HK1110680A - Method and apparatus for remote control vehicle identification - Google Patents

Description

Method and device for remotely controlling vehicle identification

Technical Field

The invention relates to automobile racing. More particularly, the disclosed apparatus relates to a method and apparatus for identifying and tracking racing vehicles on a particular track.

Background

Since the advent of the motor vehicle itself, racing became a favorite sport. Such events typically cause numerous cars to compete with one another to complete a specified distance around a particular track in a minimum amount of time. Typically, the distance is a number of individual lengths or laps around a track of a determined length.

For such a race where the race starts around as soon as the race starts, a distressing problem is the tracking of the race during the race. This is because, to determine which race car completes the specified distance first in the race or in the shortest amount of time, the total number of laps and the total aggregate time required for the vehicle to complete the specified distance of the race must be calculated.

Early on, observers actually took care that the car crossed the start line and counted the number of laps completed. This system is obviously prone to human error and cheating.

In recent years, with the advent of technology for handling this task, many systems have been available to track vehicles in a race. There are four detection methods for lap counting currently on the market.

A first such system involves the use of lasers and is used primarily for model or electric toy racing cars. This system uses a beam of light that is transmitted through the track at the finish line to a receiver that senses the bombardment of the beam. As the vehicle passes through the laser beam, it blocks the laser line from striking the sensor opposite the track and "counts" the number of intersections. The detector then communicates information registering the interrupted beam of light passed by the car to a counter or computer. Since the toy car owners use separate tracks or lanes for each racing vehicle, multiple lasers may be positioned across each lane or may be positioned at different heights to monitor multiple vehicles simultaneously. If a plurality of vehicles are used, a flag must be attached to the antenna of each vehicle at a different height corresponding to the height of each laser beam (to block the laser beam). However, an inherent problem with this system is that only a limited number of vehicles can drive through at the same time due to the required spacing between lanes and the length of the antenna. Another disadvantage of this system is that the laser poses a potential hazard to the user.

Another timing system proposed by Lapz employs infrared transmitters and receivers. When a race car passes under a structure with an infrared receiver mounted thereon, the receiver detects the presence of infrared radiation emitted from a transponder attached to the race car. However, a problem with this system is that the transponder must be positioned on the race car in line with the field of view of the receiver, a requirement which may be difficult to achieve on some vehicles. Furthermore, due to the use of infrared detection, background light radiation (since light produces infrared waves) can degrade the performance of the system. The responders also require energy from the vehicle in which they are located and are quite large. This precludes the use of such a system in small vehicles, such as 1/64 size ZipZaps, which have small capacity batteries that do not withstand the extra energy consumption nor the extra weight of the transponder.

A third type of detection system from AMB for model or electric toy racing also includes a responder device using battery power on each vehicle. It has the same disadvantages associated with the size of the transponder as the previous systems and has a maximum current that can slow the vehicle or reduce its range.

In the standard system used by professional events, such as the national automobile competition association (NASCAR), i.e., the system, a metallic receiver is placed under the race track. As the vehicle passes over the wire, the continuously transmitted signal of the transponder, which is played at a particular frequency, is received by the wire and then processed by the receiver.

In this system, communication is the only method in which the responder continually sends out a signal at the designated frequency assigned to each individual vehicle, using only the sensor receiving system to receive the transmitted signal. Of course, such systems are not well suited for small battery powered or model racing because of the continuous maximum current of the radio transceiver. Furthermore, the required frequency separation of the radio bands also limits the number of traceable participants.

The fourth detection system from Kopropo can detect the unique frequencies generated by each radio-controlled car. Each car uses a different frequency to allow multiple cars to race simultaneously. This system detects the unique frequencies generated by the transmitter or engine on each vehicle. Wires are placed under the track to detect the unique frequency of each vehicle passing through it. Thus, if the unique engine RF emissions are tracked, the system does not require a responder. However, this system can only detect a certain number of limited frequencies. If the user wants to use a vehicle that is traveling at a different frequency than the system is set, the system must be customized or redesigned.

In addition to the problems associated with the limited number of participants and power consumption, none of the above systems provide a means to remotely identify the tracked vehicle. Preferably, each vehicle is assigned a racing logo, which is broadcast as the vehicle passes a departure line or some other monitoring point. Such identification is only appropriate for a single race and varies with each race. Thus, for a race around a particular track, the race participants must go through a time-consuming registration process at each race. Because each individual track has its own identity, it precludes remote races in which remote participants are running around different tracks, since there is no universal way to identify vehicles on the track.

Disclosure of Invention

The apparatus and method disclosed herein provide for timely, full-range tracking and universal identification of participants in all cars participating in a race or in any type of race having one or more fields simultaneously playing the race. The device stores the information of the participants on each race car by using a tag with a stable memory or optically readable bar code encoded with information of the car and its owner.

Preferred embodiments of such devices and methods of using such devices and systems employ a tag or label, such as an RFID tag, with on-board memory to retain participant information. RFID stands for radio frequency identification. It is also known as EID or electronic identification. RFID tags consist of a microchip or similar memory to store data and execute software instructions, which is attached to or in communication with an antenna that propagates data information to a limited distance.

