US20240374960A1 - System and method for conducting a remote athletic competition based on real-world conditions - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems and methods for remote participation in athletic competition are disclosed herein. Embodiments of the present invention can simulate the conditions of a real-world competition for the purposes of competing in the competition remotely. Participants' distance, time, speed, etc., can be tracked, stored, and compared with other participants to rank competitors and determine a winner. According to embodiments, the system is implemented using a smartphone, laptop, or the like that includes a camera and optionally a microphone to confirm participant identity and track/record the participants during the competition. The system can further include an electronic device that connects to a piece of athletic equipment, such as a treadmill, stationary bike, rowing equipment, etc. in two-way communication to send data (e.g., control instructions) to the athletic equipment, and to receive data from the athletic equipment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Ser. No. 63/502,004 having the title “SWIM-BALLET CROSS-FIT MACHINE,” filed May 12, 2023, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth fully below.
FIELD
• Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of electronic devices for athletic competition. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for competing in athletic events remotely.
BACKGROUND
• Remote participation is a growing interest in the field of athletic equipment, exercise equipment, and the like, with more and more workers remaining in their homes and seeking an alternative to gyms, which often require additional travel, inconvenience, and expenses. In the case of live, in person athletic competitions, many athletes are unable to travel long distances at the date and time required to participate. Some current approaches to exercise equipment include technology that can access stored athletic events (including routes, difficulty level, etc.) that can be somewhat reproduced by the athletic equipment, but these recorded events do not involve real-time participation whatsoever. Accordingly, what is needed is an approach to remote participation in athletic competitions that enables participants to compete and place from a remote location in real-time as if they were competing in person.
SUMMARY
• Systems and methods for remote participation in athletic competition are disclosed herein. Embodiments of the present invention can simulate the conditions of a real-world competition for the purposes of competing in the competition remotely, e.g., on a local piece of exercise equipment such as a treadmill, bicycle, etc. Participants' distance, time, speed, etc., can be tracked, stored, and compared with other participants to determine a winner, and to record race placement. Moreover, track conditions and current weather conditions in the field can be virtually simulated.
• According to one embodiment, a system for conducting a remote running competition is disclosed. The system includes an electronically controllable treadmill including a running surface operable to move via a force of a remote race participant produced by running on the running surface, an electronic control device coupled to the treadmill, and a smartphone including a camera. The electronic control device and the smartphone communicate with a remote server over a computer network, and the smartphone, or other camera system, is operable to capture video data to confirm an identity of the participant. The remote server provides data to the electronic control device for controlling settings of the electronically controllable treadmill to substantially reproduce a real-world competitive running event in real-time for remote participation by the remote race participant.
• According to some embodiments, the remote server calculates a difficulty level of the real-world competition, and the remote server provides the difficulty level to the electronic control device to control a setting of the electronically controllable treadmill to match the track contour, weather conditions, and other real-time race conditions.
• According to some embodiments, the difficult level is based on an air density value calculated using the formula: ρ=P/(R*T), where ρ is the air density value (in kg/m³), P is an atmospheric pressure (in Pascals), R is a universal gas constant (about 8.314 J/(mol K)), and T is an air temperature (in Kelvin).
• According to some embodiments, the remote server calculates a resistance value corresponding to conditions of the real-world competition, and the remote server provides the resistance value to the electronic control device to control a setting of the electronically controllable treadmill.
• According to some embodiments, the resistance value is calculated by the remote server according to the formula: F=0.5*ρ*C*A*ν², where F is the resistance value (in Newtons), ρ is an air density (in kg/m³), C is a coating resistance coefficient, A is a cross-sectional area of the remote race participant (in m²), and ν is a speed of the remote race participant (in m/s).
• According to some embodiments, the remote server calculates an incline value corresponding to conditions of the real-world competition, and the remote server provides the incline value to the electronic control device to control a setting of the electronically controllable treadmill.
• According to some embodiments, the electronic control device further includes a sensor, the sensor is operable to take a measurement including at least one of: temperature, humidity, and air density, and the measurement is provided to the remote server and used to calculate a difficulty level of the remote race participant.
• According to some embodiments, the electronic control device and the electronically controllable treadmill are connected using USB.
• According to some embodiments, the electronic control device and the electronically controllable treadmill are connected using Bluetooth.
• According to some embodiments, the remote server is operable to store event timing data, remote race participant information, and real-world race condition data.
• According to some embodiments, the remote server is operable to provide real-world race condition data to the electronic control device for controlling at least one: of a resistance value, and an incline value of the electronically controllable treadmill in real-time.
• According to some embodiments, the electronic control device and the smartphone are operable to upload remote race data to the remote server, and the remote race data includes a race completion time indicating when the remote race participant completes the remote running competition.
• According to some embodiments, the remote server is operable to calculate a distance covered by the remote race participant and a finish time of the remote participant based on a calculated speed of the remote race participant.
• According to some embodiments, the speed of the remote participant is calculated using the formula V=sqrt((2*F)/(m*C_d*ρ*A)), where V is the speed of the runner (in m/s), F is the force required to overcome the resistance (in Newtons), m is the mass of the runner (in kg), C_dis the drag coefficient, ρ is the air density (in kg/m³), and A is the cross-sectional area of the runner (in m²).
