Method and system for generating an exercise program

• US 6,740,007 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marilyn M. Pink
• Original Assignee: Fitness-Health Incorporating Technology Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Gordon, Stephen L., Potash, Warren J., Filer, Bob, Pink, Marilyn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US09/921,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20030027688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1-9, 482/900-902, 600/300, 600/483, 600/484, 600/546
• US Class Current: 482/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• 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 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 Nutrition
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

A method and system provides a customized exercise (conditioning) program for the user using a computer. A plurality of different measurements (parameters) are input using the computer, and based on these measurements, a computer program generates a customized exercise program for the user. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the customized exercise program may be specific to conditioning the body or a particular body part of the user, or conditioning the user for a particular sport where both exercise program embodiments may include an optional nutrition plan, or alternatively the nutrition plan may generated independently. Advantageously, the computer program provides an efficient, customized conditioning (exercise) program for the user that enables a great amount of flexibility and convenience for the user.

Claims

1. A method for generating a customized exercise program over a network, comprising:

at a computer coupled to a network;

storing a plurality of musculoskeletal measurements, received from a user, in a database;

sending the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements to a server coupled to the network; and

at the server;

converting the received plurality of musculoskeletal measurements into a plurality of ordinal numbers;

generating a customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers, the customized exercise program including a plurality of exercises, each exercise having a difficulty level and at least one of a repetition number and a time; and

sending the customized exercise program to the computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized exercise program includes a conditioning portion and a nutrition portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements include range of motion measurements and strength measurements.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the computer;

storing a plurality of cardiovascular measurements, received from the user, in the database;

sending the plurality of cardiovascular measurements to the server; and

at the server;

generating the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the plurality of cardiovascular measurements.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of cardiovascular measurements include at least one of a heart rate, a blood pressure and a volume of oxygen.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the computer;

storing the received customized exercise program in the database;

storing actual exercise data, received from the user, in the database; and

displaying the actual exercise data and a summary of the customized exercise program to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the computer;

sending an exercise program selection, received from the user, to the server;

at the server;

determining a plurality of measurement instructions, based on the received exercise program selection, the plurality of measurement instructions indicative of the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements; and

sending the plurality of measurement instructions to the computer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

at the computer;

storing a user profile, received from the user, in the database, the user profile including an age, a gender and a medical history;

sending the exercise program selection and the user profile to the server; and

at the server;

determining the plurality of measurement instructions based on the received exercise program selection and user profile; and

generating the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the received user profile.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the computer;

storing a plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements, received from the user, in the database;

sending the plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements to the server; and

at the server;

converting the received plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements into a plurality of updated ordinal numbers;

generating an updated customized exercise program based on the plurality of updated ordinal numbers; and

sending the updated customized exercise program to the computer.

10. A system for generating a customized exercise program over a network, comprising:

a computer, including a database and coupled to a network, adapted to;

store a plurality of musculoskeletal measurements, received from a user, in the database;

send the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements over the network; and

a server, coupled to the network, adapted to;

convert the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements, received from the computer over the network, into a plurality of ordinal numbers;

generate a customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers, the customized exercise program including a plurality of exercises, each exercise having a difficulty level and at least one of a repetition number and a time; and

send the customized exercise program to the computer over the network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the customized exercise program includes a conditioning portion and a nutrition portion.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements include range of motion measurements and strength measurements.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the computer is further adapted to;

store a plurality of cardiovascular measurements, received from the user, in the database;

send the plurality of cardiovascular measurements to the server over the network; and

wherein

the server is further adapted to;

generate the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the received plurality of cardiovascular measurements.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of cardiovascular measurements include at least one of a heart rate, a blood pressure and a volume of oxygen.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the computer is further adapted to;

store the received customized exercise program in the database;

store actual exercise data, received from the user, in the database; and

display the actual exercise data and a summary of the customized exercise program to the user.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the computer is further adapted to;

send an exercise program selection, received from the user, to the server over the network; and

wherein

the server is further adapted to;

determine a plurality of measurement instructions, based on the received exercise program selection, the plurality of measurement instructions indicative of the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements; and

send the plurality of measurement instructions to the computer over the network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the computer is further adapted to;

store a user profile, received from the user, in the database, the user profile including an age, a gender and a medical history;

send the exercise program selection and the user profile to the server over the network; and

the server is further adapted to;

determine the plurality of measurement instructions based on the received exercise program selection and user profile; and

generate the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the received user profile.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the computer is further adapted to;

store a plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements, received from the user, in the database;

send the plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements to the server over the network; and

wherein

the server is further adapted to;

convert the received plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements into a plurality of updated ordinal numbers;

generate an updated customized exercise program based on the plurality of updated ordinal numbers; and

send the updated customized exercise program to the computer over the network.

