Personal training device using multi-dimensional spatial audio

1. A personal training device for a participant of pace-based physical training, comprising:

an input for receiving an input signal indicative of a pace of the participant;

a comparator coupled to the input for comparing the pace of the participant to a predefined criteria;

a training partner positioner for generating a position of a virtual training partner relative to the participant based on an output of the comparator, wherein the position of the virtual training partner is varied in at least two dimensions relative to the participant; a training partner audio source for providing audio representative of sounds from the virtual training partner;

a spatial audio processor for producing a multi-dimensional audio signal comprising the audio from the audio source, the multi-dimensional audio signal providing the audio at a spatial location represented by the position generated by the training partner positioner; and

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for providing the input signal.

2. The personal training device of claim 1 , wherein the training partner positioner adjusts the position of the virtual training partner as a function of whether or not the partner is maintaining a predetermined pace.

3. The personal training device of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined pace is based on a training level preselected from among a plurality of different training levels.

4. The personal training device of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of training levels each include a predetermined pace which varies as a function of time.

5. The personal training device of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined pace is based on a preselected lap time or preselected pace.

6. The personal training partner of claim 2 , wherein the training partner positioner tends to advance the position of the virtual training partner relative to the particpant when the runner fails to maintain the predetermined pace, and tends to decrease the position of the virtual training partner relative to the participant when the particpant exceeds the predetermined pace.

7. The personal training device of claim 1 , wherein the training partner positioner includes a pseudo-random component for varying the position of the virtual training partner.

8. The personal training device of claim 1 , wherein the audio provided by the training partner audio source includes the sound of footsteps of the virtual training partner.

9. The personal training device of claim 8 , wherein the training partner audio source varies the frequency of the footsteps as a function of a change in position of the virtual training partner.

10. The personal training device of claim 8 , wherein the training partner audio source varies the amplitude of the footsteps as a function of the position of the virtual training partner.

11. The personal training device of claim 1 , wherein the audio provided by the training partner audio source includes the sound of cycling.

12. The personal training device of claim 1 , wherein the audio provided by the training partner audio source includes voice sounds of the virtual training partner.

13. The personal training device of claim 1 , wherein the personal training device is comprised within a portable electronic device.

14. The personal training device of claim 13 , wherein the portable electronic device is a mobile phone.

15. The personal training device of claim 1 , wherein multiple virtual training partners are provided simultaneously.