An automatic timing measurement system provides a measure of time of passage of a watercraft through a prescribed course. Inertial or other estimates augmented by GPS speed/position measurements are used to track position of a watercraft. Position estimates are used to allow the locations of prescribed courses to be mapped and memorized. The passage of a watercraft through mapped courses is automatically detected for the purpose of measuring and reporting time of passage of the watercraft past key points in the course, and the speed of the apparatus may be modified if necessary at certain points in the mapped course. A measure of accuracy of driver steering can be provided along with the ability to automatically steer the watercraft through the course if “steer-by-wire” mechanism is available. GPS speed control is augmented with a secondary velocity measurement device that measures speed over water to provide real-time compensation for water current.
1. A system for determining a path through a water course, comprising:
a position observer subsystem located on a watercraft;
a computing device in communication with the position observer subsystem;
a user input device coupled to the computing device; and
a non-volatile storage coupled to the computing device;
wherein the computing device is configured to:
receive a first user input from the user input device and, in response, determine a first observed position of a watercraft using the position observer subsystem;
receive a second user input subsequent to the first user input and, in response, determine a second observed position of the watercraft using the position observer subsystem, wherein the second observed position is different from the first observed position due to movement of the watercraft;
associate the first observed position and the second observed position with points of interest on a water course in the non-volatile storage; and
use the first observed position and the second observed position to determine a preferred path through the water course.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to associate the preferred path with the water course in the non-volatile storage.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to use the first observed position and a second observed position to determine a location of a plurality of buoys on the water course and associate the location of the plurality of buoys with the water course in the non-volatile storage.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the preferred path comprises a watercraft path.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the preferred path comprises a centerline of the water course.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the preferred path comprises a skier path.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first observed position of the watercraft comprises an entrance to the water course and the second observed position of the watercraft comprises an exit to the water course.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to determine at least one intermediate position between the first observed position and the second observed position.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one intermediate position comprises a plurality of intermediate buoys on the water course.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one intermediate position comprises a plurality of break points on the water course.
11. A system for determining a path through a water course, comprising:
a Global Positioning System (GPS) device located on a watercraft and configured to provide a plurality of GPS information related to the watercraft;
a computing device coupled to the GPS device;
a user input device coupled to the computing device; and
a permanent storage medium coupled to the computing device and configured to include locational information for a plurality of water courses;
wherein the computing device is configured to:
receive first GPS information, responsive to a first user input from the user input device, related to the watercraft from the GPS device,
receive second GPS information, responsive to a second user input subsequent to the first user input, related to the watercraft from the GPS device, wherein the second GPS information is different from the first GPS information due to movement of the watercraft;
associate the first GPS information and the second GPS information with points of interest on a water course in the permanent storage; and
use the first GPS information and the second GPS information to determine a preferred path through the water course.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the computing device is configured to associate the preferred path with the water course in the permanent storage medium.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the computing device is configured to use the first GPS information and the second GPS information to determine a location of a plurality of buoys on the water course and associate the location of the plurality of buoys with the water course in the permanent storage medium.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the preferred path comprises a watercraft path that is a centerline of the water course.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the preferred path comprises a skier path.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the computing device is configured to determine at least one intermediate position using the first GPS information and the second GPS information.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one intermediate position comprises a plurality of intermediate buoys on the water course and a plurality of break points on the water course.
18. A water course path determination system, comprising:
a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit;
a computing device coupled to the GPS unit;
a user input device coupled to the computing device; and
a permanent storage medium coupled to the computing device;
wherein the computing device is configured to:
receive a first observed position, in response to a first user input from the user input device, and a second observed position, in response to a second user input subsequent to the first user input, from the user input device, of a watercraft detected using the GPS unit, wherein the second observed position is different from the first observed position due to movement of the watercraft;
associate the first observed position and the second observed position of the watercraft with points of interest on a water course in the permanent storage medium;
use the first observed position and the second observed position to determine a preferred path through the water course; and
associate the preferred path with the water course in the permanent storage medium.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the computing device is configured to use the first observed position and the second observed position to determine a location of a plurality of buoys on the water course and associate the location of the plurality of buoys with the water course in the permanent storage medium.
20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the computing device is configured to determine at least one intermediate position using the GPS information, and wherein the at least one intermediate position comprises a plurality of intermediate buoys on the water course and a plurality of break points on the water course.