Operating an exercise machine during an online game

Abstract

An exercise machine that automatically adjusts one or more controls or settings based on a user's progression within a gaming environment is described. For example, the exercise machine, in response to the user (or an avatar representing the user) traversing a certain section or target area, can modify its operation (e.g., can initiate an auto-follow behavior or auto-adjust mode of operation) in sync with and/or in response to the user's movement or actions within the gaming environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 determining a user of an exercise machine is moving within a certain section of a gaming environment presented to the user via a display of the exercise machine; and   automatically adjusting a difficulty setting of the exercise machine as the user moves within the certain section of the gaming environment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a user of an exercise machine is moving within a certain section of a gaming environment includes determining an avatar representing the user of the exercise machine has reached a virtual target within the gaming environment; and
 wherein automatically adjusting a difficulty setting of the exercise machine as the user moves within the certain section of the gaming environment includes:
 identifying a current effort performed by the user via the exercise machine; and 
 incrementing the difficulty setting of the exercise machine based on parameters associated with the virtual target and based on the identified current effort performed by the user via the exercise machine. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the exercise machine is an exercise bike and the current effort performed by the user includes a current cadence of the user pedaling the exercise bike. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the exercise machine is a treadmill and the current effort performed by the user includes a current speed of the user running on the treadmill. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a user of an exercise machine is moving within a certain section of a gaming environment includes:
 determining an avatar representing the user of the exercise machine has reached a virtual target within the gaming environment; and   incrementing the difficulty setting of the exercise machine based on parameters associated with the virtual target.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the exercise machine is a treadmill and the difficulty setting is an incline setting of the treadmill. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the exercise machine is an exercise bike and the difficulty setting is a resistance setting of the exercise bike. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the certain section of the gaming environment presents a hill traversed by an avatar representing the user, and automatically adjusting the difficulty setting includes applying an adjustment curve to the difficulty setting that maps to a shape of the hill traversed by the avatar within the gaming environment. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the certain section of the gaming environment presents a multi-stage hill traversed an avatar representing the user, and automatically adjusting the difficulty setting includes applying multiple adjustments to the difficulty setting that map to multiple stages of the multi-stage hill traversed by the avatar within the gaming environment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the user of the exercise machine is performing with an effort that is below a baseline effort associated with the certain section of the gaming environment; and   automatically adjusting the difficulty setting of the exercise machine to a previous setting while the user performs with the effort that is below the baseline effort associated with the certain section of the gaming environment.   
     
     
         11 . An exercise machine, comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor coupled with the memory and configured to cause the exercise machine to:
 present a gaming environment to a user of the exercise machine via a display of the exercise machine; 
 determine an avatar representing the user of the exercise machine has moved within a target area of the gaming environment; 
 select an adjustment curve associated with the target area of the gaming environment; and 
 apply the selected adjustment curve to a difficulty parameter of the exercise machine while the avatar representing the user is within the target area of the gaming environment. 
   
     
     
         12 . The exercise machine of  claim 11 , wherein the target area presents a hill traversed by the avatar representing the user and the selected adjustment curve maps to a shape of the hill traversed by the avatar within the target area. 
     
     
         13 . The exercise machine of  claim 11 , wherein selecting an adjustment curve associated with the target area of the gaming environment includes:
 identifying an experience level associated with the user of the exercise machine; and   selecting the adjustment curve from multiple adjustment curves mapped to the target area of the gaming environment based on the identified experience level associated with the user of the exercise machine.   
     
     
         14 . The exercise machine of  claim 11 , wherein the exercise machine is an exercise bike and wherein selecting an adjustment curve associated with the target area of the gaming environment includes:
 determining a current cadence of the user pedaling the exercise bike; and   selecting the adjustment curve from multiple adjustment curves mapped to the target area of the gaming environment based on the current cadence of the user pedaling the exercise bike.   
     
     
         15 . The exercise machine of  claim 11 , wherein the exercise machine is a treadmill and wherein selecting an adjustment curve associated with the target area of the gaming environment includes:
 determining a current speed of the user running on the treadmill; and   selecting the adjustment curve from multiple adjustment curves mapped to the target area of the gaming environment based on the current speed of the user running on the treadmill.   
     
     
         16 . The exercise machine of  claim 11 , wherein selecting an adjustment curve associated with the target area of the gaming environment includes:
 identifying a current effort level performed by the user of the exercise machine; and   selecting the adjustment curve from multiple adjustment curves mapped to the target area of the gaming environment based on the identified current level performed by the user of the exercise machine.   
     
     
         17 . The exercise machine of  claim 11 , wherein selecting an adjustment curve associated with the target area of the gaming environment includes:
 identifying a current performance metric for the user of the exercise machine; and   selecting the adjustment curve from multiple adjustment curves mapped to the target area of the gaming environment based on the current performance metric for the user of the exercise machine.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium whose contents, when executed by an exercise machine, causes the exercise machine to perform a method, the method comprising:
 presenting a gaming environment to a user of the exercise machine via a display of the exercise machine;   determining an avatar representing the user of the exercise machine is moving along a three-dimensional path within the gaming environment; and   applying an adjustment curve to a difficulty parameter of the exercise machine while the avatar representing the user is moving along the three-dimensional path within the gaming environment.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the exercise machine is a treadmill, and wherein applying the adjustment curve to the difficulty parameter of the treadmill includes continuously adjusting an incline parameter of the treadmill as the avatar representing the user moves along the three-dimensional path within the gaming environment. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the exercise machine is an exercise bike, and wherein applying the adjustment curve to the difficulty parameter of the exercise bike includes continuously adjusting a resistance parameter of the exercise bike as the avatar representing the user moves along the three-dimensional path within the gaming environment.