Laser detection enhanced RFID tag reading event timing system and method
First Claim
1. A system for determining a time of a passing a detection line on a route by two participants each having an RFID tag on the participant or an object associated with each participant, both of which are traveling along the route, the system comprising:
- a timing system having a processor, a memory, a clock, and a data interface;
a RFID tag reader system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface for communicating with the timing system, a radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the RFID tag, and one or more antenna coupled to the radio frequency transceiver positionable proximate to the detection line for communicating with the RFID tags at one or more monitored points passed by each participant as they approach the detection line, the tag reader system transmitting a tag read request and receiving one or more tag reads including a different tag identifier for each of the RFID tags when the two RFID tags are proximate to one of the monitored points, time stamping each of the RFID tag reads, and transmitting over the communication interface to the timing system a tag read message including the tag identifier and at least a portion of the time stamped RFID tag reads for each of the two RFID tags;
a laser detector having a laser beam generator for projecting a laser beam across the detection line, the laser detection system generating a laser beam interrupt indicator when detecting an interruption of the projected laser beam at the detection line;
a laser detection system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface for communicating with the timing system and an interface coupled to the laser detector for receiving the generated laser beam interrupt indicator, the laser detection system determining a beam interrupt time of when the laser beam was interrupted as provided by the laser beam interrupt indicator, and creating a laser beam interrupt message including the beam interrupt time, and transmitting over the communication interface to the timing system the laser beam interrupt message;
wherein the timing system receives the tag read messages from the RFID tag reader system and the laser beam interrupt message, determines from the RFID tag reads which one of the received RFID tags is the first RFID tag and which is the second RFID tag, the first RFID tag being determined as the one having the shortest distance between the RFID tag and the detection line, the timing system associating the beam interrupt time with the first RFID tag, the timing system determining a delta time as the difference between the time stamps of the first and second RFID tag reads, the timing system determining a second beam interrupt time for the second RFID tag as the sum of the first beam interrupt time and the delta time, and storing in the timing system memory the beam interrupt time of the laser beam interrupt message as the time of detecting the passing at the detection line of the first RFID tag and the associated first tag identifier and storing the determined second beam interrupt time in the timing system memory as the time of detecting the passing at the detection line of the second RFID tag and associated second tag identifier.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for determining a time of a passing a detection line by a participant having an RFID tag traveling along the route, the system includes a timing system an RFID tag reader system for wirelessly receiving tag reads including a tag identifier for the RFID tags, time stamps each RFID tag read, and transmits them to the timing system, a laser detector detects a laser beam interrupt and generates a laser beam interrupt indicator receives the generated laser beam interrupt indicator, and determines a beam interrupt time, and creates a laser beam interrupt message including the beam interrupt time, the timing system receives the tag read messages and the laser beam interrupt messages, determines the identity of the participant from the tag identifier, associates the laser beam interrupt message with the determined tag identifier, and stores the beam interrupt time as the time of detecting the passing.
107 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for determining a time of a passing a detection line on a route by two participants each having an RFID tag on the participant or an object associated with each participant, both of which are traveling along the route, the system comprising:
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a timing system having a processor, a memory, a clock, and a data interface; a RFID tag reader system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface for communicating with the timing system, a radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the RFID tag, and one or more antenna coupled to the radio frequency transceiver positionable proximate to the detection line for communicating with the RFID tags at one or more monitored points passed by each participant as they approach the detection line, the tag reader system transmitting a tag read request and receiving one or more tag reads including a different tag identifier for each of the RFID tags when the two RFID tags are proximate to one of the monitored points, time stamping each of the RFID tag reads, and transmitting over the communication interface to the timing system a tag read message including the tag identifier and at least a portion of the time stamped RFID tag reads for each of the two RFID tags; a laser detector having a laser beam generator for projecting a laser beam across the detection line, the laser detection system generating a laser beam interrupt indicator when detecting an interruption of the projected laser beam at the detection line; a laser detection system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface for communicating with the timing system and an interface coupled to the laser detector for receiving the generated laser beam interrupt indicator, the laser detection system determining a beam interrupt time of when the laser beam was interrupted as provided by the laser beam interrupt indicator, and creating a laser beam interrupt message including the beam interrupt time, and transmitting over the communication interface to the timing system the laser beam interrupt message; wherein the timing system receives the tag read messages from the RFID tag reader system and the laser beam interrupt message, determines from the RFID tag reads which one of the received RFID tags is the first RFID tag and which is the second RFID tag, the first RFID tag being determined as the one having the shortest distance between the RFID tag and the detection line, the timing system associating the beam interrupt time with the first RFID tag, the timing system determining a delta time as the difference between the time stamps of the first and second RFID tag reads, the timing system determining a second beam interrupt time for the second RFID tag as the sum of the first beam interrupt time and the delta time, and storing in the timing system memory the beam interrupt time of the laser beam interrupt message as the time of detecting the passing at the detection line of the first RFID tag and the associated first tag identifier and storing the determined second beam interrupt time in the timing system memory as the time of detecting the passing at the detection line of the second RFID tag and associated second tag identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of determining a time of a passing a detection line on a route by two participants each having an RFID tag on the participant or an object associated with each participant, both of which are traveling along the route, the method comprising:
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a) in a RFID tag reader system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface for communicating with a timing system, a radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the RFID tag, and one or more antenna coupled to the radio frequency transceiver that are positioned proximate to the detection line for communicating with the RFID tags at one or more monitored points passed by each participant as they approach the detection line; transmitting a tag read request and receiving one or more tag reads including a different tag identifier for each of the RFID tags when the two RFID tags are proximate to one of the monitored points; time stamping each of the RFID tag reads; and transmitting over the communication interface to the timing system a tag read message including the tag identifier and at least a portion of the time stamped RFID tag reads for each of the two RFID tags; b) in a laser detector having a laser beam generator; projecting a laser beam across the detection line; generating a laser beam interrupt indicator when detecting an interruption of the projected laser beam at the detection line; c) in a laser detection system having a processor, a memory, a clock, a communication interface for communicating with the timing system and an interface coupled to the laser detector; receiving the generated laser beam interrupt indicator; determining a beam interrupt time of when the laser beam was interrupted as provided by the laser beam interrupt indicator; and creating a laser beam interrupt message including the beam interrupt time, and transmitting over the communication interface to the timing system the laser beam interrupt message; d) in a timing system having a processor, a memory, a clock, and a data interface; receiving the tag read messages from the RFID tag reader system; receiving the laser beam interrupt message; determining from the RFID tag reads which one of the received RFID tags is the first RFID tag and which is the second RFID tag, the first RFID tag being determined as the one having the shortest distance between the RFID tag and the detection line; associating the beam interrupt time with the first RFID tag; determining a delta time as the difference between the time stamps of the first and second RFID tag reads; determining a second beam interrupt time for the second RFID tag as the sum of the first beam interrupt time and the delta time; storing in the timing system memory the beam interrupt time of the laser beam interrupt message as the time of detecting the passing at the detection line of the first RFID tag and the associated first tag identifier; and storing the determined second beam interrupt time in the timing system memory as the time of detecting the passing at the detection line of the second RFID tag and associated second tag identifier. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification