Wireless scoring system for sport fencing

Abstract

A wireless scoring system is provided which does not require any interconnecting wires between the scoring equipment and the fencers and which requires no change in existing fencing or scoring equipment. A touch detector unit is worn by each fencer and is operative to provide signal indications of fencing touches or hits which uniquely identify each fencer and which signify valid and invalid hits and which can be wirelessly transmitted to receiving apparatus coupled to the scoreboard or other scoring equipment. The system is plug compatible with existing fencing weapons and scoring equipment and is readily employed therewith.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/625,688 filed Nov. 5, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

N/A

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The electronic scoring of sport fencing matches requires that the fencers' equipment be connected to the scoring equipment by electrical wires or cables. The wires are retained in reels, and as the players move during competition, the reels play out the wires and retract the wires depending on the players movement. The wires and reels are cumbersome and can be a distraction to efficient competition and can constrain the available play area. It would be advantageous to eliminate any interconnecting wires between the fencers and scoring equipment and still provide automatic scoring of the match.

Wireless scoring systems have been proposed for sport fencing but none achieve the benefits or performance of the present system.

The Aldridge U.S. Pat. No. 6,700,051 describes a system for scoring contact sports, and in particular karate. Fencing and other contact sports are mentioned but not described with any particularity.

The Alvaro U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,968 shows a fencing weapon having a switch at the top of the weapon which is connected to a touch-signaling unit in the weapon grip and which can cause an acoustic or light output upon detecting a touch, and which can cause the transmission of a radio signal to a receiver to remotely signal the touch.

The Delcayre U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,731 describes a scoring system in which each fencer wears a unit which can transmit a unique signal frequency to a receiver and in which pulses received by that fencer's unit from another fencer block the transmission of a touch signal.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention a wireless scoring system is provided which does not require any interconnecting wires between the scoring equipment and the fencers and which requires no change in existing fencing or scoring equipment. A touch detector unit is worn by each fencer and is operative to provide signal indications of fencing touches or hits which uniquely identify each fencer and which signify valid and invalid hits and which can be wirelessly transmitted to receiving apparatus coupled to the scoreboard or other scoring equipment. The system is plug compatible with existing fencing weapons and scoring equipment and is readily employed therewith. In a preferred embodiment, the touch detector unit includes an electronic oscillator having a frequency unique to each fencer, detector circuitry for detecting when and where a fencer has been touched, a microprocessor for providing appropriate processing of the detected signals and a wireless modem for transmitting the touch information to receiving apparatus for decoding and for display of scoring information on a scoreboard or for storage or other utilization purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more fully described in the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a wiring diagram of a known foil;

FIG. 2 is a wiring diagram of a known epee;

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of a known saber;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a touch detector system according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the operation of the touch detector system for use with a foil;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the operation of the touch detector system with an epee;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the operation of the touch detector system with a saber;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of receiving apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an alternative receiving apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an alternative implementation of the touch detector system for a saber according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an alternative implementation of a touch detector system for a foil according to the invention;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an alternative implementation of a touch detector system for an epee according to the invention;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a networked scoring system; and

FIG. 14 is a diagram of a network protocol used in the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention in a preferred embodiment is employed with standard fencing equipment and is plug compatible with such equipment. Standard fencing weapons have three electrical terminals for connection to a scoreboard by three interconnecting wires from each fencer. The present wireless system eliminates the need for interconnecting wires and utilizes a small battery powered unit which is worn by each fencer.

The wiring diagram for a known fencing foil is shown in FIG. 1. A normally closed switch 10 is located at the tip 12 of the foil 14. One terminal of the switch is connected via a wire to a tip terminal at the handle or grip of the foil. The other switch terminal is connected to a guard terminal at the grip portion. Typically, the guard is connected to the switch via the blade which is in electrical connection with the guard. The fencer's metallic vest or lamé 18 is connected by an allegator clip to the body cord.

The wiring diagram for a known epee is shown in FIG. 2. A normally open switch 10a is located at the tip 12a of the epee 14a. One terminal of the switch is connected by a wire to a tip terminal of the epee. The second terminal of the switch is connected via a wire to a return tip terminal of the epee. The guard 16a is connected to a guard terminal. Preferably the guard 16a should be electrically insulated from the grip/blade of the epee to avoid possible shorting of the grip/blade to the guard by sweat on the player's hand. An insulating washer can be used at the threshold connection between the grip and blade that retains the guard.

FIG. 3 shows the wiring diagram for a known saber. The tip and guard terminals of the saber are connected directly to the blade and guard, respectively, of the saber. The lamé terminal is connected to the lamé.

The wiring and terminal arrangements described above for the three types of fencing weapons are known and are standard for fencing competitions. These standard fencing weapons can be used without any alteration with the wireless scoring system of the present invention since the novel system is in preferred embodiment plug compatible with existing fencing weapons and other associated equipment.

The touch detector system which is usable with any of the three types of fencing weapons, namely, foil, epee or saber, is illustrated in block diagram form in FIG. 4. The touch detection system includes an oscillator 20 which has a different frequency for each fencer, to delineate the respective fencers in a match or competition. Alternatively, the oscillator 20 can be adjustable in frequency to provide a signal of unique frequency for each player. For convenience the fencers are designated herein as red and green and the frequencies will be referred to as F_r and F_g for the respective players. The oscillator is connected to the tip or blade of the associated weapon. A switch state detector 22 is connected to the guard of a foil, or to the tip of an epee. For use with a foil, the switch state detector provides an output signal when the normally closed tip switch is opened. For use with an epee, the switch state detector provides an output signal when the normally open tip switch is closed. A saber has no tip switch and therefore the switch detector is not utilized for saber matches. A hit or touch is denoted by the output signal of the switch state detector in the case of foil or epee matches. For saber matches, a hit or touch is denoted by the saber blade of one fencer touching the lamé of the opponent fencer. As is understood in the scoring of fencing competitions, a hit by a blade tip or blade may be affected by invalid hits such as hits to or by the blade guard or hits to a piste. The detector circuitry described herein provides detection of all hits needed for proper determination of scores.

A frequency detector 24 is connected to the guard of a foil or an epee and provides a digital output signal representing frequency F_g when the guard is touched by the green opponent's tip, and a digital code representing frequency F_r when the guard is touched by a red opponent's tip. Another frequency detector 26 is connected to the lamé 18 of a fencer and provides respective digital output signals representing frequency F_r or F_g to signify a hit by the opposer's weapon tip. An oscillator 28 provides a signal of frequency F_p to a piste for use during an epee match. A piste detector 29 connected to a piste provides a digital signal representing frequency F_p when a weapon tip hits the piste. The digital signals F_r, F_g and F_p are provided to a microprocessor 30 which is operative to encode the frequency signal information and to provide such data to a wireless modem 32 which provides a wireless signal containing the scoring data to receiving apparatus which is coupled to the scoreboard which in turn provides an output indication of the score. Controls 34 can be provided for on/off power control and other desired control functions. One control function can be remote programming of the modem carrier frequency. In the case of a tunable oscillator, the controls 34 can provide for selection of the desired output frequency. The touch detector system is powered by a battery power supply 35 and is contained within a small housing unit which is worn by each fencer and which is sufficiently small and lightweight to not impede the fencer's movements during play.

The operation of the touch detector system for use in a foil match is illustrated in FIG. 5. In the illustration the system is worn by the red fencer. When the foil tip of the red fencer touches any object, the switch state detector 22 detects the opening of the normally closed tip switch 21 and provides a signal indication thereof. If the guard 16 of the red fencer is touched by the green opponent's foil tip, the frequency detector 24 will provide a signal F_g. If the red fencer's guard touches the red fencer's own lamé the frequency detector 26 provides a signal F_r. If the red fencer's lamé is touched by the foil tip of the opponent, the frequency detector 26 provides a signal F_g. These signals from the switch state detector and frequency detectors are applied to the microprocessor and wireless modem for transmission of scoring data to the receiving apparatus to be described.

The system operation for use with an epee is shown in FIG. 6. When the epee tip of the red fencer touches an object, the normally open tip switch 21a will be closed and the switch closure will be denoted by a signal from the switch state detector 22. When the guard 16a of the red fencer is touched by the opponent's tip, the detector 24 will provide an output signal F_g to denote that hit by the green fencer. An oscillator 50 provides a signal F_p to the piste. When the tip of the red fencer's epee touches the piste detector 23 provides an output signal F_p to denote that hit. The output signals are provided to the microprocessor and wireless modem as described above for transmission to the receiving apparatus.

The system operation for use with a saber is illustrated in FIG. 7. When the lamé 18 of the red fencer is touched by the saber blade of the opponent, the detector 26 provides a signal F_g to denote the hit. The touch information is processed and transmitted in the manner described above.

In the illustrated embodiments the operation for the red fencer has been described. The operation is the same for the green fencer except that the signals F_r and F_g are exchanged.