RFID tags have been developed using radio frequency, as required by the system, which includes a read range and an environment in which the tag is read. RFID tags may be active and use a small amount of onboard or available power, or in a presently preferred embodiment, they may be passive, meaning that they do not need to consume power for operation. Such passive RFID tags do not require electrical energy to operate because when placed close enough to the reader, the RFID tags are energized by a reader with a magnetic field that generates a current in the tag for simultaneous broadcast by the tag. Active RFID tags, on the other hand, must have a power source and have a longer broadcast range and a larger memory capacity than passive tags, as well as the ability to store additional information transmitted by the transceiver. Passive tags have an unlimited life because they do not require batteries or power that can degrade over time. Currently, the smallest active label is signed with a coin size. Many active tags have a practical broadcast range of tens of meters, with battery life of years, so they can also be used where weight is not an issue.

Each RFID tag may be read visually or electronically with a remote RFID reader to enable the transfer of information programmed into the RFID memory. This information would be as simple as the identification of the RFID itself, such as a number or letter arrangement, which would be associated with the vehicle and the rider via the associated database. Alternatively, the RFID may be encoded with more information stored in a programmable memory that will include information about the particular vehicle in which it is disposed, its driver, and other related stored information that can be quickly and accurately transmitted.

RFID technology no longer requires a "line of sight" for reading. Since rfid communication can easily penetrate wood, plastic, or even thin metal, the tag can be installed on the outside or inside of a vehicle. There are four different tags in common use today, the difference of which is based on the magnitude of their radio frequency: low frequency tags (125 to 134 khz), high frequency tags (13.56 mhz), Ultra High Frequency (UHF) tags (868 to 956 mhz), and microwave tags (2.45 mhz). However, any of these frequencies are allowed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

In use, RFID tags with on-board memory are preferably designed for those racing tracks by a central authority. In the case of electric toy car races and model racing cars, the association or authority that initiates the different zone race receives information about the competitors and programs the RFID with data to identify them in one or more future races. This information can be a simple unique identification or can include information about the vehicle and its driver, as well as any other relevant information as desired. Information specific to an individual RFID would be programmed into a specific RFID tag that would be provided to the owner of the vehicle, mounted on the vehicle.

Where participant and vehicle information is programmed in such a pre-registered scheme, there are two purposes. First, when racing, the rfid tag broadcasts data or information on the car, allowing race officers to easily collect information about the time and distance traveled by different racing car players. Second, by programming all of the rider and/or vehicle and/or other desired participant information into a single RFID component in a standardized format, registration of each race will be as simple as bringing the participant's vehicle close enough to the tag reader to energize the tag, which will simply transmit the information to the computer tracking the participants. The participant entry no longer requires any form or text.

When using the device and method in a race, a detection or triggering device will be used, for example a device that will detect when a single vehicle passes a point on the track, for example the finish line. This may be done by using a beam detector or proximity detector or other means to detect movement of the car through a designated point, as long as a more accurate position of the car on the track is obtained. When a drive-through of the control gate or point being monitored is detected, the trigger activates the radio frequency identification to transmit the information. In the case of passive rfid, passing through the excitation field is a trigger, since the rfid itself also changes from a quiescent state to an energized state, causing it to process and transmit the encoded data. Each time the car passes a monitoring point, the rfid is triggered, automatically transmitting or subsequently transmitting the identification information to a receiver or reader for an inventory request. If the rfid is active, a small receiver may also be used on the vehicle to detect the passing point and activate the rfid to transmit the identification information to a receiver or reader adapted to receive the communication and transmit it to the computer.

The gate may also be a directional radio frequency signal sufficient to energize the passive radio frequency identification with a short range transmission broadcast near the point of detection. The signal is continuous and since the rfid tags only broadcast their programmed identification information when they are energized with the signal, the rfid tags only report the vehicle when it enters the point of continuous energizing broadcast.

At a location adjacent to the track or remote from the track, the computer will track the progress of the participants in the race, depending on the strength of the signal generated by the rfid broadcast on the participants. The number of participants that can be tracked simultaneously is unlimited, since the system does not rely on narrow radio frequency spectrum separate to participants, nor on physical aspects of the track that limit visual aspects as other systems do. In addition, the system allows "virtual races" to be held at different locations by having the participants playing on them track the participants using the same track and all having tag readers and communicating the time and distance of the remotely controlled participants to a central tracking station. Thus, with all vehicles racing on the same track equipped with identification tags, the race can be held in both New York and los Angeles. Since each participant has a specific tag, an unlimited number of tracks and vehicles can be monitored, and tracking can be performed simultaneously regardless of the amount of radio spectrum acquired.

When multiple vehicles cross the gate at substantially the same time during a race, their respective RFID tags are triggered to transmit, and multiple responsive RFID transmissions may overlap, creating a problem of identifying the respective RFID of the responding vehicles. This is because a receiver or reader broadcasting rfid information cannot essentially decipher the radio wave emissions reflected back by two or more rfid tags activated to transmit due to transmission collisions.

The anti-collision protocols conventionally used, which allow the reader to communicate with one rfid at a time in a fast sequence, have been considered to be lacking in the competition environment. This is because, unlike shopping vehicles, which are parked in a static state near a reader or control gate for a long time, racing cars are in the vicinity of the control gate or reader for a very short or limited period of time. These conventionally used systems rely on much time, as is necessary to allow readers and rfids to deal with the problem using a number of time consuming methods. For fast paced races where the vehicle approaches the RFID reader for a short, finite time, there is a substantial risk of losing track of participants or missing participants during the overlap period.

