System and method for monitoring a competitive activity

• US 5,812,049 A
• Filed: 10/25/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micro Utility, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Micro Utility, Ltd.
• Inventors: Uzi, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Application Number:
  US08/738,219
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 340/323 R, 368/2, 368/10
• US Class Current: 340/323.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/20 Swimming
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders

Abstract

A system for monitoring the time and location of a participant in a competitive activity, which includes memory apparatus for storing event performance parameters and the identity of the participant; clock apparatus, for determining event times of the participant; control apparatus, associated with the clock apparatus and the memory apparatus, for receiving as input data the event times of the participant, and for determining event performance parameters in accordance therewith, and for storing the parameters in the memory apparatus; and event duration measuring apparatus associated with the control apparatus; the event duration apparatus including first tactile apparatus associated with the clock apparatus, for automatically starting the clock apparatus in response to a first predetermined tactile input, and second tactile apparatus for providing an output signal to the clock apparatus in response to each of one or more second predetermined tactile inputs, wherein the clock apparatus is operative to provide output indications of clocked times at which the tactile inputs occur, and wherein the control apparatus is operative to record and process the clocked times; there also being provided apparatus for remotely identifying the participant, immediately prior to the first and second tactile events, and for providing the identity to the control apparatus, wherein the control apparatus is operative to store the clocked times in association with the participant.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the time and location of plurality of participants competing in at least partially overlapping time periods in a competitive event occurring between predetermined start and finish locations, which comprises:

(a) memory means for storing event performance parameters and the identity of all the participants,

(b) clock means, for determining event times of the participants;

(c) control means, associated with said clock means and said memory means, for receiving as input data the event times of the participants, and for determining event performance parameters in accordance therewith, and for storing said parameters in said memory means;

(d) event duration measuring means associated with said control means comprising;

(i) first tactile means associated with said clock means, and located at the event start location, for automatically starting said clock means in response to a first predetermined tactile input signifying start of the event; and

(ii) second tactile means, located at the event finish location, for providing an output signal to said dock means in response to each of at least one second predetermined tactile inputs signifying finish of the event, wherein said dock means is operative to provide output indications of clocked times at which said tactile inputs occur, and wherein said control means is operative to record and process said clicked times; and

(iii) means, located at a predetermined location, for remotely identifying each of the participants, immediately prior to each of said first and second tactile events, and for providing said identities to said control means, wherein said control means is operative to store said clocked times in association with each participant and in association with said predetermined location,

wherein said second tactile means located at the event finish location includes a segmented touch pad, which contains a plurality of antennae, each being associated with a predetermined area associated with the finish location, and associated with said control means, each antenna being operative to generate a magnetic field extending across a predetermined area associated with the finish location, and being further operative to dock an event time in response to a tactile input thereat;

and wherein said means for remotely identifying a plurality of participants competing in at least partially overlapping time periods, includes said segmented touch pad; and

said means for remotely identifying also includes a plurality of inductive transponder worn by the plurality of participants, each being operative, in response to being exposed to said magnetic field, to repeatedly transmit a signal indication corresponding to the identity of a participant by which it is being worn, wherein said signal indication is detected by one of said plurality of antennae and said one antenna is operative to provide said signal indication to said control means which is operative to determine legality of the participant identity to which said signal indication corresponds, and to dock the event time associated with said tactile input and to store it in association with the participant identity, if the participant identity is found to be legal.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein, if the identity of the participant is found to be legal, said control means is operative to drive said antenna to transmit a STOP signal to said inductive transponder means, thereby to cause it to stop transmitting the participant identity signal indication.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein, said control means includes an anti-collision algorithm which, on detection of two or more signal indications from different transponders, operates said means for remotely identifying so as to select and process date relating to a first of the two or more participants, and so as, thereafter, to ignore transmissions relating to the first participant and to select and process data relating to the second of the two or more participants.