EXCERCISE CLASS APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20160089574A1
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Equinox Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Equinox Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: HENNING, Elizabeth Kelly, BRUENING, Jeffrey Scott, THOMPSON, Gordon III, PATEL, Chirag, BAKARANIA, Neel Magan, Nguyen, Phuc Van, MARK, Catherine Crowe, WHITE, John, YOO, Jin Sung, RAINERT, Karen, BENVENUTO, John Paul, DEL SENNO, Nicole, JACOBS, Matthew, HITCHINGS, David
• Granted Patent: US 11,148,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

Exercise class systems and methods may include a plurality of pieces of exercise equipment and/or a plurality of sensing systems adapted to be worn on people in the class, each piece of equipment or sensing system outputting plural exercise signals relating to exercise performance on the piece of equipment or of the person with the sensing system. A computer system may also be provided. The computer system may include at least one electronic storage device which stores the plural signals from the pieces of equipment or sensing system and at least one processor which generates an output signal containing an animation corresponding to at least two of the exercise signals from each of the pieces of equipment or sensing systems. At least one display device, visible from each of the pieces of equipment or people in the class, may receive the output signal and display the animation.

Claims

1. Exercise class apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pieces of exercise equipment and/or a plurality of sensing systems adapted to be worn on people in the class, each piece of equipment or sensing system outputting plural exercise signals relating to exercise performance on the piece of equipment or of the person with the sensing system;

a computer system including;

at least one electronic storage device which stores the plural signals from the pieces of equipment or sensing system; and

at least one processor which generates an output signal containing an animation corresponding to at least two of the exercise signals from each of the pieces of equipment or sensing systems; and

at least one display device, visible from each of the pieces of equipment or people in the class, which receives the output signal and displays the animation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pieces of exercise equipment include a plurality of stationary bicycles.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the plural exercise signals include signals representing two or more of revolution rate, distance, power and energy.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the exercise signal related to distance represents a combination of rotation rate and power.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one processor generates the output signal to define a graphic shape for each of the pieces of equipment or sensing system;

the at least one processor causes each graphic shape to spin at a rate related to one of the exercise signals for a corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system and move along a path based on another of the exercise signals from the corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

the one exercise signal indicates revolution rate or speed of the exercise equipment or sensing system; and

the other exercise signal corresponds to distance of the corresponding piece of exercise equipment or sensing system.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the thickness of a line forming the graphic shape corresponds to a third one of the exercise signals.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the third exercise signal corresponds to power.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the at least one processor causes the graphic shape to change color when a person exercising on a corresponding piece of exercise equipment and/or sensing system is on track to at least match a distance from a previous session.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the at least one processor causes the output signal to produce a display indicating top performers after a predetermined time.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

each piece of equipment or person in the class is organized in one of two or more teams;

the at least one processor generates the output signal to include a first graphic shape for each of the pieces of equipment or and/or sensing systems; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal so that the first graphic shape drops into a second graphic shape for a corresponding team when at least one exercise signal for a user achieves a predetermined value.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the pieces of equipment are stationary bicycles and the at least one exercise signal corresponds to distance of the corresponding bicycle.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal so that when the second graphic shape is completed, the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause another second graphic shape to be built from dropping first graphic shapes.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first graphic shape rotates in response to a second one of the exercise signals and thickness of a line forming the first graph shape corresponds to a third one of the exercise signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the second exercise signal corresponds to rotational rate of the corresponding bicycle and the third exercise signal corresponds to power from the corresponding bicycle.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

each piece of equipment is organized into one of two or more teams;

the at least one processor generates the output signal to display a first graphic shape which rotates based on an average or a total of one of the plurality of exercise signals from each team; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause a second graphic shape to build in response to an average or total of a another of the exercise signals for each team.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein:

the pieces of exercise equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the one exercise signal corresponds to power; and

the another exercise signal corresponds to distance.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein when the second shape is completed, the at least one processor causes the output signal to begin to build a new second graphic shape.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to display individual leaders and class total relative to a goal after a predetermined period of time.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor causes the output signal to display on the display device an abstract animation that varies in response to at least two of the plural exercise signals.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one processor generates the output signal to display a graphic shape for each piece of equipment and/or sensing system;

the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause each graphic shape to change appearance based on at least one of the exercise signals for a corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause each graphic shape to move a distance corresponding to at least one of the exercise signals for the corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein:

the pieces of exercise equipment includes stationary bicycles; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the graphic shape to increase in intensity and move in response to the exercise signal corresponding to power.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to display the graphic shape during a plurality of periods alternating with periods in which the at least one processor generates the output signal to create a display that varies with at least one exercise signal collectively over all pieces of equipment and/or sensing systems.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the pieces of equipment or persons in the class are grouped; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal to display a graphic shape which moves along a path, the appearance of the graphic shape changing based on one of the exercise signals and a distance which the graphic shape moves along the path is responsive to another of the exercise signals, and each piece of equipment or person of each group controls the graphic shape for different periods.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include stationary bicycles;

the one exercise signal is representative of power; and

the another exercise signal is representative of distance.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the pieces of equipment or persons in the class are divided into two or more teams; and

wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the at least one display device to display an image where horizontal positioning of the image is dependent on at least one exercise signal accumulated over each of the two or more teams.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the at least one exercise signal corresponds to power.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein after a predetermined time, the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the display device to display a user on each team generating the highest average power over the predetermined time.

29. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the display device to display an animation including a graphical shape for each piece of equipment and/or sensing system, each graphical shape moving along a path in response to at least one of the exercise signals for each piece of equipment and/or sensing system, the at least one processor generating the output signal to cause the animation to include upper and lower boundaries along the path for a user to keep the graphic shape corresponding to the user'"'"'s piece of equipment and/or sensing system between the boundaries.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the animation to move the boundaries after a predetermined time.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the animation to change an appearance of each graphical shape based on at least one other exercise signal from the corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system.

32. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the at least one exercise signal corresponds to rotational rate.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the at least one other exercise signal corresponds to power.

34. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the animation to provide at least three games wherein in a first game, the animation illustrates an individual effort of each user, in a second game, the animation illustrates both the individual effort of each user and an effort of a group of users, and in a third game, the animation illustrates the effort of a group of users without illustrating individual effort.

35. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second device associated with an individual member and coupled to the at least one processor,

the second device being constructed and arranged to display individual information concerning the member.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the second device includes a module to enable a member to register for a class.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the second device receives data from the at least one processor and not directly from the exercise equipment and/or sensing systems.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the individual information includes cumulative data for the individual member over a class.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the individual information includes data comparing the individual member to the overall class.

40. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the second device is removable from the exercise equipment by the member.

41. A method of communicating the results of an exercise class in a graphic form comprising:

a computer system receiving a plurality of exercise signals from each of a plurality of pieces of exercise equipment and/or sensing systems relating to exercise performance on each piece of equipment and/or person with the sensing system and storing the exercise signals in at least one electronic storage device included in the computer system;

at least one processor included in the computer system generating an output signal containing an animation of at least two of the exercise signals from each of the pieces of equipment or sensing systems; and

generating a display on at least one display device visible from each of the pieces of equipment or people in the class from the output signal including the animation.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the pieces of exercise equipment include a plurality of stationary bicycles.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the plural exercise signals include signals representing two or more of revolution rate, distance, power and energy.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the exercise signal related to distance represents a combination of rotation rate and power.

45. The method of claim 41 wherein:

the at least one processor generates the output signal to define a graphic shape for each of the pieces of equipment and/or sensing systems; and

the at least one processor causes each graphic shape to spin at a rate related to one of the exercise signals for a corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system and move along a path based on another of the exercise signals from the corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein:

the one exercise signal indicates revolution rate or speed of the exercise equipment and/or sensing system; and

the other exercise signal corresponds to distance of the corresponding piece of exercise equipment and/or sensing system.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein the thickness of a line forming the graphic shape corresponds to a third one of the exercise signals.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the third exercise signal corresponds to power.

49. The method of claim 44 wherein the at least one processor causes the graphic shape to change color when a person exercising on a corresponding piece of exercise equipment and/or having the sensing system is on track to at least match a distance from a previous session.

50. The method of claim 44 wherein the at least one processor causes the output signal to produce a display indicating top performers after a predetermined time.

51. The method of claim 41 wherein:

each piece of equipment and/or person in the class is organized in one of two or more teams;

the at least one processor generates the output signal to include a first graphic shape for each of the pieces of equipment and/or sensing systems; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal so that the first graphic shape drops into a second graphic shape for a corresponding team when at least one exercise signal for a user achieves a predetermined value.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the pieces of equipment are stationary bicycles and the at least one exercise signal corresponds to distance of the corresponding bicycle.

53. The method of claim 51 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal so that when the second graphic shape is completed, the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause another second graphic shape to be built from dropping first graph shapes.

54. The method of claim 51 wherein the first graphic shape rotates in response to a second one of the exercise signals and the thickness of a line forming the first graphic shape corresponds to a third one of the exercise signals.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include a plurality of stationary bicycles; and

the second exercise signal corresponds to rotational rate of the corresponding bicycle and the third exercise signal corresponds to power from the corresponding bicycle.

56. The method of claim 41 wherein:

each piece of equipment and/or person in the class is organized into one of two or more teams;

the at least one processor generates the output signal to display a first graphic shape which rotates based on an average or a total of one of the plurality of exercise signals from each team; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause a second graphic shape to build in response to an average or total of another of the exercise signals for each team.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein:

the pieces of exercise equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the one exercise signal corresponds to power; and

the another exercise signal corresponds to distance.

58. The method of claim 56 wherein when the second shape is completed, the at least one processor causes the output signal to begin to build a new second graphic shape.

59. The method of claim 56 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to display individual leaders and class total relative to a goal after a predetermined period of time.

60. The method of claim 41 wherein the at least one processor causes the output signal to display on the display device an abstract animation that varies in response to at least two of the plural exercise signals.

61. The method of claim 41 wherein:

the at least one processor generates the output signal to display a graphic shape for each piece of equipment and/or sensing system;

the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause each graphic shape to change appearance based on at least one of the exercise signals for a corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause each graphic shape to move a distance corresponding to at least one of the exercise signals for the corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein:

the pieces of exercise equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the graphic shape to increase in intensity and move in response to the exercise signal corresponding to power.

63. The method of claim 61 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to display the graphic shape during a plurality of periods alternating with periods in which the at least one processor generates the output signal to create a display that varies with at least one exercise signal collectively over all pieces of equipment and/or sensing systems.

64. The method of claim 41 wherein:

the pieces of equipment or persons in the class are grouped; and

the at least one processor generates the output signal to display a graphic shape which moves along a path, the appearance of the graphic shape changing based on one of the exercise signals and a distance which the graphic shape moves along the path is responsive to another of the exercise signals, and each piece of equipment and/or sensing system of each group controls the graphic shape for different periods.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include stationary bicycles;

the one exercise signal is representative of power; and

the another exercise signal is representative of distance.

66. The method of claim 41 wherein:

the pieces of equipment or persons in the class are divided into two or more teams; and

wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the at least one display device to display an image where horizontal positioning of the image is dependent on at least one exercise signal accumulated over each of the two or more teams.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the at least one exercise signal corresponds to power.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein after a predetermined time, the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the display device to display a user on each team generating the highest average power over the predetermined time.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the display device to display an animation including a graphical shape for each piece of equipment and/or sensing system, each graphical shape moving along a path in response to at least one of the exercise signals for each piece of equipment and/or sensing system, the at least one processor generating the output signal to cause the animation to include upper and lower boundaries along the path for a user to keep the graphic shape corresponding to the user'"'"'s piece of equipment and/or sensing system between the boundaries.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the animation to move the boundaries after a predetermined time.

71. The method of claim 69 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the animation to change an appearance of each graphical shape based on at least one other exercise signal from the corresponding piece of equipment and/or sensing system.

72. The method of claim 69 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the at least one exercise signal corresponds to rotational rate.

73. The method of claim 71 wherein:

the pieces of equipment include stationary bicycles; and

the at least one other exercise signal corresponds to power.

74. The method of claim 68 wherein the at least one processor generates the output signal to cause the animation to provide at least three games wherein in a first game, the animation illustrates an individual effort of each user, in a second came, the animation illustrates both the individual effort of each user and an effort of a group of users, and in a third game, the animation illustrates the effort of a group of users without illustrating individual effort.

75. The method of claim 41 further comprising generating a display on a second device of individual information concerning a member.

76. The method of claim 75 further comprising the second device accepting data from a member to register the member for a class.

77. The method of claim 75 further comprising the second device receiving data from the at least one processor and not directly from the exercise equipment and/or sensing systems.

78. The method of claim 75 wherein the individual information includes cumulative data for the individual member over a class.

79. The method of claim 78 wherein the individual information includes data comparing the individual member to the overall class.

80. The method of claim 75 further comprising the member removing the second device from the exercise equipment.

81. Exercise class apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pieces of exercise equipment and/or sensing systems, each piece of equipment and/or sensing system outputting plural exercise signals relating to exercise performance on the piece of equipment;

a computer system including;

at least one electronic storage device which stores the plural signals from the pieces of equipment and/or sensing systems; and

at least one processor which generates an output signal containing an animation for each of at least two games, each animation corresponding to at least one of the exercise signals from the pieces of equipment and/or sensing system, wherein the animation for one of the at least two games illustrates either individual effort of each user, both the individual effort of each user and an effort of a group of users, or the effort of a group of users without illustrating individual effort, and the animation for the other of the at least two games illustrates a different one of individual effort of each user, both the individual effort of each user and an effort of a group of users, or the effort of a group of users without illustrating individual effort; and

at least one display device, visible from each of the pieces of equipment, which receives the output signal and displays the animation.

82. A method of communicating the results of an exercise class in a graphic form comprising:

a computer system receiving a plurality of exercise signals from a plurality of pieces of exercise equipment and/or sensing systems relating to exercise performance on the piece of equipment;

at least one processor generating an output signal containing an animation for each of at least two games, each animation corresponding to at least one of the exercise signals from the pieces of equipment and/or sensing system, wherein the animation for one of the at least two games illustrates either individual effort of each user, both the individual effort of each user and an effort of a group of users, or the effort of a group of users without illustrating individual effort, and the animation for the other of the at least two games illustrates a different one of individual effort of each user, both the individual effort of each user and an effort of a group of users, or the effort of a group of users without illustrating individual effort; and

generating a display on at least one display device, which is visible from each of the pieces of equipment, including the animation.

83. Exercise class apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pieces of exercise equipment and/or sensing systems, each piece of equipment and/or sensing system outputting plural exercise signals relating to exercise performance on the piece of equipment or by a person in the class;

a computer system including;

at least one electronic storage device which stores the plural signals from the pieces of equipment and/or sensing systems; and

at least one processor which receives a signal indicating a selected one of a plurality of fitness goals and generates an output signal containing an animation corresponding to at least one of the exercise signals from the pieces of equipment and/or sensing systems which motivates users toward the selected fitness goal; and

at least one display device, visible from each of the pieces of equipment, which receives the output signal and displays the animation.

84. A method of communicating the results of an exercise class in a graphic form comprising:

a computer system receiving a plurality of exercise signals from each of a plurality of pieces of exercise equipment and/or sensing systems relating to exercise performance on the piece of equipment or by a person in the class;

at least one processor included in the computer system receiving a signal indicating a selected one of a plurality of fitness goals and generates an output signal containing an animation corresponding to at least one of the exercise signals from the pieces of equipment and/or sensing systems which motivates users toward the selected fitness goal; and

generating a display on at least one display device, visible from each of the pieces of equipment or persons in the class including the animation.