• According to some embodiments, the control device is operable to control a motor of the electronically controllable treadmill to increase or decrease at least one of: a resistance of the running surface and an incline of the running surface.
• According to another embodiment, a method of conducting a remote athletic competition in real-time based on a real-world athletic competition is disclosed. The method includes verifying an identity of a remote participant using a camera of a smartphone, recording a start time of the remote athletic competition, where the start time of the remote athletic competition is substantially equal to a start time of the real-world athletic competition, accessing real-world athletic competition data, and controlling a piece of controllable athletic equipment to reproduce a difficulty level experienced by participants of the real-world athletic competition for the remote participant.
• According to some embodiments, the real-world competition data includes at least one of: temperature data, humidity data, precipitation data, and air density data.
• According to some embodiments, the controlling a piece of controllable athletic equipment is performed by an electronic control device coupled to the controllable athletic equipment. The controllable athletic equipment includes a treadmill, and the controlling a piece of controllable athletic equipment includes adjusting a resistance or incline setting of the controllable athletic equipment.
• According to some embodiments, the method includes displaying video on a display device of the controllable athletic equipment. The video includes images of a real-world location corresponding to a location of the remote participant in the remote athletic competition.
• According to some embodiments, the method further includes calculating a speed of the remote participant using the formula V=sqrt((2*F)/(m*C_d*ρ*A)), where V is the speed of the runner (in m/s), F is the force required to overcome the resistance (in Newtons), m is the mass of the runner (in kg), C_dis the drag coefficient, ρ is the air density (in kg/m³), and A is the cross-sectional area of the runner (in m²), and calculating a distance traveled by the remote participant using the calculated speed and a time duration. The remote participant finishes the remote competition when the distance traveled reaches a predetermined value.
• According to a different embodiment, a method of controlling athletic equipment to simulate conditions of a real-world athletic competition is disclosed. The method includes accessing race conditions of the real-world athletic competition in real-time, calculating a real-time estimated difficulty level of the real-world athletic competition using the race conditions, accessing participant data including a participant body mass, calculating a resistance value for configuration of the athletic equipment based on the difficulty level and the participant body mass, and sending control signals to the athletic equipment to adjust the resistance force produced by a motor of the athletic equipment based on the calculated resistance value.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention:
• FIG.1A depicts an exemplary real-time athletic competition system for participating in athletic competitions remotely according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.1B is a diagram depicting an exemplary remote long distance running system according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.2 is a data transmission diagram depicting exemplary transmissions over a network between a smartphone and a remote server for coordinating and conducting a remote athletic competition using controllable athletic equipment according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.3 is a data transmission diagram depicting exemplary transmissions over a network between a treadmill control device and a remote server to control a treadmill during a remote competitive running event according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.4 is a flowchart depicting an exemplary series of computer implemented steps of a process for conducting a remote athletic competition based on real-time conditions of an in-person event, such as a marathon or other race, according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.5 is a flowchart depicting an exemplary series of computer implemented steps of a process for controlling a piece of controllable athletic equipment to simulate an athletic competition for a remote participant according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.6 is a flowchart depicting an exemplary series of computer implemented steps of a process for controlling a controllable treadmill according to a calculated difficulty level using participant metrics to simulate a competitive running event according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.7A is a flowchart depicting an exemplary series of computer implemented steps of a process performed by a runner (e.g., the client side) using controllable athletic equipment and a smartphone application for participating in a remote running event based on real-world real-time conditions according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.7B is a flowchart depicting an exemplary series of computer implemented steps of a process performed by a server (e.g., the server side) for conducting a remote running event based on real-world real-time conditions according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.8 depicts an exemplary equipment control device for controlling athletic equipment to conduct a remote competition that is synchronized with a real-world competition according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG.9 is a diagram of an exemplary on-screen graphical display rendered on a display device of a controllable exercise device (e.g., a treadmill) according to embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments. While the subject matter will be described in conjunction with the alternative embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed subject matter to these embodiments. On the contrary, the claimed subject matter is intended to cover alternative, modifications, and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter as defined by the appended claims.
• Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. However, it will be recognized by one skilled in the art that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details or with equivalents thereof. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects and features of the subject matter.
• Portions of the detailed description that follows are presented and discussed in terms of a method. Although steps and sequencing thereof are disclosed in a figure herein (e.g.,FIGS.4-7) describing the operations of this method, such steps and sequencing are exemplary. Embodiments are well suited to performing various other steps or variations of the steps recited in the flowchart of the figure herein, and in a sequence other than that depicted and described herein.
