Patent Application
20060293041
The present invention relates generally to wireless communications devices, and particularly to wireless communications devices equipped with motion detection devices.
Consumers often demand innovative features and new functionality when deciding on whether to purchase a particular wireless communications device. One especially popular feature allows a user to assign a melodic ring tone to a specific remote party's terminal. Upon receiving an incoming call, the user can identify the caller simply by listening to the ring tone. Also popular is the ability to play games, view images, video, and define various vibration and lighting patterns.
Consumers have come to depend a great deal on their wireless communications devices. Certainly, this dependency stems from the consumer's ability to communicate with virtually anyone anywhere in the world. However, which wireless communications device they choose may be a function of the number and/or types of features provided with the wireless communications device. Of course, consumer interest in what was once new and innovative often wanes quickly. Therefore, manufacturers consistently try to provide new features and functionality to maintain market share, and to entice consumers to purchase their product.
The present invention comprises a wireless communications device that provides a user with a reward in response to the user achieving a predetermined objective. The reward may be, for example, a complementary multimedia effect such as a melodic ring tone, screensaver, video clip, audio file, backlighting pattern, tactile function pattern, or the like. Additionally, the reward may be credits or tokens that the user may use to purchase items, application programs such as games for use on the wireless communications device, or a key used to enable functionality stored on wireless communications device. The user may receive the reward upon achieving a predetermined goal or objective stored in memory of the wireless communications device.
In one embodiment, for example, the wireless communications device includes a detector that generates a signal in response to detecting a user's motion. The detector may be internal or external to the wireless communications device. A processor receives the signal, and calculates a selected characteristic associated with the user's motion. The processor also monitors the selected characteristic, and compares the selected characteristic to a quantified characteristic stored in memory of the wireless communications device. The quantified characteristic represents a predetermined objective or goal that is associated with the motion the user is performing. When the processor determines that the user has achieved the predetermined objective, the processor executes an application program to download reward data, such as a melodic ring tone, from a remote entity.
The wireless communications device may include a transceiver to download the reward data from a remote wireless communications device via long-range or short-range interface. Additionally, the wireless communications device may download the reward data from a server via a communications network, such as a wireless communications network and/or the Internet. The wireless communications device may also be configured to delete reward data already stored in memory of the wireless communications device if the user does not achieve the predetermined objective.
The present invention comprises a wireless communications device and corresponding method that provides a user with a reward in response to the user achieving a predetermined objective. As used herein, the term “wireless communication device” may include a cellular radiotelephone, a Personal Communication System (PCS) terminal, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) that can include a radiotelephone, Internet/intranet access, web browser, organizer, calendar, and/or a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a conventional laptop and/or palmtop receiver, or other appliance or mobile station that includes a radiotelephone transceiver.
Turning now to the drawings,
User input device 22 may include input devices such as a keypad, touchpad, joystick control dials, control buttons, and other input devices, or a combination thereof. The user input devices 22 allow the user to dial numbers, enter commands, scroll through menus and menu items presented to the user on display 20, and make selections. User input device 22 also allows the user to select and/or configure one or more predetermined target objectives stored in memory 30 of the wireless communications device. Microphone 26 receives and converts audible signals, such as the user's detected speech and other audible sound, into electrical audio signals that may be processed by audio processing circuit 34. Speaker 28 receives analog audio signals from audio processing circuit 34, and converts them into audible sound that the user can hear.
Detector 24 detects user motion. Detector 24 may be located internal to the wireless communications device 10 as seen in
In one embodiment, detector 24 comprises a pedometer. As is known in the art, pedometers are motion-sensitive devices having electrical circuits that turn on and off as the user walks. Some pedometers, for example, use a magnetic pendulum that moves back and forth past a magnetic field with each step taken by the user. Other pedometers may detect the impact of the user's foot striking the ground. Regardless of how the pedometer detects the user's step, however, a digital circuit associated with the pedometer may be activated and deactivated to generate a pulse or signal that may be sent to processor 32.
Communications circuitry 14 includes, inter alia, the components necessary to allow a user to communicate with one or more remote parties via a wireless communications link. Communications circuitry 14 comprises memory 30, a processor 32, an audio processing circuit 34, a long-range transceiver 36 coupled to an antenna 38, and optionally, a short-range transceiver 40 coupled to an antenna 42. Memory 30 represents the entire hierarchy of memory in wireless communications device 10, and may include both random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM), as well as magnetic or optical disk storage. Computer program instructions and data required for operation are stored in non-volatile memory, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and/or flash memory, and may be implemented as discrete devices, stacked devices, or integrated with processor 32. As will be described in more detail later, memory 30 may store reward data provided to wireless communications device 10, and quantified characteristics associated with a motion performed by the user.
Processor 32 controls the operation of wireless communications device 10 according to programs and/or data stored in memory 30. The control functions may be implemented in a single microprocessor, or in multiple microprocessors. Suitable processors may include, for example, both general purpose and special purpose microprocessors. Processor 30 may interface with audio processing circuit 34, which provides basic analog output signals to speaker 28 and receives analog audio inputs from microphone 26. In addition, processor 32 may also receive the signals generated by detector 24, and use the signals to determine when the user achieves a predetermined objective. Based on the determination, processor 32 may control wireless communications device 10 to download reward data to or delete reward data from memory 30. Additionally, processor 32 may be configured to unlock and/or lock reward data such that the reward data is enabled or disabled for use by the user.
Long-range transceiver 36 and antenna 38 allow a user to communicate wireless speech and data signals to and from a base station in a wireless communications network. Long-range transceiver 36 may be a fully functional cellular radio transceiver that operates according to any known standard, including the standards known generally as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), TIA/EIA-136, cdmaOne, cdma2000, UMTS, and Wideband CDMA. In addition, long-range transceiver 36 may include baseband-processing circuits to process the transmitted and received signals. Alternatively, however, baseband-processing circuits may be incorporated in processor 32.
Short-range transceiver 40 and antenna 42 allow a user to communicate wireless signals to and from a corresponding short-range transceiver (not shown). In one embodiment, short-range transceiver 40 is a BLUETOOTH transceiver or RF transceiver operating according to the IEEE 802.11(b) or 802.11(g) standards. As is well known in the art, BLUETOOTH is a universal radio interface that permits the creation of ad hoc networks, and is particularly well-suited for communications over short distances. It should be understood, however, that short-range transceiver 40 may utilize any technology known in the art operable to transmit and receive signals over short distances, for example, infra-red, and hardwired cables.
According to the present invention, the user may obtain or lose reward data for use with wireless communications device 10 based on whether the user achieves a predetermined objective. Particularly, processor 32 may receive the signals generated by detector 24, and translate the signals using well-known mathematical techniques into various pieces of information or “characteristics” of the motion performed by the user. In embodiments where detector 24 comprises a pedometer, for example, the “characteristics” may be the number of steps the user takes, the number of calories the user burns while walking, the distance the user travels, the average velocity of the user while walking, or any combination thereof. Processor 32 may also determine other characteristics from the generated signals in lieu of or in addition to those stated above. Processor 32 may compare these characteristics to corresponding target objectives for the user.
In use, the user walks with the wireless communications device 10 on his or her body. Detector 30 generates a signal for each step that is detected (box 66). Processor 32 receives the signal generated by detector 30, and calculates a selected characteristic using well-known mathematical techniques (box 68). For example, the generated signal in this embodiment comprises an electrical pulse that corresponds to a step taken by the user. Upon receipt of the signal, processor 32 may increment a counter in memory 30 to monitor the accumulated number of steps over time. Likewise, processor 32 may calculate and maintain variables for the number of calories burned by the user, the distance traveled, average velocity of the user, or other characteristics.
Processor 32 may check to determine whether the time specified in the selected objective (e.g., one week) has elapsed (box 70). If the specified time has elapsed without the user having walked the specified number of steps (e.g., 10,000), processor 32 may determine that the user has failed to achieve the predetermined objective within the specified time frame. In these cases, processor 32 may delete a reward already stored in memory 30 (box 72). If the specified time has not elapsed (box 70), processor 32 may compare the accumulated number of steps to the total number of steps specified by the objective (box 82). If processor 32 determines that the accumulated number of steps is less than the total number of steps specified in the selected objective, the process continues with detector 30 generating the signal for the next detected step (box 66). Otherwise, processor 32 may determine that the user has taken the total number of steps needed to achieve the objective (box 74). Processor 32 may than establish a communications link with a remote entity (box 76), and download the reward data to memory 30 of the wireless communications device 10 (box 78).
In one embodiment, wireless communications device 10 may download the reward data from the remote entity over a communications network 80 as seen in
In another embodiment, one user of a wireless communications device 10a might compete against another user of a wireless communications device 10b. At stake could be reward data stored already stored on one or both devices 10a, 10b. For example, the competition might be that the first person to burn 2500 calories walking wins reward data stored on the other's device. The loser would, of course, lose the specified reward data by having it deleted from memory 30. The users may register their competition objectives and the reward data with server 88. Upon reaching the objective, the processor 32 of the “winning” wireless communications device 10a may generate a message to server 88 requesting the download. Server 88 may then generate a message to the “losing” party's device 10b to download the wagered-for reward data to the “winning” party's device 10a, and to delete the reward data from memory 30 of the wireless communications device 10b.
In an alternate embodiment, wireless communications devices 10a, 10b could exchange the wagered-for reward data over a short-range communications link 92 established between the devices. In this embodiment, both wireless communications device may include short-range transceivers 40. The processor 32 of the winning device 10a could generate a request for the reward data to server 88. Server 88 could than transmit a message to wireless communications device 10b controlling it to transmit the reward data over the short-range link 92 and to delete the lost reward data from its memory 30. Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that processors 32 of the respective wireless communications devices 10a, 10b can be configured to exchange the reward data over the short-range link 92 without interaction with server 88.
Thus, users may obtain reward data for successfully completing a predetermined objective, and may lose reward data for failing to complete a predetermined objective. The predetermined objective thus far has been described in terms of a physical activity (e.g., walking) performed by the user. In addition, however, users may be able to achieve reward data for other activities, such as successfully completing levels of a game application stored on wireless communications device 10. As seen in
Particularly, the game application may be executed on processor 32, and thus, processor 32 may detect each time the user completes a level (box 102). Processor 32 may determine if the completed level is a level at which the user obtains a reward (box 104). If not, processor 32 establishes a communications link (box 106), and downloads the reward data (box 108). The reward data may be, for example, the next level or levels of the game that the user is currently playing. Thus, users would not be limited to only those games that will fit into memory 30. That is, memory 30 would only have to store a few levels of the game at a time, for example, 3 levels. Whenever the user completes the levels stored in memory 30, the next three levels could be downloaded to replace the levels already in memory 30.
The reward data may be any type of data or information. However, in one embodiment, the reward data comprises a complementary multimedia effect that may be executed by wireless communications device 10. For example, the reward data may be a video clip, an image, audio files, a melodic ring tone, a screensaver, a game, tactile vibration pattern, backlighting pattern, or the like. In other embodiments, the reward data comprises tokens or credits that the user may employ to make an electronic purchase with wireless communications device 10. In some embodiments, the reward data may comprise a key that permits the user receiving the reward to unlock some functionality. Whatever the reward data, it may be stored in memory 30 for later use by wireless communications device 10. In addition, the reward data received by wireless communications device 10 when the user achieves the objective may be randomly selected, or may be tied to the difficulty of the predetermined objective. For example, a more difficult-to-achieve objective may be rewarded with data having a greater value than a less difficult-to-achieve objective. Further, successive achievements may result in downloading reward data of a successively increasing value.
The description so far has described the present invention in terms of the processor 32 calculating the characteristics based on the signals received from the detector 24. However, the present invention is not so limited. Alternatively, detector 24 may comprise the circuitry to perform the calculations, and simply provide processor 32 with one or more signals indicative of the calculated characteristics. In these cases, processor 32 may simply receive the signals and update corresponding variables in memory as needed or desired to monitor the characteristics.
Additionally, wireless communications device 10 need not interact with server 88 to exchange reward data with another wireless communications device 10. In one embodiment, two users performing some activity, such as playing a sport, can “wager” reward data stored on their respective devices. One or both of the users could manually enter the final score into their wireless communications devices 10. The reward data could be “won” or “lost” based on the final score, and exchanged between devices via a short-range communications link.
The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
