Generating an animation depicting a user using motion and physiological data captured using sensors

Abstract

A system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer and the internet to allow players remotely located from one another to play a competitive simulated sports game.

1 . A method comprising:
 obtaining, at a first device, motion data associated with a physical movement of a user, the first device comprising at least one member selected from a group consisting of:
 a camera; 
 a global position system (GPS) sensor; 
 an infrared marker; 
 a light emitting diode; 
 an accelerometer; and 
 a gyroscope; 
   transmitting the motion data from the first device to a second device; and   generating, at the second device, image data from the motion data, the image data corresponding to a visual depiction of the user based on the motion data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising transmitting the image data from the second device to a display that is configured to display the visual depiction of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the visual depiction comprising a wire-frame model of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising rendering an image of the user from the wire-frame model. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the transmitting of the motion data from the first device to the second device being wireless. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , the image data being animation data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , the motion data captured by the camera in conjunction with the infrared marker. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , the infrared marker being configured to be worn by a user. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating angular relationship data using the motion data and generating an animation using the motion data and the angular relationship data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising capturing orientation data using the gyroscope, wirelessly transmitting the orientation data to the first device, analyzing the orientation data, and generating the animation using the orientation data. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by said machine, cause it to perform steps comprising:
 capturing motion data associated with a physical movement of a user;   transmitting the motion data to a remote device; and   generating image data from the motion data, the image data corresponding to a visual depiction of the user based on the motion data;   where the motion data is capturing using at least one member selected from a group consisting of:
 a camera; 
 a global position system (GPS) sensor; 
 an infrared marker; 
 a light emitting diode; 
 an accelerometer; and 
 a gyroscope. 
   
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 11 , the image data being animation data. 
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 11 , the motion data captured by the camera in conjunction with the infrared marker. 
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 13 , the infrared marker being configured to be worn by a user. 
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 13 , the instructions further comprising the step of calculating angular relationship data using the motion data and generating an animation using the motion data and the angular relationship data. 
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 13 , the instructions further comprising the step of capturing orientation data using the gyroscope, wirelessly transmitting the orientation data to the first device, analyzing the orientation data, and generating the animation using the orientation data. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 obtaining physiological data associated with a user, the first device comprising an EKG sensor configured to capture heart rate data or a piezoelectric respiration sensor configured to capture respiration data;   transmitting the physiological data from the first device to a second device; and   generating, at the second device, a first set of graphical data using the physiological data.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , the transmitting of the physiological data being wireless. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising the additional steps of capturing motion data using a camera device, an infrared marker, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a global positioning sensor, or a light-emitting diode, wirelessly transmitting the motion data to the second device, and generating, at the second device, a second set of graphical data using the motion data. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising the additional steps of transmitting the first set and second set of graphical data from the second device and displaying the first and second set of graphical data as a visual depiction of the user.