Video game difficulty level adjuster dependent upon player's aerobic activity level during exercise
First Claim
1. A combination exercise device and game apparatus, comprising:
- an exercise device for aerobic activity;
means for sensing the activity output level of said aerobic exercise device, and for outputting an activity level signal having a characteristic indicative of said activity level;
means for sensing the heart rate of the user;
a video game having at least one user operated control for controlling the actions of at least one player, regulating means for regulating the relative action of said one player and one of an opposition piece or obstacle, display means for displaying the one player and the one of said opposition piece or obstacle, said regulating means further including means for increasing the speed of both the one player and the one of the opposition piece or obstacle in response to and in proportion to the activity level, and the regulating means further including means for rendering the video game more difficult for the one player relative to the opposition piece or obstacle by increasing the speed of the opposition piece or obstacle in response to the heart rate of the user falling below a first predetermined level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exercise device, such as a exercise bicycle, is connected to a speed sensor indicating activity level, e.g. speed of the bicycle. The activity level signal, along with a heart rate signal, are provided to a video game, such as a Pac-man type video game. The game monitors the heart rate of the exerciser. If the heart rate falls outside preset minimum or maximum limits, a certain action occurs in the game, such as an increase in speed or skill level of the opposition. In the Pac-man type game for example, should the heart rate fall below the desired workout rate, the villain (the goblin) would move at a speed faster than the players'"'"' speed, putting the player at a disadvantage. The player would respond by increasing his level of physical activity, thereby increasing the heart rate until it exceeds the minimum aerobic level required, at which time the villain'"'"'s speed would return to its normal level.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A combination exercise device and game apparatus, comprising:
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an exercise device for aerobic activity; means for sensing the activity output level of said aerobic exercise device, and for outputting an activity level signal having a characteristic indicative of said activity level; means for sensing the heart rate of the user; a video game having at least one user operated control for controlling the actions of at least one player, regulating means for regulating the relative action of said one player and one of an opposition piece or obstacle, display means for displaying the one player and the one of said opposition piece or obstacle, said regulating means further including means for increasing the speed of both the one player and the one of the opposition piece or obstacle in response to and in proportion to the activity level, and the regulating means further including means for rendering the video game more difficult for the one player relative to the opposition piece or obstacle by increasing the speed of the opposition piece or obstacle in response to the heart rate of the user falling below a first predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A game apparatus useable with an exercise device, comprising:
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means for sensing the activity output level of an aerobic exercise device, and for outputting an activity level signal having a characteristic indicative of said activity level; means for sensing the heart rate of a user of the aerobic exercise device; a video game having at least one user operated control for controlling the actions of at least one player, regulating means for regulating the relative actions of one of said one player and an opposition piece or obstacle, display means for displaying the one player and the one of said opposition piece or obstacle, said regulating means further including means for increasing the speed of both the one player and the one of the opposition piece of obstacle in response to and in proportion to the activity level, the regulating means further including means for rendering the video game more difficult for the one player relative to the opposition piece or obstacle by increasing the speed of the opposition piece or obstacle in response to the heart rate of the user falling below a first predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An exercise motivation apparatus useable with an aerobic exercise device and a video game having at least one user operated control for controlling the actions of said one player and at least one player, and which controls the relative actions of one of an opposition piece or obstacle, and which displays the one player and the one of said opposition piece or obstacle, comprising:
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means for sensing the activity output level of an aerobic exercise device, and for outputting an activity level signal having a characteristic indicative of said activity level; means for sensing the heart rate of a user of the aerobic exercise device; and regulating means for increasing the speed of both the one player and the one of the opposition piece or obstacle by increasing the speed of the opposition piece or obstacle in response to and in proportion to the activity level, the regulating means further including means for rendering the video game more difficult for the one player relative to the opposition piece or obstacle in response to the heart rate of the user falling below a first predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A combination exercise device and game apparatus, comprising:
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an exercise device for aerobic activity; means for sensing the activity output level of said aerobic exercise device, and for outputting an activity level signal having a characteristic indicative of said activity level; means for sensing the heart rate of the user; timing means for measuring the length of time that a user has been using the exercise device, to provide at least two different exercise phases, including a first phase until a certain first time period is reached and a second phase after said first time period is reached; a video game having at least one user operated control for controlling the actions of at least one player, regulating means for regulating the relative action of said one player and one of an opposition piece or obstacle, and display means for displaying the one player and the one of said opposition piece or obstacle; said regulating means further including means for increasing the speed of both the one player and the one of the opposition piece or obstacle in response to and in proportion to the activity level; said regulating means including means for rendering the game more difficult for the one player relative to the opposition piece or obstacle by increasing the speed of the opposition piece or obstacle in response to the heart rate of the user rising above a first predetermined level when the timing means indicates that the user is in the first phase; and said regulating including means for rendering the video game more difficult for the one player relative to the opposition piece or obstacle by increasing the speed of the opposition piece or obstacle in response to the heart rate of the user falling below the first predetermined level when the timing means indicates that the user is in the second phase. .Iadd.
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34. A combination exercise device and game apparatus, comprising:
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a) an exercise device for aerobic activity; b) means for sensing the output level of said exercise device, and for outputting an output level signal having a characteristic indicative of said output level; c) means for sensing the heart rate of a user, and for outputting a heart rate signal having a characteristic indicative of said heart rate; d) a video game including display means for displaying said video game; and e) regulating means including; i
1) means for adjusting the difficulty of the play of said video game according to said heart rate signal; and2) means for adjusting the difficulty of the play of said video game according to said output level signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising at least one user-operated control for - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. Iadd.56. An exercise motivation apparatus useable with an exercise device and a video game including display means for displaying said video game, comprising:
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a) means for sensing the output level of said exercise device, and for outputting an output level signal having a characteristic indicative of said output level; b) means for sensing the heart rate of a user, and for outputting a heart rate signal having a characteristic indicative of said heart rate; and c) regulating means including; 1) means for adjusting the difficulty of the play of said video game according to said heart rate signal; and 2) means for adjusting the difficulty of the play of said video game
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38. according to said output level signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.57. The apparatus of claim 56, further comprising at least one user-operated control for controlling the play of said video game. .Iaddend. .Iadd.58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein said apparatus includes a first user-operated control for controlling a first aspect of the play of said video game with one of said user'"'"'s hands and a second user-operated control for controlling a second aspect of the play of said video game with the other of said user'"'"'s hands. .Iaddend. .Iadd.59. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein:
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said video game has a plurality of levels of difficulty of play; said regulating means increases the level of difficulty of play in response to said heart rate signal falling below a first predetermined level; and said regulating means decreases the level of difficulty of play as said output level signal increases and increases the level of difficulty of
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39. play as said output level signal decreases. .Iaddend. .Iadd.60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said first predetermined level corresponds to the minimum heart rate of said user in an optimum aerobic exercise range. .Iaddend. .Iadd.61. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein:
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said video game comprises a source and at least one opposition; said regulating means increases the speed of said opposition relative to said source in response to said heart rate signal falling below said first predetermined level; and said regulating means increases the speed of said opposition relative to said source as said output level signal decreases and decreases the speed of said opposition relative to said source as said output level signal increases. .Iaddend. .Iadd.62. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said regulating means decreases the level of difficulty of play in response to said heart rate signal exceeding a second predetermined level, said second predetermined level being greater than said first predetermined level. .Iaddend. .Iadd.63. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein said regulating means adjusts the play of said video game according to a specified exercise profile having at least two exercise phases. .Iaddend. .Iadd.64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein said video game comprises a source and at least one opposition, and said regulating means adjusts the speed of said opposition relative to said source according to said specified exercise profile. .Iaddend. .Iadd.65. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein said exercise device is one of an exercise bicycle, a treadmill, and a stair climbing device. .Iaddend. .Iadd.66. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein said display means displays information indicative of said heart rate of said user and said output level of said exercise device. .Iaddend. .Iadd.67. A combination exercise device and game apparatus, comprising; a) an exercise device for aerobic activity; b) means for sensing the output level of said exercise device, and for outputting an output level signal having a characteristic indicative of said output level; c) means for sensing the heart rate of a user, and for outputting a heart rate signal having a characteristic indicative of said heart rate; d) a video game including; 1) display means for displaying said video game; 2) a plurality of levels of difficulty of play; and 3) at least one user-operated control for controlling the play of said video game; e) regulating means including; 1) means for adjusting the level of difficulty of said video game according to said heart rate signal, wherein said level of difficulty is increased in response to said heart rate signal falling below a first predetermined level; 2) means for adjusting the level of difficulty of said video game according to said output level signal, wherein said level of difficulty increases as said output level signal decreases and said level of difficulty decreases as said output level signal increases; and 3) means for adjusting the level of difficulty of said video game according to a specified exercise profile having at least two exercise phases. .Iaddend.
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Specification