In a typical rfid system, where there is a probability that multiple rfid tags are within the read range of the antenna, the reader will use a multi-slot inventory request. Since the tags have multiple slots to respond, the probability of collision is reduced (where two or more tags respond in the same slot). However, this method is not well suited for racing because it requires too much time to wait for each of 16 or more time slots to respond. Since the reader must wait for multiple time slots before issuing additional inventory requests, a vehicle has the opportunity to happen to pass completely through the antenna loop without hearing the inventory command and therefore not respond. Remember that the tag responds only after the request is made.

The present apparatus and method for tracking participants in a race solves the problem by using a system to handle data collisions from the RFID that stay in the transmission area for only a short period of time. The apparatus and method herein employs a single device to avoid collisions of rfid data transmissions that uses a single time slot inventory request and additionally instructs that they remain silent once they respond during each pass through the read zone adjacent the gate 18.

Instead of using a multi-slot format or an ordered response format, both of which lose data, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the device herein provides only one slot to respond to all inventory requests of all rfid transmitters energized and expected to transmit in response to such requests. This limits the existence of data collisions and the potential for participants to pass through the monitoring gate before responding. In addition, responding rfids are instructed to remain silent until the next received inventory request.

If a collision is detected, an additional step is used to pick the responding rfid by applying an algorithm that tries to pick the responding transmission based on the rfid that is most likely not in the group. The algorithm is based on tracking the response identification of each RFID and continually placing the latest responding RFID at the end of the sequence of possible responding RFIDs in the substitute list. If a conflict is detected, the system changes the normally transmitted open inventory request for response to an alternate list, wherein the RFID is instructed to respond in the order of the alternate list. Since the latest tracked rfid is placed at the end of the alternate list, only the most likely responders are instructed to transmit signals in sequence, thereby increasing response time by reducing the number of potential responders.

The algorithm reduces the likelihood that a car or race participant can whiz by the antenna loop without hearing an inventory request (because the number of time slots the issuer must wait before issuing another request). The disadvantage of using one or few time slots is that more collisions may result since there is only one time slot for all tags to respond. When a collision occurs, the problem (determining the identity of the two or more tags that have just made the collision) can be resolved using an algorithm or another electronic or mechanical device that determines the most likely vehicle to not respond by simply querying (querying) the most likely vehicle through the next antenna loop. This saves time because time is not wasted trying to communicate with the rfid tag on the vehicle, which has a low probability of being in the antenna loop at an instant in time.

With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art. All equivalents as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. Additionally, although the above description describes a system for use in a fast paced race, the system of devices may be used in any event having a plurality of participants, such as a race or a full American ordinary car race (NASCAR) race or any other race. It is particularly useful for tracking all individual participants and determining winners in a race where participants are simultaneously participating on different tracks, different geographical locations. The system described above is also suitable for dealing with the problems inherent in tracking fast moving objects in close proximity to each other or to the tracking point and for taking steps to avoid loss of tracking based on the associated problems encountered. Accordingly, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the application to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the application.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method to passively track participants in a race car.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for tracking such participants in a car model race.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method to register participants by programming pertinent information into a tag on a tracking vehicle without the need for paper or records.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a vehicle tracking device that will allow for infinite simultaneous entry of participants regardless of the radio frequency used for monitoring.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a device and method for tracking and monitoring vehicles that allows for the simultaneous play of races between competitors on similar tracks in different geographical locations.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an rfid system for tracking vehicles in a race that provides a method for avoiding most radio broadcast collisions and resulting data loss due to the close proximity of rfid on closely adjacent vehicles.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a radio frequency identification system for tracking vehicles in a race that, if detected, provides a means to remedy RFID radio broadcast collisions.

Further objects of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, wherein the invention is set forth in its entirety and not by way of limitation.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an apparatus of a vehicle radio frequency identification tag.

Figure 2 shows an RFID tag in either decal (focal) or adhesive-backed form.

Figure 3 shows a side view of a monitoring point on a track that initiates an RFID transmission.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the operation of a system that uses first and second devices to avoid data conflicts and to remedy data conflicts that are occurring.

Detailed Description

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 illustrate components of an apparatus and method for remotely controlling identification and tracking of a vehicle. These components may also be used in a system for registering participants in a regional or national race. In addition to tracking participants in a race around a single track, the apparatus and system may also be used to track a single participant and vehicle at multiple tracks having substantially identical tracks. Basically, the cars may be advanced at full speed relative to each other using essentially equal or equal distance tracks at remote race sites, and the system will track the progress of a plurality of competitors in the vicinity of a plurality of tracks to determine a winner.

The application programs the RFID tag 12 with on-board memory capability into the read only memory, along with the rider and any other pertinent information that may be added necessary to track the vehicle during the race, by using a microchip or other memory that utilizes programmable memory or read only memory. The RFID tag 12 and the data in its memory will be attached to the vehicle at an operable location to be energized. A programmable storage scheme is well suited for remote registration of participants because a wand or other radio-type encoder can input the relevant information into the RFID tag 12. Of course, it is also possible that the RFID tag 12 broadcasts only a numeric or informational identification string that can be cross-referenced to a database of specific information associated with each participant that is stored and received in a central database when the RFID tag 12 is assigned to that participant.

In the case of power toy racing and model racing, the association or authority that initiates the race in the various areas will receive information relating to the car, the rider during the registration procedure, and other related information, and program or otherwise associate the information into a particular RFID tag 12 that will be provided to the rider for installation on the particular vehicle to be racing.

