Program and system for managing fitness activity across diverse exercise machines utilizing a portable computer system

• US 20050075214A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Original Assignee: Kelvin Roderick Lawrence, Michael A. Paolini, Michael Wayne Brown
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Lawrence, Kelvin Roderick
• Granted Patent: US 7,128,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0093 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• 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 24/0084 Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

In accordance with the method, system and program of the present invention, at least one type of exercise indicator signal associated with exercise performed by a particular user is received from a particular exercise machine in a common transmittable data format at a portable computer system provided the particular user. Cumulative fitness activity is computed and stored for the particular user at the portable computer system utilizing the at least one type of exercise indicator signal and previously accumulated fitness activity data at the portable computer system, such that an independent portable computer system associated with the particular user monitors the real-time cumulative fitness activity of the particular user from at least one type of exercise indicator signal received from at least one exercise machine over a period of time.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an exercise machine for a particular user, said system comprising:

means for receiving at said portable computer system at least one indicator of current exercise performed by said particular user from said particular exercise machine in use by said particular user;

means for comparing said at least one indicator of current exercise with fitness goals for said particular user at said portable computer system; and

means for adjusting a control signal transmitted from said portable computer system to said particular exercise machine in order to adjust said movement of said particular exercise machine to aid said particular user in meeting said fitness goals.

2. The system for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 1, said means for comparing said at least one indicator of current exercise with fitness goals for said particular user further comprising:

means for comparing said at least one indicator of current exercise with fitness goals for said particular user in view of an exercise profile for said particular user at said portable computer system.

3. The system for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 1, said means for comparing said at least one indicator of current exercise with fitness goals for said particular user further comprising:

means for comparing said at least one indicator of current exercise with fitness goals for said particular user in view of personal data for said particular user at said portable computer system.

4. The system for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 1, said system further comprising:

means for receiving an exercise machine indicator from a particular exercise machine in a particular transmittable data format at a portable computer system provided by a particular user;

means for determining said control signal for controlling movement of said particular exercise machine according to an exercise program specified for said particular exercise machine at said portable computer system; and

means for transmitting said control signal to said particular exercise machine for controlling said particular exercise machine, such that said particular exercise machine is controlled by said portable computer system that is enabled to control a plurality of diverse exercise machines.

5. The system for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 4, said means for determining said control signal for controlling movement of said particular exercise machine further comprising:

means for searching a plurality of predesignated control programs at said independent controller according to said particular exercise machine; and

means for determining said control signal from said particular predesignated control program, in response to finding a particular predesignated control program from among said plurality of predesignated control programs that is associated with said particular exercise machine.

6. The system for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 4, said means for determining said control signal for controlling movement of said particular exercise machine further comprising:

means for prompting said particular user, at said portable computer system, to select from among a plurality of control programs enabled for controlling said particular exercise machine, in response to not finding a predesignated control program for said particular exercise machine; and

means for determining a control signal for a particular currently selected control program from among said plurality of control programs enabled for controlling said particular exercise machine, in response to a selection of said particular currently selection control program by said particular user.

7. The system for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 6, said system further comprising:

means for specifying a plurality of control programs enabled for controlling said particular exercise machine according to said fitness goals for said particular user, wherein said particular user is enabled to select from said specified selection of said plurality of control programs that are suited for said particular user.

8. The system for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 1, said system further comprising:

means for displaying a graphical representation of said at least one indicator of current exercise at an output interface coupled to said portable computer system according to graphical output preferences for said particular user.

9. The system for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 1, said system further comprising:

means for transmitting account data for said particular user from said portable computer system to said particular exercise machine in order to receive access to use of said particular exercise machine, wherein said account data is utilized to debit said particular user for use of said particular exercise machine.

10. The system for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 1, said system further comprising:

means for prompting said particular user, at said portable computer system, to utilize said particular exercise machine according to an electronic exercise schedule comprising a plurality of exercise events for said particular user.

11. A program for controlling an exercise machine for a particular user, said program comprising:

means for receiving at said portable computer system at least one indicator of current exercise performed by said particular user from said particular exercise machine in use by said particular user;

means for comparing said at least one indicator of current exercise with fitness goals for said particular user at said portable computer system; and

means for adjusting a control signal transmitted from said portable computer system to said particular exercise machine in order to adjust said movement of said particular exercise machine to aid said particular user in meeting said fitness goals.

12. The program for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 11, said program further comprising:

means for comparing said at least one indicator of current exercise with fitness goals for said particular user in view of an exercise profile for said particular user at said portable computer system.

13. The program for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 11, said program further comprising:

means for comparing said at least one indicator of current exercise with fitness goals for said particular user in view of personal data for said particular user at said portable computer system.

14. The program for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 11, said program further comprising:

means for receiving an exercise machine indicator from a particular exercise machine in a particular transmittable data format at a portable computer system provided by a particular user;

means for determining said control signal for controlling movement of said particular exercise machine according to an exercise program specified for said particular exercise machine at said portable computer system; and

means for transmitting said control signal to said particular exercise machine for controlling said particular exercise machine, such that said particular exercise machine is controlled by said portable computer system that is enabled to control a plurality of diverse exercise machines.

15. The program for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 14, said program further comprising:

means for searching a plurality of predesignated control programs at said independent controller according to said particular exercise machine; and

means for determining said control signal from said particular predesignated control program, in response to finding a particular predesignated control program from among said plurality of predesignated control programs that is associated with said particular exercise machine.

16. The program for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 14, said program further comprising:

means for prompting said particular user, at said portable computer system, to select from among a plurality of control programs enabled for controlling said particular exercise machine, in response to not finding a predesignated control program for said particular exercise machine; and

means for determining a control signal for a particular currently selected control program from among said plurality of control programs enabled for controlling said particular exercise machine, in response to a selection of said particular currently selection control program by said particular user.

17. The program for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 16, said program further comprising:

means for specifying a plurality of control programs enabled for controlling said particular exercise machine according to said fitness goals for said particular user, wherein said particular user is enabled to select from said specified selection of said plurality of control programs that are suited for said particular user.

18. The program for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 11, said program further comprising:

means for displaying a graphical representation of said at least one indicator of current exercise at an output interface coupled to said portable computer system according to graphical output preferences for said particular user.

19. The program for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 11, said program further comprising:

means for transmitting account data for said particular user from said portable computer system to said particular exercise machine in order to receive access to use of said particular exercise machine, wherein said account data is utilized to debit said particular user for use of said particular exercise machine.

20. The program for managing exercise performed by a user according to claim 11, said program further comprising:

means for prompting said particular user, at said portable computer system, to utilize said particular exercise machine according to an electronic exercise schedule comprising a plurality of exercise events for said particular user.