Abstract:
An exercising game system and the method thereof are provided. The system collects a speed parameter and a time parameter of an exerciser, and compute to obtain a distance parameter for extracting a corresponding virtual image. This solves the problems that the exerciser may cheat during the game and that the exercising process is boring. Besides, the game becomes more realistic so that the user enjoys using it.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of The Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to an exercising game system and the method thereof. In particular, it relates to a game system that simulates multiple persons using it at the same time and the method thereof. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    In recent years, with rapid development in economical and industrial activities and improvements in life quality, more amusements are available to most people. Also, people pay more attention to exercising activities. However, most of the people cannot do outdoor activities. Therefore, some would buy exercising utilities to exercise at home. Alternatively, some go to gymnasiums to use their exercising bicycles or treadmills. 
         [0005]    Since such exercising utilities are for indoor uses, the exercisers can only repeat the same actions (e.g., walking or cycling) all the time. There is no attractive goal of motivation. This may be so boring that the exercisers cannot continue for a long time and eventually quit. Moreover, there are many game machines on the market. It is found that exercisers often cheat during the games. For example, a user may not really run on a running game machine, but only let the running game machine run on its own. In such cases, exercisers may cheat and make the game unfair. 
         [0006]    In summary, the prior art long has the problem that exercisers may cheat during exercising processes and the exercising activities are often boring. It is therefore necessary top problem a solution. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In view of the foregoing, the invention discloses an exercising game system and the method thereof. 
         [0008]    The disclosed exercising game system includes at least one exercising user and an exercising server. The exercising server establishes network connections with various exercising users. Each of the exercising users includes a weight determining module, a collecting module, a transmitting module, and a displaying module. The weight determining module uses a weight detector to determine whether the weight of an exerciser is greater than a predetermined value. The collecting module uses a sensor to collect a speed parameter and a time parameter of the exerciser when the weight of the exerciser is determined to be greater than the predetermined value. The transmitting module transmits the speed parameter and the time parameter. The exercising server includes a receiving module, a computing module, and a simulating module. The receiving module receives the speed parameter and the time parameter from each of the exercising users. The computing module uses each of the speed parameter and the time parameter to compute a corresponding distance parameter for the corresponding exercising user. The simulating module extracts a virtual image for each of the exercising users according to the corresponding distance parameter and transmits it the corresponding exercising user for its displaying modules to display. 
         [0009]    The disclosed exercising game method includes the steps of: connecting at least one exercising user with an exercising server through a network; using a weight detector to determine whether the weight of an exerciser is greater than a predetermined value at each of the exercising users; collecting a speed parameter and a time parameter of the exerciser of each of the exercising users when the weight of the exerciser is determined to be greater than the predetermined value; transmitting the speed parameter and the time parameter from each of the exercising users to the exercising server; using the speed parameter and the time parameter of each of the exercising users to compute a corresponding distance parameter by the exercising server; extracting a virtual image for each of the exercising users according to the corresponding distance parameter by the exercising server and transmitting it to the corresponding exercising user for display. 
         [0010]    According to the above description the invention differs from the prior art in that the invention collects the speed parameter and the time parameter of an exerciser, and computes the distance parameter accordingly, and extracts the corresponding virtual image. 
         [0011]    Through the disclosed techniques, the invention can prevent exercisers from cheating as well as achieve realistic effects so that the exercisers can enjoy exercising. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a structural diagram of the disclosed exercising game system; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a detailed block diagram of the disclosed exercising game system; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of the disclosed exercising game method; and 
           [0016]      FIGS. 4 to 8  are schematic views of an embodiment of the disclosed exercising game system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements. 
         [0018]    Before describing the embodiments of the invention, we refer to  FIGS. 1 and 2  for an explanation of the disclosed exercising game system and method.  FIG. 1  is the structural diagram of the disclosed exercising game system and  FIG. 2  is the detailed block diagram. The exercising game system  100  includes: at least one exercising user  110  and an exercising server  120 . Each of the exercising users  110  includes a weight determining module  111 , a collecting module  112 , a transmitting module  113 , and a displaying module  114 . The exercising server  120  includes a receiving module  121 , a computing module  122 , and a simulating module  123 . 