In application, the trigger to determine passage can be used in the form of an inductor, such as using a light 22 that can be interrupted by the vehicle 14, a buried electrical coil 24 that can sense top passage, or a buried light emitter 26 that can sense the passing vehicle 14. Alternatively, a Radio Frequency (RF) or electromagnetic field Emitter (EMF)20 located at the control door 18 is provided that energizes the passive RFID12 device, which by simply energizing the RFID12 may be a simple device that triggers a signal through the control door 18, causing it to emit the identification data stored in memory on the vehicle. Or may be used in conjunction with the above-described devices to trigger a signal that the vehicle 14 has passed the control gate 18. Moreover, those skilled in the art will no doubt recognize that other means may be used to trigger a signal that the vehicle 14 has passed through the control gate 18 or passed a measured tracking point on the track, and it is also desirable that such means determine when an individual vehicle or participant crosses a point on the track, such as the finish line, in any other kind of race. Thus, as long as a relatively precise position of each vehicle 14 on the track 16 can be obtained, determining the point of passage over the track can be accomplished by using light or proximity detectors or radio frequency or other means to trigger passage over the control gates.

When passing through the control gate 18 or monitored point is detected, the RFID12 in the case of passive RFID will be energized causing it to subsequently identify itself by transmitting its stored identification of the individual RFID12 associated with the individual vehicle. These RF transmissions from the rfid12 are communicated to a receiver or reader 21 at the appropriate frequency and at the appropriate distance from the vehicle to receive and process the transmissions.

The means for causing the RFID to begin broadcasting provides a trigger to do so each time the vehicle passes any gate 18 or monitoring point on the track, and then automatically transmits information encoded into or associated with that individual RFID12 to the receiver. The means for triggering an RFID broadcast may be provided by energizing RFID in the passive state when the RFID-energizing device is placed in proximity to the gate 18 and communication is initiated, or by receiving an inventory request from a reader communicating with the gate through which the triggered RFID energized passes. If the RFID12 is active and has onboard power, then a small receiving device on the vehicle communicating with the RFID12 may also sense that the point is being passed and provide a trigger for radio frequency identification, with the RFID12 initiating communication to automatically transmit its data or in most cases a subsequent inventory request to the identification from the reader.

Of course, if RFID12 were passive, then a suitable energy field would be formed simultaneously near RFID12 near the passing gate 18 to provide energy for RFID12 to operate and to energize RFID12 to transmit automatically in the field or upon energizing RFID12 to transmit after receiving an inventory request from the reader. When the passive RFID12 is located in the energy field, subsequent transmission of onboard information associated with the individual vehicle 14 to which the RFID12 is attached will occur. Both types of RFID typically include a small data processor to execute command software and respond to instructions from the reader 21 receiving the information transmitted by the RFID 12. Of course, once communication begins, the data format transmitted by the active RFID12 is the same or similar to the data format from the passive RFID 12.

The control gate 18 may also provide a trigger for the RFID in the form of a directional signal with a short range transmission broadcast at the monitoring point. One or more RF transmitters 20 will energize the area near the control gate 18 and provide a continuous source of energy to energize the passing RFID12 that is near the control gate 18. Because the RFID tags only broadcast encoded information, when triggered to do so by receiving an excitation signal and/or an inventory request from a reader, they will only report identifying information when the vehicle 14 passes or crosses a successive broadcast point that is proximate to the control gate 18 that tracks vehicles passing therethrough.

Because racing cars tend to have very close results and very close proximity participants, in the preferred embodiment of the device it is preferred to use some light beam on the lanes of a single vehicle, as described above, in the case of two vehicles 14 passing very close through the gate 18, preferably as a means of determining the relative positions of the vehicles 14 in adjacent lanes on the track and alternately as a trigger to cause adjacent vehicles to begin an inventory request to the gate 18. Other means for enhancing the determination of the relative position of a very close vehicle 14, such as the means of avoiding data transmission collisions and anti-collision algorithms described below or the same anti-collision avoidance method, may also be used for this purpose, either alone or in combination with the light beam.

As described above, at locations close to the track 16 or remote from the track 16, depending on the strength of the signal generated by the broadcast RFID12, a computer communicating with the reader 21 broadcasting information from the RFID12 will track the progress of the individual participants in the race based on the identification information received from the RFID12 that uniquely identifies the individual participants. Because the RFID12 tags individual broadcast identification information unique to identifying each individual participant, an unlimited number of tracks and cars can be monitored at an unlimited number of locations. In embodiments of the apparatus for tracking racing vehicles incorporating rfid broadcast anti-collision technology for racing vehicles developed for this purpose and disclosed herein, all participants in a multi-car, multi-track race can be tracked simultaneously, regardless of the bandwidth of the available radio frequency spectrum and data contention.

Thus, use of the components of the tracking system may provide a method of tracking each individual participant in a contest, and may also be used simultaneously to register participants in one or more contests on a loop during one or more season periods. The system described above greatly increases the possible racing locations through the networking of the tracking of vehicles 14 in different races, thereby enabling the tracking of multiple vehicles 14 at multiple regional racing locations having similar or identical trajectories, thereby simultaneously racing among many participants at multiple different locations around the globe.

The device may be used in conjunction with a registration method using the following steps: all of the owners and vehicles and some other necessary information are programmed into the RFIDs 12 in a standardized format, the RFID reader 21 is used to read the RFID-transmitted programmed RFID identification information for each race venue, transmit the read information to a computer and record the registrants and individual vehicles for the personal race based on the personal identification information stored and broadcast by the radio frequency identification. This may be accomplished by simply passing the vehicle 14 through a control gate or other location that would provide a means to trigger the RFID12 to transmit its programmed data. This can be done before the race or indeed during the race to avoid pre-registration. Standardizing the data format to the appropriate information area would eliminate the need to register the participant's paper and record. Moreover, as described above, the number of participants in a race or series of races is no longer limited by the track of a single race because multiple identical tracks of multiple races, each having an RFID vehicle 14, may be networked.

Once registered, the device and system may be used to track vehicles 14 or participants on one or more tracks in a race. The above steps may be used to register the participants by associating the broadcast identification data from the RFID12 on each vehicle 14 with that particular vehicle. The vehicles in each race are then tracked by the further steps of monitoring the participating vehicles during the race for passage through the gates 18, and adding the total number of passes through the gates 18 to determine the winner from the distance moved and/or adding the total time of travel of each vehicle tracked throughout the determined course trip.

As described above, a race between participants may occur on one or more fields having the same or similar tracks, and data from vehicles 14 passing through gates 18 similarly positioned on similar lanes may be fed back over the network to a central computer that will use software to track all participants throughout the race formation. If the race is on only one track, the network is no longer necessary because the tracking vehicle 14 is in place. As indicated above, when multiple vehicles 14 in a race pass through the gate 18 simultaneously or in very near real time, their respective RFIDs will be triggered to transmit identification information, and if an unaddressed inventory request for an RFID proximate to the gate 18 is transmitted and received by multiple RFIDs, the responses of the multiple RFID transmissions will overlap, causing a problem in identifying two vehicles 14. In the case of RFID transmissions, the RFID reader 21 is typically unable to read more than one RFID transmission within a given time period. This is because the reader 21 cannot decipher the radio wave transmissions reflected back by two RFID tags that are initiated to transmit substantially simultaneously when they reach the control gate 18 in close proximity, since the nearly simultaneous transmissions from one or more vehicles 14 will cause the transmitted data to collide.

Manufacturers of such devices have developed an anti-collision protocol to enable readers to communicate with one tag at a time in a rapid sequence. The most common anti-collision schemes are known as "aloha" and "tree walking"

Aloha assigns each RFID a time slot for communication to the reader, essentially assigning a time period of 5 milliseconds to a number of transmission time slots during which all RFID transponders within range of the reader are required to transmit their data into their assigned time slot. In a typical multi-slot request, the transmit responder can respond to an inventory request, for example, in 16 allocated slots. The RFID reader in this case will issue instructions to each RFID to respond within a particular time slot based on the RFID's identification number or other defined parameter. Because broadcast RFIDs can respond in different time slots, the chance of collision is low.

However, this solution is slow in relevant respects because the car 14 is travelling fast, and a big disadvantage of multi-slot inventorying requests has been found because the reader waits 16 slots before issuing another inventory request from a passing RFID. The timing would look like this: request to clear → time slot 1 → time slot 2 → time slot 3 →. If a car whiz happens to by the gate 20 during slots 1-16, it does not respond because it was not present when the reader made the initial inventory request. It has been found that this can result in a missing overlap, whereby a vehicle 14 driving past the gate 18 cannot be correctly detected because it has left the reading area before the RFID begins to broadcast.

For the "tree walking" approach used by the industry to avoid collisions, the reader asks the RFID tag to issue all tags in sequence, starting first with a sequence number of 0, then 1, then 00 and 01, then 10 and 11, and so on. The "tree walking" scheme is similar to a teacher who only asks students whose names start with "A" to answer, rather than having all students call their names at the same time. However, because of the high speed of the vehicles on the track and the limited time sufficient for the reader 21 to receive the inventory request to approach the control gate 18, it is likely that the response of the RFID on the vehicle will respond out of range of the control gate 18, possibly missing a count, in the middle or at the end of the approved response sequence transmitted to the vehicle RFID.

To address the problem of collisions of identification data transmitted by the RFID at high speed, short read times of the race environment, the system herein, by experiment, provides a first device and a second device to avoid data collisions. This can be accomplished by a unique method of inventorying the RFIDs on each vehicle in a high speed race to send out their responses without data collision or without the loss of a single RFID response that lingers only for a short time in the transmission area. In the first means of avoiding data collisions, the method herein uses a single time slot inventory request instead of the conventional multi-slot request, and additionally instructs the responding RFIDs on any vehicle 14 to remain quiet for the next subsequently received inventory request broadcast after completing their individual data transmissions during each pass through the read zone adjacent the control gate 18.

Instead of using a multi-slot format or a sequential response format, both of which lose data, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the method disclosed herein will use only one slot to respond to all inventory requests of all energized RFID transmitters, and to allow for transmission in response to such requests. Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other means of avoiding collisions may be developed by adjusting the time and time slots and including instructions to remain quiet. However, the best way to date found by experimentation has shown that it is best to use a single time slot for both the issued response and the instruction to quiet the responding RFID.

In a first device using a single time slot designed to avoid missing new data units and avoid data collisions, the order of inventory requests by time proximity to the RFID would be: inventory request → timeslot 1 → inventory request → timeslot 1, and so on. Then, to further reduce the chance of a collision of data transmitted by two cars 14 in close proximity, after the RFID on that car 14 transmits its response to the inventory request, the RFID on that responding car 14 will be instructed to stop responding to the inventory request within that single period adjacent that gate 18. A second vehicle 14 following the first vehicle to the vicinity of the gate 18 that then initiated the inventory request will then have the data on its RFID car and also be instructed to stop responding in cycles through the reader 21. Each responding RFID near each control gate 18 sets the same response and passive period. This first step of using a time slot and commanding a response stop helps to greatly limit collisions of RFID data on vehicles 14 that are in close proximity to each other and to the control gate 18.

