Automated timing systems and methods having multiple time event recorders and an integrated user time entry interface

• US 10,157,505 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Timing Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Timing Systems LLC
• Inventors: Hansen, Kurt S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US14/793,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20160005240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and methods for timing of a passing of an object past a monitored location using a timing system and an automated object detection system detecting the passing of the object at the monitored location, and also having a remote entry computer system being positionable at a current location selected from a plurality potential locations each of which is set apart and different than the monitored location and having a clock determining a present time, a user interface receiving user input data, and a memory storing an offset time value, and the remote entry computer system receiving the user input data, receiving a user data input time associated with the receipt of the user input data, and storing the received user input data and the user data input time, and determining of an adjusted time value responsive to the determined remote time value and the stored offset time value.

Claims

1. A system for timing of a passing of an object past a monitored location having an object detection system positioned at the monitored location, the object detection system having a processor, memory and communication interface;

and at least one antenna for wirelessly detecting a passing of the object by the monitored location, the system comprising;

a computer-implemented timing system having a data interface for communicating over a data communication network, a memory with executable instructions for operating the data interface to communicate and for storing an identification of the timing system, event data, and object data, the object data including an object identifier for uniquely identifying each object and object timing data including one or more object timing values, and a processor coupled to the memory and the data interface for executing the executable instructions for operating the data interface to communicate datagram messages over a stateless packet data communication network, the timing system being communicatively coupled to the object detection system communicatively coupled to the timing system and positioned at the monitored location; and

a remote entry computer system having a processor for executing computer executable instructions, a clock for determining a present time, a user interface for receiving user input data, a memory being a computer readable medium storing the computer executable instructions and the received user input data, and a communications interface for communicating with the timing system, the remote entry computer system being positionable at a current location selected from among a plurality of potential locations each of which is set apart and different than the monitored location at which the object detection system is located, wherein the having computer readable medium including the computer executable instructions for performing the actions of;

receiving the user input data at the user interface;

receiving from the clock a user data input time associated with the receipt of the received user input data at the user interface;

determining a remote time value from the received user data input time, the remote time value being indicative of a time of passing of the object at the set apart current location of the remote entry computer system;

storing the received user input data and the determined remote time value in the memory;

creating a remote user data message including the received user input data as a datagram message;

transmitting the user data message over the communications interface to the timing system;

wherein the timing system receives the transmitted user data message over the timing system data interface and wherein the received user input data is the object identifier, wherein the timing system receives the transmitted user data message over the timing system data interface and wherein the received user input data is the object identifier, wherein the remote entry computer system stores an offset time value, and determines an adjusted time value responsive to the determined remote time value and the stored offset time value.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer executable instructions of the remote entry computer system include determining the adjusted time value including determining by the remote entry computer system the adjusted time value as a function of the determined remote time value and the stored offset time value, wherein the creating of the received user data message includes the determined adjusted time value and wherein the timing system stores the received adjusted time value as one of the object timing values within the object timing data.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the communication interface of the remote entry computer system receives the offset time value that is subsequently stored in the memory.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the remote entry computer system further includes a GPS receiver for determining the set apart current location of the remote entry computer system, wherein the computer executable instructions further include performing the action of determining the offset time value based on the determined set apart current location.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the remote entry computer system memory includes a stored GPS location of the monitored location and wherein the determining of the offset time value is based on the stored GPS location of the monitored location.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the remote entry computer system receives the offset time value in a message generated by the object detection system at the communication interface and stores the received offset time value in the memory of the remote entry computer system.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the timing system determines the offset time value as a current dynamic offset time value from among a plurality of changing offset time values as a function of a parameter selected from the group consisting of a distance between the remote entry computer system and the monitored location;

a determined speed of one or more objects passing the monitored location;

a determined change in speed of one or more objects passing the monitored location; and

a determined current time period of a timed event.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the object detection system generates a clock synchronization message, and wherein the communication interface of the remote entry computer system receives the clock synchronization message including a system time value from the timing system, and wherein the clock is configured to set the present time of the clock to the value of the received system time value.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface of the remote entry computer system includes a key pad and wherein the user input data is selected from the group consisting of an identification number associated with the object and a name associated with the object.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the user input data of the remote entry computer system includes an identification number associated with the object, wherein the user interface includes a display, wherein the computer executable instructions include instructions for performing the actions of:

transmitting an image request message including the identification number over the communication interface of the remote entry computer system requesting an image file associated with the identification number;

receiving at the timing system the image request message;

transmitting an image message containing the requested image file by the timing system;

receiving the image message at communication interface of the remote entry computer including the requested image file over the communication interface; and

displaying on the display of the user interface of the remote entry computer system an image contained in the received image file.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer executable instructions of the remote entry computer system include performing the actions of:

determining a lapse of time since the transmitting of the user data message; and

retransmitting the user data message over the communications interface after the determined lapse of time has met or exceeded a predetermined period of time.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication interface of the remote entry computer system receives a plurality of offset timing values from the timing system, each of the received plurality of offset timing values being stored in the memory, further comprising determining an applicable one of the received and stored offset timing values to be used in the determining of the adjusted time value as a function of a performance, speed, acceleration, deceleration of one or more objects, a current time as received from the clock as compared to a predetermined event time as stored in the memory, or in response to receiving an instruction from the timing system.

13. A system for timing of a passing of an object past a monitored location having an object detection system positioned at the monitored location, the object detection system having a processor, memory and communication interface;

and at least one antenna for wirelessly detecting a passing of the object by the monitored location, the system comprising;

a computer-implemented timing system having a data interface for communicating over a data communication network, a memory with executable instructions for operating the data interface to communicate and for storing an identification of the timing system, event data, and object data, the object data including an object identifier for uniquely identifying each object and object timing data including one or more object timing values, and a processor coupled to the memory and the data interface for executing the executable instructions for operating the data interface to communicate datagram messages over a stateless packet data communication network, the timing system being communicatively coupled to the object detection system communicatively coupled to the timing system and positioned at the monitored location; and

a remote entry computer system having a processor for executing computer executable instructions, a clock for determining a present time, a user interface for receiving user input data, a memory being a computer readable medium storing the computer executable instructions and the received user input data, and a communications interface for communicating with the timing system, the remote entry computer system being positionable at a current location selected from among a plurality of potential locations each of which is set apart and different than the monitored location at which the object detection system is located, wherein the having computer readable medium including the computer executable instructions for performing the actions of;

receiving the user input data at the user interface;

receiving from the clock a user data input time associated with the receipt of the received user input data at the user interface;

determining a remote time value from the received user data input time, the remote time value being indicative of a time of passing of the object at the set apart current location of the remote entry computer system;

storing the received user input data and the determined remote time value in the memory;

creating a remote user data message including the received user input data as a datagram message;

transmitting the user data message over the communications interface to the timing system;

wherein the timing system receives the transmitted user data message over the timing system data interface and wherein the received user input data is the object identifier, wherein the timing system stores an offset time value; and

determines an adjusted time value responsive to the determined remote time value and the stored offset time value.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the timing system determines the offset time value, creates a message including the determined offset time value, and transmits a message to the remote entry computer system including the offset time value,

wherein the communication interface of the remote entry computer system is configured for receiving the message containing the offset time value and stores the received offset time value in the memory of the remote entry computer system.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the timing system determines the offset time value as a current dynamic offset time value from among a plurality of changing offset time values as a function of a parameter selected from the group consisting of a distance between the remote entry computer system and the monitored location;

a determined speed of one or more objects passing the monitored location;

a determined change in speed of one or more objects passing the monitored location, and a determined current time period of a timed event.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the timing system determines the offset time value as a current dynamic offset time value from among a plurality of changing offset time values as a function of a parameter selected from the group consisting of a distance between the remote entry computer system and the monitored location;

a determined speed of one or more objects passing the monitored location;

a determined change in speed of one or more objects passing the monitored location; and

a determined current time period of a timed event.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the remote entry computer system further includes a GPS receiver for determining the set apart current location of the remote entry computer system, wherein the computer executable instructions further include performing the action of determining the offset time value based on the determined set apart current location.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the remote entry computer system memory includes a stored GPS location of the monitored location and wherein the determining of the offset time value is based on the stored GPS location of the monitored location.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the timing system determines the offset time value as a current dynamic offset time value from among a plurality of changing offset time values as a function of a parameter selected from the group consisting of a distance between the remote entry computer system and the monitored location;

a determined speed of one or more objects passing the monitored location;

a determined change in speed of one or more objects passing the monitored location; and

a determined current time period of a timed event.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the user interface of the remote entry computer system includes a key pad and wherein the user input data is selected from the group consisting of an identification number associated with the object and a name associated with the object.