US 20100211239A1

(19) United States

(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0211239 A1
Christensen et al. (43) Pub. Date: Aug. 19, 2010

(54) TOWROPE WINCH DEAD START Publication Classi?cation

(76) Inventors: Ladd E. Christensen, Holladay, (51) Int. Cl.

UT (US); John M. Welch, G06F 17/00 (2006.01)
American Fork, UT (US); Tyson B63B 21/56 (2006.01)
Triplett, Provo, UT (US); Devin T.
(52) U.S. Cl. ......................................... .. 701/21; 114/253
Hales, Lehi, UT (US)
Correspondence Address: (57) ABSTRACT
STEVEN L. NICHOLS
Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy A system for starting from a dead start position may comprise
36 South State Street, SUITE 1900 a toWrope Winch, and a computing device con?gured to send
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84111 (US) and receive data to and from the toWrope Winch, in Which the
computing device is con?gured to operate the toWrope Winch
(21) App1.No.: 12/710,337 and Watercraft based on data inputted by the user to the
computing device. A computer program product for operating
(22) Filed: Feb. 22, 2010 a toWrope Winch from a dead start position may comprise a
computer usable medium having computer usable program
Related U.S. Application Data code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code
comprising computer usable program code con?gured to
(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 11/069,615, prompt a user to enter data regarding the operation of the
?led on Feb. 28, 2005, noW Pat. No. 7,665,411.
toWrope Winch from a dead start, and computer usable pro
(60) Provisional application No. 60/599,273, ?led on Aug. gram code con?gured to operate the toWrope Winch based on
6, 2004. data inputted by the user.
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 1 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

Prior Art
Fig. 1
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 2 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 3 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

131
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 4 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 5 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 6 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

141 115
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 7 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 8 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

120 130 121

Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 9 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

160

163

164

165

167

169
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 10 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

100\
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 11 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

Tow Sys'tem Watercraft

10 1__1_

User Interface
System
ZQQ

Input Device Output Device

01 2O
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 12 of 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

Tow System Watercraft

M2 1.1

K
TOW System Watercraft Port
Port

215_ 29

User .

Interface < Memozrgg (1))evrce

ssggm User Interface
Processor Towrope Winch A UXI'l'iary P 0 rt
Application
2_0 Z55 25.

Bus input Device Output Device

230
_01 ZQZ

Network
260
Fig. 12
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 13 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

Tow System Watercraft

Bus
23 LQ u

TOW System Watercraft Port

Port

215 2.9

User Interface System

ZQQ

Memory Device
User interface gig
Processor Auxiliary Port

i Towrooe Vtlinch
Application L5
E

Input Device Output Device

_Q1 2L2.

Mobile Device A

Fig. 1 3 Network
260
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 14 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

700

\ 715 716 717

701
x xx ?fnlllqiilviktii
702
iii @ p er gilt
~~ Rider 1 ii Rider 2 ll Rider 3 l
"Rider NameM
Username

706 < Determine Skill

Level based on
Rider Prefernces

710/ z/Rider
Preferences
l
,j/ Wake Boa rdmg Wake Sur?ng ii Wake Skating imwmMmmemm.Wm
711/"T
j owro e St arm
t' Len th T owro e Ed'gL
n in en gth
E9111". 151W
1 Min. Towro e Len th Max. Towro e Len th

i Reel-In Siege Reel-Out S eed

digit/E512____ _.

713\\

f; Water
Add New
Sport
720\
Add New Sync to
, Rider Computer

703{ Rider1 /
/
726 721
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 15 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

730 \

701

731\
702 MWMMMMMMWIE3
wwwwwwwwwwwwwww
[all a itp [L3 {it 7' (a 3"; [it

Watercraft 1 It Watercraft 2 3? Watercraft 3 I

Watercraft Owner Maitam _______ ._ MQget ............................... __

State Reqistration No. tgrgwnltnewl

Watercraft Lenqth
732 IHIMZYZFMEEM t2fntvli ..........-Y

Watercraft Name
[SjgjlamLater

l/Tower Preferences
735/ 1 T

736 { Ngvylflrwer
Tower Makew Tower Model
737
Roswell
Mm
J Area 52 S.IV. }
WWW

IDistance from Tower Mount to Back of Watercraft a

73s \ To Dead Start I To Rrder

. PIOfllGS
. vii

Add New
Watercraft

'gigj Sync to
Computer
703 Watercraft 11 / / I v
/
721 722 723
726

Fig. 15
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 16 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

