Synchronization of a plurality of devices in a wireless sensor arrangement
First Claim
1. An event timing system comprising:
- a start device in an area of a multi-contestant competitive swimming event which establishes a single authoritative start time upon activation by a starting official, runs a cycle timer beginning at the single authoritative start time, and which attempts to resynchronize a plurality of stop devices by wirelessly broadcasting within an area of the swimming pool a plurality of start messages;
a plurality of stop devices within the area of the competitive swimming event, each of the contestants being assigned to a swim lane wherein two or more stop devices are assigned to each swim lane, each stop device being operated by a stop official, having a local stop timer synchronized or resynchronized to the single authoritative start time using a value from at least one of the start messages, and each stop device wirelessly transmitting a stop message responsive to operation of a stop trigger by a stop official, each stop message having a stop time parameter equal to a current value of a local stop timer upon stop trigger operation; and
a control device within the area of the competitive swimming event which, responsive to receipt of the stop messages, produces a recording of one or more stop time parameters, wherein all of the recorded stop time parameters are synchronized or resynchronized to the single authoritative start time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Two or more wirelessly networked devices for control or data acquisition functions for real-time application are provided with a error corrected synchronization and data collection process. A single start device transmits a start message, followed by each stop device acknowledging that start message. If one or more stop devices fails to acknowledge the initial start message, one or more start messages are transmitted including an elapsed time since the initial start message. Each stop device receives the initial start message and any subsequent start messages, using the elapsed time in the start message to synchronize a local timer. Upon stop event detection, each stop device records its local timer value and subsequently transmits that value to a collection device or console.
35 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An event timing system comprising:
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a start device in an area of a multi-contestant competitive swimming event which establishes a single authoritative start time upon activation by a starting official, runs a cycle timer beginning at the single authoritative start time, and which attempts to resynchronize a plurality of stop devices by wirelessly broadcasting within an area of the swimming pool a plurality of start messages; a plurality of stop devices within the area of the competitive swimming event, each of the contestants being assigned to a swim lane wherein two or more stop devices are assigned to each swim lane, each stop device being operated by a stop official, having a local stop timer synchronized or resynchronized to the single authoritative start time using a value from at least one of the start messages, and each stop device wirelessly transmitting a stop message responsive to operation of a stop trigger by a stop official, each stop message having a stop time parameter equal to a current value of a local stop timer upon stop trigger operation; and a control device within the area of the competitive swimming event which, responsive to receipt of the stop messages, produces a recording of one or more stop time parameters, wherein all of the recorded stop time parameters are synchronized or resynchronized to the single authoritative start time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An automated method comprising:
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by a start device in an area of a multi-contestant competitive swimming event; establishing a single authoritative start time upon activation by a starting official, running a cycle timer beginning at the single authoritative start time, and attempting to synchronize and resynchronize a plurality of stop devices by wirelessly broadcasting within an area of a swimming pool a plurality of start messages by a plurality of stop devices within the area of the competitive swimming event, each of the contestants being assigned to a swim lane wherein two or more stop devices are assigned to each swim lane, each stop device being operated by a stop official; synchronizing or resynchronizing a local stop timer to the single authoritative start time from at least one of the start messages; and wirelessly transmitting a stop message responsive to activation of a stop trigger by a stop official subsequent to the initialization, each stop message having a stop time parameter equal to a current value of a local stop timer upon stop trigger operation; and by a control device within the area of the competitive swimming event, responsive to receiving the stop messages, producing a recording of one or more stop time parameters; wherein all of the recorded stop time parameters are synchronized or resynchronized to the single authoritative start time. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification