Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at separate stations – Earth or water medium
Patent
1988-06-02
1989-12-05
Griffin, Robert L.
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at separate stations
Earth or water medium
455 66, 455100, 455351, 340323R, H04B 134
Patent
active
048857971
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to communication systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention arose from a problem in coaching swimmers. A swimming coach watches his swimmers from a pool surround and yells his instructions. Swimming pools especially when indoors are noisy places and it is difficult for any swimmer to understand the shouted instructions. Normally there are many swimmers being coached at the same time and thus each swimmer has to listen for any instruction which might be meant for him and ignore instructions meant for any one else; this is distracting to the swimmer.
The invention is not however limited to swimming instruction but is applicable to most sports and other communication.
The present invention aims to provide a communication system for the transmission of instructions from an instructor to a class or other group of instructees.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention provides a communication system comprising an instruction unit linked electro-magnetically to a receiving unit in something to be worn by an instructee.
The electro-magnetic linking can be done at audio frequency by having a loop surrounding the class or group or by radio transmission. If radio transmission is used, the transmitter should be of low power say 1 watt of radiated power to avoid too large an area in which the signal can be received.
The system can incorporate an encryption or scrambling device to prevent outsiders eavesdropping on the instructions given. There is keen rivalry between swimming coaches.
The system can also incorporate a switching arrangement whereby an individual and/or a sub-group and/or the entire group can be addressed so the instructor can give instructions to whichever individual he selects, to whichever of a number of pre-selected sub-groups he choses and/or the entire group. It would of course be possible to arrange for a plurality of individuals to be instructed without the need for determining in advance which sub-group they belonged to.
The receiving unit has to include an audio-transducer to produce the sound. This audio-transducer can be in the form of ear-piece to be received in the instructee's ear; this has an advantage in that the power demanded from the unit is low but it is difficult to render such a transducer water-proof in a swimming environment. It is preferred in a swimming environment to use a transducer which is enclosed in a water-tight case and then to incorporate that case in the latex of a swimming cap, which in the case of a swimmer or diver would be the said something worn. In a non-watery environment, the said something could be in the form of a head-piece with ear-pieces to fit in the ears although there is nothing to prevent said something being anything worn or carried by the instructee.
Instead of instructions going direct from the instruction unit which can be a hand-held unit, it would be possible to use a relay unit to augment the signal and the relay unit can derive power from a mains supply.
In another aspect of the invention, a swimming cap has provision for receiving an electronic signal receiving unit.
Said provision can be in the form of a pocket or pockets into which the unit can be inserted.
A further aspect of the invention provides a swimming cap incorporating an electronic signal receiving device. The cap can incorporate the said receiving unit by being made in a dipping process with the unit being between two skins or by having a patch vulcanised over the unit.
The receiving unit can be made in two parts each fitting over an ear with each part containing an audio-transducer with one in addition having the electronic circuitry and the other a power supply.
Unfortunately it has been found that the power demand of the receiving unit and particularly that of the transducers gives an undesirably short life of the receiving unit when non-rechargeable batteries are used. It has therefore been found desirable to use rechargeable batteries. It has also been found desirable to switch off
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Gradwell Paul S.
Leather Terence H.
Naylor Frank R.
Griffin Robert L.
Kuntz Curtis
Leather Terence H.
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