Athletic Timing System with Comparative Heat Data Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Audiences in athletic competitions, particularly in timed race events like swimming and track and field, face difficulties in understanding real-time competitor rankings and projected scores due to a lack of interactive and comparative timing data, which diminishes their engagement and understanding of the event.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that gathers, compares, and presents timing data across heats and with historical information using a computer coupled with timing equipment and displays, allowing audience members to access comparative timing and scoring data in real-time through personal communication devices, enabling customized information and alerts about specific competitors or teams.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traditional timing display systems are used in athletic competitions, then the system complexity is low and ease of manufacture is good, but the audience cannot access real-time comparative timing data and competitor rankings, resulting in loss of information and reduced engagement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetiming data and competitor ranking informationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides timing information into segmented components (split times, cumulative times, heat rankings, overall competition rankings) and delivers them through multiple channels (official displays, personal communication devices, mobile phones, pagers), ensuring comprehensive information distribution without requiring a single complex centralized display system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a computer-based timing system as an intermediary that automatically collects, processes, and distributes timing data to multiple outputs simultaneously, reducing the need for manual information gathering and display while preventing information loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If detailed real-time timing data is provided to the audience, then audience engagement and understanding improve, but the quantity of information to be processed and displayed increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomparative timing dataVSAvoidquantity of timing data

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and prepares comparative timing data (heat rankings, overall competition standings, split time comparisons) before they are needed for display, allowing the computer to automatically generate and distribute comprehensive information without overwhelming manual processing requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The timing system is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: official timing, audience information display, and automatic distribution to personal communication devices, allowing the same data processing core to handle diverse information delivery needs without proportionally increasing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple heats are run in timed race competitions, then more competitors can participate, but it becomes difficult for the audience to know competitor rankings and projected scores across different heats

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompetition format flexibilityVSAvoidcross-heat ranking information

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides continuous feedback to the audience by automatically updating and displaying heat rankings, overall competition standings, and projected scores after each heat, allowing spectators to track competitor progress across multiple heats without manual intervention or information gaps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Loss of information

If real-time data processing and display is implemented, then audience understanding and engagement improve, but the time required to process and present data increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time timing informationVSAvoiddata processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The computer-based timing system operates continuously throughout the competition, automatically collecting, processing, and distributing timing data in real-time without interruption or manual batch processing, ensuring continuous information flow to the audience without significant time delays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS9192844B2Athletic event timing and display systems

Publication Date: 2015.11.24 LAPIDES JOHN S

AI summary

Presenting comparative timing data to the audience of a sports or other competition multiple within an event, where timing or scoring data is stored during each heat, compared between heats, and displayed. Timing data includes lap times, split times, or other timing information. Timing data from each heat can also be compared with historical timing records such as Olympic, NCAA, or other records. A computing device coupled to timing equipment, storage, and a display operate to gather and store timing data from each heat, compare the timing data to generate comparative timing data, and present the comparative timing data to attendees. A software application running on the computing device allows a user to select particular timing data to compare with the current event timing data. Video and biographical information about a given competitor in the event can also be presented to the user.