Patent Abstract:
An automatic timing measurement system provides a measure of time of passage of a watercraft through a prescribed course. Inertial or other estimates augmented by GPS speed/position measurements are used to track position of a watercraft, and those estimates are used to allow the locations of prescribed courses to be mapped and memorized. The apparatus may automatically detect passage of a watercraft through mapped courses for the purpose of measuring and reporting time of passage past key points in the course, and for modifying the behavior of the speed control of the apparatus if necessary at certain points in the mapped course. GPS speed control may be augmented with a secondary velocity measurement device that measures speed over water resulting in an optional user selectable real-time compensation for water current. Furthermore, GPS may be used as the key input to produce boat speed-based pull-up profiles.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/903,208 filed Sep. 19, 2007, which is a continuation-in-part patent application that claims priority and incorporates herein by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/056,848, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,330; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/811,616, filed Jun. 11, 2007, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,494,393; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/811,605 filed Jun. 11, 2007, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,491,104; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/811,606, filed Jun. 11, 2007, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,485,021; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/811,604, filed Jun. 11, 2007, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,465,203; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/811,617, filed Jun. 11, 2007, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,494,394. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains to the field of water sports and boating and more specifically to electronic devices for use in water sports. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Competitors in trick, jump, and slalom ski and wakeboard events require tow boats capable of consistent and accurate speed control. Successful completion of slalom and jump runs require passes through a competition water course at a precise specific speed. Competition rules usually require that said speed requirements be confirmed by use of a speed measurement system. For example, American Water Ski Association Three-Event Slalom and Jump competitions specify a required time window for completion of all segments of the course to confirm that speed was maintained adequately throughout the pass. These times have historically been measured either using manual stopwatch measurements or, more recently, using magnetic sensors which are triggered by the presence of magnets attached to buoys in the water in close proximity to the path of the tow boat at the required timing measurement points in the course. Course times have to be reported and logged for every individual pass in competition. Reliability of triggering the magnetic sensor, as well as maintenance of the magnets attached to the buoys has consistently caused major difficulties in running competitive 3-event competitions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a consistent, maintenance free and accurate method of measuring time of passage of a tow boat and skier through courses such as those used for slalom and jump competitions without the need for magnets or other physical attachments to the course infrastructure. Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology is used to map and memorize the location of courses in a permanent memory within a computer system. The system is then able to recognize every time the tow boat passes through the course using continuously updated GPS position estimates. By interpolating between periodic position updates, the system can accurately estimate time of closest approach to the entry gate to the course, and subsequently track time to all points of interest down the course using either the same GPS position measurement technique, or by tracking displacement of the tow boat down the line of the course using other techniques such as integration of velocity to derive position displacement. 
     An automatic timing measurement system that provides a measure of time of passage of a watercraft through a prescribed course. Algorithms based on inertial or other estimates augmented by GPS speed/position measurements are used to track position of a watercraft. Said position estimates are used to allow the locations of prescribed courses to be mapped and memorized. Algorithms are then used to allow the apparatus to automatically detect passage of a watercraft through mapped courses for the purpose of measuring and reporting time of passage of said watercraft past key points in said course, and for modifying the behavior of the speed control portion of the apparatus if necessary at certain points in the mapped course. A measure of accuracy of driver steering can be provided along with the ability to automatically steer the watercraft through the course if “steer-by-wire” mechanism is available. GPS speed control is augmented with a secondary velocity measurement device that measures speed over water resulting in an optional user selectable real-time compensation for water current. Furthermore, GPS is used as the key input to produce boat speed-based pull-up profiles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of external housing of the device of the instant invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the electronics contained within the housing of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a feedback control loop diagram demonstrating the operation of an observer in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of an example water body including three ski courses. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram disclosing a method that an observer in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention may use to determine observed velocity and observed position. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram disclosing a method for automatically detecting a previously-mapped course. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow diagram disclosing a method of detecting and reporting the time at which a plurality of events is detected. 
         FIG. 8  is a flow diagram disclosing a method by which a user interactively “maps” a desired water course, and by which the present invention stores the mapped water course into non-volatile memory. 
         FIG. 9  is an example of a competitive slalom ski course. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention relates generally to electronic event detectors and more specifically to electronic event detectors for use with power boats. 
     As show in  FIG. 1 , the event detector  100  of the present invention includes a housing  102  for housing the electronics of the invent detector an accelerometer  106  and a GPS  104 . GPS  104  is preferably a unit separate from housing  102 , e.g. a GARMIN® GPS 18-5 Hz. 
     Electronic housing  102  includes a display  108  and interface buttons  110 . As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art the display  108  is preferably made out of moldable materials such as plastic, aluminum, glass, and the like, with a clear glass or plastic cover. Importantly, the housing is adapted to be waterproof to prevent damage to the electronics when in use. The display  108  may be a commercially available LCD display that is capable of displaying numbers or letters and information related to the event. User interface buttons  110  are actuators attached to the electronics covered in a rubberized membrane that allows buttons to remain waterproof during their actuation. The LCD display interface buttons  110  and glass cover are attached to an insulated housing  102  via e.g., screws, friction fit, adhesive, or the like inside the housing  102  are electronics, to be described below, that perform the functions of the device. 
     The electronics will now be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . In general, the electronics of the event locator device  100  includes microprocessor  200 , non-volatile storage  202 , GPS interface  204 , Clock  206 , speaker  208 , power device  210 , user input interface  214 , accelerometer  216 , and analog-to-digital converter  218 . 
     Microprocessor  200  is the “brains” of the invention and performs location calculations and timing data for output to a user. Preferably microprocessor  200  is capable of being externally programmed. Volatile storage  202  is connected to microprocessor  200  and stores event data such as map information, location information, and timing information for the microprocessor&#39;s calculations. Clock device  206  provides time data to the microprocessor  200  which can be displayed to a user. GPS interface  204  interfaces with the GPS system which provides location data to the microprocessor  200 . Accelerometer  216  generates an acceleration signal and provides the same to the microprocessor  2000 . AC/DC converter converts the signal from the accelerometer to a digital signal for input into the microcontroller  200 . User input interface  214  is connected to the microprocessor and allows the user to program certain device settings into the non-volatile storage  202  such as map information, desired speed, and the like. Display  212  interacts with microprocessor to display event data speed, location and time information. Power supply  210  provides power to microcontroller and all of the associated electronics. 
     The general operation of microprocessor  200  will now be described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 3 . Note  FIG. 3  contemplates a scenario where course mapping information is already saved in memory and accessible by the microprocessor. As is shown, the accelerometer receives a signal from the boat indicative of the boat&#39;s acceleration and inputs this signal to a microprocessor. The microprocessor converts the acceleration value into a velocity value in step  15  and in step  16  receives both the velocity information from the accelerometer and the velocity data from the GPS. As one skilled in the art will appreciate the velocity from a GPS is not updated continuously, and the velocity information from the accelerometer is used to provide resolution to the velocity information from the GPS system in step  17 . An observed velocity is output at step  17 , and in step  70  the velocity information and direction information obtained from the GPS system is used to calculate a latitude and longitude value for the accelerometer. In step  80 , latitude and longitude information from the GPS system is compared to latitude and longitude information from the accelerometer. Much like step  17 , the latitude and longitude information from the accelerometer is then used to attenuate the GPS signal. The microprocessor then outputs a latitude and longitude observed signal, which is used in reference to map data input by the user at the start of the process. When a preselected event occurs, as calculated by the comparison observed latitude/longitude signals the microprocessor outputs a sound signal to speaker  208  and a display signal to user display  108 . 
     Collectively, the accelerometer  216 , analog-to-digital converter  218 , computing device  200 , GPS unit  204 , memory  221  and clock  206  comprise the elements of an observer  222 . The observer  222  is adapted to act both as a velocity observer (in which it outputs an observed velocity) and as a position observer (in which it outputs an observed position). In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an accelerometer acts as the primary source of data for computing displacements over time, with periodic updates from the GPS provided to account for drift in the accelerometer. But it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that there are many other methods available for performing this task. For example, over-water velocity may be measured directly by means of a transducer such as a paddle wheel or a pitot tube, and those measurements may or may not be corrected with GPS inputs. In the case of direct velocity measurement, only a single integration with respect to time is needed to compute a new position. And, as GPS technology becomes more accurate and as new data are available at a higher frequency, it is conceivable that a GPS unit will provide the sole velocity and position inputs. Other configurations for measuring velocity and position will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and it is intended for this patent to encompass such additional configurations. 
     The specific software flow of the microprocessor programming will be described with reference to  FIGS. 5 through 8 . 
       FIG. 5  discloses the functioning of a preferred embodiment of an observer  222 . In step  501 , a GPS signal is received from the GPS device  204 . GPS device  204  provides a GPS position  513 , a GPS velocity  512 , and a GPS direction  511 . Step  501  uses the GPS position as its initial starting position. In Step  502 , there is a check to see if a new GPS position has been received. If a new GPS position has been received, in Step  503  it is checked to see if the GPS position is a valid GPS position. Step  503  compensates for the potential of invalid GPS signals such as occasionally occur in GPS devices known in the art. If the new GPS signal is a valid signal, then the observed position  509  is set to a value of the accelerometer corrected by the difference between the last observed position and the GPS position  513 . A constant  515  is provided such as is calculated to provide the appropriate weight to the GPS measurement. For example, if constant  515  is set to one, then the GPS position is afforded its full weight. If constant  515  is set to a value less than one, the GPS is provided less weight, and it if it set to a value greater than one, the GPS is provided more weight. This constant is selected in accordance with the relative accuracies of the GPS and accelerometer such that for a more accurate GPS device, greater weight can be given to the GPS value and for a less accurate GPS device, less weight can be given to the GPS value. The result of this calculation is an observed position  509 . 
     It is necessary to compensate for the 5 Hz resolution of the GPS device. This resolution is insufficient for the preferred embodiment of the present invention. So there is provided an alternative device, starting at step  505 , which includes an accelerometer  316 . The accelerometer provides a measured acceleration which is converted to a binary value in analog-to-digital converter  218 . It is then useful for being compared to digital values provided by the GPS device  204 . In step  506 , an observed velocity is computed. The velocity is computed by first taking the last observed velocity  510  and the velocity provided by the GPS  512 . This difference is adjusted by a velocity constant  517 . As with position constant  515 , velocity constant  517  is selected to compensate for the relative accuracy of the GPS device. The weighted difference is then added to the velocity computed by taking the first integral of the acceleration with respect to time, thereby providing a correction factor. In step  507 , an accelerometer-computed position  514  is calculated. This position is computed by taking the integral of the velocity vector with respect to time. The displacement calculated thereby is adjusted to the direction signal provided by the GPS. This GPS correction step is used in the preferred embodiment because, in the interest of simplicity, the three-accelerometer is used only to compute acceleration along the single axis of the length of the boat. The result is accelerometer-computed position  514 . The usefulness of accelerometer-computed position  514  is that it can be calculated at a frequency of approximately 1,000 hertz. So returning to step  502 , if no new GPS signal has been provided, then the observed position is provided by the change in position as calculated by the accelerometer with no further input from the GPS device. Thus, there is provided from the observer an observed position  509  as well as an observed velocity  510 . 
       FIG. 8  discloses a method of using a watercraft equipped with a position and velocity observer, such as is described in  FIG. 5 , to map a competitive water course. In step  801 , there is initial determination of the position and velocity of the watercraft as provided by the observed velocity  510  and the observed position  509 . In step  802 , there is a check to see whether there has been a user input from a map button  214 . If no user input is provided, then the position observer continuously updates the position and velocity of the watercraft. Once there has been a user input at step  803 , the current observed position  509  and the current heading are stored in non-volatile storage  202 . In step  805 , there is provided a step of checking to see if it is desired to map another point. If another point is to be mapped, then there is a return to step  801  and the method is repeated until, at step  805 , there is no further point to mapped. When there is no further point to be mapped, at step  806 , the device may calculate a number of predetermined intermediate points in between the points mapped and stored in step  803 . These intermediate points are also stored in non-volatile storage  202 . 
     In  FIG. 6 , there is disclosed a method of automatically detecting a course that has been mapped in accordance with the method of  FIG. 8 . At step  601 , there is initial determination of position and velocity provided by observed position  509  and observed velocity  510 . In step  602 , compare the observed position  509  to a predetermined position as mapped in accordance with the method of  FIG. 8 . This mapped position is provided from non-volatile storage  202 . In  603  there is a determination of which of a plurality of mapped courses as mapped in accordance with the method of  FIG. 8  is the closest to the present observed position  509 . Once a closest course has been locked in, then, in step  604 , there is a check to see whether the watercraft is inside the lockout region of the closest water course. If the craft is within the lockout region, then there is also a check to see whether the craft is approaching from outside the course and is proceeding in the right direction along the center line of the course. If these criteria are not met, then continue looking for entrance into a course. If the criteria are met, then, in step  606 , check to see whether the craft has crossed the plane of the entry gate of the course. If it has not, then return to step  602 , continuing looking for entry to a course. If the criteria are met, then the craft has entered a mapped course and the course timing algorithm will automatically begin in step  607 . This provides an observed position at the entry point  608 . 
     In  FIG. 7  there is disclosed a method for computing total time and intermediate times through a competitive water course. There is provided an observed position at the entry point  608  and there is also provided a clock signal  206 . In step  701 , the time at the entry point is recorded in temporary memory  221 . In step  702 , an observed position  509  is provided and this provides the present position of the watercraft. A plurality of points of interest are stored in non-volatile storage  202 . In step  703 , a point of interest is provided and there is a check to see if the current observed position  509  exceeds the position of the point of interest. If the present position  509  does not exceed the position of the point of interest, then the loop is continued until the present observed position exceeds the position of the point of interest. At this point, in step  704 , the present observed time  709  is recorded into temporary memory  221  and, in step  705 , the current observed time  709  is displayed on user display  212 . In step  706 , there is provided an ideal time  710 . An error time  711  is computed as the difference between the ideal time  710  and the observed time  709 . The error time  711  is also stored in temporary storage  221  and displayed on user display  212 . 
     In a parallel process to step  704 , when a point of interest is reached, there is also provided an audible signal through a speaker  208  to provide an audible indication to the user that this point has been passed. After steps  704 ,  705 ,  706  and  708  are completed, then in step  707  there is a check to see if this is the last point of interest. If it is not, then there is a return to step  702 . If this is the last point of interest, the process ends. 
     The use of the device will now be described with respect to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  9 . 
     As diagrammed in  FIG. 3  showing feedback system  310 , the inertia measurement device (accelerometer)  216  measures the actual acceleration a a  of a watercraft  50  and the GPS device  204  measures the actual velocity v a  and position of the same watercraft  50 . The output from the accelerometer a Acc  is input into a first step  15  that coverts a Acc  to velocity V Acc . The output from first step  15  v Acc  and the GPS output v GPS  are input to a second step  17 . The output from a second step  17  v OBS  and the output (Dir GPS ) indicating course or direction of travel from the GPS device  204  are input into a third step  70  to derive inertial-based estimates of the latitude (Lat Acc ) and longitude (Long Acc  of the watercraft  50 . Direct GPS measurements of latitude (Lat GPS ) and longitude (Long GPS ) and the outputs from the third step  70  are input in a fourth step  80  to correct inertial-based estimates of the latitude (Lat Acc ) and longitude (Long Acc ) of the watercraft  50  to account for any inaccuracies due to drift or acceleration sensor inaccuracies. Lat OBS  and Long OBS  can then be used to allow the boat driver to record via a user interface the absolute latitude and longitude position coordinates of a course to be saved into a permanent non-volatile memory. Coordinates can be recorded either by direct numerical entry of measured coordinates, or by snapshotting course coordinates as the boat is maneuvering through the course to be mapped. The driver can identify course reference points via a user interface (not shown) or button press as the boat passes the point to be mapped. Since all courses of interest are laid out in straight lines, mapping of two known points in a course is sufficient to fully define the locations of all points of interest in a course and it&#39;s direction relative to earth latitude and longitude coordinates. All future passages of the towboat within a specified distance of selected course coordinates as measured by Lat OBS  and Long OBS  can then be detected and used to initiate timing measurements of the towboat through the mapped course. 
