Timing Method for Global Sports Competitions

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Solution Overview

Problem

International sports competitions with participants on different sites around the world face challenges in ensuring accurate and synchronized start times due to varying signal transmission times and uncalibrated chronometers, which affect the validity of race times.

Innovation Solution

A method for timing sports competitions that involves measuring and accounting for variable signal transmission times between sites, synchronizing time bases using GPS signals, and calculating a maximum transmission time to ensure accurate and synchronized starts across all sites.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If synchronous starts are given to participants on different sites, then real-time competition experience is improved, but transmission delays and time base calibration issues cause accuracy deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of race timeVSAvoidtransmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement of transmission times between the central timing server and each remote site before the actual competition. These measured transmission times are stored and used to calculate compensated start times, ensuring that the actual start moments at different sites are synchronized despite network delays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes bidirectional communication channels between the central timing server and remote sites to measure transmission times in both directions. This feedback mechanism allows the system to accurately determine network latency and adjust start times accordingly, compensating for transmission delays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If time bases of chronometers at different sites are used independently, then local timing autonomy is improved, but synchronization accuracy deteriorates due to lack of calibration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal timing autonomyVSAvoidtime base synchronization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the timing functions of distributed chronometers by having all sites reference a common time base from the central timing server. Each remote site receives time synchronization signals from the server, ensuring that all chronometers are calibrated to the same reference while maintaining local operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The central timing server acts as an intermediary that distributes synchronized time references to all remote sites. This intermediary ensures that independent chronometers at different locations are calibrated to a common time base, resolving synchronization issues while preserving local timing autonomy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If starts are given at different sites far apart from each other, then global participation is improved, but transmission delay variability increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglobal participationVSAvoidvariable transmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts start time parameters for each remote site based on measured transmission delays. By calculating compensated start times that account for network latency, the system ensures synchronized starts across globally distributed sites despite variable transmission delays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary measurement and calculation of transmission delays for each remote site before the competition begins. These pre-calculated compensation values are used to set the actual start times, ensuring synchronization while accommodating the variable transmission delays inherent in global distribution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method enables super-accurate starts in real-time, ensuring that all participants and spectators experience the race as if it were happening simultaneously, despite being on different sites around the world.

Implementation Method 1

A synchronisation of the time base of each site and of the start coordinator device is performed through a transmission of GNSS or GPS signals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGPS signal synchronization:

Data Source

PatentUS12274919B2Method for timing a sports competition in different sites

Publication Date: 2025.04.15 SWISS TIMING LTD

AI summary

A timing method for a sports competition at the same time on different sites (4) around the world. In a first phase, all time bases of the timing devices, of a start coordinator device (3) and of each site are synchronised. Next, a measurement of the transmission times between the start coordinator device and each site is performed to determine a maximum transmission time. The start coordinator device establishes a start time equal to the time of the date of each site and while adding a time difference longer than the determined maximum transmission time. The start time is adapted to each site where the competition takes place to automatically order, by each timing device, the start of the competition at the same time on each site and on the base site of the start coordinator device to have a sports competition taking place live on all competition sites.