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.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 61/154,620 filed Feb. 23, 2009, entitled “Safety Contestant Progress Registration,” which application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all that it expressly or inherently teaches, without exclusion of any portion thereof. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When participants compete in a contest involving speed or distance, it is often necessary to note the times at which each participant crosses one or more thresholds. Such thresholds may include a starting line, a mile marker, a finish line, etc. As the number of participants increase, it becomes impractical to time each such participant by hand. As such, an accurate and automatic process is required in order to ensure that the progress of each participants is accurately timed. 
     It has been found to be effective in many cases to associate each participant with an RFID tag, e.g., a tag that emits a detectable signature signal that uniquely identifies the emitting tag. As the individual participant crosses each waypoint or other threshold, the unique RFID signature is detected and the time of detection is noted and stored, with the aid of a software program, e.g., in a computer or other device. Current mechanisms for associating RFID tags with participants, however, leave much to be desired. 
     For example, in many existing systems, each RFID tag is initially affixed to a bib. Each participant detaches the RFID tags from his or her race bib and attaches the tag to their shoes. However, this system has many disadvantages. First, the race bib incorporating a peel-off RFID tag is generally manufactured by attaching a temporary “sticker”, or peel-off RFID label, designed to be removed. This tends to obscure and possibly damage other printed material on the bib, reducing the space usable for advertising and other important information. Secondly, the use of an RFID tag that separates from the bib encourages and allows cheating. For example, a weak participant may give his RFID tag to a more proficient competitor who is then able to log false times for the weaker contestant. This type of cheating allows the weak contestant to improperly qualify for races that they are not physically qualified to accomplish. 
     Moreover, even in the absence of intentional misconduct, the detachable RFID tag is prone to loss. For example, it may accidentally become detached from the user&#39;s shoe, wrist, or other supposedly secure location, leading the user to be disqualified. 
     Furthermore, the traditional RFID system includes a receiving antenna laying on the ground, e.g., under a mat or other covering, so that participants cross on top of it. This, however, makes the antenna vulnerable to damage, which can cause expense and inconvenience. Moreover, this configuration can cause unintentional injury to participants as they cross over or run over the mat. Additionally, by requiring the antenna to lay on the ground, existing systems cannot be used in other sporting events such as skiing, motocross, or even track and field. 
     Thus, an improved system of RFID provision and attachment is needed to minimize the detriments suffered by the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a system and method wherein an RFID tag usable to track a participant in a contest is permanently embedded into or onto a race bib. The embedding of the RFID tag into the race bib serves to deter cheating and also enhances the usefulness of the race bibs to the contest directors, sponsors or promoters. For example, with the RFID tag embedded as a part of the bib, interested parties can sell or otherwise use valuable advertising space on the bib, e.g., for the benefit of sponsors. 
     The RFID according to embodiments of the present invention can use either HF (high frequency) or UHF (Ultra high frequency) radio waves. This allows for a more robust system, in that a certain environment may be amenable to only one or the other of these signal types. Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the receiving antenna is situated at one or more points above or adjacent to the threshold rather than laying on the ground, such that participants move past it rather than over it. Exemplary arrangements include placing the antenna vertically on one or both sides of the threshold and/or placing the antenna above the threshold at a height so as to allow the participants to pass underneath. This new configurations may improve the reliability of the antenna by preventing damage, thus avoiding missed times or expensive damage. 
     In a particular embodiment of the invention, a racing bib for timing a participant in a contest, includes a bib structure having one or more layers of material and an RFID tag permanently associated with the bib structure so as to be nonremovable in the ordinary course of use, whereby the bib structure is adapted to be mounted to the participant so as to associate the RFID tag with the participant. 
     In a further particular embodiment of the invention, a waypoint measurement post for measuring the passage of an object past a threshold, includes 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 so that it is not beneath the participants. The waypoint measurement post further includes 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. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front partial cut away view of race bib having an embedded RFID tag according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective side view of a waypoint measuring system according to another embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective side view of an alternative waypoint measuring system according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention disclosed herein pertains to RFID technology, and in particular, pertains to a new system for providing and using RFID tags for timing purposes. In overview, the system according to an embodiment of the invention, an RFID tag is permanently embedded in or on a race bib, so that when the bib is worn by a participant, the passage of the bib by a measurement station serves to register the passage of the user by the measurement station. In a further embodiment of the invention, the measurement station includes a receiving antenna to detect the passage of an RFID tag, wherein the orientation of the receiving antenna or antennae is such that participants need not pass over the antenna. 
