Method for Comparing Performances on Remotely Located Courses

• US 20110124469A1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq B.V.
• Inventors: Dougherty, Christopher, Shuman, Michael V., Uhlir, Kurt Brooks
• Granted Patent: US 8,182,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• 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 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• 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: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/807 Gliding or sliding on surfaces, e.g. using skis, skates or boards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/558 by assessing the players' skills or ranking

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for comparing the performance of a participant in an event that includes movement along a course to another performance. The performance by the participant is monitored. Using a geographic database that represents the area in which the course is located, the participant'"'"'s performance is compared to another performance. Then, the participant is provided with information comparing the performances.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a first performance by a participant in an event that includes movement along a course located in a first geographic area, the method comprising:

using a geographic database that contains data that represents geographic features to identify geographic features in the first geographic area;

determining the course based on the identified geographic features in the first geographic area;

forming simulated route information for movement on a stationary device located in a second geographic area different from the first geographic area;

providing the simulated route information to the stationary device, wherein the simulated route information causes the stationary device to simulate a substantially equivalent geographic feature of the course including selecting a substantially same distance to move upon the stationary device as covered by the course;

comparing the first performance to a second performance, wherein the second performance is on the stationary device based on the simulated route information; and

providing an indication of the comparing of the first and the second performances to the participant.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an indication of the comparing of the first and the second performances to a another participant that performs the second performance on the stationary device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the comparing is provided to the participant while the participant is engaged in the first performance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulated route information causes the stationary device to simulate a substantially equivalent geographic feature of the course further including changing incline of the stationary device to substantially match a change in incline of the course.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the indication of the comparing of the first and the second performances to the participant comprises transmitting the indication of the comparing to a communication device used by the participant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the stationary device comprises a treadmill exercise machine, an exercise bicycle, a rowing machine, a cross-country skiing machine, or a stair stepping machine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is one selected from a group consisting of:

running, bicycling, cross-country skiing, race walking, and rowing.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining positions of the participant during the first performance.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the positions of the participant are determined using a positioning device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the positioning device is selected from a group consisting of:

a Global Positioning System unit, a Differential Global Positioning System unit, cell phone positioning technology that uses triangulation, cell phone positioning technology that uses time-of-arrival, cell phone positioning technology that uses direction-of arrival, and beacons.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the positions of the participant are transmitted as data wirelessly from a communications device located with the participant.

12. A method for facilitating a second performance by a participant in an event that includes movement on a stationary device, the method comprising:

identifying, via a database, a course located in a first geographic area, wherein a first performance includes movement along the course;

forming simulated route information for the movement on the stationary device located in a second geographic area different from the first geographic area;

providing the simulated route information to the stationary device, wherein the simulated route information causes the stationary device to simulate a substantially equivalent geographic feature of the course including selecting a substantially same distance to move upon the stationary device as covered by the course;

comparing the first performance to the second performance, wherein the second performance is on the stationary device based on the simulated route information; and

providing an indication of the comparing of the first and the second performances to the participant.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication of the comparing of the first and the second performances is provided to the participant while the participant is engaged in the second performance.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing an indication of the comparing of the first and the second performances to a another participant that performs the first performance along the course.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the simulated route information causes the stationary device to simulate a substantially equivalent geographic feature of the course further including changing incline of the stationary device to substantially match a change in incline of the course.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting information about the identified course to a device used by another participant that performs the first performance.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the stationary device comprises a treadmill exercise machine, an exercise bicycle, a rowing machine, a cross-country skiing machine, or a stair stepping machine.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the indication of the comparing of the first and the second performances to the participant comprises transmitting the indication of the comparing to a communication device used by the participant.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication device is coupled or part of the stationary device.

20. A method for facilitating performances by participants in an event that includes movement on stationary devices, the method comprising:

generating simulated course information for a first performance including movement on a first stationary device and for a second performance including movement on a second stationary device;

providing the simulated course information to the first stationary device and the second stationary device, wherein the simulated course information causes both the first stationary device and the second stationary device to select a substantially same distance to move upon for the respective performances on the first stationary device and the second stationary device;

comparing the first performance to the second performance;

providing a first indication of the comparing of the first and the second performances to a first participant, wherein the first performance is performed on the first stationary device by the first participant; and

providing a second indication of the comparing of the first and the second performances to a second participant, wherein the second performance is performed on the second stationary device by the second participant.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the simulated course information further causes both the first stationary device and the second stationary device to change incline during the respective performances, and wherein the incline change is a substantially same change that occurs at a substantially same time in both the first and second stationary devices.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second indications of the comparing are provided to the first and second participants, respectively, while the first and second participants are engaged in the first and second performances, respectively.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the simulated course information corresponds to geographic features of a real course located in a geographic area.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the simulated course information causes the first and second stationary devices to simulate a substantially same length and substantially same elevation changes as in the real course for both the first and second performances.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second stationary devices comprise treadmill exercise machines, exercise bicycles, rowing machines, cross-country skiing machines, or stair stepping machines.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the first stationary device is located in a first geographic area and the second stationary device is located in a second geographic area that is different than and remote from the first geographic area.