Modular interactive climbing wall system using touch-sensitive, illuminated climbing holds, and controller.

Abstract

A system that uses touch sensitive, illuminated, climbing hold on modular panels to create an interactive environment featuring climbing hold illumination and the ability to detect a climber's presence on a hold. The system is connected to the internet where it is configured and enables users with a web enabled device to engage in a wide variety of interactive training activities and games.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

None

SEQUENCE LISTING

None

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to play systems, and specifically to a framework for interactive climbing and more particularly to a system that creates climbing inspired experiences using illuminated and touch sensitive climbing holds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Family entertainment centers, play structures and other similar facilities are well known for providing play and interaction among play participants playing in, or around the entertainment facilities and/or play structure. Climbing structures are a key component of these facilities.

Indoor or “gym” climbing on artificial structures has evolved from the traditional outdoor sport of rock climbing where climbers ascend natural boulders and rock faces. The significant increase in the number of climbing gyms is largely attributed to their convenience, safety, and proximity to residential areas.

Indoor climbing walls are usually built from prefabricated fake-rock panels or textured plywood sheets that have regularly spaced holes and are attached to a metal or wood framework. The walls are attached to the building's structure at both the base and the top so that they are stable and don't move or flex. While most walls are vertical, some walls have horizontal overhangs or sections that are other than 90° from the floor. Indoor climbing walls range in height from 10 to 50 feet.

Climbing holds are made of resin poured into molds of varying shapes and sizes from tiny edges to giant hand-sized buckets. The holds are bolted onto the wall's threaded holes using cap end hex bolts to provide support and/or a gripping place for the climber to ascend or traverse the wall.

With the holds attached to the wall, designers create climbing activities by selecting a subset of the holds. Typically, these activities are defined by homogeneously colored holds, distinctly colored tape, or chalk marks. However, each of these methods has its drawbacks: buying same color holds for each activity is prohibitively expensive, inflexible, and does not allow for overlapping activities; tape tends to peel off; and chalk is easily erased when climbers rub against the marks. Furthermore, each of these methods are static and require human interaction to set or alter an activity's pattern.

Another issue with traditional indoor climbing activities is that when compared to other leisure activities, they can be boring. Without an interactive component, or game mechanic, climbers often tire of ‘climbing plastic’. This issue becomes even more important in locations that cater to children where providing an engaging experience is essential. There is always demand for more exciting and entertaining play structures and play toys which increase the learning and entertainment opportunities for children.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,954, entitled “Route Recording, Marking, and Scoring Apparatus for Sport Climbing Walls”, issued Mar. 31, 1998 to Strickler et al. teaches a system to record and identify routes created on artificial climbing structures. However, light source of '954 patent is completely separated and independent from the climbing holds and requires significant alteration of the climbing wall to install the system.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,954 A discloses a climbing wall comprising holds which detect the weight of a climber. Signals from weighted holds are transmitted to a computer which stores the route chosen by the climber. Electronically activated markers positioned adjacent to each hold then indicate the holds comprising this specific route. A new climber can try to follow this specific route by using indicated holds, but if the new climber uses an “illegal” hold which is not indicated, and thus is not included in the route, this is registered by the computer. However, this system requires specially designed holds with attached weight sensors.

U.S. Pat. Application 2008/0032863 discloses a climbing wall system comprising a climbing wall provided with several holds, each connected to a respective sensor which is arranged to detect the presence of a foot or a hand on the hold, where said system comprises a sound system arranged to play music, and a control device arranged to receive signals of the sensors and control the sound system to play a certain musical fragment when a particular hold is touched. While this system does provide an interactive indoor climbing component, it depends upon individual capacitive touch sensors at each hold attachment point.

U.S. Pat. No. 2010/0004098, entitled “Illuminated rock-climbing hold”, issued Jul. 7, 2008 to Joshua A. Hensley describes an illuminated climbing hold. However, the light source in the '4098 is completely enclosed in the climbing hold.

Applicant submits that there is no system found in the marketplace that allows for the creation of an interactive climbing wall with illuminated touch sensitive holds using modular components attached to a uniform mounting system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a novel interactive climbing wall system featuring modular panels with illuminated and touch sensitive climbing holds. The modular climbing wall panels are affixed to a wall using a uniform mounting system. Panels can operate independently, or be combined to create an interactive environment to deliver climbing specific activities, games, or aesthetic illumination.

Each panel is self-contained and controls the illumination of its holds and the processing of touch information. Panels receive their content and instructions though a local server that, in turn, receives information from a cloud-based server. The control software enables a plurality of panels to function as a single entity. Panels are controlled by commands initiated by a kiosk, or mobile device.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A clear understanding of the key features of the invention summarized above may be had by reference to the appended drawings, which illustrate the method and system of the invention, although it will be understood that such drawings depict preferred embodiments of the invention and, therefore, are not to be considered as limiting its scope with regard to other embodiments which the invention is capable of contemplating. Accordingly:

FIG. 1: is a representative front view of one embodiment of a panel with affixed illuminating, touch sensitive, climbing holds.

FIG. 2: is a representative back view of one embodiment of a panel with corresponding wire and control components.

FIG. 3: is a representative diagram of one embodiment of a plurality panels affixed to the support structure to create a climbing wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The description that follows is presented to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the present invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principals discussed below may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed, but the invention is to be given the largest possible scope which is consistent with the principals and features described herein.

It will be understood that in the event parts of different embodiments have similar functions or uses, they may have been given similar or identical reference numerals and descriptions. It will be understood that such duplication of reference numerals is intended solely for efficiency and ease of understanding the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting in any way, or as implying that the various embodiments themselves are identical.

FIG. 1 is a representative front view of one embodiment of a modular panel (1) that is comprised of a plurality of climbing holds (4) affixed to the panel with a bolt (5). Illumination of holds is achieved by using holds molded with a translucent polymer that is illuminated by a number of daisy-chained RGB LEDs (2) that are inset into the panel underneath the hold. A sheet of conductive material (3) may be positioned under the climbing hold (4) to enhance the capacitance of the hold.

FIG. 2 is a representative back view of one embodiment of a modular panel (1) where the holds on the panel are daisy-chained (6) to each other with the chain beginning at the panel's control unit (8). Wires (7) connect the climbing holds (4) to the control unit (8).

FIG. 3 is a representative diagram depicting panels affixed to the wall using the mounting flanges (10).

REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1—Panel
• 2—RGB LED light source and inset
• 3—Optional conductive material to enhance hold capacitance
• 4—Translucent climbing hold
• 5—Bolt
• 6—Power/data cable for LEDs
• 7—Capacitive touch transmission wires
• 8—Panel control unit
• 9—Panel
• 10—Panel flange

Operation

Installation

Mounting flanges are attached to a wall using appropriate fasteners. Once installed, panels are powered using a standard power supply. Once powered, the panels automatically associate themselves with the local server. Once associated, the rest of the configuration is done through a website.

Configuration

With the panels online, the system configuration is done through a website.

Usage

With a wall of panels, users will use a kiosk or their web enabled mobile device to dynamically select an activity or game that is then illuminated by the holds on the panels.

Claims

1. An illuminated rock climbing hold comprising:

A translucent hold molded into a desired shape with, an ability to flush mount the hold to a desired climbing surface with recess that contains a light source, whereby said light source will light up said translucent hold.

2. A touch sensitive rock climbing hold comprising:

A climbing hold that conveys changes in capacitance associated with a climber touching said climbing hold, or the bolt is affixing the hold to the climbing wall.

3. An interactive climbing wall system for entertaining one or more play participants, comprising:

a number of modular climbing wall panel elements with a plurality of illuminated and touch sensitive climbing holds as defined in claim 1 and claim 2 situated in a play environment;

an electronic system that interfaces with the modular climbing wall panel elements and exchanges data with the modular climbing wall panel elements, the exchanged data comprising game play experience, player location, game progress, and/or performance;

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein the exchanged data further comprises one or more climbing wall panel element parameters that correspond to the play participant's progress, performance, ability level and/or a particular subset of said climbing wall panel elements to which the play participant is allowed to access or play next in completing the desired play experience.

5. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein said electronic system comprises an electronic tracking system, a computer and a software program configured and adapted to track the locations and activities said play participants and to adjust the play experience for each play participant based on stored data indicating where the play participant has been, what objectives that play participant has accomplished and how many points and/or levels have been reached.

6. A method for facilitating an interactive play experience for one or more play participants, comprising the steps of:

providing a portable identifier for each said play participant, said identifier providing a unique identification for each play participant and/or each group of play participants working together;

using said identifier to track the play activities and/or performance of each associated play participant and/or group of play participants;

recording each play participant's or each said group of play participants' performance in the play elements; and

modifying the play experience and/or controlling access to a set of play elements to which the participant may proceed based on the recorded performance.