Exercise systems in local or global network

Abstract

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

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application relates to various patent applications which have been filed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the same Applicant such as, e.g., a U.S. Provisional Patent Application which is entitled “Local exercise systems with compact visual units,” was filed on Jul. 16, 2007, and bears the U.S. Ser. No. 60 / 959,464, a second U.S. Provisional Patent Application which is entitled “Local exercise systems with full-size visual units,” was filed on Jul. 16, 2007, and bears the U.S. Ser. No. 60 / 959,564, and a third U.S. Provisional Patent Application which is entitled “Global exercise systems and methods,” was filed on Aug. —, 2007, and bears the U.S. Ser. No. ______. All of the above applications will be referred to as the “co-pending applications” hereinafter and all of the applications and are to be incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]An exercise system includes at least two exe...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide an exercise system with multiple exercise modules disposed in different (or geographically separate) locations and on, with or against each of which each user simultaneously performs physical exercises while participating in a preset task of a story, a scenery or a video (or computer) game each provided in images (and optional sounds) of a virtual environment and each defining at least one preset goal. Thus, a related objective of this invention is to include in the system multiple compact or full-size visual units which may display the images for the task for each user and to allow the users to view such images on the visual units while simultaneously performing the same or different exercises. Another related objective of this invention is to generate the task of the story, scenery or game each incorporating therein at least one simulated user which simulates at least one feature of at least one of the exercising users. Another related objective of this invention is to provide the task of the story, scenery or game each defining visual or auditory feature at least one of which may be manipulated by various features of the users, exercises performed by the users, operations of the system, and the like. Another related objective of this invention is to provide the system which can manipulate at least one operation of the exercise modules based upon at least one feature of the task of the story, scenery or game. Another related objective of this invention is to enable the exercise system including at least two exercise modules to transfer at least one feature of the task, users, exercises or operations from one to another of such exercise modules via a local or global network in order to allow such users to participate in the task while simultaneously perform the same or different exercises.

[0065]Such exercising may include at least one of the steps of: walking or running on or at least one actuating part of the exercise modules; rotating or pivoting the actuating part thereof; reciprocating the actuating part thereof; pulling or pushing the actuating part thereof; applying external force against or on the actuating part thereof, and so on. The exercising may also include at least one of the steps of: performing physical work against, on or with the exercise modules for consuming energy; twitching muscles of the users by receiving an electrical energy from the exercise module(s), and the like. The exercising may include one of such steps of: maintaining the load constant during an entire portion of the exercises; changing the load during at least a portion thereof; constantly changing the load during at least a portion thereof, and the like. The exercising may include one of the steps of: maintaining a posture of the users during at least a (or an entire) portion of the exercises; changing such a posture during at least a portion of the exercises; constantly changing the posture during the exercises, and the like. The exercising may have one of the steps of: exercising the users on, with, and / or against at least two standard exercise modules one after another; allowing the users to perform exercises of identical (or similar) exercises of identical (or similar) types or extents on, with, and / or against each of the same number of identical or similar standard exercise modules; and allowing the users to perform different exercises defining identical, similar or different types and / or extents on, with, and / or against each of the same number of different standard exercise modules. The method may include the steps of: providing at least three standard exercise modules in the single location; and allowing at least three users to perform the same, similar, and / or different exercises thereon, therewith, and / or thereagainst while further allowing at least one of the users to participate in the game for the task.

Problems solved by technology

Although conventional exercise or fitness equipment is effective in helping the user burn his or her excess energy, it typically requires its user to spend a fair amount of time therewith.

For example, the user may waste a piece of cake causing a surge of hundreds of calories within a minute, but she or he has to run on a treadmill for at least an hour to burn those excess calories.

Whatever they may resort to, prior art exercise or fitness equipment is, however, of little or at most a limited value in eliminating the boredom of the user during exercise.

like. However, all of such equipment disclosed in the above patents either alone or in any combination have not completely solved the above p

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