System and method for rewarding physical activity

• US 9,460,632 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IFIT Incorporated (Amynta Agency, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Inventors: Watterson, Scott R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Musselman, Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US13/911,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20130330694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 434247-248
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26

Abstract

A system incentivizes people to engage in physical activity. A person'"'"'s physical activity may be monitored over a period of time. Such monitoring may occur by using a sensing device carried or worn by the user. In the system, one or more thresholds for physical activity are established. Information tracked using the sensing device can be compared to the thresholds. A percentage of physical activity relative to the threshold can be translated to a reward established for the physical activity, and the percentage may be used to determine a reward value for an electronic device relative to a full available value. Rewards may include times or amounts. Time values may indicate durations during which particular activities or devices may be used. Amount values may indicate an amount of a battery charge, a number of communications, a currency value, or other values relative to use of an electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for incentivizing physical activity, comprising:

in a computing system that includes one or more processors;

tracking a person'"'"'s physical activity over a period of time;

comparing the person'"'"'s physical activity to a threshold for the period of time;

identifying a reward corresponding to the threshold, the reward comprising use of an electronic device; and

determining that the person'"'"'s physical activity is less than the threshold and, in response, authorizing a proportional amount of the reward, the proportional amount being scaled based on the person'"'"'s physical activity relative to the threshold;

wherein authorizing the proportional amount of the reward comprises authorizing a battery charge of the electronic device, the authorized battery charge being less than a full charge of the battery.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein tracking person'"'"'s physical activity includes obtaining data from a sensing device carried or worn by the person.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein comparing the person'"'"'s physical activity to a threshold includes comparing a number of calories burned to a threshold number of calories burned.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the threshold includes one or more of a distance or duration.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein comparing the person'"'"'s physical activity to a threshold includes comparing the person'"'"'s physical activity to a plurality of thresholds.

6. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the plurality of thresholds correspond to a same reward.

7. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the plurality of thresholds correspond to different rewards.

8. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

restricting the battery charge based on a proportion of the person'"'"'s physical activity relative to the threshold.

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the reward includes one or more of:

talk time;

text messaging;

email messages;

or

video game playing time.

10. The method recited in claim 1, wherein identifying a reward corresponding to the threshold includes identifying a plurality of rewards corresponding to the threshold.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein authorizing the reward includes authorizing the plurality of rewards, the plurality of rewards collectively being proportional to the person'"'"'s physical activity relative to the threshold.

12. A system for incentivizing physical activity of a user, the system comprising:

a sensing device that tracks physical activity of a user; and

a computing device with one or more processors that receives information from the sensing device regarding the physical activity of the user, the computing device comparing the physical activity of the user with a threshold, the computing device identifying a reward based upon comparing the physical activity of the user with the threshold, the reward comprising a limited amount of power to power an electronic device, the computing device determining the limited amount of power to power the electronic device based upon a proportional amount of the physical activity of the user relative to the threshold.

13. The system recited in claim 12, wherein the limited amount of power to power the electronic device comprises authorizing a battery charge of the electronic device.