EXERCISE ASSISTING METHOD, EXERCISE APPLIANCE, AND INFORMATION PROCESSOR

• US 20100048357A1
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SSD Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SSD Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Aimoto, Hiroyuki, Ueshima, Hiromu, Nakagawa, Katsuya, Yasumura, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,128,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0058 the vertical plane being the frontal body-plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0334 Foot operated pointing devices

Abstract

Each time stepping motion of a player by a stepper 1 is detected, one firework object 214 appears on a television monitor 100 and then disappears. Each a predetermined number of times of the stepping motion of the player is detected, a more spectacular firework object than that of one step is displayed. If the player performs the stepping motion by frequency as a quota shown in a quota display section 212, this screen is finished.

Claims

1. An exercise assistance method for displaying an image on a display device based on movement information of a exercise machine which enables a player to make simulation action under a load to assist exercise of the player, comprising the steps of:

acquiring the movement information of the exercise machine; and

performing processing of displaying representation which is unrelated to the simulation action based on the movement information as acquired.

2. An exercise assistance method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the step of performing the processing of displaying includes:

performing an appearance process and/or a change process of a predetermined image based on the movement information each time predetermined movement of the exercise machine is detected.

3. An exercise assistance method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, the step of performing the processing of displaying further includes:

performing processing of displaying predetermined first representation when a predetermined first number of times of the predetermined movement of the exercise machine is detected.

4. An exercise assistance method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, the predetermined first representation is accomplished by an appearance process and/or a change process of a different image from the predetermined image.

5. An exercise assistance method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, the predetermined first representation is accomplished by an appearance process of the predetermined image with different representation from representation based on the appearance process and/or a change process with different representation from representation based on the change process.

6. An exercise assistance method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, the step of performing the processing of displaying further includes:

displaying a portion of a specific image each time the predetermined movement of the exercise machine is detected,

wherein the predetermined first representation is accomplished by completing the specific image when the predetermined first number of times of the predetermined movement of the exercise machine is detected.

7. An exercise assistance method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, the step of performing the processing of displaying further includes:

performing processing of displaying predetermined second representation after elapse of a predetermined time period when the predetermined movement of the exercise machine is not detected within the predetermined time period or a number of times of detecting does not exceed a predetermined second number of times within the predetermined time.

8. An exercise assistance method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

indicating timing of driving the exercise machine to the player by the display device,

wherein, the step of performing the processing of displaying includes;

performing processing of displaying certain representation when driving of the exercise machine in the indicated timing is detected based on the movement information.

9. An exercise assistance method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, the timing is indicated in synchronism with music.

10. An exercise assistance method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a speed of predetermined movement of the exercise machine based on the movement information,

wherein, the step of performing the processing of displaying includes;

each time the predetermined movement of the exercise machine is detected, performing an appearance process and/or a change process of an image in accordance with the speed on that occasion.

11. An exercise machine comprising:

a moving unit operable to allow a player to make action under a load; and

a detection unit operable to detect movement of the moving unit,

wherein the moving unit repeats alternately a rotation in a clockwise direction and a rotation in a counter clockwise direction in accordance with movement of weight as applied by the player.

12. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein, the detection unit outputs a detection signal to a processing device which generates a video signal for assisting exercise of the player.

13. An exercise machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein, the detection unit includes:

a rotary encoder operable to detect rotation movement of the moving part.

14. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a detection unit operable to detect periodic movement of an object to be detected in a noncontact state;

an analysis unit operable to analyze the periodic movement of the object to be detected based on a result of detection by the detection unit; and

a processing unit operable to execute information processing in accordance with a result of analysis by the analysis unit.

15. A information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein, the detection unit includes an imaging unit operable to photograph the object to be detected,

wherein the analysis unit analyzes the periodic movement of the object based on an image of the object obtained by the imaging unit.

16. A information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein, the detection unit further includes a light emitting unit operable to intermittently emit light,

wherein the imaging unit photographs a retroreflective member attached to the object when the light emitting unit emits the light, and photographs the retroreflective member when the light emitting unit does not emit the light, and

wherein the analysis unit analyzes the periodic movement of the object based on a difference between a picture obtained when the light is emitted and a picture obtained when the light is not emitted.

17. A information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein, the processing unit displays a video image on a display device in accordance with a result of analysis by the analysis unit.

18. A information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein, the periodic movement of the object is reciprocating movement.

19. A information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein, the periodic movement of the object is recurrence movement.

20. A information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein, the object is a machine which is driven by a person.

21. A information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein, the object is a region of a body of a person.