Method for Tactile Signaling of Touches in the Sport of Fencing

Abstract

A method and apparatus are described for adding tactile signaling to the electronic scoring equipment used in the sport of fencing. The tactile signaling introduced by this invention is intended to complement, not replace, existing electronic fencing scoring systems and the signals that are already employed to indicate touches, both optical and auditory (i.e. lights and a bell or buzzer, respectively). The system here would receive indication that a touch had been scored from an existing scoring system. Signals would be transmitted wirelessly to a unit on or near the director's person. Tactile signaling would be accomplished by a pair of offset motors attached to each of the director's hands (or wrists or arms). When the fencer to the director's right scores a touch, the right motor would vibrate. When the fencer to the director's left scores a touch, the left motor would vibrate.

1 . A method for signaling touches in a fencing bout in a tactile manner, comprising
 a. detecting the touches achieved by the fencers in the bout,   b. sending signals indicating the touches wirelessly to a separate unit which may be located near the director or on the director's person,   c. receiving signals indicating the touches wirelessly in a separate unit which may be located near the director or on the director's person, and   d. using the received signals indicating the touches to actuate a tactile signal in the director's left or right hand, wrist or arm, corresponding to a touch achieved by the left or right fencer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the touches achieved by the fencers in the bout may be detected directly by monitoring the opening and closing of the circuits created by the fencers' weapons contacting valid or invalid target areas; or may be detected indirectly by monitoring an existing scoring system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claims 1 - 2 , wherein circuitry for detecting and conditioning the signaled touches may be located in separate units housed on the person of each fencer, or in a single unit housed in or near the control box of an existing scoring system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claims 1 - 3 , wherein the unit or units for detecting and conditioning the signaled touches mentioned in  claim 3  contains a means of sending wireless signals to a separate unit located on or near the director's person (which is here called the receiving unit). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claims 1 - 4 , wherein the receiving unit contains both a means of receiving signals wirelessly that indicate when touches have been scored by either fencer, and circuitry for processing and conditioning these received signals. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claims 1 - 5 , wherein the signals received by the receiving unit are used to actuate tactile signals in the form of offset motors attached to the director's right and left hands, wrists or arms. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claims 1 - 6 , wherein the offset motors may be attached to the receiving unit either with wires or in a wireless manner. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claims 1 - 7 , wherein a tactile signal on the director's right hand, wrist or arm indicates that the right fencer has achieved a touch, and a tactile signal on the director's left hand, wrist or arm indicates that the left fencer has achieved a touch.