In the above embodiments, unique frequencies are employed to identify each fencer. Alternatively, the fencers can be identified by other distinguishable signals or codes. A digital code can be used which is unique for each respective fencer and the code can be employed to modulate the transmission signal which can be demodulated and decoded by the receiving apparatus. A single carrier frequency can be employed for all touch detectors, with the digital code providing the distinguishable fencer identification. A match of more than two fencers can be efficiently implemented as each fencer can be individually identified by respective codes which can be readily provided by software control.

Referring to FIG. 8 there is shown an embodiment of receiving apparatus which includes a wireless modem 40 which receives the wireless transmission from modem 32 of each touch detector system and which demodulates and decodes the received signals to provide a digital input to microprocessor 42. The microprocessor controls electronic switches which are contained within a scoreboard interface 44. The switches are connected via a multi-wire cable to the scoreboard 46. A standard fencing scoreboard has a seven wire interconnection to the fencing equipment. The wire interconnection replicates the usual wire connection to standard fencing scoreboards. The switches are closed with the same timing as the fencers' touches so that the scoreboard logic, which per se is known and not part of the present invention, can process the touch signals in accordance with the scoring rules, including detection of “simultaneous” touches. The present invention can be used with existing scoreboards without replacement or alteration of those scoreboards.

The wireless modems typically operate in the ISM band of 868-928 MHz. Each modem has transmission and receiving capability and can be implemented in integrated circuit (IC) configuration. In a preferred embodiment a Chipcon model CC1010 is utilized which contains a microprocessor and wireless circuitry in a single IC chip.

An alternative embodiment of receiving apparatus is shown in FIG. 9 for use in epee fencing. In this embodiment the piste 50 is connected to a frequency detector 52 which provides a signal F_r or F_g depending upon which fencer hit the piste with the epee tip. The signal F_r or F_g is applied to microprocessor 42 which is operative to denote a hit when a fencer's weapon tip has touched the piste. In this alternative implementation, a separate piste oscillator 28 is not needed. The signals F_r and F_g can be conveyed by wire path or by wireless path to the microprocessor 42.

Different wiring configurations can be employed for connecting the oscillator and detectors to the weapon and the lamé. An alternative wiring arrangement for a saber is shown in FIG. 10. In this version an oscillator 60 provides a signal F_r to lamé 62. The saber blade is connected via a tip wire and guard wire to detector 64. The detector 64 provides a signal F_g if the saber of the red fencer touches the green fencer's lamé, and vice versa for a green fencer.

An alternative touch detector system for a foil is shown in FIG. 11. An oscillator 20a provides a signal F_r1 to lamé 18. An oscillator 20b provides a frequency F_r2 to guard 16. When the foil tip of the red fencer touches an object the switch state detector 22 detects the opening of the normally closed tip switch 21 and provides a signal indication thereof. If the tip of the red fencer's blade touches the opponent's lamé, detector 24a provides a signal F_g1. If the red fencer's blade tip touches the opponent's guard, a signal F_g2 is provided. If the red fencer's lamé is touched by the red fencer's own guard a signal F_r2 is provided by detector 26a or alternatively, a signal F_r1 by detector 26b. These signals are applied to the microprocessor 30 and modem 32 for transmission of scoring data to the receiving apparatus, as described.

An alternative touch detector system for an epee is shown in FIG. 12. An oscillator 20 provides a signal F_r to guard 16 . A DC level is provided from a source 17 to one terminal of tip switch 25. The other tip switch terminal is connected via the return tip wire to switch state detector 22 and detectors 27 and 29. When the epee tip of the red fencer touches an object the normally open tip switch 25 will be closed and the switch closure will be denoted by a signal from switch state detector 22. When the tip of the red fencer's epee touches the piste, detector 27 provides a signal F_p. When the red fencer's epee tip touches the opponent's guard, a signal F_g is provided by detector 29. The output signals are provided to the microprocessor and modem for transmission to the receiving apparatus.

The electronic scoring system for fencing that is presently used is a seven wire system. Each fencer is connected via three wires to the scoring machine in present wired systems; thus six wires are used for two fencers. The piste is connected to the scoreboard by the seventh wire. When the fencers touch each other or the piste strip, one or more pairs of wires are connected together and the internal logic in the scoring machine recognizes the connected wire pairs to register a score or an off target hit as determined by the fencing rules of the particular match. The logic also determines if the touches were close enough together in time to count as a simultaneous score for both fencers.

As an alternative to the usual scoreboard, a computer can be utilized to display hits as they occur and to score the match and record the information in a tournament database as may be desired. A computer interface can be employed in conjunction with a scoreboard interface or can be employed individually.

Each scoreboard interface and/or computer interface can be integrated into a network that can be employed to transmit scoring information from the individual scoreboards and computers to a central server which, in turn, can be used to update a master tournament database. This networked system provides for automatic update and display of fencers' scores during a tournament, for example. The central server can also track scores for individual fencers and for each team and can maintain a database that can be continuously updated as the tournament progresses. The network system in one embodiment in illustrated in FIG. 13.

Referring to FIG. 13 there is shown a scoreboard interface 44 which receives signals from the receiving apparatus and which drives a local scoreboard 46. The receiving apparatus also provides signals to a computer interface 60 which provides scoring information to a computer 62. Scoring information is provided by the scoreboard interface 44 and/or by the computer 62 to a server 64 which is connected to a database 66 and a tournament scoreboard 68. The connections to the server from the computer and from the scoreboard interface can be wired connections or can be wireless.

Data can be communicated between modem 32 and modem 40 using any of a number of known data transmission protocols. A packet data protocol is illustrated in FIG. 14 and is used in a preferred embodiment of the invention. The modem 40 periodically transmits a packet to a modem 32 of each touch detector unit that alternately requests red or green touch detector data. If a touch detector unit has data to send, the unit will respond to its data request from modem 40 and send data to modem 40. If modem 40 receives valid data from the associated detector unit, the modem 40 sends an acknowledgement signal to modem 32. If modem 32 does not receive an acknowledgment, the associated detector unit resends its data during the next valid packet time slot.

The invention is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described and is intended to encompass the spirit and full scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wireless scoring system for sport fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and a guard, the system comprising:

a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:

a signal source connectable to the weapon blade or tip of the fencer and operative to provide a signal having a characteristic unique to each respective fencer;

detector circuitry connectable to the weapon blade or tip, guard and/or the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a first signal having a first characteristic when the fencer's own guard touches the fencer's own lamé, and operative to provide a second signal having a second characteristic when the opponent fencer's weapon touches the fencer's guard or the fencer's lamé or the opponent fencer's body;

a microprocessor responsive to the first and second signals to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and

a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.

2. The system of claim 1 including a second signal source connectable to a piste and operative to provide a signal having a characteristic unique to the piste;

and wherein the detector circuitry is connectable to the piste and operative to provide a third signal having a third characteristic when a weapon tip touches the piste, the microprocessor also responsive to the third signal.

3. The system of claim 1 including receiving apparatus operative to receive data from the wireless modem and to provide such data to scoring apparatus.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the detector circuitry includes:

a switch detector operative upon sensing a change in the state of a tip switch of the weapon caused by the weapon tip hitting an object, to provide a fourth signal indicative of the change of state;

and wherein the microprocessor is also responsive to the fourth signal.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the receiving apparatus includes a wireless modem for receipt of the transmission from the modem of the touch detector unit;

a microprocessor for decoding the received data; and

an interface for converting the received data to a format for application to a scoreboard.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the interface includes a plurality of switches connectable to the scoreboard for providing scoring signals thereto.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the scoring signals provided by the interface are compatible with standard fencing scoreboards.

8. The system of claim 2 including receiving apparatus having a wireless modem for receipt of scoring data from the modem of the touch detector unit;

a microprocessor receiving scoring data and decoding the scoring data; and

an interface for coupling the decoded data to a scoreboard.

9. The system of claim 3 further including a computer interface for coupling scoring data to a computer.

10. The system of claim 9 including network apparatus having a server which receives signals from at least one of a scoreboard interface and a computer;

a database coupled to the server for containing scoring data; and

display apparatus coupled to the server and operative to display scoring information.

11. The system of claim 5 wherein data is transmitted between the modem of the touch detector unit and the modem of the receiving apparatus by a packet data protocol.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the modem of the receiving apparatus periodically transmits a request packet to each touch detector unit;

and wherein each touch detector unit responds to a data request by sending a scoring data packet to the receiving apparatus.

13. The system of claim 5 wherein the receiving apparatus includes:

a piste detector operative to provide first or second signals in response to a fencer's weapon tip touching the piste;

and wherein the microprocessor receives and decodes the first or second signals from the piste detector.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the detector circuitry includes a switch state detector for providing a signal to the microprocessor representing change of switch state when a weapon tip touches an object.

