System for encouraging a user to perform substantial physical activity

• US 7,980,997 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Southern California
• Original Assignee: University of Southern California
• Inventors: Wei-Chung, Chang, Thukral, Dhruv, Zyda, Michael J., Lin, Shu Fen
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganesan; Sundhara M
• Application Number:
  US12/256,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20100105525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 434/236, 434/238, 434/247, 273/440, 273/441, 273/444, 273/445, 273/440.1, 463/1, 463 6- 7, 738/654, 600/595
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance

Abstract

A system for encouraging a user to perform substantial physical activity. The system may include sensors that may be worn by the user while the user is performing a substantial physical activity, such as running or playing basketball. The sensors may detect the magnitude of the physical activity and may transmit data regarding the physical activity to a processing system. The processing system may display a reward to encourage the user for participating in physical activity and the reward provided may be based on the physical activity of the user.

Claims

1. A system for encouraging a user to perform substantial physical activity, including substantial body movements, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to be worn by the user while the user is performing the physical activity, including the body movements, the one or more sensors configured to detect body movement of the user in one or more directions;

a user interface configured to provide a visual display to the user of an animated character performing an activity of the same type as the user is performing, including activity with the same type of body movements; and

a processing system containing physical motion recognition algorithms configured to determine the type of activity which the user is performing based on information provided by the one or more sensors, including the information about the body movements, and, based on this determination, to cause the visual display to display to the user the animated character performing the activity of the same type as the user is performing, including activity with the same type of body movements.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors is configured to attach to a part of the user'"'"'s body.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to be held in a hand of the user while the user performs the substantial physical activity.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface generates an initial life-span for the animated character.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to control the life-span of the animated character, and

wherein the user interface is configured to increase the life-span of the animated character based on the physical activity of the user, and,

wherein the user interface is configured to decrease the life-span of the animated character based on a prolonged absence of substantial physical activity of the user.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the physical motion recognition algorithms are configured to distinguish between physical activity which constitutes walking and running and wherein the processing system is configured to cause the visual display to display the animated character walking or running, as determined by the algorithms from the information from the one or more sensors.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the physical motion recognition algorithms are configured to distinguish between physical activity which constitutes jumping and biking and wherein the processing system is configured to cause the visual display to display the animated character jumping or biking, as determined by the algorithms from the information from the one or more sensors.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the physical motion recognition algorithms are configured to distinguish between physical activity which constitutes walking, running, jumping, and biking and wherein the processing system is configured to cause the visual display to display the animated character walking, running, jumping, or bilking, as determined by the algorithms from the information from the one or more sensors.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing system is configured to cause the user interface to provide a reward to the user after the user performs the substantial physical activity based on information from the one or more sensors, the reward including the appearance of an object on the display, other than a character.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing system is configured to cause the user interface to provide a penalty to the user after the user fails to perform substantial physical activity based on information from the one or more sensors, the penalty including the disappearance of an object on the display, other than a character.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the physical motion recognition algorithms are configured to distinguish between stationary and moving physical activity and wherein the processing system is configured to cause the visual display to display the animated character as stationary or moving, as determined by the algorithms from the information from the one or more sensors.

12. A system for encouraging a user to perform substantial physical activity comprising:

one or more sensors configured to be worn by the user while the user is performing the physical activity, the one or more sensors configured to detect movement of the user in one or more directions;

a user interface including a visual display to the user; and

a processing system configured to cause the user interface to provide a reward to the user after the user performs substantial physical activity based on information from the one or more sensors, the reward including the appearance of an animated character on the visual display which did not appear in any form on the display before the user performed the substantial physical activity.

13. A system for encouraging a user to perform substantial physical activity comprising:

one or more sensors configured to be worn by the user while the user is performing the physical activity, the one or more sensors configured to detect movement of the user in one or more directions;

a user interface including a visual display to the user; and

a processing system configured to cause the user interface to provide a reward or penalty to the user after the user performs or fails to perform substantial physical activity based on information from the one or more sensors, the reward including the appearance and the penalty including the disappearance of an object on the display, other than a character.