Abstract:
A fast data method is contemplated to speed data processing and/or transmission times associated with sensor devices desiring to report or otherwise communicate electronic data over wireless or wireline communications mediums to a processing entity. The fast data method may be achieved by scheduling transmission windows/intervals for the sensor devices and adjusting the scheduled intervals in a manner aimed at increasing processing/polling speeds and/or in a manner aimed at facilitating transmission of data built-up over time due to a prior inability to transmit the data.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional Application Nos. 61/424,431 and 61/424,439, both filed Dec. 17, 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to facilitating data transmissions, such as but not limited to adjusting transmission intervals in order to facilitate fast data transmission of wireless and/or wireline signaling. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    United States patent application no. 2011/0153042, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, relates to a performance metric system where movements of a monitored person or device is tracked for use in computing performance results and metrics. The performance metric system relies upon wireless communications between a plurality of monitoring sensors (head and/or limb sensors) and a processing entity (e.g., a master station controller and/or a master station). It may be beneficial for this type of system, and other systems that rely upon signal transmission between multiple devices, to be able to facilitate fast data communications between the monitoring devices and the processing entity. The ability to facilitate fast data communications may be particularly relevant if the system desires to support real-time communications between the processing entity and the users wearing the monitoring sensor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  illustrates a performance metric system as contemplated by one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  illustrates a polling schedule as contemplated by one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  illustrates a shortening of a transmission window as contemplated by one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  illustrates a lengthening of a transmission window as contemplated by one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of a fast data method as contemplated by one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a performance metric system  10  as contemplated by one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The system  10  is configured to facilitate tracking movements of athletes, users, persons, animals, and/or movable devices with a plurality of sensors  12 , which are shown for exemplary purposes as being head and limb devices  14 ,  16  configured to attach to a head and limb of a user. The devices  14 ,  16  may be configured with accelerometers, gyroscopes, or other features sufficient to facilitate tracking movement, performance, and athletic endeavors of the wearer. The data collected by the devices  14 ,  16  may be referred to periodically herein as performance-metric data as the present invention is predominately described with respect to collecting the performance-metric data in order to generate performance results for athletes engaged in an athletic activity. This is done, however, for exemplary non-limiting purposes as the present invention fully contemplates use of the devices  14 ,  16  to collect facilitate processing of athletic and/or non-athletic data. 
         [0011]    The sensors  12  may be configured to report the collected performance-metric data to a host computer  18  further processing into performance results, such as in a manner described within United States patent application no. 2011/0153042. A master station  24  may be included to facilitate wireless communications necessary to facilitate wireless transmission of the performance-metric data to the host computer  18 . The host computer  18  may include a master station controller  26  or other sufficient logically executing element to facilitate the desired communication of the performance-metric data. While a single master station  24  is shown for exemplary purposes, multiple master stations  24  may be included to facilitate multiple channel communications with the sensors  12 , particularly if a plurality of sensors  12  are used to track a plurality of users. One master station  24 , for example, may be assigned for each of a limb device  16  and a head device  14  such that communications with each device  14 ,  16  is carried out over a separate communication channel, i.e., a first channel for a left wrist device, a second channel for a right wrist device, a third channel for a left ankle device, a fourth channel for a right ankle device, and a fifth channel for a head device. 
         [0012]    The master station controller  26  may be configured to facilitate controlling scheduling and other transmission related operations of the master station  24  associated with facilitating reporting of the performance-metric data. The master station controller  26  is shown to be a separate or standalone entity from the master station  24  for exemplary non-limiting purposes. The present invention fully contemplates the master station  24  being included as part of the master station controller  26  and/or another portion of the host computer  18  such that the present invention is not necessarily limited to the master station controller  26  and/or the master station  24  being independent or discrete elements. The master station  24  is illustrated as being feature separate from the master station controller  26  as one non-limiting aspect of the present invention contemplates the master station controller  26  being a more expensive device than the master station  24 , such as a device having greater computational capabilities and/or requiring more programming and software to facilitate presentation of the performance results and other interactive capabilities facilitated with the performance metric system  10 , e.g., facilitating reporting of the performance results to a central server, tablet computer, or other client devices/computers over the Internet or through a Wi-Fi node. 
         [0013]    The master station  24  may be less expensive than the master station controller  26  in the event it is configured with less processing or operating capabilities and/or less capabilities of being re-programmed. The master station  24  may be a plug-in-play type of device which may be easily connected to the host computer  18  to facilitate scalability, such as to facilitate adding additional channel transmission capabilities to environments where more communications are required to support transmissions of greater numbers of sensors  12 . The master station controller  26  may include greater computational capabilities than the master station  24  and may be tasked with managing communications carried out over the various communication channels associated with each master station  24 . The master station controller  26  may be configured to generate a schedule or other set of instructions to facilitate controlling transmission intervals and other transmission related parameters used to govern or otherwise direct the processes by which the sensors  12  (e.g., head and limb devices  14 ,  16 ) are enabled to transmit the performance-metric data for further processing by the master station controller  26 . 
         [0014]    One non-limiting aspect of the present invention is particularly directed towards coping with an amount of time needed to report the performance-metric data to the master station controller  26 . It is believed that having the master station  24  separate from the master station controller  26  may facilitate fast data transmissions of the performance-metric data by allowing the master station  24  to make certain decisions or otherwise independently direct sensor communications without having to expend additional time communicating with the master station controller  26 , i.e., without wasting time getting approval of the master station controller  26  prior to adjusting the transmission scheduling each time. This capability may be beneficial in an arrangement where the master station  24  is schedule by the master station controller  26  to instruct the various sensor devices to transmit the performance metric data in a circular or round-robin configuration where each device is given an opportunity to transmit performance-metric data in a sequential manner whereby each device is given an opportunity transmit data before the same device is given a new opportunity to transmit data again. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates a schedule  40  generated by the master station controller  26  for directing the master station  24  to pull the sensor devices  12  for performance metric data in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.  FIG. 2  illustrates a scenario where the sensor devices are configured to be worn on the body of a swimmer. This exemplary illustration assumes it is desirable for each related swimmer device to communicate performance metric data over the same channel but undesirable for more than one of the swimmer devices to be transmitting performance-metric data to the master station  24  over the same channel at the same time. As noted above, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this exemplary configuration and fully contemplates multiple master stations  24  may be included within the performance-metric system to facilitate multiple channel transmission between the master station  24  and similarly configured swimmer devices  12 . The schedule  40  may operate in a circular fashion whereby swimmer device # 1 , is polled prior to swimmer device # 2 , which is polled prior to swimmer device # 3 , which is polled prior to swimmer device # 4 , which is polled prior to swimmer device # 5 , and where the same order repeats of polling swimmer device # 5 , etc. 
         [0016]    The schedule  40  may specify a transmission interval or window  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  during which each of the swimmer devices is provided an opportunity to transmit performance-metric data or other data to the master station  24 , which may then act on the transmitted data and/or relay the data to the master station controller  26  for further processing. The schedule  40  may specify a nominal length of time for each of the transmission windows (T n ). The nominal length of time may be dependent on the likely amount of data requiring transmission from the swimmer devices and the transmission speed etc. capabilities of the swimmer devices  12  and/or master station  24 , and other variables associated with facilitating communications to complete the transmissions (e.g., the capabilities of the wireless and/or wireline communication mediums). The schedule  40  is shown for exemplary purposes as assigning, at least initially, each of the swimmer devices with the same nominal length of time (T n ), however, the present invention fully contemplates assigning different, initial length of time to the transmission windows of one or more of the swimmer devices. 
         [0017]    With this scheduling, each of the swimmer devices, at least initially, are given an equal amount of time to transmit data to the master station  24 . Optionally, the swimmer devices may be configured to await instructions from the master station  24  before transmitting the performance-metric data. This process may be beneficial over a process of pre-programming or otherwise relying on the swimmer devices to each individually determine the period during which they are to transmit data to the master station. The schedule  40  may repeat after a total length of time (T t ) taken to provide each of the swimmer devices with an opportunity transmit data. This repeating schedule may be beneficial in facilitating continuous transmission of performance-metric data the master station  24  and master station controller  26  as the swimmer continues to swim through the swimming pool and/or other movements of the user are taking place. While the master station  24  is shown to sequentially polls each of the swimmer devices in order, the repeating sequence may be varied with each repetition through the schedule, however, it may be beneficial to allow each swimmer device an opportunity to transmit data before allowing the same swimmer device to transmit data for a second time. 
         [0018]    This equal-opportunity-type polling through each of the swimmer devices may be beneficial in facilitating fast data collection of the performance-metric data whereby the data can be continuously processed with the master station controller  26  to improve feedback. The master station controller  26 , for example, may continuously process the influx of performance-metric data to generate real-time performance results, which may be communicated back to the swimmer to improve performance by providing feedback to the swimmer as the swimmer practices. While the fast data processing contemplated by the present invention may be useful number of environments, it is believed that the fast data capabilities may be particularly beneficial in any real-time environment where quick feedback of the data collected by the sensor devices is desirable. It is also believed that programming a master station  24  with the schedule may be more beneficial than relying on the master station controller  26  to identify each of the transmission windows to the master station  24  as it will eliminate the need for associated signaling between the master station  24  and master station controller  26 . The present invention, however, fully contemplates the master station controller  26  executing similar operations without assistance from and/or in cooperation with the master station  24 . 
