Interactive exercise pad system

• US 6,336,891 B1
• Filed: 05/21/1999
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Real Vision Corporation
• Original Assignee: Real Vision Corporation
• Inventors: Bacon, Bruce R., Francis, Scott R., Hilferty, Michael F., Luke, Loren M., Fedrigon, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US09/308,719
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1-9, 482/900-902, 482/71, 482/72, 482/52, 482/54, 482/55, 482/57, 434/247, 345/802, 273/148.B
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0009 Computerised real time comparison with previous movements or motion sequences of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4037 Exercise mats for personal use, with or without hand-grips or foot-grips, e.g. for Yoga or supine floor exercises mats for absorbing shocks A63B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• 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 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/64 Frequency, e.g. of vibration oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/08 Jumping, vaulting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/22 Dancing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0458 Step exercisers without moving parts with movable steps A63B22/04
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0084 Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 5/16 : Training devices for jumping; Devices for balloon-jumping; Jumping aids A63B25/02, A63B25/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/902 : Employing specific graphic or video display

Abstract

An interactive exercise pad system (10) receives exercise data (108) from a user (24) stepping on and off of an exercise pad (12). The exercise data (108) is optionally pre-processed in a data acquisition unit 14, before being communicated to a communications port (30) of a computer (16). The computer (16) obtains data files (82) which have been pre-stored on media (80). The data files (82) include video files (84), optional audio files (86), and table files (88) of location and terrain information. The video files (84) and the table files (88) are collected from a real exercise course. The computer (16) processes the exercise data (108) and the data files (82) to playback the video files (84) and the optional audio files (86) so that the user (24) experiences a realistic simulation of the real exercise course.

Claims

1. An interactive exercise system, comprising:

a pad, suitable for being repeatedly stepped upon by a user;

detection means for detecting when said user steps on and off of said pad, and for creating event data based thereon;

a computer;

communications means for communicating said event data to said computer;

media containing previously stored data files which include course data and image data captured from a real exercise course;

media player means for playing back said data files to said computer;

display means for displaying said image data from said computer to said user; and

said computer processes said event data and said course data, and directs presentation of said image data on said display means such that said user experiences a simulation of exercising in and traveling through said real exercise course.

2. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein said detection means includes at least one switch which is integrated into said pad and which has electrical contacts which are operated by the weight of said user stepping on and off of said pad.

3. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein said detection means includes a sensor which is integrated into said pad and which electrically generates said event data from said user stepping on and off of said pad.

4. The exercise system of claim 1, further comprising data acquisition means for acquiring said event data from said communications means in a raw format, for pre-processing said raw format into a pre-processed format, and for transmitting said pre-processed format of said event data to said computer with said communications means.

5. The exercise system of claim 4, wherein said pre-processed format is processed with at least one member of the set of operations consisting of debouncing, filtering, and amplifying.

6. The exercise system of claim 4, wherein said pre-processed format includes separate data for the event of said user stepping on and the event of said user stepping off of said exercise pad.

7. The exercise system of claim 4, wherein said pre-processed format includes data for the duration between said user stepping on and stepping off of said exercise pad.

8. The exercise system of claim 1, further comprising:

audio data which is further included in said data files;

audio means for playing said audio data from said computer to said user; and

said computer additionally directs playing of said audio data on said audio means as part of said simulation of said real exercise course.

9. The exercise system of claim 8, wherein:

said audio data includes at least one member of the set consisting of verbal audio data, musical audio data, and environmental audio data; and

said verbal audio data communicates encouragement and information to said user of the exercise system,

said musical audio data amuses, entertains, and sets an appropriate mood while said user exercises with the exercise system, and

said environmental audio data provides an illusion to users that exercise on the exercise system is occurring in said real exercise course.

10. The exercise system of claim 8, wherein said audio data is stored in at least one file storage format chosen from the set consisting of WAV and MIDI formats.

11. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein:

said image data further includes at least one member of the set consisting of textual data and graphical data; and

said textual data communicates written information to said user of the exercise system, and

said graphical image data communicates by informational graphically demonstration to said user of the exercise system.

12. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein said image data is stored in at least one file storage format chosen from the set consisting of AVI and MOV formats.

13. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein:

said display means includes video processing circuitry and a monitor included in said computer; and

said audio means includes sound processing circuitry and a speaker included in said computer.

14. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein:

said display means includes video processing circuitry included in said computer and a screen included in a television; and

said audio means includes sound processing circuitry included in said computer and a speaker included in said television.

15. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein said communications means includes at least one member of the set consisting of cables having electrical conductors, light beam transmission means, and radio frequency transmission means.

16. A method of controlling a simulation during exercise, comprising:

detecting event data based upon when a user steps on and off of a pad;

communicating said event data to a computer;

retrieving into said computer previously stored data files, said data files including course data and image data captured from a real exercise course;

processing said event data, said course data, and said image data in said computer; and

displaying said image data to said user based upon the results of said processing, such that said user experiences the simulation of exercising in and traveling through said real exercise course.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of detecting includes detection of closure and opening of sets of contacts in at least one switch contained in said pad.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of detecting includes sensing the presence and absence of weight upon said pad.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

acquiring said event data in a raw format; and

pre-processing said even data from raw format into a pre-processed format, prior to said step of communicating said event data to said computer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of pre-processing includes at least one sub-step which is a member of the set consisting of debouncing, filtering, and amplifying said event data.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said pre-processing includes differentiating between data for the event of said user stepping on and the event of said user stepping off of said pad.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said pre-processing includes ascertaining the duration between said user stepping on and stepping off of said exercise pad.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising playing audio data which is further included in said data files to said user as part of the simulation of said real exercise course.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of playing audio data includes at least one sub-step which is a member of the set consisting of instructing, informing, entertaining, and encouraging said user.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of playing video data includes at least one sub-step which is a member of the set consisting of instructing, informing, entertaining, and encouraging said user.

26. A method of making a storage media which is readable by a computer system to dynamically control a simulation of exercise in a real exercise course, the method comprising:

collecting location information for points along a real exercise course;

collecting terrain characteristic information for said points;

creating course data by associating said location information and said terrain characteristic information;

collecting video data including captured natural video image sequences; and

storing said course data and said video data in a computer readable media unit, thereby permitting the computer system reading an instance of said media unit to dynamically produce for users the simulation of traveling through said real exercise course.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising storing audio data in said media unit, to instruct and amuse said users of the exercise machine as they exercise.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising storing software for controlling the computer system in said media unit.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of collecting location information includes referring to a position standard to determine positions of said points along said real exercise course, thereby permitting correlation of effective distances traveled by users of the exercise machine to geographic displacements of said points along said real exercise course.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said position standard includes at least one member of the set comprising global position sensing systems, radio frequency triangulation systems, optical triangulation systems, altimeters, odometers, and inclinometers.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of collecting force information includes measuring real forces present at said points along said real exercise course.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein said terrain characteristic information includes at least one member of the set comprising slope, altitude, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, current speed, current direction, and ground surface resilience.