• Some portions of the detailed description are presented in terms of procedures, steps, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolic representations of operations on data bits that can be performed on computer memory. These descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. A procedure, computer-executed step, logic block, process, etc., is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computer system. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.
• It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout, discussions utilizing terms such as “accessing,” “writing,” “including,” “storing,” “transmitting,” “traversing,” “associating,” “identifying,” “updating,” “determining,” “selecting,” “animating,” “displaying,” “lighting” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
Remote Competition Involving Simulation of Long-Distance Running Synchronized with Real-World Conditions
• Systems and methods for remote virtual participation in athletic competition are disclosed herein. Embodiments of the present invention can simulate the conditions of a real-world competition for the purposes of competing in the competition remotely and virtually. Participants' distance, time, speed, etc., can be tracked, stored, and compared with other participants to determine a winner and placement.
• According to embodiments, the system is implemented using a smartphone, laptop, or the like that includes a camera and optionally a microphone to confirm participant identity and/or authenticate the user, and to track/record the participants during the competition. The system can further include an electronic device (“equipment control device”) that connects to a piece of athletic equipment, such as a treadmill, stationary bike, rowing equipment, etc. in two-way communication to send data (e.g., control instructions) to the athletic equipment, and to receive data from the athletic equipment. In one embodiment, the athletic equipment contains a display. The smartphone and the equipment control device communicate with a remote server that coordinates remote athletic competition based on data received from the smartphone and/or the equipment control device, and can send data and control instructions to the system to adjust settings of the athletic equipment, such as a speed setting, incline setting, resistance setting, etc. to correspond to real-world conditions of the athletic competition, and to display real-time images on the display associated with the athletic equipment (e.g., displaying the runners location in the real-world event).
• FIG.1A depicts an exemplary real-timeathletic competition system100 for participating in athletic competitions remotely according to embodiments of the present invention.System100 includes a piece ofathletic equipment101, which can be a treadmill, rowing machine, exercise/stationary bike, punching bag, wheelchair or other mobility device, or any other exercise equipment or device that facilitates physical movement or exercise.Athletic equipment101 is in communication with anequipment control device120 over USB or Bluetooth.Control device120 andsmartphone110 communicate wirelessly over network115 (e.g., the Internet) with aremote server130 that coordinates a remote athletic competition synchronized to the conditions and timing of the real-world competition. The remote participants can be ranked after the completion of the event, and the remote participant with the best time or score can be identified and declared the winner.Athletic equipment101 can also include a display that receives data fromcontrol device120 to display information to the remote participant, such as times, scores, the locations of other competitors or team members, and participant rankings. The display can render real-time images of the participants virtual position on the track or path during the competition.
• Smartphone110 executes an application that captures video (and optionally audio data) that is stored on the smartphone and communicated toremote server130. The smartphone can upload video data in real time, periodically, or at the end of the competition. Prior to the start of a competition, the participant logs into an account and checks-in to the competition by confirming their identity, authentication and/or location. The location of the participant can be confirmed bysmartphone110 using GPS. The identity of participant can be confirmed using data (e.g., image, video data) captured bycamera112 ofsmartphone110 that is uploaded toremote server130 and processed using facial recognition software, for instance, to match the captured data with a known representation of the participant uploaded and confirmed in advance. The camera continuously capture data to record the participant's activities and environment during the course of the competition, and to prove that the participant did not cheat, that the participant's environment was suitable for remote participation, and that the participant competed without assistance from other individuals or prohibited equipment, for example.
• Control device120 receives data fromremote server130 and can controlathletic device101 to change settings of theathletic equipment105 based on the data received fromremote server130 to substantially simulate the difficulty of real-world event conditions in real-time. When the remote participant usesathletic equipment105, data regarding the use of the equipment is transmitted toremote server130 bycontrol device120. The difficulty level can be calculated based on track contour information (e.g., slope, elevation, etc.) and environmental factors.
• As described in further detail below, thecontrol device120 can receive data related to the actual race conditions and generate control instructions according to algorithms that consider the participant's mass and other criteria to approximate the in-person conditions in real-time at the track or field. According to some embodiments, the control instructions are generated byremote server130 based on the real-world race conditions and transmitted to controldevice120 to adjust settings and display information ofathletic device101.
• According to some embodiments,athletic device101 is controllable athletic equipment that can receive control signals and change a corresponding setting that adjusts a physical aspect of the athletic equipment in real-time during the competition. According to some embodiments, the control signal controls a motor of the athletic equipment. According to some embodiments, the athletic equipment can send data to controldevice120 that is related to the use of the athletic equipment, such as a number of repetitions or steps, a speed, an incline, a resistance, a score, etc.
• FIG.1B depicts an exemplary computer-controlledrunning system160 for participating in remote competitions according to embodiments of the present invention.System160 includes atreadmill150 in communication with atreadmill control device120 over USB or Bluetooth and in communication withsmartphone110. Thecontrol device120 andsmartphone110 communicate wirelessly over network115 (e.g., the Internet) with aremote server130 that coordinates a remote long-distance competition synchronized to the conditions and timing of the real-world competition. Usingsystem160, participants from around the world can compete in remote competitive running events (e.g., long-distance running, sprints, relays, etc.). For example, enthusiasts of the Boston Marathon can compete remotely at the same time as the real-world event, and under substantially similar conditions as their in-person counterparts in real-time. The remote participants can be ranked after the completion of the event, and the remote participant with the best time can be identified and declared the winner.Treadmill150 can also include a display that receives data fromcontrol device120 to display to the remote participant, such as pace information, the location of other competitors or team members, and participant rankings.
