Velocity-Measuring Device

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to velocity-measuring devices and, more particularly, to velocity-measuring devices which have an audible output and may be removably attached to skis and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A velocity-measuring device which can be removably fixed to the rear end of a snow or water ski is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,650. The device employs a microcomputer which calculates speeds and/or distance traveled by a skier and displays the selected parameter on a readout device carried by the trailing end of a ski. A toothed wheel is constrained to rotate about an axis lateral to the rear end of the ski and is positioned to contact the snow or water and rotate when it is moved in direction to the axis of the ski. The water-snow-contacting wheel carries two permanent magnets which cooperate with a sensor mounted on the housing of the device to sense the passing of the magnets. In order to determine his or her maximum speed, average speed, or the distance traveled, a skier would have to remove his or her skis to see the visual display, a distinct disadvantage. Moreover, while in motion, no information is made available to the skier about his or her current speed, a shortcoming especially in situations in which the skier is trying to ski to his or her maximum advantage along a portion of a down-hill run, or the like.

A speed indicating device or gauge which may be mounted on the forward flat upper surface of the water ski is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,725. This indicator is so mounted that the user of the ski during water skiing may view this speed indicating device. The velocity sensing is achieved by a pilot tube-like device in which one end of the tube is connected to the meter and the other end is disposed on the ski underside and at the rear thereof. The tube is filled with liquid to a point near the rear of the tube where a flexible diaphragm seals the tube. The diaphragm is actuated by the pressure of the fluid flow created by the rate of travel of the ski in the water, No. provision is seen for storing the output nor of any electronic circuitry. Clearly, the device cannot be used on a snow ski or the like, nor does it provide an audible output.

Other devices, which may be attached to skis and the like for measuring velocity, are revealed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,505,878 and 4,262,537. These devices are fastened to a ski by screws and must be mechanically powered, thereby interfering with the natural operation of the ski, distinct shortcomings.

An object of the present invention is to provide a velocity-measuring device which may be removably fixed to a snow ski, water ski, ice-boat, skateboard, bicycle, arm band or the like and provide current audio information to the user while he or she is in motion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a velocity-measuring device which may be removably fixed to a snow ski, water ski, ice-boat, skateboard, bicycle, arm band or the like and provide an audio summary of velocity and velocity-related data concerning a completed run.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a velocity-measuring device which may be removably fixed to a snow ski, water ski, ice-boat, skateboard, bicycle, arm band or the like and provide an audible audio output of current performance to the user, while he or she is in motion.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a velocity-measuring device which may be removably fixed to a snow ski, ice-boat, water ski, skateboard, bicycle, arm band or the like and provide an audible output constituting a summary of velocity and velocity-related data concerning a competed run.

The velocity-measuring device of the present invention s a small, battery operated, microprocessor-based electronic device which provides an audible output of user performance. It may be mounted to the front half of a snow ski, just in front of the binding toe piece, where it is clearly in the air stream generated by the moving ski. In other variants, the device may be mounted on a skateboard, a water ski, a surfboard, a wind-surfer, a bicycle, an ice-boat, an arm-band or the like. Velocity through the air is measured by microprocessor-based circuitry, which reads the speed of a small, integral wind turbine wheel, performs all conversions and calculations, and controls a voice synthesis circuit.

The device of the present invention requires minimum operator interaction. The only operator controls are two push buttons and a volume control with integral battery power off/on switch. A loudspeaker and/or an earphone jack is provided for audible outputs.

Clearly audible synthesized speech output of information allows the user to hear his or her current speed with minimum diversion of his attention from the main goal of safe skiing or operating other person-supporting moving structures. Also, upon completion of a run, the device of the present invention may provide, on demand, a comprehensive summary of average speed, maximum speed, elapsed time and distance covered for the run, as well as a recapitulation of the speed during the run if desired.

The device of the present invention has three operating modes. The first, its reset mode, occurs when the device is first activated and each time the user initiates current operating mode. It initializes all hardware, software, and output parameters. In the current operating mode, the device performs real time velocity measurements and effects audible outputs of velocity at predetermined intervals, for example at five second intervals. In the third mode, a summary mode, the device provides an audible summary of the latest operating mode interval. No measurements are performed during summary mode. The four output parameters, namely average speed, maximum speed, time and distance, continuously sequence until the device is either deactivated or reset by the operator.

The device of the present invention measures air speed, so its operation is completely independent of contact with either the ground surface, the snow surface, the water surface, the ice surface or the like, as the cases may be. It is also mounted, in the snow ski embodiment and similar realizations, in front of the boot attachment where it is relatively protected from physical abuse. A fabric hooks-to-hooks or loops-to-hooks mounting system (of the type sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.) provides secure attachment to the ski surface or the like, which is also readily removable for security purposes. The volume of the audible output is adjustable to suit the user's requirements. Also, the circuitry may provide audible indication of low battery voltage.

All operational functions, as well as internal calculations and conversions, are completely under software control and may be modified by program changes.

From one vantage point, the invention can be viewed as being in combination with a movable structure adapted to ride on or over a surface while supporting or carrying at least one person. A velocity-measuring device, which includes means responsive to air flow, develops an electrical signal representative of current velocity of the movable structure. Voice synthesizing means, responding to the electrical signal representation of velocity, provides periodic voice synthesized audible outputs indicative of current velocity of the movable structure.

The invention can also be seen as being a combination of a movable structure adapted to ride on or over a surface while supporting or carrying at least one person and a velocity-measuring device for developing an electrical signal representative of current velocity of the movable structure. Voice synthesizing means respond to the electrical signal representation of current velocity and provide periodic voice synthesized audible output indicative of current velocity of the movable structure.

From a slightly different point of view, the invention can be seen as being in combination with a structure adapted to be carried by a person, for example supported on the arm of the person. A velocity-measuring device having means responsive to air flow develops an electrical signal representative of velocity of the structure (and thus the person). Voice synthesizing means responsive to the electrical signal representative of velocity provides periodic voice synthesized audible output indicative of velocity of the structure (and thus the person).

The invention can also be viewed as a combination of a structure adapted to be removably fixed to a person and a velocity-measuring device fixed to the structure for developing an electrical signal representative of current velocity of the structure and thus the person. Voice synthesizing means respond to the electrical signal representation of current velocity and provide periodic voice synthesized audible outputs indicative of current velocity of the structure of thus the person.

The device and the synthesizer are preferably removably fixed to the structure. The means responsive to the electrical signal provides periodic voice synthesized audible output indicative of current velocity of the structure at substantially five second intervals.

The means responsive to the electrical signal may include a loudspeaker for providing the voice synthesized audible output.

The means responsive to the electrical signal may include earphone means for providing the voice synthesized audible output.

The device may include responsive to the electrical signal for providing representations of the velocities of the structure for playback after a run.

The device may include means responsive to the electrical signal for producing voice synthesized representations of average speed, maximum speed, elapsed time and distance in its summary mode upon request.

The structure may be any snow- or ice-engaging structure, a snow ski, a skateboard, a water ski, a surfboard, a wind-surfer, a bicycle, an ice-boat, a band (such as an arm-band which is adapted to be attached to a person and carry the device) or the like.

The invention can also be viewed as a circuit for measuring velocity which includes means for producing an electrical signal representative of velocity. Microprocessor means, including, programming means, respond to the electrical signal for generating output signals representative of current velocity. Speech synthesizer means coupled to the microprocessor means respond to the output signals for developing synthesized audio signals representing velocity. Sound producing means coupled to said speech synthesizer respond to the synthesized audio signals for producing an audible output reporting velocity and/or velocity-related data.

The invention can also be viewed as a combination of a support, a velocity measuring device and a fabric mounting system. The velocity-measuring device includes means responsive to air flow for developing an electrical signal representative of current velocity of the support. Voice synthesizing means respond to the electrical signal representative of current velocity for providing voice synthesized audible outputs indicative of current velocity of the support. The fabric mounting system removably fixes the velocity-measuring device to the support.

The fabric mounting system preferably comprises a first elongated fabric member fixed to a surface of the support and a second fabric member fixed to a surface of the device and which can be brought into contact with the first elongated fabric member.

The invention achieves other objects and is characterized by other features and advantages which, with the foregoing objects, are to become apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated and described, since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a velocity-measuring device of the present invention as applied to one ski of a pair of snow skis, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of portions of the pair of snow skis of FIG. 1, the velocity-measuring device being shown removably fixed to the upper forward surface of the left ski, in accordance with the above-noted exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partially exploded view of the device and a portion of the left ski of FIG. 2, showing the velocity-measuring device as viewed from the tips of the skis.

FIGS. 4A-4C are respectively top, front and side views of the velocity-measuring device of FIGS. 1-3, the side view being shown in cross-section to illustrate the placement of some of the internal components, the section being taken along section lines 4C-4C of FIGS. 4A and 4B.

FIG. 5 is a simplified, block diagram of the circuitry of the velocity-measuring device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are, when taken together, a detailed schematic circuit diagram of the velocity-measuring device which may be used to carry out the present invention.

FIGS. 7-13 are respective pictorial illustrations of adaptations of the velocity-measuring device of the present invention as applied respectively to a skateboard, a water ski, a bicycle, the arm of a person, a surfboard, a wind-surfer and an ice-boat.

In FIG. 1, a person 10, illustrated as a skier, is shown in a snow skiing attitude aboard a pair of snow skis 11 and 12, with a pair of ski poles 13 and 14 in hand. A velocity-sensing device 15, constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown in more detail in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4A-4C, is attached to the upper surface of the left ski 12 forward of the person 10. The person 10 has conventional earphones 16 over his ears, the earphones 16 being attached to the velocity-sensing device 15 via a conventional cord 17 and a plug-and-jack arrangement for the purpose of supplying audible signals indicative of the velocity of the skis from the device to the person. A loudspeaker (not shown) could be used as an alternative to the earphones.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the velocity-sensing device 15 includes a "Thorgren" fan positioned in a hollow cylindrical open ended housing 18 supported above a principal housing 20 by an upstanding flange. The housing 18 constitutes a stationary portion of a wind turbine which includes conventional turbine blades 30 mounted for rotation, by wind forces, about an axle coincident with the axis of the cylindrical housing 18. Rotor and stator members of conventional construction are provided within the housing 18, the stator includes a pick up coil or the like which develops an electrical pulse train output, the frequency of which depends linearly and directly on the angular velocity of the rotor as driven by the turbine blades 30. The rotor includes a disk and carries a pair of "Bunting" centerless ground magnets (FIG. 4C).

An earphone jack 24 is provided in the rear wall of the principal housing 20. A volume control knob 21 is provided adjacent to and above the upper wall of the housing 20 for the purpose of setting the level of the audio available via the earphone jack 24. Two push buttons 22 and 23 (also shown schematically in FIG. 5) are conveniently provided for respectfully initiating a resetting of the device 15 and for initiating a summary mode of operation, subsequent to a ski run or the like.

As best shown, as an exploded view, in FIG. 3, the velocity-measuring device 15 is removably fixed to the ski 12 by a fastener arrangement of loops-to-hooks fabric or a hooks-to-hooks fabric connection (such as the fabric fastener commercially sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.). As shown, a first elongated fabric member 26 is fixed to the upper surface of the ski 12 by a mastic, double-sided tape 26 or the like. The entire bottom surface of the principal housing 20 is fixed to a second fabric member 27 by a second mastic, double-sided tape 28 or the like. When the opposing surfaces of the two fabric members 25 and 27 are brought together, the device 15 is firmly, yet removably, fixed to the ski 12. The position of the device along the member 26 can be conveniently selected by the user and, because the width of the fabric member 27 is greater than the width of the fabric member 26, the device 15 may be rocked from side-to-side and, thus, can be removed from the ski rather easily.

Turning briefly to FIGS. 7-13, it can be seen that the velocity measuring device 15 may be carried by structures other than a snow ski (FIGS. 1-3). In FIGS. 7 and 8, the device of the present invention is shown attached respectively to a skateboard 41 and to the right ski 42 of a pair of water skis 42, 43, a person 10 being shown in each case as being carried by the skateboard and water skis. As shown in FIG. 9, the person 10 is illustrated as being a bicycle rider, the device 15 being removably mounted on a central portion of the handlebar of a bicycle 44. In FIG. 10, the person 10 has a flexible, removable armband 45, of the fabric fastening type, on which the device 15 is mounted. On other variants, the person 10 could be riding a surfboard 46 or a wind surfer 47, shown respectively in FIGS. 11 and 12 with the velocity measuring device 15 being removably fixed to an upper surface thereof. In FIG. 13, an ice-board 48 is shown generally the device 15 being removably fixed to an upper surface of the forward leg of the convention T-structure of the ice-boat. A seat 50 is provided to enable a user to operate the ice-boat. In each of the cases shown in FIGS. 7-13, the device 15 may include an earphone jack (see FIGS. 1-3) so that the person 10 using the structures for sport may receive the audio output from a voice synthesizer within the housing 20 (FIGS. 1-3). It is to be understood, as noted above, that a loudspeaker could be provided within the housing 20 (see FIG. 4A) so that the audio output can be heard without the earphone or as an alternative to the earphones.

An exemplary embodiment of the velocity-measuring device 15 is illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4C, FIGS. 4A and 4B are respectively top and front elevational views of the device, while FIG. 4C is a side cross-sectional view, the section having been taken along section lines 4C-4C in FIGS. 4A and 4B. As shown in FIGS. 4A-4C the device 15 includes the main housing 20 which supports, by an integral web or the like, the open-ended cylindrical housing 18 within which wind turbine is housed and positioned for rotation effected by air (wind) flow, a plurality of turbine blades 30 being provided for this purpose. An earphone jack 24 is visible in FIGS. 4A-4C as are the volume control knob 21 and the summary mode initiating button 23. The reset button 22 is visible in FIG. 4B. In FIG. 4C, a volume control rheostat 39 mechanically coupled to the volume-control knob 21 is visible, the rheostat 39 being mounted on a printed circuit board 31 which is fixed to the upper, inner surface of the housing 20 by four screws, two of which (designated by numerals 32 and 34) are visible, conventional hollow cylindrical spacers 35 and 36 being provided to space the printed circuit board 31 from the top interior surface of the housing 20. It is to be appreciated that other circuit components, including generally shown components 37, 38 and 40, visible in FIG. 4C, are also mounted on the circuit board 31. A loudspeaker 33 is mounted on the circuit board 31 for the purpose of providing an audible output which may be heard by the user, such as the skier 10 (FIG. 1), were he to elect not to use the earphones 16 (FIG. 1). The device 15 is powered from a nine (9) volt battery 29 which is removably positioned within the housing 20.

The details of construction of the wind turbine positioned within the cylindrical housing 18 is best seen in FIG. 4C. The turbine blades 30 (two being visible in FIG. 4C) are mounted for rotation, by wind forces, about an axle 41 coincident with the central axis of the cylindrical housing 18. The axle 41 is carried by a pair of bearings positioned centrally in respective spaced apart blade guards 42 and 43. The integral central or hub portion of the blades 30 is fixed to the axle 41 for rotation therewith and include hollow portions within which are carried two "Bunting", centerless magnets 44 and 45. The magnets 44 and 45 rotated with the axle 41, as a result of wind (air) flow through the housing 18, past a fixed conventional magnetic pickup 46. It is to be understood that the magnetic pickup arrangement described above may be replaced by other sensing arrangements. For example, the velocity (speed) signal could be produced optically, the spinning turbine blades 30 (or other moving part of the turbine) could repeatedly break a low power IR-LED light beam. The resulting pulsed light beam would be translated into an electric signal by a phototransistor. Other possible arrangements, include a plurality of magnets associated with reed switches or Hall-effect transistors could be used to produce a suitable signal. A contact wheel or an ultrasonic doppler echo-radar may be used instead.

Briefly stated, the circuitry of the velocity-measuring device includes two main electronic subsystems, a microprocessor subsystem and the voice synthesis/output subsystem. Several other auxiliary subsystems serve to enhance the operation of the main subsystems and provide operator interface. The entire circuit may be mounted on a single printed circuit board (PCB). Two momentary contact push buttons, a volume control rheostat with an integral battery power switch, a miniature speaker, and a phone jack are mounted within the housing and are attached to the PCB by wires.

Turning to FIG. 5, the circuitry of the velocity-measuring device of the present includes a power supply and low battery detector section, a speed encoder section, a microprocessor section, including an EPROM and address latch, and a speech synthesizer section, including an address latch, audio amplifier and sound producer (earphones or loudspeaker).

As shown in FIG. 5, the low battery detector section is illustrated as a voltage comparator 51 which receives its input voltage from the voltage regulator 52 operatively arranged to supply to other circuit components a regulated d.c. operating voltage V.sub.cc. A power switch 50, which is mechanically ganged to the volume control rheostat 39 (also visible in FIG. 4C), is provided for connecting the nine (9) volt battery 29 (also shown in FIG. 4C) to the voltage regulator 52 as its input.

The voltage regulator 52 functions to keep V.sub.cc at a given regulated level over a range of input voltage, thus assuring that the voltage level of the battery 29 need not be exact and that the velocity-measuring device will operate properly, event when the terminal voltage of the battery 29 falls as its charge is reduced or it ages. Whenever the terminal voltage of the battery 29 falls to a level insufficient to supply the voltage regulator 52 or lower, as reflected in the voltage supplied to the voltage comparator 51, the voltage comparator produces a low voltage signal which is supplied to a microprocessor 53, which may be as shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B a 80C40 CMOS microprocessor running at 9.36 MHz. It is to be understood that other microprocessors could be used, as well. The microprocessor 53 monitors the two operator actuated push buttons 22 and 23, and performs all timing, counting and calculating functions in real-time.

The voltage regulator 52 supplied operating voltage V.sub.cc to all the active circuit components, as is conventional. One of these components includes an integrated circuit speech synthesizer 54, which is an allophone synthesizer and receives its power input via a battery saver circuit 55 and lead 56, only when the microprocessor 53 calls upon the synthesizer to produce an output. The battery saver circuit 55 acts as a controlled switch supplying V.sub.cc to the speech synthesizer 54 whenever an enabling signal is received from the microprocessor 53 on its idle data output lead. The software used contains all allophones and builds phrases under control of he microprocessor 53.

The microprocessor 53 provides one output in the form of control signal to a transistor-switch comprising the battery saver circuit 55 controlling battery power to the voice synthesis circuit 54. The power to this circuit is turned off during idle voice synthesis periods of greatly extend battery life. Because the remaining components have minimal power requirements automatic power control for them is not necessary.

The CMOS microprocessor 53 is provided with velocity input data from the speed encoding section which includes a wind (air flow) turbine pickup 46 (also shown in FIG. 4C). The pickup 46 may be a winding responsive to the charging magnetic field associated with the traveling magnets 44 and 45 (FIG. 4C). The output from the wind turbine pickup 46 is approximately a pulse train having a frequency which varies substantially linearly and directly with respect to the angular velocity of the turbine blades 30 (FIG. 4C) and thus represents the current velocity of air flow through the turbine. The pulse train output from the pickup 46 is fed to a Schmitt trigger circuit 57 having its output coupled to a flip-flop circuit 58. A train of pulses having a repetition rate substantially directly proportional to velocity is produced by the flip-flop circuit 58 and supplied, as velocity (speed) data, to the CMOS microprocessor 53. The microprocessor 53 is provided with a program on one of its data lines from a programmed EPROM 60 which is controlled by the microprocessor 53 via an address latch 61. The program supplied from the EPROM 60 may take many forms and be conveniently written in a selected one of a number of languages. In a realized embodiment of the invention, a wiring diagram of which is illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6B, the EPROM 60 was programmed, using assembly language, for 8048 and relatives. A computer-based print out of an exemplary program and source code is incorporated hereinbelow as Appendix A. The wiring diagram in FIGS. 6A-6B includes part designations and component values, allowing those skilled in the art to construct the exemplary circuit of the present invention, without difficulty. As an aid to those skilled in the art who may wish to use the source code set out in Appendix A, a symbol table is set out hereinbelow as Appendix B.

A second output from the microprocessor 53 is fed as a controlling input to the speech synthesizer data input terminal of the speech synthesizer 54. An address input is supplied to the synthesizer 54 via an address latch 62 under control of the microprocessor 53. The speech synthesizer 54 produces an output in the form of synthesized voice sounds which are fed to a low voltage amplifier 63 which amplifies the speech output and supplies it to the earphone jack 24 and/or loudspeaker 33 (FIGS. 4A-4C).

The microprocessor 53 executes one another of two program segments depending on whether the reset push button 22 or the summary push button 23 has been pushed and, in the even a low battery voltage signal is received from the voltage comparator 51, a special program segment calling for the synthesizer 54 to produce an audio output which indicates in verbal terms that the battery 29 is too low to assure that the velocity measuring device can operate accurately.

The major output function of the microprocessor 53 is to control the speech synthesis process. All of the input signal monitoring, timing, conversion, and calculation functions of the microprocessor 53 eventually result in internal numeric variables to be outputted to the user. The microprocessor 53 converts these numeric variables into signals that are compatible with the speech synthesizer 54 by utilizing vocabulary and speech sound lookup tables and related information included in program memory of the EMPROM 60. The microprocessor 53 interacts with the speech synthesizer 54 via a latched output bus and interrupt lines required by the speed synthesizer, the microprocessor 53 outputs each in proper sequence and timing to the speech synthesizer 54, which actually generates the electronic speech signal.

In ski mode, the program provides for audible numbers (0-99) representing current speed at intervals of five seconds. In summary mode, audible numbers indicating average speed (0-99), maximum speed (0-99), elapsed time (minutes:seconds), and distance covered (tenths of a mile) for the previous run are provided along with audible descriptive labels.

In addition, "ready" and "set-go" outputs are provided at power-up and reset respectively to cue the user. The "battery low" output is provided when the battery voltage drops below about five bolts. All calculations and audible outputs are under software control, and can therefore be modified through programming changes. Inasmuch as an allophone speech synthesizer is employed and it can synthesize any words and phrases, the device can easily be reconfigured to speak different units (such as, kilometers per hour) or even to calculate and/or announce different parameters; e.g. "safe speed exceeded". The device could produce its audio output in languages other than English, for example, German, French and the like, by reprogramming.

The output from the speech synthesizer 54 is fed to the miniature speaker 33 (FIG. 4C) and earphone jack (FIGS. 4A-4C) via a low voltage audio amplifier 63. The volume of the output is controlled by the operator via the volume control rheostat 39.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of invention and the accompanying illustrations thereof have been set out by way of example, not by way of limitation. Numerous other embodiments and variants of of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, its scope being defined in the appended claims. ##SPC1##