         [0019]    The process of instructing the swimmer devices of their opportunity to transmit data may include the master station  24  transmitting a corresponding instruction to the swimmer device. The swimmer device may then be required to process the instruction and provide a response. The master station  24  may be programmed by the master station controller  26  or otherwise with a job list or other listing sufficient to organize the order in which the swimmer devices are to be invited to communicate the performance-metric data. The length of time taken to poll through all the swimmer devices (T t ) may be greatly influenced by the amount of time taken to communicate the data request instruction to the swimmer device and to wait for the swimmer devices to respond. In the event a high number of swimmer devices are being pulled, every millisecond of time savings can be beneficial in speeding the rate at which data can be collected from each of the swimmer devices, i.e., more data can be processing collected to provide improved real-time performance by ameliorating the time spent waiting for the swimmer devices to respond. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates a shortening of a transmission window  44  in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The transmission window  44  may be shortened by a length of time (S) in the event the corresponding swimmer device (SD # 2 ) fails to acknowledge the polling request sent from the master station  24 . The failure to acknowledge the polling request may occur if the swimmer device fails to transmit data to the master station  24  within a period of time after the master station  24  issues the corresponding polling request, which period of time may be referred to as a presence period. The swimmer device may fail to respond to the polling request in the event the swimmer device fails to receive the corresponding polling request, such as if the swimmer device is below a water surface of the swimming pool where it is unable to receive or at least sufficiently receive wireless signals or during other conditions where the swimmer device is otherwise beyond a transmission range or capability of the corresponding master station. 
         [0021]    The length of time (S) by which the transmission window  44  is shortened may correspond with a length of time slightly longer than a length of time typically required for the swimmer device to receive the polling request and to begin transmitting data in response thereto. This length of time (S) may, of course, be variable and contingent upon the capabilities of the swimmer device and/or operating/transmission conditions in which the swimmer device is operating. The ability to shorten the transmission window  44  may be beneficial in speeding the rate at which the next swimmer device (SD # 3 ) is provided with its polling request and corresponding opportunity to transmit performance-metric data to the master station  24 . In the event a large number of swimmer devices are being pulled, a significant time savings can be provided if multiple transmission windows are shortened in this manner as it will allow the master station  24  to move more quickly through the schedule. 
         [0022]    The shortening of the transmission window  44  may optionally be implemented by the master station  24  without having to communicate with the master station controller  26 . In other words, the master station  24  may automatically move to the next swimmer device (SD # 3 ) upon expiration of the presence period without having to request permission from the master station controller  26  or otherwise notify the master station controller  26  prior to issuing the corresponding polling request to the next swimmer device. In some cases, it may take 30 ms or longer for the master station  24  to send and receive a message from the master station controller  26 , which is time saved by the present invention enabling the master station  24  to automatically move onto the next swimmer device without requesting permission from the master station controller  26 . The present invention, of course, is not necessarily so limited and fully contemplates the master station  24  requesting the master station controller  26  to move on to the next swimmer device before transmitting the corresponding polling request to the next swimmer device. 
         [0023]    Optionally, the shortening of the transmission window may occur if the swimmer device completely transmits its desired amount of performance-metric data prior to the nominal transmission window (T n ) elapsed. The master station  24  may determine a cessation in signaling from the swimmer device after the swimmer device has begun transmitting the performance-metric data, and assume from this cessation, that the swimmer device no longer desires to transmit additional information. The master station  24  may also determine all desired performance-metric data to have been transmitted from the swimmer device based upon other messaging transmitted the swimmer device. For example, a message format or protocol of the signaling used to carry the performance-metric data from the swimmer device to the master station  24  may include one or more fields for identifying an amount of data requiring transmission from swimmer device. This information can be used by the master station  24  and/or the master station controller  26  to identify completion of the data transfer. 
         [0024]    Table 1 illustrates an exemplary response of a swimmer device to a polling request. The response may be referred to as an event response and may include a plurality of fields to facilitate transmitting the performance-metric data and other data to the master station  24  and/or the master station controller  26 . The data comprising the performance-metric data may be included in bytes  9  through  9 +(7N−1) and the data comprising the non-performance-metric data may be included in the other bytes, as specified in Table 1 with more detail. Optionally, the amount of processing the master station  24  is required to execute based on the data included in the event response may be limited in order to speed the rate at which the event responses can be provided to the master station controller  26  for analysis into the performance results. The ability to configure the master station  24  to minimize the amount of time it spends processing the event response also allows the master station  24  to beginning polling the next swimmer device more quickly, leading to further increases in the speed at which information is provided to the master station controller. 
         [0025]    The master station  24  may be configured to look at or otherwise process a selected one or more of the bytes carried within the event response in order to ameliorate processing time. The master station  24  may achieve this, for example, by ignoring all bytes other than a byte used to identify whether any other additional events (performance-metric data) need to be sent from the swimmer device, i.e., byte  4 . By ignoring the other bytes beside byte  4 , the master station  24  acts essentially as a pass-through or relay to the master station controller  26  as the event responses is carried through to the master station controller  26  with little processing and delay by the master station  24 . The processing performed by the master station  24  of byte  4  may include assessing whether the corresponding value is zero or greater than zero. 
         [0026]    A byte  4  value greater than zero may be used to indicate the need to transmit additional events (i.e., performance-metric data) and a value equal to zero may be used to indicate no further need to transmit additional events. The master station  24  may automatically begin polling the next swimmer device upon detecting the byte value equal to zero in order to facilitate speeding the polling process. The master station may also automatically grant the current swimmer device additional transmission time in the event the byte  4  for is greater than zero. The amount of additional time granted to the currently transmitting swimmer device may be lengthened in a manner described below in more detail, such as by increasing a duration of the current transmission window and/or by granting the swimmer device another transmission window (which may be the same, greater than, or shorter than the last transmission window, optionally depending on the amount of event responses desired to be sent). 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Producer 
                 Swimmer Device 
               
               
                 Purpose 
                 Event Response 
               
               
                 Length 
                 Variable based on number of events contained (0-15) 
               
               
                 Consumers 
                 Master Station 
               
               
                 Report Rate 
                 Reply to Event Poll 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Byte 
                 Contents 
                 Description 
                 Range/order 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 0   
                 Message ID 
                 5 - Event Response 
                 1-255 
               
               
                 1   
                 HD Serial Num 
                 This is a 3 bytes value 
                 LSB 
               
               
                 2   
                   
                 encoded into the EEPROM 
                 middle byte 
               
               
                 3   
                   
                 during manufacturing 
                 MSB 
               
               
                 4   
                 Events to Send 
                 The number of events not yet 
                 LSB 
               
               
                 5   
                   
                 sent (NOT including the 
                 MSB 
               
               
                   
                   
                 events in this message) 
               
               
                 6.0 
                 Coach Audio 
                 Acknowledge that coach 
                 0 or 1 
               
               
                   
                 Received 
                 audio image was received 
               
               
                 6.1 
                 Coach Audio 
                 Acknowledge that coach 
                 0 or 1 
               
               
                   
                 Played 
                 audio image was played 
               
               
                 6.2 
                 Parametric 
                 Acknowledge that parametric 
                 0 or 1 
               
               
                   
                 Data Received 
                 data was received 
               
               
                 6.3 
                 Disable Fast 
                 Tells MS to disable fast data 
                 0 or 1 
               
               
                   
                 Data 
                 collection retry feature 
               
               
                 6.4 
                 Last Group of 
                 Indication that this is the last 
                 0 or 1 
               
               
                   
                 Diagnostic 
                 group of non-event data 
               
               
                   
                 Data 
               
               
                 6.5 
                 Contains Raw 
                 Indication that the data after 
                 0 or 1 
               
               
                   
                 Data 
                 this byte is raw data 
               
               
                 6.6 
                 Contains Audio 
                 Indication that the data after 
                 0 or 1 
               
               
                   
                 RSSI Data 
                 this byte is audio RSSI data 
               
               
                 6.7 
                 Low Battery 
                   
                 0 or 1 
               
               
                   
                 Indication 
               
               
                 7   
                 Audio Image 
                 The Audio Image number 
                 LSB 
               
               
                   
                 Number 
                 played and/or received. 
               
               
                 8   
                   
                   
                 MSB 
               
               
                 9   
                 Event 1 Data 
                 2 byte value indicating the 
                 LSB 
               
               
                 10   
                   
                 sequence number of the event 
                 MSB 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (one based) 
               
               
                 11.3-11.0 
                   
                 Event Type 
                 0-15 
               
               
                 12.7-11.4 
                   
                 Event Amplitude 
                 0-4095 
               
               
                 13   
                   
                 3 byte value indicating the 
                 LSB 
               
               
                 14   
                   
                 number of milliseconds since 
                 middle byte 
               
               
                 15   
                   
                 the last 4 hour period that 
                 MSB 
               
               
                   
                   
                 the event occurred. 
               
               
                 16-22 
                 Event 2 Data 
               
               
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
               
               
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
               
               
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
               
               
                 . . . 
                 Event N Data 
                 N must be less than or 
               
               
                   
                   
                 equal to 15 
               
               
                  9 + 7N 
                 SD RSSI 
                 RSSI Seen by SD 
                 −128-127 
               
               
                 10 + 7N 
                 MS RSSI 
                 RSSI Seen by MS 
                 −128-127 
               
               
                 11 + 7N 
                 Checksum/LQI 
                 bit 7 = Checksum Valid, 
               
               
                   
