SYSTEM FOR MONITORING THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF A USER, A PORTABLE MEDIUM AND A METHOD FOR MONITORING

• US 20120094649A1
• Filed: 05/13/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technogym SpA
• Original Assignee: Technogym SpA
• Inventors: PORRATI, LUCA, STROCCHI, GIOVANNI, CATANIA, FABRIZIO
• Granted Patent: US 8,676,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0658 Position or arrangement of display
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0683 Input by handheld remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• 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 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• 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 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A system (1) for monitoring the physical of a user (2), comprises a portable medium (3) which can be worn by the user (2) and which is equipped with: a sensor (4) designed to detect a signal relating to the movement of the user (2); a display unit (6); a data storage memory (7); an interface (8) configured to allow data to be exchanged between the memory (7) and the gym machine (9); a processor (11) programmed for deriving in real time from the signal detected by the sensor (4), a dimensionless parameter value representing the physical activity of the user (2) wearing the portable medium (3) and for displaying an indication as a function of the derived value and a reference value; a remote server (12) having access to a database (13) containing data received from the portable medium (3), the portable medium (3) comprising wireless communication means (10) configured to establish a connection between the portable medium (3) and a mobile telephone (14) which is set up to connect to the remote server (12) to transfer data to the remote server (12) in real time, the remote server (12) being programmed to transmit, in real time, motivational indications as a function of the data transmitted by the portable medium (3) for display on the mobile telephone (14).

Claims

1. ) A system (1) for monitoring the physical activity of a user (2), comprising:

a portable medium (3) which can be worn by the user (2) and which is equipped with;

a sensor (4) designed to detect a signal relating to the movement of the user (2);

a power supply (5);

a display unit (6);

a data storage memory (7);

an interface (8) which can be coupled to a gym machine (9) and which is configured to allow data to be exchanged between the memory (7) and the gym machine (9);

a processor (11) programmed for deriving in real time, at least from the signal detected by the sensor (4), a dimensionless parameter value representing the physical activity of the user (2) wearing the portable medium (3) and for displaying, on the display unit (6), an indication, as a function of the derived value of the dimensionless parameter and of a reference value of the dimensionless parameter constituting a preset target for the amount of physical activity to be performed by the user (2) in a predetermined time interval;

a remote server (12) having access to a database (13) containing data received from the portable medium (3),

characterized in that the portable medium (3) comprises wireless communication means (10) configured to establish a short-range connection (C1) between the portable medium (3) and a mobile telephone (14), the mobile telephone (14) being equipped with a display unit (15) and being set up to establish an Internet connection (I1) and to connect up to the remote server (12) through the connection (I1) in order to transfer data in real time to the remote server (12) through the Internet connection,

the remote server (12) being programmed to transmit, in real time through the Internet connection (I1), motivational indications as a function of the data transmitted by the portable medium (3) to the remote server (12), so that the motivational indications are displayed on the display unit (15) of the mobile telephone (14).

2. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote server (12) is set up to allow selection of a criterion for calculating the reference value of the dimensionless parameter and to download into the memory (7) of the portable medium (3), through the Internet connection (I1) and the short-range connection (C1) established by the wireless communications means (10), instructions for calculating the reference value of the dimensionless parameter, said instructions relating to the selected calculation criterion so that the processor (11) of the portable medium (3) can use those instructions.

3. ) The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface (8) is configured to receive in real time from the gym machine (9) at least one signal representing the physical activity performed by the user on the gym machine (9) and wherein the processor (11) is programmed to derive the dimensionless parameter also from the signal received from the gym machine (9) and to make the indication available in real time as a function of the derived value of the dimensionless parameter, on the display unit (6) or on a display screen (25) of the gym machine (9) or on the display unit (15) of the mobile telephone (14).

4. ) A portable medium (3) which can be worn by a user (2) and which is equipped with:

a sensor (4) designed to detect a signal relating to the movement of the user (2);

a power supply (5);

a display unit (6);

a data storage memory (7);

an interface (8) which can be coupled to a gym machine (9) and which is configured to allow data to be exchanged between the memory (7) and the gym machine (9);

a processor (11) programmed to derive in real time, at least from the signal detected by the sensor (4), a dimensionless parameter value representing the physical activity of the user (2) wearing the portable medium (3) and for displaying, on the display unit (6), an indication, as a function of the derived value of the dimensionless parameter and of a reference value of that parameter constituting a preset target for the amount of physical activity to be performed by the user (2) in a predetermined time interval,

characterized in that it comprises wireless communication means (10) configured to establish a short-range connection (C1) between the portable medium (3) and a mobile telephone (14) set up to establish an Internet connection (I1) and to connect up to the remote server (12) through the connection (I1) in order to transfer data relating to the movement of the user (2) in real time to the remote server (12) through the Internet connection (I1).

