Balance board system

Abstract

A balance board system may include a balance board, a phone that is mounted to the balance board, and a display device on which a virtual environment may be displayed. The virtual environment can include a representation of the balance board that is oriented based on the balance board's orientation as detected by the phone. The virtual environment can enable a user to learn and practice tricks or other activities on a balance board. A phone mount can be used to mount the phone to the balance board. By mounting the phone to the balance board, software on the phone can be used to detect and monitor the balance board's movement to thereby assist the user in improving his or her balance or learning various tricks, movements or techniques. The software on the phone can also allow the user to generate inputs for various games that can be portrayed in the virtual environment.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A balance board system comprising:
 one or more computer storage media storing computer executable instructions which when executed on a phone that is mounted to a balance board implement the following method:
 obtaining orientation data from one or more sensors of the phone while the phone is mounted to the balance board; and 
 based on the orientation data, tracking an orientation of the balance board. 
   
     
     
         2 . The balance board system of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 generating a representation of the balance board; and   generating a virtual environment that includes the representation of the balance board including orienting the representation of the balance board based on the tracked orientation of the balance board.   
     
     
         3 . The balance board system of  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:
 outputting the virtual environment to an external display.   
     
     
         4 . The balance board system of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 detecting, from the tracked orientation of the balance board, that a user has performed a particular motion on the balance board; and   providing feedback indicative of the particular motion.   
     
     
         5 . The balance board system of  claim 4 , wherein the particular motion is detected by comparing the tracked orientation of the balance board to signatures of motions. 
     
     
         6 . The balance board system of  claim 4 , wherein the feedback comprises one or more of:
 audible feedback;   visual feedback; or   a score.   
     
     
         7 . The balance board system of  claim 4 , wherein the particular motion is a trick. 
     
     
         8 . The balance board system of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
 maintaining statistics that include an indication that the user has performed the particular motion.   
     
     
         9 . The balance board system of  claim 8 , wherein the statistics also include one or more of:
 a number of times that the user has performed the particular motion on the balance board;   an indication that the user has performed one or more other motions on the balance board;   an amount of time that the user has used the balance board; or   a number of calories that the user has burned while using the balance board.   
     
     
         10 . The balance board system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a balance board phone mount for mounting the phone to the balance board.   
     
     
         11 . The balance board system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the balance board, wherein the balance board is configured to receive the phone to thereby mount the phone to the balance board.   
     
     
         12 . A balance board system comprising:
 a balance board phone mount comprising:
 a body having a top side and a bottom side, the body further having:
 a first side; 
 a second side opposite the first side; 
 a first extension; and 
 a second extension opposite the first extension; and 
 
 a base positioned on the top side of the body, the base being configured to secure the body to a bottom of a board of a balance board. 
   
     
     
         13 . The balance board system of  claim 12 , wherein the body includes a third side that extends between the first and second sides and a fourth side that extends between the first and second sides opposite the third side. 
     
     
         14 . The balance board system of  claim 13 , wherein the first extension extends from the third side and the second extension extends from the fourth side. 
     
     
         15 . The balance board system of  claim 14 , wherein the first extension is perpendicular to the third side and the second extension is perpendicular to the fourth side. 
     
     
         16 . The balance board system of  claim 12 , wherein the body further comprises:
 a first fastener positioned on the bottom side of the body at the second side;   a second fastener positioned on the top side of the body at the first side;   a third fastener positioned on the top side of the body at the second side;   a fourth fastener positioned on the first extension; and   a fifth fastener positioned on the second extension.   
     
     
         17 . The balance board system of  claim 16 , wherein the first fastener and the second fastener secure the first side and the second side together, the third fastener and the fourth fastener secure the first extension and the second side together and the third fastener and the fifth fastener secure the second extension and the second side together. 
     
     
         18 . The balance board system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 one or more computer storage media storing software which when executed on a phone that is mounted to a balance board via the balance board phone mount implement the following method:
 obtaining orientation data from one or more sensors of the phone while the phone is mounted to the balance board; and 
 based on the orientation data, tracking an orientation of the balance board. 
   
     
     
         19 . A method, performed by software on a phone that is mounted to a balance board, for tracking motion of the balance board, the method comprising:
 obtaining orientation data from one or more sensors of the phone while the phone is mounted to the balance board;   using the orientation data to calculate an orientation of the balance board; and   outputting a representation of the balance board, the representation being oriented in accordance with the calculated orientation of the balance board.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 using the orientation data to determine that a user of the balance board has performed a trick; and   outputting feedback indicative of the trick.