System and method for selective adjustment of exercise apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An exercise system comprising:
- a support structure configured to support an operable member movably coupled to the support structure; and
a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise system, the virtual trail system comprising;
(i) an interface console configured to adjust incline levels of said operable member and including multiple successive incline level keys and numeric indicia representative of specific incline levels corresponding to each incline level key, said interface console comprising indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user, and(ii) a braking means for electronically slowing the speed of the operable member, wherein the braking means comprises a means for dissipating power generated by the exercise system, wherein said means for dissipating power is activated at operational points that are partially dependent on user attributes including user mass and force exerted by the user and partially dependent on virtual trail system parameters including inclination or declination positions, operating speed, and overall virtual trail system resistance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exercise system including a support base and an operable member movably coupled to the support base. Electrically coupled to the operable member is an interface console. The interface console includes a plurality of speed level keys and a plurality of grade level keys. The speed level keys enable a user to selected different pre-set speeds of the operable member, while the grade level keys enable a user to select different pre-set grades of the operable member. Associated with the speed level and grade level keys are incremental keys that enable a user to incrementally increase and/or decrease the speed, grade, or resistance of the exercise system.
349 Citations
43 Claims
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1. An exercise system comprising:
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a support structure configured to support an operable member movably coupled to the support structure; and a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise system, the virtual trail system comprising; (i) an interface console configured to adjust incline levels of said operable member and including multiple successive incline level keys and numeric indicia representative of specific incline levels corresponding to each incline level key, said interface console comprising indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user, and (ii) a braking means for electronically slowing the speed of the operable member, wherein the braking means comprises a means for dissipating power generated by the exercise system, wherein said means for dissipating power is activated at operational points that are partially dependent on user attributes including user mass and force exerted by the user and partially dependent on virtual trail system parameters including inclination or declination positions, operating speed, and overall virtual trail system resistance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An exercise apparatus comprising:
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a support base; an operable member movably coupled to said support base; and a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise apparatus, the virtual trail system comprising an interface console electrically coupled to said operable member, said interface console comprising; (i) indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user, wherein the workout information displayed by the indicator means comprises;
percentage of trail workout completion and simulated trail elevation on the same display panel; and(ii) a plurality of direct speed level keys selectable by a user of the exercise system, wherein each speed level key defines a pre-set speed for the exercise apparatus and is configured to initiate a change in the speed of the exercise apparatus from a current speed to said pre-set speed upon being selected by the user of the exercise apparatus wherein upon selecting one of said plurality of speed level keys, the operable member automatically adjusts from a current speed to said pre-set speed. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An exercise system comprising:
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a support base; an operable member movably coupled to said support base; and a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise system, the virtual trail system comprising; a control interface coupled to the operable member, the control interface enabling a user to control the operable member, the control interface comprising; (i) indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user, wherein the virtual trail system displays a pre-designed trail having at least a beginning point and an end point, said pre-designed trail selectively including at least one midway point, and wherein the virtual trail system comprises means for selecting a pre-designed trail containing routines including the average grade and distance to be traveled between the beginning point, the end point, and the selective midway points; and (ii) a direct adjustment keypad having a plurality of speed level keys, each of the plurality of speed level keys being associated with one of a plurality of pre-set speeds such that upon contacting any one key, the speed level of the operable member changes to the speed of the contacted key regardless of the current speed level of the exercise apparatus.
