Making a Scoring Machine

[yba2cuo3]

Hello Marc,
Could you post a link to the GPL descriptions of code etc? I'm assuming you've put it up on SourceForge or some other site. I'd like to look at your software design and see how amendable it is to adding stuff on as a curiousity.

J.

The GPL code is essentially unchanged from the original post, which is available at:

Early Christmas present, aka a free scoring machine!

The main difference with my version is with the timing changes to support FIE2006: i.e. In the code, look for the line labelled...

;-----Constants-----

LockoutTimerConstEpee EQU D'15' ;47.88 ms (15x lockout timer units) for Epee
LockoutTimerConstFoil EQU D'94' ;300.05 ms (94x lockout timer units) for Foil
LockoutTimerConstSaber EQU D'38' ;121.3 ms (36x lockout timer units) for Saber
DebounceConstFoil EQU D'35' ;13.97 ms (35x tip timer units) for foil tip debounce
DebounceConstEpee EQU D'10' ;3.9ms (10x tip timer units) for Epee tip debounce
DebounceConstSaber EQU D'2' ;0.798 ms (2x tip timer units) for Saber debounce
WhipoverConst EQU D'38' ;15.162 ms (38x tip timer units) for whipover
WhipoverWindow EQU D'10' ;3.99 ms (10x tip timer units) for Whipover window
WhipoverLockoutConst EQU D'38' ;15.162 ms (38x tip timer units) for Whipover lockout

I guess I can also drop the latest files in SourceForge, or start a Yahoo or Google group, etc.

Stay tunned for posting details.

Marc

[yba2cuo3]

For those interested in getting their hands on the design details, I've created a Yahoo group for the GNU-GPL Scoring Machine at: http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/GNU-GPL-3WT/

Enjoy,

Marc

[yba2cuo3]

A few years ago I obtained a scoring machine design by Piet Wauters who worked for Philips back in the 1990's. It was based on a 68HC11 microprocessor.

I've placed the design files at http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/GNU-GPL-3WT/

All I had at the time was a S-record file (for programming) but I did manage to get it converted to analyze the assembly code. I never built the box so I can't really vouch for it's performance. Obviously, the timing constants would need to adjusted if someone was interested in pursuing this design.

Marc

[griffindm]

Marc,

You might want to check out this site and talk with the designer Joe Jensen. You two might have something to gain by joining efforts.

http://fencingbox.sourceforge.net/

Be patient. The weblink takes a little while to load, but he has some good stuff there. His JBox project uses 3 microcontrollers, and includes score, timers (using leds), and remote control.

Dave G.

[yba2cuo3]

Marc,

You might want to check out this site and talk with the designer Joe Jensen. You two might have something to gain by joining efforts.

http://fencingbox.sourceforge.net/

Be patient. The weblink takes a little while to load, but he has some good stuff there. His JBox project uses 3 microcontrollers, and includes score, timers (using leds), and remote control.

Dave G.

Yes, I have those files also. The design contains some good info. I'm particularly interested in the timer portion as a possible standalone add-on to existing score boxes. Some people have voiced an interest in this type of capability.

Thanks,

Marc

[martynB]

Yes, I have those files also. The design contains some good info. I'm particularly interested in the timer portion as a possible standalone add-on to existing score boxes. Some people have voiced an interest in this type of capability.

Thanks,

Marc

Does anyone know if this project still live I cant find any content on the sourceforge download link?

Martyn

[DHCJr]

Martyn, you are right the download button gives you nothing. I tried different buttons. Use the 'Browse Source' button above 'Download'. It takes a while to get all the source that way, but it does work.

[yba2cuo3]

Personally I like this idea - in fact I once suggested something similar to the maker of another machine several years ago (unfortunately it never went any further).