                   
                 bit 6-0 = LQI 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0027]    Table 1 is but one of a number of possible mechanisms by which the master station  24  may be configured to facilitate executing the polling process contemplated by the present invention, and particularly, without having to communicate with the master station controller  26  in order to gain approval for proceeding to the next swimmer device and/or for staying on the same swimmer device for additional period of time. Other mechanisms may be used to facilitate a similar type of control without deviating from the scope in contemplation of the present invention, such as by the swimmer devices transmitting separate messages over the same or different channels and/or embedding other information in the signaling transmitted to the master station, e.g., by including a separate message preceding the transmission of the event response message illustrated in table 1. Optionally, in the event the master station  24  detects the byte  4  to be equal to zero, the master station  24  may be configured to effectively shorten the current transmission window by automatically proceeding to poll the next swimmer device prior to awaiting expiration of the current transmission window. 
         [0028]    In addition to or in place of shortening a transmission window, the present invention contemplates speeding the rate at which the master station  24  is able to move through the schedule by allowing the master station  24  to skip one or more of the swimmer devices. The master station, for example, may entirely skip the second swimmer device (SD # 2 ) and instead proceed directly from the first swimmer device (SD # 1 ) to one of the other swimmer devices, e.g., swimmer device (SD # 4 ). The one or more skipped swimmer devices may be selected by the master station  24  and/or the master station controller  26  depending on a swimming stroke or other activity being performed by the user wearing the device. The performance-metric data collected by the corresponding one or more of the skipped swimmer devices, for example, may be correlated to a period of time during which the swimmer device is likely to be underwater or otherwise unavailable to receive the polling request and/or to formulate a suitable reply (e.g. event response) to the polling request. 
         [0029]    The master station controller  26  and/or the master station  24  may rely on this assumption of the swimmer device being unavailable for use in identifying that swimmer device as a candidate to be skipped. This information may be used to generate a skipped interval for one or more swimmer devices, i.e., an indication of a period in time during which the corresponding swimmer device likely to be unavailable to facilitate transmission of the performance-metric data to the master station  24 . The skipped interval may be correlated with the polling schedule to identify conditions in which the polling interval for a particular swimmer device overlaps with that device&#39;s skipped interval. These overlapping intervals may be used to indicate conditions during which it may be desirable to skip the corresponding swimmer device. The master station  24  and/or the master station controller  26  may be configured to continually monitor these two parameters in order to ensure a swimmer device is not inadvertently skipped due to an adjustment in the schedule. 
         [0030]    The performance-metric data may be analyzed by the master station controller  26  to assess the likelihood of the swimmer engaging in a stroke at a certain period of time during which the polled swimmer devices is likely to be unavailable, i.e., the swimmer device engaging in one of a freestyle (crawl) stroke, a backstroke, or breaststroke and is likely to be underwater at the schedule polling interval if the swimmer continues the current swimming pattern. (United States patent application no. 2011/0153042 details one process contemplated by the present invention by which the swimming stroke may be determined and used in this manner to identify periods of unavailability.) Additionally, the performance-metric data may be analyzed to assess a position of the swimmer within the pool, or elsewhere, to identify conditions reflective of the corresponding positioning preventing the swimmer device from completing a polling request, i.e., the device may be underwater or otherwise beyond the range of the master station and unable to receive the polling instructions from the master station and/or unable to respond to receive polling request (e.g., such as in the event the swimming device receives the polling instructions just prior to heading under water surface). 
         [0031]      FIG. 4  illustrates a lengthening of a transmission window  42  in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The lengthening of the transmission window  42  may correspond with one of the plurality of transmission intervals provided to the swimmer device # 1 , such as at a beginning of a polling operation of the master station and/or and some point after the master station has polled the other swimmer devices. The lengthening may operate in cooperation with the shortening process described above in order to facilitate collecting information from swimmer devices that may have been underwater or otherwise unable to communicate event responses to the master station  24  during the immediately preceding transmission window assigned to it and/or at some other prior period of time. This can be particularly beneficial in the event the swimmer devices have limited storage capabilities and are unable to sufficiently store the performance-metric data for prolonged period of time, which can be problematic if the swimmer devices are required to storage large amounts of data due to the device being underwater for greater periods of time or coincidentally being unavailable during scheduled transmission windows. 
         [0032]    The desired lengthening of the transmission window may occur by adding an additional period of time (L) in order to provide the swimmer device with more time to transmit performance-metric data to the master station  24 . The lengthening of the transmission window  42 , assuming that the other transmission windows maintain the nominal (T n ), results in a corresponding lengthening of a total time (T t ) taken to poll through each of the swimmer devices increasing by the corresponding period of time (L). This lengthening may be temporarily implemented for the current polling cycle such that upon return to the same swimmer device during next polling cycle the corresponding transmission window of that swimmer device is returned to the nominal duration (T n ). The amount of lengthening provided by the lengthening. (L) may be variable such that the lengthening may be tailored to the particular needs of the transmitting swimmer device. Optionally, the master station  24  may be configured to determine the amount of lengthening without having to issue a corresponding request to the master station controller  26 , thereby eliminating the need in delay associated with the attendant signaling. 
         [0033]    The amount of performance-metric data desired to be transmitted from the swimmer device may be one variable useful in determining the lengthening (L) needed to achieve the desired transmission. The amount of performance-metric data desired to be transmitted from the swimmer device may be determined, for example, from the byte  4  and/or through some other identification process triggered by the swimmer device. The master station  24  may review byte  4  in more detail during this lengthening process than during the shortening process, at least in that the master station  24  may assess the actual numerical value as opposed to whether the value is simply greater than or equal to zero. The particular numerical value may be used to estimate and/or particularly indicate the amount of additional data desired to be transmitted from the swimmer device. The master station  24  may perform a calculation based on this amount of data (numerical value) to estimate a sufficient lengthening (L) to facilitate transmission of that desired amount of data. 
         [0034]    The swimming stroke or other movements being performed by the user wearing the swimmer device may also be one variable useful in determining the lengthening (L) needed to achieve the desired transmission. If it is known that the swimmer is performing an action where the swimmer device is likely to be able to continue transmitting to the master station without interruption, this information can be used to determine the amount of lengthening (L), e.g., the lengthening (L) may be selected to be a first value if it is known that the currently perform swimming stroke is likely to result in the swimmer device being underwater for a shorter period of time and a second, greater value if it is known that the currently perform swimming stroke is like to result in the swimmer being above the water for a longer period of time, i.e., when performing the crawl stroke and/or breaststroke the swimmer is likely to be above the water for longer period of time than when performing a backstroke. 
         [0035]    The positioning of the swimmer device within the swimming pool may also be one variable useful in determining the lengthening (L) needed to achieve the desired transmission. If is known that the swimmer is approaching an end of the pool where the swimmer will likely be required to dive underwater in order to complete a turn by pushing off the wall of the swimming pool, the distance of the swimmer to the wall, optionally with cooperation of an estimated speed of the swimmer, to determine amount of time remaining before the swimming device is likely to become unavailable. This estimated period of time may be equal to the actual lengthening (L) or used as a basis for selecting the lengthening (L), i.e. a safety margin may be included such that the lengthening (L) is less than the time remaining (As noted above, the exemplary descriptions provided with respect to the sensor device being worn on a swimmer are provided to provide context to the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention to swimming activities. The present invention fully contemplates assessing other movements and positions of the user relative to other boundaries and environments beside those associated with a swimmer and a swimming pool.) 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart  60  of a fast data method as contemplated by one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The fast data method relates to facilitating rapid processing of performance-metric data and/or other data transmitted in the event responses from the sensor devices  12  to the master station  24  for ultimate receipt by the master station controller  26  and processing into the performance results. As with the description provided above, the method is predominately described with respect to the sensor devices  12  being swimmer devices and actions being monitored correspond with those of the swimmer. This is done for exemplary non-limiting purposes as the present invention fully contemplates use application in other environments. The operations contemplated by the flowchart  60  may be implemented in cooperation with computer-readable instructions or other logically functioning elements operating in cooperation with one or more of the devices and/or features noted above. While some of the described operations are noted as being performed with a particular one of the devices noted above, this is done for exemplary purposes as the present invention fully contemplates one or more of the devices sharing or otherwise implementing the noted processes and other operations associated with achieving the results desired by the present invention. 
         [0037]    Block  62  relates to a first swimming device (SD # 11 ) being instructed to transmit performance-metric data and/or other data to the master station  24 , such as with communication of a polling request from the master station  24 . The timing of this polling request may be specified within a schedule provided from the master station controller  26  to the master station  24  specifying a corresponding transmission window for the first SD. Block  64  relates to assessing whether a presence period has been exceeded for the first SD. The presence period may relate to a period of time shorter than the transmission window in order to assess whether the first SD is available to transmit the performance-metric data. Block  66  relates to the first SD failing to begin transmission of the performance-metric data before expiration of the presence period and the master station effectively shortening the transmission windows assigned to the first SD. (As noted above, other processes may be relied upon by the master station to shorten the transmission window and/or to skip to the next SD). Block  68  relates to the master station then transmitting a new polling request to the next swimmer device (a second SD) during which the same process is repeated. 
         [0038]    Block  70  relates to the first SD beginning to transmit the performance-metric data prior to expiration of the presence period. This may include the master station  24  receiving an event response or other message sufficient to facilitate transmission of the performance metric data from the first SD and relaying the received data to the master station controller  26  for processing. Block  72  relates to assessing whether the transmission window assigned to the first SD has been exceeded. Block  74  relates to there being additional time remaining in the transmission window and the master station  24  continuing to receive performance metric data from the first SD. (As noted above, the master station  24  may have to be configured to pass to the next SD prior to expiration of the transmission window in the event the data transmission is completed.) 
         [0039]    Block  76  relates to assessing whether the first SD has completely transmitted its desired amount of performance-metric data to the master station  24 . In the event the transmission is completed, Block  68  is returned to and the next SD is invited to transmit performance-metric data. Block  78  relates to lengthening the transmission window for the first swimmer device in the event the desired amount of data is not completely transmitted. The transmission window may be lengthened by a period of time (L) sufficient to facilitate additional data transmission, such as in a manner described above. Optionally, rather than lengthening the transmission window by a period of time (L), the window may be lengthened based on an amount of data desired for further transmission from the first SD such that the closing of the transmission may be based on amount of data yet to be received from the first SD as opposed to an elapsed amount of time. 
         [0040]    While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.