• Control device120 receives data fromremote server130 and can controltreadmill150 to increase a resistance, speed, and/or incline of running surface125 based on the data received fromremote server130 to substantially simulate the difficulty of real-world race conditions in real-time. The remote participant stands on thetreadmill150 and begins to run on the running surface, which produces a force sufficient to move the running surface under the feet of the remote participant. In this way, the remote participant can run at full stride without physically moving off of the moving running surface. The speed of the runner can be calculated and used to determine how fast the remote participant is running and how much distance has been covered.Treadmill150 can be any electronically controllable treadmill, and typically includes motors for automatically adjusting an incline and/or resistance of the running surface of thetreadmill150.
• As described in further detail below, thecontrol device120 can receive data related to the actual race conditions and generate control instructions according to algorithms that consider the participant's mass and other criteria to approximate the in-person conditions in real-time. According to some embodiments, the control instructions are generated byremote server130 based on the real-world race conditions and transmitted to controldevice120 to adjust settings oftreadmill150.
• Thetreadmill150 is controlled in real-time throughout the competition to mimic the difficulty experienced by in-person participants of the athletic competition. The resistance and incline of running surface125 can be controlled based on several criteria. According to some embodiments, the treadmill resistance (e.g., pavement resistance or the coefficient of friction) is determined according to the formula F=0.5*ρ*C*A*ν², where F is the resistance force (in Newtons), ρ is the air density (in kg/m³), C is the coating resistance coefficient, A is the cross-sectional area of the participant (in m²), and ν is the speed of the participant (in m/s). When considering real-world conditions, the drag coefficient of asphalt, commonly referred to as “C”, may vary depending on the condition and characteristics of the pavement. In general, for asphalt paths, the drag coefficient may be in the range of about 0.01 to 0.02. Moreover, the asphalt drag coefficient may vary depending on various factors such as the degree of wear of the pavement, the presence of moisture or dirt on the surface, the type of asphalt used, etc., which can be taking into consideration by adjusting the value of C. This formula above assumes that the drag force is proportional to the square of the speed. The drag coefficient C and the cross-sectional area A depend on the characteristics of the track itself and the surface on which the runner is running. Once the force of resistance is determined in the manner described above, the settings of the treadmill (e.g., resistance, incline) can be adjusted according to the force to simulate the real-world conditions.
• One of the real-world conditions considered when adjusting thetreadmill120 is air density, which can have a significant effect on air resistance experienced by real world participants. Air density can be determined using the following formula ρ=P/(R*T), where ρ is the air density (in kg/m³), P is the atmospheric pressure (in Pascals), R is the universal gas constant (about 8.314 J/(mol K)), and Tis the air temperature (in Kelvin). To determine the real-world density of air affecting participants, the atmospheric pressure and air temperature at the site of the competition are measured. Under normal conditions (normal atmospheric pressure and temperature), the air density is about 1.225 kg/m³. At different altitudes and changing conditions, atmospheric pressure and temperature can change, resulting in a change in air density. The atmospheric pressure and temperature can be measured at the competition site throughout the competition, and treadmill settings can be adjusted so that remote participants experience a level of difficulty (including difficulty due to air resistance) that conforms to the real-world experience at the event location.
• Based on the influence of air density and the coating resistance discussed above, the speed of a participant can be determined according to the formula V=sqrt((2*F)/(m*C_d*ρ*A)), where V is the speed of the runner (in m/s), F is the force required to overcome the resistance (in Newtons), m is the mass of the runner (in kg), C_dis the drag coefficient, p is the air density (in kg/m³), and A is the cross-sectional area of the runner (in m²). To calculate the resistance force (F) considering both the resistance force of the coating and the air resistance force, the forces are summed as F=F_friction+F_drag, where F_friction is the coating resistance force calculated using on a formula that takes into account the type of coating, and F_drag is the air drag force calculated based on the formula for air drag force which considers the speed of the runner. According to some embodiments, when calculating the speed of a runner, the runner's mass, drag coefficient, air density, and runner's cross-sectional area are all considered. The runner's calculated speed can be provided to the remote server to determine the distance covered by the runner, and to determine when the runner has completed the race. For example, a race can be associated with a specific length, and the remote participant finishes the remote race when their calculated distance reaches the length of the event (e.g., 13.1 miles, 26.2 miles, etc.).
• To increase the treadmill's braking and reduce the speed of the runner, it may be necessary to increase the resistance force acting on the running surface. The drag force can be increased by changing the angle of the treadmill surface or by increasing the coefficient of friction between the treadmill and the running surface. The force of friction can be determined using the equation F_friction=μ*N, where F_friction is the friction force (in Newtons), μ is the coefficient of friction between surfaces, N is the normal force (in Newtons), which is equal to the product of the mass of the runner and the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s²). Advantageously, by increasing the coefficient of friction (μ) or the inclination of the treadmill surface (which affects the normal force N) the frictional force is increased, which decreases the speed of the treadmill runner. In this way, the treadmill can be configured to closely match the difficulty level experienced by the real-world participants.
• The resistance experienced by the treadmill's running surface can also be controlled using a motor that drives the running platform of the treadmill. According to some embodiments, the drag of the treadmill is controlled using a motor according to the formula P=F*V, where P is the power consumed by the motor (in Watts), F is the braking force (in Newtons), V is the speed of the runner (in m/s). Treadmill braking is can be achieved by applying a reverse force to the runner's motion to slow the speed of the runner. To increase this force, and hence the braking effect, the power (P) that the treadmill motor consumes can be increased. It is important to note that the exact specifications and controllable braking capabilities of a treadmill may vary by model and manufacturer. Accordingly, the control signals sent to the treadmill may vary depending on the specific model and manufacturer.
• Embodiments of the present invention can also consider heat, humidity, and other environmental conditions experienced at the competition when determining how to configure the resistance and/or incline of the treadmill to mimic real-world conditions of an athletic competition. For example, the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index, which takes into account humidity, temperature, and solar radiation, can be used to calculate the effects of the environment on the real-world participants. Based on the calculated effect, the treadmill is adjusted to increase or decrease the difficulty experienced by the runner by adjusting the incline or resistance, for example. In general, higher temperatures and higher humidity levels increase the difficulty of competitive running. Other environmental factors such as wind, rain, etc., affect the difficulty level of long distance running and can also be taking into account when adjusting the treadmill.
• According to some embodiments, an equation is used to predict an expected running time for the competition, which considers several factors that affect the difficulty of competitive running (e.g., a Raffer model). For example, the predicted running time under specific temperature conditions can be calculated using the formula T′=T*(1+0.01*(T-T₀)), where T′ is the calculated running time, T is the actual air temperature, and T₀is the base temperature at which the speed is considered optimal (e.g., around 10-12° C.). This model assumes that as the air temperature increases above the base temperature, the running time (e.g., difficulty) increases in proportion to the temperature difference. The effect of barometric pressure on a runner's speed is usually not considered in isolation but is considered in the context of other factors such as temperature, humidity, and altitude. Other relevant factors for determining an expected running time can include the evapotranspiration index, the temperature index, and other similar meteorological parameters.
• FIG.2 is a data transmission diagram depictingexemplary transmissions200 over anetwork210 between asmartphone205 and aremote server215 for coordinating and conducting a remote athletic competition using electronically controllable athletic equipment (e.g., a treadmill) according to embodiments of the present invention. Prior to the start of competition,remote server215 issues an identity and/or authorization challenge tosmartphone205 to confirm the identification of a participant of a remote competitive race. The participant can register for the race in advance and provide any necessary documentation, such as a photo ID or QR code, and certain aspects of the participant's appearance can be captured and saved for identity confirmation purposes. Registration can also include providing the make and model of the athletic equipment to the remote server.
• When the identity challenge is received, an application executed bysmartphone205 prompts the user to capture video of their face to confirm their identity in real-time. Once the participant's identity is confirmed, the participant can proceed to compete in the remote competition. The camera continues to capture video of the participant throughout the competition (continuously or at periodic intervals), and the captured video can be uploaded to a remote server in real-time, periodically throughout the competition, or at the completion of the competition. The captured video can be used to confirm that the participant participated in the event and that no cheating was involved, including breaking any rules that apply to the real-world participants. In other words, all of the rules that apply to the in-person runners can apply to the remote participants and confirmed via video. According to some embodiments, the identity of the participant is confirmed using facial recognition software executed byremote server215. According to other embodiments, the identity of the participant is confirmed using facial recognition software executed bysmartphone205, and an identity confirmation is provided toremote server215.
• According to some embodiments, instead of using the control device, the functionality of the control device is implemented as an application executed by the smartphone, and the smartphone as in wireless communication with the athletic equipment, over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB or the like. The smartphone communicates with the remote server throughout the competition. According to some embodiments, the smartphone and the control device are used in combination, and an application executed by the smartphone communicates with the control device wirelessly.
• FIG.3 is a data transmission diagram depictingexemplary transmissions300 over anetwork315 between atreadmill control device310 and aremote server320 to control atreadmill305 during a remote competitive running competition according to embodiments of the present invention.Remote server320 stores time tracking data and other event and participant data, such as loading, snack, or water station location tracking and race conditions including track contour information (e.g., elevation and/or incline) temperature, precipitation, and other weather data, and transmits the data overnetwork315 totreadmill control device310. Data indicating the actual speed or incline of the treadmill and environmental conditions such as the measured temperature and humidity can be sent back to theremote server320 bytreadmill control device310. Thetreadmill control device310 can send control signals to the treadmill305 (e.g., over USB or Bluetooth) to control the incline, speed, resistance, etc. based on real-world competition data provided byremote server320, such as a calculated difficulty level or weather conditions.
• Remote server320 can also transmit video data captured from the location of the in-person event, and video corresponding to the participant's location in the virtual race can be displayed on a display of the athletic equipment or smartphone, for example. The According to some embodiments,remote server320 transmits advertisement data to thetreadmill control device310, and the advertisement data is used to display advertisements to the remote participant on a display device of thetreadmill305, for example. Thetreadmill control device310 can also receive position data from theremote server320, including the position of the remote participant and teammates, for example. Thetreadmill control device310 can also calculated position information based on calculated speed, both of which can transmitted back toremote server320. Thetreadmill control device310 can also determine break information (e.g., pauses, stops, water breaks) which can be transmitted to theremote server320, or theremote server320 can determined this information based on the video data received overnetwork315, for example.
