Exercise systems in local or global network

• US 20090023553A1
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Youngtack Shim
• Original Assignee: Youngtack Shim
• Inventors: Shim, Youngtack
• Application Number:
  US12/216,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20090023553A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0658 Position or arrangement of display
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0666 worn on the head or face, e.g. combined with goggles or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0023 the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the inclination of an endless band
• 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 22/04 with movable multiple steps , i.e. more than one step per limb, e.g. steps mounted on endless loops, endless ladders steppers with cantilevered support elements pivoting about an axis A63B22/0048
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/42 rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/50 temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/60 muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/65 : skin conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0084 : Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/06 : for rowing or sculling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 : specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 : for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 : Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

An exercise system includes at least two exercise modules and is arranged to allow multiple users performing exercises on, with or against the modules in different locations while performing at least one preset task defined in a context of a story, a scenery or a video (or computer) game each in turn preferably defined in a virtual environment. The exercise system generally generates the task of the story, scenery or game in images of the virtual environment and simulates the exercising users as simulated user in such images, while allowing the users to manipulate the simulated users for attaining a goal of the task based on features related with the exercises performed by the user or allowing the task to manipulate operations of the modules based on such features. The exercise system includes at least one output module including at least two visual units and audio units to provide the images and sounds for the task to each exercising user.

Claims

1. An exercise system which is configured to provide at least two users with at least one preset task of at least one of a story, a scenery, a video game, and a computer game each of which defines a preset task goal and is provided in images of at least one virtual environment, to allow said users to simultaneously perform exercises, to relate at least one first feature of one of said exercises with at least one second feature of another of said exercises, and to one of directly and indirectly manipulate said second feature at least partly based upon said first feature comprising:

a first standard exercise module corresponding to at least one of a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth exercise module each configured to allow a first user to perform a first exercise at least one of thereon, therewith, and thereagainst while consuming energy thereof during said first exercise, wherein said first exercise module is configured to allow said first user to perform said first exercise at least one of on, with, and against at least one portion thereof, wherein said second exercise module is configured to define at least one preset load, to incorporate therein at least one actuating part operatively coupling to said load and contacting at least one body part of said first user, and to allow said user to perform said first exercise by contacting said actuating part and moving said actuating part against said load while consuming said energy during said first exercise, wherein said third exercise module is configured to include therein at least one track translating along a preset direction and to allow said first user to perform said first exercise of at least one of walking and running on said track while consuming said energy during said first exercise, wherein said fourth exercise module is configured to include at least one rotation axis, to define at least one preset load, to include therein at least one pedal coupling with said load and rotating about said axis, and to allow said first user to perform said first exercise of rotating said pedal against said load while consuming said energy during said first exercise, wherein said fifth exercise module is configured to include therein at least one movable weight, and to allow said first user to perform said first exercise of at least one of translating, reciprocating, pivoting, rotating, and moving said weight while consuming said energy during said first exercise, wherein said sixth exercise module is configured to define at least one central point, to define at least one preset load, to include therein at least one lever coupling with said load and pivoting about said point, and to allow said first user to perform said first exercise of at least one of reciprocating, translating, pivoting, rotating, displacing, and moving said lever about said point against said load while consuming said energy during said first exercise, wherein said seventh exercise module is configured to incorporate therein at least one belt capable of enclosing at least one body part of said first user therearound, and to allow said first user to perform said first exercise of vibrating said body part while consuming said energy during said first exercise, wherein said eighth exercise module is configured to define a preset load, to include therein at least one pad capable of coupling to said load and at least one of moving and deforming in response to energy supplied by said user thereonto, and to allow said first user to perform said first exercise of at least one of translating, reciprocating, rotating, pivoting, deforming, pushing, and pulling at least a portion of said pad against said load while consuming said energy during said first exercise, wherein said ninth exercise module is configured to define at least one preset load, to incorporate therein at least one handle operatively coupling with said load, and to allow said first user to perform said first exercise of at least one of translating, displacing, reciprocating, rotating, pivoting, and moving said handle against said load while consuming said energy during said first exercise, wherein said first exercise defines a first type and a first extent, wherein said first standard exercise module is disposed in a first location, and wherein said first feature is related to at least one of said task, said first user, said first exercise, and at least one operation of said first standard exercise module;

