USER INTERFACE AND METHODS OF USING IN EXERCISE EQUIPMENT

• US 20090098980A1
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Heartrate Games, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heartrate Games, Inc.
• Inventors: Waters, Rolland M.
• Application Number:
  US12/050,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20090098980A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0009 Computerised real time comparison with previous movements or motion sequences of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/163 for the front wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/165 rear wheel hub supports
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/168 Force transfer through the rim of the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0644 with display speed of moving landscape controlled by the user's performance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/225 with flywheels
• 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 22/0056 the pivoting movement being in a vertical plane, e.g. steppers with a horizontal axis platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis A63B22/16
• 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 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• 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 2230/01 : User's weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 : heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 : P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 : blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/436 : partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/70 : body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 : Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• 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 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• 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 69/0002 : for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 : for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0048 : for mountaineering, e.g. climbing-walls, grip elements for climbing-walls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/02 : for fencing , e.g. means for indicating hits
• 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 13/428 : involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 : Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 : being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 : being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• 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: G08C 2201/93 : Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

An application programmable interface (API) configured to present a selection of video games having interactive gaming content responsive to a variety of physical motion of the exercise equipment that is powered by the equipment user and designed to encourage ongoing participation by the user in various physical activity scenarios. The API is configured to merge exercise equipment with video gaming that is interoperatively compatible across multiple exerciser hardware configurations, across multiple gaming system equipment configurations, and across independent display monitors. Gaming content is designed to interactively encourage continued and varying exercising by associating the motions of the exercise equipment with changes in audio visual content presented on the monitor or by other gaming system configurations.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium having executable instructions to for a method to play an interactive game presentable on a display and associated with an exercise device operated by a user, the method comprising:

installing an application programmable interface (API) capable of presenting gaming content of the interactive game modifiable by the conveyed motion generated by the user operating the exercise device, the API configured for

receiving signals proportional to the conveyed motion;

associating the signals to at least one symbolic representation of the interactive game;

processing the signals in proportion to parameters defined by the gaming content; and

changing the status of the symbolic representation within the interactive game in proportion to the signal processing.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein receiving signals proportional to the conveyed motion includes motion associated with translation, rotation, sliding, stepping, grasping, lifting, squeezing, pulling, stretching, pushing, and jumping.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the API includes at least one of a physics interface, an intensity interface, a device equivalence interface, a treadmill device interface, a bicycle device interface, and a generic device interface interposed between an application program presenting the gaming content and the exercise device.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein the device equivalence interface allows communication between gaming applications and the exercise device.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein associating the signals to at least one symbolic representation includes a mechanical depiction, a life form depiction, and a graphic icon.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the mechanical depiction includes automobiles, ships, airplanes, spacecraft, submarines, and sporting equipment.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the sporting equipment includes baseball, football, hunting, and fencing.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the life form depiction includes animal, vegetable, human, microbial, and imaginary.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the graphic icon depiction includes arcade game symbols.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein processing the signals in proportion to parameters defined by the gaming content includes self-competitive and inter-personal competitive games.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein changing the status of the symbolic representation includes changing at least one of the appearance and location of the mechanical depiction, the life form depiction, and the graphic icon within the gaming content of the interactive game.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the API is capable of reading a computer readable medium having code for an interactive exercise program.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the API is configurable to present a video overlay, the video overlay containing at least one of a current heart rate, current exercise intensity, upcoming changes, time and distance.

14. A method for using an user interactive exercise system in signal communication with a computer, the method comprising:

installing an application programming interface (API) in communication with an exercise apparatus and a gaming application executable on the computer;

operating the exercise apparatus;

capturing motion-related data derived from the exercise apparatus;

transmitting the motion-related data to a device capable of displaying a gaming scenario having a symbolic representation; and

manipulating the graphic representation in proportion to the captured motion-related data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein capturing motion-related data includes motion associated with translation, rotation, sliding, stepping, grasping, lifting, squeezing, pulling, stretching, pushing, and jumping.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein installing the API includes at least one of a physics interface, an intensity interface, a device equivalence interface, a treadmill device interface, a bicycle device interface, and a generic device interface interposed between an application program presenting the gaming content and the exercise apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the device equivalence interface allows communication between gaming applications and the exercise apparatus.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the symbolic representation includes a mechanical depiction, a life form depiction, and a graphic icon depiction.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the mechanical depiction includes automobiles, ships, airplanes, spacecraft, submarines, and sports equipment.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the life form depiction includes animal, vegetable, human, microbial, and imaginary.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the graphic icon depiction includes arcade game symbols.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein manipulating the graphic representation includes changing the status of the symbolic representation includes changing at least one of the appearance and location of the mechanical depiction, the life form depiction, and the graphic icon within the gaming scenario.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein changing the appearance and location includes within the gaming scenario having a self-competitive content.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein changing the appearance and location includes within the gaming scenario having an interpersonal-competitive content.