SYSTEM FOR THE AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF CHRONOMETRIC PERFORMANCES IN A SWIMMING POOL

Abstract

 System (100) for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool (50) comprising:
- a chronometer (103) configured to perform time measurements related to a training session of a swimmer (51);
- at least one load cell (101) connected to the chronometer (103) and configured to detect time of start of a training session;
- at least one touch pad (102), able to detect the time data corresponding to a touch by a swimmer (51);
- at least one wireless receiver (105) positioned near each at least one touch pad (102);
- a first processing unit (104) storing at least one scheduled training session and comprising a real-time processing system;
- a device (107) wearable by the swimmer (51) and comprising a wireless connectivity module;
- an optical and/or acoustic alert system configured to automatically warn the swimmer (51) at set times t_nj.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool.

[0002] In particular, the present invention relates to a system for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool, of the type that includes wearable devices for the unique identification of a swimmer, as well as local and/or remote data processing units.

[0003] In known systems for timekeeping, specifically in swimming pools, a primary element is represented by the touch pads on the poolside which, simplifying as much as possible, can be assimilated to buttons pushed by the swimmers at the end of the working session, both during the competition and during the training phases.

[0004] The touch pads, related to each lane, are connected by means of a dedicated wiring to a central chronometer that captures the timing of each session, during the competition and during the training.

[0005] Several systems for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool are currently known.

[0006] A first example of known technical solution is described by the patent application US5812049A, disclosing a system for monitoring the time and location of a participant in a competitive activity, which includes memory apparatus for storing event performance parameters and the identity of the participant, a clock apparatus, for determining event times of the participant, a control apparatus, associated with the clock apparatus and a memory apparatus, for receiving as input data the event times of the participant, determining event performance parameters in accordance therewith, and storing the parameters.

[0007] The patent application US2010304934A1, on the contrary, describes a system and a method for training swimmers in a controlled aquatic environment, such as a pool, with the system that comprises a base station in communication with various system components. The base station receives pertinent data from the swimmer through direct wiring detecting a contact with the pool (i.e. the completion of a lap), or through a wireless communication.

[0008] A further example of known technical solution is disclosed by the patent application WO2015164944A1, whose subject-matter is a wearable computing device that is secured or attached to a resilient strap. The device has a waterproof storage volume housing a plurality of sensors. The wearable computing device may calculate a plurality of swimming metrics based at least partly on data received from one sensor.

[0009] Still, the patent application CN108452504 describes a sensor-based swimming stroke analyzer and a sensor-based swimming stroke analysis method, that comprises the following steps: a palm data acquisition device, which comprises a sensor module comprising a triaxial accelerometer, a gyroscope sensor, and a wireless communication module, is worn on the palm of a trainer, a bone conduction sensor device is worn on the head of the trainer, analysis is carried out, the bone conduction sensor device is utilized for feedback of analytical data by voice in time.

[0010] The patent application US2010030482 discloses a wearable device for monitoring and providing real-time feedback about a swimmer's body motion and performance, in particular body orientation and forward speed. The device comprises a three-axis accelerometer, a memory, and a microcontroller configured to process the sensor input, calculate a swimmer's performance and provide feedback to the swimmer through an output

[0011] The patent application US2004201675A1, in addition, describes a stroke information-measuring device comprising an imaging section capturing image data of every predetermined time of a swimmer, a pixel extracting section extracting pixels corresponding to the body image, a profile data generating section performing the integration of the body image in a predetermined direction and generating the profile data. In addition, the invention discloses an end point extracting section extracting the end point of each profile data, a stroke point extracting section extracting the stroke point corresponding to the predetermined posture of the swimmer based on the periodic movement of each end point, and a calculating section calculating the stroke information based on the stroke point.

[0012] Finally, the patent application US2012072165A1 describes a system for observing a swimming activity of a person includes a waterproof housing having a motion sensor, furnished with fixing means for securely fastening the housing to a part of the body of a user. The system has analysis means for analyzing the signals transmitted by the motion sensor to at least one measurement axis and which are adapted for determining the type of swimming of the user as a function of time by using a hidden Markov model with 'N' states corresponding respectively to 'N' types of swimming.

[0013] However, the known systems for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool suffer from limitations related to the overcrowding of the lanes in training sessions, which causes the significant issue of being able to discriminate the performance, in particular the timings, of each single swimmer. In light of this, each coach may incur, although unintentionally, in paying attention only to a limited number of swimmers, with clear negative repercussions on the entire group of athletes.

[0014] A further complication in the training sessions in the swimming pool, characterized by the presence of a large number of swimmers, is generated by the large amount of data to be acquired, concerning the individual swimmer, both in real time and saved and related to previous training sessions, analyzing which the coach can modulate as best he can, in a personalized way, the workloads, as well as tracking progresses and supporting the individual swimmer.

[0015] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a system for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool of at least one swimmer during his training session, that allows to perform the timekeeping during a training phase for each swimmer in a punctual way, and in chaotic conditions such as those due to the presence of a large number of athletes in the lanes, having, therefore, characteristics such as to overcome the limitations that still affect the current systems for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool, with reference to the known technique.

[0016] A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a system for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool during scheduled training session that includes a system for storing and analyzing data related to the chronometric measurements of every single swimmer.

[0017] According to the present invention, a system for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool is provided, as defined in claim 1.

[0018] According to the present invention, a method for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool is also provided, as defined in claim 10.

[0019] For a better understanding of the present invention, a preferred embodiment is now described, purely by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the attached drawing, in which:

• figure 1 shows an overall view of a system for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool, according to the invention.

[0020] With reference to this figure, a system for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool is shown, according to the invention.

[0021] In particular, the system 100 for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool 50 having at least one lane 52, crossed by at least one swimmer 51, comprises:

• a chronometer 103 configured to perform time measurements related to a training session of the swimmer 51;
• at least one load cell 101 mounted on a starting block placed near a first end of the at least one lane 52, said at least one load cell 101 being connected to the chronometer 103 and configured to detect time of start of a training session of the at least one swimmer 51;
• at least one touch pad 102, each of said at least one touch pad 102 being electrically connected to the chronometer 103, to detect the time data corresponding to a touch of the touch pad 102 by a swimmer 51;
• at least one wireless receiver 105 positioned near each at least one touch pad 102;
• a first processing unit 104, connected to said chronometer 103 and to the at least one wireless receiver 102, said first processing unit 104 storing at least one scheduled training session of at least one swimmer 51 and comprising a real-time processing system able to process time data detected by the chronometer 103 and by the at least one wireless receiver 105;
• a device 107 wearable by the swimmer 51 and configured for identifying uniquely a swimmer 51, comprising a wireless connectivity module able to connect said device 107 to the at least one wireless receiver 105, said wireless receiver 105 being able to identify every swimmer 51 which is located within a certain distance from touch pad 102 by mean of the device 107 worn by the swimmer 51 and transmit identification data to the first processing unit 104.

[0022] According to the invention the system 100 also comprises an optical and/or acoustic alert system connected and managed by the first processing unit 104, configured to automatically warn the swimmer 51 during the training session at set times t_nj, previously established and set by a coach.

[0023] According to the invention the real-time processing system receives from the chronometer 103 time data when a touch of at least one touch pad 102 occurs, associates those time measurement with a single swimmer 51 identified by the wireless receiver 105 and the device 107, and saves those data to the first processing unit 104 only if the time interval between the touch of a touch pad 102 and the identification of the swimmer 51 is less than a prefixed value Δt, said prefixed value being adjustable through the real-time processing system.

[0024] Advantageously, the prefixed value being adjustable allows to evaluate variations in the wireless transmission signal, due for example to humidity conditions.

[0025] According to an aspect of the invention, the wireless connectivity module comprised in the device 107 is an electronic board comprising an integrated circuit RFID or Bluetooth LE and said at least one wireless receiver 105 is a RFID reader or a Bluetooth LE beacon able to receive the data transmitted by the device 107.

[0026] According to an aspect of the invention, the first processing unit 104 is a personal computer placed on the edge of the swimming pool 50.

[0027] According to an aspect of the invention, the system 100 also comprises a second processing unit 106 connected by means of a local or a remote connection to the first processing unit 104 and provided with a system for acquiring, storing and analyzing the data transmitted by said first processing unit 104.

[0028] According to an aspect of the invention, the second processing unit 106 is a server.

[0029] According to an aspect of the invention, the system for acquiring, storing and analyzing data comprised in the second processing unit 106 is a software program configured to compare time data detected by the chronometer 103 to scheduled training session data, and to highlight any differences between these data that exceed a fixed tolerance limit.

[0030] Advantageously, the system allows a coach to save one or more scheduled training sessions, that could be one scheduled training unique for every swimmer 51 present in the swimming pool or a different one for each swimmer. At the same time, during a training session, the system allows to see and evaluate any difference between a swimmer performance in term of time and speed compared to the scheduled training data.