The trick would be ensuring that the timer stops as soon as a touch registers, thereby allowing the touch that arrives milliseconds before time would have expired to stand while preventing touches which arrive milliseconds after time expires from registering. This would probably be fairly simple if the add-on box were combined with extension lights - simply use the signal which turns on the extension lights to stop the timer and have the add-on box either cut power to the scoring machine or otherwise block touches from registering (perhaps by breaking the A lines and shorting together the B and C lines on both sides prior to reaching the scoring machine) when time does expire (and maybe sound a buzzer so that everyone will realize that time has expired - similar to having the timekeeper say "TIME!"). Unfortunately extension light outputs vary from one scoring machine to another, and in some cases they may not even be available. In these cases the add-on box would have to receive input via some other means. What that means might be, I have no idea (perhaps a piezo cell mounted near the audio alarm on the scoring machine which activates whenever the buzzer on the scoring machine sounds?).

Working along the lines of a score/time/remote add-on unit, I have a functional prototype which makes use a condenser mic (with suction cup) & tuned audio pre-amp/filter. For those with Favero Full-Arm-01's, there is an additional interface to the light extension connectors to halt the timer, etc. The design is ZIGBEE based so that each box can be setup in a wireless network. I wasn't planning to take this design into a manufacturable state unless there is significant interest out there for such a product.

Marc

[griffindm]

Great!

Lots of those machines out there. Does it come with a remote control? What are you looking at for a price point?

Working along the lines of a score/time/remote add-on unit, I have a functional prototype which makes use a condenser mic (with suction cup) & tuned audio pre-amp/filter. For those with Favero Full-Arm-01's, there is an additional interface to the light extension connectors to halt the timer, etc. The design is ZIGBEE based so that each box can be setup in a wireless network. I wasn't planning to take this design into a manufacturable state unless there is significant interest out there for such a product.

Marc

[yba2cuo3]

Great!

Lots of those machines out there. Does it come with a remote control? What are you looking at for a price point?

Remote included. I don't really have a price point for a manufacturable product. The proto cost me about $120 to assemble.

[griffindm]

Remote included. I don't really have a price point for a manufacturable product. The proto cost me about $120 to assemble.

What is the function of the condenser mic and tuned audio pre-amp/filter? If it is to pickup the sound of a machine buzzer, you should consider an additional input beyond that and the Favero interface. Both LP and SG boxed have analog extension lamp circuits. a simple make or break, with a tolerance to accept up to 12DV across it would handle both types I believe. I think you will find the mic to be a little unrealiable in noisy tournament environments.

There is a $315 spread between the FA-01 and FA-05 here at the Fnet store. That would be your maximum price, unless you add other features like integration into Fencing Time or Engarde for tournament management. Keep in mind you should probably be below that, as the FA-05 offers a smaller integrated form factor.

[yba2cuo3]

Thanks for the feedback.

Yes, mic/pre-amp/filter is designed to pickup the machine buzzer. The design was pretty reliable during testing. It won't pick up any ambient noise since it only reacts to vibrations from the box it is attached to (via suction cup). With respect to the LP & SG boxes, would you know the connector types & pinouts?

Marc

[SJCFU#2]

LP uses a 5-pin circular DIN - IIRC the middle pin (3) is the common +12V while pins 1, 2, 4 and 5 are grounds for the white (left), colored (left), colored (right) and white (right) respectively.

SG uses an 8-pin circular DIN - I don't have a copy of their owner's manual at hand right now but it's listed in there. IIRC there's one common +12V, six returns for the four indicator lights and the two ground lights and a seventh for the audio signal.

Eigertek uses a 6-pin mini DIN, but IIRC they use TTL logic with +5V for each of the four lights and a common ground (and one spare, which perhaps they should have dedicated for sound).

Favero's the odd one out, using a serial signal (a completely different approach from everyone else). IIRC Brtech was able to get a copy of the code from Favero so you may want to PM him if your want to go any further down that path.

Tripplette uses a 9-pin D-shell, but I have no idea what the pins are - nor do I wish to know.