Sensor Device and System for Fitness Equipment

• US 20140221160A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paofit Holdings Pte. Ltd. (BowFlex, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Paofit Holdings Pte. Ltd. (BowFlex, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hardy, Marc Scott, Frank, Andrei Richard
• Application Number:
  US14/343,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20140221160A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0054 for charging a battery
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0076 Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system seats moving during exercise A63B22/0087; training appliances for rowing or sculling on boats A63B69/06
• 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 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• 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 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a sensor devices and corresponding systems for various fitness equipments to determine information corresponding to one or more activities of a user utilizing the equipments. The information may include speed, pressure, stride, and one or more other activities of the user. In an embodiment, the information may be measured when the sensor device is in constant contact with a fitness equipment (treadmill) but is not fastened to the exercise treadmill equipment. The information may be measured by one or more sensors that may be embedded in the sensor device. The measured information may be transmitted from the sensor device to data processor of an external device. Such information corresponding to various activities of the user may be utilized further for various applications.

Claims

1. A sensor system for collecting user activity data from an exercise apparatus, the sensor system comprising:

a wheel mechanism for measuring a plurality of characteristics corresponding to a moving tread of the exercise apparatus, wherein the wheel mechanism is in physical contact with the moving tread, without having to be fastened to the exercise apparatus;

a plurality of sensors configured for determining a plurality of parameters corresponding to one or more activities performed by a user of the exercise apparatus, the plurality of parameters being determined based on the measured plurality of characteristics of the moving tread; and

a data communication interface for transmitting the measured plurality of parameters to a data processor,

wherein the physical contact between the wheel mechanism and the moving tread is maintained by a spring-based mechanism.

2. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the wheel mechanism comprises a primary wheel and a secondary wheel, the primary wheel being utilized for measuring a speed of the moving tread and the secondary wheel being utilized for measuring tilt of the moving tread in conjunction with the primary wheel.

3. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters comprises speed of the user, downward pressure applied to the moving tread by the user, and the one or more activities of the user on the moving tread.

4. The sensor system of claim 1 further comprising:

a power source for powering the plurality of sensors and the data communication interface; and

a circuit board for managing the power sources, the plurality of parameters and the data communication interface.

5. The sensor system of claim 2, wherein the primary wheel comprises a series of magnets adjoined thereto, the series of magnets being utilized to interface with a magnetic based sensor, of the plurality of sensors, for measuring rotation of the primary wheel.

6. The sensor system of claim 2, wherein the primary wheel incorporates a regular pattern of grooves, and wherein an LED light and LED sensor are used to measure the rotation of the primary wheel through the grooves.

7. The sensor system of claim 2, wherein the primary wheel comprises a pattern of reflective surfaces and a sensor for counting changes in surface reflection for measuring the rotation of the primary wheel.

8. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a rotation sensor attached to an axis of the primary wheel for measuring a rotation speed of the wheel.

9. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a piezoelectric sensor for measuring downward pressure exerted towards floor by the exercise apparatus, the piezoelectric sensor being placed under a load bearing point of the exercise apparatus.

10. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein an infrared sensor is placed alongside the exercise apparatus for capturing data about the user'"'"'s activity when moving on the exercise apparatus.

11. The sensor system of claim 10, wherein a monochrome CMOS sensor is used to enhance an effectiveness of the infrared sensor.

12. The sensor system of claim 1 further comprising a camera pointed at the moving tread of the exercise apparatus, the camera being used to capture data about the user'"'"'s activity when moving on the exercise apparatus.

13. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the wheel mechanism comprises a primary arm and a secondary arm corresponding to a primary wheel and a secondary wheel of the wheel mechanism, the spring-based mechanism corresponds to the primary arm and the secondary arm to force at least one of the primary wheel and the secondary wheel in upward direction towards the tread of the exercise apparatus.

14. The sensor system of claim 13, wherein the wheel mechanism maintains the secondary arm at a constant angle range relative to a horizontal line and irrespective of the primary arm'"'"'s angle relative to the horizontal line.

15. The sensor system of claim 13, wherein the upward force exerted through a spring-based mechanism linked to the secondary arm is independent of the spring based force exerted on the primary arm connected to the secondary arm.

16. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the data communication interface comprises a transceiver and utilizes at least one of a wireless and a wired data transmission technology to transmit the measured plurality of parameters to the data processor.

17. The sensor system of claim 4, wherein the power source is a lithium battery, the battery is rechargeable.

18. The sensor system of claim 4, wherein the power source is managed by a protocol for utilizing power from the wired connection when power from both a wired connection and a battery source are detected as available, and wherein unused power from the wired connection is utilized for recharging the battery source.

19. The sensor system of claim 4, wherein the power source is managed by a protocol to reduce power consumption by lowering an operating cycle of the circuit board when the power source is a battery.

20. The sensor system of claim 4, wherein the power source corresponds to harvested renewable sources comprising at least one of solar panels and the kinetic energy generated by at least one of the exercise apparatus and the activities of the user on the exercise apparatus, and wherein the renewable sources are used for at least one of supplying power and recharging a battery.

21. A sensor device for collecting user activity data from an exercise apparatus without requiring access to mechanics of the exercise apparatus, the sensor device comprising:

a housing comprising multiple layers containing a plurality of sensors, a circuit board and a power source, the housing being attached to a pedal of the exercise apparatus,

the plurality of sensors configured for measuring one or more parameters corresponding to one or more activities performed by a user on the pedal of the exercise apparatus; and

a data communication interface coupled to the circuit board, the data communication interface configured for transmitting the measured parameters to a data processor.

22. The sensor device of claim 21, wherein the one or more parameters comprises at least one of pressure applied to the pedal and motion of the pedal.

23. The sensor device of claim 21 wherein the multiple layers comprise:

one or more upper layers for enabling the user to place foot thereon; and

one or more lower layers placed on a surface of the pedal.

24. The sensor device of claim 21 further comprising:

a power source for powering the sensors and the data communication interface; and

a board-based electrical circuit for managing the power sources, sensor data and data communication interface.

25. The sensor device of claim 21, wherein the housing is of a plate-type structure, the plate-type structure being adjustable based on an original surface area of the pedal.

26. The sensor device of claim 21, wherein the circuit board and battery are designed and housed in a manner to remain isolated from a pressure applied by the user'"'"'s foot.

27. The sensor device of claim 21, wherein one or more pressure sensors are placed between the multiple layers, the one or more pressure sensors configured to capture a change in a pressure when the multiple layers are compressed between the user'"'"'s foot and the pedal.

28. The sensor device of claim 21 comprises one or more piezoelectric sensors.

29. The sensor device of claim 21 further comprising a series of interconnected compressible chambers containing liquid and connected up to a liquid pressure sensor, the chambers being placed in between the multiple layers, wherein on applying the pressure, the multiple layers press upon the chambers forcing the liquid to exert pressure on the connected liquid pressure sensor.

30. The sensor device in claim 21 wherein the plurality of sensors comprise at least one accelerometer-type sensor for providing data about motion of the pedal.

31. The sensor device of claim 21, wherein the data communication interface comprises a transceiver and utilizes at least one of a wireless and a wired data transmission technology to transmit the measured plurality of parameters to the data processor.

32. The sensor device in claim 24, wherein the power source is a rechargeable lithium battery for providing power for one or more operations of the sensor device.

33. The sensor device in claim 24, wherein the power source is managed by a protocol for utilizing power from the wired connection when power from both a wired connection and a battery source are detected as available, and wherein unused power from the wired connection is utilized for recharging the battery source.

34. The sensor device of claim 24, wherein the power source is a wired connection and utilized via one of USB connection using USB HID protocol and an external plug.

35. The sensor device in claim 24, wherein the power source is managed by a protocol to reduce power consumption by lowering an operating cycle of the circuit board when the power source is a battery.

36. The sensor device in claim 24 wherein the power source corresponds to harvested renewable sources comprising of at least one of solar panels and kinetic energy generated by a force applied by the user to the pedal, wherein the renewable sources are used for at least one of supplying power to the sensor device and recharging the battery.

37. The sensor device of claim 21 further comprising a mechanism for preventing slippage of the user from the housing placed over the pedal of the exercise apparatus.

38. The sensor device of claim 21 further comprising a system to attach the housing to the pedal, the system includes counterweights placed on an opposite side to the multiple layers to provide the pedal with a counter weight to maintain a pedal balance.

39. The sensor device of claim 38, wherein the system to attach the housing to the pedal includes brackets for locking around one or more edges of the pedal, the brackets allow attaching and detaching the plurality of sensors contained by the housing.

40. The sensor device of claim 21, wherein small plates are attached with an adhesive to a surface of the pedal allowing attaching and detaching of the housing.