19. A method for generating a customized exercise program over a network, comprising:

converting a plurality of musculoskeletal measurements, received from a computer over a network, into a plurality of ordinal numbers;

generating a customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers, the customized exercise program including a plurality of exercises, each exercise having a difficulty level and at least one of a repetition number and a time; and

sending the customized exercise program to the computer over the network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the customized exercise program includes a conditioning portion and a nutrition portion.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements include range of motion measurements and strength measurements.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a plurality of cardiovascular measurements from the computer over the network; and

generating the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the plurality of cardiovascular measurements.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of cardiovascular measurements include at least one of a heart rate a blood pressure and a volume of oxygen.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a plurality of measurement instructions, based on an exercise program selection received from the computer over the network, the plurality of measurement instructions indicative of the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements; and

sending the plurality of measurement instructions to the computer over the network.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving the exercise program selection and a user profile from the computer over the network, the user profile including an age, a gender and a medical history; and

determining the plurality of measurement instructions based on the received exercise program selection and user profile; and

generating the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the received user profile.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements from the computer over the network;

converting the received plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements into a plurality of updated ordinal numbers;

generating an updated customized exercise program based on the plurality of updated ordinal numbers; and

sending the updated customized exercise program to the computer over the network.

27. An exercise server, comprising:

a processor coupled to a network;

a memory, coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to perform a method for generating a customized exercise program, the method including;

converting a plurality of musculoskeletal measurements, received from a computer over the network, into a plurality of ordinal numbers;

generating a customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers, the customized exercise program including a plurality of exercises, each exercise having a difficulty level and at least one of a repetition number and a time; and

sending the customized exercise program to the computer over the network.

28. The server of claim 27, wherein the customized exercise program includes a conditioning portion and a nutrition portion.

29. The server of claim 27, wherein the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements include range of motion measurements and strength measurements.

30. The server of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a plurality of cardiovascular measurements from the computer over the network; and

generating the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the plurality of cardiovascular measurements.

31. The server of claim 30, wherein the plurality of cardiovascular measurements include at least one of a heart rate, a blood pressure and a volume of oxygen.

32. The server of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a plurality of measurement instructions, based on an exercise program selection received from the computer over the network, the plurality of measurement instructions indicative of the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements; and

sending the plurality of measurement instructions to the computer over the network.

33. The server of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the exercise program selection and a user profile from the computer over the network, the user profile including an age, a gender and a medical history; and

determining the plurality of measurement instructions based on the received exercise program selection and user profile; and

generating the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the received user profile.

34. The server of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements from the computer over the network;

converting the received plurality of musculoskeletal measurements into a plurality of updated ordinal numbers;

generating an updated customized exercise program based on the plurality of updated ordinal numbers; and

sending the updated customized exercise program to the computer over the network.

35. A computer readable medium including instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method for generating a customized exercise program over a network, the method comprising:

converting a plurality of musculoskeletal measurements, received from a computer over a network, into a plurality of ordinal numbers;

generating a customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers, the customized exercise program including a plurality of exercises, each exercise having a difficulty level and at least one of a repetition number and a time; and

sending the customized exercise program to the computer over the network.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the customized exercise program includes a conditioning portion and a nutrition portion.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements include range of motion measurements and strength measurements.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a plurality of cardiovascular measurements from the computer over the network; and

generating the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the plurality of cardiovascular measurements.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the plurality of cardiovascular measurements include at least one of a heart rate, a blood pressure and a volume of oxygen.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a plurality of measurement instructions, based on an exercise program selection received from the computer over the network, the plurality of measurement instructions indicative of the plurality of musculoskeletal measurements; and

sending the plurality of measurement instructions to the computer over the network.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the exercise program selection and a user profile from the computer over the network, the user profile including an age, a gender and a medical history; and

determining the plurality of measurement instructions based on the received exercise program selection and user profile; and

generating the customized exercise program based on the plurality of ordinal numbers and the received user profile.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements from the computer over the network;

converting the received plurality of updated musculoskeletal measurements into a plurality of updated ordinal numbers;

generating an updated customized exercise program based on the plurality of updated ordinal numbers; and

sending the updated customized exercise program to the computer over the network.