Safety contestant progress registration

• US 8,928,464 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruce Claver
• Original Assignee: Bruce Claver
• Inventors: Claver, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US12/710,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20100227659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0661 arranged on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings

Abstract

A novel system and method provides an RFID tag usable to track a participant in a contest, wherein the RFID tag is permanently embedded into or onto a racing bib, also referred to as a timing bib. The embedding of the RFID tag into the timing bib serves to deter cheating and also enhances the usefulness of the timing bibs to the contest directors, sponsors or promoters. In another embodiment of the invention, the receiving antenna is situated such that participants move past it rather than over it, improving the reliability of the system.

Claims

1. A waypoint measurement post for measuring the passage of an object past a threshold, the waypoint measurement post comprising:

an RF antenna associated with the threshold, such that an object in proximity to the threshold is also in proximity to the antenna, and wherein the antenna is oriented vertically beside the threshold so that the object does not pass over the antenna while passing the threshold; and

a race monitor associated with the RF antenna, such that passage of an RFID tag by the threshold is detected by the antenna and relayed to the race monitor;

wherein the RF antenna associated with the threshold comprises two separate antenna and the two separate antenna are located at opposite lateral sides of the threshold.