     According to a more specific embodiment of the invention, an active, passive, battery-assisted passive, or non-passive RFID tag is permanently embedded into or onto the material of a racing bib used at athletic events such as running, skiing, or biking. The RFID tag is designed to not be removed from the bib. Racing bibs may be printed with a number on the front to identify the athlete. The RFID tag is encoded with data that corresponds to or is usable to identify the number on the bib. An athlete wears the racing bib during their event and at certain access points, a receiver records the time the bib crosses the access point, thereby recording an accurate race time with respect to the athlete. A software program receives the RFID data and records said data and transforms it into race results, e.g., race times. 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like elements reference like parts for ease of understanding,  FIG. 1  is a schematic cut-away view of a racing bib  100  according to an embodiment of the invention. In the illustrated example, the racing bib  100  includes a plurality of layers, including a substrate layer  101 , a middle layer  103 , and a top layer  105 . The number of layers is not critical, and an implementation of the invention may use a lesser or greater number of layers without departing from the scope of the invention. The layers  101 ,  103 ,  105 , may be made of any suitable material or materials, including plastic, vinyl, paper, cardboard, etc. The layers  101 ,  103 ,  105  may be of the same or different construction. The bib  100  may be assembled via any known industrial process, including adhesion, lamination, sewing, etc. 
     An RFID tag  107  is associated with one of the layers  101 ,  103 ,  105 . In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the RFID tag  107  is associated with the middle layer  103 , and may or may not even be externally visible. In another embodiment of the invention, the RFID tag  107  is externally visible, such as may be the case if the RFID tag  107  is associated with the top layer  105 . However, in any case, the RFID tag  107  is permanently affixed to or within the racing bib  100 . In an example, the RFID tag is affixed to or embedded within a single layer. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the RFID tag  107  is applied to the bib  100  by way of magnetic and/or conductive ink or paint, such that a layer of the bib  100  itself forms a substrate for the RFID tag  107 . In this way, the RFID tag  107  may be applied more efficiently, and may also be more difficult to separate from the bib  100 . Suitable conductive and magnetic inks are commercially available and will not be discussed at length herein. 
     A front surface  109  of the top layer  105  of the bib  100  provides an area for printed matter or other visual matter. For example, a race number identifying the athlete may be shown, as well as printed advertising or promotional material. Because the RFID tag is disposed as part of the racing bib  100 , and is not removable, the printed matter on the front face  109  may overwrite the area wherein the RFID tag  107  is located without the risk that part of the printed matter will be lost by removal of the RFID tag  107 . 
     The racing bib  100  is intended to be worn by an athlete. To this end, one or more holes  111  may be provided so that the racing bib  100  can be attached to the individual in a relatively secure manner. 
     Referring now to the illustration of  FIG. 2 , there is shown a waypoint setup  200  including the components used to register the crossing of the race bib  100  (i.e., when a runner crosses). In particular, the waypoint setup  200  includes a threshold  201 , e.g., a finish line etc., that may or may not be visible. An antenna  205  is associated with the threshold  201 , so that a crossing detected by the antenna  205  can be interpreted as a crossing of the threshold  201 . 
     It should be noted that in this embodiment the antenna  205  is oriented vertically so that the contestants pass by, but not over, the antenna  205 . The antenna  205  may be self supporting or may be associated with a support structure, e.g., a fiberglass or plastic rail or tube. Although the foregoing discussion identifies a single antenna, two or more antennae are used in another embodiment of the invention, with one antenna being disposed on each side of the course such that contestants pass between the antennae. 
     A race monitor  203  associated with the antenna  205  serves to receive crossing data and transform such data into human usable statistics, i.e., race times, etc. The race monitor  203  may be a computer such as a PC or workstation, or may be a plurality of computing devices networked together. 
     When the race bib  100  crosses the threshold  201 , e.g., comes in close proximity to antenna  205 , the RFID tag  107  in the bib  100  is detected by the antenna  205 . The manner of detection is via electromagnetic radiation (radio waves) as discussed above, and need not occur at any particular portion of the RF spectrum. 
     The antenna  205  then transmits the detected data to the race monitor  203 . The mode of transmission between the antenna  205  and the race monitor  203  may be wireless, wired, and so on. In general the data detected by the antenna  205  serves to identify the runner or other athlete, while the time of transmission of that data to the race monitor  203  serves to establish the time of crossing. These two pieces of data are stored and used to generate the necessary statistics, discussed above. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the invention, illustrated as configuration  300  of  FIG. 3 , the antenna  305  is located above the threshold  201 . In this embodiment, participants ( 301 ) pass beneath the antenna  305 . 
     Due to the need to precisely time the crossing of the threshold  201 , the RFID tag  107  is relatively short range. In the prior systems, the closeness of the tag (i.e., on the user&#39;s shoe) to the antenna provided a sufficient guarantee that the crossing was detected at the appropriate time. In an embodiment of the invention, the tag  107  may detected at longer range to account of the fact that it may not come within several inches of the antenna at crossing. In order to ensure that the crossing is nonetheless accurately timed, an algorithm implemented on race monitor  203  may derive the crossing time based on the maximum signal strength from the tag  107 . Other algorithms to detect the crossing may instead be used if desired. 
     It will be appreciated that a new and useful system of using and provisioning an RFID tag timing mechanism is disclosed herein. All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
     Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.