If two or more RFID transponders broadcast their identification information in close proximity or substantially simultaneously near the control gate 18, then even using the method described above, there is a potential for data collisions during even one time slot during which the first transponder is instructed to cease transmitting. In this way, if a data collision is detected by the reader 21 receiving a distorted or unreadable transmission, the device herein can avoid the data collision by applying an algorithmic function that directly affects the order in which inventory request broadcasts to the RFID in the next cycle are made, using the second step as a second device. This collision cycle is illustrated in FIG. 4, where "N" is the number of times a collision is detected, and N is greater than 0 for distortion information received in response to an inventory request. The number of collisions detected is 1 or greater, this collision cycle of the system is initiated, wherein the encountered problems are immediately cleared and remedied using a collision algorithm. An algorithm developed to enumerate the RFID identifications of individual participants in a race can intelligently handle data collisions for RFID in this fast paced environment. Using software stored on a computer that receives identification data from reader 21, the system can continuously track each received RFID response to the continuous inventory request. The software may continuously adjust the order of request responses to formulate an alternating continuous sequence of inventory requests, and may be used for inventory requests for subsequent detected data collisions and may be transmitted by the reader 21 to the RFID to identify themselves.

In this way, after a single car is detected by broadcast information from its RFID, that single RFID tag is placed in order of RFID tags and stored in the memory of the computer in communication with the RFID information. The stored list of successive changes accommodates vehicles that have been tested in order from earliest to latest. In a typical four car race, the inventory requests for normal transmissions to the RFID will be initialized to ID1, ID2, ID3, ID4 for sorting. This works well in a single time slot as long as no data collision is detected. In the received response, when the specific RFID tag of each responder is detected, as for example ID2, the change inventory stored in the computer memory will be reordered into ID1, ID3, ID4, ID2, thereby placing the inventory request ID2, the last detected RFID, at the end of the change order inventory request inventory.

Even if the first device is used to avoid such problems as described above, when a data collision is detected as shown, where N is greater than 0 on fig. 4, the system will emulate a second device to avoid data collision and data loss and will change the normally transmitted response inventory request (where only the responder with a matching ID can respond) into a change order list that will be continually updated to set the latest detected RFID tag ID at the end of the list (the end of the inventory request).

The second means is used to avoid data collisions and to make the inventory request broadcast a change order of the sequential inventory requests until the ID is determined as indicated by the absence of a received identification collision. Thus, in this example of a change order request, because it is the vehicle most likely to pass the next sign post, an addressed inventory request is sent to the RFID labeled ID1, followed by ID3 and ID 4. The surrogate list can check the entire list or only a portion of the list until one RFID responds. Upon receiving a response from one of the RFIDs indicating no data collision, the system exits the collision algorithm and returns to the normal sequential unaddressed inventory request. Other variations of this algorithm in which the last RFID that has responded is placed at the end of a sequential response inventory request are possible and would be desirable to those skilled in the art as a means of obtaining RFID after data collisions in the fast paced race environment. However, the presently preferred embodiment of the system, and most preferably also the method described above, is to change the order of the inventory requests to place the last responding RFID at the end of the change order inventory request and to continually update the change order inventory request for use after any data conflicts.

Finally, as described above and shown in FIG. 4, responses broadcast to inventory requests by participants in the race will result in their individual identification information. This information can also be used to actually register the participants of the race without the need to register them in the race beforehand. This is done either by receiving and indexing the broadcast identification information from each participant's particular RFID tag, or by comparing the identification information with stored information that is associated with that particular RFID tag that was collected when the RFID tag was assigned to them. In summary, this step helps speed up the game because the RFID tag can be used to eliminate the tedious step of game registration.

While all of the essential features and characteristics of the invention have been described herein with reference to particular embodiments of numerous variations thereof, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, and it will be apparent that in some instances some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can make such substitutions, modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, all such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (41)

1. A system for automatically tracking each individual vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in a race around a track, comprising:

an electronic storage device of information, said information being related to the identity of said vehicle, said electronic storage device being mounted on said vehicle;

RF transmission means of said information;

an actuating means of said RF transmitting means;

receiving means for receiving said information contained in the RF transmissions;

a computer in communication with the receiving device of the information; and

software resident in said computer, said software providing a means to track the progress of each of said individual vehicles in said plurality of vehicles in a race and determine a lead based on said information received by said means for receiving said information.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said electronic storage of information related to the identity of said vehicle is an RFID tag having electronic storage for said information storage.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for activating said means for RF transmission comprises:

a transmitter adjacent to a track on which the vehicle is racing;

the transmitter generating sufficient electromagnetic field (EMF) to energize the RFID tag into an energized state; and

the RFID tag transmits the information only in the energized state.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for activating said means for RF transmission comprises:

means for determining the passing of said vehicle past a determined location on said track;

a transmitter adjacent to a track on which the vehicle is racing;

said means for determining the passage of said vehicle activates said emitter to generate said EMF only when said vehicle passes said determined location;

the transmitter emitting sufficient EMF to energize the RFID tag into an energized state; and

the RFID tag transmits the information in the energized state.