[0031] According to an aspect of the invention, the optical and/or acoustic alert system configured to warn the swimmer 51, comprises at least one further wearable device and a siren and/or light indicators.

[0032] Advantageously, the optical and/or acoustic alert system allow to warn a swimmer of a change in training provided by scheduled training session, in terms of swimming style or speed. In case of deaf swimmer, the optical alert system comprising light indicators or the further wearable device that transmits vibration to the swimmer allows an automatic and real-time communication with the swimmer.

[0033] According to an aspect of the invention the at least one scheduled training session of the at least one swimmer 51 starts at time t_0j when the load cell 101 or at least one touch pad 102 detects the presence of a swimmer 51 in the lane 52. The scheduled training session, starts from t0j where j is a single swimmer registered and identified by the system. The same scheduled training session could be applied to one or more swimmers.

[0034] The scheduled training session comprises a sequence of intermediate time tnj where n is the number of touch pad (102) touches made by the swimmer (51) during his training, comprised between 0 and a N, and j is the identification of a single swimmer 51 previously registered. A scheduled training session could comprise a plurality of intermediate time t_nj, that is t_1j, t_2j,... t_nj, ... t_Nj, where each one indicate a change in swimming style or in speed to be communicated to the swimmer j.

[0035] The scheduled training session ends at t_fj where t_fj is the total duration of training session set by a coach for a single swimmer 51.

[0036] The training session of the swimmer 51 can also be interrupted at a time different from t_fj, for example due to the swimming pool closing time being reached or because the swimmer 51 decides to stop or continue his training. In this case, the time detection by mean of the system 100 continues even if the scheduled training session is over.

[0037] According to the invention said intermediate time tnj are comprised between t0j and tfj and activate said optical and/or acoustic alert system to communicate to the swimmer j 51 a change of swimming style or speed within his scheduled training session.

[0038] According to an aspect of the invention, said at least one touch pad 102 comprises a first touch pad 102a and a second touch pad 102b respectively placed in correspondence to a first end of the lane 52 and to an opposite end of said lane 52, and in that said at least one wireless receiver 102 comprises a first wireless receiver 105a and a second wireless receiver 105b respectively placed near the first touch pad 102a and to the second touch pad 102b.

[0039] According to an aspect of the invention, the chronometer 103 is configured to perform time measurements related to the training session of the swimmer 51 and is connected to a first processing unit 104.

[0040] According to an aspect of the invention, the aforementioned first end and opposite end of the lane 52 of the swimming pool 50 are identified as start/finish end and turn end.

[0041] According to an aspect of the invention, the system 100 is replicated for a plurality of lanes similar and parallel to the lane 52.

[0042] In use, the start of a training session of a plurality of swimmers 51 provides that each of them is given a device 107 able to be worn, according to an aspect of the invention the device 107 being a bracelet able to be worn at one wrist, with which the data of any swimmer 51 are associated. In other words, the device 107 has the primary function of identifying every single swimmer 51 in a unique way. In addition, each device 107 is equipped with a wireless communication module having the purpose of connecting said device 107, according to a wireless standard, to the couple of wireless receivers 105 able to implement the aforementioned identification phase, so as to trace constantly the single swimmer 51 inside the swimming pool 50, and depending on the coverage range of the wireless standard used.

[0043] In use, the swimmer 51, as soon as he positions himself on one of the starting blocks of the swimming pool 50 activates through his weight, by compression, the load cell 101, at the beginning of the training session.

[0044] Simultaneously, the first receiver 105a, by means of the device 107, identifies the swimmer 51 that activates the load cell 101 by transmitting in real-time the identification data to the first processing unit 104. The detachment of the swimmer 51 from said staring block causes the end of the compression force on the load cell 101, with the consequent start of the individual time counting, starting from t0j, performed by means of the chronometer 103 to which the load cell 101 is connected.

[0045] Advantageously according to the invention, the use of the device 107, which uniquely identifies the swimmer 51, allows to maintain the radio frequency connection with said swimmer 51 for the entire training and timekeeping session.

[0046] In use, advantageously, the first touch pad 102a and the second touch pad 102b, located respectively at the start/finish end of each lane 52 and at the opposite turn end, allow to monitor the passages of each swimmer 51 finely, taking into account the fact that during a training session, said swimmer 51 can perform a number of passages that do not necessarily, as in the race, begin and end at the start/finish end, but can end at the touch pad placed at the turn end, where therefore there is the need to stop the individual timekeeping phase.