15. A wireless scoring system for sport fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising:

a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:

a signal source connectable to the weapon blade or tip of the fencer and operative to provide a signal having a frequency unique to each respective fencer;

detector circuitry connectable to the weapon blade or tip, guard and/or the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a first signal representing a first frequency when the fencer's own guard touches the fencer's own lamé, and operative to provide a second signal representing a second frequency when the opponent fencer's weapon touches the fencer's guard or the fencer's lamé or the opponent fencer's body;

a microprocessor responsive to the first and second signals to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and

a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the detector circuitry provides a digital code representing the first and second frequency.

17. For use with fencing weapons having a three-wire terminal configuration, a wireless scoring system comprising:

a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit including:

a signal source connectable to the tip switch of a foil or an epee, or to the blade of a saber and operative to provide a signal having a frequency unique to each respective fencer;

the signal source including for use with an epee a second signal source connectable to a piste and for providing a piste signal having a frequency unique to the piste;

detector circuitry connectable to the guard and lamé of a foil, or to the guard of an epee, or to the lamé of a saber, and operative to provide:

for a foil, a digital signal representing the fencer's frequency when the fencer's own guard touches the fencer's own lamé;

for an epee, a digital signal representing the opponent fencer's frequency when the opponent fencer's blade tip touches the fencer's guard;

for a saber, a digital signal representing the opponent fencer's frequency when the opponent fencer's blade touches the fencer's lamé;

the detector circuitry including for use with an epee, a piste detector for providing a digital signal representing the piste frequency when the fencer's blade tip touches the piste;

a microprocessor responsive to the digital signals to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and

a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.

18. A wireless scoring system for saber fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising:

a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:

a signal source connectable to the blade and guard of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;

detector circuitry connectable to the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a signal representing the fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's lamé is touched by the opponent fencer's blade;

a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and

a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.

19. A wireless scoring system for foil fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising:

a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:

a signal source connectable to the tip switch of the fencer's blade and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;

detector circuitry connectable to the guard and tip switch of the fencer's weapon and operative to provide a signal representing switch actuation upon a blade tip touch, and to provide a signal representing the fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's lamé is touched by the opponent fencer's blade tip or when the fencer's guard is touched by the opponent fencer's blade tip, and operative to provide a signal representing the fencer's signal frequency when the fencer's lamé is touched by the opponent fencer's blade tip.

a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and

a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.

20. A wireless scoring system for epee fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising:

a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:

a first signal source connectable to the tip switch of the fencer's blade and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;

a second signal source connectable to a piste and providing a piste signal having a frequency unique to the piste;

detector circuitry connectable to the guard and tip switch of the fencer's weapon and operative to provide a signal representing switch actuation upon a blade tip touch, and to provide a signal representing the fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's guard is touched by the opponent fencer's blade tip, and a signal representing the piste frequency when the fencer's epee touches the piste;

a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies and piste frequency to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and

a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.

21. A wireless scoring system for saber fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising:

a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:

a signal source connectable to the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;

detector circuitry connectable to the weapon guard and blade of the fencer and operative to provide a signal representing the fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's lamé is touched by the opponent fencer's blade;

a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and

a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.

22. A wireless scoring system for foil fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising:

a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:

a first signal source connectable to the lamé of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a first frequency unique to the respective fencer;

a second signal source connectable to the guard of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a second frequency unique to the respective fencer;

detector circuitry connectable to the tip switch and lamé or guard of the fencer and operative to provide:

a signal representing the fencer signal having the first frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's blade tip touches the opponent fencer's lamé;

a signal representing the fencer signal having the second frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's blade tip touches the opponent fencer's guard;

a signal representing the fencer signals of first or second frequency when the lamé of the fencer is touched by the fencer's own guard;

a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and

a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.

23. A wireless scoring system for epee fencing in which each fencer uses a weapon having a blade and guard, the system comprising:

a touch detector unit adapted to be worn by each fencer, each unit having:

a first source connectable to the guard of the fencer and operative to provide a fencer signal having a frequency unique to the respective fencer;

a power source connectable to a tip switch of the fencer's blade tip for providing a DC current thereto;

a second signal source connectable to a piste and providing a piste signal having a frequency unique to the piste;

detector circuitry connectable to the tip switch of the fencer's blade and operative to provide a signal representing switch actuation upon a blade tip touch, and a fencer signal frequency of the opponent fencer when the fencer's blade tip touches the opponent fencer's guard, and a signal representing the piste frequency when the fencer's epee touches the piste;

a microprocessor responsive to the signals representing the fencer signal frequencies and piste frequency to provide data representing scored points based on the detected touches; and

a wireless modem coupled to the microprocessor and operative to transmit the data to receiving apparatus.