       FIG. 9  discloses a competitive slalom ski course. This is the type of course on which an embodiment of the present invention may be used. There is shown an entry gate  901 , which can be characterized by a precise global coordinate specified in latitude and longitude. The opposite end point of the course is exit gate  905 , which may also be characterized as a latitude and longitude. Because the course lies along a substantially straight line, the locations of all points of interest along the course can be found given the positions of the two end points. A course centerline  906  lies along a substantially straight line and is slightly larger than the width of a water craft. The centerline is defined by boat buoys  904 , which the water craft must stay in between. There are also provided ski buoys  902 , which the skier must ski around during the passage of the course, in an alternating pattern as shown by the ski path  903 . The skier must pass between the buoys defining first break point  907  before proceeding along ski path  903 . At the end of the course is a second break point  908 . The skier must ski between the two buoys defining second break point  908  after passing around the last buoy  902 . In between these points are six intermediate points  904 , each defined by a pair of buoys, which are positioned to be substantially collinear with the ski buoys  902 . 
     The entry gate  901 , exit gate  905 , break points  907  and  908  and intermediate buoys  904  are all points of interest whose passage may need to be detected. The time at which the boat  50  passes these points may be used to determine whether a run is valid, according to whether the time is within an allowable margin of error. Because these points are defined according to precisely-surveyed distances, their locations can be detected by a substantially accurate observer (such as is provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention) given only the location of the two end points. So the mapping course-mapping method described in  FIG. 8  provides the observer with sufficient information to determine when a point of interest has been passed in accordance with the method of  FIG. 7 . 
     Once a course has been mapped, the location of the course can be stored in a permanent storage medium  202  such as a disk drive or flash memory. Further qualification of valid entry to a course can then be carried out based on GPS direction measurements so that timing measurements are only made when the towboat enters a mapped course while traveling along the known direction of the course centerline. Further, any deviations of the tow boat from the center line of the course can be detected and factored geometrically into the measurement of displacement down the centerline of the course so that errors in timing measurement due to driver steering error can be compensated for. 
       FIG. 4  discloses a water course with a plurality of competitive ski courses. There is disclosed a first slalom course  401 , a second slalom course  402  and a jump course  403 . First slalom course  401  has entry and exit thresholds  405 . Second slalom course  402  has entry and exit thresholds  406 . The slalom courses may be traversed in either direction through entry and exit thresholds  405  and  406 . A jump course  403  may be entered only through entry threshold  411  because ski jump  409  is unidirectional. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a user may approach a course, for example first slalom course  401 . Upon entering the entry threshold  405  in the direction of the course centerline  408 , the user will press a button whereby the computing device is alerted of the location of the entry/exit threshold. The user then proceeds along course centerline  408  and presses a button again at the opposite entry/exit threshold  405 . 
     The computing device also interfaces with a permanent storage medium. This storage medium contains the desired locations of intermediate buoys  407 , which are located at pre-determined distances from the entry/exit buoys. “This process” allows the computing device to learn the exact location of first slalom course  401 . “The process” can then be repeated to allow the computing device to learn the locations of second slalom course  402  and jump course  409 . 
