EXERCISE APPARATUS INCLUDING AN EXERCISE MACHINE WITH A CONTROLLER CAPABLE OF COMMUNICATING WITH A MEDIA DEVICE

• US 20110118084A1
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pan-World Control Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pan-World Control Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: CHEN, Chih-Hsien, TSAI, Wen-Bin
• Application Number:
  US12/942,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20110118084A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0683 Input by handheld remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes an exercise machine and a media device. The exercise machine includes an exercise device and a controller. The exercise device generates an electrical output through an exercise mechanism that drives operation of a power generating unit. The controller includes a status data generating unit for receiving the electrical output and generating exercise status data based on the electrical output, a control unit storing user-configured data and the exercise status data, and a resistance controlling unit controlled by the control unit for causing the exercise status data to conform with the user-configured data. The control unit and the media device are configured to operate according to a personal computer compatible protocol. The user-configured data is established and configured through the media device. The exercise status data is stored in or displayed by the media device.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising an exercise machine and a media device,

wherein said exercise machine includes a machine body, an exercise device disposed on said machine body, and a controller disposed on said machine body;

wherein said exercise device includes;

a power generating unit operable to generate an electrical output, said power generating unit including an electrically-controllable variable resistance unit; and

a user-operable exercise mechanism coupled to said power generating unit and manually operable to drive operation of said power generating unit;

wherein said controller includes;

a first transmission interface;

a status data generating unit for receiving the electrical output of said power generating unit and generating exercise status data based on the electrical output received from said power generating unit;

a control unit coupled to said first transmission interface, said control unit and said first transmission interface being configured to operate according to a personal computer compatible protocol, said control unit storing user-configured data received via said first transmission interface, said control unit being further coupled to said status data generating unit and storing the exercise status data generated by said status data generating unit;

a resistance controlling unit coupled to said electrically-controllable variable resistance unit and further coupled to and controlled by said control unit to vary resistance of said electrically-controllable variable resistance unit for causing the exercise status data to conform with the user-configured data; and

a power supply unit coupled to and receiving the electrical output of said power generating unit and further coupled to said first transmission interface, said status data generating unit, said control unit and said resistance controlling unit for supplying power thereto; and

wherein said media device is configured to operate according to the personal computer compatible protocol, and includes a second transmission interface that is operable to establish connection with said controller via said first transmission interface so as to receive the exercise status data from said controller, an operation interface that is user-operable for establishing the user-configured data that is provided to said control unit via said first and second transmission interfaces, and at least one of a storage unit for storing the exercise status data received by said second transmission interface and a display screen for display of the exercise status data received by said second transmission interface.

2. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said exercise machine further includes a power supply interface that is disposed on said machine body, and that is coupled to said power supply unit so as to receive power therefrom, said power supply interface including at least one of a battery charging port, an AC commercial power port, a USB port and a direct current (DC) power port, each adapted for connection to an external device for supplying power thereto.

3. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said exercise machine is in a form of an exercise bicycle, and said exercise mechanism of said exercise device is in a form of a pedal mechanism.

4. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said media device is selected from the group consisting of a mobile phone, a portable computer, a portable media player, a game console, a desktop computer, and a television set.

5. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first transmission interface and said second transmission interface are wired communication interfaces.

6. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first transmission interface and said second transmission interface are wireless communication interfaces.

7. An exercise machine configured to operate according to a personal computer compatible protocol and adapted to establish connection with a media device, the media device being configured to operate according to the personal computer compatible protocol, said exercise machine comprising a machine body, an exercise device disposed on said machine body, and a controller disposed on said machine body,

wherein said exercise device includes:

a power generating unit operable to generate an electrical output, said power generating unit including an electrically-controllable variable resistance unit; and

a user-operable exercise mechanism coupled to said power generating unit and manually operable to drive operation of said power generating unit; and

wherein said controller includes;

a first transmission interface;

a status data generating unit for receiving the electrical output of said power generating unit and generating exercise status data based on the electrical output received from said power generating unit;

a control unit coupled to said first transmission interface, said control unit and said first transmission interface being configured to operate according to the personal computer compatible protocol, said control unit storing user-configured data received via said first transmission interface from the media device, said control unit being further coupled to said status data generating unit, storing the exercise status data generated by said status data generating unit, and transmitting the exercise status data to the media device via said first transmission interface;

a resistance controlling unit coupled to said electrically-controllable variable resistance unit and further coupled to and controlled by said control unit to vary resistance of said electrically-controllable variable resistance unit for causing the exercise status data to conform with the user-configured data; and

a power supply unit coupled to and receiving the electrical output of said power generating unit and further coupled to said first transmission interface, said status data generating unit, said control unit and said resistance controlling unit for supplying power thereto.

8. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a power supply interface that is disposed on said machine body and that is coupled to said power supply unit so as to receive power therefrom, said power supply interface including at least one of a battery charging port, an AC commercial power port, a USB port and a direct current (DC) power port, each is adapted for connection to an external device for supplying power thereto.

9. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 7, being in a form of an exercise bicycle, wherein said exercise mechanism of said exercise device is in a form of a pedal mechanism.

10. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first transmission interface is a wired communication interface.

11. The exercise machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first transmission interface is a wireless communication interface.

12. A controller for an exercise machine, the exercise machine including a power generating unit and an exercise mechanism for driving operation of the power generating unit, the power generating unit including an electrically-controllable variable resistance unit and being operable to generate an electrical output, said controller comprising:

a first transmission interface;

a status data generating unit for receiving the electrical output of the power generating unit and generating exercise status data based on the electrical output received from the power generating unit;

a control unit coupled to said first transmission interface, said control unit and said first transmission interface being configured to operate according to a personal computer compatible protocol, said control unit storing user-configured data received via said first transmission interface, said control unit being further coupled to said status data generating unit, and storing the exercise status data generated by said status data generating unit;

a resistance controlling unit to be coupled to the electrically-controllable variable resistance unit and further coupled to and controlled by said control unit to vary resistance of the electrically-controllable variable resistance unit for causing the exercise status data to conform with the user-configured data; and

a power supply unit to be coupled to the power generating unit for receiving the electrical output thereof and further coupled to said first transmission interface, said status data generating unit, said control unit and said resistance controlling unit for supplying power thereto.

13. The controller as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first transmission interface is a wired communication interface.

14. The controller as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first transmission interface is a wireless communication interface.