U.S. patent application number 14/984501 was filed with the patent office on 2016-04-21 for exercise system with display programming.
The applicant listed for this patent is ICON HEALTH & FITNESS. Invention is credited to CHASE BRAMMER, RICHARD K.C. CHANG, II.
Application Number | 20160107065 14/984501 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47175347 |
Filed Date | 2016-04-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160107065 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BRAMMER; CHASE ; et
al. |
April 21, 2016 |
EXERCISE SYSTEM WITH DISPLAY PROGRAMMING
Abstract
An exercise system presents display programming at a rate that
is commensurate to a user's exercise rate. The user's exercise rate
is monitored and compared to a default exercise rate. When the
user's exercise rate is above or below the default exercise rate,
the presentation of the display programming is adjusted to maintain
a temporal relationship between the user's exercise rate and the
display programming. The presentation of the display programming
can be adjusted by periodically skipping or pausing frames of the
display programming to increase or decrease the duration of the
display programming.
Inventors: |
BRAMMER; CHASE; (PROVIDENCE,
UT) ; CHANG, II; RICHARD K.C.; (MENDON, UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ICON HEALTH & FITNESS |
LOGAN |
UT |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
47175347 |
Appl. No.: |
14/984501 |
Filed: |
December 30, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13467794 |
May 9, 2012 |
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14984501 |
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61488637 |
May 20, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
482/8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2071/0638 20130101;
A63B 2220/12 20130101; A63B 2220/89 20130101; A63B 2220/806
20130101; A63B 2220/40 20130101; A63B 2230/06 20130101; A63B
71/0622 20130101; A63B 2220/73 20130101; A63B 22/025 20151001; A63B
22/02 20130101; A63B 2220/30 20130101; A63B 22/0242 20130101; A63B
24/0087 20130101; A63B 2220/17 20130101; A63B 2225/20 20130101;
A63B 24/0062 20130101; A63B 22/0023 20130101; A63B 2024/0068
20130101; A63B 2071/0644 20130101; A63B 2220/18 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 71/06 20060101
A63B071/06; A63B 24/00 20060101 A63B024/00; A63B 22/02 20060101
A63B022/02 |
Claims
1. An exercise system comprising: a movable element that moves
during a user's performance of an exercise to simulate a distance
traveled by the user during the performance of the exercise at an
exercise rate that is selectively adjustable by the user; and a
display that presents display programming to the user, the display
programming comprising a plurality of frames having a specified
sequence, each frame within the plurality of frames having assigned
to it a predetermined distance, wherein: the display is configured
to present each frame within the plurality of frames in the
specified sequence, and the display is configured to present each
frame within the plurality of frames for the period of time that is
required for the distance traveled by the user during the
performance of the exercise to meet or exceed the predetermined
distance assigned to each frame.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of frames are
images of a real world trail.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined distance
assigned to each frame corresponds to an actual distance traveled
between two consecutive images of the real world trail.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined distance for
each frame is the same.
5. The system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined distance
assigned to each frame is less than three feet.
6. The system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined distance
assigned to each frame is less than one foot.
7. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein the exercise rate is
determined by at least one of the user's speed, the speed of the
movable element, a resistance applied to the moveable element, a
degree of incline of the movable element, and a degree of tilt of
the movable element.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the distance traveled by the user
during the performance of the exercise is calculated based on the
exercise rate and an elapsed time.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the movable element is a
continuous belt on a treadmill.
10. A method for correlating the presentation of display
programming with a simulated amount of distance traveled by a user
on an exercise device, comprising: obtaining display programming,
the display programming comprising a plurality of frames having a
specified sequence; assigning a predetermined distance to each
frame within the plurality of frames; presenting to the user a
first frame within the display programming; tracking the simulated
distance traveled by the user on the exercise device during
presentation of the first frame; determining whether the simulated
distance traveled by the user on the exercise device during
presentation of the first frame is the same as or exceeds the
predetermined distance assigned to the first frame; and presenting
to the user a second frame that sequentially follows the first
frame if the simulated distance traveled by the user on the
exercise device during presentation of the first frame is the same
as or exceeds the predetermined distance assigned to the first
frame.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising continuing to track
the distance traveled by the user on the exercise device during
presentation of the first frame if it is determined that the
distance traveled by the user on the exercise device during
presentation of the first frame is not the same as and does not
exceed the predetermined distance assigned to the first frame.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of frames are
images of a real world trail.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined distance
assigned to each frame corresponds to an actual distance traveled
between two consecutive images of the real world trail.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined distance for
each frame is the same.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined distance
assigned to each frame is less than one foot.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined distance
assigned to each frame is less than six inches.
17. The method of claim 9, wherein the exercise device includes a
selectively adjustable movable element that moves during the user's
performance of the exercise.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining a rate at
which the moveable element moves during the performance of the
exercise, wherein the rate is determined by at least one of the
user's speed, the speed of the movable element, a resistance
applied to the moveable element, a degree of incline of the movable
element, and a degree of tilt of the movable element.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the simulated distance traveled
by the user during the performance of the exercise is calculated
based on the rate and an elapsed time.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the movable element is a
continuous belt on a treadmill.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of
application U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/467,794 which was
filed on May 9, 2012 and is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety.
[0002] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/467,794 claims priority
to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
61/488,637, filed on May 20, 2011, and entitled Exercise System
With Display Programming, which is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] This invention relates generally to systems, methods, and
devices for exercise. More particularly, the invention relates to
systems and methods that correlate the playback of a video or
images with a user's rate of exercise.
BACKGROUND
[0004] One common challenge with exercise equipment is motivating
the user to use the exercise equipment on a consistent and ongoing
basis. This lack of motivation can be a result of the repetitive
nature of the exercises and exercise routines that a user can
perform on a specific exercise device and the lack of intellectual
stimulation or entertainment available during use of the exercise
equipment.
[0005] In order to combat this lack of stimulation, many exercise
devices are equipped with a display that depicts a track indicating
progress or a hill profile representing the difficulty level of the
exercise routine. Still other exercise systems, such as the system
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,913 to Ewert, attempt to correlate
the playback of a video to the rate of exercise. For instance, the
system described in Ewert monitors the level of activity on an
exercise device and adjusts the video frame rate accordingly. To
adjust the video frame rate, the Ewert system modifies the duration
time stamp on each video frame to change the sequential time at
which each frame is displayed. In addition, other exercise devices
include those in U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,856, U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,239,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,363, U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,060, U.S. Pat. No.
6,997,852, U.S. Pat. No. 7,060,006, U.S. Patent Publication No.
2006/0122035, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0265138, and U.S.
Patent Publication No. 2009/0209393.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In one aspect of the disclosure, an exercise system includes
a movable element and a display.
[0007] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the movable element is movable in the performance
of an exercise.
[0008] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the movable element has at least one selectively
adjustable operating parameter that selectively alters an exercise
rate of a user relative to a default exercise rate.
[0009] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the display presents display programming to the
user.
[0010] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the display programming includes one or more
frames.
[0011] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjustable to correlate the presentation of the display programming
with the exercise rate of the user.
[0012] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjusted by periodically pausing the display programming.
[0013] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the display programming has a default display
rate.
[0014] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the exercise system has a default exercise rate
that corresponds to the default display rate of the display
programming.
