http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7292151.html
This patent to two U.S. inventors claims an interactive motion detector for use in exercise using a handheld communication device. This patent may cause some concern to Nintendo. I might be wrong but it would seem as if the Nintendo Wii, which uses a handheld communication device, seems at least to "read" on the claim (Again I may be wrong but if there is a difference it is not readily apparent to me). The Wii debuted in 2006 but this patent has priority to July 24, 2004 so (if valid) this patent may be worth noting.
1. A system for tracking movement of a user, comprising:
a first communication device comprising a transmitter for transmitting signals,
a receiver for receiving signals and an output device, said first communication device adapted to be hand-held;
a processing system, remote from the first communication device, for wirelessly receiving said transmitted signals from said first communication device, said processing system adapted to determine movement information for said first communication device and sending data signals to said first communication device for providing feedback or control data; and
wherein said first communication device receives and processes said data signals from said processing system and wherein the output device provides sensory stimuli according to the received data signals.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
An insightful reader noted US Patent 4,695,953 which includes a handheld element (6) and which may be pertinent to this patent. The '953 patent was cited in the '151 patent but not applied by the Examiner
I have not read the specification but the claim is very broad and could encompass a number of devices. One that comes to mind is a speed camera warning system. My moving user has a comms device that communicates his position to a server (first comms device) whihc analyses my position and sends back control data that raises an alarm (a sensory indication) when I approach a camera. There is nothing in the claim about exercise so I would say in its current form it is probably invalid.
I agree with Swarfega. Seems to me the claim is so broad as to be hopelessly invalid.
I'm not sure what the position would be in the US but under European practice that claim is anticipated by any number of devices. The first thing that springs to mind is the old playstation controllers with "rumble" feedback.
One piece of relevant prior art for that Wii case may be US patent 4,264,072 the abstract of which reads:
An electronic game apparatus for use with circuitry which position controls a game object on the screen of a cathode-ray tube, such as is used in standard television receivers. The apparatus translates player's position and movement, and in particular a player's hand, to corresponding movement of the game object on the screen. The apparatus is capable of non-tactile sensing of the player's movement and in the preferred embodiment utilizes a field effect transistor with an antenna member coupled to the gate of the transistor, with the player's position and movement relative to the antenna member resulting in corresponding game object movement on the tube screen.
Other applicable prior art may be found by searching class 463 subclass 39 of the US patent classification schedule
Post a Comment