System and method for a modular obstacle course with variable difficulty

• US 8,038,589 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Life Cirque, LLC
• Original Assignee: Life Cirque, LLC
• Inventors: Sperry, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): JALALZADEH ABYANE, SHILA
• Application Number:
  US11/201,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20060046234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,260 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 8, 482900-902, 482/35, 482/14, 482/15, 482/148, 434/255, 472/85, 472/62
• US Class Current: 482/148
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 17/00 Exercising apparatus combining several parts such as ladders, rods, beams, slides
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/10 Multi-station exercising machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/105 each station having its own resisting device, e.g. for training multiple users simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/107 Resisting devices being of the same kind
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/42 rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/70 body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0084 : Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 26/00 : Exercising apparatus not covered by groups A63B1/00 - A63B25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 : Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/00 : Design or layout of playing courts, rinks, bowling greens or areas for water-skiing; Covers therefor golf courses A63B69/3691; water roundabouts A63G3/00; construction of surfaces of foundations E01C; roofs E04B7/00; buildings or groups of buildings for sports E04H3/10; swimming or splash baths or pools E04H4/00; coverings for baths E04H4/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 : using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 33/00 : Devices allowing competitions between several persons, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports

Abstract

A system and method are provide for an obstacle course including first and second lanes associated with first and second difficulty ratings, respectively. The first lane includes a first plurality of obstacles associated with the first difficulty rating and the second lane includes a second plurality of obstacles associated with the second difficulty rating. The first difficulty rating indicates greater difficulty than the second difficulty rating.

Claims

1. An obstacle course, comprising:

obstacles of a first type, the obstacles of the first type modified or presented as a variety of progressive difficulties, the obstacles of the first type positioned or arranged across a path of the obstacle course in a contiguous or side-by-side configuration, and the obstacles of the first type positioned or arranged in a first module such that a user traversing the first module can select which of the obstacles of the first type to traverse;

obstacles of a second type, the obstacles of the second type modified or presented as a variety of progressive difficulties, the obstacles of the second type positioned or arranged across the path of the obstacle course in a contiguous or side-by-side configuration, the second type being different than the first type, and the obstacles of the second type positioned or arranged in a second module such that a user traversing the second module can select which of the obstacles of the second type to traverse;

user interfaces, each of the user interfaces configured to;

recognize a user, and

measure at least one of a biological indicator of the user or a performance indicator of the user; and

wherein at least one of the user interfaces is configured to;

make one or more recommendations to the user on how to continue to traverse the obstacle course based on measurements made by other interfaces.

2. The obstacle course of claim 1, further comprising:

a first lane, at least one of the obstacles of the first type being located within the first lane, and at least one of the obstacles of the second type being located within the first lane; and

a second lane, at least another of the obstacles of the first type being located within the second lane, and at least another of the obstacles of the second type being located within the second lane, wherein the first lane and the second lane are side-by-side or contiguous.

3. The obstacle course of claim 2, wherein the first lane is approximately parallel to the second lane.

4. The obstacle course of claim 2, further comprising:

an observation area for spectators who are not traversing the obstacle course, the obstacle course designed such that the spectators in the observation area have a view of at least one of the obstacles of the first type and do not have a view of at least one of the obstacles of the first type.

5. An obstacle course, comprising:

obstacles of a first type, the obstacles of the first type modified or presented as a variety of progressive difficulties, and the obstacles of the first type positioned or arranged across a path of the obstacle course in a contiguous or side-by-side configuration;

obstacles of a second type, the obstacles of the second type modified or presented as a variety of progressive difficulties, the obstacles of the second type positioned or arranged across the path of the obstacle course in a contiguous or side-by-side configuration, and the second type being different than the first type;

user interfaces, each of the user interfaces configured to;

recognize a user, and

measure at least one of a biological indicator of the user or a performance indicator of the user; and

wherein at least one of the user interfaces is configured to;

make one or more recommendations to the user on how to continue to traverse the obstacle course based on measurements made by other interfaces.

6. The obstacle course of claim 5, further comprising:

a first lane, at least one of the obstacles of the first type being located within the first lane, and at least one of the obstacles of the second type being located within the first lane; and

a second lane, at least another of the obstacles of the first type being located within the second lane, and at least another of the obstacles of the second type being located within the second lane, wherein the first lane and the second lane are side-by-side or contiguous.

7. The obstacle course of claim 6, wherein the first lane is approximately parallel to the second lane.

8. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein

the obstacles of the first type are positioned or arranged in a first module such that a user traversing the first module can select which of the obstacles of the first type to traverse, and

the obstacles of the second type positioned or arranged in a second module such that a user traversing the second module can select which of the obstacles of the second type to traverse.

9. The obstacle course of claim 8, wherein:

a footprint of the first module is approximately the same as a footprint of the second module, allowing the first and second modules to be interchangeable.

10. The obstacle course of claim 5, further comprising:

obstacles of a third type, the obstacles of the third type modified or presented as a variety of progressive difficulties, the obstacles of the third type positioned or arranged across the path of the obstacle course in a contiguous or side-by-side configuration, and the third type being different than the first type and the second type.

11. The obstacle course of claim 10, further comprising:

a first lane, at least one of the obstacles of the first type being located within the first lane, at least one of the obstacles of the second type being located within the first lane, and at least one of the obstacles of the third type being located within the first lane; and

a second lane, at least another of the obstacles of the first type being located within the second lane, at least another of the obstacles of the second type being located within the second lane, and at least another of the obstacles of the third type being located within the second lane;

a third lane, at least a third of the obstacles of the first type being located within the third lane, at least a third of the obstacles of the second type being located within the third lane, and at least a third of the obstacles of the third type being located within the third lane; and

wherein the first lane, the second lane, and the third lane are configured such that a user traversing the obstacle course may freely move back and forth between the first lane, the second lane, and the third lanes as the lanes are parallel or contiguous.

12. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein:

the obstacles of the first type are set in the first module,

the obstacles of the second type are set in the second module, and

the first and second modules are removable or interchangeable with one another or different modules.

13. The obstacle course of claim 12, wherein:

the first module has a different footprint than the second module.

14. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein at least one of the obstacles of the first type or the obstacles of the second type are positioned or arranged across the path of the obstacle course by an ascending or descending level or degree of difficulty.

15. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein the recommendation is one of increasing a pace, decreasing a pace, switching to obstacles with a higher level or degree of difficulty rating, or switching to obstacles with a lower level or degree of difficulty rating.

16. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein at least one of the user interfaces is configured to:

make one or more recommendations to the user on how to continue to traverse the obstacle course based on at least one of a biological indicator of the user, a current performance of the user, a historical performance of the user, a historical performance of other users that share at least one performance characteristic with the user, and a biological characteristic of other users.

17. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein at least one of the user interfaces is embedded within at least one of the obstacles and configured to measure at least one of a biological indicator of the user or a performance indicator of the user while the user is traversing the at least one of the obstacles.

18. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein one or more user interfaces are configured to:

determine a location of a user in the obstacle course by measuring a proximity of the user to the one or more of the user interfaces located on or within at least one of the obstacles.

19. The obstacle course of claim 5, further comprising:

an observation area for spectators who are not traversing the obstacle course, the observation area of the obstacle course designed such that the spectators in the observation area have a view of at least one of the obstacles of the first type and do not have a view of at least one of the obstacles of the first type.

20. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein at least one of the user interfaces is configured to:

measure a biological indicator of the user or a performance indicator of the user by capturing, at the at least one of the user interfaces, information transmitted from a wearable device worn by the user.

21. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein:

a first user interface of the user interfaces is located at a beginning of the obstacle course;

a third user interface of the user interfaces is located at the end of the obstacle course, the third user interface configured to;

present to the user at least one performance measurement, the performance measurement selected from the group consisting of a change in the biological indicator of the user, a change in the performance of the user compared to historical performance of the user, and a comparison of the performance of the user to historical performance of other users that share at least one performance characteristic with the user; and

a second user interface of the user interfaces is located between the first user interface and the third user interface, the second user interface configured to;

make one or more recommendations to the user on how to continue to traverse the obstacle course based on at least one of a biological indicator of the user, a current performance of the user, a historical performance of the user, a historical performance of other users that share at least one performance characteristic with the user, and a biological characteristic of other users.

22. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein at least one of the obstacles is configured such that a non-user of the obstacle course can effectuate movement of the at least one of the obstacles while the user is traversing the at least one of the configured obstacles.

23. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein at least one of the obstacles is configured such that a second user of the obstacle course can effectuate movement of the at least one of the obstacles while the user is traversing the at least one of the configured obstacles.

24. The obstacle course of claim 5, further comprising:

a first lane, at least one of the obstacles of the first type being located within the first lane, and at least one of the obstacles of the second type being located within the first lane;

a second lane, at least another of the obstacles of the first type being located within the second lane, and at least another of the obstacles of the second type being located within the second lane, wherein the first lane and the second lane are contiguous or side-by-side; and

an observation area for spectators that are not traversing the obstacle course, the observation area designed such that the spectators in the observation area have a view of the first lane and do not have a view of the second lane.

25. The obstacle course of claim 5, wherein:

the obstacle course is configured with a path without obstacles that allows a user to bypass a particular set of obstacles.