US20090098979A1 - Encouraging Exercise Whilst Playing Electronic Games - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to encourage people who are playing an electronic games machine (12) also to take exercise, and to encourage users of exercise machines (76) who simultaneously play a games machine to exercise at a particular rate, an interrupter system (34) is added to an existing connection (18,20,22) between the games machine and its controller (14) so as to provide a modified connection. Operation of the exercise machine is detected, and the interrupter system is used selectively to enable and interrupt the modified connection between the game controller and the games machine to enable and interrupt normal operation of the games machine in dependence upon the detected operation of the exercise machine. The normal operation of the games machine may be interrupted if the rate of operation of the exercise machine is detected as being below a predetermined threshold and/or above a pre-determined threshold. Accordingly, a parent can arrange it such that their child cannot play normally on a games machine unless the child also exercises on the exercise machine. Also, a user of an exercise machine and games machine can be encouraged to exercise in a particular manner, otherwise their game will be interrupted.

Description

• This invention was conceived in order to encourage exercise whilst playing electronic games and relates to a method of operation of an electronic games machine, a device for use with an electronic games machine, and a game controller having such a device.
• Many people have fun playing on electronic games machines, such as the Microsoft® X-Box®, Nintendo® Gamecube® and the Sony® Playstation®. Some people, particularly parents, consider that other people, such as their children, spend far too long playing on games machines and do not get enough exercise.
• Also, many people use exercise machines, such as exercise cycles, step machines and thigh trainers in order to improve or maintain their physical fitness. Many exercise regimes involve exercising at a steady rate. While using exercise machines, some people simultaneously play a game on an electronic games machine.
• Causing the playing of a game to be dependent on exercise has been proposed in the past. Patent documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,897 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,605 each describe a purpose-built games and exercise machine arranged so that the user cannot control the game unless they are exercising at a particular rate. WO0/64542A1 describes an exercise machine connected to a game port of a computer running a game such that the exercise machine acts as a throttle control for the game. U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,746B1 describes a switch box controlled by an exercise machine and connected to an RF input of a television set so that the television set can receive RF input only if the exercise machine is being operated fast enough. The RF signal can be supplied by a games machine.
• An aim of the present invention, or at least of specific embodiments of it, is to provide an improved way of encouraging people who are playing a games machine also to take exercise, and of encouraging users of exercise machines who simultaneously play a games machine to exercise at a particular rate.
• In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of modifying operation of an electronic games machine having a game controller which is arranged to be connected to the games machine by an existing connection to control the games machine, the method comprising: adding an interrupter system to the existing connection so as to provide a modified connection between the game controller and the games machine; providing an exercise machine; detecting operation of the exercise machine; and using the interrupter system selectively to enable and interrupt the modified connection between the game controller and the games machine to enable and interrupt normal operation of the games machine in dependence upon the detected operation of the exercise machine.
• The method can therefore be applied be an existing games machine and existing exercise machine without requiring a purpose-built combined machine as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,897 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,605. The interrupter system used in the method of the invention is operable to interrupt the normal operation of the games machine, whereas in WO0/64542A1 the exercise machine plays a part in the normal operation of the games computer (i.e. acts as the throttle control), and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,746B1 the exercise machine has no effect on the normal operation of the games machine.
• The normal operation of the games machine may be interrupted if the rate of operation of the exercise machine is detected as being below a predetermined threshold. Additionally or alternatively, normal operation of the games machine may be interrupted if the rate of operation of the exercise machine is detected as being above a predetermined threshold. Accordingly, a parent can arrange it such that their child cannot play normally on a games machine unless the child also exercises on the exercise machine. Also, a user of an exercise machine and games machine can be encouraged to exercise in a particular manner, otherwise their game will be interrupted. The invention can be put into effect without modifying the games machine and possibly invalidating its warranty as a result.
• The predetermined threshold, or at least one of the predetermined thresholds, is preferably adjustable to take account of different exercise regimes.
• The normal operation of the games machine is preferably interrupted simply by disconnecting a power supply connection from the games machine to the game controller.
• In one example of the invention, in the case where the existing connection includes a first connector of the game controller that is releasably connectable to a complementary second connector of the games machine, the interrupter system is added by connecting a third connector of the interrupter system to the first connector of the game controller and by connecting a fourth connector of the interrupter system to the second connector of the games machine. In another example of the invention, the interrupter system is added by permanently wiring the interrupter system to the game controller.
• In a preferred embodiment, at least one magnet is attached (for example by a double-sided sticky pad) to a moving part of the exercise machine, and operation of the exercise machine is detected magnetically. The invention can therefore be put into effect without any significant modification to the exercise machine.
• In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a game controller in combination with an interrupter system, for use with an electronic games machine and an exercise machine, the game controller having a first connector for releasable connection to a complementary second connector of the games machine, and the interrupter system comprising means for detecting operation of the exercise machine, and means for changing, in dependence upon the detected operation of the exercise machine, an electrical connection between the game controller and the games machine selectively to enable and interrupt normal operation of the games machine.
• In one embodiment, the interrupter system includes a third connector connected to the first connector of the game controller and a fourth connector for connection to the second connector of the games machine so that the interrupter system is connected between the first and second connectors. In this case, the invention can be put into effect without modifying the games machine or the game controller and possibly invalidating their warranties as a result. In another embodiment, the interrupter system is permanently wired to the game controller.
• Further aspects of the invention relate to the game controller and interrupter system in combination with a games machine and/or an exercise machine.
• A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional games machine system;
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the system ofFIG. 1, to which a game interrupter system of the present invention has been added;
• FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the game interrupter system ofFIG. 2;
• FIGS. 4A-4D are diagrams illustrating operation of the circuit ofFIG. 3 in one phase of its cycle;
• FIGS. 5A-5D are diagrams illustrating operation of the circuit ofFIG. 3 in another phase of its cycle;
• FIGS. 6A-6D are diagrams illustrating operation of the circuit ofFIG. 3 with a relatively long cycle period;
• FIGS. 7A-7D are diagrams illustrating operation of the circuit ofFIG. 3 with a shorter cycle period;
• FIG. 8 shows a modification to part of the interrupter system;
• FIG. 9 shows another modification to part of the interrupter system; and
• FIG. 10 shows a modification to the interrupter circuit.
• Referring toFIG. 1, a conventionalgames machine system10 comprises agames machine12, agame controller14 and atelevision set16. Thegame controller14 has a connectinglead18 with aplug20 at its distal end that is connected to acomplementary controller socket22 of thegames machine12. A further connectinglead24 hasplugs26 at one end that are connected to complementary audio-video sockets28 of thegames machine12 andplugs30 at the other end that are connected to complementary audio-video sockets32 of thetelevision set16. As is well known, in use, a player controls a game that is running on thegames machine12 using thecontroller14, and the progress of the game is displayed on thetelevision set16. Typically, agames machine12 has two or moresuch controller sockets22 and can be used with two ormore game controllers14 controlled by two or more players so that the players can play a game between themselves. However, many games are designed to be played by one player, or have a mode in which they can be played by one player, or have a mode in which one player controlling onegames machine12 can play one or more other players controlling one or moreother games machines12, with all of thegames machines12 being interconnected, for example by means of the internet.
• The connectinglead18 of thegame controller14 typically has six cores, one of which is ground, another of which carries a supply voltage to thegames controller14, and the others of which provide signals back to thegames machine12 depending upon the operation of the controls (such as switches, joysticks and D-pads) of thegame controller14 by the player. Atypical games machine12 is designed to detect whether a requiredgame controller14 is connected to thegames machine12, for example by detecting current drawn by the supply core of thecontroller lead18, or by detecting the voltage or voltages on one or more of the signal cores of thecontroller lead18. When a game is running, different games machines and games are designed to react differently to the loss of connection to a requiredgame controller14, for example, by continuing the game abnormally without any input from the player, by pausing the game until the game controller is reconnected, or by aborting the game. Some games machine systems allow a game controller to be disconnected for a short period of time, such as ¼ s, without reacting.
• Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, in the first embodiment of the invention, aninterrupter system34 is added between thecontroller socket22 of thegames machine12 and theplug20 of thecontroller connection lead18. Theinterrupter system34 includes anextension lead36 having aplug38 at one end that is complementary to thecontroller socket22 of thegames machine12 and asocket40 at the other end that is complementary to theplug20 of thecontroller lead18. Theextension lead36 provides permanent one-to-one connections between each of theterminals42, except thesupply voltage terminal44, of theplug38 and therespective terminals46, except thesupply voltage terminal48, of thesocket40. Aninterrupter lead50 also extends from theextension plug38 to aninterrupter housing52 and contains twocores54,56 that are connected to thesupply voltage terminals44,48 of theextension plug38 andsocket40, respectively.
• In theinterrupter housing52, thecores54,56 of theinterrupter lead50 are connected across the switch contacts of a normally-open switch58 of areed relay60. One terminal of thecoil62 of thereed relay60 is connected in series with aresistor64 and acapacitor66 to a common contact of a two-pole, magnetically-operable reed switch68. The other terminal of therelay coil62 is connected directly to the normally-closed contact of thereed switch68 and is also connected via abattery70 to the normally-open contact of thereed switch68.
• Theinterrupter system34 also includes one ormore magnets72 that, in use, are attached for example by double-sided sticky-pads to a movingpart74 of anexercise machine76, such as a bottom bracket spindle of an exercise cycle on which the pedal cranks are mounted, or a pedal spindle of a stepper machine. Theinterrupter housing52 is mounted on a static part of theexercise machine76, for example by hook-and-loop fastening tape or double-sided sticky-pads, with thereed switch68 within the influence of the magnet ormagnets72 such that, during steady operation of theexercise machine76, thereed switch68 opens and closes with the open time being about equal to the closed time.