         [0019]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , the exercising user  110  is an exercising device for an exerciser to play an exercising game. The exercising user  110  can be an exercising treadmill or bicycle for the exerciser to play the game. 
         [0020]    The exercising server  120  establishes network connections with individual exercising users  110 . That is, each of the exercising users  110  is an exercising device with the Internet connection ability to connect to the exercising server  120  through the Internet. Alternatively, each of the exercising users  110  can be an exercising device with the local area networking ability to connect to the exercising server  120  through the local area network (LAN). It should be noted that the exercising server is the server of the exercising game. It provides services to the exercising users  110  through network connections. 
         [0021]    If two exercising users  110  connect to the exercising server  120  through network connections for playing the exercising game, they can opt to play the game together and make it a competition or not. 
         [0022]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 . Each of the exercising users  110  includes a weight determining module  111 , a collecting module  112 , a transmitting module  113 , and a displaying module  114 . The weight determining module  111  uses a weight detector to determine whether the weight is greater than a predetermined value. The weight detector uses the weight of the exerciser to determine whether he is really using the exercising device. The predetermined value can be, for example, 35 kg. This predetermined value can be preset by the system. For example, suppose the exercising user  110  is a treadmill, the exerciser&#39;s weight is 50 kg and the predetermined value is set as 35 kg in this case, when the exerciser stands on the exercising user  110 , the weight detector detects 50 kg and the weight determining module  111  of the exercising user  110  determines that it is greater than 35 kg. The purpose of the weight determining module  111  is to prevent the exerciser from cheating in the game. This is because when the exerciser does not correctly use the exercising user  110  to play the game, the collected parameters become meaningless. 
         [0023]    The collecting module  112  uses a sensor to collect a speed parameter and a time parameter of the exerciser when the weight determining module  111  determines that the detected weight is greater than the predetermined value. The sensor detects the speed of motion elements of the exercising user  110 , such as motor, transmitting element, roller, or belt. That is, when the weight determining module  111  determines that the weight is greater than the predetermined value, the collecting module  112  uses the speed detected by the sensor as the speed parameter of the exerciser during the exercise. For example, the speed parameter is ‘15 km/h’. It further records time for the time parameter. For example, the time parameter is ‘2008-10-12 16:30:15’. 
         [0024]    The transmitting module  113  transmits the speed parameter and the time parameter collected by the collecting module  112  to the exercising server  120 . Since the exercising user  110  is an exercising device with the Internet function, it can establish a network connection with the exercising server  120 . The transmitting module  113  of the exercising user  110  can transmit the speed parameter and the time parameter to the exercising server  120  through the network connection. 
         [0025]    The displaying module  114  displays the virtual image transmitted from the exercising server  120 . That is, the exercising user  110  receives the virtual image transmitted from the exercising server  120  and displays it. The virtual image will be detailed later. 
         [0026]    The exercising server  120  includes a receiving module  121 , a computing module  122 , and a simulating module  123 . After the exercising server  120  establishes network connections with the exercising users  110 , its receiving module  121  receives the speed parameter and the time parameter of all of the exercising users  110 . In other words, the receiving module  121  simultaneously receives the speed parameter and the time parameter from all different exercising users  110 . 
         [0027]    The computing module  122  uses the speed parameter and the time parameter of each exercising user  110  to compute a corresponding distance parameter. The distance parameter is computed using the relation: ‘distance=speed*time’. It gives the distance advanced by each exercising user  110  after some interval. In other words, the computing module  122  takes the speed parameter and the time parameter of different exercising users  110  and computes the corresponding distance parameter. For example, suppose the time parameter and the speed parameter of the exercising users  110  are collected every  10  seconds, the computing module  122  follows the relation ‘distance=speed*time’ to obtain the distance advanced by each of the exercising user  110  in 10 seconds. It further sums up the distance to obtain a total distance, which is another distance parameter. 
