JPH07250919A - Cycling simulation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a cycling simulation system which renders a user a feel of experience as if the user actually does cycling to eliminate monotonousness and is capable of providing the user with proper advises as if an actual trainer gives instructions on momentum to the user. CONSTITUTION:A display device 4 projects the expression of a virtual trainer M2 formed according to the pedaling speed of a cycling machine, the number of pulses of the user and the exercising state based on the training data of the individual person by superimposition on a screen of a virtual scene V and projects a virtual competitor M1 who is the user's exercising target by superimposition on the screen of this virtual scene V.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cycling simulation system used for indoor training.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a training machine using a fixed-type cycling machine, but this training machine is provided with a means for displaying a virtual mileage obtained from the rotation speed of the pedal of a fixed-type cycling machine. The user himself / herself judges the amount of exercise by looking at the displayed traveling distance.

[0003]

However, in the training machine as described above, since the user determines the amount of exercise, the amount of exercise may decrease, or on the contrary, the amount of exercise may not increase, and proper training cannot be performed. There was a problem. In addition, since it is monotonous, there is a problem that the user gets tired on the way.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. The object of the present invention is to provide an experience of actually cycling to eliminate monotony. Another object of the present invention is to provide a cycling simulation system capable of giving appropriate advice to a user as an actual trainer gives an instruction regarding exercise amount.

The object of the invention of claim 2 is, in addition to the object of the invention of claim 1, to further give the user a sense of experience as if he / she is actually running, and get tired of the monotonous training. It is to provide a cycling simulation system that can improve training efficiency without training. The object of the invention of claim 3 is that
In addition to the object of the invention of claim 1 or 2, it is an object of the invention to provide a cycling simulation system whose manufacturing cost is low.

In addition to the object of the invention according to claim 1, the object of the invention according to claim 4 is to provide a user with an exercise target by a video image of a virtual competitor, and to perform training in which a basic pace can be maintained. -To provide a simulation system.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 is a stationary cycling machine,
Detecting means to detect the movement state by pedaling, and a virtual trainer's facial expression that gives a user an advice according to the detected movement state while displaying a virtual landscape image for simulated experience corresponding to the movement state by pedaling And a display device for projecting an image showing the.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a goggle type display device mounted on the user's face is used as the display device, and a virtual landscape to be projected is configured by a stereoscopic image. Claim 3
In the invention of claim 1, in the invention of claim 1 or 2, the video of the virtual landscape is configured by a live-action video.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the image of the virtual competitor who is the exercise target of the user is displayed on the display device while being superimposed on the image of the virtual scenery, and the image of the virtual competitor is displayed. It is provided with a means for changing the position and size according to the exercise state of the user.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the stationary cycling machine, the detection means for detecting the motion state by pedaling, and the image of the virtual scenery for the pseudo experience corresponding to the motion state by pedaling are projected. , A display device that displays an image showing the virtual trainer's facial expression that gives advice to the user according to the detected exercise state, so that the user can actually see the virtual scenery displayed on the discontinuity device to actually perform the cycling course. It gives the experience of driving in the city or in the city, and can improve the training efficiency by eliminating the tiredness caused by monotonousness, and moreover, the expression of the virtual trainer displayed on the display device by the user. Users can receive advice from the virtual trainer while watching Actually received the advice from the trainer gives the feeling that the training can be carried out the movement by appropriate advice.

According to the invention of claim 2, in the invention of claim 1, the goggle type display device mounted on the user's face is used as the display device, and the projected virtual scenery is constituted by a stereoscopic image. because there is,
It is possible to further strongly give the user a sense of experience that he or she is traveling in the virtual scenery actually displayed on the display device, and expect further improvement in training efficiency.

According to the invention of claim 3, claim 1 or 2
In the invention described above, since the video of the virtual landscape is composed of a live-action video, it is possible to use an inexpensive video device such as a VTR as compared with the case where computer graphics are used. According to the invention of claim 4, in the invention of claim 1, the image of the virtual competitor that is the exercise target of the user is displayed on the display device while being superimposed on the image of the virtual scenery, and the position of the image of the virtual competitor is displayed. Since it is equipped with a means for changing the size according to the exercise condition of the user, the user can exercise with the virtual competitor as an exercise target, and can perform training while keeping the basic pace. It

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the entire system of an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment system comprises a stationary cycling machine 1, an interface box 2, a VTR 3, a display device 4 and the like.

The fixed cycling machine 1 has a handle 1
1, a saddle 12, and a pedal 13 are provided so that the user straddles the saddle 12 like a real bicycle,
It is possible to cross 3. The pedal 13 can change the load amount, that is, the weight by an appropriate electrically driven load means 7 (see FIG. 3) provided inside the cycling machine 1, and the speed can be detected by the rotation speed of the pedal 13. The speed is detected by the speed detecting means 8 (see FIG. 3).

As a result of the user's previous training,
A connection unit (not shown) for detachably connecting the IC card 5 for storing the user's individual training data such as age, physical fitness, standard load, and maximum heartbeat, and a pulse sensor 6 attached to the user are provided. The connection part of these IC cards 5 and the pulse sensor 6 are electrically connected to the interface box 2
Is connected to the internal circuit section.

The VTR 3 actually provides the user with a cycling course when the cycling machine 1 is used and a cycling course and a view of the city in order to give the user a sense of experience of traveling in the city. The video signal of the captured image is recorded and the road surface condition of the scenery, that is, the uphill road,
This is for reproducing the VTR tape 9 in which the pedal weight signal S ₁ for changing the weight of the pedal 13 according to the down road, the flat road, etc. is recorded. Pedal weight signal S reproduced by
₁ is sent to the circuit section in the interface box 2.

The circuit section in the interface box 2 is constructed as shown in FIG.
Controls the load means 7 of the pedal 13 on the basis of the pedal weight signal S ₁ from the VTR 3 to set the load amount according to the virtual scenery V displayed on the display device 4 as shown in FIG. If there is, the load amount is increased, and conversely, the load amount is decreased on the down road so that the user can experience the same feeling as in the actual running state through the pedal 13.

The microcomputer 21A superimposes the image of the virtual competitor M ₁ acting as a pacemaker indicating the user's exercise goal on the screen of the virtual scenery V shown in FIG. The position and size of the image of the virtual competitor M ₁ on the screen are calculated based on the personal training data stored in the IC card 5 and the speed detection signal S _2, and the image of the virtual competitor M ₁ is calculated. Data is stored in the image memory 22A
(Or the drawing processor 23A) is read out, and the drawing processor 24A generates a screen showing the image of the virtual competitor M ₁ based on the image data.

The image memory 22A takes a picture of the virtual competitor M ₁ and uses the movement of the image as a frame-by-frame image to generate a plurality of image data D _1.
The image data is divided and stored in the microcomputer 21A, and the microcomputer 21A sequentially reads the image data D ₁ at predetermined time intervals and sends it to the drawing processor 24A as the image data of the moving virtual competitor ₂ . The drawing processor 24A generates a screen of the virtual competitor M ₁ based on the image data and the position and size calculated by the microcomputer 21A, and the signal of the generated screen is used as the video signal superposition circuit 2
Send it to 5A.

The video signal superimposing circuit 25A has a virtual competition of a predetermined size at a predetermined position on the screen of the virtual scenery V displayed on the display device 4 based on the signal from the drawing processor 24A and the video signal from the VTR 3. The image of the opponent M ₁ is superposed as shown in FIG. That is, the user watching the display device 4 can visually grasp the sense of distance between himself and the virtual competitor M _{1 based on} the size and position of the virtual competitor M ₁ .

The position of the virtual competitor M ₁ projected on the screen changes in accordance with the relative relationship with the speed at which the user pedals the pedal 13, and at the same time, the user and the virtual competitor M 1 simultaneously.
In fact the user virtual competitors M depending on the distance between the ₁
The size of the virtual competitor M ₁ on the screen changes so as to correspond to the size of the virtual competitor M ₁ seen when ₁ is viewed. The user will have the feeling of actually driving.

The microcomputer 21B superimposes an image of the virtual trainer M ₂ for giving advice on the basis of the user's current exercise state and training data on the screen of the display device 4 as shown in FIG. This is for performing a process of giving a word to the user by voice as well as displaying the information, which is written in the pedal weight signal S ₁ , the speed detection signal S ₂ , the pulse detection signal S ₃ of the pulse sensor 6 and the IC card 5. The training data of the individual user who is present is compared with the virtual trainer operation regulation rule [an example of which is shown in FIG. 4] stored in the storage unit 26 that is programmed in advance, and the facial expression of the virtual trainer M _{2 to} be projected is obtained. , The word of advice is determined, and the voice synthesis unit 27 is made a sound based on the determined content. The voice data corresponding to the word of the advice is read out from the voice data storage unit 28 in order to perform the voice synthesis, and the image data showing the facial expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ from the image memory 22B (or the drawing processor 23B). Based on the image data, the drawing processor 24B generates a screen showing an image of the virtual trainer M ₂ .

The image memory 22B actually captures the facial expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ and divides the motion into a plurality of image data D ₁ ...
1B sequentially reads out image data D ₁ ... According to the determined facial expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ at predetermined time intervals and draws it as image data of the moving virtual trainer M ₂ as a drawing processor 2
Send to 4B.

The drawing processor 24B generates a screen of the expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ based on the image data, and the generated screen signal is used as a video signal superposition circuit 25B.
Send to. The video signal superimposing circuit 25B superimposes the video signal from the VTR 3 and the signal from the drawing processor 24B to superimpose the virtual trainer M with a predetermined size at a predetermined position on the screen of the virtual scenery V reproduced by the display device 4. The facial expression of ₂ is superposed as shown in Figure 1.

The display device 4 is provided with a voice reproduction circuit and a speaker, and outputs the voice signal output from the voice synthesis unit 27 as if the virtual trainer M ₂ projected on the screen is speaking the words of advice. Play it back and let the user hear it. Therefore, the user
The virtual trainer M ₂ is displayed on the screen of the display device 4 according to the pace of the user's exercise, and the appropriate advice is given in the same manner as the actual trainer by the expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ and the words of advice by voice.

According to the rules for defining the operation of the virtual trainer M _{2 in} FIG. 4, the exercise capacity of the personal training data and the pulse detection signal S ₃ are high or low (the higher the pulse rate, the higher the pulse rate).
The virtual trainer M ₂ using the high and low of the speed detection signal S ₂ of the pedal 13 (higher is faster), the high and low of the pedal weight signal S ₁ (higher direction has a larger load amount) and its changing direction. Is determined and the content of the advice word is determined. For example, in a person with high exercise ability, the pulse detection signal S ₃ ,
When the speed detection signal S ₂ and the pedal weight signal S ₁ are in a high motion state, the expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ becomes a "smiley" expression, and the advice word is "I'll do my best!" To the user as an encouragement advice, and conversely for a person with low exercise ability, the pulse detection signal S ₃ , the speed detection signal S ₂ , the pedal weight signal S ₁
Is in a high exercise state, the expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ becomes a “serious face” expression, and the advice word is “danger. Do not overdo it” and the user is in an excessive exercise state. It teaches something.

Further, for example, in a person with high exercise ability, the pulse detection signal S ₃ is low, the speed detection signal S ₂ and the pedal weight signal S are
_{When 1} is in a high motion state, the virtual trainer M ₂ 's facial expression becomes a “laughing” facial expression, and the word of the advice is a scolding and encouragement advice to the user, saying “I'm still not enough”, On the contrary, when the person with low exercise ability has a low pulse detection signal S ₃ , a high speed detection signal S ₂ , and a high pedal weight signal S ₁ , the virtual trainer M ₂ has a "serious face" expression, In addition, the advice word is to advise the user to keep the current exercise pace, as in saying "Yes, that pace!".

Further, in a person having a higher exercise ability, the pulse detection signal S ₃ and the speed detection signal S ₂ are high, and the pedal weight signal S
_In the case of a climbing state in which 1 changes from a low state to a high state, the expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ becomes a "slightly serious" expression, and the word of advice is to say "Now, these are uphills". It will be a piece of advice for the user about climbing. On the contrary, when the pedal weight signal S ₁ changes from a high state to a low state, the virtual trainer M
The facial expression of ₂ is "laughing", and it is an advice that tells you that the climbing condition has ended, such as "Come on, the slope is over. I'm glad!"

In this way, the facial expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ displayed on the screen is changed according to the user's exercise condition.
At the same time, by changing the content of the voice advice, it is possible to give the user appropriate advice and guide the user's exercise pace to an appropriate state.
Note that the example of FIG. 4 is an example, and facial expressions and advice contents are not particularly limited to the illustrated example.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the user's use time, current speed, running distance, heart rate (pulse rate) are shown as shown in FIG. 1 so as to be adjacent to the position on the screen where the facial expression of the virtual trainer M ₂ is shown. Number), and a data display column X for displaying the calorie consumption calculated from the amount of exercise. These display data are created by the arithmetic processing of the microcomputer 21B, for example.

By the way, in the embodiment, the virtual competitor M ₁ ,
The image of the virtual trainer M ₂ is generated by using the image data of the real shot, and is designed to give the user a realistic and pseudo experience feeling. However, the computer generated by the drawing processors 23A and 23B. Of course, the screen may be generated graphically.
The drawing processors 23A, 23B used in this case read the graphic data from the graphic data 29A, 29B under the control of the corresponding microcomputers 21A, 21B and draw the drawing algorithms 30A, 3B.
The image of the virtual competitor M ₁ and the virtual trainer M ₂ is drawn based on 0B and the image data is drawn under the control of the microcomputers 21A and 21B.
It is designed to be sent to 4B.

As the display device 4, a goggle type display device 4'which is mounted on the user's face may be used instead of a TV monitor. In this case, if a stereoscopic image is projected, It is possible to give the user a so-called virtual reality and enhance the experience of the user.

[0033]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the stationary cycling machine, the detection means for detecting the motion state by pedaling, and the image of the virtual scenery for the pseudo experience corresponding to the motion state by pedaling are projected. , A display device that displays an image showing the virtual trainer's facial expression that gives advice to the user according to the detected exercise state, so that the user can actually see the virtual scenery displayed on the discontinuity device to actually perform the cycling course. It gives the experience of driving in the city or in the city, and can improve the training efficiency by eliminating the tiredness caused by monotonousness, and moreover, the expression of the virtual trainer displayed on the display device by the user. Users can receive advice from the virtual trainer while watching Giving feeling as training actually received advice from the trainer and there is an effect that it is possible to perform a movement by appropriate advice.

According to the invention of claim 2, in the invention of claim 1, a goggle type display device mounted on the user's face is used as the display device, and a virtual landscape to be projected is constituted by a stereoscopic image. As a result, the user can be more strongly given the experience of feeling that he or she is running in the virtual landscape actually displayed on the display device, and further improvement in training efficiency can be expected.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, since the image of the virtual scenery is composed of a live-action image, an image of a VTR or the like which is less expensive than the case of using computer graphics. There is an effect that the device can be used. According to the invention of claim 4, in the invention of claim 1, the image of the virtual competitor, which is the exercise target of the user, is displayed on the display device while being superimposed on the image of the virtual landscape, and the position and size of the image of the virtual competitor are displayed. Since it is equipped with a means for changing it according to the exercise state of the user, the user can exercise by observing the virtual competitor as the exercise target, and can perform training while keeping the basic pace. effective.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a screen display example of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the overall system of the above.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a circuit portion of the interface box of the above.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a rule defining the operation of the virtual trainer used in the above.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 Display device V Virtual scenery M ₁ Virtual competitor M ₂ Virtual trainer

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A stationary cycling machine, a detection means for detecting an exercise state by pedaling, a virtual landscape image for a pseudo experience corresponding to the exercise state by pedaling, and depending on the detected exercise state. A cycling simulation system, comprising: a display device for displaying an image showing a facial expression of a virtual trainer that gives advice to a user. 2. The cycling simulation system according to claim 1, wherein a goggle type display device mounted on the user's face is used as the display device, and the projected virtual scenery is constituted by a stereoscopic image. 3. The cycling simulation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the video of the virtual landscape is formed by a live-action video. 4. An image of a virtual competitor, which is a user's exercise target, is displayed on a display device by being superimposed on an image of a virtual landscape, and the position and size of the image of the virtual competitor are displayed.
The cycling simulation system according to claim 1, further comprising means for changing it according to a user's exercise condition.