System and method for determining split-times in a relay race
AssigneeIsolynx, LLC
InventorsDouglas J. DeAngelis, Edward G. Evansen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for determining split-times in a relay race run using one or more lanes of a running track, where a relay team in each lane carries a respective relay baton, includes, for each lane: (a) periodically determining a location of the respective relay baton, (b) determining, for one or more take-over zones in the lane, respective first times when the relay baton crosses a respective line within the take-over zone, (c) determining a second time when a finish line of the relay race is reached, and (d) determining a split-time for each segment of the relay race, based upon a start time of the relay race, the one or more first times, and the second time.
Claims9
A system for determining split-times of a relay race run on a running track with a plurality of lanes, each of the lanes having one or more staggered take-over zones in which a corresponding baton of said each of the lanes is handed off, the system comprising:
- wireless tracking tags configured for coupling to each baton to equip each baton with at least one of the wireless tracking tags, each of the wireless tracking tags being configured to periodically emit pings during the relay race;
- at least three receivers configured to be positioned at known locations around the running track and configured to receive the pings from the wireless tracking tags, wherein each of the receivers records a time of arrival and information content for each of the received pings;
- a tracking computer configured to communicatively couple with the receivers to periodically determine locations of each baton relative to the running track based on the known locations of the receivers and the time of arrival and information content of at least some of the pings received from said each baton;
- and
- a timing computer that includes a real-time clock configured to output a start time in response to a start signal, the timing computer being configured to:
- (i) store a track map specifying locations of staggered take-over lines of the staggered take-over zones,
- (ii) communicatively couple with the tracking computer to receive therefrom the periodically-determined locations of each baton,
- (iii) track each baton during the relay race based on the periodically-determined locations of said each baton to determine movement of said each baton,
- (iv) obtain from the real-time clock a crossing time when each baton crosses a corresponding one of the staggered take-over lines stored in the track map, as based on the movement of said each baton,
- (v) determine each split time of each baton by subtracting from each crossing time of said each baton (a) a previous crossing time, when said each baton crossed a previous one of the take-over lines, and (b) the start time, when said each crossing time is a first crossing time of said each baton, and
- (vi) send the determined split-times to an output device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.