[0015] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjusted an amount that is commensurate with the difference between
the exercise rate of the user and the default exercise rate.
[0016] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjusted by pausing the display programming at regular intervals
when the exercise rate of the user is less than the default
exercise rate.
[0017] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the duration of the periodic pauses in the display
programming are substantially equal to one another.
[0018] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjusted by pausing the display programming at irregular intervals
when the exercise rate of the user is less than the default
exercise rate.
[0019] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the duration of the periodic pauses in the display
programming are not all equal to one another.
[0020] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, periodically pausing the display programming
increases the duration of display programming.
[0021] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is also
adjusted by periodically skipping one or more frames of the display
programming.
[0022] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, periodically skipping one or more frames of the
display programming decreases the duration of the display
programming.
[0023] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjusted by skipping one or more frames of the display programming
when the exercise rate of the user is greater than the default
exercise rate.
[0024] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjusted by skipping one or more frames of the display programming
at regular intervals when the exercise rate of the user is greater
than the default exercise rate.
[0025] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjusted by skipping one or more frames of the display programming
at irregular intervals when the exercise rate of the user is
greater than the default exercise rate.
[0026] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the exercise rate of the user is determined by at
least one of the user's speed, the speed of the movable element, a
resistance applied to the moveable element, a degree of incline of
the movable element, and a degree of tilt of the movable
element.
[0027] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjusted by periodically skipping one or more frames of the display
programming when the exercise rate of the user is greater than the
default exercise rate.
[0028] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the one or more frames of the display programming
that are skipped are evenly spread out during the portion of the
display programming presented to the user while the exercise rate
of the user is greater than the default exercise rate.
[0029] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the presentation of the display programming is
adjusted by i) periodically pausing the display programming when
the exercise rate of the user is less than the default exercise
rate, and ii) periodically skipping one or more frames of the
display programming when the exercise rate of the user is greater
than the default exercise rate.
[0030] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the periodic pausing of the display programming and
the periodic skipping of one or more frames are done at generally
regular intervals when the exercise rate of the user is less than
or greater than the default exercise rate.
[0031] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, an exercise system includes a movable element, a
controller, and a display.
[0032] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the controller is operatively associated with the
movable element.
[0033] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the controller determines a distance traveled by
the user based on the exercise rate of the user.
[0034] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the display presents display programming to the
user that includes a plurality of images taken along a real world
trail.
[0035] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, each of the plurality of images is assigned a
distance value.
[0036] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, each image from the plurality of images is
presented to a user until the user's traveled distance is equal to
the distance value assigned to the presented image.
[0037] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, each image is taken at a known geographic location
along the real world trail.
[0038] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the assigned distance value for an image is
generally equal to the distance along the real world trail between
the geographic location where the image was taken and the
geographic location where a subsequent image was taken.
[0039] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the geographic locations for the images are known
using a GPS device.
[0040] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the display programming skips some of the images
when the distance value assigned to the images is relatively short,
when the user's exercise rate is relatively high, or a combination
thereof.
[0041] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the images of the display programming are presented
at a higher rate when the user's exercise rate increases.
[0042] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the images of the display programming are presented
at a lower rate when the user's exercise rate decreases.
[0043] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the exercise rate of the user is determined by at
least one of the user's speed, the speed of the movable element, a
resistance applied to the moveable element, a degree of incline of
the movable element, and a degree of tilt of the movable
element.
[0044] In another aspect of the disclosure, a method for
correlating the presentation of display programming with an
exercise rate includes creating display programming relating to a
real world trail.
[0045] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, creating the display programming includes
collecting geographic data relating to the real world trail.
[0046] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, creating the display programming includes
collecting a plurality of images of the real world trail.
[0047] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, creating the display programming includes assigning
each image a distance value based on the collected geographic
data.
[0048] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the method also includes displaying the display
programming on a display associated with on exercise device.
[0049] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, the method also includes presenting a new image
from the plurality of images each time the user of the exercise
device travels a distance substantially equal to the distance value
assigned to the previous image.
[0050] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, collecting geographic data includes collecting GPS
coordinates along the real world trail.
[0051] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, collecting the plurality of images comprises taking
a picture along the real world trail at a predetermined distance
after a previous picture was taken.
[0052] In another aspect that may be combined with any of the
aspects herein, assigning a distance value to each image comprises
determining the distance between the geographic locations where the
image was taken and where the previous image was taken.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0053] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary exercise device according to
the present invention.
[0054] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a general process
for adjusting the playback of display programming to correlate the
display programming to an exercise rate.
[0055] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary process
for decreasing the duration of display programming.
[0056] FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary process
for increasing the duration of display programming.
[0057] FIG. 5 depicts a person running along a real world trail
collecting image and geographic data for exercise programming.
[0058] FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary process
for collecting and correlating image and geographic data for
exercise programming.
[0059] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a general process
for adjusting the playback of display programming to correlate the
display programming to an exercise rate.
[0060] FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram of another general
process for adjusting the playback of display programming to
correlate the display programming to an exercise rate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0061] The present invention is directed to exercise systems and
devices, and particularly to exercise systems and devices that
display videos or other images during exercise. Even more
specifically, the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relate to
correlating the video or image playback to a user's rate of
exercise and/or presenting images of the real world to the user
based on the user's exercise rate.
[0062] Depicted in FIG. 1 is a representation of one illustrative
exercise device 10. Exercise device 10, which is illustrated as a
treadmill, in one embodiment, includes a console or control panel
12 having a display 13 and various inputs 15. Control panel 12 is
supported on a generally upright support structure 14. A treadbase
16 is mounted on base frame 22 and typically includes a front
pulley 28 and a rear pulley 30 (not shown) with a continuous belt
32 extending between and around front and rear pulleys 28 and 30,
respectively. Front and rear pulleys 28, 30 and continuous belt 32
may each be considered a movable element that is movable during the
performance of an exercise. A deck 34, commonly fabricated from
wood, typically supports the upper run of belt 32 and an exercising
individual positioned upon belt 32.
[0063] As is common with electric treadmills, at least one of front
pulley 28 and rear pulley 30 is mechanically connected to an
electric tread drive motor 36 (not shown) by way of a drive belt 38
(not shown). Motor 36 is optionally electrically connected to a
treadmill controller 40 (not shown) that controls the operation of
motor 36, and thus the speed of belt 32, in response to various
user inputs or other control signals. In addition to the ability to
control and vary the speed of belt 32, treadmill 10 may also permit
the degree of incline of treadbase 16 to be varied relative to the
floor, or other support surface upon which treadmill 10 rests.
Treadmill 10 may also permit treadbase 16 to be tilted from side to
side in order to more closely replicate walking or running on
outdoor terrain. The inclination, declination, and tilting of
treadbase 16 can be accomplished through the use of various
inclination and tilting mechanisms, as is known in the art. The
operation of one or more aspects of exercise device 10 may be
controlled, at least in part, by exercise programming that is
stored by exercise device 10, or stored on a separate device (e.g.,
a remote server, personal computer, portable memory device) which
communicates the exercise programming to exercise device 10.
[0064] The exercise programming may include one or more control
signals that control one or more operating parameters of exercise
device 10, such as the speed of the movable element, incline/tilt
of the movable element, difficulty of exercise program, time,
distance, and the like of an exercise program performed on exercise
device 10. The exercise programming may also include display
programming that is presented to a user on display 13 during
exercise. The display programming may include image data and/or
image data that has been formatted or manipulated so that it can be
displayed on display 13 of exercise device 10. Examples of such
display programming that can display images on display 13 include,
for example, video programming, sequential static image
programming, and/or a single image of, for example, real world
terrain that may optionally be simulated by exercise device 10.
