Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for timing races

US5136283A · kind A · utility

16Cited by
6References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 14, 1990
Grant dateAug 4, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 14, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG04F13/02
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

This race timing apparatus of the video finish type includes a photo sensitive CCD bar (5) which may be read at a predetermined frequency in correspondence with the run past speed (Vi) of the image of the race. The images are stored and visualized by means of a commercial recorder (22) and monitor (23) of a fixed standardized sweep frequency. Since the image acquisition frequency by the bar is not synchronous with the visualization frequency, one proceeds with the generation of image parts using buffer memories (19, 20), the image parts being next stored in an image memory (21) and then read in a discontinuous manner by jumping over image parts in synchronism with a standard TV sweep. The apparatus enables the offering of a system at a low overall cost price since it employs a recorder and a monitor currently obtainable on the market.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.