5. ) The portable medium according to claim 4, wherein the portable medium (3) is set up to receive from the remote server (12) calculating instructions used by the processor (11) to calculate the reference value of the dimensionless parameter and to store the instructions in the memory (7).

6. ) The portable medium according to claim 4, wherein the communication interface (8) is configured to receive in real time from the gym machine (9) a signal representing the physical activity performed by the user on the gym machine (9) and wherein the processor (11) is set up to derive the dimensionless parameter also from the signal received from the gym machine (9) in order to make the indication available on the display unit (6) of the portable medium (3) or on a display screen (25) of the gym machine (9) or on a display unit (15) of the mobile telephone (14).

7. ) A method for monitoring the physical activity of a user (2), comprising the steps of:

preparing a portable medium (3) designed to be worn by the user (2) and to detect a signal relating to the movement of the user (2);

preparing a mobile telephone (14) configured to establish a connection to the Internet;

deriving from the movement signal detected by the portable medium (3) a value of a dimensionless parameter representing the physical activity of the user (2) wearing the portable medium (3);

setting a reference value of the dimensionless parameter constituting a preset target for the amount of physical activity to be performed by the user (2) in a predetermined time interval;

displaying, in real time on the portable medium (3), an indication as a function of the derived value of the dimensionless parameter and of the reference value of the dimensionless parameter, characterized in that it further comprises the following steps;

transmitting data relating to the movement of the user (2) in real time to the mobile telephone (14) which is in communication through an Internet connection (I1) with a remote server (12) in order to transfer the data to the remote server (12);

deriving in real time in the remote server (12) a motivational indication as a function of the data received from the portable medium (3);

transmitting the motivational indication in real time to the mobile telephone (14) through the Internet connection (I1) established between the mobile telephone (14) and the remote server (12) and displaying the motivational indication on a display unit (15) of the mobile telephone (14).

8. ) The method according to claim 7, further comprising the following steps:

connecting up to the remote server (12) in order to identify a record relating to the user (2) and to access the historical data relating to the user (2) stored in the remote server (12) and detected by the portable medium (3);

entering personal information in the remote server (12);

downloading from the remote server (12) to the portable medium (3) a packet of instructions generated according to the historical information and personal information entered, to be used by the processor (11) to calculate the reference value of the dimensionless parameter.

9. ) The method according to claim 7, further comprising the following steps:

connecting up to the remote server (12) in order to identify a record relating to the user (2) and to access the historical data relating to the user (2) stored in the remote server (12) and detected by the portable medium (3);

selecting a criterion for calculating the reference value of the dimensionless parameter from a list of predetermined types of calculation criteria;

downloading from the remote server (12) to the portable medium (3) a packet of instructions generated according to the selected calculation criterion, to be used by the processor (11) of the portable medium (3) to calculate the reference value of the dimensionless parameter.

10. ) The method according to claim 7, comprising a step, carried out during the physical activity performed on a gym machine (9), of transmitting in real time to the portable medium (3) a signal representing the physical activity performed by the user on the gym machine (9), and wherein the value of the dimensionless parameter is derived in real time also from the detected signal representing the physical activity performed by the user on the gym machine (9) and made available in real time on the portable medium (3) or on the mobile telephone (14) or on a display screen (25) of the gym machine (9).

11. ) The method according to claim 10, comprising a step of also transmitting to the remote server (12) data relating to the detected signal representing the physical activity performed by the user on the gym machine (9).