[0065] The control signals and the display programming may be
synchronized so that the operating parameters of exercise device 10
correspond to the images displayed by the display programming. For
instance, if the display programming displays one or more images of
a hill that has an 8% grade and is 1/4 mile long, the control
signals may adjust the incline of the movable element to simulate
the 8% grade until the user has walked for 1/4 mile. The display
programming may then display one or more images of terrain having
different characteristics. The control signals may adjust the
operating parameters of exercise device 10 to simulate the terrain
shown in the newly displayed images. Synchronizing the control
signals and the display programming in this manner may create a
more realistic simulation of an actual outdoor experience for the
user.
[0066] While the synchronization of the control signals and the
display programming enables exercise device 10 to simulate the
terrain displayed by the display programming, to more accurately
simulate an actual outdoor exercise experience, the display
programming may also be correlated with the user's rate of exercise
or at least one of the operating parameters of exercise device 10
(e.g., the speed). For instance, the duration or the playback or
presentation rate of the display programming may need to be
increased or decreased if the user increases or decreases the speed
of the movable element.
[0067] If the duration or playback or presentation rate of the
display programming is not correlated with the user's rate of
exercise or at least one of the operating parameters of exercise
device 10, then the display programming may become out of synch
with the simulated terrain. For instance, using the previously
mentioned 8% grade, 1/4 mile long hill example, if the user
increases the speed of the movable element from two miles per hour
(mph) to four mph, the user would be able to "run up the hill" and
1/4 mile beyond before the display programming finished displaying
the images of the hill. Accordingly, as discussed in detail below,
the duration or playback or presentation rate of the display
programming can be related to the user's rate of exercise, as
indicated by the speed of the movable element, for example.
[0068] Exercise device 10 can monitor the actual operating
parameters of exercise device 10, such as the speed of the movable
element or the incline and tilt of the movable element. The
monitoring of the operating parameters of exercise device 10 can be
accomplished in any number of ways. For instance, exercise device
10 may include one or more sensors (not shown) that detect the
actual operating parameters of exercise device 10. For instance,
exercise device 10 may include a sensor that detects the number of
revolutions the movable element, a drive belt, or a motor makes in
a given time period. This value can be used to calculate how fast a
user would be walking, running, or otherwise exercising on exercise
device 10. Similarly, exercise device 10 may include sensors, such
as proximity sensors, for detecting the incline/tilt of the movable
element.
[0069] While the exercise programming has been described with
synchronized control signals and display programming, the exercise
programming may have other configurations. For instance, the
control signals and the display programming may be partially or
entirely asynchronous. Accordingly, the control signals may not
adjust the operating parameters of exercise device 10 to simulate
the terrain being displayed. Regardless of whether the control
signals and the display programming are synchronized with one
another, the duration or playback or presentation rate of the
display programming may be correlated to the user's rate of
exercise or at least one of the operating parameters of exercise
device 10 (e.g., the speed of the movable element).
[0070] Thus, for example, even if the display programming displays
terrain that is not simulated by exercise device 10, the duration
or playback rate of the display programming may still correspond to
how fast the user is exercising. For instance, the movable element
may be set at a 1% grade while the display programming displays
terrain having an 8% grade. Nevertheless, if the speed of movable
element is at five mph, the display programming may display at a
rate that would simulate the user moving along the displayed
terrain at five mph. Furthermore, if the user increased or
decreased the speed of the movable element, the duration or display
rate of the display programming may be increased or decreased
accordingly.
[0071] With attention to FIGS. 2-4, various exemplary method or
process steps will be discussed for adjusting the presentation of
the display programming according to one embodiment of the
invention. Following the discussion of FIGS. 2-4, FIGS. 5-8 will be
discussed, which illustrate various exemplary method or process
steps for adjusting the presentation of the display programming
according to other embodiments of the invention. In light of the
disclosure herein, it is understood that the presentation of the
display programming may be adjusted to maintain a synchronous
relationship between the simulated and displayed terrain, or simply
to maintain a temporal relationship between the user's rate of
exercise and the presentation of the display programming (e.g.,
higher exercise rate leads to shorter duration and/or higher
display rate of the display programming, and vice versa) regardless
of whether exercise device 10 simulates the displayed terrain.
[0072] With specific attention to FIG. 2, a general process for
correlating or maintaining the relationship between the display
programming and the exercise rate is illustrated. The process may
begin at step 50 by determining certain information about the
exercise programming. One of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize that the determination of this information, and the
related calculations, may be performed during the creation of the
exercise programming. Alternatively, exercise device 10 may make
these determinations and calculations prior to or while running the
exercise programming.
[0073] The determination of the information about the exercise
programming may include determining baseline information about the
exercise programming that may be used to correlate the display
programming with the user's exercise rate. For instance, as shown
at sub-step 51, the determination of the baseline information may
include determining the default display rate for the display
programming. Depending on the quality of the display programming,
the default display rate may differ. For instance, very low quality
display programming may have a frame rate as low as one frame every
two or three seconds. Whereas, high quality display programming may
have a frame rate of about 60 frames per second or higher. In
addition to determining the default display rate for the display
programming, this initial evaluation step may also determine the
default duration of the display programming, as indicated in
sub-step 53, or the distance of the course shown in the display
programming, as indicated in sub-step 55. For instance, it may be
determined that the display programming, running at the default
display rate, runs for a default duration of thirty minutes. It may
also be determined, for example, that the display programming
depicts a route that is three miles long.
[0074] Using at least some of the information about the display
programming, such as the information determined in sub-steps 51,
53, 55, a default exercise rate can be calculated. For instance, if
the display programming includes a video of a three mile long route
and the default duration of the video is 15 minutes, then a default
exercise rate of five mph can be calculated. Accordingly, the
display programming may be displayed at the default display rate as
long as the user runs on exercise device 10 at five mph. If the
user exercises faster or slower on exercise device 10, the duration
of the display programming may be increased or decreased to
correlate or maintain the relationship between the display
programming and the exercise rate. In other words, the duration of
the display programming may be adjusted based on the user's
exercise rate so that the display programming runs for
approximately the same amount of time as the user is
exercising.
[0075] The next step in the process for correlating or maintaining
the relationship between the display programming and the exercise
rate is shown at step 52. Specifically, at step 57 it is determined
whether the actual exercise rate is the same as the default
exercise rate. As indicated at step 59, this determination may be
made by comparing the actual exercise rate (e.g., the speed at
which the user is exercising on exercise device 10 as indicated by
the speed of the movable element, for example) to the default
exercise rate. As discussed above, exercise device 10 may include
sensors or other mechanisms for monitoring the speed of the movable
element, for instance, thereby allowing exercise device 10 to
determine the actual exercise rate of the user. If the user's
actual exercise rate is the same as the default exercise rate, the
default duration of the display programming is maintained, as shown
in step 54. That is, as long as the user exercises on exercise
device 10 at the default exercise rate, the display programming may
be presented at the default display rate and over the default
duration to maintain the relationship between the exercise rate and
the display programming.