• The values of the coil resistance, pickup voltage Vp and dropout voltage Vd of therelay60, the resistance ofresistor64, the capacitance of thecapacitor66, and the voltage of thebattery70 are chosen so that theinterrupter system34 operates as follows.
• As shown inFIGS. 4A to 4D, if the state Ss of thereed switch68 is initially in its normally-closed (NC) position and thecapacitor66 is initially discharged (Vc=0), the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 is zero and so the state Sr of therelay switch58 is open. When the state Ss of thereed switch68 then changes to normally-open (NO) due to the influence of one of themagnets72, the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 initially rises to a value above the pickup voltage Vp of therelay60, and so the state Sr of therelay switch58 immediately changes to closed. As thecapacitor66 charges, the voltage Vc across it increases, and the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 decays. When the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 falls to the dropout voltage Vd of therelay60, the state Sr of therelay switch58 changes to open.
• As shown inFIGS. 5A to 5D, if the state Ss of thereed switch68 is initially NO and thecapacitor66 is initially fully charged, the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 is zero and so the state Sr of therelay switch58 is open. When the state Ss of thereed switch68 then changes to NC due to the influence of themagnet72 being removed, the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 initially rises to a value below the negative pickup voltage −Vp of therelay60, and so the state Sr of therelay switch58 immediately changes to closed. As thecapacitor66 discharges, the voltage Vc across it decays, and the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 increases towards zero. When the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 increases to the negative dropout voltage −Vd of therelay60, the state Sr of therelay switch58 changes to open.
• As shown inFIGS. 6A to 6D, if the effects described above with reference toFIGS. 4A to 5D are combined in a repeating sequence with a relatively long cycle period T=T1,relay switch58 closes and opens twice in each period T1. However, as shown inFIGS. 7A to 7D, for a shorter cycle period T=T2, once therelay switch58 closes, it remains closed because the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 does not fall below the positive dropout voltage Vd before thereed switch68 opens and does not rise above the negative dropout voltage −Vd before thereed switch68 closes.
• The period T of the cycle of operation of thereed switch68 is inversely proportional to the rate of operation ofexercise machine76. The game being played on thegames machine12 will only operate normally if therelay switch68 remains closed. Therefore, it is necessary for the user to operate the exercise machine at a rate in excess of a predetermined rate in order that the game can be played continuously without interruption.
• It should be noted that the above is a simplified description of the operation of theinterrupter system34. It does not, for example, take into account the transition times of thereed switch68 andrelay switch58 or the inductance of therelay coil62 which will have an effect when the voltage Vr across therelay coil62 suddenly changes from above Vd to below −Vd. The values of the circuit components can be chosen to provided a required cycle period T. In a prototype the chosen circuit values were: battery voltage=9V; resistance ofresistor64=470Ω; capacitance ofcapacitor66=1000 μF; resistance ofrelay coil62=500Ω; pickup voltage Vp ofrelay60=1.6V; dropout voltage Vd ofrelay60=1.5V; nominal switching time ofrelay60=0.5 ms; and nominal switching time ofreed switch68=0.2 ms. This required the cycle period T to be less than about 3 s in order to maintain therelay switch58 closed.
• It will be appreciated that many modifications and developments may be made to the embodiment of the invention described above.
• For example, as shown inFIG. 8, rather than providing theinterrupter system34 with anextension lead36, theplug38 andsocket40 may be combined into asingle housing78.
• In either case, where the use of theinterrupter system34 is being enforced, for example by a parent upon their child, theplug38 may be permanently or semi-permanently connected to thesocket22 of thegames machine12, or thesocket40 may be permanently or semi-permanently connected to theplug20 of thecontroller lead18, for example by adhesive, by adhesive, tamper-evident, security tape, by some other tamper-evident device, or by a lockable mechanism.
• Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 9, thelead50 of theinterrupter system34 may be permanently wired into thegame controller14 and indeed part of the other circuitry of theinterrupter system34 may be disposed inside thegame controller14. In this case, thegames controller14 andinterrupter system34 may be supplied and sold ready-wired, or theinterrupter system34 may be supplied and sold with instructions for permanently connecting it to an existinggame controller14.
• As shown inFIG. 10, the threshold rate at which theinterrupter system34 permits normal operation of thegames machine12 may be made adjustable, for example by placing avariable resistor80 of maximum value 1 kΩ in series with theresistor64. Also, an override and/or disable facility may be provided by a key-operatedswitch82 that in one position does not affect the operation of theinterrupter system34, but that in another position directly connects thecores54,56 of thelead50 so that theinterrupter system34 has no effect and/or in another position disconnects therelay switch58 so that thegames machine12 cannot be operated normally.
• Many other modifications may be made to theinterrupter system34. For example, it may also provide the facility to interrupt normal operation of thegames machine12 if theexercise machine76 is operated too fast. Indeed, with suitable selection of components, the circuit described with reference toFIG. 3 may provide that effect. Also, a resistor may be placed in series with thebattery70 so that the time constant for charging thecapacitor66 is longer than the time constant for discharging it.
• It should be noted that the embodiment of the invention has been described above purely by way of example and that many other modifications and developments may be made thereto within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (17)

1. A method of modifying operation of an electronic games machine (12) having a game controller (14) which is arranged to be connected to the games machine by an existing connection (18,20,22) to control the games machine, the method comprising:

adding an interrupter system (34) to the existing connection so as to provide a modified connection (18,20,22,36,38,40) between the game controller and the games machine;

providing an exercise machine (76);

detecting operation of the exercise machine; and

using the interrupter system selectively to enable and interrupt the modified connection between the game controller and the games machine to enable and interrupt normal operation of the games machine in dependence upon the detected operation of the exercise machine.

2. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the normal operation of the games machine is interrupted if the rate of operation of the exercise machine is detected as being below a predetermined threshold.

3. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the normal operation of the games machine is interrupted if the rate of operation of the exercise machine is detected as being above a predetermined threshold.

4. A method as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the predetermined threshold is adjustable.

5. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein normal operation of the games machine is interrupted by disconnecting a power supply connection (44,48) from the games machine to the game controller.

6. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the existing connection includes a first connector (20) of the game controller that is releasably connectable to a complementary second connector (22) of the games machine, and the interrupter system is added by connecting a third connector (40) of the interrupter system to the first connector of the game controller and by connecting a fourth connector (38) of the interrupter system to the second connector of the games machine.

7. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the interrupter system is added by permanently wiring the interrupter system to the game controller.

8. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein at least one magnet (72) is attached to a moving part of the exercise machine, and operation of the exercise machine is detected magnetically.

9. A game controller (14) in combination with an interrupter system (34), for use with an electronic games machine (12) and an exercise machine (76), the game controller having a first connector (20) for releasable connection to a complementary second connector (22) of the games machine, and the interrupter system comprising means (64-70) for detecting operation of the exercise machine, and means (60) for changing, in dependence upon the detected operation of the exercise machine, a connection (44,48,54,56) between the game controller and the games machine selectively to enable and interrupt normal operation of the games machine.

10. A combination as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the interrupter system includes a third connector (40) connected to the first connector of the game controller and a fourth connector (38) for connection to the second connector of the games machine so that the interrupter system is connected between the first and second connectors.

11. A combination claimed inclaim 9, wherein the interrupter system is permanently wired to the game controller.

12. A combination as claimed inclaim 9 in combination with a games machine.

13. A combination as claimed inclaim 9 in combination with an exercise machine.

14. An apparatus comprising:

an exercise machine;

an electronic games machine;

a game controller having a connection to the games machine including a first connector which is releasably connectable to a complementary second connector of the games machine so that the game controller can control the games machine; and

an interrupter system comprising means for detecting if a rate of operation of the exercise machine is below a predetermined threshold, and means responsive to the detecting means for changing the connection between the game controller and the games machine to interrupt normal operation of the games machine when the rate of operation of the exercise machine is below the threshold.

15. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 14, wherein the connection changing means is operable to disconnect a power supply connection from the games machine to the game controller when the rate of operation of the exercise machine is below the threshold.

16. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 14, wherein the interrupter system has a third connector which is complementary to and, in use, connected to the first connector of the game controller, and a fourth connector which is complementary to and, in use, connected to the second connector of the games machine.

17. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 14, wherein the interrupter system is permanently wired to the game controller, and, in use, the first connector of the game controller is connected to the second connector of the games machine.

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