Wireless scoring system for sport fencing

Abstract

A wireless scoring system is provided which does not require any interconnecting wires between the scoring equipment and the fencers and which requires no change in existing fencing or scoring equipment. A touch detector unit is worn by each fencer and is operative to provide signal indications of fencing touches or hits which uniquely identify each fencer and which signify valid and invalid hits and which can be wirelessly transmitted to receiving apparatus coupled to the scoreboard or other scoring equipment. The system is plug compatible with existing fencing weapons and scoring equipment and is readily employed therewith.

1 . A wireless scoring system for sport fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and a guard, the system comprising: 
 a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:    a signal source connectable to the weapon blade or tip of the fencer and operative to provide a signal having a characteristic unique to each respective fencer;    detector circuitry connectable to the weapon blade or tip, guard and/or the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a first signal having a first characteristic when the fencer's own guard touches the fencer's own lamé, and operative to provide a second signal having a second characteristic when the opponent fencer's weapon touches the fencer's guard or the fencer's lamé or the opponent fencer's body;    a microprocessor responsive to the first and second signals to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and    a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  including a second signal source connectable to a piste and operative to provide a signal having a characteristic unique to the piste; 
 and wherein the detector circuitry is connectable to the piste and operative to provide a third signal having a third characteristic when a weapon tip touches the piste, the microprocessor also responsive to the third signal.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  including receiving apparatus operative to receive data from the wireless modem and to provide such data to scoring apparatus.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the detector circuitry includes: 
 a switch detector operative upon sensing a change in the state of a tip switch of the weapon caused by the weapon tip hitting an object, to provide a fourth signal indicative of the change of state;    and wherein the microprocessor is also responsive to the fourth signal.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the receiving apparatus includes a wireless modem for receipt of the transmission from the modem of the touch detector unit; 
 a microprocessor for decoding the received data; and    an interface for converting the received data to a format for application to a scoreboard.    
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the interface includes a plurality of switches connectable to the scoreboard for providing scoring signals thereto.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the scoring signals provided by the interface are compatible with standard fencing scoreboards.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 2  including receiving apparatus having a wireless modem for receipt of scoring data from the modem of the touch detector unit; 
 a microprocessor receiving scoring data and decoding the scoring data; and    an interface for coupling the decoded data to a scoreboard.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 3  further including a computer interface for coupling scoring data to a computer.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  including network apparatus having a server which receives signals from at least one of a scoreboard interface and a computer; 
 a database coupled to the server for containing scoring data; and    display apparatus coupled to the server and operative to display scoring information.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 5  wherein data is transmitted between the modem of the touch detector unit and the modem of the receiving apparatus by a packet data protocol.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the modem of the receiving apparatus periodically transmits a request packet to each touch detector unit; 
 and wherein each touch detector unit responds to a data request by sending a scoring data packet to the receiving apparatus.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the receiving apparatus includes: 
 a piste detector operative to provide first or second signals in response to a fencer's weapon tip touching the piste;    and wherein the microprocessor receives and decodes the first or second signals from the piste detector.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the detector circuitry includes a switch state detector for providing a signal to the microprocessor representing change of switch state when a weapon tip touches an object.  
   
   
       15 . A wireless scoring system for sport fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising: 
 a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:    a signal source connectable to the weapon blade or tip of the fencer and operative to provide a signal having a frequency unique to each respective fencer;    detector circuitry connectable to the weapon blade or tip, guard and/or the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a first signal representing a first frequency when the fencer's own guard touches the fencer's own lamé, and operative to provide a second signal representing a second frequency when the opponent fencer's weapon touches the fencer's guard or the fencer's lamé or the opponent fencer's body;    a microprocessor responsive to the first and second signals to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and    a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the detector circuitry provides a digital code representing the first and second frequency.  
   
   
       17 . For use with fencing weapons having a three-wire terminal configuration, a wireless scoring system comprising: 
 a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit including:    a signal source connectable to the tip switch of a foil or an epee, or to the blade of a saber and operative to provide a signal having a frequency unique to each respective fencer;    the signal source including for use with an epee a second signal source connectable to a piste and for providing a piste signal having a frequency unique to the piste;    detector circuitry connectable to the guard and lamé of a foil, or to the guard of an epee, or to the lamé of a saber, and operative to provide:    for a foil, a digital signal representing the fencer's frequency when the fencer's own guard touches the fencer's own lamé;    for an epee, a digital signal representing the opponent fencer's frequency when the opponent fencer's blade tip touches the fencer's guard;    for a saber, a digital signal representing the opponent fencer's frequency when the opponent fencer's blade touches the fencer's lamé;    the detector circuitry including for use with an epee, a piste detector for providing a digital signal representing the piste frequency when the fencer's blade tip touches the piste;    a microprocessor responsive to the digital signals to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and    a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.    
   
   
       18 . A wireless scoring system for saber fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising: 
 a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:    a signal source connectable to the blade and guard of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;    detector circuitry connectable to the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a signal representing the fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's lamé is touched by the opponent fencer's blade;    a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and    a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.    
   
   
       19 . A wireless scoring system for foil fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising: 
 a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:    a signal source connectable to the tip switch of the fencer's blade and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;    detector circuitry connectable to the guard and tip switch of the fencer's weapon and operative to provide a signal representing switch actuation upon a blade tip touch, and to provide a signal representing the fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's lamé is touched by the opponent fencer's blade tip or when the fencer's guard is touched by the opponent fencer's blade tip, and operative to provide a signal representing the fencer's signal frequency when the fencer's lamé is touched by the opponent fencer's blade tip.    a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and    a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.    
   
   
       20 . A wireless scoring system for epee fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising: 
 a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:    a first signal source connectable to the tip switch of the fencer's blade and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;    a second signal source connectable to a piste and providing a piste signal having a frequency unique to the piste;    detector circuitry connectable to the guard and tip switch of the fencer's weapon and operative to provide a signal representing switch actuation upon a blade tip touch, and to provide a signal representing the fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's guard is touched by the opponent fencer's blade tip, and a signal representing the piste frequency when the fencer's epee touches the piste;    a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies and piste frequency to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and    a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.    
   
   
       21 . A wireless scoring system for saber fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising: 
 a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:    a signal source connectable to the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;    detector circuitry connectable to the weapon guard and blade of the fencer and operative to provide a signal representing the fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's lamé is touched by the opponent fencer's blade;    a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and    a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.    
   
   
       22 . A wireless scoring system for foil fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising: 
 a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:    a first signal source connectable to the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a first frequency unique to the respective fencer;    a second signal source connectable to the guard of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a second frequency unique to the respective fencer;    detector circuitry connectable to the tip switch and lamé or guard of the fencer and operative to provide:    a signal representing the fencer signal having the first frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's blade tip touches the opponent fencer's lamé;    a signal representing the fencer signal having the second frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's blade tip touches the opponent fencer's guard;    a signal representing the fencer signals of first or second frequency when the lamé of the fencer is touched by the fencer's own guard;    a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and    a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.    
   
   
       23 . A wireless scoring system for epee fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising: 
 a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:    a first source connectable to the guard of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;    a power source connectable to a tip switch of the fencer's blade tip for providing a DC current thereto;    a second signal source connectable to a piste and providing a piste signal having a frequency unique to the piste;    detector circuitry connectable to the tip switch of the fencer's blade and operative to provide a signal representing switch actuation upon a blade tip touch, and a fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's blade tip touches the opponent fencer's guard, and a signal representing the piste frequency when the fencer's epee touches the piste;    a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies and piste frequency to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and    a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.