Esempi di
applicazioni
Autocross Racing Auto-Timer Uses
WinWedge to transfer data to Lotus Approach
Crest Industries builds auto-timing equipment
for Autocross racing (as well as other automotive and industrial
equipment). The Solo 1 or Solo 2 racing performed by the SCCA (Sports
Car Club of America) is autocross racing and uses the Crest
Industries Auto-Timers.
The Crest Industries Auto Timer is a microprocessor based system
that uses a start and stop sensor to measure the length of time
from when the start sensor is tripped to when the stop sensor is
tripped. The Auto Timer is unique because of how it handles
these times along with the driver's identification through bar
code entry, automatic printing, displaying and database entry.
The live data from this unit can be easily transferred to Lotus
Approach Databases in real-time using WinWedge data acquisition
software. |
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The basic Auto Timer Consists of: a
start and stop sensor, timing controller, micro controller, keypad,
LCD screen , and a thermal printer. Additional add-on's include: a
bar code scanner, electronic display sign (4" characters), WinWedge
communications software, and Lotus Approach '97 .
The Auto Timer works on the principle of the first car to start is
the first car to finish. The Timer monitors the start and stop
sensors and keeps track of when the beams were broken. When the stop
sensor is triggered, the Auto Timer will take the appropriate race
results along with the respective drivers information (from the bar
code) and automatically prints out a timing slip. If the electronic
sign is connected, the car number and race result is also displayed.
Finally, if the computer is connected, the WinWedge communications
software enters the appropriate data real-time into a database (Lotus
Approach), where it is automatically sorted, and saved.
Up to four cars can be scanned in
at any one time, waiting or racing. Each car has a bar code
containing the following data; car number, driver's name, class, and
index number. The data is delimited with forward slashes (/). The
bar codes are read using a Hand Held Products (formerly
Welch Allyn) IMAGETEAM 3800 (IT3800) bar code scanner as this works
well in all lighting conditions.
During the race, penalties and DNFs
( Did Not Finish ) can be added quickly with the keyboard
and viewed on the LCD screen. The micro-controller does all the
necessary calculations of the adjusted and final times from the
penalties. If the car happens to finish before the penalty or DNF
was applied, the value can be easily be edited in the database
program.
To make the Auto-timers easier to
use all connectors and cables are color coded for easy hookup. After
the unit is setup, all the operator(s) must do is enter the car
number in either manually or with the bar code scanner, add
penalties and DNFs when needed, and tear off the timing slip.
The software side is very simple to
set up with WinWedge communications software and Lotus Approach. The
database computer program has pre-defined, easy to use templates
that automatically sort and save the race results. While it is not
necessary to have Lotus Approach 97 experience, it is recommended to
have basic Windows experience. WinWedge automatically takes the data
from the bar code scanner parses it into the 4 fields ( car number,
driver's name, class & index) and fields these fields into the
correct fields in Lotus Approach. WinWedge is set up in the simple "Keystroke
Mode".
The only other requirement is a bar
code label. These can be easily printed with the portable handheld
Brother P-Touch label makers. The Brother label makers produce a
3/4" (or 1") by approximately 3 1/2" long plastic label that is
weather resistant and can be left on for the season or is easily
removed after each session. The bar code label placed on the
windshield of each car provides a fast, simple method of scanning in
this information to the micro-controller right before they race.
WinWedge
Benefits
WinWedge makes it trivially easy to
input the real-time data from the Auto-Timer into Lotus Approach.
The data fields appear where needed in Lotus Approach.
Conclusion
The combination of the Crest
Industries Auto-Timer with a bar code label on the cars, WinWedge
and Lotus Approach allows for real-time, completely accurate timing
data collection in autocross racing.
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