The present invention relates to a method for physical train- ing of a person by means of emulation of an event in real time .

According to the current state of the art, several instruments are well known and used to reproduce, in static form, sporting disciplines such as, for example, cycling, running, canoeing or skiing.

In order to make the training context more stimulating and enjoyable, manufacturers have made many attempts to make the virtual training context more realistic, both in the case of training devices for domestic use in the home, and in the case of devices intended for use in gyms or similar structures.

In this context, there is known to the state of the art an exercise bike comprising a computerized video screen that makes it possible for the person under training to see a real image (e.g. footage of a competition that actually took place in the more or less recent past) or a virtual image (e.g. an avatar), in streaming; this allows the user to exploit the perception that he or she is taking part in the real or virtual competition. To that end, the user can also select a specific race (also either real or virtual) which is already stored on a server. Said known exercise bike is also provided with specific software means to analyze different parameters and display them in graphic form.

However, although said known exercise bike is able to provide a training environment which is more realistic and stimulating than other training devices, it is not able to offer the user a greater sense of participation and immersion in the environment emulated on said display means, nor does it allow the user to participate in real time in an event or a race in pro ^¬ gress .

To enable the person under training to reach an even greater level of identification with the event, while at the same time taking due consideration of the person's physical abilities, there are known, as described in the preamble to the main claim, methods for the physical training of a person by means of emulation of an event in real time, wherein:

- at least one subject, who actively participates in said event, is provided with radio-transmitting means for a digital signal corresponding to his or her geolocalized position by GPS means;

- said geolocalized position signal is transmitted by means of radio-communication means to a data processing center;

- said person under training emulates the activity of said at least one subject, using a device for exercising the body, including :

- at least one physical element movable against a resisting force of variable intensity, the movement of said physical element being controlled by means of a force applied by said person;

- physical means of regulating the intensity of said resisting force;

- electronic digital signal receiving-emitting means;

- hardware and software control means, which control:

- said digital signal receiving-emitting means, which receive said signal for the geolocalized position of said at least one subject,

- said physical means of regulating the intensity of said resisting force, which regulate the intensity of said resisting force as a function of the successive geolocalized positions and received by said receiving-emitting means, - electronic means for detecting, during training, the value of at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability of the person under training.

Similar methods are described by way of example in the docu- ments US2011/028008A1, US6, 921, 351B1 and US2010/222179A1.

However, said known methods still have several drawbacks.

In particular, taking into consideration what is known based on the state of the art discussed thus far, said known systems and methods are not able to provide reliable, continuous moni- toring of at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability of the person under training, for the purposes of safeguarding the person's health.

Furthermore, said known methods do not provide the possibility of informing the person under training of a possible anomalous physical condition concerning said at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability.

On the other hand, said known methods do not enable a medical center to be alerted quickly in the event of a major anomaly being detected during the person's training, in relation to said at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability.

Starting from the notion of these drawbacks, the present invention intends to provide a remedy.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for physical training of a person by means of emulation of an even in real time, which is able to provide reliable, continuous monitoring of at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability of the person under training, for the purposes of safeguarding the person's health.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method as indicated, which provides the possibility of informing the person under training of a possible anomalous physical condition concerning said at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method as described, which enables a medical center to be alerted quickly in the event of a major anomaly being detected during the person's training, in relation to said at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability.

In view of these objects, the present invention provides a method for physical training of a person by means of emulation of an event in real time, the essential characteristic of which is the object of claim 1.

Further advantageous characteristics are described in the dependent claims .

The aforesaid claims are intended as fully incorporated herein.

The present invention relates to a method for physical training of a person by means of emulation of an event in real time, wherein, according to the known art:

- at least one subject, who actively participates in said event, is provided with radio-transmitting means for a digital signal corresponding to his or her geolocalized position, located by GPS means;

- said geolocalized position signal is transmitted by means of radio-communication means to a data processing center;

- said person being trained emulates the activity of said at least one subject, using a device for exercising the body, including :

- at least one physical element movable against a resisting force of variable intensity, the movement of said physical element being controlled by means of a force applied by said person;

- physical means of regulating the intensity of said resisting force; - electronic digital signal receiving-emitting means;

- hardware and software control means, which control:

said digital signal receiving-emitting means, which receive said signal for the geolocalized position of said at least one subject,

- said physical means of regulating the intensity of said resisting force, which regulate the intensity of said resisting force as a function of the successive geolocalized positions and received by said receiving-emitting means,

- electronic means for detecting during training the value of at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability of the person under training.

In this way, the person can conduct his or her training in conditions of full immersion in the virtually emulated envi- ronment, which he or she follows in real or virtual time, thereby making the training more stimulating.

In particular, the subject who is actively participating in the event is for example fitted with a portable device (bracelet, collar or similar) , a so-called Sportsman Personal Device or SPD, comprising: a cpu, a radio-transmitter, a GPS locator, an accelerometer and a gyro-compass powered by rechargeable batteries, and univocally associated with said subject participating in a competition. During the sporting event, the SPD transmits the current position of the competitor with re- spect to the race route to a centralized radio system (CRC, Competition Radio Center) . Said race route can be mapped, prior to the event, and stored in appropriate storage means in a data processing center and made available for possible use with the method according to the invention.

In particular, for the purposes of said mapping, a so-called Root Competition (RC) can be used, which is a kilometric and altimetric detection of the route that will be covered by the athletes during a competition. The data contained in the race route are compared by the processing center to calculate the virtual position of virtual competitors and the real position of the athletes. The Root Competition can be compared to a map, and in fact, when available, an existing geographic map or road map is used as a Root Competition.

