US-20260124543-A1 - Virtual Performance System

US20260124543A1US 20260124543 A1US20260124543 A1US 20260124543A1US-20260124543-A1

Abstract

Aspects of this disclosure relate to rewarding users of an electronic game for real-world physical activity. Further aspects relate to altering virtual items based upon physical activity. An electronic game may comprise or otherwise relate to an online world (such as a “Virtual World”). Users may be represented through customized graphical representations, such as avatars. An account of a user (or entity) may be associated a “virtual region.” A threshold level of real-world physical activity may result in obtaining a reward that may be associated with a virtual item. A reward may be configured to result in: (1) altering visual appearance of a virtual item within a virtual region; (2) altering a virtual characteristic of a virtual item, such that the first user may engage in at least one additional virtual activity using that virtual item; and/or (3) acquiring a new virtual item for a virtual region.

Inventors

Willoughby H. Walling

Assignees

NIKE, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260105

Claims (20)

1 . A method comprising: providing, by one or more computing devices and to a client device associated with a user, access to a virtual world via a communication interface; receiving, from a monitoring device comprising at least one sensor, sensor data associated with a movement of the user, wherein the monitoring device is configured to detect the movement of the user at a location from which the client device is not accessible to the user; and altering the virtual world in response to identifying, based on the received sensor data, an indication of a threshold level of real-world inactivity of the user.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving second sensor data associated with a movement of a second user; and altering the virtual world based on the second sensor data.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a geographic location of the user; and selecting an activity challenge for the user based on the geographic location.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a geographic location of the user; determining an environmental condition of the geographic location; and selecting a reward based on the environmental condition.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: visually representing an avatar, representing the user, performing a real-world physical activity associated with the movement in the virtual world.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a geographic location of the user; determining a real-world feature of the geographic location; and visually representing the real-world feature of the geographic location of the user in the virtual world at a virtual region, of the virtual world, that is associated with the user.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: providing a reward to the user in the virtual world in response to determining, based on the sensor data, that the user performed a threshold level of a real-world physical activity associated with the movement.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the threshold level of the real-world physical activity comprises: a threshold quantity of time the user spends conducting the real-world physical activity; a threshold value of a physiological or biological parameter of the user; or a threshold distance traveled by the user within a predetermined window of time.
9 . An apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: provide, to a client device associated with a user, access to a virtual world via a communication interface; receive, from a monitoring device comprising at least one sensor, sensor data associated with a movement of the user, wherein the monitoring device is configured to detect the movement of the user at a location from which the client device is not accessible to the user; and alter the virtual world in response to identifying, based on the received sensor data, an indication of a threshold level of real-world inactivity of the user.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to: receive second sensor data associated with a movement of a second user; and alter the virtual world based on the second sensor data.
11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to: determine a geographic location of the user; and select an activity challenge for the user based on the geographic location.
12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to: determine a geographic location of the user; determine an environmental condition of the geographic location; and select a reward based on the environmental condition.
13 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to: visually represent an avatar, representing the user, performing a real-world physical activity associated with the movement in the virtual world.
14 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to: determine a geographic location of the user; determine a real-world feature of the geographic location; and visually represent the real-world feature of the geographic location of the user in the virtual world at a virtual region, of the virtual world, that is associated with the user.
15 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to: provide a reward to the user in the virtual world in response to determining, based on the sensor data, that the user performed a threshold level of a real-world physical activity associated with the movement.
16 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed cause: providing, to a client device associated with a user, access to a virtual world via a communication interface; receiving, from a monitoring device comprising at least one sensor, sensor data associated with a movement of the user, wherein the monitoring device is configured to detect the movement of the user at a location from which the client device is not accessible to the user; and altering the virtual world in response to identifying, based on the received sensor data, an indication of a threshold level of real-world inactivity of the user.
17 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: receiving second sensor data associated with a movement of a second user; and altering the virtual world based on the second sensor data.
18 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: determining a geographic location of the user; and selecting an activity challenge for the user based on the geographic location.
19 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: determining a geographic location of the user; determining an environmental condition of the geographic location; and selecting a reward based on the environmental condition.
20 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause: providing a reward to the user in the virtual world in response to determining, based on the sensor data, that the user performed a threshold level of a real-world physical activity associated with the movement.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/431,418 filed Feb. 2, 2024, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/207,284, filed Mar. 19, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,918,909, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/541,727, filed Aug. 15, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,967,272, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/448,202, filed Jun. 21, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,967,271, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/591,271, filed May 109, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,369,474, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/491,282 filed Jun. 7, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,669,311, which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/494,310 filed Jun. 7, 2011, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application is also related to U.S. Pat. No. 9,289,683 entitled “Virtual Performance System” which issued on Mar. 22, 2016, and which is also incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Electronic forms of entertainment have drastically increased over the last decade. A large part of this increase is due to rising popularity of electronic games. Electronic games are no longer targeted to pre-teens and teenagers, but rather are enjoyed by every possible demographic group. As individuals increasingly engage electronic gaming, they may spend less time participating in sports and other forms of physical activity. This is especially worrisome as the decline in physical activity has been associated with obesity and other related health concerns. Moreover, sporting events and other forms of physical activity historically provided a source of social interaction. Attempts to combat this have focused on electronic games that require a user to stand in front of a display and attempt to work out with sensors attached to their body or in the confined area of an indoor room that is not suited for physical performance. SUMMARY The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. The summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below. Aspects of this disclosure relate to processing of data taken while a user performs an athletic activity. Certain embodiments relate to determining whether a user performs a threshold level of physical activity (e.g., athletic activity). In certain embodiments, determinations of athletic activity may comprise estimating energy expenditure such as, for example, an amount of calories burned. In certain embodiments, energy expenditure calculations comprise determinations relating to: effort, oxygen consumed, and/or oxygen kinetics of the user. Example embodiments may relate to a system, method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable media configured for prompting a user to perform an exercise, monitoring form of the user while performing the exercise, and calculating an energy expenditure estimate for the user performing the exercise based on a type of the exercise and on the form of the user. In various aspects, a system, method, apparatus, and/or computer readable media may be configured for processing data captured of a user performing an athletic activity over a time interval, and determining a location of a center of mass of a body part, body region, or entire body of the user at a first time instant and at a second time instant within the time interval. In further aspects, a system, method, apparatus, and/or computer readable media may be configured for identifying a change in the location of the center of mass from the first time instant to the second time instant, and calculating an energy expenditure estimate for the user due to the change. Aspects of this disclosure relate to rewarding users of an electronic game for real-world physical activity and/or movements. Further aspects relate to altering virtual items based upon physical activity. In various implementations, the electronic game may comprise or otherwise relate to an online world (such as a “Virtual Universe” or a “Virtual World”). Users, which may be individuals and/or entities, may be represented through customized graphical representations, such as avatars. In accordance with various embodiments, an account of a user (or entity) of a virtual world 300 may be associated a “virtual region.” Certain embodiments may identify a first threshold level of real-world physical activity to obtain a first reward associated with the virtual item. In one embodiment, based upon characteristics of a virtual item of a virtual region, a reward may be generated for real-world activity. In