Event timing system and method having integrated participant event location tracking
First Claim
1. A tracking system for determining and tracking a location of a participant tracked during an event along a route with a radio frequency tag having a unique tag number using a timing system communicatively coupled to a radio frequency tag reader system, the radio frequency tag reader system is configured to be located at a fixed location in proximity to the route at a first monitored location point for receiving one or more tag reads from the radio frequency tag as the tracked participant with the radio frequency tag travels in proximity to the first monitored location point, and configured for determining a time for each tag read of the one or more tag reads, identifying the tag number of the radio frequency tag, and transmitting a tag read message including at least a portion of the received tag reads with the tag number and the determined tag read time, the timing system configured for receiving and storing the transmitted tag read message including the tag number and the determined tag read times as transmitted by the radio frequency tag reader system, wherein the participant has a location device configured for associating with the participant and for receiving, from a location signal providing source, a plurality of location data as the participant travels along the route, time stamping each received location data, and transmitting location information including the received plurality of location data and the time stamps over a wireless communication interface, said tracking system comprising:
- a location detection device configured to be located at a fixed location in proximity to the route at a second monitored location point and configured to be in wireless communication with the location device and configured for receiving the transmitted location information from the location device, wherein in response to at least the timing system or the radio frequency tag reader system receiving the tag read message, the location detection device transmits the received location information to the timing system;
wherein the timing system stores the location information received by the location detection device including the time stamps and associates the stored location information with the tag number of at least one of the one or more tag reads of the received tag read message as a function of the tag read times and the time stamps of the location information, the timing system determining a plurality of tracked locations of the participant along the route of the event as a function of the plurality of location data and time stamps provided by the location information that is associated with the tag number for the participant.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining and tracking a location of a participant traveling along a route wherein the participant being tracked with a radio frequency tag using a radio frequency tag reader and a timing system, the system includes a location device associated with the tag and has a location data receiver for receiving location information from a location providing source, and a wireless communication interface and time stamps each received location information, and transmits tag location data over the wireless interface, and a location detection device that is in wireless communication with the location device receives the transmitted tag location data, and transmits the received location data to the timing system, with the timing system associating the received location data with the tag number as provided by the tag reader provided tag reads of the tag associated with the location device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A tracking system for determining and tracking a location of a participant tracked during an event along a route with a radio frequency tag having a unique tag number using a timing system communicatively coupled to a radio frequency tag reader system, the radio frequency tag reader system is configured to be located at a fixed location in proximity to the route at a first monitored location point for receiving one or more tag reads from the radio frequency tag as the tracked participant with the radio frequency tag travels in proximity to the first monitored location point, and configured for determining a time for each tag read of the one or more tag reads, identifying the tag number of the radio frequency tag, and transmitting a tag read message including at least a portion of the received tag reads with the tag number and the determined tag read time, the timing system configured for receiving and storing the transmitted tag read message including the tag number and the determined tag read times as transmitted by the radio frequency tag reader system, wherein the participant has a location device configured for associating with the participant and for receiving, from a location signal providing source, a plurality of location data as the participant travels along the route, time stamping each received location data, and transmitting location information including the received plurality of location data and the time stamps over a wireless communication interface, said tracking system comprising:
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a location detection device configured to be located at a fixed location in proximity to the route at a second monitored location point and configured to be in wireless communication with the location device and configured for receiving the transmitted location information from the location device, wherein in response to at least the timing system or the radio frequency tag reader system receiving the tag read message, the location detection device transmits the received location information to the timing system; wherein the timing system stores the location information received by the location detection device including the time stamps and associates the stored location information with the tag number of at least one of the one or more tag reads of the received tag read message as a function of the tag read times and the time stamps of the location information, the timing system determining a plurality of tracked locations of the participant along the route of the event as a function of the plurality of location data and time stamps provided by the location information that is associated with the tag number for the participant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for determining and tracking a location of a participant traveling along a route during an event, wherein the participant being tracked with a radio frequency tag using a timing system communicatively coupled to a radio frequency tag reader system, the radio frequency tag reader system configured to be located at a fixed location in proximity to the route at a first monitored location point for receiving one or more tag reads from the radio frequency tag as the tracked participant with the radio frequency tag travels in proximity to the first monitored location point, and configured for determining a time for each tag read of the one or more tag reads, identifying the tag number of the radio frequency tag, and transmitting a tag read message including at least a portion of the received tag reads with the tag number and the determined tag read time, the timing system configured for receiving and storing the transmitted tag read message including the tag number and the determined tag read times as transmitted by the radio frequency tag reader system, the method for use with a location device that is configured to be associated with the radio frequency tag of the participant and configured for:
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receiving a plurality of location data from a location providing source; time stamping each received location data; and transmitting location data including the time stamps, the method comprising; in a location detection device configured to be located at a fixed location in proximity to the route at a second monitored location point and in wireless communication with the location device; receiving the transmitted location data; and in response to at least the timing system or the radio frequency tag reader system receiving the tag read message, transmitting the received location data to the timing system;
in the timing system;receiving the location data including the plurality of location data and time stamps; associating the location data with the tag number as provided by the radio frequency tag reader system from at least one of the tag reads from the radio frequency tag associated with the location device; determining a plurality of tracked locations of the participant along the route of the event as a function of the plurality of location data and time stamps provided by the location information that is associated with the tag number for the participant; and storing the plurality of location data associated with the tag number. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification