SERVICE TRACKING AND ALERTING SYSTEM FOR FITNESS EQUIPMENT

• US 20100035723A1
• Filed: 10/19/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peloton Interactive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Precor Incorporated (Peloton Interactive, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bell, Susan W.M., Silbernagel, Robert J., Ainsworth, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/305 Remote servicing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• 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: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 having computer circuitry

Abstract

An electronic method of obtaining a service alert pertaining to exercise equipment uses a control server associated with a fitness facility to gather service information from at least one fitness equipment unit. The method further includes determining whether the service information gathered is significant, automatically sending a service alert message to at least one predefined recipient regarding service information that is significant.

Claims

1. An electronic method of obtaining a service alert pertaining to exercise equipment, the method comprising:

(a) using a control server associated with a fitness facility to gather service information from at least one fitness equipment unit;

(b) determining whether the service information gathered in step (a) is significant;

(c) automatically sending a service alert message to at least one predefined recipient regarding service information that is significant;

sending service information from the control server to an accumulated data storage unit; and

sending service information from a second control server associated with a second fitness facility remote from the first fitness facility to the accumulated data storage unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending a service alert is accomplished only when requested by at least one recipient.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service information is considered significant if the fitness equipment unit requires servicing

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control server gathers real time service information;

the method further comprising using the accumulated data storage unit to store history service information;

wherein sending a service alert message includes sending both real time service information and history service information.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the history service information is formed from the periodic collection of real time service information via a wireless connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fitness facility is one of a plurality of fitness facilities of an association and wherein the at least one predefined recipient is a main office of the association.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one predefined recipient is a manufacturer of the at least one fitness equipment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one predefined recipient is a service/maintenance provider remote from the fitness facility.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the service information sent from the second control server at the second fitness facility is real-time data and is continuously sent.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one predefined recipient comprises a repair facility and wherein the service alert message includes a request for a replacement part for the at least one exercise equipment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the service alert message includes step-by-step instruction on servicing the at least one fitness equipment unit.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the service alert message identifies parts for servicing the at least one fitness equipment unit.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the service alert message indicates responsiveness of a service/maintenance provider to a request for servicing/maintaining the at least one fitness equipment unit.

14. An electronic method of obtaining a service alert pertaining to exercise equipment, the method comprising:

(a) using a control server associated with a fitness facility to gather service information from at least one fitness equipment unit;

(b) determining whether the service information gathered in step (a) is significant;

(c) automatically sending a service alert message to at least one predefined recipient regarding service information that is significant, wherein the at least one predefined recipient is a manufacturer of the at least one fitness equipment.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein using the control server to gather service information includes storing the service information in a database associated with the control server.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the service information is considered significant if the fitness equipment unit requires servicing

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the control server gathers real time service information;

the method further comprising using an accumulated data storage unit to store history service information;

the history service information being formed by the periodic collection of the real time service information.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein determining whether the real time service information is significant includes obtaining and evaluating the history service information.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein sending a service alert message includes sending from the accumulated data storage unit both the real time service information and the history service information.

20. An electronic method of obtaining a service alert pertaining to exercise equipment, the method comprising:

(a) using a control server associated with a fitness facility to gather service information from at least one fitness equipment unit;

(b) determining whether the service information gathered in step (a) is significant;

(c) automatically sending a service alert message to at least one predefined recipient regarding service information that is significant, wherein the at least one predefined recipient is a service/maintenance provider remote from the fitness facility.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein using the control server to gather service information includes storing the service information in a database associated with the control server.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the service information is considered significant if the fitness equipment unit requires servicing

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the control server gathers real time service information;

the method further comprising using an accumulated data storage unit to store history service information;

the history service information being formed by the periodic collection of the real time service information.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein determining whether the real time service information is significant includes obtaining and evaluating the history service information.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein sending a service alert message includes sending from the accumulated data storage unit both the real time service information and the history service information.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the service alert message includes step-by-step instruction on servicing the at least one fitness equipment unit.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the service alert message identifies parts for servicing the at least one fitness equipment unit.

28. An electronic method of obtaining a service alert pertaining to exercise equipment, the method comprising:

(a) using a control server remote from a fitness equipment unit to gather service information from the fitness equipment unit;

(b) determining whether the service information gathered in step (a) is significant;

(c) automatically providing a service alert message comprising step-by-step instruction for servicing/maintaining the fitness equipment unit regarding service information that is significant.