12. ) A system (1) for monitoring the physical activity of a user (2), comprising:

a portable medium (3) which can be worn by the user (2) and which is equipped with;

a sensor (4) designed to detect a signal relating to the movement of the user (2);

a power supply (5);

a data storage memory (7);

a display unit (6);

an interface (8) which can be coupled to a gym machine (9) and which is configured to allow data to be exchanged between the memory (7) and the gym machine (9);

a processor (11) programmed for deriving in real time, at least from the signal detected by the sensor (4), a dimensionless parameter value representing the physical activity of the user (2) wearing the portable medium (3) and for displaying, on the display unit (6), an indication, as a function of the derived value of the dimensionless parameter and of a reference value of the dimensionless parameter constituting a preset target for the amount of physical activity to be performed by the user (2) in a predetermined time interval;

a remote server (12) having access to a database (13) containing data received from the portable medium (3),

characterized in that the portable medium (3) comprises;

a connector (17) for plugging the portable medium (3) to a computer (16) and allowing data to be exchanged between the portable medium (3) and the computer (16);

wireless communication means (10) having a modem (18) set up to cooperate with the connector (17) for establishing a connection (12) to a public land mobile network when the portable medium (3) is plugged in to the computer (16), to allow data to be transferred between the portable medium (3) and/or the computer (16) and the remote server (12).

13. ) The system according to claim 12, wherein the remote server (12) is set up to select a criterion for calculating the reference value of the dimensionless parameter and to download into the memory (7) of the portable medium (3) instructions for calculating the reference value of the dimensionless parameter, said instructions relating to the selected calculation criterion so that the processor (11) of the portable medium (3) can use those instructions.

14. ) The system according to claim 12, wherein the interface (8) is configured to receive in real time from the gym machine (9) at least one signal representing the physical activity performed by the user on the gym machine (9) and wherein the processor (11) is programmed to derive the dimensionless parameter also from the signal received from the gym machine (9).

15. ) A portable medium (3) which can be worn by a user (2) and which is equipped with:

a sensor (4) designed to detect a signal relating to the movement of the user (2);

a power supply (5);

a display unit (6);

a data storage memory (7);

an interface (8) which can be coupled to a gym machine (9) and which is configured to allow data to be exchanged between the memory (7) and the gym machine (9);

a processor (11) programmed for deriving in real time, at least from the signal detected by the sensor (4), a dimensionless parameter representing the physical activity of the user (2) wearing the portable medium (3) and for displaying, on the display unit (6), an indication, as a function of the derived value of the dimensionless parameter and of a reference value of the dimensionless parameter constituting a preset target for the amount of physical activity to be performed by the user (2) in a predetermined time interval,

characterized in that it comprises;

a connector (17) for plugging the portable medium (3) in to a computer (16) and allowing data to be exchanged between the portable medium (3) and the computer (16);

wireless communication means (10) having a modem (18) set up to cooperate with the connector (17) for establishing a connection (12) to a public land mobile network when the portable medium (3) is plugged in to the computer (16), to allow data to be transferred between the portable medium (3) and/or the computer (16) and a remote server (12).

16. ) The portable medium according to claim 15, wherein the portable medium (3) is set up to receive from the remote server (12) instructions used by the processor (11) to calculate the reference value of the dimensionless parameter and to store the instructions in the memory (7).

17. ) The portable medium according to claim 15, wherein the communication interface (8) is configured to receive in real time from the gym machine (9) a signal representing the physical activity performed by the user on the gym machine (9) and wherein the processor (11) is set up to derive the dimensionless parameter also from the signal received from the gym machine (9) in order to make the indication available on a display unit (25) of the gym machine (9) or on the display unit (6) of the portable medium (3).

18. ) A method for monitoring the physical activity of a user (2), comprising the steps of:

preparing a portable medium (3) designed to be worn by the user (2) during the performance of the physical activity and to detect a signal relating to the movement of the user (2);

deriving from the movement signal detected by the portable medium (3) a value of a dimensionless parameter representing the physical activity of the user (2) wearing the portable medium (3);

setting a reference value of the dimensionless parameter constituting a preset target for the amount of physical activity to be performed by the user (2) in a predetermined time interval;

displaying, in real time on the portable medium (3), an indication as a function of the derived value of the dimensionless parameter and of the reference value of the dimensionless parameter,

characterized in that it further comprises the following steps;

plugging the portable medium (3) in to a computer (16) to allow data to be transferred from the portable medium (3) to the computer (16) and vice versa;

after the plugging in step, establishing a connection (12) to a public land mobile network through a wireless modem (18) provided in the portable medium (3);

transferring detected and/or derived data, relating to the movement performed by the user (2), from the portable medium (3) and/or from the computer (16) to a remote server (12) through the Internet connection.