Virtual performance system

• US 9,289,683 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Walling, Willoughby H.
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAY, BRANDON RAMON
• Application Number:
  US13/491,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20120315987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/30, 463/31, 463/32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 : Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 : comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 : for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 : for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 : for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 : Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 : Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 : user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 : player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 : Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 : for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 : Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 : Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 : Virtual reality

Abstract

Aspects of this disclosure relate to rewarding users of an electronic game for real-world physical activity. Further aspects relate to altering virtual items based upon physical activity. An electronic game may comprise or otherwise relate to an online world (such as a “Virtual World”). Users may be represented through customized graphical representations, such as avatars. An account of a user (or entity) may be associated a “virtual region.” A threshold level of real-world physical activity may result in obtaining a reward that may be associated with a virtual item. A reward may be configured to result in: (1) altering visual appearance of a virtual item within a virtual region; (2) altering a virtual characteristic of a virtual item, such that the first user may engage in at least one additional virtual activity using that virtual item; and/or (3) acquiring a new virtual item for a virtual region.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

receiving, from a sensor system, sensor data relating to an athletic performance of a first user;

identifying, by a processor, a first time period to perform a first threshold level of physical activity necessary to obtain a first virtual reward in a virtual world, wherein the virtual world comprises a first virtual region associated with a first avatar representing and controllable by the first user and a second virtual region associated with a second avatar representing and controllable by a second user, wherein the first threshold level is determined in accordance with characteristics of a virtual item in the first virtual region of the virtual world and the first virtual reward is associated with the virtual item, and wherein the first virtual region is a distinct and separate environment from the second virtual region;

determining, by the processor, that the sensor data indicates the first user has performed the first threshold level of physical activity during the first time period, and in response, providing the first virtual reward to the first user, wherein the first virtual reward is configured to result in at least one of;

providing a first function for the virtual item within the first virtual region; and

acquiring a new virtual asset for the virtual item; and

determining, by the processor, that the sensor data indicates the first user has failed to meet a second threshold level of physical activity during second time period, and in response altering an appearance of the first virtual region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first threshold level of activity is based upon determinations selected from the group consisting of:

energy expenditure, distance, pace, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the sensor data indicates the first user has failed to meet the second threshold level of physical activity during the second time period, altering an appearance of the virtual item.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining that the first user performed the first threshold of activity and before providing the first virtual reward, prompting the first user to select the first virtual reward from a plurality of rewards.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based upon determining that the user has the first threshold level of activity, awarding a second reward to the first user, the second reward comprising a first quantity of points of a first point system that may be used to perform a virtual activity within the virtual world.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before providing the first virtual reward to the first user, estimating a geographic location of the first user;

determining a real-world environmental condition of the estimated geographic location; and

altering the first virtual reward based upon the real-world environmental condition.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

before providing the second reward to the first user, estimating a geographic location of the first user;

determining a real-world environmental condition of the estimated geographic location; and

altering the second reward based upon the real-world environmental condition.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

based upon the real-world environmental condition, altering the first virtual region to visually reflect a quality of the real-world environmental condition.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises data from a first sensor and data from a second sensor, wherein the first sensor measures a first biometric or physiologic parameter and the second sensor measures a second biometric or physiologic parameter.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the sensor data indicates the first user has a failed to meet the second threshold level of physical activity during the second time period, rescinding the first function for the of the virtual item within the first virtual region.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the sensor data indicates the first user has failed to meet the second threshold level of physical activity during the second time period, removing a virtual asset from the virtual item.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first user and the second user are competitors in which the first user is part of a first team and the second user is part of a second team.

13. A computerized method comprising:

receiving, from a sensor system, sensor data relating to an athletic performance of a first user;

determining, by a processor, that the first user performed a first threshold level of physical activity during a first time period based on the received sensor data, and in response;

estimating a geographic location of the first user during at least a portion of the athletic performance;

determining a characteristic of a first virtual region of a virtual world having a plurality of virtual regions comprising a first virtual region associated with a first avatar representing and controllable by the first user and a second virtual region associated with a second avatar representing and controllable by a second user, wherein the first virtual region is a distinct and separate environment from the second virtual region;

generating a first virtual reward in the virtual world having criteria requiring the first user to perform the first threshold level of physical activity to obtain the first virtual reward; and

based upon the estimated geographic location and the characteristic of the first virtual region, altering the first virtual region to either (1) include a new virtual asset for an existing virtual item or (2) alter a first function for the existing virtual item, wherein the inclusion or altering is configured to provide a visual representation of the estimated geographic location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the existing virtual item comprises a virtual structure having an appearance modeled after the appearance of a physical structure located near the estimated geographic location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a size of the virtual structure corresponds to a size of the physical structure.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the virtual structure comprises at least one of a stadium or a scoreboard configured to display physical activity data of the first user.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

altering a visual appearance of the first virtual region in response to determining that the first user has failed to meet a second threshold level of physical activity during a second time period based on the received sensor data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein altering the visual appearance of the first virtual region further comprises:

altering a visual appearance of the existing virtual item included in the first virtual region, such that a portion of the existing virtual item appears destroyed.

19. A computerized method comprising:

receiving, from a sensor system, sensor data relating to an athletic performance of a first user;

determining, by a processor, that the first user has failed to perform a first threshold level of physical activity within a first time period based on the received sensor data; and

in response to the determination;

identifying a first item in a first region of a virtual environment, wherein the virtual environment comprises;

a plurality of regions including the first region associated with a first avatar representing and controllable by the first user, and wherein each of the plurality of regions comprises a separate environment and is associated with a different avatar; and

altering a visual appearance of at least one of the first item and the first region.