Multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment with a detachable interactive manipulator

• US 20060063645A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yin-Liang Lai
• Original Assignee: Yin-Liang Lai
• Inventors: Chiang, Johnson
• Granted Patent: US 7,811,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0084 pivoting about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0636 3D visualisation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0076 Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system seats moving during exercise A63B22/0087; training appliances for rowing or sculling on boats A63B69/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/107 Resisting devices being of the same kind
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0084 Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/06 for rowing or sculling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• 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 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• 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: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04

Abstract

A multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment provide user to select mode of one user doing exercise alone or multiple users participating in on-line internet competition game with others through internet, which has a detachable interactive manipulator equipped with single-chip microcontroller and served as an interface for coupling conventional fitness equipment and personal computer to enable the conventional fitness equipment to become a novel man-machine interaction fitness equipment having function of internet 3-dimensional virtual simulation, and the communication between the detachable interactive manipulator and the personal computer is achieved by employing male-to-female plug-socket connecting means and according the International Standard Communication Protocol; when the detachable interactive manipulator is connected to a personal computer and a fitness equipment, an automatic detection to software program of personal computer shall be executed, if correct message is detected, the fitness equipment will be set in 3-dimensional virtual simulation mode capable of performing an internet 3-dimensional virtual simulation function, and the user may select this mode to execute an on-line internet competition game with others through internet, however, if no software program of personal computer was detected, the fitness equipment is still used as a conventional fitness equipment to provide user doing exercise alone.

Claims

1. A multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment comprising a detachable interactive manipulator selectively to connect and work with a corresponding fitness equipment, wherein

the detachable interactive manipulator is an input/output device comprising

a signal transmission interface, used for connecting a signal transmission wire in between the detachable interactive manipulator and a personal computer to perform an internet 3-dimensional virtual simulation scene image to the fitness equipment;

a plug-socket connector, possessing plural analogue signal input pins and analogue signal output pins; and

a single-chip microcontroller, used for converting digital information transmitted from the signal transmission wire into analogue information, transmitting analogue signal to the analogue signal output pin of plug-socket connector, converting analogue signal from the analogue signal input pin of plug-socket connector into digital information, and transmitting such digital information to the personal computer; and

the corresponding fitness equipment comprises;

a corresponding plug-socket connector, used for coupling the plug-socket connector of detachable interactive manipulator, which has plural analogue signal input pins corresponding to analogue signal output pins of the plug-socket connector, and has multiple analogue signal output pins corresponding to analogue signal input pins of the plug-socket connector; and

one or more than one analogue sensor components connected to analogue signal output pin of the corresponding plug-socket connector.

2. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 1, wherein the detachable interactive manipulator further comprises a speed control driving circuit or a torque control driving circuit to make torque control or speed control to motor(s) installed on the fitness equipment.

3. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 1, wherein the analogue sensor component is a torque sensor or a location sensor.

4. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 3, wherein the location sensor is a potentiometer or a location encoder.

5. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 3, wherein the torque sensor is a set of differential strain sensors comprising two strain gages mounted on both sides of handlebar of the fitness equipment.

6. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 3, wherein the torque sensor is torque meter.

7. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 1, wherein the signal transmission interface of detachable interactive manipulator is USB interface.

8. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 2, wherein the signal transmission interface of detachable interactive manipulator is USB interface.

9. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 3, wherein the signal transmission interface of detachable interactive manipulator is USB interface.

10. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 1, wherein the single-chip microcontroller provides function of identifying and determining whether connection in between the detachable interactive manipulator and the fitness equipment is correct or not.

11. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 2, wherein the single-chip microcontroller provides function of identifying and determining whether connection in between the detachable interactive manipulator and the fitness equipment is correct or not.

12. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 3, wherein the single-chip microcontroller provides function of identifying and determining whether connection in between the detachable interactive manipulator and the fitness equipment is correct or not.

13. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 1, wherein the single-chip microcontroller further provides function of identification code used for the detachable interactive manipulator and the personal computer to identify each other, if identification code is checked to be correct, 3-dimensional virtual simulation software of the personal computer shall communicate with the fitness equipment through the detachable interactive manipulator.

14. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 2, wherein the single-chip microcontroller further provides function of identification code used for the detachable interactive manipulator and the personal computer to identify each other, if identification code is checked to be correct, 3-dimensional virtual simulation software of the personal computer shall communicate with the fitness equipment through the detachable interactive manipulator.

15. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 3, wherein the single-chip microcontroller further provides function of identification code used for the detachable interactive manipulator and the personal computer to identify each other, if identification code is checked to be correct, 3-dimensional virtual simulation software of the personal computer shall communicate with the fitness equipment through the detachable interactive manipulator.

16. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 1, wherein the detachable interactive manipulator is connected to personal computer possessing internet application to execute multiple users on-line internet competition game.

17. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 2, wherein the detachable interactive manipulator is connected to personal computer possessing internet application to execute multiple users on-line internet competition game.

18. The multifunctional virtual-reality fitness equipment as defined in claim 3, wherein the detachable interactive manipulator is connected to personal computer possessing internet application to execute multiple users on-line internet competition game.