Understanding the Data Collection Process
The timing data collection process in RUFUS Race Manager (RRM) ensures accurate and consistent recording of participants’ progress throughout a race. Every passing (chip read, manual entry, or floating input) flows through a series of deterministic checks. These checks validate the passing, assign the correct status, and preserve lap and checkpoint continuity, even when errors or unusual cases occur.
This article explains how passings are processed, validated, and managed by the software.
Starting with a Passing
Every passing begins with three key pieces of information:
Device ID → Identifies which device or input created the passing (reader, file import, manual, or floating).
Chip/Bib Number → Identifies the participant.
Timestamp → The exact time of the passing.
Device Assignment and Participant Identification
Device verification → The system checks if the passing came from a device assigned to the event.
If not recognized, the passing is set to ORPHAN.
Participant assignment → If a valid chip/bib is recognized, the system checks if the participant is assigned to a race.
If no race is assigned, the passing is set to WRONG RACE.
Race Plan and Checkpoint Association
Each participant belongs to a race plan (the full ordered list of checkpoints in their race). Each device belongs to a device plan (the subset of checkpoints that device is responsible for).
If the participant’s race plan and the device’s checkpoint do not align, the passing is marked as WRONG RACE.
If a checkpoint is closed, the passing may be promoted to the next open checkpoint.
Time Validation
Every passing is validated against the race’s start time:
If it occurs before the race start → TIME INVALID.
Otherwise, assignment continues.
Lap and Checkpoint Assignment
Lap calculation → The passing is placed in the correct lap, preserving lap continuity.
Bounce analysis → Passings too close in time are checked against:
Checkpoint bounce → e.g. 60s minimum interval at the same checkpoint.
Device bounce → e.g. 10s minimum interval at the same device.
Manual and floating passings are immune to device bounce, but still respect checkpoint bounce.
Status Precedence
Statuses are evaluated in strict order to ensure consistency. Common statuses include:
ORPHAN → Chip/bib not recognized.
WRONG RACE → Participant does not belong to this device’s race.
DEVICE CLOSED / CHECKPOINT CLOSED → Device or checkpoint is not accepting passings.
EOTR (End of the Road) → No further checkpoints left in the plan.
BLOCKED_MISSING_START → Finish attempt without a valid start (unless policy allows).
BOUNCED_BY_CHECKPOINT / BOUNCED_BY_DEVICE → Passing ignored due to bounce windows.
VALID / PROMOTED → Correctly assigned, or promoted to the next valid checkpoint.
Even blocked or invalid passings carry their correct lap ID, so they can be later revalidated by the operator if needed.
Synthetic Starts and Finish Handling
If a participant’s first passing is not at the start, the system may create a synthetic start (depending on race policy).
Finish handling respects policies:
If finishes are allowed without a start, the passing is accepted.
Otherwise, the finish is blocked until a valid start exists.
Once a valid finish is recorded, subsequent passings on the same device are marked EOTR.
Floating Passings
Floating passings differ from manual passings because they are not tied to any checkpoint. Instead, they:
Use the full race plan as scope.
Allow the system to infer the next expected checkpoint automatically.
Respect all timing rules (synthetic start, bounce, blocking, promotion).
This makes them ideal for quick corrections during busy race operations.
Ranking Dance
After all passings are validated and statuses assigned, the ranking process (“ranking dance”) occurs:
Valid passings are ordered in time.
Segment and overall race times are calculated.
Participant rankings are updated.
Summary
The data collection process in RRM is deterministic, consistent, and race-aware. From device verification and participant assignment to bounce analysis and checkpoint validation, every step ensures that:
Passings are classified correctly.
Lap and checkpoint continuity are preserved.
Operators can later review, validate, or override passings with confidence.
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