         [0028]    The simulating module  123  extracts a virtual image corresponding to the distance parameter of each of the exercising users  110 , and transmits it to the corresponding exercising user  110 . The displaying module  114  of the exercising user  110  then displays the virtual image. That is, the simulating module  123  extracts the virtual image according to the distance parameter of exercising user  110  computed by the computing module  122 . The virtual image of the exercising user  110  is then sent via the network connection to the exercising user  110 . Finally, the displaying module  114  of each of the exercising users  110  displays the corresponding virtual image. 
         [0029]    It should be noted that the virtual image of the exercising user  110  extracted by the simulating module  123  includes the virtual characters that simulate all of the exercising users  110 . That is, the virtual image has virtual characters representing all of the exercising users  110  and simulating their conditions. It is worth mentioning that when the distance parameters of at least two exercising users  110  fall within the same range of the virtual image, the virtual characters of them are concurrently shown in the corresponding exercising users. That is, if the distance parameters of two or more exercising users  110  fall within the same range of the virtual image, the simulating module  123  of the exercising server  120  renders the same virtual image. In the end, the virtual characters represented by the corresponding exercising users  110  are concurrently displayed in the same virtual image. 
         [0030]    It should be noted that each of the exercising users  110  can further have a direction control module  115  responsible for generating a direction parameter. The direction parameter is transmitted via the transmitting module  113  to the exercising server  120 . The exercising server  120  uses the direction parameter to extract the corresponding virtual image. 
         [0031]    Moreover, each of the exercising users  110  can further have a first voice processing module  116 . The exercising server  120  further has a second voice processing module  124 . The first voice processing module  116  receives and transmits voice information. The second voice processing module  124  receives voice information transmitted from all of the exercising users  110  and transmits such voice information to other exercising users  110 . That is, the first voice processing module  116  receives the voice information made by the exerciser at an exercising user  110 , and transmits it to the exercising user server  120 . After the second voice processing module  124  of the exercising server  120  receives the voice information transmitted from all of the exercising users  110 . It further transmits the voice information to other exercising users  110 . The voice processing modules  116  of the other exercising users  110  receive the voice information transmitted from the exercising server  120 . Therefore, the exercisers use the first voice processing module  116  of the exercising users  110  and the second voice processing module of the exercising server  120  to achieve voice communications with others. 
         [0032]    The above-mentioned exercising game system collects the speed parameter and the time parameter of the exercisers, computes their distance parameters, and extracts the corresponding virtual images. It prevents the exercisers from cheating and makes the game more interesting. 
         [0033]    The following paragraphs use an explicit example to explain the invention. However, this embodiment should not be used to limit the scope of the invention. Any person skilled in the art can make obvious modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of the disclosed exercising game method.  FIGS. 4  to  8  are schematic views of an embodiment of the disclosed system. The following description details steps of the invention with simultaneous reference to  FIGS. 3 to 8 . 
         [0035]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 . The exercising game system  400  includes a treadmill A  410  (i.e., an exercising user), a treadmill B  420 (i.e., another exercising user), and an exercising game server  430  (i.e., the exercising server). An exerciser A uses the treadmill A  410  to run. An exerciser B uses the treadmill B  420  to run. The treadmill A  410  and the treadmill B  420  establish connections with the exercising game server  430  through a network (step  301 ). In other words, the treadmill A  410  and the treadmill B  420  establish network connections with the exercising game server  430  for online the exercising game. The operation of the exercising game server  430  enables the treadmill A  410  and the treadmill B  420  to form a competition in the exercising game. 
         [0036]    The treadmill A  410  has a weight detector to determine whether the exerciser A is correctly using the treadmill  410  for the game. The treadmill A  410  uses the weight detector to determine whether the weight of exerciser A is greater than a predetermined value ‘35 kg’ when using the treadmill A  410  (step  302 ). The predetermined value ‘35 kg’ is predetermined by the treadmill A  410 . Likewise, the treadmill B  420  also uses a weight detector to determine whether the weight of exerciser B is greater than the predetermined value ‘35 kg’ when using the treadmill B  420 . Of course, the predetermined value ‘35 kg’ is predetermined by the treadmill B  420 . 