5. The system for automatically tracking each individual vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in a race around a track of claim 1 further comprising:

the competition is simultaneously carried out on a plurality of tracks;

each of said tracks being substantially similar to the other;

transmitting said information from each respective receiving device that receives said information to a network of said computer; and

the software provides a means to track the progress of each of the individual vehicles of the plurality of vehicles on each of the plurality of tracks in accordance with the information received by the computer from the network from each respective receiving means receiving the information, thereby determining the leader.

6. The system for automatically tracking each individual vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in a race around a track of claim 2 further comprising:

the competition is simultaneously carried out on a plurality of tracks;

each of said tracks being substantially similar to the other;

transmitting said information from each respective receiving device that receives said information to a network of said computer; and

the software provides a means to track the progress of each of the individual vehicles of the plurality of vehicles on each of the plurality of tracks in accordance with the information received by the computer from the network from each respective receiving means receiving the information, thereby determining the leader.

7. The system for automatically tracking each individual vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in a race around a track of claim 3 further comprising:

the competition is simultaneously carried out on a plurality of tracks;

each of said tracks being substantially similar to the other;

transmitting said information from each respective receiving device that receives said information to a network of said computer; and

the software provides a means to track the progress of each of the individual vehicles of the plurality of vehicles on each of the plurality of tracks in accordance with the information received by the computer from the network from each respective receiving means receiving the information, thereby determining the leader.

8. The system for automatically tracking each individual vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in a race around a track of claim 4 further comprising:

the competition is simultaneously carried out on a plurality of tracks;

each of said tracks being substantially similar to the other;

transmitting said information from each respective receiving device that receives said information to a network of said computer; and

the software provides a means to track the progress of each of the individual vehicles of the plurality of vehicles on each of the plurality of tracks in accordance with the information received by the computer from the network from each respective receiving means receiving the information, thereby determining the leader.

9. A method of registering and automatically tracking a plurality of vehicles in a race, comprising:

programming at least identity-related information into an RFID tag attached to the vehicle for each vehicle enrolled to participate in the race;

reading the programmed information at the playing field of the game using an RFID reader;

transmitting the programmed information to a computer; and

a list of participants in the race is written using software resident on the computer.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

using an RFID reader adjacent to a reading point disposed on a track on which the game is played;

reading said programmed information for a single RFID used on each of said plurality of individual vehicles as said plurality of individual vehicles pass said read point during a race;

transmitting the programmed information to a computer; and

software on the computer is used to track the progress of the race and determine the winner.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

-performing said match on a plurality of different tracks having a substantially equal design;

using an RFID reader adjacent to said reading points located on each of said plurality of tracks on which said race is played;

reading said programmed information for a single RFID used on each of a plurality of individual vehicles as said plurality of individual vehicles on a plurality of different tracks used in a race pass said corresponding read points;

transmitting the programmed information to a remote computer; and

using software on the computer to track the progress of the race and determine a winner from the plurality of vehicles on the plurality of tracks.

12. A system for automatically tracking each individual participant of a plurality of participants in a roundabout race, comprising:

an electronic storage of information relating to the identity of each participant, the electronic storage being mounted on the participant;

RF transmission means of said information;

an actuating means of said RF transmitting means;

receiving means for receiving said information contained in the RF transmissions;

a computer in communication with said means for receiving said information; and

software resident in said computer, said software providing a means to track progress of each of said individual ones of said plurality of participants in the race and determine a leader based on said information received by said means for receiving said information.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said electronic storage of information associated with the identity of said participant is an RFID tag having an electronic memory for storage of said information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said means for activating said means for RF transmission comprises:

a transmitter adjacent to a track on which the participants race;

the transmitter emitting sufficient electromagnetic field (EMF) to energize the RFID tag into an energized state; and

the RFID tag transmits the information only in the energized state.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said means for activating said means for RF transmission comprises:

means for determining the passage of said participant through a determined location on said track;

a transmitter adjacent to a track on which the participants race;

said means for determining passage of said participant activates said emitter to emit said EMF only when said participant passes said determined location;

the transmitter emitting sufficient EMF to energize the RFID tag into an energized state; and

the RFID tag transmits the information in the energized state.

16. The system for automatically tracking each individual participant in a roundabout race of a plurality of participants according to claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of said tracks.

17. The system for automatically tracking each individual participant among a plurality of participants in a roundabout race according to claim 13 further comprising:

a plurality of said tracks.

18. The system for automatically tracking each individual participant in a roundabout race of a plurality of participants according to claim 14, further comprising:

a plurality of said tracks.

19. The system for automatically tracking each individual participant in a roundabout race of a plurality of participants according to claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of said tracks of substantially equal dimensions;

means for determining the passage of said participant through a determined location on each of said plurality of tracks;

a transmitter adjacent each track on which each said participant plays;

said means for determining passage of said participant activates said emitter to emit said EMF only when said participant passes said determined location;

the transmitter emitting sufficient EMF to energize the RFID tag into an energized state; and

the RFID tag transmits the information in the energized state to a remote computer having software to track the participant.

