Training control method and apparatus using biofeedback

• US 20050124463A1
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Kun-soo, Yeo, Hyung-sok, Park, Jae-chan, Kim, Kyung-ho, Kim, Youn-ho, Lee, Jeong-hwan
• Granted Patent: US 7,618,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6816 Ear lobe
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/065 within a certain range
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means

Abstract

In a training control method using biofeedback, and an apparatus using the method, the method includes setting a target exercise zone for a user based on a bio-signal from the user, the target exercise zone including a range of indices and comparing a current index obtained from the bio-signal with the target exercise zone in time units in an exercise training mode and providing at least one of positive biofeedback information, negative biofeedback information, and a warning message to the user according to a result of the comparison.

Claims

1. An exercise training control method using biofeedback, comprising:

setting a target exercise zone for a user based on a bio-signal from the user, the target exercise zone including a range of indices; and

comparing a current index obtained from the bio-signal with the target exercise zone in time units in an exercise training mode and providing at least one of positive biofeedback information, negative biofeedback information, and a warning message to the user according to a result of the comparison.

2. The exercise training control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the index is a heart rate of the user.

3. The exercise training control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein setting the target exercise zone for the user based on the bio-signal from the user comprises:

calculating a maximum target heart rate using an initial heart rate of the user and user information; and

using the maximum target heart rate to set the target exercise zone.

4. The exercise training control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein comparing the current index obtained from the bio-signal with the target exercise zone in time units in the exercise training mode and providing at least one of positive biofeedback information, negative biofeedback information, and the warning message to the user according to the result of the comparison comprises:

comparing a current heart rate of the user with the target exercise zone;

providing the positive biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as a result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains within the target exercise zone for longer than a first time;

providing the negative biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains below the target exercise zone for longer than a second time; and

providing the warning message to the user, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate is greater than the target exercise zone.

5. The exercise training control method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the positive biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having a beat similar to an average heart rate in the target exercise zone, and the negative biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having a beat similar to the lower limit of the target exercise zone through a beat similar to the average heart rate in the target exercise zone.

6. The exercise training control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein comparing the current index obtained from the bio-signal with the target exercise zone in time units in the exercise training mode and providing at least one of positive biofeedback information, negative biofeedback information, and the warning message to the user according to a result of the comparison comprises:

comparing a current heart rate of the user with the target exercise zone;

providing the positive biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as a result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains below the target exercise zone for longer than a first time in an initial stage of exercise;

providing the negative biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate has decreased below the target exercise zone for longer than a second time after remaining within the target exercise zone during the exercise; and

providing the warning message to the user, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate is greater than the target exercise zone.

7. The exercise training control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the positive biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having a beat similar to the lower limit of the target exercise zone through a beat similar to the average heart rate in the target exercise zone, and the negative biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having a slower beat than the current heart rate.

8. A rest training control method using biofeedback, comprising:

(a) setting a target resting zone for a user based on a bio-signal from the user, the resting target zone including a range of indices; and

(b) comparing a current index obtained from the bio-signal with the target resting zone in time units in a rest training mode and providing at least one of positive biofeedback information and negative biofeedback information to the user according to a result of the comparison.

9. The rest training control method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the index is a heart rate of the user.

10. The rest training control method as claimed in claim 8, wherein setting a target resting zone for a user based on a bio-signal from the user comprises:

calculating a minimum target heart rate using an initial heart rate of the user and user information; and

using the minimum target heart rate to set the target resting zone.

11. The rest training control method as claimed in claim 8, wherein comparing the current index obtained from the bio-signal with the target resting zone in time units in the rest training mode and providing at least one of positive biofeedback information and negative biofeedback information to the user according to the result of the comparison comprises:

comparing a current heart rate of the user with the target resting zone;

providing the positive biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as a result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains within the target resting zone for longer than a first time;

providing the negative biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains above the target resting zone for longer than a second time; and

stopping biofeedback, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains within the target resting zone for longer than a third time or less than the target resting zone.

12. The rest training control method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the positive biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having a beat similar to an average heart rate in the target resting zone, and the negative biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having a beat similar to the upper limit of the target resting zone through a beat similar to the average heart rate in the target resting zone.

13. The rest training control method as claimed in claim 8, wherein comparing the current index obtained from the bio-signal with the target resting zone in time units in the rest training mode and providing at least one of positive biofeedback information and negative biofeedback information to the user according to the result of the comparison comprises:

comparing a current heart rate of the user with the target resting zone;

providing the positive biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as a result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains above the target resting zone for longer than a first predetermined time in an initial stage of resting;

providing the negative biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate is above the target resting zone for longer than a second predetermined time after remaining within the target resting zone during the resting; and

stopping biofeedback, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains within the target resting zone for longer than a third time or is less than the target resting zone.

14. The rest training control method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the positive biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having a beat similar to the upper limit of the target resting zone through a beat similar to an average heart rate in the target resting zone, and the negative biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having a faster beat than the current heart rate.

15. A training control method using biofeedback, comprising:

(a) setting a target resting zone and a target exercise zone for a user based on a bio-signal from the user, the target resting zone and the target exercise zone including a first and a second range of indices, respectively;

(b) selecting one of an exercise training mode and a rest training mode;

(c) comparing an index obtained from the bio-signal with the target exercise zone in time units in the exercise training mode and providing at least one of a first positive biofeedback information, a first negative biofeedback information, and a warning message to the user according to a result of the comparison; and

(d) comparing the index obtained from the bio-signal with the target resting zone in time units in the rest training mode and providing at least one of a second positive biofeedback information and a second negative biofeedback information to the user according to a result of the comparison.