         [0037]    Please refer to  FIG. 5 . Suppose the exercise A is correctly using the treadmill A  410  and his weight is 50 kg. Therefore, the weight detector of the treadmill A  410  determines that the exerciser A has a weight ‘50 kg’ greater than the predetermined value ‘35 kg’ when using the treadmill A  410 . In this case, the treadmill A  410  collects the speed parameter A  520  of the exerciser A (e.g., ‘9 km/h’) and the time parameter A  510  (e.g., ‘2008-10-22 16:29:15’). At the same time, suppose the exerciser B has a weight of 60 kg. The weight detector of the treadmill B  420  determines that the exerciser B has a weight ‘60 kg’ greater than the predetermined value ‘35 kg’ when using the treadmill B  420 . In this case, the treadmill B  420  collects the speed parameter B  620  (e.g., ‘9 km/h’) and the time parameter B  610  (e.g., ‘2008-10-22 16:29:15’) of the exerciser B (step  303 ). 
         [0038]    After the treadmill A  410  collects the speed parameter A  520  and time parameter A  510 , the treadmill A  410  transmits them to the exercising game server  430  via the network connection. After the treadmill B  420  collects the speed parameter B  620  and time parameter B  610 , the treadmill A  410  transmits them to the exercising game server  430  via the network connection (step  304 ). 
         [0039]    Please refer to  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The exercising game server  430  uses the time parameter A  510  and the speed parameter A  520  for computation. Since the time interval A  530  obtained between time parameters A  510  is 10 sec, the distance parameter A  540  in the 10 sec is obtained using the relation ‘distance=speed*time’. For example, the distance parameter A  541  of the time parameter A  510  ‘2008-10-22 16:29:25’ is 0.05 km. The distance is then accumulated to obtain the total distance A  542 , e.g., 0.075 km. At the same time, the exercising game server  430  also uses the time parameter B  610  and the speed parameter B  620  for computation. Since the time interval  630  of the time parameter B  610  is 10 sec, the relation ‘distance=speed*time’ gives the distance parameter B  640  in each 10 sec. For example, the distance B  641  of the time parameter B  610  ‘2008-10-22 16:29:25’ is 0.05 km. The distance is then accumulated to obtain the total distance B  642 , e.g., 0.075 km (step  305 ). 
         [0040]    After the exercising game server  430  obtains the total distance A  542  of the treadmill A  410  and the total distance B  642  of the treadmill B  420 , the exercising game server  430  extracts virtual image A and virtual image B according to the total distance A  542  (e.g., 0.075 km) and the total distance B  642  (e.g., 0.075 km). The total distance A  542  ‘0.075 km’ and the total distance B  642  ‘0.075 km’ fall in the same virtual image. It should be noted that if different exercisers start their games at different times, the exercising game server  430  extracts the corresponding virtual images of the distances. If the distances are different, the exercising game server  430  obtains different virtual images. Therefore, according to the total distance A  542  ‘0.075 km’ and the total distance B  642  ‘0.075 km’, the extracted virtual image A and the virtual image B are the same. In the virtual image A, there is a virtual character A simulating the exerciser A. In the virtual image B, there is a virtual character B simulating the exerciser B. Since the virtual image A and the virtual image B are the same, both the virtual character A and the virtual character B appear in the same virtual image. That is, in addition to the virtual character A, the virtual image A also has the virtual character B. In addition to the virtual character B, the virtual image B also has the virtual character A. After obtaining the virtual image A and the virtual image B, the exercising game server  430  transmits the virtual image A to the treadmill A  410  for display, and transmits the virtual image B to the treadmill A  420  for display. The displayed results are shown in the virtual image display interface  800  in  FIG. 8  (step  306 ). 
         [0041]    In summary, the invention differs from the prior art in that it collects the speed parameter and the time parameter of the exercisers. Through some calculations, it obtains the distance parameters and extracts the corresponding virtual images. The disclosed techniques can prevent exercisers from cheating in the exercising game and make the exercising process interesting. Therefore, the invention achieves the goals of no cheating and realistic effects, making the exercises enjoyable. 
         [0042]    Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention.