Methods, devices, and computer program products for participating in an athletic event with a remotely-located competitor using a mobile terminal

• US 8,172,658 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Svensson, Jan Olof
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US12/126,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20090291726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 702141-143, 702/85, 702/97, 702/127, 702/150, 702/155, 702/158, 702/160, 702/182, 463 41- 43, 463/7, 463/8, 463/36
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0661 arranged on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/068 Input by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• 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 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/18 Skating
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/19 Skiing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0084 Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

A method of participating in an athletic event with a remotely-located competitor using first and second wireless competition devices includes establishing a wireless communication connection with the second wireless competition device. The second wireless competition device is associated with the remotely-located competitor for the athletic event. Positioning data for the second wireless competition device is received via the wireless communication connection. The positioning data for the second wireless competition device characterizes a previous or real-time performance of the athletic event by the competitor. The received positioning data for the second wireless competition device is provided for display on the first wireless competition device relative to positioning data for the first wireless competition device, which characterizes a performance of the athletic event by a user thereof. Related methods and devices are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of participating in an athletic event with a remotely-located competitor using first and second wireless competition devices, the method comprising:

establishing a wireless communication connection with the second wireless competition device associated with the competitor for the athletic event;

receiving positioning data for the second wireless competition device characterizing a performance of the athletic event by the competitor via the wireless communication connection, wherein the received positioning data indicates that a course traveled by the second wireless competition device during the performance of the athletic event by the competitor is located in a different geographic location and includes different geographic conditions than a course traveled by the first wireless competition device during a performance of the athletic event by a user thereof;

determining a level of difficulty for the course traveled by the second wireless competition device during the performance of the athletic event based on changes in elevation and/or rate of ascent/descent indicated by the received positioning data; and

providing the received positioning data for the second wireless competition device for display on the first wireless competition device relative to positioning data for the first wireless competition device characterizing a performance of the athletic event by a user thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received positioning data for the second wireless competition device is associated with a previous performance of the athletic event by the competitor, and wherein the positioning data for the first wireless competition device is associated with a current performance of the athletic event by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the positioning data for the second wireless competition device comprises:

receiving current positioning data for the second wireless competition device via the wireless communication connection in real-time during the athletic event.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transmitting current positioning data for the first wireless competition device to the second wireless competition device via the wireless communication connection in real-time during the athletic event.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of a type of athletic event and/or the competitor for the athletic event; and

automatically scheduling the athletic event with the competitor responsive to receiving the user selection.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein automatically scheduling the athletic event comprises:

transmitting an invitation for the athletic event to the second wireless competition device in response to receiving the user selection of the competitor; and

receiving an acceptance from the second wireless competition device in response to the invitation,

wherein establishing the wireless communication connection comprises establishing the wireless communication connection with the second wireless competition device prior to a start time for the athletic event in response to receiving the acceptance.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein automatically scheduling the athletic event further comprises:

storing the start time for the athletic event in a calendar application of the first wireless competition device; and

providing an audible, visible, and/or tactile reminder for the athletic event prior to the start time.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving the user selection of the competitor further comprises receiving a user selection of a plurality of competitors, and further comprising:

establishing respective wireless communication connections with a plurality of wireless competition devices associated with respective ones of the plurality of competitors;

receiving respective positioning data for the plurality of wireless competition devices associated with performance of the athletic event by the respective ones of the plurality of competitors via the respective wireless communication connections; and

displaying, on the first wireless competition device, the respective positioning data for the plurality of wireless competition devices relative to the positioning data for the first wireless competition device.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein automatically scheduling the athletic event comprises:

establishing a wireless client-server connection with an athletic competition server in response to receiving the user selection of the type of athletic event;

transmitting a search request for available competitors for the selected type of athletic event to the athletic competition server via the wireless client-server connection;

receiving search results including the competitor associated with the second wireless competition device from the athletic competition server via the wireless client-server connection in response to the search request;

displaying the search results on the first wireless competition device; and

receiving a user selection of the competitor from the displayed search results;

wherein establishing the wireless communication connection comprises establishing the wireless communication connection with the second wireless competition device prior to a start time for the athletic event in response to receiving the user selection of the competitor from the search results.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein automatically scheduling the athletic event comprises:

receiving a user proposal for the athletic event including a start time and distance for the event;

establishing a wireless client-server connection with an athletic competition server in response to receiving the proposal;

transmitting the proposal to the athletic competition server via the wireless client-server connection; and

receiving a notification from the athletic competition server when at least the competitor associated with the second wireless competition device has accepted the proposal,

wherein establishing the wireless communication connection comprises establishing the wireless communication connection with the second wireless competition device prior to the start time for the athletic event in response to receiving the notification from the athletic competition server.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating the positioning data for the first wireless competition device at a current time after a start time for the athletic event;

determining a current distance traveled by the first wireless competition device based on the calculated positioning data for the first wireless competition device at the current time; and

determining a distance traveled by the second wireless competition device over a time period corresponding to a difference between the start time and the current time based on the received positioning data for the second wireless competition device,

wherein providing the received positioning data comprises displaying, on the first wireless competition device, the current distance traveled by the first wireless competition device relative to the distance traveled by the second wireless competition device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a pace for the first wireless competition device to travel a remaining distance associated with the athletic event before the second wireless competition device based on the positioning data for the first and second wireless competition devices; and

displaying, on the first wireless competition device, the pace relative to a current pace of the first wireless competition device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that at least one of the first wireless competition device and the second wireless competition device has traveled a distance associated with the athletic event based on the positioning data for the first and second wireless competition devices; and

displaying at least one of the user and the competitor as a winner of the athletic event responsive to determining that the at least one of the first wireless competition device and the second wireless competition device has traveled the distance.

14. The method of claim 1,

wherein providing the received positioning data for display comprises scaling the display of the received positioning data on the first wireless competition device according to the determined level of difficulty.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the wireless communication connection with the second wireless competition device comprises:

establishing a wireless client-server connection with an athletic competition server that is configured to wirelessly communicate with the second wireless competition device,

wherein receiving the positioning data comprises receiving the positioning for the second wireless competition device from the athletic competition server via the wireless client-server connection, and wherein providing the received positioning data comprises displaying the received positioning data for the second wireless competition device on the first wireless competition device relative to the positioning data for the first wireless competition device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the athletic competition server is further configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of wireless competition devices associated with respective competitors for the athletic event, and further comprising:

receiving respective positioning data for the plurality of wireless competition devices from the athletic competition server via the wireless client-server connection characterizing respective performances of the athletic event by the respective competitors; and

displaying, on the first wireless competition device, the respective positioning data for the wireless competition devices relative to the positioning data for the first wireless competition device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the wireless communication connection comprises:

establishing a first wireless communication connection between the first wireless competition device and an athletic competition server; and

establishing a second wireless communication connection between the second wireless competition device and the athletic competition server,

wherein receiving the positioning data comprises receiving the positioning data from the second wireless competition device via the second wireless communication connection, and wherein providing the received positioning data comprises transmitting the received positioning data for the second wireless competition device to the first wireless competition device via the first wireless communication connection.

19. The wireless competition device of claim 16, further comprising:

a positioning module coupled to the controller and configured to calculate the positioning data for the first wireless competition device at a current time after a start time for the athletic event,

wherein the controller is configured to determine a current distance traveled by the first wireless competition device based on the calculated positioning data for the first wireless competition device at the current time and determine a distance traveled by the second wireless competition device over a time period corresponding to a difference between the start time and the current time based on the received positioning data for the second wireless competition device, and wherein the display is configured to display the current distance traveled by the first wireless competition device relative to the distance traveled by the second wireless competition device.

18. A first wireless competition device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to establish a wireless communication connection with a second wireless competition device associated with a remotely-located competitor for an athletic event;

a controller coupled to the transceiver and configured to receive positioning data for the second wireless competition device via the wireless communication connection, the received positioning data characterizing a performance of the athletic event by the competitor, and to determine a level of difficulty for a course traveled by the second wireless competition device during the performance of the athletic event based on changes in elevation and/or rate of ascent/descent indicated by the received positioning data; and

a display coupled to the controller and configured to display the received positioning data for the second wireless competition device relative to positioning data for the first wireless competition device characterizing a performance of the athletic event by a user thereof,

wherein the received positioning data indicates that a course traveled by the second wireless competition device during the performance of the athletic event by the competitor is located in a different geographic location and includes different geographic conditions than a course traveled by the first wireless competition device during the performance of the athletic event by the user.

20. An athletic competition server, comprising:

a transceiver configured to establish a wireless communication connection with a first wireless competition device associated with a remotely-located competitor for an athletic event; and

a processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to receive positioning data for the first wireless competition device characterizing a performance of the athletic event by the competitor via the wireless communication connection, and to determine a level of difficulty for a course traveled by the first wireless competition device during the performance of the athletic event based on changes in elevation and/or rate of ascent/descent indicated by the received positioning data,

wherein the transceiver is configured to provide the received positioning data for the first wireless competition device for display on a second wireless competition device relative to positioning data for the second wireless competition device characterizing a performance of the athletic event by a user thereof,

wherein the received positioning data indicates that a course traveled by the first wireless competition device during the performance of the athletic event by the competitor is located in a different geographic location and includes different geographic conditions than a course traveled by the second wireless competition device during the performance of the athletic event by the user.