Caloric exercise monitor

• US 6,605,044 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Bimbaum, Burton H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US09/894,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 600/500, 600/503, 600/481, 600/513, 482/8, 482/901
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• 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 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A caloric exercise monitor and method for monitoring a person'"'"'s caloric expenditure during exercising. The caloric exercise monitor generally includes a means for measuring the person'"'"'s heart rate during exercise, an input device for enabling the person to enter an exercise goal, a calculating unit including a mathematical algorithm for calculating a caloric expenditure rate of the person during exercise based on the measured heart rate and a display for displaying an exercise parameter necessary to reach the entered exercise goal based on the calculated caloric expenditure rate. The displayed exercise parameter can be either or both the calories remaining to be expended to reach the entered goal or the remaining exercise time required to reach the entered goal.

Claims

1. A caloric exercise monitor for monitoring a person'"'"'s caloric expenditure during exercising comprising:

means for measuring the person'"'"'s heart rate during exercise;

an input device programmed to enable entry of a calory based exercise goal;

a calculating unit including a mathematical algorithm for calculating the caloric expenditure rate of the person during exercise based on the measured heart rate and for calculating an exercise parameter representing an amount of additional exercise necessary to reach the entered exercise goal based on the calculated caloric expenditure rate; and

a display for displaying the calculated exercise parameter necessary to reach the entered exercise goal based on the calculated caloric expenditure rate.

2. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the exercise goal is a caloric expenditure goal.

3. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the exercise goal is a weight loss goal.

4. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the input device is programmed to enable the person to manually enter the exercise goal.

5. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the input device is programmed to enable remote entry of the exercise goal.

6. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the input device is farther programmed to enable the person to manually enter at least one physiological parameter of the person, the mathematical algorithm calculating the caloric expenditure rate during exercise based on the measured heart rate and the at least one entered physiological parameter.

7. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the input device is further programmed to enable remote entry of at least one physiological parameter of the person, the mathematical algorithm calculating the caloric expenditure rate during exercise based on the measured heart rate and the at least one entered physiological parameter.

8. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the display further displays heart rate information.

9. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the display further displays the calculated caloric expenditure rate.

10. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the exercise parameter is the number of calories remaining to be expended to reach the entered exercise goal.

11. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the exercise parameter is the remaining exercise time required to reach the entered exercise goal.

12. The monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the calculating unit further comprises a timer for measuring the time exercised, the mathematical algorithm further calculating the total calories expended during exercise based on the calculated caloric expenditure rate and the measured time exercised.

13. The monitor as defined in claim 12, wherein the display further displays the number of total calories expended.

14. The monitor as defined in claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing exercise information.

15. The monitor as defined in claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing caloric expenditure information.

16. A monitor as defined in claim 1, wherein the display further prompts the person to enter the exercise goal.

17. A method for monitoring an exercise goal during exercise comprising the steps of:

entering a calory based exercise goal into a caloric exercise monitor;

measuring a person'"'"'s heart rate during exercise with the caloric exercise monitor;

calculating a caloric expenditure rate of the person during exercise based on the measured heart rate;

calculating an exercise parameter representing an amount of additional exercise necessary to reach the entered exercise goal based on the calculated caloric expenditure rate; and

displaying the calculated exercise parameter necessary to reach the entered exercise goal based on the calculated caloric expenditure rate.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the exercise goal is a caloric expenditure goal.

19. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the exercise goal is a weight loss goal.

20. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the exercise goal is manually entered by the person.

21. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the exercise goal is remotely entered.

22. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of entering at least one physiological parameter of the person into the caloric exercise monitor and wherein the caloric expenditure rate of the person is calculated based on the measured heart rate and the at least one entered physiological parameter.

23. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one physiological parameter of the person is manually entered into the caloric exercise monitor by the person.

24. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one physiological parameter of the person is remotely entered into the caloric exercise monitor.

25. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of displaying heart rate information.

26. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of displaying the caloric expenditure rate.

27. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the exercise parameter is the number of calories remaining to be expended to reach the entered exercise goal.

28. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the exercise parameter is the remaining exercise time required to reach the entered exercise goal.

29. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of

measuring the time exercised; and

calculating the total calories expended based on the calculated caloric expenditure rate and the measured time exercised.

30. The method as defined in claim 29, further comprising the step of displaying the number of total calories expended.

31. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of storing exercise information in memory.

32. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of storing total calories expended since last reset.

33. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of storing the last reset date and time in memory.

34. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of remotely monitoring the person'"'"'s caloric expenditure rate and exercise parameter.

35. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising the step of prompting the person with the caloric exercise monitor to enter the exercise goal therein.