What I'm looking for is someone who can point me at some resources or maybe some similar projects. What I've got is the scoring system for the sport of fencing. Right now the scoring is done through a scoring box and the fencers are wired to this box via reels (spring loaded cable coils). The whole set up retails for $1,000 partly because of a small market.
I've written software and made cheap/simple hardware to replace the scoring box itself, so anyone who has a laptop can easily skip that expense. What I want to do now is replace the wires. I've had my eye on Bluetooth for this. Specifically the BlueSMiRF from SparkFun to emulate a serial port. That isn't the problem, the problem is emulating the signals from the hard wired system.
My background in electronics is very limited. I can program in assembly, I can solder stuff together if I have detailed plans, but designing is something new and my vocabulary is limited.
There are three weapons, Foil, Epee, and Sabre. Each is wired/scored differently. So we'll talk about Epee. Each fencer (there are two per bout) has three lines, A, B, C. In addition, there is a mat on the ground, so 7 lines between the two fencers and the mat. The scoring is done by sending a signal out the first fencer's A line, A1 we'll call it. If it comes back on C2, then we know fencer1 hit fencer2's bell guard (no touch). If it comes back on the mat, then we know that fencer1 hit the mat (no touch). If it comes back on B1, then we know fencer1 has hit the other fencer (or a nearby table in which case the ref steps in) and a touch is awarded.
We then clear everything and send a signal out fencer2's A line, A2 and step through the process again. If it comes back on C1, then we know fencer2 hit fencer1's bell guard (no touch). If it comes back on the mat, then we know that fencer2 hit the mat (no touch). If it comes back on B2, then we know fencer2 has hit the other fencer (or a nearby table in which case the ref steps in) and a touch is awarded.
When fencer1's tip must be depressed (A1 signal shows up on B1) for
15ms. Once fencer1 has hit something, fencer2 has 300ms to hit before he gets locked out by the box. The same rules apply when fencer 2 hits first.
The epee is constructed such that it has a button on the end of the sword. When this button is depressed, current is allowed to flow from the A line to the B line. I cannot change anything about the epee itself. What I want to design is a box plugs into the weapon (via the standard three banana jacks) that can be told to send the signal out the A line, then know if it comes back on the B line. It then needs to wait while the other fencer's weapon sends a signal out the A line and see if it comes back on the first fencer's C line. I suppose I would also need a module for the mat that knows when the signal from either A line is directed to the mat.
Having typed that all out it seems that the issue is just a matter of timing, sending a signal then waiting for a response from both devices, then sending the opposing signal. Maybe I'm missing something?
If I can get this worked out then there's the challenge of Foil and Sabre which have an additional component which I would prefer not have their own wireless modules.
Thanks for the help in advance! ~Will