Methods and apparatus for virtual competition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12505909-B2
Application number	US-202318400651-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2023
Priority date	Nov 25, 2008
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A system configured to be coupled with a participant of an activity. The system comprises: a participant activity monitoring unit configured for monitoring a performance of the activity by the participant; an activity information module configured for storing performance information corresponding to the activity; and a participant performance correlator configured for delivering comparative performance data based on the monitored performance of the activity by the participant and the stored performance information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for simulating an activity along a geographical route, the system comprising:
a computer device configured to receive data related to the geographical route and to use the received data to simulate the geographical route, wherein said received data corresponds to a participant's activity along said geographical route, wherein said received data includes each of elevation data, time stamps for said participant's activity along said geographical route, distance traveled during said activity along said geographical route; a training device configured to communicate with the computer device, and wherein the training device is further configured to be controlled by data or instructions received from the computer device to simulate the geographical route; wherein the computer device is configured to collect and display operational data of the training device and biometric data of a user using the training device to experience the simulated geographical route, wherein said biometric data includes each of said user's power output, said user's activity speed, said user's heart rate, said user's calories burned and said user's blood oxygenation level, wherein said operational data of said training device includes each of said training device's gear positioning, cadence, velocity, suspension, power, braking, shock absorption, and cornering speed; and wherein the computer device is further configured to display course, elevation profile, and simulated location of the user relative to the geographical route during use of the training device, wherein said display of said course, said elevation profile, and said simulated location of said user relative to said geographical route is completed by said computer device utilizing a satellite based position determining system to determine a location of said user during use of said training device.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer device is further configured to:
receive data related to a first performance of the activity; generate comparative performance data by comparing the data related to the first performance of the activity with the operational data of the training device and biometric data of the user using the training device.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the data or instructions received by the training device from the computer device is based, at least in part, upon operational data of the training device and/or the biometric data of the user using the training device.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer device is further configured to
provide the user with a graphical representation simulating the user's location along the geographical route during use of the training device by the user.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the graphical representation further indicates the user's simulated progress along the geographical route compared to a previous simulated performance of the activity along the geographical route.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the previous simulated performance of the activity along the geographical route was by the same user.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the previous simulated performance of the activity along the geographical route was by a different user.

8 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the graphical representation further indicates the user's simulated progress along the geographical route compared to a previous actual performance of the activity along the geographical route.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the previous actual performance of the activity along the geographical route was by the same user.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the previous actual performance of the activity along the geographical route was by a different user.

11 . A system for simulating an activity along a geographical route, the system comprising:
a computer device configured to provide information simulating the geographical route, the computer device further configured to receive data related to a first performance of the activity along the geographical route, wherein said received data corresponds to said first performance of said activity along said geographical route, wherein said received data includes each of elevation data, time stamps for said first performance of said activity along said geographical route, distance traveled during said activity along said geographical route; a training device configured to communicate with the computer device, and wherein the training device is further configured to be controlled by data or instructions received from the computer device; wherein the computer device is configured to collect operational data of the training device, and wherein the computer device utilizes the operational data of the training device to control the training device and provide a user of the training device with a simulated performance of the activity along the geographical route, wherein said biometric data includes each of said user's power output, said user's activity speed, said user's heart rate, said user's calories burned and said user's blood oxygenation level, wherein said operational data of said training device includes each of said training device's gear positioning, cadence, velocity, suspension, power, braking, shock absorption, and cornering speed; and wherein the computer device is configured to generate comparative performance data by comparing the data related to the first performance of the activity with the user's simulated performance of the activity along the geographical route, wherein said display of said course, said elevation profile, and said simulated location of said user relative to said geographical route is completed by said computer device utilizing a satellite based position determining system to determine a location of said user during use of said training device.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the computer device is further configured to:
provide the user with a graphical representation simulating the user's location along the geographical route during use of the training device by the user.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the computer device is further configured to:
provide the user with a graphical representation simulating the user's location along the geographical route during use of the training device by the user, wherein the graphical representation further indicates the user's simulated progress along the geographical route compared to the first performance of the activity.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the data related to a first performance of the activity corresponds to prior simulated performance of the activity along the geographical route.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first performance of the activity and the user's simulated performance of the activity are not performed by the same person.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first performance of the activity and the user's simulated performance of the activity are performed by the same person.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first performance of the activity is performed by an expert in the activity.

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Galasso Mario
• Allinger Wesley E
• Haugen David M
• Kaswen Robert David
• Fitzsimmons Mark Stephen

Classifications

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• A63B71/0622

  Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user · CPC title

• A63B2220/05

  Image processing for measuring physical parameters · CPC title

• G06Q30/0269

  based on user profile or attribute · CPC title

• G06Q30/0252

  based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals · CPC title