[0076] However, if the actual exercise rate is not the same as the
default exercise rate, the process moves to step 56 where it is
determined whether the actual exercise rate is higher than the
default exercise rate. Again, this determination may be made by
comparing the actual exercise rate (e.g., the speed at which the
user is exercising on exercise device 10 as indicated by the speed
of the movable element, for example) to the default exercise rate.
If the actual exercise rate of the user is higher than the default
exercise rate (e.g., the user is running faster than five mph),
then the process moves to step 58, where the duration of the
display programming is decreased to maintain the relationship
between the exercise rate and the display programming. An exemplary
process for decreasing the duration of the display programming is
discussed in greater detail below in connection with FIG. 3.
[0077] If it is determined at step 56 that the actual exercise rate
is not higher than the default exercise rate, then, by process of
elimination, it is known that the actual exercise rate is lower
than the default exercise rate. At this point, the process moves to
step 60, where the duration of the display programming is increased
to maintain the relationship between the exercise rate and the
display programming. An exemplary process for increasing the
duration of the display programming is discussed in greater detail
below in connection with FIG. 4.
[0078] Turning to FIG. 3, an exemplary process for decreasing the
duration of the display programming is illustrated. As discussed
above, once it is determined at step 56 that the actual exercise
rate is higher than the default exercise rate, the process moves to
step 58, where the duration of the display programming is decreased
to maintain the relationship between the exercise rate and the
display programming.
[0079] As shown at step 61 in FIG. 3, the process for decreasing
the duration of the display programming may include determining the
difference between the actual exercise rate and the default
exercise rate. For instance, if the default exercise rate is five
mph and the actual exercise rate is seven and one-half mph, the
difference between the two rates is an increase of two and one-half
mph. A variance factor between the actual and default exercise
rates may be determined in optional step 62. Continuing with the
previous example, for instance, a two and one-half mph increase in
the actual exercise rate over the five mph default exercise results
in a variance factor of one and one-half. In other words, the
actual exercise rate is 50% higher than the default exercise rate.
In this example, increasing the actual exercise rate by a variance
factor of one and one-half or 50% more than the default exercise
rate results in the user exercising fast enough to complete the
course displayed in the display programming in a time that is about
2/3 the original length of the display programming.
[0080] As a result of a difference between the actual exercise rate
and the default exercise rate, the duration of the display
programming is decreased in order to maintain the relationship
between the exercise rate and the display programming, as indicated
in step 58 of FIG. 2. More specifically, at step 64 of FIG. 3, a
modified duration for the display programming is determined using
the difference between the actual and default exercise rates. In
other words, the duration of the display programming is adjusted so
that the duration of the display programming corresponds to the
time it will take the user to traverse the depicted course at the
user's actual exercise rate. For instance, in the above example,
the duration of the display programming is decreased sufficiently
so that the total length of the display programming is about 2/3 of
its original length.
[0081] The modified duration may be calculated in various manners.
For instance, one optional method for determining the modified
duration is indicated in step 66. According to step 66, the
variance factor determined in step 62 is applied to the default
duration. As is known, over a given distance, rate and time are
inversely proportional to one another. Accordingly, when the
display programming depicts a course of a specific length and the
exercise rate is increased by a known variance factor, then the
time during which the display programming depicts the course must
be decreased by the known variance factor. For instance, if the
actual exercise rate is increased over the default exercise rate by
a variance factor of 1.5, then the time during which the display
programming displays the course must be decreased by the 1.5
variance factor (e.g., a 30 minute display programming must be
presented in 20 minutes).
[0082] Decreasing the total time for presenting the display
programming by the variance factor requires decreasing the duration
of the display programming by the variance factor. In other words,
in order to present the depicted course from beginning to end in a
period of time shortened by a variance factor, the default duration
will need to be decreased by the variance factor. As discussed
below, decreasing the default duration by the variance factor may
include reducing the number of frames of the display programming
that are presented to the user.
[0083] The present system may monitor the actual exercise rate
compared to the default exercise rate and determined the difference
therebetween at specified intervals, such as every fifty
milliseconds (ms) or more or less frequently, or on a substantially
continuous and ongoing basis. Regardless of the frequency of the
monitoring and calculations, once the difference between the actual
and default exercise rates is determined, the system may adjust the
duration of the display programming accordingly to maintain the
relationship between the exercise rate and the display programming.
Thus, if the user exercises at the default exercise rate for a
portion of the exercise programming and above or below the default
exercise rate for other portions of the exercise programming, the
duration of the display programming may be adjusted to maintain the
desired relationship between the exercise rate and the display
programming throughout the entire exercise program. That is, the
duration of the display programming may be left at the default
duration when the user is running at the default exercise rate
while also being adjusted during the times the user is running
faster or slower than the default exercise rate.
[0084] As noted elsewhere herein, adjusting the presentation of the
display programming may be accomplished by modifying playback speed
or display rate of a video, such as by altering the duration time
stamps on each frame of the video so that each frame is displayed
for a longer or shorter period of time. This type of process
requires a complex program to perform the necessary calculations
and the like. To provide a simpler, more efficient system, the
present process does not modify duration time stamps that may exist
in the display programming. Rather, the present process adjusts the
duration of the display programming by periodically skipping frames
to decrease the duration of the display programming, as indicated
in step 68 of FIG. 3.
[0085] By way of example, if the display programming has a default
display rate of twenty-five frames per second, a default duration
of thirty minutes, and the actual exercise rate is increased by a
variance factor of one and one-half (e.g., 50% higher than the
default exercise rate), the user will run far enough to complete
the course displayed in the display programming in a time that is
about 2/3 the original time of the display programming.
Accordingly, to shorten the display programming to about 2/3 its
default duration, the variance factor is be applied to the display
programming to reduce the number of frames presented to the user.
The reduction in the number of frames presented to the user may be
accomplished by periodically skipping frames.
[0086] For instance, with a display rate of twenty-five frames per
second for a thirty minute workout at the default exercise rate of
five mph, the display programming would include about 45,000
frames. In order to shorten the display programming to about twenty
minutes (e.g., the time it would take the user to run the length of
the displayed workout at seven and one-half mph), about 1/3 of the
frames (e.g., 15,000) would be skipped. In other words, the number
of frames presented to the user would be reduced from the total
number of frames in the display programming by the variance factor
(e.g., 45,000/1.5=30,000).
[0087] In order to present the display programming in a relatively
smooth manner that appears to the user as a complete course from
beginning to end, the skipped frames can be spread throughout the
display programming, rather than simply skipping the end of the
display programming. In the example described above, for instance,
the system may skip every third frame. In another exemplary
embodiment, about every one hundred twenty milliseconds (ms) the
system may skip a frame. In still other embodiments, the system may
skip multiple frames at once. For instance, every two hundred forty
ms the system may skip two frames. Accordingly, the system may
periodically skip frames at regular intervals, either based on time
or the number of displayed frames, to shorten the display
programming to maintain the relationship between the display
programming and the exercise rate (e.g., the display programming
will be displayed at a rate that is commensurate with the user's
actual rate of exercise).
[0088] Notably, the present embodiment allows for the display
programming to be presented at the default display rate regardless
of whether the user exercises at or above the default exercise rate
or whether the actual duration of the display programming is the
same as or shorter than the default duration. This is made possible
by adjusting both the number of frames and the duration of the
display programming by the same variance factor. As a result, the
display programming may be presented to the user is a smooth
consistent manner throughout.
