Custom content delivery for networked exercise equipment

• US 6,971,973 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2001
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: eGym, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Netpulse, LLC
• Inventors: Cahn, Jeffrey P., Cohen, Michael Alvarez
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US09/866,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20010051559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482/51, 482900-902
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention, provide customized content to a consumer on a network-enabled exercise device, include providing an exercise device having a display console, the exercise device being connected to a network, receiving user profile information associated with a consumer operating the exercise device, receiving content information identifying available content for display on the display console, the content information including selection criteria for selecting content to be displayed from the available content, selecting content for display to the consumer based on the content information and the user profile information; and presenting an impression of the selected content to the consumer on the display console.

Claims

1. A method of presenting customized content to a consumer on a network-enabled exercise device, comprising:

providing an exercise device having a display console, the exercise device being connected to a network;

receiving user profile information associated with a consumer operating the exercise device;

receiving content information identifying available content for display on the display console, the content information including selection criteria for selecting content to be displayed from the available content;

selecting content for display to the consumer based on the content information and the user profile information; and

presenting an impression of the selected content to the consumer on the display console.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile information includes demographic information about the consumer selected from the group of characteristics including age, gender, weight, height, income level, education level and geographic location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile information includes psychographic information about the consumer identifying the consumer'"'"'s personal interests.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile information includes historical information relating to the consumer'"'"'s operation of one or more network-enabled exercise devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile information includes current information relating to the consumer'"'"'s present operation of a network-enabled exercise device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the available content includes e-marketing service information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the e-marketing service information is selected from Web-based banner advertisements, Web-based content and service sponsorship information, and Web-based direct marketing information.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the selection criteria include e-marketing campaign information specifying one or more characteristics of an intended target consumer of an e-marketing campaign.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the e-marketing campaign information includes one or more parameters selected from the group of parameters including, age, sex, weight, height, income level, education level, geographic location, time of day, a user'"'"'s historical information, a user'"'"'s current information, and a user'"'"'s special interests.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the selection criteria include e-marketing campaign metrics specifying one or more characteristics of an intended e-marketing campaign.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the e-marketing campaign metrics include one or more parameters selected from the group of parameters including total number of impressions presented in a specified period, frequency of presentation of each impression to the consumer, total price of an e-marketing campaign based on a price and quantity of impressions presented, and quality of impact derived from the nature of the impression presented.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying a third-party that the impression of the selected content has been presented to the consumer.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input in response to the impression of the selected content; and

communicating the user input to a third party.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user input includes a selection of e-marketing service information from the impression of the selected content.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

presenting an impression of secondary content to the consumer in response to the user input, the secondary content including detailed information relating to the selected e-marketing service information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the secondary content is retrieved over the network and is presented to the consumer through a web-site from the World Wide Web.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the available content includes control information for controlling the operation of the exercise device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the available content includes monitor information for monitoring a workout on the exercise device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the available content includes a directory of content selectable by the consumer.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the available content includes information selected from the group of categories including arts and humanities, automotive, careers, email, entertainment, fitness, health, lifestyle, money, news, real estate, search engines, shopping, sports, technology, and travel.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the available content includes content selected from the group including text, hypertext links, buttons, graphics, messages, audio information, video information, HTML, logos and branding.

17. The method of clam 1, wherein the user profile information is stored in memory when the consumer registers to use the network-enabled exercise device.

23. A computer program product on a computer-readable medium for presenting customized content to a consumer on a network-enabled exercise device having a display console, the program comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive user profile information associated with a consumer operating the exercise device;

receive content information identifying available content for display on the display console, the content information including selection criteria for selecting content to be displayed from the available content;

select content for display to the consumer based on the content information and the user profile information; and

present an impression of the selected content to the consumer on the display console.

24. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the user profile information includes demographic information about the consumer selected from the group of characteristics including age, gender, weight, height, income level, education level and geographic location.

25. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the user profile information includes psychographic information about the consumer identifying the consumer'"'"'s personal interests.

26. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the user profile information includes historical information relating to the consumer'"'"'s operation of one or more network-enabled exercise devices.

27. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the user profile information includes current information relating to the consumer'"'"'s present operation of a network-enabled exercise device.

28. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the available content includes e-marketing service information.

29. The computer program of claim 28, wherein the e-marketing service information is selected from Web-based banner advertisements, Web-based content and service sponsorship information, and Web-based direct marketing information.

30. The computer program of claim 28, wherein the selection criteria include e-marketing campaign information specifying one or more characteristics of an intended target consumer of an e-marketing campaign.

31. The computer program of claim 30, wherein the e-marketing campaign information includes one or more parameters selected from the group of parameters including, age, sex, weight, height, income level, education level, geographic location, time of day, a user'"'"'s historical information, a user'"'"'s current information, and a user'"'"'s special interests.

32. The computer program of claim 28, wherein the selection criteria include e-marketing campaign metrics specifying one or more characteristics of an intended e-marketing campaign.

33. The computer program of claim 32, wherein the e-marketing campaign metrics include one or more parameters selected from the group of parameters including total number of impressions presented in a specified period, frequency of presentation of each impression to the consumer, total price of an e-marketing campaign based on a price and quantity of impressions presented, and quality of impact derived from the nature of the impression presented.

34. The computer program of claim 23, further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

notify a third-party that the impression of the selected content has been presented to the consumer.

35. The computer program of claim 23, further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

receive a user input in response to the impression of the selected content; and

communicate the user input to a third party.

36. The computer program of claim 35, wherein the user input includes a selection of e-marketing service information from the impression of the selected content.

37. The computer program of claim 36, further comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

present an impression of secondary content to the consumer in response to the user input, the secondary content including detailed information relating to the selected e-marketing service information.

38. The computer program of claim 37, wherein the secondary content is retrieved over the network and is presented to the consumer through a web-site from the World Wide Web.

40. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the available content includes control information for controlling the operation of the exercise device.

41. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the available content includes monitor information for monitoring a workout on the exercise device.

42. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the available content includes a directory of content selectable by the consumer.

43. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the available content includes information selected from the group of categories including arts and humanities, automotive, careers, email, entertainment, fitness, health, lifestyle, money, news, real estate, search engines, shopping, sports, technology, and travel.

44. The computer program of claim 23, wherein the available content includes content selected from the group including text, hypertext links, buttons, graphics, messages, audio information, video information, HTML, logos and branding.

39. The computer program of clam 23, wherein the user profile information is stored in memory when the consumer registers to use the network-enabled exercise device.

45. An apparatus for presenting customized content to a consumer on a network-enabled exercise device, comprising:

an exercise device having a display console, the exercise device being connected to a network;

means for receiving user profile information associated with a consumer operating the exercise device;

means for receiving content information identifying available content for display. on the display console, the content information including selection criteria for selecting content to be displayed from the available content;

means for selecting content for display to the consumer based on the content information and the user profile information; and

means for presenting an impression of the selected content to the consumer on the display console.