a second standard exercise module corresponding to at least one of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth exercise module each of which is configured to allow a second user to perform a second exercise at least one of thereon, therewith, and thereagainst while consuming energy thereof during said second exercise, wherein said second exercise is configured to define a second type and a second extent which are one of the same as, similar to, and different from said first type and extent, respectively, wherein said second exercise module is disposed in a second location which is one of the same as and different from said first location in which said first standard exercise module is disposed, wherein said second feature is related to at least one of said task, said second user, said second exercise, and at least one operation of said second standard exercise module, and wherein said second standard exercise module is configured to be operatively coupled to said first standard exercise module through one of a local network and a global network one of indirectly and directly and to allow said first and second users to simultaneously perform said exercises;

at least one output module with at least two visual units each of which is disposed in a preset disposition and in an arrangement and is configured to display said images to each of said users; and

at least one control module which is configured to operatively couple with said output module and at least one of said standard exercise modules one of directly and indirectly, to provide said task in said images of said virtual environment, to display said images on said visual units, to assign at least one preset goal to said task, to monitor at least one of said first feature and second feature, to relate one of said first and second features to another thereof at least partly based upon at least one preset relation one of stored therein, generated thereby, and supplied thereto by at least one of said users, and to perform manipulation of one of said first and second features at least partly based on another of said features,

wherein said control module is configured to provide said relation as well as to perform said manipulation not only when said types and extents of said first and second exercises are identical to each other but also when said types and extents of said first and second exercises are not identical to each other based on at least one of said first and second features, thereby allowing said first and second users to compete for accomplishing said task goal while simultaneously performing said first and second exercises respectively in said first and second locations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said relation relates said first feature of a preset characteristic related with at least one of said first user, first exercise, and operation of said first standard exercise module with said second feature of said preset characteristic related with at least one of said second user, second exercise, and operation of said second standard exercise module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said relation is configured to relate said first feature defining one characteristic which is related with at least one of said first user, first exercise, and operation of said first standard exercise module with said second feature defining a different characteristic which is then related with at least one of said second user, second exercise, and operation of said second standard exercise module.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said control module is configured to convert said first feature from a first unit into a second different unit and to perform said manipulation based upon said relation which is configured to compare said converted first feature with said second feature.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said relation is configured to relate said first feature defining one characteristic which is related with at least one of said first user, first exercise, and operation of said first standard exercise module with said second feature having said characteristic which is then related to at least one of said second user, second exercise, and operation of said second standard exercise module.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said control module is further configured to manipulate at least one of said first and second features at least partly based upon another thereof, whereby said users simultaneously proceed along said task for said goal while simultaneously performing said exercises at least one of on, with, and against said standard exercise modules which are incorporated in said locations and whereby said control module manipulates said another feature of one of said task and standard exercise modules one of directly and indirectly at least partly based upon at least one of said relation and monitored feature while communicating with at least one of said visual units and standard exercise module through one of said local global networks encompassing said locations.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said first feature corresponds to said feature of at least one of said first exercise and first user and wherein said second feature corresponds to said feature of said task, whereby said control module is configured to manipulate said task at least partly based upon at least one of said exercises and users.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said first feature corresponds to said feature of said task and wherein said second feature corresponds to said feature of said operation, and wherein said control module is configured to manipulate said operation of at least one of said standard exercise modules at least partly based on said task performed by at least one of said users.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said control module is also configured to simulate at least one of said users as at least one simulated user, to incorporate said simulated user in said images for said virtual environment, and to allow said at least one of said users to perform said feature of said task by manipulating said simulated user at least partly based on said feature of at least one of said exercises and users.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said control module is configured to be disposed in one of said locations and to communicate with at least one of said standard exercise modules disposed in another of said locations for said manipulation one of wirelessly and through wire.

11. An exercise system which is configured to connect a plurality of locations, to incorporate at least one exercise module in each of said locations, to define at least one preset task of at least one of a story, a scenery, a video game, and a computer game each defining a preset goal and provided in images for at least one virtual environment, and to allow each of a plurality of users to simultaneously perform exercises at least one of on, with, and against each of said exercise modules in each of said locations while competing each other in said images for said goal of said task at least partly based on said exercises performed by said users comprising:

a first exercise module which is disposed in a first location and configured to allow a first user to perform a first exercise while consuming energy thereof during said first exercise, wherein a first feature is related with at least one of said first user, first exercise, and at least one operation of said first exercise module;

a second exercise module which is disposed in a second and different location different and configured to allow a second user to perform a second exercise while consuming energy thereof during said second exercise, wherein said second feature is related with at least one of said second user, second exercise, and at least one operation of said second exercise module, and wherein said second exercise module is configured to form an operative coupling to said first exercise module via one of a local network and a global network one of indirectly and directly, thereby allowing said first and second users to simultaneously perform said exercises while maintaining said coupling through said network;

at least one output module including at least two visual units one of which is provided in a first location, another of which is provided in a second location, and each of which is provided in a preset disposition and a preset arrangement for displaying said images to each of said exercising users; and

at least one control module which is configured to operatively couple with at least one of said output module and exercise modules one of directly and indirectly, to provide said task in said images, to display said images on said visual units, to assign at least one goal to said task, to be disposed in at least one of said first and second locations, to monitor at least one of said first and second features, to relate one of said first and second exercises to another based on at least one preset relation, and to perform manipulation of at least one of said features at least partly based on at least one another feature,

wherein said control module is configured to provide said relation as well as to perform said manipulation not only when said types and extents of said first and second exercises are identical to each other but also when said types and extents of said first and second exercises are not identical to each other based on at least one of said first and second features, thereby allowing said first and second users to compete for accomplishing said task goal while simultaneously performing said first and second exercises respectively in said first and second locations.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said relation relates said first feature of a first characteristic related with at least one of said first user, first exercise, and operation of said first exercise module with said second feature of said first characteristic which is related with at least one of said second user, second exercise, and operation of said second exercise module.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said relation is configured to relate said first feature defining one characteristic related with at least one of said first user, first exercise, and operation of said first exercise module with said second feature defining a different characteristic which is related with at least one of said second user, second exercise, and operation of said second exercise module.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said control module is configured to convert said first feature from a first unit into a second different unit and to perform said manipulation based upon said relation which is configured to compare said converted first feature with said second feature.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said relation is configured to relate said first feature defining one characteristic which is related with at least one of said first user, first exercise, and operation of said first standard exercise module with said second feature having said characteristic which is then related to at least one of said second user, second exercise, and operation of said second standard exercise module.

16. An exercise system which is configured to operatively connect a plurality of locations via at least one of a local network and a global network, to include at least one exercise module in each of said locations, to define at least one preset task of at least one of a story, a scenery, a video game, and a computer game each defining a preset goal for said task and provided in images for at least one virtual environment, and to allow each of a plurality of users to simultaneously perform exercises at least one of on, with, and against each of said exercise modules disposed in each of said locations while competing each other in said images for said task goal at least partly based on said exercises performed by said users comprising:

a first exercise module which is configured to define a first exercise type and a first exercise load and to allow a first user to perform a first exercise while consuming energy thereof during said first exercise;

a second exercise module which is configured to define a second exercise type and a second exercise load and to also allow a second user to perform a second exercise while consuming energy thereof during said second exercise, wherein said second exercise module is configured to operative couple with said first exercise module via said network one of indirectly and directly, thereby allowing said first and second users to simultaneously perform said exercises while pursuing said goal of said task;

at least one output module including at least two visual units one of which is provided in a first location, another of which is provided in a second location, and each of which is provided in a preset disposition and a preset arrangement for displaying said images to each of said exercising users; and

at least one control module which is configured to operatively couple with at least one of said output module and exercise modules one of directly and indirectly, to define said task goal, to provide said task in said images, to display said images on said visual units, to monitor at least one of said first and second extents and loads as well as extents of said first and second exercises each performed by each of said users, to simulate said users into simulated users included in said images, to relate at least one of said type, load, and extent of said first exercise with at least one of those of said second exercise based on at least one preset relation, and then to perform manipulation of at least one of said simulated users in said images at least partly based on at least one of said types, loads, and extents related to each other by said relation, thereby allowing said users to compete for accomplishing said task goal while simultaneously performing said exercises in said locations regardless of whether said types of said first and second exercises are identical to each other.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said types of said first and second exercises are identical to each other and wherein said control module performs said manipulation at least substantially based on at least one of said loads and extents of said exercises.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said types of said first and second exercises are different from each other and wherein said control module is configured to convert at least one of said extents from one unit to another unit and to perform comparison of said converted extent with another of said extents, thereby performing said manipulation at least substantially based on said comparison.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said control module is configured to perform said manipulation by manipulating said simulated user in said images.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said control module is configured to perform said manipulation not only by manipulating said simulated user in said images but also by manipulating said operation of at least one of said exercise modules based on at least one of said types, loads, and extents.