[0089] It will be appreciated that the specific values identified
herein (e.g., display rates, exercise rates, durations, frames,
times, etc.) are provided merely by way of example. The system may
adjust the presentation of the display programming by periodically
skipping frames as discussed herein regardless of the default
duration, the default display rate, the difference between the
default and actual exercise rates, and the like. It will also be
understood that the system may skip frames at non-regular intervals
to maintain the relationship between the display programming and
the exercise rate. By way of non-limiting example, the system may
skip a frame after one hundred twenty ms, then skip two frames
after sixty ms, then skip one frame after two hundred ms, and the
like.
[0090] Attention is now directed to FIG. 4, which illustrates an
exemplary process for increasing the duration of the display
programming. As discussed above, once it is determined at step 56
that the actual exercise rate is lower than the default exercise
rate, the process moves to step 60, where the duration of the
display programming is increased to maintain the relationship
between the exercise rate and the display programming.
[0091] Similar to the process described in connection with FIG. 3,
the process for increasing the duration of the display programming
may include determining the difference between the actual exercise
rate and the default exercise rate, as shown at step 68 in FIG. 4.
For instance, if the default exercise rate is five mph and the
actual exercise rate is two and one-half mph, the difference
between the two rates is a decrease of two and one-half mph. A
variance factor between the actual and default exercise rates may
be determined in optional step 69. Continuing with this example, a
two and one-half mph decrease in the actual exercise rate relative
to the five mph default exercise rate results in a variance factor
of one-half. In other words, the actual exercise rate is 50% of the
default exercise rate. Decreasing the actual exercise rate by a
variance factor of one-half or 50% of the default exercise rate
results in the user taking twice as long to run far enough to
complete the course displayed in the display programming. In other
words, if the display programming depicts a 12/3 mile course that
would take twenty minutes to run at the five mph default exercise
rate, it would take the user forty minutes to run the 12/3 mile
course at the actual exercise rate of two and one-half mph.
[0092] As a result of a difference between the actual exercise rate
and the default exercise rate, the duration of the display
programming is increased in order to maintain the relationship
between the exercise rate and the display programming. More
specifically, at step 70, a modified duration for the display
programming is determined using the difference between the actual
and default exercise rates. In other words, the duration of the
display programming is adjusted so that the duration of the display
programming corresponds to the time it will take the user to
traverse the depicted course at the user's actual exercise rate.
For instance, in this example, the duration is increased
sufficiently so that the total length of the display programming is
about twice as long as its original length (e.g., about 40
minutes).
[0093] Similar to the discussion of steps 64 and 66 above, the
modified duration identified in step 70 may be calculated in
various manners. For instance, one optional method for determining
the modified duration is indicated in step 71. According to step
71, the variance factor determined in step 69 is applied to the
default duration. When the display programming depicts a course of
a specific length and the exercise rate is decreased by a known
variance factor, the time during which the display programming
depicts the course must be increased by the known variance factor
(e.g., modified duration=default duration/variance factor). For
instance, if the actual exercise rate is decreased relative to the
default exercise rate by a variance factor of one-half, then the
time during which the display programming displays the course must
be increased by the one-half variance factor (e.g., twenty minute
display programming must be presented in forty minutes). In other
words, in order to present the depicted course from beginning to
end in the same period of time it will take the user to complete
the course, the duration of the display programming needs to be
increased by same variance factor determined from the difference
between the actual and default exercise rates. As discussed below,
increasing the duration of the display programming by the variance
factor may include periodically pausing the display
programming.
[0094] As noted above, the present system may monitor the actual
exercise rate compared to the default exercise rate and determine
the difference therebetween and/or the variance factor continuously
or at specified intervals. In either case, once the difference
between the actual and default exercise rates or the variance
factor is determined, the system may determine the needed increase
in the duration of the display programming, as indicated in step
70, to maintain the relationship between the exercise rate and the
display programming. Rather than modify the duration time stamps on
each frame of the video to adjust the length of the display
programming as discussed elsewhere herein, the present system
increases the duration of the display programming by periodically
pausing the display programming, as indicated at step 72 in FIG.
4.
[0095] In order to present the display programming to the user in a
manner that appears relatively smooth from beginning to end, the
display programming may be briefly paused at various points while
the user is exercising at a rate that is below the default exercise
rate. In the example described above where the actual exercise rate
was half the default exercise rate, for instance, the system may
pause the display programming for one hundred ms every one hundred
ms. Pausing the display programming for one hundred ms every one
hundred ms will effectively double the duration of the display
programming. Alternatively, the system may pause the display
programming every fifty ms for fifty ms, or at other rates that
effectively double the length of the display programming.
[0096] The system may pause the display programming at different
intervals, whether regularly spaced or not. By way of non-limiting
example, the system may pause the display programming every
twenty-five ms, fifty ms, seventy-five ms, one hundred ms, two
hundred ms, at other intervals, or combinations thereof. Rather
than basing the pausing intervals on time, the pausing intervals
may be determined by the number of frames displayed. For instance,
the system may pause the display programming after six frames have
been displayed. Similarly, the length of each pause may be the same
or different from other pauses. For example, the length of pauses
may be twenty-five ms, fifty ms, one hundred ms, other lengths, or
combinations thereof.
[0097] Accordingly, to lengthen the duration of the display
programming to maintain the relationship between the display
programming and the exercise rate (e.g., the display programming
will be displayed at a rate that is commensurate with the user's
actual rate of exercise), the system may periodically pause the
display programming for regular or irregular lengths of time and at
regular or irregular intervals, either based on time or the number
of displayed frames. Thus, it will be appreciated that the specific
values identified herein (e.g., display rates, durations, exercise
rates, frames, times, pause intervals, pause durations, etc.) are
provided merely by way of example. The system may adjust the
duration of the display programming by periodically pausing frames
as discussed herein regardless of the default display rate, the
difference between the default and actual exercise rates, default
duration, and the like.
[0098] As noted above, the display programming is periodically
paused when the user is exercising at a rate that is below the
default exercise rate. As a result, the number of frames presented
to the user during a given time period (e.g., the actual display
rate of the display programming) may be lower than the default
display rate of the display programming. Nevertheless, when the
display programming is not paused, the display programming may be
presented to the user at the default display rate. In other words,
when the user is exercising below the default exercise rate, the
display programming may be played or paused. During the time the
display programming is being played (i.e., the times between
pauses), the display programming is presented at the default
display rate.
[0099] Attention is now directed to FIGS. 5-8, which illustrate
process steps for creating display programming and correlating the
display programming with a user's exercise rate. More specifically,
FIGS. 5-8 illustrate exemplary process steps for correlating images
of real world locations with geographic data for the real world
locations and presenting the real world images to the user based on
the user's exercise rate.
[0100] FIG. 5 illustrates a person 100 running along a real world
trail 102 collecting data for inclusion in exercise programming.
The data being collected may include image data, including
sequential static images and/or video. As shown in FIG. 5, the
image data may be collected using a camera 104 held or warn by
person 100. Additional data being collected may include geographic
data relating to trail 102 and its surroundings. For instance, the
geographic data may include location data (e.g., GPS coordinates),
topographical data (e.g., slope in one or more directions),
altitude data, and the like. The geographic data may be collected
by one or more suitable devices, shown in FIG. 5 as device 106. For
example, device 106 may be a GPS receiver, an altimeter, pedometer,
accelerometer, combinations thereof, and the like.
[0101] In some embodiments, device 106 may collect all the
geographic data needed for the exercise programming. In other
embodiments, device 106 may collect some of the geographic data,
which may then be used to determine the other geographic data
needed. For instance, device 106 may be a GPS receiver that
collects GPS coordinates along trail 102 as person 100 runs
therealong. The collected GPS data may then be used along with data
from a database or other source to determine the other geographic
data needed for the exercise programming. For example, the
collected GPS data may be used in conjunction with topographical
data available from a database to determine the slope between two
points along trail 102.
[0102] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, camera 104 and
device 106 are separate devices that are warn or carried by person
100. In other embodiments, however, camera 104 and device 106 may
be mounted on a vehicle, such as a bicycle, motorcycle, snowmobile,
scooter, car, or the like. Furthermore, camera 104 and device 106
may be incorporated into a single unit that collects both
geographic data and image data.
[0103] Regardless of whether camera 104 and device 106 are separate
or part of a single unit, the data collected thereby may be
correlated so that each collected GPS coordinate is associated with
at least one image of the real world location at the GPS
coordinate. FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram showing one
exemplary method for correlating the collected data. According to
the method of FIG. 6, at least some of the collected data is
correlated substantially simultaneously with the collection of the
data. To facilitate the substantially simultaneous collection and
correlation of the data, camera 104 and device 106 may communicate
with one another either through a wired or wireless connection.
[0104] The method of FIG. 6 begins at step 108 with device 106
collecting or storing a GPS coordinate for the location at which
person 100 is positioned. Upon collection of the GPS coordinate,
device 106 sends a signal to camera 104 in step 110. If camera 104
takes still frame images, the signal from device 106 may cause
camera 104 to take a picture substantially at the location where
the GPS coordinate is collected, as indicated in step 112. In
contrast, if camera 104 is a video camera, the signal from device
106 may tag or mark the video with the collected GPS coordinate
substantially at the time the tagged portion of the video is taken.
In this manner the image data and geographic data may be correlated
to one another.
[0105] Camera 104 and device 106 may continue the process of
collecting and correlating the image and geographic data while
person 100 runs along trail 102. For instance, device 106 may be
designed to collect or store a GPS coordinate whenever person 100
has moved a predetermined distance. As indicated in step 114 of
FIG. 6, device 106 may monitor the location of person 100 and
determine, based upon changes in GPS coordinates, how far person
100 has moved. The changes in GPS coordinates may be used to
determine whether person 100 has moved the predetermined distance,
as indicated in step 116. If person 100 has not moved the
predetermined distance yet, the process returns to step 114. In
contrast, if person 100 has moved the predetermined distance, the
process returns to step 110, where a signal is sent to camera 106
to take a picture or mark the video. Thus, each time device 106
collects or stores a GPS coordinate that is a predetermined
distance away from the previous GPS coordinate, device 106 sends a
signal to camera 104 to cause camera 104 to take a picture or mark
the video substantially at the collected or stored GPS
coordinate.
[0106] In other embodiments, however, camera 104 and device 106 may
not communicate with one another to correlate the image data and
the geographic data. Rather, camera 104 may collect the image data
and device 106 may collect the geographic data, and the collected
data may be correlated later. For instance, camera 104 may collect
the image data at a certain rate (e.g., 24 frames per second) and
device 106 may track, in addition to the GPS coordinates, the speed
of person 100 moving along trail 102. This separate data may be
manipulated later to correlate the image data with the geographic
data so that each image of trail 102 is linked to the location
along trail 102 (e.g., the GPS coordinates) where the image was
taken. Regardless of the correlation method, correlating the image
data with the geographic data allows a user on exercise device 10
to be presented with images of real world locations at a rate that
generally corresponds to the user's exercise rate.
[0107] The predetermined distance between the collection of each
piece of geographic or image data may be set at a specific value.
For instance, the predetermined distance may be set so that the
display programming may be played back at a desired default frame
rate. By way of example, the predetermined distance may be set so
that the display programming is played backed to the user of
exercise device 10 at a rate of sixty frames per second when the
user is exercising at a default exercise rate, such as one mph.
When the user is exercising at the default exercise rate, the
entirety of the display programming may be presented to the user at
the default frame rate.
[0108] The playback of the display programming may be adjusted when
the user's exercise rate is above or below the default exercise
rate. For instance, when the user is exercising below the default
exercise rate, the frame rate of the display programming may be
decreased. In contrast, when the user is exercising above the
default exercise rate, the playback of the display programming may
be altered while maintaining the default display rate, such as by
decreasing the duration of the display programming through
periodically skipping frames of the display programming.
[0109] For instance, FIG. 7 illustrates one exemplary method for
presenting images of the real world location to the user based on
the user's exercise rate. The method begins in step 118, where the
user's actual exercise rate is determined. This may be done by
monitoring the speed of the movable element or other components of
exercise device 10 as discussed herein. In step 120 it is
determined if the user is exercising at the default exercise rate.
Specifically, at step 122 it is determined whether the user's
actual exercise rate is the same as the default exercise rate. As
indicated at step 124, one option for making this determination is
to compare the actual exercise rate (e.g., the speed at which the
user is exercising on exercise device 10 as indicated by the speed
of the movable element, for example) to the default exercise rate.
As discussed above, exercise device 10 may include sensors or other
mechanisms for monitoring the speed of the movable element, for
instance, thereby allowing exercise device 10 to determine the
actual exercise rate of the user.
[0110] Another option for determining whether the user's exercise
rate is the same as the default exercise rate is indicated in step
126. Specifically, a comparison may be made between the distance
the user has traveled and the distance depicted in the display
programming during the same time period. If the user has traveled
the same distance as that depicted in the display programming, then
the user's exercise rate is the same as the default exercise rate.
In contrast, if the user has traveled a distance that is either
longer or shorter than the depicted distance, then the user's
exercise rate is higher or lower, respectively, than the default
exercise rate. Exercise device 10 may include sensors or other
mechanisms for monitoring the distance traveled by the user over a
given period of time, such as sensors for detecting the number of
revolutions made by the movable element is a given period of
time.
[0111] If the user's actual exercise rate is the same as the
default exercise rate, then a default duration of the display
programming is maintained, as shown in step 128. That is, as long
as the user exercises on exercise device 10 at the default exercise
rate, the display programming may be presented in its entirety at
the default display rate to maintain the relationship between the
exercise rate and the display programming.
[0112] However, if the actual exercise rate is not the same as the
default exercise rate, the process moves to step 130 where it is
determined whether the actual exercise rate is higher than the
default exercise rate, which may be done using any method described
herein. If the actual exercise rate of the user is higher than the
default exercise rate (e.g., the user is running faster than one
mph), then the process moves to step 132, where the duration of the
display programming is decreased. As discussed herein, the length
or duration of the display programming (e.g., the running time) may
be adjusted to correlate the display programming with the user's
exercise rate. Otherwise, for example, the user may run far enough
to complete a course before the display programming finishes
displaying the course.
[0113] According to the present embodiment, the duration of the
display programming may be decreased by periodically skipping
frames of the display programming, as indicated at step 134. The
number of frames to be skipped can be determined in order to
maintain the default display rate. Thus, for example, if the user's
actual exercise rate was twice the default exercise rate, then half
of the display programming frames would be skipped while the other
half of the frames would be presented to the user at the default
display rate. In this manner, the duration of the display
programming may be adjusted to correspond to the time it will take
the user to complete the course depicted in the display
programming. Furthermore, by spreading the skipped frames out
throughout the display programming, the display programming will
still present a generally realistic depiction of the course from
beginning to end.
[0114] Various processes can be used to determine the number of
frames to be skipped, including a process similar to the process
shown in FIG. 3. In particular, a variance factor can be calculated
based on the difference between the actual exercise rate and the
default exercise. The variance factor may then be applied to the
display programming by dividing the total number of frames in the
display programming by the variance factor. The resulting number
will be the number of frames that may be presented to the user at
the default display rate in the time it will take the user to
complete the depicted course.
[0115] By way of example, if the default exercise rate was one mph,
the default display rate was sixty frames per second, and the
default duration of the display programming was thirty minutes,
then the display programming would include 108,000 frames. If the
actual exercise rate was four mph, then the variance factor would
be four (e.g., four mph/one mph=variance factor of four). Dividing
the 108,000 frames by the variance factor of four results in 27,000
frames that may be displayed to the user during the time it will
take the user to travel far enough to complete the course depicted
in the display programming.
[0116] Thus, like the previous embodiments, the display programming
of the present embodiment may be presented to the user at a default
display rate regardless of whether the user exercises at or above
the default exercise rate or whether the actual duration of the
display programming is the same as or shorter than the default
duration.
[0117] Returning to FIG. 7, if it is determined at step 130 that
the actual exercise rate is not higher than the default exercise
rate, then, by process of elimination, it is known that the actual
exercise rate is lower than the default exercise rate. At this
point, the process moves to step 136, where the duration of the
display programming is increased to maintain the relationship
between the exercise rate and the display programming. Increasing
the duration of the display programming may be accomplished in a
variety of ways. For instance, as indicated at step 138, the
display programming may be periodically paused, such as based upon
a variance factor relating to the actual and default exercise
rates. Alternatively, the default exercise rate may be set low
enough that a lower actual exercise rate will result in the display
programming presenting once or more static images to the user.
[0118] With attention to FIG. 8, there is illustrated an
alternative process for adjusting the presentation of the display
programming based on an exercise rate that is different from the
default exercise rate. The process begins at step 140, where the
user's actual exercise rate is determined in any manner discussed
herein. In step 142 it is determined how far the user has traveled.
This can be calculated using the exercise rate and the elapsed
time. In step 144, the distance traveled by the user is then
compared to a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance to
which the traveled distance is compared to is the same
predetermined distance used in collecting the geographic data, as
described above. For example, if device 106 collects or stores a
GPS coordinate at a predetermined distance of every inch, then the
user's traveled distance is monitored to determine if he or she has
traveled an inch. Other predetermined distances may be used. By way
of non-limiting example, the predetermined distance may be equal to
one half inch, one inch, two inches, six inches, twelve inches,
three feet, and the like.
[0119] If it is determined in step 144 that the user has not
traveled the predetermined distance, then the process returns to
step 142. In contrast, if the user has traveled the predetermined
distance, then a new image from the image data (e.g., a new image
of trail 102) is presented to the user in step 146. After the new
image is presented to the user, the process returns to step 140
where it is determined whether the user's exercise rate has
changed, and the process continues on until the user has completed
traversing the simulation of trail 102.
[0120] As a result, each time the user has traveled the
predetermined distance, a new image of the real world location is
presented to the user. The newly presented image corresponds to the
location on real world trail 102 where the user would be if the
user were actually traversing trail 102. By way of example, when
the user has run a distance of five feet on exercise device 10, an
image taken at the GPS coordinate five feet along trail 102 will be
presented to the user. As the user continues to run on exercise
device 10, new images will be presented to the user that correspond
to the GPS coordinates at the distance along trail 102 that equal
the distance the user has run.
[0121] In other words, each image of trail 102 may be assigned a
distance value, such as the predetermined distance used when
collecting the data for the exercise programming. Each image will
be displayed on exercise device 10 until the user has run the
distance assigned to each image. Once the user has run the distance
assigned to the image being displayed, exercise device 10 will
display the next image of trail 102 until the user has run the
distance associated with the new image, and so on. It is understood
that the predetermined distance may be relatively short so that the
images of the display programming are presented relatively
frequently. For instance, the predetermined distance may be short
enough that the user is able to relatively quickly travel the
predetermined distance, thereby triggering the presentation of a
new image frequently enough that the display programming is
presented at a relatively high frame rate.
[0122] While various values are presented herein for the
predetermined distance between collected GPS coordinates and images
of trail 102, these values are merely exemplary. Other
predetermined distances may be used when collecting GPS coordinates
and taking pictures of trail 102, and thus the distance values
assigned to the images of trail 102. Furthermore, the GPS
coordinates may be collected at uniform or non-uniform intervals.
As a result, the images of trail 102 may be taken at uniform or
non-uniform intervals and the distance values assigned to each
image of trail 102 may be equal to or different than one
another.
[0123] Returning to FIG. 8, if it is determined in step 140 that
the user's exercise rate is higher or lower than a previous
exercise rate, the rate at which the images of trail 102 are
presented will be adjusted. For instance, if the user is exercising
slower than before, it will take the user longer to traverse the
predetermined distance or the distance assigned to the images of
trail 102. As a result, new images of trail 102 will be presented
at a less frequent rate (e.g., only when the user has traveled the
predetermined distance or the distance assigned to the images of
trail 102). Similarly, if the user is running faster than before,
it will take the user less time to run the predetermined distance
or the distance assigned to the images of trail 102. As a result,
new images of trail 102 will be presented more frequently (e.g., as
soon as the user has traveled the predetermined distance or the
distance assigned to the images of trail 102).
[0124] Depending on the length of the predetermined distance (and
thus the number of images of trail 102 in the display programming)
and the user's exercise rate, it may be desirable to skip some of
the images of trail 102 so that the images of trail 102 are
presented in a fluid, realistic manner. For instance, if the
predetermined distance or the distance assigned to the images of
trail 102 is relatively short and the user's exercise rate is
relatively high, then the display would have to present a new image
of trail 102 at a high frequency.
[0125] By way of example, if device 106 collects a GPS coordinate
and camera 106 takes a picture every one-half inch, then a new
image of trail 102 would be presented to the user each time the
user has traveled one-half inch. If the user is running on exercise
device 10 at a rate of about 6 mph, for example, then a new image
of trail 102 would have to be presented about every 0.0047
seconds.
[0126] Rather than presenting a new image of trail 102 at such a
high frequency, one or more of the images of trail 102 may be
skipped as described herein. In other words, rather than presenting
a new image each time the user has traveled the predetermined
distance (e.g., one-half inch), the system may present a new image
of trail 102 at a rate that is closer to a standard display rate
(e.g., twenty-four frames per second, fifty frames per second,
sixty frames per second, seventy frames per second, etc.).
According to the present example (e.g., a predetermined distance of
one-half inch and an exercise rate of 6 mph), the system may
display a new image each time the user has traveled about one and
one-half inches, one and three-quarter inches, two and one-quarter
inches, or four feet. Displaying new images when the user has
traveled these distances would be about the equivalent of
displaying new images at the above-mentioned standard display
rates.
