Patent ID: 9164494
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: A63B,G04G,G07C,H04L

Abstract:
1. A system for communicating in real time sporting event participant information with a sport timing system (STS) configured to utilize and communicate with a participant detection system that is remotely located from the sports timing system wherein the participant detection system detects a participants proximity to an event detection point and identifies a participant identifier and determines a plurality of different detection times associated with said detection and transmits participant detection data including the identified participant identifier and the determined detection times to the STS, the system comprising: the sports timing system (STS) comprising a participant detection system communication interface communicatively coupled via a first communication network to the participant detection system wherein the participant detection system communication interface receives from the participant detection system the participant detection data that includes the participant identifier and the plurality of different detection times; a processor configured for executing computer executable instructions; a memory storing the computer executable instructions and a unique sport timing system (STS) identifier referring to the STS and coupled to the processor for providing the computer executable instructions to the processor, the computer executable instructions including a database application for storing the unique STS identifier and a plurality of participant data in the memory, each participant data of the plurality of participant data including a registered participant identifier for uniquely identifying each of a plurality of participants, one or more personal data associated with each participant of the plurality of participants, and a participant timing data that includes the received plurality of different detection times for each of the plurality of participants in proximity to the event detection point and a determined time of passing, the computer executable instructions including determining the time of passing that a particular participant passed the event detection point responsive to the received plurality of detection times for the particular participant; a data interface coupled to the processor and the memory and communicatively coupled to a second data communication network, the computer executable instructions causing the data interface of the STS to communicate over the second data communication network with a remote STS using a stateless broadcast variable length packet protocol transmitting a plurality of predefined multicast and unicast messages each of which is an application level message, the transmitted multicast and unicast messages including at least one of the unique STS identifier, a portion of the participant data and the determined time of passing for the particular participant, wherein the multicast application level messages include an identification of the STS but do not include an identification of the remote STS, the multicast application level messages including each of an announcement message, an announce message for lap events message, a no announcement message, a time synchronization message, a remote signal verification message and a refresh display message.