EXERCISE MONITORING DEVICE AND MOTIVATIONAL LOTTERY SYSTEM EMPLOYING SAME

• US 20080004161A1
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fergal Woods
• Original Assignee: Fergal Woods
• Inventors: Woods, Fergal
• Application Number:
  US11/769,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20080004161A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0078 Exercise efforts programmed as a function of time
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• 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 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

An exercise motivation system comprising a server device capable of communication with client devices via a communications network. The server is arranged to perform lottery draws. It receives output codes from the client devices, each output code containing information indicative of the level of physical exercise taken by a respective user during an operating period. The server generates lottery entries in respect of each received output code.

Claims

1. A computer implemented exercise motivation system comprising means for performing a lottery draw from a plurality of lottery entries, the system being arranged to receive at least one token in respect of a plurality of users, said at least one token representing a level of physical exercise taken by the respective user during an operating period, and wherein the system further includes means for generating at least one of said lottery entries in respect of each received token.

2. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in respect of each token, said generating means generates a number of said lottery entries, said number depending on the level of physical exercise represented by the respective token.

3. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a server capable of communication with at least one client, said server being arranged to receive said tokens from said at least one client.

4. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least one client and said server are arranged for communication with one another via a communications network.

5. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 1, further including at least one exercise monitoring device comprising means for monitoring the level of exercise taken by at least one of said users in said operating period;

and means for generating said at least one token for said at least one of said users.

6. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said exercise level monitoring means is arranged to determine a number of times that the user completes a valid exercise session during said operating period, said respective token representing said determined number of said completed valid exercise sessions.

7. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said monitoring means comprises means for determining a heart rate of the user.

8. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said monitoring means comprises means for determining a number of times that the user'"'"'s heart rate exceeds a heart rate threshold level for a threshold period.

9. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least one exercise monitoring device is adapted to be worn by said at least one of said users.

10. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said at least one exercise monitoring device is adapted to be worn on an arm of said at least one of said users.

11. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said system further includes means for displaying said at least one token to said at least one of said users, wherein said token is encoded to be indeterminable by the user from a visual inspection of the token.

12. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said display means is provided on said at least one exercise monitoring device.

13. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a server capable of communication with at least one client, said server being arranged to receive said tokens from said at least one client, wherein at least one of said at least one client devices comprises at least one of said at least one exercise monitoring devices.

14. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 5, server capable of communication with at least one client, said server being arranged to receive said tokens from said at least one client, wherein said at least one exercise monitoring device is adapted for communication with at least one of said at least one client devices and arranged to provide said at least one token to said at least one of said at least one client devices via a communication link.

15. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least one client device includes means for enabling said users to manually input said at least one token to said at least one client device.

16. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said server comprises a web server and said communications network comprises the internet.

17. An exercise motivation system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least one exercise monitoring device is adapted to receive an activation code in respect of each operating period and to begin monitoring exercise upon receipt of said activation code.

18. An exercise monitoring device comprising means for monitoring the level of exercise taken by a user in an operating period;

and means for generating at least one token representing a level of physical exercise taken by the user during said operating period, wherein said device further includes means for displaying said at least one token to the user, wherein said token is encoded to be indeterminable by the user from a visual inspection of the displayed token.

19. A method of operating a computer-implemented exercise motivation system which includes means for performing a lottery draw from a plurality of lottery entries, the method comprising receiving at said server at least one token in respect of a plurality of users, wherein said at least one token represents a level of physical exercise taken by the respective user during an operating period;

and generating at least one of said lottery entries in respect of each of received token.