Competition starting system
OwnerJoseph L. Curraninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A competition starting system utilizes a start-receiver to detect a venue starting sound and transmits a wireless signal to start signaling devices having a speaker to emit one or more lights and a lane start sound to indicate the start of the competition. This system may be used to enable hearing impaired competitors to see a start light at their lane in race competitions. A start-controller may have a number of buttons to initiate various lights and sounds from the start signaling devices and to place the start-receiver in a start mode. The buttons may correspond to ready, mark and start. The start-receiver may be programmed to detect a start sound, when in the start mode, from a venue sound device that is above a threshold decibel level and send instructions to the start signaling device to emit the start light.
Claims17
A competitive starting system for a race competition comprising:
- a) a start-receiver comprising:
- i) microphone configured to detect a venue start sound from a venue sound device proximal to the start-receiver;
- ii) a wireless signal transmitter configured to send a wireless signal with start instructions;
- iii) a microcontroller coupled with the microphone and configured to control the functions of the start-receiver;
- b) a start-controller comprising:
- i) a wireless signal transmitter that sends a wireless signal to the start-receiver to place the start-receiver in a “start mode” to configure the start-receiver to detect said venue start sound;
- wherein the start-receiver and start-controller are separate components wherein the start-receiver is configured in a housing and wherein the start-controller is configured in a housing that is separate from the housing of the start-receiver:
- c) a plurality of start signaling devices, with a first of said plurality of start signaling device configured at a first lane or between said first lane and a second lane of said race competition, and a second of said plurality of start signaling device configured at said second lane or between said second lane and a third lane of said race competition, wherein each of said plurality of start signaling device comprises:
- i) a signal receiver consisting of a wireless signal receiver configured to receive the wireless signal from the wireless signal transmitter of the start-receiver;
- ii) a start light device configured to illuminate a start light when the start-receiver detects said venue start sound via the microphone and sends said wireless signal with start instructions;
- wherein the start-controller is wirelessly connected to both the start receiver and the plurality of start signaling devices;
- and
- whereby when the start-receiver detects said venue start sound when in said start mode, the start-receiver sends a wireless signal with start instructions to the plurality of start signaling devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.