800

\\ 815 816 817

701

702

7O5\~Rider1 l Rider2 ll Rider3l ,

'Rider Namem Dead Start Skill Le
W" ; 1, ; Dead Start
7O6< Usernamewww
Rider_g1@hotmail.com ] 89 ~
Preferences
7
6
2 lntermedlate
Determine Skill
3
2 Level based on
l Novice Rider Prefernces

810/ [,Wake
/Dead Start
Boarding
Preferences
11 Wake ' Surfing
r ll Wake Skating LAWN,WWWWWWWM ~
811/ v/Towro eStartin Len th
5 251M mmmmm M

l Dead Start Reel-In S eed

I ?iEt/DFMQCMW
Dead Start Reel-In Acceleration
812 i lmitty/aeqwil
Watercraft Overtake? Overtake Distance
@Yes
o No
20'
*-~--------~

Match Winch Speed?

(9 Yes
713\ (3N0
w ' Add New ,. To Rider To Watercraft
Water Sport Profiles Prof'les
720\ I ~ 7 v . I . ' V

Sync to ~ Sync to
., Computer c1 Web page
Nil wet
1Page1/3
/ l
721 740 722 725 723

i9. 16
Patent Application Publication Aug. 19, 2010 Sheet 17 0f 17 US 2010/0211239 A1

START

7
Run towrope Winch Prompt user for overtake
application distance
(Step 820) (Step 825)

L
Prompt user for dead start
preference information
Prompt user to determine
Winch speed matching
(Step 821) (Step 826)

is enough
information Winch speed
provided? match enabled?
(Step 822) (Step 827)
NO

YES t
Prompt user for overtake
i speed
Prompt user to determine
Watercraft overtake
(Step 828)
(Step 823)

Watercraft
overtake enabled?
(Step 824)
US 2010/0211239 A1
TOWROPE WINCH DEAD START
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the bene?t under 35
U.S.C. 119(e) of Provisional U.S. Patent Application No.
60/ 599,273, ?led Aug. 6, 2004, and further claims the bene?t
under 35 U.S.C. 120 ofUtility application Ser. No. 11/069,
615, ?led Feb. 28, 2005. These applications are incorporated
herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Water sports such as Wakeboarding, Wakeskating,
skur?ng, Wake sur?ng, and knee boarding have become
increasingly popular. Due to the popularity of such Water
sports, neW technology has been developed to enhance the
participants experience.
[0003] Particularly, several measures have been taken to
increase the siZe of the Wake made by the Watercraft that is
toWing a Wake boarder or other type of Water sport enthusiast,
such as a Wake skater, Wake surfer, or tuber. The siZe of the
Wake, Which is the track left by a moving Watercraft in the
Water, can determine hoW enjoyable the experience is for the
user being toWed. The higher and more voluminous the Wake
is, the greater vertical lift a Wake boarder or Watercraft sport
enthusiast can achieve When moving over and springing off of
the Wake. With this greater vertical lift, the user can perform
tricks and stunts that Would not be possible With a smaller
Wake.
[0004] One Way in Which the Wake is made bigger is by
adding large amounts of Weight to the boat or Watercraft. This
is often achieved by adding a Water ballast system to the
inside of the Watercraft. A Water ballast system Will take on
Water When desired to cause the Watercraft to ride loWer and
sink farther into the Water, in other Words, to increase the draft
of the Watercraft. When the Watercraft then moves through the
Water, the increased draft causes the resulting Wake to be
larger.
[0005] While a ballast system does make a larger Wake and
does make it possible for the user to gain greater lift from the
Wake, it also has several disadvantages. For example, a ballast
system causes the Watercraft to experience a drastic decrease
in fuel e?iciency and handling, and creates all around greater
Wear and tear on the Watercrafts mechanical parts.
[0006] In addition, ballast systems are generally only avail
able in neWer Watercraft for the purpose of increasing Wake
siZe. Older Watercraft do not have such ballast systems, and
ballast systems are extremely dif?cult to retro?t to older
Watercraft. When a ballast system is added to an older Water
craft, the result is usually not cost effective and outWeighs the
advantages of a having a larger Wake obtained through install
ing such a ballast system.
[0007] Another Way in Which a user can enhance the verti
cal lift he or she can achieve over the Wake of a Watercraft is
to include a toWer on the Watercraft. The toWrope is then
attached to the top of the toWer. By increasing the distance
betWeen the surface of the Water and the point at Which the
toWrope is attached to the Watercraft, the skier or boarder
being toWed can exert force, pulling upWard on the toWrope to
achieve a greater vertical lift over the Wake. The toWer is
typically a pylori or frameWork usually made of aluminum or
other light metals.
[0008] Yet another Way of enhancing the vertical lift a user
can achieve over the Wake of a Watercraft is to increase the
Aug. 19, 2010
speed by Which the user travels over the Water, and especially
the Wake of the Watercraft. An increase in velocity over a
Wake provides for more force to be exerted betWeen the board
the user is riding and the Wake. One Way to increase a riders
speed over a Wake is to increase the speed of the Watercraft
pulling the rider. HoWever, although the rider may employ
audible or visual signals to the operator of the Watercraft
regarding the need for increased or decreased speed, commu
nicating these messages may be cumbersome for the rider.
This is because the rider may have to yell over other noises
such as the noise of the engine of the Watercraft, or may have
to take a hand off the toWrope in order to give a visual signal
of some kind. This may cause the rider to become distracted
or otherWise limit the riders control as he or she is riding.
Further, audible and visual communication With the operator
of the Watercraft takes the riders ability to fully control his or
her speed aWay, and creates and unpredictable situation
Where the rider may not anticipate the timing of the speed
increase and degree of acceleration.
[0009] Further, as alluded to above, When participating in
the above-mentioned Water sports, a rider may not be able to
fully control various aspects of the riding conditions. This is
because of the fact that the operator of the Watercraft has
unfettered control over rates of acceleration, direction of
travel, and speeds of the Watercraft at any given time. Also,
changing some aspects of the riding conditions require that
the Watercraft be stopped in order to adjust. Thus, the rider has
limited control over much of the aspects of the riding condi
tions.
[0010] More speci?cally, one of the aspects that the rider
does not have complete control over includes the length of the
toWrope from the back of the Watercraft. The length of the
toWrope may determine at What point in the Wake the rider is
riding. If the toWrope is relatively short, then the rider can ride
on the portion of the Wake that is relatively larger since the
Wake is relatively larger immediately behind the Watercraft. If
the toWrope is relatively long, then the rider can ride on a
portion of the Wake that is relatively smaller. Although in
conventional systems, the rider may set the length of the
toWrope at a certain distance before and after a ride, the rider
must remain at this length until he or she stops riding and
adjusts the length. In other Words, the rider cannot adjust the
length of the toWrope during a ride. Further, adjustments to
the length of the toWrope may pose a safety risk to the rider.
For example, the rider may shorten the length of the toWrope
so much that he or she may likely suffer injuries from the back
end of the Watercraft such as the sWim deck or from moving
parts of the Watercraft such as those associated With an
inboard, outboard, or inboard/outboard motor.
[0011] Another riding condition that the rider may not be
able to fully control is the timing of When the Watercraft starts
from a dead stop and begins to initially pull the rider out of the
Water to a point at Which the board the that rider is riding on
is planing. This is called a dead start. In conventional systems,
the operator of the Watercraft simply causes the Watercraft to
start pulling the rider out of the Water at a point in time that
may not be anticipated by the rider. For example, the rider
may give an audible or visual cue to the operator of the
Watercraft to begin pulling him or her from a dead start
position, but the operator may not engage the Watercraft until
several seconds later. Thus, the rider may be anticipating that
the Watercraft Will pull him or her out at an earlier or later
point in time than actually occurs.
US 2010/0211239 A1
[0012] Yet another riding condition that the rider may not
be able to fully control is the speed and acceleration at Which
the Watercraft pulls him or her out of the Water from a dead
stop. Riders of varying skill levels may prefer or require
different rates of acceleration and speed When being pulled
out of the Water from a dead stop. For example, novice riders
may require a sloWer rate of acceleration and initial speed
from a dead start, Whereas an expert or professional rider may
prefer and be able to Withstand higher rates of acceleration
and speed When being pulled from a dead start.
[0013] Still another riding condition that the rider may not
have control over in connection With Wake sur?ng is the use of
a toWrope that is used only initially as the riderbegins to Wake
surf. In Wake sur?ng, the rider does not utiliZe the entire
Watercraft Wake, but instead utiliZes only the largest portion
of the Wake usually located directly behind the Watercraft.
The rider typically utiliZes a toWrope to begin riding, and
pulling him or herself toWards that portion of the Wake. After
the rider has reached that point, the rider discards the toWrope
and rides the Wake as a surfer Would ride a conventional ocean
Wave. HoWever, the discarded toWrope may pose a safety
issue to the rider. In some instances, the toWrope may become
entangled around the rider or the riders board. This could
lead to damage or loss of the board or droWning of the rider.
[0014] Alternatively, although the rider may choose to
throW the toWrope into the Watercraft, this too may pose a
safety risk to the rider and others. Speci?cally, the throWn
toWrope may strike a passenger in the Watercraft, potentially
causing injury to the passenger. Further, the rider may be
throWn off-balance While attempting to throW the rope into
the Watercraft. Still further, When pulling him or herself up to
the Wake of the Watercraft, the riders hands may become
callused due to friction along the length of the toWrope. Typi
cally, a Wake sur?ng rope is knotted or otherWise textured
such that the rider can pull toWards the Wake. This also adds
to the trauma to the riders hands.
[0015] Finally, different riders have different skill levels
and abilities With regard to different Water sports. Riders may
be classi?ed as expert, intermediate, or novice riders, and
may further have varying degrees there betWeen. Further, an
expert rider With regard to Wakeboarding, for example, may
not be at the same skill level When participating in other Water
sports such as Wake sur?ng, Wakeskating, or skur?ng, for
example. Further, as riders improve their skill level, adjust
ments may need to be made With regard to various aspects of
the riders experience. For example, a rider Who improves his
or her skill level may Wish to experience faster riding speeds,
faster or sloWer accelerations over the Wake, or shorter or
longer lengths of rope.
SUMMARY
[0016] A system for starting from a dead start position may
comprise a toWrope Winch, and a computing device con?g
ured to send and receive data to and from the toWrope Winch,
in Which the computing device is con?gured to operate the
toWrope Winch and Watercraft based on data inputted by the
user to the computing device. A method for operating a toW
rope Winch from a dead start position may comprise prompt
ing a user for data regarding the operation of the toWrope
Winch from a dead start, and operating the toWrope Winch
based on the data inputted by a user. A computer program
product for operating a toWrope Winch from a dead start
position may comprise a computer usable medium having
computer usable program code embodied thereWith, the com
Aug. 19,2010
puter usable program code comprising computer usable pro
gram code con?gured to prompt a user to enter data regarding
the operation of the toWrope Winch from a dead start, and
computer usable program code con?gured to operate the toW
rope Winch based on data inputted by the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The accompanying draWings illustrate various
embodiments of the present invention and are a part of the
speci?cation. The illustrated embodiments are merely
examples of the present invention and do not limit the scope
of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 1 is an illustrative depiction of a Watercraft and
toWrope system according to teachings of the prior art.
[0019] FIG. 2 is an illustrative depiction of a Watercraft
incorporating a toWrope Winch according to an embodiment
of the present exemplary system and method.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective vieW of the toWrope Winch
according to an embodiment of the present exemplary system
and method.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective vieW of a toW system incor
porating an exploded vieW of the toWrope Winch of FIG. 3, a
toWrope and toWrope handle assembly according to an
embodiment of the present exemplary system and method.
[0022] FIG. 5 is an exploded vieW of the reel assembly of
the toWrope Winch of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment of
the present exemplary system and method.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a perspective vieW of a poWer train includ
ing a motor coupled to the reel assembly of the toW system of
FIG. 4 according to an embodiment of the present exemplary
system and method.
[0024] FIG. 7 is a perspective vieW of a brake assembly
coupled to the reel assembly of the toW system of FIG. 4
according to an embodiment of the present exemplary system
and method.
[0025] FIG. 8 is a side vieW ofthe brake assembly ofFIGS.
4 and 7 shoWing the actuation of the brake assembly accord
ing to an embodiment of the present exemplary system and
method.
[0026] FIG. 9 is an exploded vieW of a transmitter assembly
according to an embodiment of the present exemplary system
and method.
[0027] FIG. 10 is a block diagram ofthe various systems of
the toW system of FIG. 4 according to an embodiment of the
present exemplary system and method.
[0028] FIG. 11 is a block diagram ofthe toW system ofFIG.
4 incorporating a user interface system according to an
embodiment of the present exemplary system and method.
[0029] FIG. 12 is a block diagram ofthe toW system ofFIG.
4 incorporating a user interface system according to another
embodiment of the present exemplary system and method.
[0030] FIG. 13 is a block diagram ofthe toW system ofFIG.
4 incorporating a user interface system according to another
embodiment of the present exemplary system and method.
[0031] FIG. 14 is a diagram of a rider pro?le page of a
toWrope Winch application according to an embodiment of
the present exemplary system and method.
[0032] FIG. 15 is a diagram of a Watercraft pro?le page of
a toWrope Winch application according to an embodiment of
the present exemplary system and method.
[0033] FIG. 16 is a diagram ofa dead start pro?le page ofa
toWrope Winch application according to an embodiment of
the present exemplary system and method.