Systems, methods, and computer readable media for determining a circuit training path in a smart gym

• US 20060058156A1
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cohen, Gabriel Aaron, Mitchell, Gerald Laverte Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/941,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058156A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• 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 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0697 Reservation devices

Abstract

Techniques are provided for determining a circuit training path in a smart gym for an exerciser to perform an exercise program in order to minimize user contention for exercise equipment. The training path is defined by the exerciser visiting a number of exercise machines in the order specified by a system. The system determines a next exercise machine for the exerciser to visit which addresses the personal exercise program. In making this determination, the system communicates with all station agent nodes in the system to determine the set of station agent nodes that have an associated exercise machine which operate to address the personal exercise program. Out of that set of station agent nodes, the system reserves the next exercise machine associated with one of the set of station agent nodes that has a state value reflecting the least waiting time for the exerciser.

Claims

1. A system for determining a circuit training path in a smart gym for an exerciser to perform an exercise program, the system comprising:

a network;

a plurality of station agent nodes; and

a management node for determining a next exercise machine for the exerciser to perform an exercise, the management node receiving a personal exercise program on behalf of the exerciser, the management node determining a portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having an associated exercise machine that operates to address the personal exercise program, each of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having a state, each of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes communicating their state to the management node over the network, the management node reserving the next exercise machine from the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having a state value reflecting the least waiting time for the exerciser.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the management node receives the personal exercise program from a networked data store.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the management node receives the personal exercise program from a handheld computer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the state of a station agent node includes a vacancy state.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the personal exercise program comprises a workout stage having a plurality of target muscles.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the personal exercise program comprises a workout stage having a plurality of exercises.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the personal exercise program comprises a workout stage having a plurality of exercise machines.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the management node calculates a waiting time for the exerciser to wait before visiting the next station agent node.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein the state of a station agent node includes a reservation state.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the management node attempts to find all the available and unreserved station agent nodes when determining a portion of the plurality of station agent nodes which have an associated exercise machine that operates to exercise one of the plurality of target muscles.

11. A method for determining a training path in a smart gym for an exerciser to perform an exercise program, the method comprising:

retrieving a personal exercise program on behalf of the exerciser;

determining a portion of a plurality of station agent nodes having an associated exercise machine that operate to address the personal exercise program;

evaluating the state of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes; and

reserving a next exercise machine associated with one of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having a state value reflecting the least waiting time for the exerciser.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the personal exercise program is retrieved from a data store.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the personal exercise program is retrieved from a handheld computer.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the state value indicates a station agent node'"'"'s vacancy state.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of target muscles.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of exercises.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of exercise machines.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the reserving step further comprises calculating a waiting time for the exerciser to wait before visiting the next station agent node.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising communicating to the exerciser that the reserved machine is the next exercise machine for the exerciser to visit.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the state value indicates a station agent node'"'"'s reservation state.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the vacancy state includes at least an available condition, wherein the reservation state includes at least an unreserved condition, wherein the determining step further includes finding all the available and unreserved station agent nodes.

22. A computer readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to determine a circuit training path in a smart gym for an exerciser to perform an exercise program, the computer system performing the steps of:

retrieving a personal exercise program on behalf of the exerciser;

determining a portion of a plurality of station agent nodes having an associated exercise machine that operate to address the personal exercise program;

evaluating the state of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes; and

reserving a next exercise machine associated with one of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having a state value reflecting the least waiting time for the exerciser.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the personal exercise program is retrieved from a data store.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the personal exercise program is retrieved from a handheld computer.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the state value indicates a station agent node'"'"'s vacancy state.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of target muscles.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of exercises.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of exercise machines.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the reserving step further comprises calculating a waiting time for the exerciser to wait before visiting the next station agent node.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 22 further comprising communicating to the exerciser that the reserved machine is the next exercise machine for the exerciser to visit.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the state value indicates a station agent node'"'"'s reservation state.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31 wherein the vacancy state includes at least an available condition, wherein the reservation state includes at least an unreserved condition, wherein the determining step further includes finding all the available and unreserved station agent nodes.