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21. An exercise system comprising:
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a support base; an operable member movably coupled to said support base; and a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise system, the virtual trail system comprising; an interface console electrically coupled to said operable member, said interface console comprising; indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user, wherein the workout information displayed by the display comprises percentage of trail workout completed and elevation on the same panel;
the interface console further comprising;a first incline level key corresponding to a first incline level of said operable member; a second incline level key corresponding to a second incline level of said operable member that is greater than said first incline level; and a third incline level key corresponding to a third incline level of said operable member that is greater than said second incline level, wherein a user can directly increase said incline level of said operable member from said first incline level to said third incline level by selecting said third incline level key; and
wherein said interface console is configured to adjust speed levels of said operable member, said interface console further comprising;a first speed level key corresponding to a first speed level of said operable member; a second speed level key corresponding to a second speed level of said operable member that is higher than said first speed level; and a third speed level key corresponding to a third speed level of said operable member that is higher than said second speed level, wherein a user can directly increase said speed level of said operable member from said first speed level to said third speed level by selecting said third speed level key. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. An exercise system, comprising:
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a support base; an operable member movably coupled to said support base; and a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise system, the virtual trail system comprising an interface console electrically coupled to said operable member, and wherein said interface console comprises;
indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user, wherein the indicator means comprises a plurality of workout segments represented between two points on a trail and wherein the segments reflect an average slope change between said two points;
wherein said interface console is configured to adjust speed levels of said operable member, said interface console further comprising;a first speed level key corresponding to a first speed level of said operable member; a second speed level key corresponding to a second speed level of said operable member that is higher than said first speed level; and a third speed level key corresponding to a third speed level of said operable member that is higher than said second speed level, wherein a user can directly increase said speed level of said operable member from said first speed level to said third speed level by selecting said third speed level key. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An exercise apparatus comprising:
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a support base; an operable member movably coupled to said support base; and a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise apparatus, the virtual trail system comprising; an interface console configured to adjust speed levels of said operable member, said interface console comprising; indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user, wherein the workout information displayed by the indicator means comprises;
percentage of trail workout completion and simulated trail elevation on the same display panel;
said interface console further comprising;a first speed level key corresponding to a first speed level of said operable member; a second speed level key corresponding to a second speed level of said operable member that is higher than said first speed level; and a third speed level key corresponding to a third speed level of said operable member that is higher than said second speed level, wherein a user can directly increase said speed level of said operable member from said first speed level to said third speed level by selecting said third speed level key. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An exercise apparatus comprising:
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a support base; an operable member movably coupled to said support base; and a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise apparatus, the virtual trail system comprising an interface console electrically coupled to said operable member, said interface console comprising indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user, wherein the virtual trail system displays a pre-designed trail having at least a beginning point and an end point, said pre-designed trail selectively including at least one midway point, and wherein the virtual trail system comprises means for selecting a pre-designed trail containing routines including the average grade and distance to be traveled between the beginning point, the end point, and the selective midway points;
wherein said interface console is configured to adjust speed levels of said operable member, said interface console further comprising;a first speed level key corresponding to a first speed level of said operable member; a second speed level key corresponding to a second speed level of said operable member that is higher than said first speed level; and a third speed level key corresponding to a third speed level of said operable member that is higher than said second speed level, wherein a user can directly increase said speed level of said operable member from said first speed level to said third speed level by selecting said third speed level key. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A treadmill, comprising:
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a support base; a treadbase coupled to said support base; and a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise treadmill, the virtual trail system comprising indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user, wherein the workout information displayed by the indicator means comprises;
percentage of trail workout completion and simulated trail elevation on the same display panel; andan interface console electrically coupled to said treadbase, said interface console having a direct adjustment keypad, said direct adjustment keypad comprising a plurality of preset keys, each key of said plurality of keys corresponding to a single preset operating parameter of said treadbase, wherein one touch of any of said preset keys changes any current operating parameter of said treadbase to the operating parameter corresponding to the touched key regardless of the level of the current operating parameter, wherein the direct adjustment keypad comprises; a first grade level key corresponding to a first grade level of said treadbase; a second grade level key corresponding to a second grade level of said treadbase that is higher than said first grade level; and a third grade level key corresponding to a third grade level of said treadbase that is higher than said second grade level, wherein a user can directly increase said grade level of said treadbase from said first grade level to said third grade level by activating said third grade level key. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. An exercise apparatus comprising:
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a support base; an operable member movably coupled to said support base; and a virtual trail system simulating a trail to be traversed by a user as the user exercises using the exercise apparatus, the virtual trail system comprising; an interface console electrically coupled to said operable member, said interface console comprising; (i) indicator means for displaying workout information to the user at a rate proportional to the rate at which exercise is performed by the user, the indicator means displaying a topographical representation of a trail to be traversed by a user wherein the workout information displayed by the indicator means comprises percentage of trail workout completion and simulated trail elevation on the same display panel; and (ii) a plurality of direct grade level keys selectable by a user of the exercise system, wherein each grade level key defines a pre-set grade for the exercise apparatus and is configured to initiate a change in the grade of the exercise apparatus from a current grade to said pre-set grade upon being selected by the user of the exercise apparatus, wherein upon selecting one of said plurality of grade level keys, the operable member automatically adjusts from a current grade to said pre-set grade. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification