handle (1), a pole tube (2) and a hand strap (3). At the upper end of the handle or in conjunction with the hand strap (3) is arranged a GPS receiver (4, 5) and a data processor (6) connected to it for computing the location data of the receiver on the basis of GPS signals received from various satellites, and data input means (14) for entering the desired location data in the memory of an electronic instrument. The display (7) is arranged to indicate the desired direction of travel (17) between the said location data. In addition to this, or alternatively, the electronic instrument may be a pulse meter.

Description

Pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking

The invention relates to a pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking, which comprises a handle, a pole tube and a hand strap, and an electronic instrument arranged in conjunction with the pole, the instrument comprising a GPS receiver and a data processor connected to it for computing the location data of the receiver on the basis of GPS signals received from various satellites, a display for showing the computed location data, and data input means for entering the desired location data in the memory of the electronic instrument.

The invention relates alternatively to a pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking, which comprises a handle, a pole tube and a hand strap, and an electronic instrument arranged in conjunction with the pole, the instrument comprising a display which shows the desired physical quantity.

Previously, suggestions have been made to combine such electronic instruments as a clock and a thermometer to the upper part of the pole handle. As an example of the prior art, reference can be made to the patent publication US-5,303,954.

From the patent publication US-5,973,618 is known an intelligent walking stick, which is equipped with a GPS device in addition to various other devices mainly serving traffic safety. This device does not include a display arranged to indicate the desired direction of travel and thus to guide a cross-country hiker.

The first object of the invention is to provide a pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking, which is equipped with the type of electronic instrument which indicates the desired direction of travel and thus substantially reduces the risk of losing one's way and facilitates navigation to a predetermined destination. This object is achieved by means of the invention, on the basis of the characteristics described in claim 1 The dependent claims disclose preferred embodiments of the invention

The second object of the invention is to provide a pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking, which is equipped with the type of electronic instrument which helps the user monitor the level of his exercise performance This object is achieved on the basis of the characteristics described in the appended claim 12 Dependent claims 13 and 14 disclose preferred implementations of this alternative object of the invention The placement of the pulse meter display in the manner according to the invention makes possible easier monitoring of the pulse than by means of conventional pulse meters attached to the wrist, which may easily be covered by the sleeve of outdoor clothing

The invention is illustrated in the following by means of an example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows a side view of the pole according to the first embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 2 shows a top view of the pole according to Figure 1

Figure 3 shows the pole according to the second embodiment of the invention, where the electronic instrument is removably attached to the hand strap

The pole comprises a handle 1 , a pole tube 2 and a hand strap 3 At the upper end of the handle, or on the back of the hand side of the hand strap 3, is arranged an electronic instrument which comprises a GPS receiver 4 In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , an antenna 5a has been inserted through a cavity 12 in the handle into the pole tube 2 Thus, the antenna 5a may extend over a large proportion of the length of the pole tube The coordinates of longitude and latitude of the location data of the desired destination can be entered in the processor 6 memory by means of push buttons 14 A numerical display 8b shows the coordinate figures being selected each time There may be different push buttons for the degrees, minutes and seconds of the coordinate figures, and different push button groups for the coordinates of longitude and latitude The number of push buttons can be reduced if their functions can be altered through the program (by means of a so-called mode key, not shown) The location coordinates can also be entered by other means than the push buttons, e g by means of an IR link from a separate device, including keys to facilitate the entering of data

The data processor 6 connected to the GPS receiver 4, 5 computes in a known manner the location coordinates of the receiver 4, 5 on the basis of the signals received from various GPS satellites Since GPS is well-known and widely used in many different positioning applications, the system will not be described in greater detail in this connection

Once the coordinates of the location data of the desired destination have been entered in the memory of the electronic instrument, on the display 7 can be shown, for example by means of the direction arrow 17, the desired direction of travel between the location data of the receiver 4, 5 and the location data of the desired destination The direction arrow 17 will then always point in the direction in which one should travel in order to near the desired destination No map is, therefore, needed for navigation and there is no risk of losing one's way because the arrow 17 will indicate the desired direction of travel regardless of how much and in which direction one has deviated from the direction of travel indicated by the arrow 17 A map is needed for determining and entering the location coordinates A map may obviously be carried along on cross-country journeys because it provides additional information for route selection

The direction based on the earth's magnetic field acts as a reference direction for the arrow 17 indicating the direction of travel, which reference direction can be measured by means of any magnetic sensor (which does not have moving parts) connected to the instrument, or by means of a compass built inside the instrument, which compass has a magnetic indicator 16 pivoted so as to be turning. When the direction of travel 17 between the coordinates of two locations is placed at a correct angle with the reference direction 16, the correct direction of travel 17 can always be indicated regardless of the direction in which the reference direction 16 points, that is, in which direction the pole has been turned about its longitudinal axis.

If so desired, in the instrument can also be included a conventional compass display 16 based on the earth's magnetic field. From variations in the angle between the direction arrows 17 and 16, a hiker can deduce deviations from the straightest possible route.

The deviation of the arrow 17 indicating the direction of travel from the slot 18 shows how much the momentary direction of travel deviates from the direction which points directly to the destination. The cumulation of these momentary deviations is shown as a change in the angle between the arrows 17 and 16.

The display 8b is arranged to show the distance to the destination and/or the journey already travelled during the journey. The processor 6 computes the journey travelled and/or the remaining distance on the basis of the location coordinates of the destination and of the GPS receiver 5, 4.

The indication 17 of the desired direction of travel can be realised electronically by means of an LCD display, whereas the compass display 16 can be realised by means of a mechanical indicator display. If the electronic instrument is damaged or the battery runs out, the compass will still function. The compass display 16 can obviously also be realised by means of an electronic LCD display, which is controlled by magnetic sensors (not shown). As shown in Figure 2, the display 17 for the desired direction of travel and the compass display 16 for the compass points are on the same display panel 7, which facilitates the comparison of angles between them. In the case of Figures 1 and 2, the plane of the display panel 7 is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the pole tube 2 in such a way that when the pole tube is in an obliquely forward inclined position of use, the plane of the display panel is essentially horizontal. In this case, also a mechanically pivoted magnetic indicator 16 also functions best.

The instrument may also comprise a numerical display 8a, which is arranged to indicate the altitude coordinate, for example, as metres above sea level. The numerical display 8a can optionally also be used as a clock, in which case the selection between modes of use is made by means of a push button 15. One of the push buttons 15 is, for example, the ON/OFF switch of the instrument. Incorporating a clock in the instrument is natural in that the GPS device receives the time data directly from the GPS satellite. The altitude coordinate, on the other hand, is often useful when moving about in the mountains or fjelds. This information is also received automatically with the GPS signals, together with the coordinates of longitude and latitude.

The receiver 4, 5 can also be used as a transmitter for a signal for being lost, which can be activated by means of push buttons, or which may, without separate activation, send a signal burst at intervals which can be received, for example, at GSM base stations or by means of GPS satellites or a special receiver device which may be carried along, for example, in a search helicopter. In order for the transmitter for the signal for being lost not to use battery power unnecessarily, it can be arranged to start if the location coordinates of the pole remain unchanged for a predetermined period at the same time as the power of the instrument is switched on.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the instrument is fitted in the knoblike part of the pole which can be detached along a slide rail marked with 7 instrument is then placed in a protective pocket attached to the hand strap 3. Alternatively, the bottom of the instrument cover can be attached by sticker attachment on the surface of the hand strap 3. The hand strap may also be the shape of a glove.

Particular additional benefit is achieved with the instrument when it is combined with a pulse meter. The pulse meter sensor can be arranged in conjunction with the hand strap 3, in which case the sensor can easily be connected to the instrument by means of a wire. The sensor may also be attached elsewhere on the body, in which case the connection to the instrument can be arranged wirelessly by radio.

An alternative embodiment of the invention concerns a pulse meter without a GPS device. In that case, the electronic instrument is a pulse meter which can, at least as concerns the display 7, be fixed to the pole handle 1 or hand strap 3. The display is arranged to show the pulse of the pole user. In a preferred embodiment, a sensor unit 19 attached to the body of the user, which unit forms the actual pulse meter, is arranged to transmit the data indicating the user's pulse wirelessly (by radio) to the display unit 7', which is removably attached to the pole handle 1 or hand strap 3. Also in this pulse meter application the display unit 7' is attached to the hand strap 3 on the back of the hand side, for example, by sticker attachment or in a receiving pocket made in the hand strap 3, which has an opening at the display. The display unit only requires a pulse data receiver and display control. In this respect the invention differs from commercially available pulse meters mainly as concerns its placement and attachment method, in order that the display would be easier to monitor during the exercise performance.

The different elements of the invention can be combined in various ways deviating from the above embodiment, and the structure and design of the instrument relating to the invention may differ in many ways from the embodiment described.

Claims

8 Claims

1. A pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking, which comprises a handle (1 ), a pole tube (2) and a hand strap (3), and an electronic instrument arranged in conjunction with the pole, the instrument comprising a GPS receiver (4, 5) and a data processor (6) connected to it for computing the location data of the receiver on the basis of GPS signals received from various satellites, a display (7) for showing the computed location data, and data input means (14, 8b) for entering the desired location data in the memory of the electronic instrument, characterised in that the electronic instrument can, at least as concerns the display (7), be fixed to the pole handle (1 ) or hand strap (3), and that the display (7) is arranged to indicate the desired direction of travel (17) between the said location data, for which purpose the instrument is arranged to use a reference direction based on the earth's magnetic field for determining the desired direction of travel (17), which is to be shown.

2. A pole as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that between the instrument (4-11 ) and the pole handle (1 ) or hand strap (3) are removable attachment means for detaching the instrument from the handle (1 ) or hand strap (3).

3. A pole as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that to the instrument is connected a compass display (16) based on the earth's magnetic field.

4. A pole as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the indication (17) of the desired direction of travel is realised electronically by means of an LCD display, and the compass display (16) is realised by means of a mechanical indicator display.

5. A pole as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the display (17) of the desired direction of travel and the compass point display (16) are on the same display.

6. A pole as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the data transfer means of the desired location data include push buttons (14), by means of which the coordinates of longitude and latitude of the desired location data can be entered in the processor (6) memory, and a numerical display (8b) which shows the coordinate figures being selected each time.

7. A pole as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the antenna (5a) of the GPS receiver (4, 5) has been inserted through a cavity (12) in the handle into the pole tube (2).

8. A pole as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the instrument comprises a display (8a), which is arranged to indicate the altitude coordinate of the receiver (4, 5) as a numerical display.

9. A pole as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the instrument comprises a transmitter (4, 5) of a signal for being lost.

10. A pole as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the display (8b) is arranged to show, during the journey, the distance to the destination and/or the journey already travelled.

11. A pole as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that to the instrument is connected a pulse meter.

12. A pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking, which comprises a handle (1 ), a pole tube (2) and a hand strap (3), and an electronic instrument arranged in conjunction with the pole, the instrument comprising a display showing the desired physical quantity, characterised in that the electronic instrument is a pulse meter and can, at least as concerns the display (7), be fixed to the pole handle (1 ) or hand strap (3), and that the display is arranged to show the pulse of the pole user. 10

13 A pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that a sensor unit (19) attached to the body of the user is arranged to transmit the data indicating the user's pulse wirelessly to the display unit (7'), which is removably attached to the pole handle (1 ) or hand strap (3)

14 A pole for skiing, alpine skiing, hiking or walking as claimed in claim 12 or 13, characterised in that the display unit (7') is attached to the hand strap (3) on the back of the hand side by sticker attachment or in a receiving pocket