Abstract: Methods are described for providing access to one or more transponder functions of sports timing transponder that is configured for transmitting a signal comprising a transponder identifier to a receiver of a timing system that is configured to determine the point in time that said transponder passes said receiver. The method may comprise: establishing a communication link between said transponder and an access module configured to determine time information; determining rights information stored in a memory of said transponder, said rights information comprising one or more access conditions for determining when a user of said transponder has a right to access at least part of said transponder functions; receiving time information from said access module; and, determining whether said user has a right to access at least part of said one or more transponder functions on the basis of at least part of said access conditions and said time information.

Abstract: A method is described for establishing a data link between an access module and a sports timing transponder module comprising: connecting said access module to a CAN bus, said CAN bus being connected to one or more transponder modules, a transponder module being associated with a transponder ID; sending one or more announce CAN messages over said CAN bus, the payload of an announce CAN message comprising an answer CAN address; receiving one or more request CAN messages from said one or more transponder modules, a request CAN message comprising said answer CAN address and a transponder ID of one of said one or more transponder modules; and, said access node selecting a transponder module on the basis of said one or more request CAN messages for establishing said data link.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for managing communication between each of the plurality of wireless RF nodes and a base station using frequency hopping over M non-overlapping frequency channels in a wireless network is provided. The communication is carried out according to a time slot schedule comprising M time slot assemblies, each time slot assembly comprising at least one time slot for the base station to transmit, preferably by broadcast, data on a different channel of the M channels, and R time slots, R being an integer equal to or greater than 1, for one or more of the plurality of nodes to transmit data to the base station. The methods described herein enable a point-to-multipoint wireless communication system in an ISM frequency band that can provide a reliable RF data link even in an area that already comprises one or more WLAN networks that operate in the same ISM frequency band.

Abstract: A method is described for establishing a data link between an access module and a sports timing transponder module comprising: connecting said access module to a CAN bus, said CAN bus being connected to one or more transponder modules, a transponder module being associated with a transponder ID; sending one or more announce CAN messages over said CAN bus, the payload of an announce CAN message comprising an answer CAN address; receiving one or more request CAN messages from said one or more transponder modules, a request CAN message comprising said answer CAN address and a transponder ID of one of said one or more transponder modules; and, said access node selecting a transponder module on the basis of said one or more request CAN messages for establishing said data link.

Abstract: Methods are described for providing access to one or more transponder functions of sports timing transponder that is configured for transmitting a signal comprising a transponder identifier to a receiver of a timing system that is configured to determine the point in time that said transponder passes said receiver. The method may comprise: establishing a communication link between said transponder and an access module configured to determine time information; determining rights information stored in a memory of said transponder, said rights information comprising one or more access conditions for determining when a user of said transponder has a right to access at least part of said transponder functions; receiving time information from said access module; and, determining whether said user has a right to access at least part of said one or more transponder functions on the basis of at least part of said access conditions and said time information.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for managing communication between each of the plurality of wireless RF nodes and a base station using frequency hopping over M non-overlapping frequency channels in a wireless network is provided. The communication is carried out according to a time slot schedule comprising M time slot assemblies, each time slot assembly comprising at least one time slot for the base station to transmit, preferably by broadcast, data on a different channel of the M channels, and R time slots, R being an integer equal to or greater than 1, for one or more of the plurality of nodes to transmit data to the base station. The methods described herein enable a point-to-multipoint wireless communication system in an ISM frequency band that can provide a reliable RF data link even in an area that already comprises one or more WLAN networks that operate in the same ISM frequency band.