Personal items network, and associated methods

• US 10,639,552 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Vock, Curtis A., Amsbury, Burl W., Jonjak, Paul, Larkin, Adrian F., Youngs, Perry
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US16/138,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20190134513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/04 Babies, e.g. for SIDS detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0285 Apparatus for single use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 : Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 : of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 : for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 : for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/22 : Ergometry; Measuring muscular strength or the force of a muscular blow exercising apparatus A63B21/00 ; measuring of work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 : Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 : Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 : Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 : using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7242 : using integration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 : specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 : Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/50 : Force related parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/26 : attached to the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 : for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: B68B 1/00 : Devices in connection with harness, for hitching, reining, training, breaking or quietening horses or other traction animals devices of this kind combined with traction harness B68B3/00; stable equipment A01K1/00; devices forming part of a vehicle B62C
• CPC Class Codes: B68C 1/00 : Saddling equipment for riding- or pack-animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/16 : for measuring distance of clearance between spaced objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 : for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/00 : Auxiliary devices for weighing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 : with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/04 : by measuring elastic deformation of gauges, e.g. of springs
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 : using properties of piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/22 : using resistance strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 : for acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 : Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 : with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 : in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/00 : Measuring linear or angular speed; Measuring differences of linear or angular speeds G01P5/00 - G01P11/00 take precedence; direction and speed indication G01P13/045; counting mechanisms G06M
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 : for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/08 : Systems for determining direction or position line
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/00 : Satellite radio beacon positioning systems; Determining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3089 : Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in sensing the monitored data, e.g. interfaces, connectors, sensors, probes, agents software debugging using additional hardware using a specific debug interface G06F11/3656; performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 : Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 : together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 : Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 : using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 : Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 9/00 : Traffic control systems for craft where the kind of craft is irrelevant or unspecified
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 : Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 : Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 : using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 : Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 : for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 : Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring

Abstract

A personal items network, comprising a plurality of items, each item having a wireless communications port for coupling in network with every other item, each item having a processor for determining if any other item in the network is no longer linked to the item, each item having an indicator for informing a user that an item has left the network, wherein a user may locate lost items. A method for locating lost personal items, comprising: linking at least two personal items together on a network; and depositing one or both of time and location information in an unlost item when one of the items is lost out of network.

Claims

1. A method for operating a virtual competition on a computerized gaming system, the method comprising:

receiving, with the computerized gaming system, real performance data indicative of real performance metrics of a physical activity of a particular participant;

associating, with the computerized gaming system, an identification code to the received real performance data, wherein the identification code is associated with the particular participant; and

adjusting, with the computerized gaming system, the virtual competition while being participated in by the particular participant based on the received real performance data associated with the identification code associated with the particular participant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises:

receiving input data for a request related to the virtual competition, wherein the input data is associated with the particular participant;

accessing real performance data associated with the identification code associated with the particular participant; and

modifying a parameter of the virtual competition at least in part based on the real performance data and the request.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising communicating a modification of the virtual competition based on the modified parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the real performance metrics comprise at least one of airtime, heart rate, distance, speed, impact, or spin rate of the particular participant while playing the virtual competition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating comprises associating the identification code to one of an average of at least one portion of the received real performance data or a single value of the received real performance data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting enables participation in the virtual competition by the particular participant by restricting the particular participant'"'"'s gameplay in the participation in the virtual competition based on the particular participant'"'"'s ability in real-life performance of the physical activity.

7. A method for operating a virtual game on a computerized gaming system, the method comprising:

receiving, with the computerized gaming system, performance metric data sensed during a physical activity of a user playing the virtual game; and

setting, with the computerized gaming system, at least one control parameter of the virtual game based on the received performance metric data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the setting enables gameplay of the virtual game by the user by restricting the user'"'"'s gameplay of the virtual game based on the user'"'"'s ability in real-life performance of the physical activity.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the setting comprises:

receiving input data for a request related to the virtual game; and

modifying a parameter of the virtual game at least in part based on the received performance metric data and the request.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising communicating a modification of the virtual game based on the modified parameter.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the performance metric data comprises information indicative of at least one of airtime, heart rate, distance, speed, impact, or spin rate during the physical activity.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

accessing, with a computerized gaming system, performance data sensed during a physical activity performed by a user, wherein the performance data is associated with a player identification code; and

modifying, with the computerized gaming system, an ability of a game character controlled by the user in a virtual game based on the accessed performance data, wherein the game character is associated with the player identification code.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising additional computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for receiving input data for a request related to the virtual game, wherein the modifying comprises modifying the ability of the game character at least in part based on the accessed performance data and the request.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising additional computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for communicating a modification of the virtual game based on the modified ability.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the performance data comprises information indicative of at least one of airtime, heart rate, distance, speed, impact, or spin rate during the physical activity.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising additional computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for accessing other performance data sensed during another physical activity performed by another user, wherein the other performance data is associated with another player identification code, wherein the modifying comprises simultaneously:

modifying the ability of the game character controlled by the user in the virtual game based on the accessed performance data; and

modifying an ability of another game character controlled by the other user in the virtual game based on the accessed other performance data, wherein the other game character is associated with the other player identification code.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising additional computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

receiving input data for a request related to the virtual game, wherein the modifying the ability of the game character comprises modifying the ability of the game character at least in part based on the accessed physical performance data and the request; and

receiving other input data for another request related to the virtual game, wherein the modifying the ability of the other game character comprises modifying the ability of the other game character at least in part based on the accessed other physical performance data and the other request.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the modifying enables simultaneous competitive gameplay of the virtual game by the user and the other user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein:

the modifying enables the competitive gameplay of the virtual game by the user to restrict the user'"'"'s gameplay in the virtual game to the user'"'"'s ability in real-life performance of the physical activity; and

the modifying enables the competitive gameplay of the virtual game by the other user to restrict the other user'"'"'s gameplay in the virtual game to the other user'"'"'s ability in real-life performance of the other physical activity.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the modifying enables gameplay of the virtual game by the user by restricting the user'"'"'s gameplay of the virtual game based on the user'"'"'s performance of the physical activity.