The SPD implements the inertial integration function used to obtain position data even in the absence of or difficulty in reception of the satellite signal. Using information about distance covered (given by the accelerometer ) , and angle of displacement (given by the gyro-compass), it is possible to estimate the position on a plane starting from the last position provided by the GPS. The estimated route is calculated by applying the so-called "Kalman Filters".

On the other hand, the said CRC is a radio device capable of managing communications between the athletes in the race, each fitted with their own SPD, and a data processing center. The current positions of the athletes in the race are collected by the CRC for processing.

Furthermore, a so-called Competition Radio Extender (CRE) may also be used, which is a device mounted on a fixed support and placed on the route of the race, i.e. mounted on a motorcycle or vehicle following the race, covering the reference competition area and used, if necessary, as a radio bridge between an athlete equipped with an SPD and the CRC, should the subject and the CRC radio center no longer be able to connect with one another.

According to the invention, the method for the physical training of a person by means of emulation of an event in real time, comprises the following steps, wherein:

- a data processing center is provided with identifying data for the person under training and with a plurality of refer ^¬ ence values that define an interval of reference values within which said value for at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability of the person under training may vary, between a minimum and a maximum value, and said data are recorded in respective storage means,

- during the training of the person, said digital signal receiving-emitting means transmit said detected value for at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability of the person under training, by means of said hardware and software control means and radio-communication means connected to said data processing center-,

- said data processing center compares said detected value for at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability of the person under training with said plurality of reference values recorded in said storage means and, by means of said radio-communication means, transmits to said receiving- emitting means at least one digital anomaly signal, if the value of said at least one physical parameter does not fall within said interval of reference values,

- said digital anomaly signal is handled by said hardware and software means and at least one anomaly signal is sent to the person under training, by means of the signaling means connected to said hardware and software means, in order to signal an anomaly status in his or her physical ability condition to pursue the current activity.

Advantageously, according to the present example of an embodiment of the method according to the invention, said anomaly signal is handled by said hardware and software means, and causes a variation in the intensity of said resisting force, through said physical means of regulating the intensity of said resisting force.

Furthermore, according to the invention, said data processing center is usefully connected, by means of said radio- communication means, to radio-receiving means of a medical center, and transmits an alarm signal to said medical center, if the value of said at least one physical parameter is above or below respective threshold values pre-set in said storage means of said data processing center, in relation to said per ^¬ son under training.

Furthermore, said device for physical exercise of the body includes audio-visual stimulus receiving-emitting means connected to at least one network for the transmission of sounds and/or images of said event. According to the method of the invention, said hardware and software control means are programmed on parameters for the modulation of the intensity of said variable force, dependent on the environmental conditions of said event, which are transmitted in real time, in the form of sounds and/or images, by means of said network and are picked up by the person under training by means of said audiovisual stimulus receiving-emitting means. Furthermore, based on said parameters, the person chooses the behavior to adopt with respect to said subject in said event, in real time.

Also, if said subject is equipped with a personal device comprising a cpu, a radio-transmitter, a GPS locator, an acceler- ometer and a gyro-compass powered by rechargeable batteries, and univocally associated with said subject, said personal device transmits to said data processing center, in real time, data about the geographical and orographic position, inclination with respect to the ground, speed and acceleration of said subject.

Advantageously, said hardware and software control means are programmed to interact in real time with said audio-visual stimulus receiving-emitting means, overlapping in real time on the television image of the event, a virtual image representative of the person under training.

Usefully, furthermore, geolocalized position signals and television signals are recorded in storage means of said hardware and software control means. In this case, said hardware and software control means control means of reproduction of said recorded geolocalized position and television signals. According to the invention, advantageously, said hardware and software control means are selec- tively activated by said person under training, to control said means of regulating the intensity of said resisting force as a function of characteristic parameters of geolocalized and recorded positions relating to a previous and/or virtual event, and said audio-visual stimulus receiving-emitting means are activated for the emission of signals of recorded images and/or sounds relating to a previous and/or virtual event and synchronized with respect to said characteristic parameters of geolocalized positions.

As can be noted from the above, the method according to the invention provides for two operating modes.

A first mode, already known, is that in which the method is simply used in a competitive manner, by which a virtual competitor participates in real races.

The second mode, characteristic of the method according to the invention, is of a medical nature. In this mode, a person under training is connected to a medical center equipped with a diagnostic server, wherein at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability of the person under training is monitored. Based on a medical protocol, the person under training performs the exercises prescribed by said medical protocol, which can be configured at the medical center by means of a specific software. The exercises, which may consist of emulation of the behavior of an athlete involved in a real or virtual event, can also be used by the doctor at the center to check parameters regarding the physical condition of the person under training, who may be subject to diagnostic analysis, rehabilitation or simple monitoring. The exercises may be performed either with equipment having the characteristics de- scribed above, or by performing simple motorial activities while wearing an SPD medical version that enables mobile monitoring of the person's physical parameters.

As will be apparent from the above description, said method for physical training of a person by means of emulation of an event in real time according to the present invention is able to provide reliable, continuous monitoring of at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability of the person under training, for the purposes of safeguarding the person's health .

Furthermore, said method as indicated, provides the possibility of signalling to the person under training a possible anomalous physical condition concerning said at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability.

Said method, as mentioned, also enables a medical center to be alerted quickly in the event of a major anomaly being detected during the person's training, in relation to said at least one characteristic parameter of physical ability.

As it appears from the above description, the present invention allows the objects described in the introduction to be achieved in a simple and advantageous manner.