Automatic trigger of integrated game actions for exercise and well being

• US 9,873,039 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2015
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Minkyong, Li, Min, Pickover, Clifford A., Salapura, Valentina
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US14/805,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20170021279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32

Abstract

Methods and systems for triggering integrated game actions include monitoring a user'"'"'s state during operation a video game with one or more user state sensors. It is determined whether the user'"'"'s level of activity is below a predetermined activity threshold based on the monitored state considered over a period of time. If the user'"'"'s level of activity is below the predetermined activity threshold, a game sequence in the video game is triggered that involves physical activity on the part of the user.

Claims

1. A method for triggering integrated game actions, comprising:

monitoring a user'"'"'s state during operation of a video game with one or more user state sensors;

determining whether the user'"'"'s level of activity is below a predetermined activity threshold based on the monitored state considered over a period of time as well as past physical and mental conditions; and

if the user'"'"'s level of activity is below the predetermined activity threshold, triggering a game sequence in the video game that involves changing a type of physical activity on the part of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the game sequence comprises setting a difficulty level of the game sequence in accordance with the user'"'"'s level of fitness.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining the user'"'"'s level of fitness based on historical activity data.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining the user'"'"'s level of fitness based on a medical history profile.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting the level of difficulty after triggering the game sequence based on monitoring the user'"'"'s state during the game sequence.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting the level of difficulty after triggering the game sequence comprises lowering the difficulty level if the user is performing below a level needed to complete the sequence but within a goal range of the user'"'"'s monitored state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined activity threshold is a length of time for which the user'"'"'s state has remained below a predetermined low-activity threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein content of the game sequence is determined in accordance with the user'"'"'s level of fitness.

9. A computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program for triggering integrated game actions, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of claim 1.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the types of physical activity include calisthenics types of physical activity.

10. A method for triggering integrated game actions, comprising:

monitoring a user'"'"'s state during operation of a video game with one or more user state sensors;

determining whether the user'"'"'s level of activity is below a predetermined low activity threshold based on the monitored state time as well as past physical and mental conditions;

if the user'"'"'s level of activity is below the predetermined low activity threshold for a predetermined period of time, triggering a game sequence in the video game that involves changing a type of physical activity on the part of the user and setting a difficulty of the game sequence in accordance with the user'"'"'s level of fitness;

monitoring the user'"'"'s state during the game sequence; and

adjusting the level of difficulty after triggering the game sequence based on the user'"'"'s monitored state during the game sequence.

11. A system for triggering integrated game actions, comprising:

one or more user state sensors configured to monitor a user'"'"'s state during operation of a video game;

a game action control system comprising a processor configured to determine whether the user'"'"'s level of activity is below a predetermined activity threshold based on the monitored state considered over a period of time as well as past physical and mental conditions and, if the user'"'"'s level of activity is below the predetermined activity threshold, to trigger a game sequence in the video game that involves changing a type of physical activity on the part of the user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the game action control system is further configured to set a difficulty level of the game sequence in accordance with the user'"'"'s level of fitness.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the game action control system is further configured to determine the user'"'"'s level of fitness based on historical activity data.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the game action control system is further configured to determine the user'"'"'s level of fitness based on a medical history profile.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more user state sensors are configured to monitor the user'"'"'s state during the game sequence;

and

wherein the game action control system is further configured to adjust the level of difficulty after triggering the game sequence based on the user'"'"'s monitored state during the game sequence.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the game action control system is further configured to lower the difficulty level if the user is performing below a level needed to complete the sequence but within a goal range of the user'"'"'s monitored state.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the predetermined activity threshold is a length of time for which the user'"'"'s state has remained below a predetermined low-activity threshold.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein content of the game sequence is determined in accordance with the user'"'"'s level of fitness.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the types of physical activity include calisthenics types of physical activity.