• FIG.4 is a flowchart depicting an exemplary series of computer implementedsteps400 of a process for conducting a remote athletic competition based on real-time conditions of an in-person event, such as a marathon or other race, according to embodiments of the present invention.
• Atstep405, live video of a remote participant is captured by a smartphone to confirm the participant's identity. The captured video is processed by an application executed by the smartphone, or can be provided to a remote server for confirmation.
• Atstep410, the start time of the real-world event is recorded by the remote server. The remote race begins at the same time as the real-world event and a notification can be presented to the use on a display of the smartphone.
• At step415, controllable athletic equipment, such as a treadmill, stationary bike, rowing machine, or the like, is activated and adjusted to match real-world race conditions provided by a remote server. The remote server provides data such as incline information and speed information to an equipment control device connected to the controllable athletic equipment. The control device can control the treadmill according to a difficulty level determined according to real-world race conditions in real-time. The control device can record race data during the course of a competitive race based on the speed and incline of the treadmill, for example.
• Atstep420, events can be simulated during the remote competition to match real-world events such as water stations breaks and rest periods, which can correspond to real-world locations and are made available to remote participants based on their virtual location in the event. A notification can be displayed on the smartphone to indicate that certain events will occur and the start and/or end time of the event can be displayed. The event can include sending control instructions to the controllable athletic equipment to slow or stop the equipment, for example.
• Atstep425, the end time of the event is recorded when the participant completes the event and stored on the remote server. The end time can be confirmed by the video captured by the smartphone. The end time can be determined based on a distance value read from the equipment, or by calculating the participants speed over time.
• Atstep430 race data and live video data can be uploaded from the smartphone and/or the race control device to the remote server. Based on the start time and end times, the winner of the competition and other top finishers can be identified and displayed to the participant on the smartphone.
• FIG.5 is a flowchart depicting an exemplary series of computer implementedsteps500 of a process for controlling a piece of controllable athletic equipment to simulate an athletic competition for a remote participant according to embodiments of the present invention.
• Atstep505, real-world competition data is accessed at a remote server. The data can include weather data, surface data, wind speed, air density, or elevation (e.g., elevation from sea level or gain elevation, for example.
• Atstep510, data is optionally received from a participant at the remote server. The data can include equipment data (e.g., the resistance or incline) of the equipment used by the participant or environmental data captured by a sensor located near the participant.
• Atstep515, the controllable athletic equipment is controlled to adjust a setting of the equipment, such as an incline or resistance based on the real-world competition data and/or the data received from the participant. The controllable athletic equipment simulates the conditions (e.g., the difficulty) of the real-world participants and adjusts in real-time to changing conditions. The process returns to step505 and repeats until the completion of the remote competition.
• FIG.6 is a flowchart depicting an exemplary series of computer implementedsteps600 of a process for controlling a controllable treadmill according to a calculated difficulty level using participant metrics to simulate a competitive running event according to embodiments of the present invention.
• Atstep605, data describing real-world race conditions are accessed. The data can include weather data, surface data, wind speed, air density, or elevation, for example.
• Atstep610, a difficulty level is determined based on the real-world race conditions accessed instep605. The difficulty level can be calculated using the equations for force and resistance described above with respect toFIG.1.
• Atstep615, participant data is accessed, which can include body mass, height, and other body metrics, and can include conditions about the participant's environment.
• Atstep620, resistance and/or incline settings are calculated to simulate the real-world difficulty experienced by the participants participating in the event in person. The resistance and/or incline settings are determined based on the difficulty level and the participant data.
• Atstep625, control instructions are transmitted to a treadmill to change the incline and/or resistance of the treadmill.Steps600 can be repeated throughout the competition until the participant completes the race.
• FIG.7 is a flowchart depicting an exemplary series of computer implemented steps of a process executed by a client (e.g., a runner) (steps700) and a server (steps760) for conducting a remote running competition using athletic equipment that can be controlled based on real-time real-world event data corresponding to an in-person running competition conducted contemporaneously with the remote competition. The runner's identity and activity are confirmed/authenticated using an application executed by a smartphone that captures video of the runner before and during the remote running competition.FIG.7A depicts client-side activity performed using controllable athletic or exercise equipment and a smartphone application for participating in a remote running event based on real-world, real-time conditions.FIG.7B depicts server-side activity for conducting a remote running event based on real-world real-time conditions that can be communicated to the athletic equipment on the client-side.
• Process700 (client-side) begins atstep705. To register for a remote running competition, the remote participant (“runner”) authenticates their identity using a smartphone application. The smartphone application can capture identity data of the runner using a camera of the smartphone (step705), and the runner can register for a real-world competition to compete remotely atstep710. The runner can register using a username and password combination, a photo ID, etc. Atstep715, the runner can optionally participate in a remote pre-race qualification event. The pre-race qualification event can be based on real-world conditions and can be conducted contemporaneously with real-world pre-race qualification events. The runner's starting position or qualification for the remote competition can be determined based on the pre-race qualification event, for example. On race day, the runner logs in and commences the remote race (step720). The exercise equipment (e.g., treadmill) used by the runner reports the runner's current position to the remote server (step725). The current position can be recorded at certain designated checkpoints throughout the race. Atstep730, the exercise equipment adjusts based on the runner position data. The adjustment can include an adjustment of resistance, incline, etc., and can include controlling one or more motors of the equipment.Steps725 and730 can be repeated periodically or continuously throughout the event.
