Systems and methods for improving fitness equipment and exercise

• US 10,300,388 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2017
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dugan Health, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dugan Health, LLC
• Inventors: Dugan, Brian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rowland, Steve
• Application Number:
  US15/628,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• 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: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

The present invention provides systems for and methods of playing a video game that includes providing a game character having a virtual appearance characteristic, receiving an input signal indicative of a user exercise performance level, and altering the virtual appearance characteristic in response to receiving the input signal. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring an exercise performance level of a first user, and generating an exercise performance level signal;

providing a gaming device configured to receive the exercise performance level signal, the gaming device including a video game configured to respond, when executed by the gaming device, to the exercise performance level signal;

generating a game character, by the gaming device, responsive to executing the video game, wherein the game character has a virtual appearance characteristic based on at least one physical characteristic of the first user;

receiving, by the gaming device, the exercise performance level signal;

altering, by the gaming device, the virtual appearance characteristic of the game character in response to the exercise performance level signal; and

altering, by the gaming device, game play of the video game based on the altered virtual appearance characteristic of the game character,

wherein the video game is executable as part of an exercise group over the Internet that includes the first user and a second user, wherein the first user and second user play the video game, and wherein the method further comprises displaying the game character to the second user such that the second user can see that the first user has achieved the exercise performance level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the game character comprises an avatar representation of the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the game character comprises generating a representation of the first user based on input received from the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the first user'"'"'s exercise performance level signal to a third party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the virtual appearance characteristic comprises altering the virtual appearance characteristic to be representative of an effect of performing an exercise.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the virtual appearance characteristic comprises altering a game performance level associated with the virtual appearance characteristic of the game character.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein altering the virtual appearance characteristic comprises altering a second virtual appearance characteristic associated with the altered game performance level.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the virtual appearance characteristic comprises enlarging a muscle size of the game character.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the virtual appearance characteristic comprises increasing a height of the game character.

10. A method, comprising:

providing an exercise system configured to be operated by a first user;

measuring an exercise performance level of the first user, via a wearable monitor including a sensor adapted to measure a parameter indicative of the exercise performance level, wherein the wearable monitor is adapted to transmit a signal representative of the parameter indicative of the exercise performance level;

receiving, by a video game device, the signal representative of the parameter indicative of the exercise performance level from the wearable monitor, the video game device including a memory and a plurality of video game instructions stored in the memory, the plurality of video game instructions executable by the video game device to provide a video game, wherein the video game is a competitive sports video game;

generating, by the video game device, a game character, the game character having a virtual appearance characteristic, wherein the game character is a competitor in the competitive sports video game;

receiving an input signal at the video game device from the wearable monitor, the input signal indicative of achievement of a physical goal by the first user;

altering the virtual appearance characteristic of the game character in responsive to the input signal; and

altering game play of the video game based on the altered virtual appearance characteristic of the game character, wherein altering game play includes altering at least one of speed and strength of the game character,

wherein the plurality of video game instructions are executable as part of an exercise group over the Internet that includes the first user and a second user, wherein the first user and the second user play the video game and wherein the method further comprises displaying the game character of the first user to the second user as a representation of the first user such that the second user can see that the first user has achieved the exercise performance level based on the altered virtual appearance characteristic.

11. A system for exercising, comprising:

an exercise system configured to be operated by a first user;

an input device configured to output a signal indicative of an exercise performance level of the first user;

a video game device communicatively coupled to the input device, adapted to allow the first user to interact with a virtual environment via a game character having a virtual appearance characteristic, the virtual appearance characteristic based on at least one physical characteristic of the first user, wherein the video game device includes a memory having stored therein a plurality of video game instructions that, when executed by the video game device, cause the video game device to;

play a video game,

receive the signal indicative of the exercise performance level of the first user,

alter the virtual appearance characteristic of the game character responsive to the signal indicative of the exercise performance level of the first user,

alter game play of the video game based on the altered virtual appearance characteristic of the game character, and

display the game character of the first user to a second user as a representation of the first user such that the second user can see that the first user has achieved the exercise performance level based on the altered virtual appearance characteristic,

wherein the video game is a competitive sports video game, and altering game play includes altering at least one of speed and strength of the game character in playing the competitive sports video game to enhance or degrade the game character'"'"'s performance based on the first user'"'"'s exercise performance level.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the game character is an avatar representation of the first user.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the video game is further adapted to generate a representation of the first user based on input from the first user.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the input device is adapted to receive input from at least one of a wearable monitor, the first user entering a code, a sensor, an exercise device, and a third party.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the video game is further adapted to alter the virtual appearance characteristic to be representative of an effect of performing an exercise.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the video game is further adapted to alter a game performance level associated with the virtual appearance characteristic of the game character.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the video game is further adapted to be played concurrently by the first user and the second user.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the video game is further adapted to alter an appearance of the virtual appearance characteristic by making the game character appear to be more charismatic.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the video game is further adapted to alter an appearance of the virtual appearance characteristic by making the game character appear to be younger.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the video game is further adapted to alter an appearance of the virtual appearance characteristic by making the game character appear to be taller.