[0047] Another advantage of the system 100 according to the invention is that the use of the second touch pad 102b allows to detect precisely the timings corresponding to the intermediate passages, at the turn end.

[0048] According to an aspect of the invention, the real-time processing system comprised in the first processing unit 104 is configured to acquire the chronometric measurements of the swimmer 51, while measuring current times, depending on a time interval within which the touch of at least one touch pad 102, and the identification of the swimmer 51, by the corresponding wireless receiver, occur.

[0049] According to another aspect of the invention, to have valid data to be stored, the aforementioned time interval must be less than a prefixed value Δt, where said prefixed value Δt is adjustable through the real-time processing system.

[0050] In other words, therefore, identified as "t0j" the instant associated with the beginning of the timekeeping and the start of the chronometer 103 for a swimmer j, i.e. the instant when the swimmer 51 deactivates the load cell 101 placed at one end of a lane 52 of the swimming pool 50 when jumping from the starting block, and identified as "tnj" > "t0j" the partial timing detected at the touch of a touch pad 102 and, finally, identified as "tnj*" the instant when the wireless receiver 105 identifies the swimmer 51 by means of his device 107, the time "tnj" is acquired and stored by the real-time processing system only if:

being Δt prefixed.

[0051] Advantageously according to the invention, said programmable time interval Δt allows to discard false positives, i.e. erroneous associations of chronometric measurements to identification data of swimmers 51.

[0052] According to an aspect of the invention, the first processing unit 104 stores a table, for example an electronic work sheet, comprising the scheduled training program, referred to a prefixed time interval such as a few hours, for every single swimmer 51 and/or for an entire group of swimmers 51.

[0053] According to another aspect of the invention, as previously said, the system 100 comprises a second processing unit 106 connected by means of a local or a remote connection to the first processing unit 104 and equipped with a system for acquiring, storing and analyzing the data transmitted by the first processing unit 104.

[0054] According to an aspect of the invention, the wireless connectivity module included in the device 107 is an electronic board comprising an RFID or a Bluetooth LE integrated circuit.

[0055] According to another aspect of the invention, the wireless receiver 105 is an RFID readers or Bluetooth LE readers able to receive the data transmitted by the device 107, the latter case implementing Bluetooth LE beacons.

[0056] Advantageously according to the invention, the RFID or Bluetooth LE wireless connection allows to implement the identification and traceability operations of the swimmer 51 with a low energy expenditure borne by the electronic components used.

[0057] According to an aspect of the invention, the first processing unit 104 is a personal computer installed on the edge of the swimming pool 50.

[0058] The method for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool 50 by means of the system 100 according to the invention, comprises the following steps:

• storing the identification data of at least a registered swimmer 51 in the first processing unit 104;
• storing at least one scheduled training session (t0j, t1j, t2j, ... tnj, tfj) of at least a swimmer 51 in the first processing unit 104;
• detecting time of start of a training session of a swimmer 51 t0j and starting chronometric detection by means of the chronometer 103, when the load cell 101 or at least a touch pad 102 detects for the first time the presence of a swimmer 51 in the lane 52;

• automatically warning the swimmer 51 during the training session at set times tnj > t0j by mean of said optical and/or acoustic alert system, said tnj corresponding to at an elapsed time after t0j or to a number of touches of the touch pad 102;
• automatically warning the swimmer 51 of the end of training session at set time tfj > tnj > t0j by means of said optical and/or acoustic alert system;
• comparing time data detected by the chronometer 103 to scheduled training session data and highlighting any differences between these data that exceed a fixed tolerance limit.

[0059] In use, all the lanes 52 of the swimming pool 50 are connected, by means of the touch pad 102 to the chronometer 103, which detects the timings of each swimmer 51 during the training session and transmits such chronometric measurements to the first processing unit 104.

[0060] Advantageously according to the invention, by correlating the chronometric measurements with the identification data continuously coming from the couple of wireless receivers 105, which tracks the single swimmer 51, with said wireless receivers in turn connected to the first processing unit 104, for example via an Ethernet or a Wi-Fi interface, the real-time processing system stores locally, and automatically and univocally associates, the performance data of every single swimmer 51.

[0061] According to an aspect of the invention, the real-time processing system installed on the first processing unit 104 and configured to process the data detected by the chronometer 103 and by the couple of wireless receivers 105, is a specific software program.

[0062] Advantageously according to the invention, the correlation of the data coming from to the chronometer 103 and the couple of wireless receivers 105 allows to profile automatically the chronometric measurements of the swimmer 51, in a reliable and precise way.

[0063] Advantageously according to the invention, the system 100, by means of the use of devices 107 and the couple of wireless receivers 105, characterized by the RFID or Bluetooth LE data transmission, allows an accuracy in the detection of the timings of the individual swimmer 51 to the hundredth of a second, even in situations with high crowding of the swimming pool 50, such as during the training sessions.

[0064] According to another aspect of the invention, the system 100 comprises an optical and/or acoustic alert system, connected and managed by the first processing unit 104, configured to warn the swimmer 51 to change an operating mode during the training session, for example to switch from one swimming style to another.

[0065] According to an aspect of the invention, the acoustic alert system comprises further wearable devices, preferably wireless headsets, configured to warn autonomously every single swimmer 51. According to an aspect of the invention, the acoustic alert system comprises a siren placed in the swimming pool 50 and configured to warn simultaneously all the swimmers 51.According to an aspect of the invention, the optical alert system comprises light indicators placed in the swimming pool 50, managed by the first processing unit 104 and configured to warn simultaneously all the swimmers 51.

[0066] Advantageously according to the invention, said optical and/or acoustic alert system allows to minimize or eliminate the dead times related to the swimmer's perception of the need to change the operating mode during the training session, for example following a simple manual signal made by the coach for a single swimmer 51 or for all the swimmers 51, in a massive way. Another advantage of the alert system is that the optical warnings, i.e. the light indicators, are characterized by different chromatic tones, in order to associate automatically a given color with a specific training operating mode, further reducing potential latency times. Another advantage of the alert system is that the optical warnings are useful, in particular, for hearing-impaired swimmers 51.

[0067] According to an aspect of the invention, the second processing unit 106 is a local server or a cloud server.

[0068] According to an aspect of the invention, the system for acquiring, storing and analyzing the data transmitted by the first processing unit 104, installed on the second processing unit 106, is a software program configured to synchronize the chronometric measurements related to the swimmer 51.

[0069] In use, therefore, advantageously, said software program allows to catalog the chronometric data of each training session and to profile the performances of every single swimmer 51, implementing advanced analysis on the historical data so as to provide the coach with information useful for managing and optimizing the workloads, as well as assessing the progresses of the individual swimmer 51. In particular, the coach can compare the performances of each swimmer 51 with the scheduled training program saved to the first processing unit 104, assessing the progresses or the deficiencies of the athlete with reference to expected timings, in order to improve or change the training program.

[0070] According to another aspect of the invention, the software program installed on the second processing unit 106 is designed to manage and schedule training activities outside the swimming pool 50.

[0071] According to another aspect of the invention, the first processing unit 104 is connected to the second processing unit 106 by means of a wired or wireless connection, local or remote, for example based on an Ethernet/Wi-Fi or an xDSL standard.

[0072] Therefore, the system 100 according to the invention allows to detect accurately and efficiently the set of timings concerning a plurality of swimmers who crowd the lanes of a swimming pool, in particular during training sessions.

[0073] Another advantage of the system for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool according to the invention, is that it allows a high precision timekeeping by using touch pads 102 compliant with FINA standards and connected to an automatic detection system of the timings characterized by an accuracy to the hundredth of a second.

[0074] Furthermore, the system for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool according to the invention is efficient, inexpensive, in terms of both initial investment and maintenance, and is easy to use.

[0075] Finally, the system for the automatic detection of chronometric performance in a swimming pool according to the invention allows to customize the workloads of the training sessions thanks to the analysis of the parameters of every single swimmer, by means of specific applications installed on a local server or in the cloud.