• Atstep735, the runner's position data is accessed from the remote server and displayed to the runner (e.g., on the smartphone or on a display device of the exercise equipment. Atstep740, the camera of the smartphone records and shares video of the runner with the remote server, which can happen continuously throughout the event, or uploaded at periodic intervals. Atstep745, any breaks, pauses, or stops by the runner are recorded by the camera of the smartphone. Atstep750, the smartphone determines if the race has ended or resulted in a disqualification (DQ) of the runner. The determination can be based on data received from the remote server, for example. If the race has not ended and the runner has not been disqualified,process700 returns to step725 to determine the runner's current position. If the race has ended or the runner has been disqualified, the smartphone application receives placement info for runner form server and any award data, which can be displayed to the runner.
• Process760 (server-side) begins atstep765, with the server updating the runner position based on data received from the client side (e.g., time data, speed data, etc.). Atstep770, the server optionally sends video data to the client-side (e.g., to the smartphone or to the athletic equipment) to display the runner's position relative to the real-world location. The video data can be updated in real-time as the runner progresses virtually through the event taking place contemporaneously in a real-world location. Atstep775, the server sends real-time track contour data (e.g., incline, altitude, elevation, etc.) and weather information (e.g., temperature, humidity, air density, etc.). According to some embodiments, the contour data includes an elevation gain, which represents the total vertical distance climbed in on a route (or portion of a route) as measured from the lowest to the highest point.
• Atstep780, the server stores video uploaded by runner (e.g., by runner's smartphone application), which can be used to authenticate the runner throughout the competition and to identify acts that violate certain rules (e.g., changing runners, modifying equipment, etc.). Atstep785, the server records any stops or breaks taken by the runner. Atstep790, the server optionally sends team member position data and the runner position data to a client-side device (e.g., the smartphone, athletic equipment, or a control device connected to the athletic equipment). Atstep793, it is determined if the race has ended or resulted in a disqualification of the runner. If not,process760 returns to765 and the steps are repeated. If the race has ended or resulted in disqualification of the runner, the server calculates placement information atstep795, and generates award information based on the placement information (and optionally based on any cheating that has been detected using the video data) atstep797. The top finishers can be notified at the client-side, e.g., on a display of the smartphone or athletic equipment.
• FIG.8 depicts an exemplaryequipment control device800 for controlling athletic equipment to conduct a remote or virtual competition that is synchronized with a real-world competition according to embodiments of the present invention.Control device800 includes aUSB interface805 that can be connected to a piece of controllable athletic equipment, such as a treadmill, stationary bike, or rowing machine. Control instructions and video data can be sent overUSB interface805 to adjust settings of the athletic equipment, or to turn the athletic equipment on or off, for example, and to render real-time display information on the athletic equipment display device. Data can also be passed back tocontrol device800 from the controllable athletic equipment, such as resistance and incline settings of the athletic equipment. Moreover,equipment control device800 can receive real-time video data from the remote server for display on a display of the exercise equipment. The video data typically shows the current location of the participant in the virtual event.
• Wireless communication module810 andethernet module820 can be used to communicate with a remote server over the internet for sending and receiving competition data, difficulty level, weather data, and control signals for controlling the exercise equipment to simulate real-world conditions (e.g., difficulty level). The instructions for controlling the controllable athletic equipment can be generated byCPU835 and/or stored inmemory830 based on real-world conditions.Memory830 can store configuration data for the controllable athletic equipment, information regarding real-world race conditions accessed from a remote server, and other information that can be used to recreate conditions of a real-world athletic competition (e.g., weather data, difficulty level, etc.).
• Control device800 can also include one ormore sensors825 that can measure environmental data around the athletic equipment, such as temperature, humidity, air density, etc., and can optionally include a wireless communication interface to communicate wirelessly with other devices (e.g., a smartphone, the athletic equipment, or a remote server). Adisplay815 is optionally included in thecontrol device800 or as part of the athletic equipment for displaying competition-related information, such as timing information (e.g., the current time and/or the pace of other participants), speed information, environmental conditions, water station information, etc. Based on data received from the remote server, such as participant metrics, calculated difficulty level, calculated resistance value, and/or calculated incline value,control device800 sends control commands to the connected controllable athletic equipment to substantially reproduce the real-world conditions (e.g., the difficulty experienced by the real-world participant) for remote competition.
• FIG.9 is a diagram of an exemplary on-screengraphical display900 rendered on a display device (e.g., LED screen) of a controllable exercise device (e.g., a treadmill) according to embodiments of the present invention. The on-screen graphical display can generate graphics according to race data received from a control device, for example. In the example ofFIG.9, the display of the treadmill renders a graphical depiction of pace/timing information905, a graphical map of the participant's route and location (as well as other participants, team members, etc.)910, and rankinginformation915 that shows the pace and/or position of other participants. According to some embodiments, the on-screengraphical display900 updates periodically or continuously in real-time based on data received by the control device from a remote server.
• Embodiments of the present invention are thus described. While the present invention has been described in particular embodiments, it should be appreciated that the present invention should not be construed as limited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to the following claims.

