High resolution timing recording system

Abstract

A system for indicating the lapsed time from a start point for each of a plurality of entities, such as race horses, to reach a succession of stations, such as furlong posts, along a path of movement, such as a race track, is disclosed. Preferably, the entities each include radio frequency transmitters carried by each entity, such as a transmitter mounted to the forehead of a horse. Each transmitter emanates a radio frequency signal discrete to that entity. Radio frequency receiving means, such as loops buried in the track, are located at each of the stations and are adapted to receive an interval of signals from each transmitter on each entity when it passes within a reception area of each station. The receiving means communicates to detector means which is adapted to discriminate and detect each discrete radio frequency and screen out the remaining discrete radio frequencies. The detector means generates an output signal which has two functions. First, a tagging signal is generated to identify the entity passing the station. Second, a clock-driven timing counter has its instantaneous count recorded at a latch. An enabling circuit connects tagging information to the frozen clock count and sequentially empties the tagging information into a random access memory. The end product of the apparatus and method of this invention is that each entity, as it proceeds around the path of movement, has its identity and time of passage recorded at each station. By state of the art recall and printout of the information, a system for obtaining splits of racing entities, such as race horses, is obtained.