EXERCISE EQUIPMENT WITH MOVABLE HANDLE BARS TO SIMULATE STEERING MOTION IN A SIMULATED ENVIRONMENT AND METHODS THEREFOR

• US 20100022354A1
• Filed: 07/22/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Expresso Fitness
• Original Assignee: Expresso Fitness
• Inventors: Fisher, John
• Application Number:
  US12/507,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20100022354A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0652 for cycling in a recumbent position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/009 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled in synchronism with visualising systems, e.g. hill slope
• 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 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0636 3D visualisation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0675 Input for modifying training controls during workout
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0683 Input by handheld remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/76 Wind conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/78 Surface covering conditions, e.g. of a road surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• 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 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• 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 24/0084 Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• 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 apparatus of exercise equipment with movable handle bars to simulate steering motion in a virtual environment and methods therefor are disclosed. One embodiment of the apparatus includes, exercise equipment having a display unit and a computing unit, a foot actuator mounted on a frame of the exercise equipment, a seat assembly coupled to a rail mounted on the frame of the exercise equipment, and/or a handle bar coupled to the seat assembly on one side. The handle bar can be programmable or reprogrammable to cause a leftwards steering motion or a rightwards steering motion to be simulated in the virtual environment in response to rotation in a given direction.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising,

an exercise equipment having a display unit and a computing unit;

a foot actuator mounted on a frame of the exercise equipment;

a seat assembly coupled to a rail mounted on the frame of the exercise equipment;

a handle bar coupled to the seat assembly on one side;

wherein, the computing unit is able to execute one or more instruction sets embodied on a machine-readable medium, the one or more instruction sets causing the computing unit to;

generate a virtual environment for display on the display unit;

wherein, the handle bar is physically movable to simulate a steering motion in the virtual environment;

wherein, the handle bar is programmable or reprogrammable to cause a leftwards steering motion or a rightwards steering motion to be simulated in the virtual environment in response to physical rotation of the handle bar in a given direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the handle bar is programmable or reprogrammable.

2. An apparatus, comprising,

an exercise equipment having a display unit and a computing unit;

a foot actuator mounted on a frame of the exercise equipment;

a seat assembly coupled to a rail mounted on the frame of the exercise equipment;

a handle bar coupled to the seat assembly on one side;

wherein, the computing unit is able to execute one or more instruction sets embodied on a machine-readable medium, the one or more instruction sets causing the computing unit to;

generate a virtual environment for display on the display unit;

wherein, the handle bar is physically movable to simulate a steering motion in the virtual environment.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, the exercise equipment is a recumbent bicycle wherein, the foot actuator is displaced laterally from the seat such that a user sits reclined in the seat assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 2,

wherein, the foot actuator comprises pedals or steppers;

and

wherein, the virtual environment is at least further simulated based on detected motion the foot actuator.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, the handle bar is physically rotated clockwise or counterclockwise around an axis to simulate the steering motion.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, the handle bar is physically rotated via upwards or downwards motion of a hand of a user sitting on the seat.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, clockwise motion of the handle bar is programmable to cause simulation of a leftwards steering motion or a rightwards steering motion in the virtual environment.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, counterclockwise motion of the handle bar is programmable to cause simulation of a leftwards steering motion or a rightwards steering motion in the virtual environment.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, a magnitude of the steering is proportional to a rotation angle of the handle bar from the axis.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising, a second handle bar coupled to a second side of the seat assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, a magnitude of the steering is proportional to a difference between a first rotation angle of the handle bar from the axis and a second rotation angle of the second handle bar from the axis.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, a positive or negative value of the difference is configurable to cause simulation of a leftwards steering motion in the virtual environment.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, a positive or negative value of the difference is configurable to cause simulation of a rightwards steering motion in the virtual environment.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, the side and the second side are the left and right sides of the seat assembly.

16. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, the seat assembly further comprises a back rest.

17. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising, a seat-adjustment lever that is actuated to slide the seat assembly along the rail for position adjustment.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein, the handle bar is coupled to the seat assembly such that the handle bar moves in conjunction with the seat assembly when a position of the seat assembly is adjusted.

19. The apparatus of claim 2,

further comprising, a gear shifting unit disposed on the handle bar;

wherein, the gear shifting unit is adjusted to increase or decrease resistance to move the foot actuator.

20. The apparatus of claim 19,

wherein, the gear shifting unit includes a first switch for upshifting the gear and a second switch for downshifting the gear;

wherein, the first and second switches are programmable or reprogrammable.

21. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, the display unit includes an LCD display.

22. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the exercise equipment is network-enabled and is connected to a remote server via the Internet.

23. A machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for simulating a virtual environment for display on a display unit of a recumbent exercise bicycle, the method, comprising,

generating the virtual environment and displaying the virtual environment on the display unit of the recumbent exercise bicycle during an exercise session;

detecting a first displacement of a first handle bar of the recumbent exercise bicycle from a first initial position;

detecting a second displacement of a second handle bar of the recumbent exercise bicycle from a second initial position;

simulating motion through the virtual environment based on the first and second displacements.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising,

determining a first angle of the displacement of the first handle bar from the first initial position;

determining a second angle of the displacement of the second handle bar from the second initial position;

computing a difference between the first angle and the second angle;

wherein, the motion through the virtual environment is simulated based on the difference.

25. The method of claim 23,

further comprising, in response to receiving a configuration request, assigning clockwise motion of the first handle bar to cause simulation of a leftwards steering motion or a rightwards steering motion in the virtual environment;

further comprising, in response to receiving another configuration request, assigning counterclockwise motion of the first handle bar to cause simulation of a leftwards steering motion or a rightwards steering motion in the virtual environment.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein, the configuration request is placed by an exercising user of the recumbent exercise bicycle.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising, responsive to a request, configuring a first switch on the first handle bar for gear upshifting and configuring a second switch on the first handle bar for gear downshifting.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising,

detecting actuation of a switch on the first handle bar;

determining whether the actuated switch is configured for gear upshifting or gear downshifting;

incrementing or decrementing resistance to moving pedals of the recumbent exercise bicycle;

accordingly simulating upshifting or downshifting of the gear in the virtual environment.

29. A machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for simulating a virtual environment for display on a display unit of an exercise bicycle, the method, comprising,

generating the virtual environment and displaying the virtual environment on the display unit of the exercise bicycle during an exercise session;

determining a first angle of displacement of the first handle bar from a first initial position;

determining a second angle of displacement of the second handle bar from a second initial position;

computing a difference between the first angle and the second angle;

simulating motion through the virtual environment based on the difference between the first and second angles;

detecting actuation of a switch on the first handle bar;

determining whether the actuated switch is configured for gear upshifting or gear downshifting;

accordingly simulating upshifting or downshifting of the gear in the virtual environment;

accordingly simulating upshifting or downshifting of the gear in the virtual environment.