Interactive avatar for social network services

• US 10,083,393 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Nims, Jason, Tagliabue, Roberto, Quatrochi, Danielle
• Primary Examiner(s): ULRICH, NICHOLAS S
• Application Number:
  US14/521,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20150046847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 : Athletics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 : Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 : Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 : Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 : based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 : Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 : Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 : Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 : Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

An embodiment is an avatar or avatar environment to visualize data within an athletic performance system or service and/or a social network system or service, for example as part of the Internet. The avatar may further evolve or alter its appearance, animation, or other visual or audio characteristics in response to the data or other input. In particular, the avatar of an embodiment may respond to and provide visualization of athletic or sport performance data. According to one or more aspects, an avatar may be placed on other network sites and updated based on athletic performance data. The avatar may be awarded for goals achieved by a user. The awards or gifts may further include non-avatar related items such as apparel, gift cards and the like.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system through an electronic avatar widget executing on a first network site, athletic performance information of a user from a second network site different from the first network site;

generating an avatar associated with the user on the first network site by executing portable code included in the electronic avatar widget, wherein the first network site and the second network site each host a different website on which the avatar is displayed;

displaying, in the electronic avatar widget, the athletic performance information of the user received from the second network site;

detecting that the avatar corresponding to the user has been set to private on the second network site; and

in response to detecting that the avatar has been set to private on the second network site, modifying the electronic avatar widget on the first network site to hide the athletic performance information from a selected subset of users on the first network site and generating an alternate avatar associated with the user and a private mode, and generating a message to the user on the first network site indicating that the avatar has been set to private from the second network site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic avatar widget includes a display of athletic performance statistics of the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein modifying the electronic avatar widget includes modifying the display of athletic performance statistics.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving avatar information from the first network site and modifying an appearance of the electronic avatar widget including modifying an appearance of the avatar.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying the appearance of the avatar includes modifying apparel worn by the avatar.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the electronic avatar widget to hide the avatar in response to detecting that the avatar has been set to private.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic avatar widget includes an interactive option to create an avatar.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network site is a webpage.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic avatar widget includes dialogue for the avatar.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the dialogue is user-modifiable.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the avatar is user generated through the first network site and wherein the method further comprises uploading the user generated avatar to the second network site.

12. A method comprising:

generating, by a computing system, an electronic avatar corresponding to a user, the electronic avatar executing through a first network site;

receiving, by the computing system, physical activity information for physical activity performed by the user from a second network site different from the first network site, wherein the first network site and the second network site each host a different website on which the electronic avatar is displayed;

displaying, on the first network site, the physical activity information of the user received from the second network site;

modifying, by the computing system, an appearance of the electronic avatar on the first network site based on the received physical activity information;

receiving, by the computing system, a request to place the electronic avatar on the second network site; and

in response to receiving the request, generate portable executable code that, when executed, is configured to;

generate the electronic avatar on the second network site;

detect that the electronic avatar has been set to private on the second network site; and

modify an appearance of the electronic avatar on the first network site to hide the athletic performance information from a selected subset of users on the first network site and generate an alternate avatar associated with the user and a private mode, in response to detecting that the electronic avatar has been set to private on the second network site; and

generate a message to the user on the first network site indicating that the avatar has been set to private from the second network site.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the portable executable code is further configured to generate an interactive option to create another avatar.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second network site is a social networking site.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the electronic avatar includes receiving user customization to an appearance of the electronic avatar.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting a privacy setting of the electronic avatar to the second network site.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the portable executable code, when executed, is further configured to hide at least one of:

the electronic avatar and the physical activity information upon determining the privacy setting has been changed to specified setting.