Patent Application
20250166422
The present disclosure relates to UHF sports timing, comprising a tag and a spacer attached or attachable to a support sheet such as a bib.
Nowadays Ultra High Frequency (UHF) tags are commonly used in timing systems for large sports events e.g. mass sports events for running, cycling, or motorcycling. UHF tags are cheap, low weight, and can be read fast and from relatively large distances. A timing position, such as a starting line and/or a finish line, may be provided with an antenna mat that is capable of high frequency communication with the UHF tags that participants of the sports event wear, in particular wear on their chests.
When a tag comes within the radiation field of the antenna mat, the tag starts sending out ID messages as a result of activation by the radiation field. The antennas in the mat receive these messages and transfer the messages to a decoder (an analyser). The decoder is connected to the antenna mat and is programmed to determine the passage time of the tag with a unique ID on the basis of the signal strength of the received messages. Because the electromagnetic field produced by the antenna in the mat is strongest above the centre of the mat, it is possible to determine the point in time when the tag passes the antenna with reasonable accuracy.
Besides antenna mats also other antenna configurations may be used, e.g. a vertically-oriented antenna structure for a timing system such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,673,144.
The ultra-high frequency (UHF) tags use frequency in the UHF band between approximately 860 and 960 MHz. Typically the tag comprises a microchip combined with an antenna, and is structured to allow attachment to an object to be detected. In typical sports timing systems every participant is provided with a tag which is secured to a bib comprising an identifier such as a number, which is associated with the identity of the participant (e.g. one or more of name, address, team, etc.). The tags are attached to the bib so that there is an unambiguous one-to-one relation between the tag and the bib. The bib is worn and/or fixed to wearer's clothing such that the bib is located in front of the chest of the participant; another bib or part of the bib possibly also comprising an identifier may be located behind the back of the participant.
When fixing a UHF tag to a bib, certain problems occur. One problem relates to the fact that the tag is within close proximity of the body, which for the tag functions as a dielectric of relatively high dielectric constant. The proximity of the body changes the impedance of the tag antenna thereby “detuning” the tag away from its optimum working point. Due to this detuning effect, the tag may not be able to generate detectable modulated backscatter signal. The effect of detuning is further enhanced in a wet environment, e.g. wet and sweaty clothing and/or body of an athlete. This way, the signal may further deteriorate thereby increasing the risk that a participant crossing or passing a detection antenna is not or at least not correctly registered by the timing system.
In order to lift at least part of this problem, a spacer in the vicinity of the tag may be used such that at least a certain distance between the tag and the wet clothes and/or body is provided. Such spacer may have the form of a strip of lightweight foam attached to or in the vicinity of the tag. Ideally such spacer should guarantee a spacing distance of about 10 mm, however such thickness makes such tag bib assemblies not suitable for mass distribution (by post) and storage (e.g. millions or more). Therefore, in practice, spacers are used which are thinner than the desirable optimal thickness. Hence, conventional spacers thus allow only sub-optimal performance of the tag.
A further problem associated with the use of a tag bib assembly is that the tag signal may be influenced by nearby objects. Especially when a lot of participants are crossing an antenna simultaneously, the presence of other persons in the direct proximity of the radiated signal may cause that only a very small part of the signal will be picked up by the detection antenna of the timing system. Hence, when using a tag bib assembly, it is desired that the tag signal is directed towards the detection antenna.
WO 2013/068043 discloses a tag assembly wherein the tag assembly is affixable to clothing and/or a body and wherein the assembly comprises a support sheet, a tag disposed on the support sheet, the tag being configured to transmit a signal to a receiver, and an expandable spacer structure disposed the support sheet, the expandable spacer structure providing a predetermined spacing between the tag and the body, the expandable spacer being configured to expand from a thin non-expanded state to an expanded state of a predetermined spacer thickness.
Although the known spacers work satisfactory in principle, it has been found that expansion of an expandable spacer may be not as reliable as desired. Suitable expandable materials and/or foam of a foam spacer may get wet and then may itself affect the signal, and when the foam is dried up again the foam may become hardened and chafe the sporter's body and/or clothing.
Also, manufacturing costs of bibs comprising an expandable spacer are a concern. Therefore, further improvements to UHF sports timing systems are desired.
In view of the above, herewith are provided, in at least some aspects, a UHF sports timing bib tag assembly, a UHF sports timing tag assembly for such bib tag assembly, as set out below.
In an aspect, a UHF sports timing tag assembly is provided. The tag assembly comprises a tag and a spacer. The tag assembly may comprise the tag for being supported by a support sheet, such as a bib. The tag may comprise a dipole antenna and be configured to transmit a UHF signal to a receiver. The spacer may be configured to be attached to the support sheet for providing a predetermined spacing between the antenna of the tag and a body of a wearer along the antenna. The tag may be attached to the spacer and at least a portion of the spacer having a general U-shape having clamping members opposite each other providing an interstitial space for accommodating the support sheet and clamping onto the support sheet.
In an aspect a UHF sports timing bib tag assembly is provided. The UHF sports timing bib tag assembly comprises a support sheet, a tag supported by the support sheet, the tag being configured to transmit a UHF signal to a receiver, a spacer attachable or attached to the support sheet to provide, when attached, a predetermined spacing between the tag and a body of a wearer.
The tag and spacer may be provided as a UHF sports timing tag assembly disclosed herein.
In an aspect, a method comprises providing a bib and a UHF sports timing tag assembly as disclosed herein to a participant of a sports event, and providing from the bib and a UHF sports timing tag assembly the UHF sports timing bib tag assembly disclosed herein. The tag assembly may be re-used.
Further, with particular reference to any one or more of these aspects, the following is provided.
The support sheet may be a bib, which may comprise visual identifier, such as one or more of a number, a wearer's name, a team identifier such as a name and/or a symbol, etc. The visual identifier may be provided on a first side of the support sheet, e.g. being printed or formed otherwise. A second side, e.g. a reverse side of the sheet may differ from the first side.
The wearer may be a human or an animal such as a dog, a horse, a camel.
The spacer may be configured to clamp onto the support sheet for attachment of the spacer to the support sheet to provide the predetermined spacing between the tag and the body. This allows effective attachment of the spacer to the support sheet. Clamping may obviate attachment of the spacer to the support sheet by methods that one or more of time-consuming, permanent, non-correctable, requiring particular apparel, requiring modification of the support sheet and/or spacer, etc., such as gluing, welding, riveting, etc. Thus, attachment of the spacer to support sheet may easily be done by untrained persons and/or on-site at or near a reception and/or registration area of a sports event. Thus support sheets and spacers may be stored and/or transported separately which may simplify storage and/or handling, e.g. reducing volume of packaging and/or storing either part (support sheet and spacer) separately compared to volume of packaging and/or storing assemblies of support sheet with attached spacer.
The clamping may be or allow removable clamping, which simplifies one or more of packaging, storing, re-use, and recycling of the spacer and/or the support sheet separately.
The clamping may allow attachment in one direction but hinder removal in a reverse direction; e.g. one-way attachment in at least one direction. This hinders or prevents accidental or intentional detachment of the tag which may be associated with loss and/or false identification of the wearer (athlete). Removal in such case may be facilitated in a direction different from the direction of attachment, e.g. substantially perpendicular thereto.
Also or alternatively, the spacer may comprise for defining at least part of the spacing one or more protrusions and/or one or more tubular structures. Then, at least part of one or more spaces between at least some of the protrusions may be empty and/or filled with a low-dielectric material compared to at least part of the respective protrusion, and/or at least part of a lumen of the one or more tubular structures may be hollow and/or filled with a low-dielectric material compared to at least part of the respective tubular structure. The protrusions may preferably be spaced along the length and/or height of the tag in a direction away from the tag. This may facilitate positioning and/or orienting at least part of the tag with respect to the body. Also or alternatively, the one or more tubular portions may extend along at least part of the tag, preferably along the length of the tag. Thus, a low-dielectric material may be provided in the vicinity of the tag, which may improve operation of the assembly. The protrusions may be formed as the tubular structures. The protrusions and/or tubular portions may extend from a clamping member in a direction away from the interstitial space.
At least some of the one or more protrusions and/or one or more tubular structures may be rounded in at least one direction with a radius of more than 2 mm preferably in a range of 2-7 mm such as in a range of 3-5 mm, and/or provide a contact surface of the respective protrusion and/or tubular structure to the body of the person having a size in a range of 1-7 mm such as in a range 1-5 mm in length or height direction of the tag.
The tag may be disposed on the support sheet. However, it is preferred that the tag is attached to the spacer. Suitably, the tag may be disposed on and fixed to the spacer, e.g. being glued, welded, etc. Thus, relative position of the tag and spacer may be well defined, which may improve operation of the assembly.
The spacer may provide a support surface for supporting the tag, preferably for supporting the tag substantially over the entire length and/or height of at least an antenna of the tag, more preferably over the entire length and/or height of the tag. The support surface may be flat, which may facilitate attachment of the tag.
Also or alternatively, the support surface may be at least partly provided by a plurality of support structures providing a plurality of support surface portions for supporting the tag antenna spaced by one or more openings, e.g. one or more protrusions and/or tubular structures extending from a clamping member in a direction away from the interstitial space. This allows reducing an amount of material in close proximity to the tag antenna, thereby reducing the effective dielectric constant of the spacer and/or reducing a detuning effect thereof on the tag antenna. The plurality of support surface portions may preferably be flat and/or substantially coplanar. Preferably, the support surface is provided by three or more support surface portions accordingly separated by two or more openings, for further distributing support for the tag while reducing an amount of spacer material. The support structures may comprise plural ribs, preferably parallel to each other.
The spacer may comprise a structure for aligning at least part of the tag to at least part of the spacer, e.g. the spacer may comprise one or more of one or more protrusions, an edge, a rib and/or a recess for accommodating at least part of the tag. This may assist defining a relative position of the tag and spacer and this may protect at least part of the tag. Such recess for accommodating at least part of the tag may accommodate the entire tag so that it is recessed into part of the spacer as a whole.
The spacer may be configured to define a position and/or orientation of the tag with respect to an edge of the support sheet, in particular orienting at least part of the tag along the edge of the support sheet. This facilitates providing the tag with a predetermined position and/or orientation. In particular, sports regulations may determine a position of a bib on an athlete's body, in particular on the athlete's chest. Hence, the position and/or orientation of the tag when well determined with respect to the bib may be well determined with respect to the wearer and surroundings (notably horizontal and/or vertical directions), which may improve operation of the assembly and accurate interaction with an antenna.
E.g., the spacer may comprise a structure configured to align the tag with an edge of the support sheet, e.g. a structure configured to engage the edge of the support sheet. In particular at least part of the clamp may engage an edge of the support sheet; by an engagement, arranging the tag in a predetermined alignment is simplified by provision of a tactile reference.
Also or alternatively, the spacer may be configured to orient the tag in a more or less inclined orientation with respect to the vertical compared to a body posture of a normally competing athlete, e.g. a runner tends to assume an upright body posture whereas a skier tends to bend the torso forward, a forward/backward inclination of the tag relative to the body may accommodate such body posture (e.g. increased or decreased inclination), so that the tag orientation may conform to a desired (in particular optimum) coupling with a timing antenna field.
The spacer may have a general U-shape having clamping members opposite each other providing an interstitial space for accommodating the support sheet and clamping onto the support sheet. The U-shape provides an opening between the damping members providing an entrance to the interstitial space and a back generally opposite the opening. The U-shape allows simple attachment of the spacer onto the support sheet. However, at least at portion of at least one of the damping members may extend over an end of another one of the damping members for closing off an entrance of the U-shape, which may be used to lock a portion of the support sheet into the interstitial space; this may assist preventing loss of the spacer from the support sheet.
The clamping members may be connected with a back portion. The back portion may form a resilient hinge, and/or comprise a hinge and a separate resilient member, to provide a clamping force to the damping members; in particular, the back portion may form a continuous resilient portion unitary with at least one of the damping members, preferably the damping members opposite each other. The clamping members (and any back portion) may be formed unitary with each other, which may facilitate manufacturing; e.g. the U-shaped structure may be formed by extrusion techniques. The U-shape, and in particular a back portion thereof, may provide a structure configured to align the tag with an edge of the support sheet. The clamping members opposite each other may have substantially a same length in a direction perpendicular to the U-shape, which may be along a length direction of the spacer and/or of at least part of the tag (see below). Also or alternatively, the U-shape and/or any other portion of the spacer may be elongated at a constant shape in a direction perpendicular to the U-shape, which may facilitate manufacturing; e.g. the U-shaped structure may be formed by extrusion techniques. Such elongated U-shaped structure may provide significant clamping force at modest material consumption, e.g. an elongated thin-walled U-structure of a particular length in the direction of elongation (perpendicular to the U-shape) may provide a particular clamping force for which a much shorter structure of the same material and generally the same shape would require a much thicker walled U-structure.
In a spacer having such a general U-shape having clamping members, one clamping member of the U-shape may provide a support panel for supporting the tag, which may simplify construction of the spacer and reduce size and/or weight of the spacer. The at least one of the damping members and the support panel for the tag may be integrated, in particular being unitary or being identical; e.g. the support panel comprising a support surface being formed by a surface of the damping member. E.g., the clamping member may have an elongated shape corresponding to an elongated shape of the tag (e.g. associated with an elongated shape of an antenna of the tag) for attaching the tag onto the support surface. E.g. the clamping member or the U-shape may extend along a length of the tag, preferably at least along a length of the antenna of the tag, for supporting substantially all of (the antenna of) the tag.
A generally U-shaped structure also may provide resistance to bending and/or folding perpendicular to the direction of elongation. Hence, a tag disposed on such spacer may be protected against bending and/or folding which might damage the tag otherwise. E.g. the spacer may be substantially rigid, e.g. resisting bending and/or folding in normal use and operation by normally careful persons. Thus, the spacer may assist preventing bending and/or folding of the tag, in particular in case the tag is disposed on and/or integrated in the spacer.
In a spacer having an interstitial space as discussed above, the interstitial space may have one or more clamping portions for providing a locally elevated clamping force onto the support sheet. Such clamping portions may be provided by regions of locally reduced width and/or locally elevated friction coefficient. Preferably the interstitial space is provided with plural such clamping portions, increasing clamping force. As an option, the U-shape may have an opening and a back portion and one of the plural clamping portions is disposed closer to the opening than another one of the plural clamping portions. This may simplify introducing the support sheet; clamping force may translate into insertion friction for the support sheet when arranging the spacer onto the support sheet; portions of reduced friction compared to elevated friction may facilitate arranging an edge portion with respect portions of elevated friction, thus simplifying attachment.
The clamping members may define in at least part of the interstitial space a corrugating path for the support sheet from an entrance of the interstitial space. Thus, path length of the interstitial space may be increased compared to external size of the clamp, which may provide increased clamping force by one or more of elevated overall friction, deformation (bending) of the support sheet and reduced length of the damping members from the back of the U-shaped portion. The corrugating path may be provided by corrugations of one or more of the damping members. The corrugation and/or corrugations may comprise more or less smoothly curved portions; one or more of the corrugations may be symmetric or asymmetric, e.g. sinusoidal and/or triangular and/or sawtooth. For such corrugating path, at least part of at least one of the damping members may be corrugated in a direction from an entrance to the back of the U-shape. The corrugations may extend along a longitudinal direction of the spacer
One or more of a width of at least part of the interstitial space, number and/or size and/or curvature of one or more corrugations of at least part of the interstitial space, number and/or size and/or shape of clamping portions, may be determined in accordance with one or more of thickness, compressibility, resiliency, flexibility, structural and/or surface properties (e.g. roughness, uniformity, etc.) of the support sheet.
E.g. at least part of the corrugating path may have a corrugation amplitude of more than two times a minimum width of the interstitial space at rest and/or more than two times a thickness of the support sheet onto which the spacer is to be clamped; a wavelength and/or amplitude of the corrugations may be determined associated with thickness and/or flexibility (and/or deformability such as resiliency) of the support sheet. The corrugation amplitude and/or wavelength may vary along the path, e.g. increasing along the path from the entrance towards the back. Note that too sharp protrusions may increase local pressure but effectively provide less holding force of the clamp onto the support sheet than gentler protrusions that allow more contact surface between (a clamping portion of) the corrugations.
In case of asymmetric corrugations, the asymmetry preferably provides a comparably gentle slope from the entrance towards the back and a steep slope from the back towards the entrance for facilitating insertion of the support sheet but preventing withdrawal.
Also or alternatively, in case the spacer has both a corrugating path and one or more clamping portion, at least one of the damping portions for providing a locally elevated clamping force onto the support sheet may be arranged on a distal side of a corrugation providing at least part of the corrugating path as seen from the entrance.
In such latter cases, insertion of the support sheet into the interstitial space is facilitated but removal hindered or prevented.
For such corrugating path and/or one or more clamping portions, at least one of the clamping members may comprise one or more inward protrusions into the interstitial space, which may locally narrow the interstitial space. Such inward protrusion may be formed as a rib and it may be hollow and/or filled with a low-dielectric material compared to at least part of the respective protrusion. Part of a spacer that is hollow and/or filled with a low-dielectric material (e.g. air) may improve operation of the assembly by reducing amounts of high-dielectric material in the vicinity of the tag. Hence, in general, the spacer may comprise at least one tubular portion extending in an assembled configuration of the assembly, of the along at least part of the tag, preferably along the length of the tag, wherein the tubular portion may define a lumen that is hollow and/or is filled with a low-dielectric material compared to at least part of the tubular portion and/or other portions of the spacer.
The spacer may be configured to define a spacing in a range of 2-15 mm between the tag and the body, in particular a spacing in a range of 4-8 mm, such as in a range of 5-6 mm, e.g. the spacer may have, or define, a thickness in a range of 2-15 mm with respect to the tag, in particular a thickness in a range of 4-8 mm, such as in a range of 5-7 mm at a position of the tag.
At least part of the spacer may be a thin-walled structure. E.g. at least part of the spacer, in particular at least part of at least one of the clamping members has a wall having a wall thickness in a range of 0.1-2.0 mm, preferably in a range of 0.2-1.0 mm, such as in a range from 0.2-0.6 mm. Thus, the spacer may be light-weight. Low weight is preferred for burdening sporters as little as possible.
The spacer may be made of a water resistant and substantially non-water-absorbing material. At least part of the spacer may be, or at least be formed of, a solid material. This may reduce or prevent absorption of moisture into the spacer, thus preventing changing dielectric properties of the spacer. In particular, the spacer may generally be formed of a polymer material which may contain or be polyamide (e.g. nylon (PA6)) or a polyolefin such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). At least part of the spacer may be formed by moulding, e.g. injection moulding, and/or by extrusion, which are cost-effective manufacturing methods for large numbers of spacers.
The tag may be operative in the ultra-high frequency range. The tag may comprise at least one antenna structure which many be a metallic dipole antenna structure, the spacer may be located within the proximity of the antenna structure and/or at least partly on top (or below) of the antenna structure. The closer the proximity, the better the spacer may define a desired spacing. The tag may comprise a processor connected to a metallic thin-film antenna structure and the spacer may then be disposed at least partly over the tag.
The tag may comprise an antenna structure of the tag may be impedance matched (i.e. tuned) to a processor of the tag taking into account presence of a thin film dielectric layer of relatively high dielectric constant, e.g. between 10 and 50, which may optionally be arranged in the direct proximity of said antenna structure.
The presence of a dielectric layer may partially “screen” the proximity of the body. Such layer may have a thickness in a range of 0.05-5 mm. Such layer may comprise titanium dioxide.
Such dielectric layer may comprise multiple dielectric layers, for example a first dielectric layer of a relatively low dielectric constant (e.g. between 1 and 5) at an interface with the tag structure and a second dielectric layer of a relatively high dielectric constant (between 10-50) on top of the first thin-film dielectric layer at the interface with the spacer.
Such dielectric layers may be formed on the basis of a polymer comprising one or more dielectric fillers (e.g. titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, aluminium dioxide, aluminosilicates, etc.) in order to form a dielectric layer of a desired dielectric constant. The dielectric constant of such layer may be controlled by controlling the composition and/or concentration of the dielectric fillers (mixture) in the polymer carrier layer.
The support sheet may comprise a visual identifier on a first side, in particular a printed identifier, e.g. being a bib, and the tag may be arranged on or in front of the first side. Thus, the tag may be not covered by the support sheet also or alternatively, a substantially closed U-shaped spacer may protect at least part of the support sheet accommodated within the interstitial space against fluids and may keep the part of the support sheet relatively dry. Either or both may improve operation in situations wherein the support sheet may get wet and/or is water absorbent. Also, it may simplify visual inspection of the tag, also from a distance.
The spacer may be arranged in part on or in front of the first side and in part on or behind a second side of the support sheet opposite the first side, e.g. the spacer comprising a U-shaped portion as set out above, and the tag may be supported on the spacer spaced from the first side of the support sheet. This facilitates spacing the tag both from the support sheet and from the body of the wearer and may improve operation.
The spacer may accommodate at least part of the support sheet overlapping the tag in a direction generally perpendicular to directions of largest size of the tag. This may provide a constant dielectric profile for (an antenna of) the tag, improving predictable operation of the assembly.
For improving operation of the assembly, at least a dielectric layer may be provided disposed between the tag and the spacer, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a high-dielectric material and wherein the antenna, e.g. a metallic thin-film antenna structure, is impedance matched to a processor of the tag taking into account the presence of the dielectric layer in the direct proximity of the antenna structure.
Associated with the preceding, a UHF sports timing tag assembly as provided herein may comprise a tag for being supported by a support sheet such as a bib, the tag comprising a dipole antenna and being configured to transmit a UHF signal to a receiver, a spacer configured to be attached to the bib for providing a predetermined spacing between the antenna of the tag and a body of a wearer, wherein the tag is attached to the spacer and at least a portion of the spacer having a general U-shape having clamping members opposite each other providing an interstitial space for accommodating the support sheet and clamping onto the support sheet.
In such UHF sports timing tag assembly one or more of the following may apply.
The tag may be elongated having a length and a height and wherein then the spacer may be configured to define the spacing along the length of the tag in a range of 2-15 mm, in particular in a range of 4-8 mm, such as in a range of 5-6 mm,
The tag may be elongated having a length and a height and wherein then the spacer may have or may define a thickness in a range of 2-15 mm at a position of the tag, in particular a thickness in a range of 4-8 mm, such as in a range of 5-6 mm along the length of the tag.
The tag may be elongated having a length and a height and the spacer may have a length of more than 5 times the height, preferably being in a range of 5-20 times the height.
At least one of the clamping members may provide a support surface for supporting the tag, and the tag may then be disposed on the support surface.
The clamping members may define in at least part of the interstitial space a corrugating path for the support sheet from an entrance of the interstitial space. The assembly may then comprise clamping portions for providing a locally elevated clamping force onto a support sheet arranged on a distal side of a corrugation providing at least part of the corrugating path from the entrance.
The spacer may comprise at least one tubular portion extending along at least part of the tag, preferably along the length of the tag.
The spacer may be substantially a polymer extrusion product, e.g. of polyamide or polyethene.
At least part of the spacer, in particular at least part of at least one of the clamping members, if present, may have a wall having a wall thickness in a range of 0.1-2.0 mm, preferably in a range of 0.2-1.0 mm, such as in a range from 0.2-0.6 mm.
The tag may comprise at least one metallic dipole antenna structure and the spacer maybe located within the proximity of the antenna structure and/or at least partly on top of the dipole antenna structure; and/or the tag may be operative in the ultra-high frequency range.
The tag may comprise a processor connected to a metallic thin-film antenna structure and the spacer may be disposed at least partly over the tag.
At least a dielectric layer may be disposed between the tag and the spacer, wherein the dielectric layer may comprise a high-dielectric material, the metallic thin-film antenna structure being impedance matched to the processor taking into account the presence of the dielectric layer in the direct proximity of the antenna structure.
A UHF bib tag assembly may comprise such UHF sports timing tag assembly, and it may comprise a support sheet comprising a visual identifier on a first side, in particular a printed identifier, wherein the spacer may be attachable or attached to the support sheet, such that the tag is arranged on or in front of the first side.
In the bib tag assembly, the spacer may be arranged in part on or in front of the first side and in part on or behind a second side of the support sheet opposite the first side.
According to one or more of the present concepts, a UHF sports timing bib tag assembly may also or alternatively comprise a support sheet, such as a bib, to be attached to a body or clothing of a wearer, in particular an athlete, and a UHF tag comprising a thin-film dipole antenna arranged on a surface of an elongated clamping structure for removably attaching the UHF tag to an edge of the support sheet. The elongated clamping structure may include a first clamping member and an opposing second clamping member, the first clamping member and second clamping member forming an interstitial space for accommodating the support sheet. An outer surface of the first clamping member may form the surface on which the UHF tag is arranged. The second clamping member may include one or more spacer structures arranged along the elongated clamping structure so that, when in use, the one or more spacer structures are located between the body of the athlete and the UHF tag comprising a thin-film dipole antenna.
Then the one or more spacer structures may be arranged along a longitudinal axis of the elongated clamping structure.
The second clamping member including one or more spacer structures may be formed as an (extruded) corrugated sheet, preferably the corrugated sheet including one or more elongated corrugations along the longitudinal axis of the of the elongated clamping structure.
A cross-sectional depth of the elongated corrugations may define a spacing distance between the body of the athlete and the UHF tag.
The first clamping member may include a first set of elongated corrugations and the second clamping member may include a second set of elongated corrugations opposing the first set of elongated corrugations.
The above-described aspects will hereafter be more explained with further details and benefits with reference to the drawings showing a number of embodiments by way of example.
It is noted that the drawings are schematic, not necessarily to scale and that details that are not required for understanding the present invention may have been omitted. The terms “upward”, “downward”, “below”, “above”, and the like relate to the embodiments as oriented in the drawings, unless otherwise specified. Further, elements that are at least substantially identical or that perform an at least substantially identical function are denoted by the same numeral, where helpful individualised with alphabetic suffixes.
Further, unless otherwise specified, terms like “detachable” and “removably connected” are intended to mean that respective parts may be disconnected essentially without damage or destruction of either part, e.g. excluding structures in which the parts are integral (e.g. welded or moulded as one piece), but including structures in which parts are attached by or as mated connectors, fasteners, releasable self-fastening features, etc. The verb “to facilitate” is intended to mean “to make easier and/or less complicated” rather than “to enable”.
The shown support sheet 102 is a bib for use e.g. in a sports event, the support sheet being a flexible, light-weight, water-resistant, sheet-like material that is adapted to be affixed to a person through the use of an adhesive or mechanism to pin or tie the support sheet to the wearer (or clothing on the wearer). The wearer may be a human or an animal. Exemplary materials used for support sheets include fabric, paper, woven sheet, plastic or any combination thereof. Preferably, a front side of the support sheet may display an identifier such as an identifier 104 identifying the wearer to which the support sheet is affixed. Support sheet 102 may have a rectangular, 4-sided shape, but in other embodiments it may have any suitable shape, e.g., shape of a logo.
The tag 106 is configured to transmit a UHF signal to a receiver. In particular, in order to make the tag suitable for a sports timing system, the tag 106 may comprise an antenna 108 for receiving and transmitting signals. The tag may be a UHF tag operating in the UHF frequency range. In more general, the tag may be configured to operate in the frequency range between 800 and 1000 MHz. E.g. the tag may operate in a frequency range between 860 and 960 MHz, and/or the tag may operate in a frequency range between 900 and 930 MHz. In another embodiment, the tag may operate in a frequency range between 940 and 970 Mhz. The antenna 108 associated with the tag may have a predetermined shape. The antenna 108 may be a metallic (flexible) thin-film layer. The tag 106 may further comprise a support 114, e.g. one or more dielectric layers which may enclose and protect the antenna 108 and chip 112 e.g. against contact and/or moisture.
E.g., the tag structure may include a processor such as an integrated circuit (IC) for receiving, processing, and transmitting UHF signals and a metallic thin-film antenna structure 108, which is provided onto a support 114 that may be flexible. The processor and the metallic thin-film antenna structure may be covered with a passivation layer (not shown), e.g. a thin-film insulating layer. The backside of the support sheet may comprise an adhesive such that the tag structure may be attached as a sticker to the spacer, or in other embodiments to the bib; the spacer may provide the desired spacing between a tag attached on the support sheet and the wearer's body. However, it is preferred that the tag be attached to the spacer instead of to the bib, more in particular that the tag and spacer are together re-usable separately from the support sheet, e.g. as a personal tag for a user to be used in multiple events. For that, the tag assembly 101 comprising the tag 106 and the spacer 110 may be removably attached to the bib 102.
In one embodiment as indicated in
Tag 108 may be securely attached to support sheet 102.
The spacer 110 (see below) is attached to the support sheet for providing a predetermined spacing between at least the antenna 108 of the tag 106 and a body of a wearer. The spacing may preferably be between approximately 5 and 15 mm. For an UHF tag in use, the spacer may have a thickness in a range of 5-10 mm. The spacer provides a desired distance between the tag and the, possibly wet, shirt and/or body such that the negative influence of the (wet) shirt and/or body are considerably reduced.
The position and orientation of a bib 100 on a wearer's body is generally precisely regulated and/or determined by a sports event organiser; usually on an athlete's chest and substantially horizontal (identifier 104 clearly visible and standing upright). In
In another embodiment (not shown in
In one embodiment, the tag may be configured as a passive backscatter system wherein the tag transmits a modulated signal 204 to the detection antenna. If a participant wearing a bib tag assembly 20214 comprising a tag 106 and spacer 110, comes in the vicinity of the detection antenna, the respective tag antenna may receive the modulated signal 201, which is used to power-up the processor in the tag.
In response, the tag transmits information stored in the processor back to the detection antenna on the basis of a modulating back-scattered signal 2031. This way, the tag may start sending out messages 20314 comprising at least a unique ID identifying the bib (and therewith the wearer). The detection antenna may pick up the transmitted messages and transfer them to the decoder, which comprises a processor for executing an algorithm 212 for determining the (split) time associated with the tag on the basis of time of detection and the signal strength of the received ID messages. The processed data may be subsequently stored in a storage 214, e.g. a database, for further use.
As the electro-magnetical field produced by the antennas in the antenna mat is strongest above the (longitudinal) centre-line 210 of the antenna, the decoder algorithm may determine the exact passing of a tag above the centre-line of the antenna mat. Determination of the time that the tag passes the centre-line requires measuring the signal strength of multiple messages originating from a tag. It is therefore very important that optimal signal transfer between the tag and the antenna mat is achieved. This may be achieved by bib tag assembly comprising a spacer as provided herein.
As stated before, the spacer 110 is attached to the support sheet 102 for providing a predetermined spacing between at least the antenna 108 of the tag 108 and a body of a wearer.
The tag 106 is attached to a support surface 1102 of spacer 110, e.g. glued. The spacer 110 is to be attached to the support sheet 102; the spacer 110 is configured to clamp onto the support sheet for attachment of the spacer to the support sheet 102. The spacer 110 has a general U-shape having clamping members 1104, 1106 opposite each other providing an interstitial space S for accommodating, and clamping onto, the support sheet 102.
The spacer 110 has a thickness T in a thickness direction 110T perpendicular to its length direction 110L and height direction 110H associated with the length L and height H of the tag 106 (see coordinates in
In
Best seen in
At least the back B of the spacer 110 is resilient, e.g. defined by one or more of material properties, wall thickness, shape (e.g. size and/or curvature of rib 1116), to provide the damping force to the damping members 1104, 1106.
Best seen about the second rib 1112 from the entrance E is that the spacer is provided with plural (here: two) spaced apart clamping portions C1, C2 for providing a locally elevated clamping force onto the support sheet 102. The clamping portions C1, C2 are arranged on a distal side of the respective corrugation (here ribs 1112, 1114) as seen from the entrance; on the proximal sides of the respective corrugations (ribs 1112, 1114) the interstitial space S is relatively wide, wider than a thickness of the support sheet 102 and at the distal side the interstitial space S is relatively narrow. Note that the second rib 1114 is larger than the first rib 1112 providing a larger corrugation amplitude (deflection from a straight path for the support sheet 102) and a larger wavelength along the path; this may be used for controlling friction coefficients for insertion and/or (preventing) withdrawal and/or for controlling clamping force of (a clamping portion of) the clamp, e.g. with respect length of the damping member(s) from the back B which defines an arm for the damping force (“arm” here being understood as physical concept rather than as discrete structure).
Best seen from
The back B of the spacer 110 may be abutted by an edge of the support sheet 102, this may facilitate alignment of the spacer to the edge and hence of (an antenna of) the tag to the edge for alignment to ((a polarization of) a signal of) a detection antenna.
The shown spacer 110 may readily be formed by extrusion techniques so that it may be provided in any suitable length (along 110L) and have constant shape along the length; thus mechanical and dielectric properties may be constant along the tag 106. Also, the length of the spacer 110 may simplify alignment to an edge of the support sheet 102.
As shown above, the tag may be attached to the spacer. A least part of the material of the spacer may be selected for its dielectric properties. Also, one or more dielectric layers may be provided between the tag and the spacer. The antenna structure of the tag may be impedance matched (i.e. tuned) to the tag processor taking into account the presence of the dielectric material in the direct proximity of said antenna structure. E.g. a thin film dielectric layer of relatively high dielectric constant e.g. between 10 and 50 in the direct proximity of said antenna structure may partially “screen” the proximity of the body. In one embodiment, such layer may have a thickness of between 0.05 and 5 mm. In another embodiment the layer may comprise titanium dioxide. The layer may be formed of a polymer comprising titanium dioxide particles as a filler in order to increase the dielectric constant of the layer to a desired value.
In further embodiments (not shown), a dielectric layer in between the tag and a wearer's body, e.g. between the tag and the spacer, may comprise multiple dielectric layers, for example a first dielectric layer of a relatively low dielectric constant (e.g. between 1 and 5) at the interface with the tag structure and a second dielectric layer of a relatively high dielectric constant (between 10-50) on top of the first thin-film dielectric layer at the interface with the spacer layer.
In one embodiment, the dielectric layers may be formed on the basis of a polymer comprising one or more dielectric fillers (e.g. titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, aluminium dioxide, aluminosilicates, etc.) in order to form a dielectric layer of a desired dielectric constant. The dielectric constant of such layer may be controlled by controlling the composition and/or concentration of the dielectric fillers (mixture) in the polymer carrier layer.
Also, in both shown embodiments the end of the respective rear clamping member extends over the end of the front clamping member therewith allowing locking support sheet material in the respective interstitial spaces.
As visible in
The disclosure is not restricted to the above-described embodiments which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims.
Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2030572 | Jan 2022 | NL | national |
This application is a 371 National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/NL2023/050014, filed Jan. 17, 2023 and published as WO 2023/136724 A1 on Jul. 20, 2023, and further claims priority to Netherlands Application Ser. No. 2030572, filed Jan. 17, 2022.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/NL2023/050014 | 1/17/2023 | WO |