20. A method of tracking participants in a race wherein each participant has attached thereto an RFID tag that broadcasts identification information specific to that participant in response to an inventory request broadcast received by said RFID at a monitoring point on a track, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning RFID's that, upon receiving an inventory request, transmit specific identification information for individual participants in the race;

broadcasting the inventory request to the participants proximate to a monitoring point on the track;

monitoring identification information relating to a particular responding participant transmitted from each of said RFIDs responding to said inventory request to determine which participant responded to said inventory request;

sequentially storing each of said identifying information for each responding participant in a data store;

broadcasting a command to each particular participant who responds to the inventory request with its said identifying information to stop responding to the next subsequent broadcast of the inventory request;

storing identification information of the latest responding participant;

providing a trigger to sense a participant approaching the monitoring point;

RF transmission means of said information;

an actuating means of said RF transmitting means;

receiving means for receiving said information contained in the RF transmissions;

a computer in communication with the receiving device of the information; and

software resident in said computer, said software providing a means for tracking the trip and determining the lead of each of said individual vehicles in said plurality of vehicles in a race based on said information received by said means for receiving said information during a set period of time after said request to inventory; the inventory request is a response requesting that specific identification information for the race participant be included.

21. A method of tracking a plurality of participants in a race, each participant having attached thereto an RFID tag for broadcasting identification information specific to the participant in response to an inventory request broadcast received by said RFID at a monitoring point on a track, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning RFID's that, upon receiving a first sequential order inventory request, transmit specific identification information for individual participants in the race;

storing said identifying information for each of said individual participants in a data store;

broadcasting said inventory request to said participants proximate a monitoring point on a track, thereby eliciting a responsive broadcast of said identifying information from any of said individual participants identified by said inventory request and proximate said monitoring point;

monitoring the identifying information contained in each of said response broadcasts to determine in turn which of said plurality of participants responded to said inventory request;

storing the identification information corresponding to each responding participant in a data store;

using a first device to avoid data collisions caused by the responding participants transmitting the identifying information substantially simultaneously;

continuously updating the identifying information stored in the data store to determine the latest response from among the responding participants, identifying a latest responding participant; and

computer software resident on a computing device is used to monitor the identifying information in the data store to determine the leader in the race.

22. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 21 additionally including the steps of:

upon detecting the data collision, a second device is used to avoid data collisions caused by the responding participants transmitting the identifying information substantially simultaneously.

23. A method of tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 21 wherein using a first device to avoid data collisions caused by said responding participants transmitting said identifying information substantially simultaneously includes the steps of:

broadcasting a command to stop responding to at least one subsequent broadcast of said inventory request to each particular participant who responded to said inventory request with said identifying information thereof.

24. A method of tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 22 wherein said using a second device to avoid data collisions caused by said responding participants transmitting said identifying information substantially simultaneously includes the steps of:

monitoring the response broadcast to determine the existence of a data collision;

after said data collision, sequentially ordering said inventory requests eliciting responses from said plurality of participants according to a particular order to form a second sequential order of inventory requests; and

placing the latest responding participant at the end of the particular order.

25. A method of tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 23 wherein said using a second device to avoid data collisions resulting from said responding participants transmitting said identifying information substantially simultaneously includes the steps of:

monitoring the response broadcast to determine the existence of a data collision;

after said data collision, sequentially ordering said inventory requests eliciting responses from said plurality of participants according to a particular order to form a second sequential order of inventory requests; and

placing the latest responding participant at the end of the particular order.

26. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 24 additionally including the steps of:

monitoring the response broadcast to determine that the data collision ceases to exist; and

and returning the counting request of the first sequence order.

27. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 25 further including the steps of:

monitoring the response broadcast to determine that the data collision ceases to exist; and

and returning the counting request of the first sequence order.

28. A method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race as set forth in claim 25 wherein monitoring said response broadcast to determine the existence of data collisions includes the steps of:

monitoring, using computer resident software, the response broadcast received during each response time period; and

instructions for determining a data collision are included in the computer-resident software that determine a data collision when an uninterpretable data indicating a data collision is received in the response broadcast during any single time slot allocated by the response broadcast.

29. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 21 additionally including the steps of:

in the inventory request, instructing the individual participants in the race to respond within a single time period.

30. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 22 additionally including the steps of:

in the inventory request, instructing the individual participants in the race to respond within a single time period.

31. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 23 additionally including the steps of:

in the inventory request, instructing the individual participants in the race to respond within a single time period.

32. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 24 additionally including the steps of:

in the inventory request, instructing the individual participants in the race to respond within a single time period.

33. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 25 further including the steps of:

in the inventory request, instructing the individual participants in the race to respond within a single time period.

34. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 26 further including the steps of:

in the inventory request, instructing the individual participants in the race to respond within a single time period.

35. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 27 additionally including the steps of:

in the inventory request, instructing the individual participants in the race to respond within a single time period.

36. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 28 additionally including the steps of:

in the inventory request, instructing the individual participants in the race to respond within a single time period.

37. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 21 additionally including the steps of:

using the identifying information from each of the individual participants as a means of registering the participants of the race, thereby obviating prior registration.

38. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 22 additionally including the steps of:

using the identifying information from each of the individual participants as a means of registering the participants of the race, thereby obviating prior registration.

39. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 23 additionally including the steps of:

using the identifying information from each of the individual participants as a means of registering the participants of the race, thereby obviating prior registration.

40. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 24 additionally including the steps of:

using the identifying information from each of the individual participants as a means of registering the participants of the race, thereby obviating prior registration.

41. The method for tracking a plurality of participants in a race of claim 25 further including the steps of:

using the identifying information from each of the individual participants as a means of registering the participants of the race, thereby obviating prior registration.