16. The training control method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the index is a heart rate of the user.

17. The training control method as claimed in claim 15, wherein setting a target resting zone and a target exercise zone for a user based on a bio-signal from the user comprises:

calculating a minimum target heart rate and a maximum target heart rate using an initial heart rate of the user and user information; and

using the minimum target heart rate to set the target resting zone and using the maximum target heart rate to set the target exercise zone.

18. The training control method as claimed in claim 15, wherein comparing the index obtained from the bio-signal with the target exercise zone in time units in the exercise training mode and providing at least one of the first positive biofeedback information, the first negative biofeedback information, and the warning message to the user according to a result of the comparison comprises:

comparing a current heart rate of the user with the target exercise zone;

providing the first positive biofeedback information to the user to maintain the current heart rate within the target exercise zone, when it is determined as a result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains within the target exercise zone for longer than a first time;

providing the first negative biofeedback information to the user to increase the current heart rate to the target exercise zone, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains below the target exercise zone for longer than a second time; and

providing the warning message to the user, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate is greater than the target exercise zone.

19. The training control method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first positive biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having an identical beat, and the first negative biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having different beats.

20. The training control method as claimed in claim 15, wherein comparing the index obtained from the bio-signal with the target resting zone in time units in the rest training mode and providing at least one of the second positive biofeedback information and the second negative biofeedback information to the user according to the result of the comparison comprises:

comparing a current heart rate of the user with the target resting zone;

providing the second positive biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as a result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains within the target resting zone for longer than a first time;

providing the second negative biofeedback information to the user, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains above the target resting zone for longer than a second time; and

stopping biofeedback, when it is determined as the result of the comparison that the current heart rate remains within the target resting zone for longer than a third time or is less than the target resting zone.

21. The training control method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the second positive biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files having an identical beat, and the second negative biofeedback information includes a plurality of music files each of different beats.

22. A computer-readable recording medium for storing a program for executing a training control method using biofeedback, comprising:

(a) setting a target resting zone and a target exercise zone for a user based on a bio-signal from the user, the target resting zone and the target exercise zone including a first and a second range of indices, respectively;

(b) selecting one of an exercise training mode and a rest training mode;

(c) comparing an index obtained from the bio-signal with of the target exercise zone in time units in the exercise training mode and providing at least one of a first positive biofeedback information, a first negative biofeedback information, and a warning message to the user according to a result of the comparison; and

(d) comparing the index obtained from the bio-signal with of the target resting zone in time units in the rest training mode and providing at least one of a second positive biofeedback information and a second negative biofeedback information to the user according to a result of the comparison.

23. A training control apparatus using biofeedback, comprising:

a bio-signal measuring module for measuring a bio-signal from a user and for providing predetermined biofeedback information to the user; and

a bio-information feedback module for setting a target exercise zone and a target resting zone using the bio-signal received from the bio-signal measuring module and user information, for comparing the bio-signal with a target zone, and for providing at least one of positive biofeedback information and negative biofeedback information to the bio-signal measuring module according to a result of the comparison.

24. The training control apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the bio-information feedback module includes a memory for storing a plurality of music files having different beats.

25. The training control apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the bio-information feedback module provides a plurality of music files having an identical beat or a plurality of music files having different beats to the user as the positive or negative biofeedback information according to a current heart rate obtained from the bio-signal in an exercise training mode to lead the current heart rate to the target exercise zone or to inform the user of a deviation from the target exercise zone.

26. The training control apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the bio-information feedback module provides a plurality of music files having an identical beat or a plurality of music files having different beats to the user as the positive or negative biofeedback information according to a current heart rate obtained from the bio-signal in an resting training mode to lead the current heart rate to the target resting zone or to inform the user of a deviation from the target resting zone.

27. The training control apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the bio-signal measuring module is a headset including a speaker, a transmissive light sensor, and a wireless transceiver.

28. The training control apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the bio-information feedback module is one selected from the group consisting of a mobile communication terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA) capable of wireless data communication, and a wristwatch-type information terminal.

29. A health managing system using biofeedback information, comprising:

a bio-signal measuring module for measuring a bio-signal from a user and for providing predetermined biofeedback information to the user;

a bio-information feedback module for setting a target exercise zone and a target resting zone using the bio-signal received from the bio-signal measuring module and user information, for comparing the bio-signal with either of the target exercise zone or the target resting zone according to a preselected training mode, and for providing at least one of positive biofeedback information, negative biofeedback information, and a warning message in the selected training mode to the bio-signal measuring module according to a result of the comparison; and

a health information management server for receiving the bio-signal and bio-information from the bio-information feedback module, for periodically managing a result of analyzing the bio-signal and the bio-information as health information of the user, and for transmitting the periodic health information to the bio-information feedback module so that the periodic health information is provided to the user.

30. The training control apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the bio-signal measuring module is a headset including a speaker, a transmissive light sensor, and a wireless transceiver.

31. The training control apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the bio-information feedback module is one selected from the group consisting of a mobile communication terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA) capable of wireless data communication, and a wristwatch-type information terminal.

32. The health managing system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the health information management server is installed at either of a data center and a base station.

33. The health managing system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the health information is transmitted from the health information management server to the bio-information feedback module in a form of one among a voice message, a text message, and e-mail.