Systems and methods for portable exergaming

• US 8,454,437 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pexs, LLC
• Original Assignee: Pexs, LLC
• Inventors: Dugan, Brian M., Santisi, Steven M., Latrille, Jean Pierre, Nuyttens, Lieven
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US12/839,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20110065504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31, 463/22, 463/36
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 45/00 ICT specially adapted for bioinformatics-related data visualisation, e.g. displaying of maps or networks
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

In a first aspect, a system for playing a video game is provided that includes (1) one or more sensors adapted to monitor one or more biometric parameters of a user and communicate the one or more monitored biometric parameters (MBPs); (2) a computing device adapted to communicate with the one or more sensors and to receive the one or more communicated MBPs; and (3) a video game having an avatar adapted to move an object on an incline, the video game adapted to execute on the computing device. The video game is adapted to control the avatar to perform an action in the video game based in part on the received one or more communicated MBPs. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Claims

1. A system for playing a video game comprising:

one or more sensors adapted to monitor one or more biometric parameters of a user and communicate the one or more monitored biometric parameters (MBPs);

a computing device adapted to communicate with the one or more sensors and to receive the one or more communicated MBPs; and

a video game having an avatar adapted to move an object on an incline, the video game adapted to execute on the computing device,

wherein the video game is adapted to control the avatar to perform an action in the video game based in part on the received one or more communicated MBPs;

wherein the video game is adapted to control the avatar to perform a plurality of actions including moving the object up the incline, down the incline, to the left, or to the right; and

wherein the video game is adapted to select an action to perform from the plurality of actions based on the received one or more communicated MBPs.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the video game is further adapted to:

determine a type of exercise the user is performing based in part upon the one or more communicated MBP; and

control the avatar to perform the action based in part upon the type of exercise the user is performing.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the avatar is capable of performing a plurality of actions, and the video game is further adapted to control the avatar to perform one of the plurality of actions, based in part upon the type of exercise the user is performing.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the video game is further adapted to:

determine a duration of the exercise the user is performing; and

control the avatar to perform the action based in part upon the duration of the exercise the user is performing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the video game is adapted such that to complete the video game, the user must perform one or more circuits of exercise.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is adapted to be transported during execution of the video game.

7. A video game operable on a computing device that communicates with one or more sensors that monitor one or more biometric parameters of an exerciser, the video game comprising:

an avatar adapted to move an object on an incline, the video game adapted to control the avatar to perform an action relating to moving the object on the incline based in part on one or more biometric parameters communicated from the one or more sensors to the computing device;

wherein the video game is adapted to control the avatar to perform a plurality of actions including moving the object up the incline, down the incline, to the left, or to the right; and

wherein the video game is adapted to select an action to perform from the plurality of actions based on one or more biometric parameters communicated from the one or more sensors to the computing device.

8. The video game of claim 7, wherein the video game is further adapted to:

determine a type of exercise the user is performing based in part upon the one or more communicated biometric parameter; and

control the avatar to perform the action based in part upon the type of exercise the user is performing.

9. The video game of claim 7, wherein the video game is further adapted to:

determine a duration of the exercise the user is performing; and

control the avatar to perform the action based in part upon the duration of the exercise the user is performing.

10. The video game of claim 7, wherein the video game is adapted such that to complete the video game, the user must perform one or more circuits of exercise.

11. The video game of claim 7, wherein the computing device is adapted to be transported during execution of the video game.

12. A method comprising:

providing a video game on a computing device, the video game having an avatar that moves an object on an incline;

employing the computing device to receive one or more biometric parameters of an exerciser; and

selecting an action relating to moving the object on the incline based in part on one or more biometric parameters received by the computing device;

wherein the video game is adapted to control the avatar to perform a plurality of actions including moving the object up the incline, down the incline, to the left, or to the right; and

wherein the video game is adapted to select an action to perform from the plurality of actions based on one or more biometric parameters received by the computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the video game is further adapted to:

determine a type of exercise the user is performing based in part upon the one or more communicated biometric parameter; and

control the avatar to perform the action based in part upon the type of exercise the user is performing.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the video game is further adapted to:

determine a duration of the exercise the user is performing; and

control the avatar to perform the action based in part upon the duration of the exercise the user is performing.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the video game is adapted such that to complete the video game, the user must perform one or more circuits of exercise.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the computing device is adapted to be transported during execution of the video game.

17. A system for playing a video game comprising:

one or more sensors adapted to monitor one or more biometric parameters of a user and communicate the one or more monitored biometric parameters (MBPs);

a computing device adapted to communicate with the one or more sensors and to receive the one or more communicated MBPs; and

a video game having an avatar adapted to move an object on an incline, the video game adapted to execute on the computing device,

wherein the video game is adapted to control the avatar to perform an action in the video game based in part on the received one or more communicated MBPs; and

wherein the computing device is adapted to be transported during execution of the video game.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the video game is further adapted to:

determine a type of exercise the user is performing based in part upon the one or more communicated MBP; and

control the avatar to perform the action based in part upon the type of exercise the user is performing.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the video game is adapted such that to complete the video game, the user must perform one or more circuits of exercise.

20. A video game operable on a computing device that communicates with one or more sensors that monitor one or more biometric parameters of an exerciser, the video game comprising:

an avatar adapted to move an object on an incline, the video game adapted to control the avatar to perform an action relating to moving the object on the incline based in part on one or more biometric parameters communicated from the one or more sensors to the computing device;

wherein the computing device is adapted to be transported during execution of the video game;

wherein the video game is further adapted to;

determine a type of exercise the user is performing based in part upon the one or more communicated biometric parameter; and

control the avatar to perform the action based in part upon the type of exercise the user is performing.

21. The video game of claim 20, wherein the video game is adapted such that to complete the video game, the user must perform one or more circuits of exercise.

22. A method comprising:

providing a video game on a computing device, the video game having an avatar that moves an object on an incline;

employing the computing device to receive one or more biometric parameters of an exerciser; and

selecting an action relating to moving the object on the incline based in part on one or more biometric parameters received by the computing device;

wherein the computing device is adapted to be transported during execution of the video game;

wherein the video game is further adapted to;

determine a type of exercise the user is performing based in part upon the one or more communicated biometric parameter; and

control the avatar to perform the action based in part upon the type of exercise the user is performing.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the video game is adapted such that to complete the video game, the user must perform one or more circuits of exercise.