Exercise aid device and exercise aid method employing the same

• US 20020091049A1
• Filed: 04/19/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Washer, Merice A., Ando, Masahiro, Hisano, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 6,808,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/148
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/062 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to provide an exercise aid device which can be used for various kinds of exercise and which enables the user to perform aerobic exercise safely and comfortably at the level best suited to that person, and a method which employs this device. In order to achieve this object, the level of intensity of aerobic exercise which is most suitable for the person is considered to be 80% of the AT (Anaerobic Threshold) value as determined by analyzing the pulse rate while that person is exercising. The pulse wave is detected by this headphone-type exercise aid device. The pulse rate is measured at the superficial temporal artery, which is near the right ear. The pulse wave is detected by a sensor of either an optical sensor or an ultrasonic blood velocity meter. Once the optimal exercise is calculated, it is transmitted to the exerciser as the corresponding rhythm through the fitness headphone for maintaining the optimal exercise.

Claims

1. An exercise aid device, comprising:

a fitness headphone comprising a headphone and a sensor unit, said sensor unit provided in said fitness headphone, which monitors an artery near an ear of an exerciser and detects artery signals corresponding to a movement of said artery; and

a fitness controller to control audio sound which said exerciser can hear, said audio sound being controlled by said artery signals which is output from said sensor unit.

3. An exercise aid device according to claim 1, wherein said artery signals corresponding to said movement of said artery is a pulse wave, and said fitness controller controls said audio sound based on characteristic amount obtained from said detected pulse wave.

4. An exercise aid device according to claim 1, wherein said artery signals corresponding to said movement of said artery is a blood velocity wave, and said fitness controller controls said audio sound based on characteristic amount obtained from said detected blood velocity wave.

5. An exercise aid device according to claim 1, wherein said fitness controller determines an optimal exercise intensity based on an anaerobic threshold value (AT value) which is obtained from said artery signals output from said sensor unit, and transmits said appropriate exercise intensity level by said audio sound to said fitness headphone.

6. An exercise aid device according to claim 5, wherein said optimal exercise intensity results in maximum fat consumption physiologically.

7. An exercise aid device according to claim 5, wherein said sensor unit is provided in an external auditory canal portion, and said sensor unit comprises:

a light emitter to emit a light beam to a superficial temporal artery of said exerciser; and

a photodetector having an optical element which receives a reflected light reflected on said superficial temporal artery in an external auditory canal, said reflected light being affected by expansion and contraction of said superficial temporal artery, thereby said photodetector is able to detect said artery signals.

8. An exercise aid device according to claim 7, wherein said external auditory canal portion is provided with an adjustment mechanism to adjust a position of said light emitter and said photodetector by rotation.

9. An exercise aid device according to claim 5, wherein said sensor unit is provided in a supersonic blood velocity probe, and said sensor unit receives a reflection of supersonic sound emitted to a superficial temporal artery positioned behind said ear of said exerciser to detect a blood velocity, thereby said sensor unit is able to detect said artery signals based on said blood velocity.

10. An exercise aid device according to claim 9, wherein said supersonic blood velocity probe can be adjusted by an adjustment structure to contact said superficial temporal artery positioned behind said ear of said exerciser.

11. An exercise aid device according to claim 5, wherein said AT value is obtained by a heart rate at a time an entropy is at minimum value, said entropy being obtained by a fluctuation of the cardiac cycle length.

12. An exercise aid device according to claim 11, wherein said fitness controller sends a plurality of previously stored different rhythms through said fitness headphone, said plurality of different rhythms cause a change in exercise intensity as the time goes by, said exerciser makes a motion with said different rhythms to vary said heart rate, and then said AT value is obtained by said heart rate at said time said entropy is at minimum value.

13. An exercise aid device according to claim 11, wherein said AT value is obtained by a heart rate at a time an entropy is at minimum value, said entropy being obtained by a random fluctuation of the cardiac cycle length caused by random movements of said exerciser.

14. An exercise aid device according to claim 12, wherein a rhythm of said optimal exercise intensity is selected from said plurality of different rhythms and matches to said exercise intensity of said AT value.

15. An exercise aid device according to claim 13, wherein a rhythm of said optimal exercise intensity is selected from said plurality of different rhythms and matches to said exercise intensity of said AT value.

16. An exercise aid device according to claim 5, wherein said fitness headphone further comprises a display unit to display a fat combustion rate.

17. An exercise aid device according to claim 5, wherein said fitness headphone further comprises an external memory unit to store said plurality of rhythms, exercise data, and a program for calculating said AT value.

18. An exercise aid device according to claim 5, wherein said fitness headphone further comprises a VR glasses to aid said exerciser visually.

19. An exercise aid device according to claim 18, wherein said VR glasses are provided with a VR control glove, said exerciser can control an image in said VR glasses by operating buttons which are provided at the ends of exerciser'"'"'s fingers, said VR control glove can communicate with said image in said VR glasses wirelessly.

20. An exercise aid device according to claim 5, further comprising a disturbance removing means to remove disturbance due to physical movement during exercise from said artery signals output from said sensor unit and acceleration signals output from a built-in acceleration sensor.

2. An exercise aid device, comprising:

a fitness headphone comprising a headphone and a sensor unit, said sensor unit provided in said fitness headphone, which monitors an artery near an ear of an exerciser and detects artery signals corresponding to a movement of said artery;

a sensor position adjustment mechanism to adjust the position of said sensor unit, and

a fitness controller to control audio sound which said exerciser can hear, said audio sound being controlled by strength of said artery signals which is output from said sensor unit.

21. An exercise aid device according to claim 2, wherein said sensor position adjusting mechanism comprises a rotary knob, or a vertical sliding portion and a flexible portion, and said adjusting mechanism can vary a signal sound for feeding back to said exerciser corresponding to said strength of said artery signals.

22. An exercise aid method to aid an exerciser to maintain an individual optimal exercise during an aerobic exercise, comprising the steps of:

detecting anaerobic threshold (AT value) based on artery signals detected by a sensor unit provided in a fitness headphone;

determining an optimal exercise based on said AT value; and

transmitting a rhythm which results in said optimal exercise through said fitness headphone.