The problem
„We want a stopwatch without manual push buttons, we want to see the correct lap times and we want them stored automatically. We also would like to be informed if our driver didn't pass. Moreover we do not want to stay at the pit wall at any kind of weather, and most of all not at night.“
Time keeping at the pit wall
„We want a time keeping system without any device inside the track, because our events often change the places. It must be easy to use.“
organizers of slalom, track days, testing people
„We want a reliable time keeping system without miles of wiring and without the risk that cables could be damaged and the system breaks down.“
organizers of hill climb and rallies
Description
Laptrix consists of any number of infrared triggers which are installed on the vehicle, up to six forwarders, a Bluetooth receiver and Laptrix software.
The trigger creates a distinctive code (more than 60,000 different codes available) that is sent towards the forwarder. Passing the forwarder it identifies the vehicle and sends the lap time to a PC or laptop via Bluetooth.
The PC shows and stores the lap times and manages all the data. The screen organisation is user configurable.
The trigger needs free sight to the
forwarder which is placed at the track side
or above the track (f. ex. at the starting light). Every trigger has it’s own protected code which is given only to the customer. This code must be released to the PC to identify the trigger. Unknown triggers will not be detected by the forwarder. More triggers can be added anytime, for example, from other chummy users.
The 12V version for car and bike is housed in a small and waterproof box (ca 50 x 35 x 20 mm, 38 gr.) and has a range up to 40 m with its 5 LED’s. The version with external 4.8 V rechargeable battery for kart and that for RC models (7.2 V) has only one LED and a range to approximately 15 m. Inside this trigger a vibration sensor is mounted to switch off the trigger if it’s not in use.
The durability of the new 4.8V battery pack is more than 50 hours. Unused the stand by time is more than one year. The trigger informs on the screen when the battery pack has to be charged or exchanged by a fresh one.
The solution
for this problem is Laptrix, suitable for:
- Track racing
- Long distance races
- Tests
- Slalom
- Racing school, track days
- Testing (TV, press, industry)
Forwarder
The Forwarder is housed in a waterproof ABS box and must look with it’s eye to the passing vehicles. It’s in fact the stopwatch of the system because it identifies who has passed. Also if more than one vehicle is passing along in a very short time it identifies each of them sure and sends the lap times and codes to the PC. The PC may be located up to 100 m away.
The forwarder is powered by a rechargeable external 12V lead battery, as option by an internal 7,2 V battery or by an external AC/DC adapter. A low voltage alarm appears on the screen if the voltage is insufficent.
Simultaneously up to 6 forwarders (software Laptrix PRO/Rent only) may be connected by Bluetooth to one PC: finish line, pit in, pit out (already available) and three split times.(under development).
The Software
The Laptrix software is very easy to handle and configure. It can be used in many different languages. In the configuration mode one allocates the "individual data" to the transponder, which can be overwrite during the usage, e.g. driver change at long distance races and slaloms.
These changes can also be done on the hard disk after one has saved.
After starting Laptrix via a click onto the national flag icon of the country, according to the language one chose, a window appears in which the settings will be indicated and updated.
The Laptrix software only cognizes the transponders of which the codes have been activated in the program. In addition the user is able to stop up to 8 vehicles manual via the functional buttons of the keyboard and manage and save the information belonging to the vehicles analogue to the automatically tapped times.
Using the times from the database one is able to print these in different forms, e.g. starting lineup, results, lap times, etc. One is able to add comments to every lap and hence has the possibility to understand later on the conditions of this test. One can process these data using Excel. The software permanently grows with our customers aims.
As an accessory there are indication panels and hand sets on which the lap times or team internal information can be indicated simplifying the communication in a team of a long distance race a lot.