Claims (20)

What is claimed is:

1. A system for conducting a remote running competition, the system comprising:

an electronically controllable treadmill comprising a running surface operable to move via a force of a remote race participant produced by running on the running surface;

an electronic control device coupled to the treadmill; and

a smartphone comprising a camera, wherein the electronic control device and the smartphone communicate with a remote server over a computer network, wherein the smartphone is operable to capture video data to confirm an identity of the participant, and wherein the remote server provides data to the electronic control device for controlling settings of the electronically controllable treadmill to substantially reproduce a real-world competitive running event in real-time for remote participation by the remote race participant.

2. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the remote server is operable to calculate a difficulty level of the real-world competition, and wherein the remote server provides the difficulty level to the electronic control device to control a setting of the electronically controllable treadmill.

3. The system of claim3, wherein the difficult level is based on an air density value calculated using the formula: ρ=P/(R*T), where ρ is the air density value (in kg/m³), P is an atmospheric pressure (in Pascals), R is a universal gas constant (about 8.314 J/(mol K)), and T is an air temperature (in Kelvin).

4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the remote server calculates a resistance value corresponding to conditions of the real-world competition, and wherein the remote server provides the resistance value to the electronic control device to control a setting of the electronically controllable treadmill.

5. The system ofclaim 4, wherein the resistance value is calculated by the remote server according to the formula: F=0.5*ρ*C*A*ν², where F is the resistance value (in Newtons), ρ is an air density (in kg/m³), C is a coating resistance coefficient, A is a cross-sectional area of the remote race participant (in m²), and ν is a speed of the remote race participant (in m/s).

6. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the remote server calculates an incline value corresponding to conditions of the real-world competition, and wherein the remote server provides the incline value to the electronic control device to control a setting of the electronically controllable treadmill.

7. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic control device further comprises a sensor, wherein the sensor is operable to take a measurement comprising at least one of:

temperature; humidity; and air density, and wherein the measurement is provided to the remote server and used to calculate a difficulty level of the remote race participant.

8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic control device and the electronically controllable treadmill are connected using USB.

9. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic control device and the electronically controllable treadmill are connected using Bluetooth.

10. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the remote server is operable to store event timing data, remote race participant information, and real-world race condition data.

11. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the remote server is operable to provide real-world race condition data to the electronic control device for controlling at least one: of a resistance value; and an incline value of the electronically controllable treadmill in real-time.

12. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic control device and the smartphone are operable to upload remote race data to the remote server, wherein the remote race data comprises a race completion time indicating when the remote race participant completes the remote running competition.

13. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the speed of the remote participant is calculated using the formula V=sqrt((2*F)/(m*C_d*ρ*A)), where V is the speed of the runner (in m/s), F is the force required to overcome the resistance (in Newtons), m is the mass of the runner (in kg), C_dis the drag coefficient, ρ is the air density (in kg/m³), and A is the cross-sectional area of the runner (in m²).

14. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the control device is operable to control a motor of the electronically controllable treadmill to adjust at least one of: a resistance of the running surface; and an incline of the running surface.

15. A method of conducting a remote athletic competition in real-time based on a real-world athletic competition, the method comprising:

verifying an identity of a remote participant using a camera of a smartphone;

recording a start time of the remote athletic competition, wherein the start time of the remote athletic competition is substantially equal to a start time of the real-world athletic competition;

accessing real-world athletic competition data; and

controlling a piece of controllable athletic equipment to reproduce a difficulty level experienced by participants of the real-world athletic competition for the remote participant.

16. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the real-world competition data comprises at least one of: temperature data; track contour information; humidity data; precipitation data; and air density data.

17. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the controlling a piece of controllable athletic equipment is performed by an electronic control device coupled to the controllable athletic equipment, wherein the controllable athletic equipment comprises a treadmill, and wherein the controlling a piece of controllable athletic equipment comprises adjusting a resistance or incline setting of the controllable athletic equipment.

18. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising displaying video on a display device of the controllable athletic equipment, wherein the video comprises images of a real-world location corresponding to a location of the remote participant in the remote athletic competition.

19. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising:

calculating a speed of the remote participant using the formula V=sqrt((2*F)/(m*C_d*ρ*A)), where V is the speed of the runner (in m/s), F is the force required to overcome the resistance (in Newtons), m is the mass of the runner (in kg), C_dis the drag coefficient, ρ is the air density (in kg/m³), and A is the cross-sectional area of the runner (in m²); and

calculating a distance traveled by the remote participant using the calculated speed and a time duration, wherein the remote participant finishes the remote competition when the distance traveled reaches a predetermined value.

20. A method of controlling athletic equipment to simulate conditions of a real-world athletic competition, the method comprising: accessing race conditions of the real-world athletic competition in real-time, wherein the race conditions comprise track environmental conditions and track contour information;

calculating a real-time estimated difficulty level of the real-world athletic competition using the race conditions;

accessing participant data comprising a participant body mass;

calculating a resistance value for configuration of the athletic equipment based on the difficulty level and the participant body mass; and

sending control signals to the athletic equipment to adjust the resistance force produced by a motor of the athletic equipment based on the calculated resistance value.

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