Portable Physical Activity Sensing System

• US 20120323346A1
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Original Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Inventors: Ashby, Darren C., Dalebout, William T., Watterson, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,758,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0081 Coaching or training aspects related to a group of users
• 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 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0641 with a marker advancing in function of the exercise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/005 using electromagnetic or electric force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/00 Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements force-resisting aspects A63B21/00; for particular parts of the body, e.g. to strengthen particular limbs or muscles A63B23/00; electric or electronic controls therefor A63B24/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0023 the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the inclination of an endless band
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/025 electrically, e.g. D.C. motors with variable speed control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/685 for electronic devices, e.g. phone, PDA, GPS device, notebook
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 : blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 : Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 : Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 : having computer circuitry

Abstract

A portable system retrieves one or more exercise programs from a remote communication system that provides motivational content for a user exercising upon an exercise mechanism. The exercise program further includes at least one control signal that controls one or more operating parameters of the exercise mechanism. The portable system includes a control device configured to retrieve the exercise program and deliver the motivational content to the user by way of an audio delivery device, while delivering the control signals to the exercise mechanism. A sensor communicates with the control device and tracks one or more measurable parameters of the user during the user'"'"'s performance of the exercise program. Data representative of the one or more measurable parameters can be delivered to the control device for delivery to the remote communication system.

Claims

1. A portable activity sensing system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to be associated with a user and sense a physical activity parameter of the user during a performance of physical activity by the user;

a memory in communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the memory is configured to store data representative of the sensed physical activity parameter; and

a control element configured to communicate with the one or more sensors and the memory, wherein the one or more sensors communicate data representative of the sensed physical activity parameter for storage in the memory, wherein the control element is configured to communicate the data representative of the sensed physical activity parameter to a separate communication system, and wherein the control element is configured to receive an exercise program from the separate communication system.

2. The portable activity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the exercise program is based, at least in part, on data provided by another user of the communication system.

3. The portable activity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the exercise program includes motivational content.

4. The portable activity sensing system of claim 3, wherein the motivational content comprises audio content.

5. The portable activity sensing system of claim 4, further comprising one or more input devices that, when engaged, allow the motivational content to be delivered to the user.

6. The portable activity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the exercise program includes control signals that are configured to control an operating parameter of an exercise device.

7. The portable activity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors, the memory, and the control element are integrated into a single device.

8. The portable activity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a heart rate sensor and a pedometer.

9. The portable activity sensing system of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensitive input device that allows the user to provide one or more inputs.

10. The portable activity sensing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is separate from the control element.

11. The portable activity sensing system of claim 1, further comprising a feedback element configured to provide data representative of the sensed physical activity parameter to the user.

12. The portable activity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the portable activity sensing system is configured to bidirectionally communicate with an exercise device.

13. A portable activity sensing system comprising:

a sensor device configured to be associated with a user and configured to sense a physical activity parameter of the user during a performance of physical activity by the user;

a memory in communication with the sensor device, wherein the sensor device communicates data representative of the sensed physical activity parameter to the memory, and wherein the memory stores the data representative of the sensed physical activity parameter; and

a control element configured to communicate with the sensor device and the memory, wherein the control element communicates data stored in the memory to a separate communication system, and wherein the control element is separate from the sensor device.

14. The portable activity sensing system of claim 13, wherein the sensor device comprises an accelerometer.

15. The portable activity sensing system of claim 13, wherein the sensor device comprises a processor.

16. The portable activity sensing system of claim 15, wherein the sensor device is configured to communicate with the control element via a wireless communication link.

17. The portable activity sensing system of claim 13, wherein the control element is configured to receive an exercise program from the separate communication system.

18. The portable activity sensing system of claim 13, further comprising a feedback element configured to provide data representative of the sensed physical activity parameter to the user.

19. A portable activity sensing system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to be associated with a user and configured to sense one or more physical activity parameters of the user during a performance of physical activity by the user;

a memory in communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors communicates data representative of the sensed one or more physical activity parameters to the memory, and wherein the memory stores the data representative of the sensed one or more physical activity parameters;

a control element configured to communicate with the one or more sensors and the memory, wherein the control element communicates data stored in the memory to a separate communication system; and

a feedback element configured to provide data representative of the sensed one or more physical activity parameters to the user.

20. The portable activity sensing system of claim 19, wherein the feedback element comprises a display screen.

21. The portable activity sensing system of claim 19, wherein the feedback element comprises an audio device communicatively connected with the control element via a wireless communication link.

22. The portable activity sensing system of claim 21, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a heart rate sensor integrally coupled with the audio device.

23. The portable activity sensing system of claim 19, wherein the memory, the control element, the feedback element, and at least one of the one or more sensors are integrated into a single device.

24. The portable activity sensing system of claim 19, wherein the control element receives from the separate communication system an exercise program.

25. The portable activity sensing system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is separate from the control element.

26. A portable activity sensing system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to be associated with a user and configured to sense one or more physical activity parameters of the user during a performance of physical activity by the user;

a memory in communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors communicate data representative of the sensed one or more physical activity parameter to the memory, and wherein the memory stores the data representative of the sensed physical activity parameter; and

a control element configured to communicate with the one or more sensors and the memory, wherein the control element communicates data stored in the memory to a separate communication system, and wherein the control element is configured to bidirectionally communicate with a separate exercise device.

27. The portable activity sensing system of claim 26, wherein the control element bidirectionally communicates with the exercise device via a wireless communication link.

28. The portable activity sensing system of claim 26, wherein the control element receives from the exercise device data representative of one or more operating parameters of the exercise device.

29. The portable activity sensing system of claim 26 further comprising a feedback element configured to provide data representative of the sensed one or more physical activity parameters to the user.