[0127] Thus, according to the embodiments of FIGS. 5-8, the display
programming may include images taken at specific distances or known
locations along a real word route so that the images are associated
with the specific distances or know locations along the real word
route. The specific distances or know locations along the real word
route may then be used to present the images to the user of
exercise device 10 based on the user's exercise rate.
[0128] In addition to correlating the presentation of the display
programming with the user's exercise rate, various additional
features may be included in the display programming. For instance,
the image data collected by camera 104 may include generally static
scenery overlaid with images of moving elements. More particularly,
the image data collected by camera 104 may include images of
trails, mountains, lakes, buildings, streets, and other objects or
scenery that are relatively stationary. Images of moving objects,
such as birds, people, cars, waving tree branches and leaves, etc.
may be overlaid on the images of the static objects/scenery.
Overlaying the moving elements on the statics images may increase
the realistic nature of the display programming, its aesthetic
appeal, or other stimulatory quality. Furthermore, collecting image
data relating to static objects/scenery and overlaying it with
moving images may avoid playback distortions. That is, if the image
data collected by camera 104 included moving objects, adjusting the
playback rate of the collected images may result in distortions in
the moving images, such as wheels turning backwards, and the like.
To avoid these possible distortions, camera 104 may collect images
of relatively static objects/scenery, which images act as a back
drop to the images of moving elements. The playback rate of the
back drop images may then be adjusted independently from the moving
images so that both the images of both the static objects and the
moving elements are presented to the user in a realistic
manner.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0129] In general, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to
exercise systems that control the presentation of display
programming based on the user's exercise rate. The system may
include an exercise device, such as a treadmill, an exercise cycle,
a Nordic style ski exercise device, a rower, a stepper, a hiker, a
climber, an elliptical, or a striding exercise device, with one or
more selectively adjustable operating parameters. The adjustable
operating parameters allow the exercise device to simulate
real-world terrain or otherwise vary the operation of the exercise
device. For instance, a treadmill may have one or more adjustable
incline mechanisms for allowing the treadmill to simulate a descent
down a hill, an ascent up a hill, or traversing across a hill. The
exercise device may also have one or more motors, brakes, or other
mechanisms, that can alter the speed, resistance, and the like of
the exercise performed on the exercise device. In addition, the
exercise device may also present display programming to the user.
The display programming may include visual representations of
real-world terrain, whether or not that terrain is simulated by the
exercise device. The combination of the adjustable operating
parameters and the display programming creates a more enjoyable and
realistic virtual experience for the user of the exercise
device.
[0130] While exercise systems have attempted to create virtual
experiences for users, the realistic nature of these virtual
experiences has generally been limited. For instance, correlating
the playback rate of display programming and the user's rate of
exercise has been challenging. Systems that have attempted to
achieve a high rate of correlation between the display rate and the
exercise rate are typically very complex.
[0131] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide simple and
efficient mechanisms for correlating the presentation of display
programming with the user's exercise rate. For instance, the
present system monitors the user's actual exercise rate and adjusts
the presentation of the display programming to correspond to the
user's exercise rate. Thus, for example, as the user runs faster on
a treadmill, the duration of the display programming is decreased
accordingly, and vice versa. As a result, the display programming
is presented to the user in a manner that gives the user the sense
of running through the displayed terrain at the same rate at which
the user is actually running.
[0132] The duration of the display programming may be altered in
various ways. For example, the display programming duration may be
decreased by skipping frames. Skipping frames effectively shortens
the total length of the display programming. Nevertheless, the
display programming may still present a substantially complete
course to the user. That is, even while skipping frames, the
display programming may still present a generally realistic
representation of a course from beginning to end. This is
accomplished by skipping frames periodically throughout the display
programming. For instance, every third frame may be skipped, or
frames may be skipped at specific time intervals, such as skipping
one frame every fifty ms. Skipping frames in this manner may be
unnoticeable to a user.
[0133] Another way that the duration of the display programming may
be altered is by periodically pausing the display programming.
Periodically pausing the display programming effectively lengthens
the total duration of the display programming. Nevertheless, the
display programming may still present what appears to be a
relatively smooth flowing representation to the user. That is, even
with periodic pauses, the display programming may still present a
generally realistic representation of the course. This is
accomplished by periodically pausing throughout the display
programming. For instance, the display programming may be paused at
certain regular or irregular time intervals (e.g., every fifty ms,
every one hundred ms, etc.) or after a certain number of frames
have been displayed (e.g., pause after every third frame). The
pauses may also be for specific durations (e.g., each pause is
fifty ms, one hundred ms, etc.). The frequency and duration of the
pauses may be short enough that the user does not notice that the
display programming is being paused.
[0134] By skipping frames or pausing the display programming, the
disclosed system allows for display programming to be presented to
a user at a rate that corresponds to the user's exercise rate and
in a manner that appears relatively smooth and complete to the
user. Adjusting the duration of the display programming in this
manner makes the virtual experience more realistic and enjoyable
for the user.
[0135] Still another way of correlating the presentation of real
world images with the user's exercise rate uses geographic data
relating to the real world images and the user's exercise rate on
the exercise device. The images of a real world trail may be taken
at known locations or at known distances apart from one another
(e.g., via GPS data). Each image may then be assigned a distance
value that is about equal to the distance between the location
where the image was taken and the location where the next image was
taken. During playback of the images on the exercise device, the
images may be presented to the user at a specific frame rate. If
the user is exercising at a default exercise rate, then all of the
images in the display programming are presented to the user. If the
user increases the exercise rate above the default exercise rate,
frames of the display programming are periodically skipped to
maintain the specific frame rate. The skipped frames may be spread
through the display programming so that the display programming
still presents to the user a realistic depiction of the course from
beginning to end.
[0136] Yet another way of correlating the presentation of real
world images with the user's exercise rate is based on how far the
user has traveled. Each image in the display programming is
assigned a specific distance, and each image is presented until the
user has traveled a distance that is about equal to the distance
value assigned to each image. Thus, if a user increases or
decreases his speed, it will take less or more time to travel the
distance assigned to each image. As a result each image will be
displayed for shorter or longer periods of time based on the user's
exercise rate.
[0137] Nevertheless, as with other embodiments, there may be
instances where not all of the images of the real world trail are
presented to the user. For instance, if the assigned distance value
for the images is very short or if the user's exercise rate is
relatively high, then it may not be necessary or practical to
present each of the images. Rather, some of the images may be
skipped while still presenting the display programming at a rate
that appears to the user like a video. For instance, rather than
presenting a new image to the user each time the user has traveled
the distance assigned to each image, a new image may be presented
once the user has traveled two, three, four, or more times the
assigned distance.
[0138] While the embodiments described herein have focused on
relating the presentation of the display programming to the user's
speed or the speed of a movable element on an exercise device, the
present system may also correlate the presentation of the display
programming to other exercise rates or parameters. For instance,
the display programming may be correlated to a degree of incline or
tilt of the exercise device. A higher incline may correlate to a
shorter display duration, while a lower incline may correlate to a
longer display duration, or vice versa. Likewise, the duration of
the display programming may be based on a resistance setting on an
exercise device. Still further, the display duration may be based
on a physiological parameter of the user, such as heart rate,
calorie burn, oxygen level, temperature, and the like.
* * * * *