TIMING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TIMING

• US 20100265801A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Times-7 Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Times-7 Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Young, Warren, Ehelen, Mathias Marten Ernest, Thackery, Neil, Roberts, Arthur
• Application Number:
  US12/669,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265801A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/9
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material

Abstract

A timing system which illuminates an elongate timing region so that RFID transponders illuminated in the region transmit identification signals that are used to generate timing information associated with competitors. A panel antenna is preferably provided on the ground to create the elongate timing region and the system preferably operates at UHF. The RFID tag preferably uses a notch antenna and may be incorporated into a credit card.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A timing system comprising:

a. a radio frequency signal source;

b. a transmitting antenna array driven by the radio frequency signal source configured to illuminate an elongate timing region with portions of the array driven with modulated intensity;

c. a receiving antenna for receiving signals generated by RFID transponders illuminated by the transmission antenna; and

d. a timing circuit which generates timing information based on the signals received by the receiving antenna.

32. A timing system as claimed in claim 31 wherein the transmitting antenna is an array of low profile panel antennas.

33. A timing system as claimed in claim 32 wherein the panel antennas include arrays of patch antennas.

34. A timing system as claimed in claim 32 wherein the panel antennas are about 1 cm thick.

35. A timing system as claimed in claim 32 wherein the panel antennas are mounted on the ground.

36. A timing system as claimed in claim 35 wherein the panel antennas are covered by a waterproof mat.

37. A timing system as claimed in claim 32 wherein couplings are provided at the ends of the panel antennas enabling adjacent panel antennas to be joined together.

38. A timing system as claimed in claim 31 wherein alternating portions of the antenna array are alternately driven and not driven.

39. A timing system as claimed in claim 31 wherein portions of the antenna array are driven in such a way that any two adjacent radiating elements will not maintain a consistent standing wave between them.

40. A timing system as claimed in claim 31 wherein the transmitting antenna is mounted to a side of the antenna array.

41. A timing system as claimed in claim 31 wherein different portions of the antenna array are driven with different RF signals with variable phase angles between the signals.

42. A timing system as claimed in claim 31 wherein the timing circuit stores the identity of each RFID tag detected along with a timestamp as to the time of receipt.

43. A timing system as claimed in claim 31 including an RFID tag secured to a thing to be timed.

44. A timing system as claimed in claim 43 wherein the RFID tag is in the form of a credit card.

45. A timing system as claimed in claim 44 wherein the RFID tag includes a magnetic stripe.

46. A timing system as claimed in claim 43 wherein the RFID tag includes a notch antenna.

47. A timing system as claimed in claim 31 wherein the RFID system is operating at a UHF frequency.

48. A timing system as claimed in claim 31 wherein the system is supplemented with one or more radio frequency signal sources, and one or more transmitting antenna driven by the radio frequency signal sources.

49. A method of timing articles passing through an elongate timing region comprising:

e. securing an RFID tag with a unique identifier to each article;

f. illuminating the timing region with a first beam such that different portions of the timing region are illuminated at different times;

g. receiving signals transmitted from the RFID tags as they pass through the timing region; and

h. associating timing information with each RFID tag identifier based on the received signals.

50. A method as claimed in claim 49 wherein the timing region is in the form of a curtain across a timing point on a track.

51. A method as claimed in claim 49 wherein an array of panel antennas are positioned across the timing region to illuminate the timing region from the ground.

54. A method as claimed in any one of claims 49 wherein when a signal is received from an RFID tag the identification number of the RFID tag is time stamped and stored.

55. A method as claimed in claim 54 wherein each identification number is associated with a competitor and the performance of the competitor is determined based on timing information.

52. A method as claimed in 51 wherein different regions of the panel antennas are driven at different times.

53. A method as claimed in 52 wherein the panel antennas include a plurality of patch antennas.