     Once the computing device has learned the locations of courses  401 ,  402  and  403 , it is desirable for the device to automatically detect which course it is at without further user intervention. So there are shown mapped lockout regions  404  around each of the entry/exit thresholds  405 ,  406  and  411 . According to the method disclosed in  FIG. 6 , the device will detect which of the mapped courses is closest to its present position. The device may also selectively detect only courses of a specific type (jump or slalom) depending on its current mode of operation. If the device then determines it is within a lockout regions  404 , it will check to see if the boat is approaching from outside the entry/exit threshold and in the correct direction along the course centerline. If these criteria are met, then the device will calculate the time of the closest approach to the plane of the entry gate. At that time it will begin timing the path without any intervention from the user. 
     Because the locations of intermediate buoys  407  are pre-programmed, the device may provide an audible or visual indication of the passing of each intermediate buoy  407 . It may also provide intermediate times at the passing of each intermediate buoy  407 . Finally, it will calculate the time at which boat  50  passes through the opposite entry/exit threshold  405 . 
     In this manner the device can automatically time a pass through a memorized course without any further intervention from the user. 
     A driver score can also be provided based on the degree of this error which can be used to rate driver performance and confirm accuracy of the boat path through the course, which is also a criterion used in judging whether a competitive pass is valid. 
     Any boat speed or engine torque modification requirements which may depend on position in the course can be triggered based on Lat OBS  and Long OBS  relative to the mapped course location. 
     As one skilled in the art will recognize, the device of the invention is one of the category of commonly understood instruments that measures an object&#39;s acceleration. The velocity of on object can be calculated by integrating the acceleration of an object over time. Further, the position of an object relative to a known starting point can be calculated by integrating the velocity of an object over time. A GPS device is one of the category of commonly understood instruments that use satellites to determine the substantially precise global position and velocity of an object. Such position and velocity measurements can be used in conjunction with timers to determine an object&#39;s instantaneous velocity and average velocity between two points, along with its absolute position at any point in time. A comparator is any analog or digital electrical, electronic, mechanical, hydraulic, or fluidic device capable of determining the sum of or difference between two input parameters, or the value of an input relative to a predetermined standard. An algorithm is any analog or digital electrical, electronic, mechanical, hydraulic, or fluidic device capable of performing a computational process. The algorithms disclosed herein can be performed on any number of computing devices commonly called microprocessors or microcontrollers, examples of which include the Motorola® MPC555 and the Texas Instruments® TMS320. 
     Use of observed velocity and position estimates based on inertial or other measurement sources allows for error correction of occasional glitches or interruptions in availability of accurate GPS velocity and position measurements. These can occur in the course of normal operations, either due to GPS antenna malfunction, or temporary loss of GPS satellite visibility due to overhead obstruction from bridges or overhanging vegetation and the like. 
     Other embodiments of the system could include automated steering of the boat down the centerline of the course making use of course location information stored as described in 0014 thru 0016 above. The present invention may be included as part of an electronic closed-loop feedback system that controls the actual angular velocity ωa of a boat propeller, and, indirectly, the actual over land velocity V a  of the watercraft propelled by that propeller. 
     Another embodiment allows the apparatus to track the position of a skier behind the watercraft as he/she traverses the course. This can be achieved by mounting a GPS antenna somewhere on or near the body of the skier and capturing these data concurrently with data from a tow boat mounted antenna. Such GPS antennae can be either wired or wirelessly connected to the main apparatus. 
     It will be apparent to those with ordinary skill in the relevant art having the benefit of this disclosure that the present invention provides an apparatus for tracking the position and velocity of a watercraft through a prescribed course without the need for measurement aids such as magnets built into the course infrastructure. It is understood that the forms of the invention shown and described in the detailed description and the drawings are to be taken merely as presently preferred examples and that the invention is limited only by the language of the claims. The drawings and detailed description presented herein are not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments disclosed. While the present invention has been described in terms of one preferred embodiment and a few variations thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that form and detail modifications can be made to that embodiment without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6