UHF timing system for participatory athletic events

• US 8,179,233 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chronotrack Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Arash Kia
• Inventors: Kia, Arash
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US12/141,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20090184806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.51, 340 101- 105, 3405721-5729, 343/839, 343/851, 343/884, 235/375, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 10/00 Apparatus for measuring unknown time intervals by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/47 using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A participatory athletic event timing system based on backscattering modulation in the UHF band and including wirelessly encoding writable data tags with participant'"'"'s bib numbers or a calculated derivative thereof for timing participants in a participative athletic event, and attaching the data tags to the participant'"'"'s bibs for distribution of the bibs and data tags to participants so as to eliminate the need for matching data tags with bibs and maintaining the sequenced order of the matched data tags and bibs. In a preferred embodiment, when participants register for the event, they are assigned an ID number and a bib printed with that number and having attached to the bib one or more data tag encoded in the tags memory the ID number or a calculated derivative thereof. Before the start of the event, the athlete pulls the data tag from the bib and attaches it to their shoe. Antennas suitably designed and adapted for use with the data tags in participative athletic events are used to communicate with the data tags.

Claims

1. A method of collecting information from participants in a participative athletic event, the method comprising:

receiving information from a plurality of wireless data tags using one or more antennas adapted for use in the participatory athletic event and capable of radiating at UHF frequencies for communications with the plurality of wireless data tags that are tuned to such frequencies, and suitably designed so as to provide uniformly distributed radiated energy along a participant'"'"'s path of travel in a participatory athletic event and to provide sharp drop offs in radiated energy perpendicular to said participant'"'"'s path of travel for minimizing interference with other adjacently positioned antennas among said one or more antennas, wherein said one or more antennas include casing material that extends in a width of field direction perpendicular to said participant'"'"'s path of travel ending where radiated energy drops off so that casing material of adjacently positioned antennas may be positioned end to end without spaces therebetween; and

determining participant bib numbers corresponding to respective wireless data tags among said plurality of wireless data tags using only said information received from said plurality of wireless data tags or mathematical calculations therefrom.

2. A participatory athletic event timing system based on backscattering modulation in the UHF band, the system comprising:

one or more antennas adapted for use in a participatory athletic event and capable of radiating at UHF frequencies for communications with devices tuned to such frequencies, and suitably designed so as to provide uniformly distributed radiated energy along a participant'"'"'s path of travel in a participatory athletic event and to provide sharp drop offs in radiated energy perpendicular to said participant'"'"'s path of travel for minimizing interference with other adjacently positioned antennas among said one or more antennas,

wherein said one or more antennas include casing material that extends in a width of field direction perpendicular to said participant'"'"'s path of travel ending where radiated energy drops off so that casing material of adjacently positioned antennas may be positioned end to end without spaces therebetween.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the devices are wirelessly writable and wirelessly readable data tags with information uniquely associating said at least one data tag with at least one participant bib.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said the wirelessly writable and wirelessly readable data tags are both readily detachable from the at least one participant bib and operably reattachable in a location other than on the at least one participant bib for use during the participatory athletic event using the participatory athletic event timing system.