Exercise management function providing system and method

• US 20070123391A1
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Ki-Tae, An, Jong-Hyun, Shin, Jong-Pil, Yoon, Sung-Pyo
• Granted Patent: US 7,713,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/00 Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/01 User's weight
• 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: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An exercise management function providing system and method is disclosed having a shoe with built-in sensors for sensing a user'"'"'s exercise. User exercise information is measured using sensor values from each of the sensors and the measured user exercise information is transmitted to a mobile terminal. Then, the mobile terminal receives the user exercise information so as to grasp a user'"'"'s exercise state and quantity of motion, and provides an exercise management function in accordance with the user'"'"'s exercise state and quantity of motion. Accordingly, the present invention provides an exercise program suitable for a user in accordance with a user'"'"'s quantity of motion so that the user can get exercise suitable for a specific user, and the user can be provided with an exercise program to attain their own desired weight, thereby assisting with health care.

Claims

1. An exercise management function providing system, comprising:

a shoe having built-in sensors for sensing a user'"'"'s exercise so as to measure user exercise information using sensor values from the sensors, wherein the measured user exercise information is transmitted to a mobile terminal; and

the mobile terminal for receiving the user exercise information so as to determine a user'"'"'s exercise state and quantity of motion, and providing an exercise management function in accordance with the user'"'"'s exercise state and quantity of motion.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shoe is an intelligent sports shoe.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the intelligent sports shoe comprises:

a sensor unit for sensing pressure, impact and body temperature, which are transmitted from a foot during user'"'"'s exercise;

a controller for collecting each sensor value through the sensor unit to measure user exercise information; and

a short-range wireless communication unit for transmitting the measured user exercise information to the mobile terminal through short-range wireless communication.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a memory for storing a program and data for measuring the user exercise information from the sensor values in accordance with the user'"'"'s exercise.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensor unit comprises:

a pressure sensor for sensing pressure applied by the foot of the user to output a sensor value corresponding to the pressure sensing result;

an impact sensor for sensing impact applied by the user'"'"'s foot so as to output a sensor value corresponding to the impact sensing result; and

a temperature sensor for outputting a sensor value corresponding to a body temperature of the user transmitted through the user'"'"'s foot.

6. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the short-range wireless communication unit performs short-range wireless communications with the mobile terminal in any one communication scheme of infrared communication, Zigbee communication and Bluetooth communication.

7. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the user exercise information contains the user'"'"'s number of steps, elapsed exercise time, exercise distance, mean exercise velocity, calorie consumption amount, body temperature, and body state.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal comprises:

a short-range wireless communication unit for receiving user exercise information measured from the shoe;

a memory for storing information required for calculating the quantity of motion, shoe internal structure adjustment information in accordance with an exercise state and exercise program configuration information;

a controller for calculating a user'"'"'s exercise state and quantity of motion using the user exercise information, and providing an exercise management function in accordance with the user'"'"'s exercise state and quantity of motion; and

a display unit for displaying data corresponding to the exercise management function under the control of the controller.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller controls the shoe internal structure adjustment information for adjusting an internal structure of the shoe to be transmitted thereto.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the shoe further comprises a sports shoe internal structure adjuster for adjusting the internal structure of the shoe in accordance with the shoe internal structure adjustment information.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the shoe internal structure adjustment information contains information for adjusting the thickness and height of the cushioning and padding of the shoe and internal temperature adjustment information thereof.

12. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller ascertains the user'"'"'s quantity of motion for a certain period of time, and causes the user'"'"'s quantity of motion for a certain period of time to be displayed.

13. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller configures a user'"'"'s exercise program in accordance with the user'"'"'s quantity of motion, and selects an exercise program to be displayed.

14. An exercise management function providing method, comprising the steps of:

a shoe with built-in sensors for sensing the user'"'"'s exercise, measuring user exercise information, and transmitting the user exercise information; and

a mobile terminal receiving the user exercise information to ascertain a user'"'"'s exercise state and quantity of motion, and providing an exercise management function in accordance with the user'"'"'s exercise state and quantity of motion.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of measuring the user exercise information comprises:

sensing pressure, impact and body temperature, which are transmitted from a foot during user exercise;

measuring user exercise information in accordance with the pressure, impact and body temperature sensing result; and

transmitting the measured user exercise information through short range wireless communication.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the user exercise information contains a user'"'"'s number of steps, elapsed exercise time, exercise distance, mean exercise velocity, calorie consumption amount, body temperature, and body state.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the short-range wireless communication unit performs short-range wireless communications with the mobile terminal in any one communication scheme of infrared communication, Zigbee communication and Bluetooth communication.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the shoe is an intelligent sports shoe.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of providing the exercise management function comprises transmitting sports shoe internal structure adjustment information for adjusting an internal structure of the intelligent sports shoe, to allow the intelligent sports shoe to adjust the internal structure thereof.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sports shoe internal structure adjustment information contains information for adjusting thickness and height of cushioning and padding of the intelligent sports shoe and internal temperature adjustment information thereof.

21. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of providing the exercise management function comprises ascending the user'"'"'s quantity of motion over a certain period of time, and causing the user'"'"'s quantity of motion for a certain period of time to be displayed.

22. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of providing the exercise management function comprises configuring a user'"'"'s exercise program in accordance with the user'"'"'s quantity of motion, and displaying the exercise program.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the step of the mobile terminal configuring the exercise program comprises:

registering a target quantity of motion in accordance with the user'"'"'s height/weight;

registering the user'"'"'s exercise period;

comparing the user'"'"'s quantity of motion with the previously registered target quantity of motion; and

configuring an exercise program for achieving the user'"'"'s target quantity of motion as the comparison result of the quantity of motion.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein standard motion quantities in accordance with height/weight are previously stored, and the standard quantity of motion corresponding to the user'"'"'s height/weight is registered as the target quantity of motion.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein, after a user'"'"'s desired weight is input, a quantity of motion required to attain the user'"'"'s desired weight from the user'"'"'s current height/weight is registered as the target quantity of motion.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the exercise period is registered by hour, day, month or year.

27. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the exercise program is configured such that the target quantity of motion increases if the current quantity of motion is more than a previously registered target quantity of motion, and the target quantity of motion decreases if the current quantity of motion is less than the previously registered target quantity of motion.

28. An intelligent sports shoe comprising:

a sensor unit for sensing pressure, impact and body temperature, which are transmitted as user exercise information during exercise;

a controller for collecting each sensor value through the sensor unit so as to measure user exercise information; and

a short-range wireless communication unit for transmitting the measured user exercise information to a mobile terminal via short-range wireless communication, wherein sports shoe internal structure adjustment information is utilized to adjust an internal structure of the intelligent sports shoe based on output from pressure and impact sensors embedded in a sole of the intelligent sports shoe.