[0076] It is finally clear that the system and the method for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool described and illustrated herein can be subject to modifications and variations without departing from the protective scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. System (100) for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool (50) having at least one lane (52) crossed by at least one swimmer (51), said system (100) comprising:

- a chronometer (103) configured to perform time measurements related to a training session of the swimmer (51) ;

- at least one load cell (101) mounted on a starting block placed near a first end of the at least one lane (52), said at least one load cell (101) being connected to the chronometer (103) and configured to detect time of start of a training session of the at least one swimmer (51);

- at least one touch pad (102), each of said at least one touch pad (102) being electrically connected to the chronometer (103), to detect time data corresponding to at least a touch of the touch pad (102) by a swimmer (51);

- at least one wireless receiver (105) positioned near each at least one touch pad (102);

- a first processing unit (104), connected to said chronometer (103) and to the at least one wireless receiver(105), said first processing unit (104) storing at least one scheduled training session of at least one swimmer (51) and comprising a real-time processing system able to process time data detected by the chronometer (103) and by the at least one wireless receiver (105);

- a device (107) wearable by the swimmer (51) and configured for identifying uniquely the swimmer (51), comprising a wireless connectivity module able to connect said device (107) to the at least one wireless receiver (105), said wireless receiver (105) being able to identify every swimmer (51) which is located within a certain distance from touch pad (102) by mean of the device (107) worn by the swimmer (51) and transmit identification data to the first processing unit (104);
characterized in comprising an optical and/or acoustic alert system connected and managed by the first processing unit (104), configured to automatically warn the swimmer (51) during the training session at set times t_nj, and in that the real-time processing system receives from the chronometer (103) time data when a touch of at least one touch pad (102) occurs, associates those time measurement with a single swimmer (51) identified by the wireless receiver (105) and the device(107), and saves those data to the first processing unit (104) only if the time interval between the time t_nj in which the touch of a touch pad (102) occurs, and time t_nj* in which the identification of the swimmer (51) occurs, is less than a prefixed value Δt, said prefixed value Δt being adjustable through the real-time processing system.

2. System (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the wireless connectivity module comprised in the device (107) is an electronic board comprising an integrated circuit RFID or Bluetooth LE and said at least one wireless receiver (105) is a RFID reader or a Bluetooth LE beacon able to receive the data transmitted by the device (107).

3. System (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first processing unit (104) is a personal computer placed on the edge of the swimming pool (50).

4. System (100) according to claim 1, characterized in comprising a second processing unit (106) connected by means of a local or a remote connection to the first processing unit (104) and provided with a system for acquiring, storing and analyzing the data transmitted by said first processing unit (104).

5. System (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the second processing unit (106) is a server.

6. System (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the system for acquiring, storing and analyzing data comprised in the second processing unit (106) is a software program configured to compare time data detected by the chronometer (103) to scheduled training session data and to highlight any differences between these data that exceed a fixed tolerance.

7. System (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said optical and/or acoustic alert system configured to warn the swimmer (51), comprises at least one further wearable device and a siren and/or light indicators.

8. System (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one scheduled training session of the at least one swimmer (51):

- starts at t_0j when the load cell (101) or at least one touch pad (102) detects the presence of a swimmer (51) in the lane (52);

- comprises a sequence of intermediate time t_nj where n is the number of touch pad (102) touches made by the swimmer (51), comprised between 0 and a N, and j is an identification of a single swimmer (51) previously registered;

- ends at t_fj where t_fj is the total duration of training session set by a coach for a single swimmer (51),
Where said intermediate time t_nj are comprised between t_0j and t_fj and activate said optical and/or acoustic alert system to communicate to the swimmer (51) a change of swimming style or speed within the scheduled training session.

9. System (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one touch pad (102) comprises a first touch pad (102a) and a second touch pad (102b) respectively placed in correspondence to a first end of the lane (52) and to an opposite end of said lane (52), and in that said at least one wireless receiver (102) comprises a first wireless receiver (105a) and a second wireless receiver (105b) respectively placed near the first touch pad (102a) and to the second touch pad (102b).

10. Method for the automatic detection of chronometric performances in a swimming pool (50) by means of the system (100) according to one of the previous claims, characterized in comprising the following steps:

- storing the identification data of at least a registered swimmer (51) in the first processing unit (104);

- storing at least one scheduled training session of at least a swimmer (51) in the first processing unit (104);

- detecting time of start of a training session of a swimmer (51) t_0j and starting chronometric detection by means of the chronometer (103) when the load cell (101) or at least a touch pad (102) detects the presence of a swimmer (51) in the lane (52);

- automatically warning the swimmer (51) during the training session at set times t_nj > t_0j by mean of said optical and/or acoustic alert system, said t_nj corresponding to an elapsed time after t0j or to a number of touches of the touch pad (102);

- automatically warning the swimmer (51) of the end of training session at set time t_fj > t_nj > t_0j by means of said optical and/or acoustic alert system;

- comparing time data detected by the chronometer (103) to scheduled training session data and highlighting any differences between these data that exceed a fixed tolerance limit.

Drawing