Online sporting system
First Claim
1. An exercise system for use in exercise by at least a first user, the system comprising:
- non-stationary exercise equipment structured and/or programmed to detect athletic exertion of the first user and output athletic exertion data corresponding to the detected athletic exertion; and
a virtual terrain module structured and/or programmed to store virtual terrain data representing virtual terrain;
a normalization module structured and/or programmed to receive virtual terrain data from said virtual terrain module, to receive the athletic exertion data from the non-stationary exercise equipment, to determine at least one athletic exertion function based on the athletic exertion data, and to normalize the athletic exertion function for the virtual terrain data to determine virtual progress data corresponding to virtual progress through the virtual terrain.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to at least some embodiments of the present invention: (i) a user'"'"'s non-stationary exertion is detected; (ii) a virtual terrain is provided; and (iii) the detected non-stationary exertion is normalized for the virtual terrain. This is different than any stationary exercise machines that may normalize exertion for a virtual terrain because non-stationary exertion is used. This allows the user to exercise in a non-stationary way, such as by running cross-country. Non-stationary exercise is an advantage of at least some embodiments of the present invention because users often prefer non-stationary exercise to stationary exercise. At least some embodiments of the present invention make it possible to use mapping onto virtual terrains possible even in the non-stationary context. It is further noted that the present invention uses a virtual terrain (see DEFINITIONS section), rather than a virtual course (see DEFINITIONS section) without virtualized terrain factors (see DEFINITIONS section). By virtualizing terrain factors into a virtual terrain, at least some embodiments of the present invention provide a more realistic, realistically competitive and/or pleasing exercise experience for the user(s). By using both non-stationary exertion detection and a virtual terrain, in a single system in combination, exercise can be made more fun, competitive, pleasant and/or less unpleasant.
104 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An exercise system for use in exercise by at least a first user, the system comprising:
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non-stationary exercise equipment structured and/or programmed to detect athletic exertion of the first user and output athletic exertion data corresponding to the detected athletic exertion; and a virtual terrain module structured and/or programmed to store virtual terrain data representing virtual terrain; a normalization module structured and/or programmed to receive virtual terrain data from said virtual terrain module, to receive the athletic exertion data from the non-stationary exercise equipment, to determine at least one athletic exertion function based on the athletic exertion data, and to normalize the athletic exertion function for the virtual terrain data to determine virtual progress data corresponding to virtual progress through the virtual terrain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An exercise system for use in exercise by at least a first user and a second user, the system comprising:
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a first non-stationary exercise equipment is structured and/or programmed to detect athletic exertion of the first user and output first athletic exertion data corresponding to the detected athletic exertion; a second non-stationary exercise equipment structured and/or programmed to detect athletic exertion of the second user and output second athletic exertion data corresponding to the detected athletic exertion; a virtual terrain module structured and/or programmed to store virtual terrain data representing virtual terrain; and a normalization module structured and/or programmed to receive virtual terrain data from said virtual terrain module, to receive the first athletic exertion data from the first non-stationary exercise equipment, to determine a first athletic exertion function based on the first athletic exertion data, to normalize the first athletic exertion function for the virtual terrain data to determine first virtual progress data corresponding to the first user'"'"'s virtual progress through the virtual terrain, to receive the second athletic exertion data from the second non-stationary exercise equipment, to determine a second athletic exertion function based on the second athletic exertion data, to normalize the second athletic exertion function for the virtual terrain data to determine second virtual progress data corresponding to the second user'"'"'s virtual progress through the virtual terrain. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. An exercise system for use in exercise by at least a first user and a second user, the system comprising:
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a first exercise equipment structured and/or programmed to detect athletic exertion of the first user and output first athletic exertion data corresponding to the detected athletic exertion; a second exercise equipment structured and/or programmed to detect athletic exertion of the second user and output second athletic exertion data corresponding to the detected athletic exertion; a virtual terrain module structured and/or programmed to store virtual terrain data representing virtual terrain; and a normalization module structured and/or programmed to receive virtual terrain data from said virtual terrain module, to receive the first athletic exertion data from the first exercise equipment, to determine a first athletic exertion function based on the first athletic exertion data, to normalize the first athletic exertion function for the virtual terrain data to determine first virtual progress data corresponding to the first user'"'"'s virtual progress through the virtual terrain, to receive the second athletic exertion data from the second exercise equipment, to determine a second athletic exertion function based on the second athletic exertion data, to normalize the second athletic exertion function for the virtual terrain data to determine second virtual progress data corresponding to the second user'"'"'s virtual progress through the virtual terrain. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification