Universal system for monitoring and controlling exercise parameters

• US 7,651,442 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alan Carlson
• Original Assignee: Alan Carlson
• Inventors: Carlson, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US10/794,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,153 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482900-902, 434/247, 600/300
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0063 Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00076 on the fly, i.e. varying the resistance during exercise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0083 of the piston-cylinder type using pneumatic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0087
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0428 the ends moving relatively by linear reciprocation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/05 Linearly-compressed elements A63B21/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/055 extension element type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/151 Using flexible elements for reciprocating movements, e.g. ropes or chains
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• 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 71/0054 Features for injury prevention on an apparatus, e.g. shock absorbers mats or the like for absorbing shocks for jumping A63B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A universal system for monitoring activities and motions during exercise and controlling the resistance provided to a user of exercise equipment during the motions. The system having at least one sensor to detect at least one of physical parameter of the exercisers activity such as force, acceleration, and/or direction of user movements. The resistance mechanism provides an adjustable and variable resistance and a dampened response to an exerciser while the sensors monitor the forces and resulting movement of the user interface. The system provides an adjustable resistance system for exercising parts of the body having complex movements over a full range of motion such as the arms, legs, neck, wrist, ankle, and torso. The present invention is also adaptable to existing fitness equipment. The system can also provide effective resistance and damping over the range of motion in free space. The force exerted by the user on the user interface can be measured over the entire range of motion using force and position sensors.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a user interface to engage a portion of a user'"'"'s body, the user interface configured to move in three dimensional space;

a resistance system coupled to the user interface, the resistance system to provide a user selectable resistance to movement of the user interface;

a lead coupled to the user interface and the resistance system, wherein the lead, in tension, to convey a user force from the user interface to the resistance system;

at least one sensor component located proximate to the user interface to detect at least one change occurring at the user interface, the at least change resulting from user input to the user interface, the at least one sensor component to assist in creating an output signal representative of the at least one change, the at least one sensor component to move with the user interface in three dimensional space and

a processing system to receive the sensor output over a time interval, to process the sensor output and to transmit the processed sensor data over a network.

2. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a wireless transmitter coupled to the at least one sensor, the wireless transmitter to transmit the output signal of the sensor component.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component detects movement in three dimensions.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein the user interface has a coupler to couple the sensor component to the user interface such that the sensor component can be decoupled from user interface and connected to another user interface.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component comprises at least a portion of a position sensing system such that a position of the user interface can be determined in the three dimensional space.

6. The system as in claim 1, further comprising an input device to receive a second input where the second input is an identifier that can be utilized to uniquely identify the user.

7. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a sensor to identify a user in proximity of the user interface.

8. The system as in claim 2, further comprising a motion activated switch to activate the wireless transmitter.

9. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component is coupled between the lead and the user interface.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the three dimensional space comprises locations defined by a three dimensional accurate surface and movement of the user interface is substantially confined to points along the three dimensional accurate surface.

11. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component comprises a sensor to detect a distance moved by the user interface.

12. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component comprises a sensor to detect an acceleration of the user interface.

13. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component comprises a sensor to provide information usable to detect a range of motion of the user interface.

14. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component comprises a sensor to detect a velocity of the user interface.

15. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a clock to provide a time parameter wherein the output provided by the at least one sensor component comprises data and the data to be associated with the time parameter.

16. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component comprises a sensor to identify an attribute of the user.

17. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component comprises a sensor to uniquely identify a user and to transmit an activation signal to activate at least a portion of the system.

18. The system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor component is one of a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS), an inertial measurement sensor, an angular rate sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, a ring laser sensor, a piezo sensor, a crystal based sensor, a thin film piezo sensor, a vibrating beam sensor, a global positioning sensor, a fiber optic sensor or a micro-machined vibrating sensor.

19. The system as in claim 1, further comprises one of a magnetic resonance imaging machine, an X-ray machine or an ultra-sound machine to generate data related to movement of the sensor component.

20. A system comprising:

a user interface to engage a portion of a user'"'"'s body, the user interface configured to move in three dimensional space;

a resistance system coupled to the user interface, the resistance system to provide a user selectable resistance to movement of the user interface;

a lead coupled to the user interface and the resistance system, wherein the lead, in tension, to convey a user force from the user interface to the resistance system;

at least one sensor component located proximate to the user interface to detect at least one change occurring at the user interface, the at least change resulting from user input to the user interface, the at least one sensor component to assist in creating an output signal representative of the at least one change, the at least one sensor component to move with the user interface in three dimensional space; and

a wireless transmitter coupled to the at least one sensor, the wireless transmitter to transmit the output signal of the sensor component.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising a wireless transmitter coupled to the at least one sensor, the wireless transmitter to transmit the output signal of the sensor to the processing system.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor component detects;

at least one of movement in one of at least three dimensions, a position, a user, the identity of a user, the location of a users appendage, an attribute of the user, an acceleration of the user interface, a velocity of the user interface, a range of motion of the user interface, distance moved by the user interface, movement and sends a corresponding activation signal.

23. The system as in claim 20, further comprising a motion activated switch to activate the wireless transmitter.

24. The system as in claim 20, further comprising a clock to provide a time parameter wherein the output provided by the at least one sensor component comprises data and the data to be associated with the time parameter.

25. The system as in claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor component is one of a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS), an inertial measurement sensor, an angular rate sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, a ring laser sensor, a piezo sensor, a crystal based sensor, a thin film piezo sensor, a vibrating beam sensor, a global positioning sensor, a fiber optic sensor or a micro-machined vibrating sensor.

26. The system as in claim 20, further comprises one of a magnetic resonance imaging machine, an X-ray machine or an ultra-sound machine to generate data related to movement of the sensor component.

27. A system comprising:

a user interface to engage a portion of a user'"'"'s body, the user interface configured to move in three dimensional space;

a resistance system coupled to the user interface, the resistance system to provide a user selectable resistance to movement of the user interface;

a lead coupled to the user interface and the resistance system, wherein the lead, in tension, to convey a user force from the user interface to the resistance system;

at least one sensor component located proximate to the user interface to detect at least one change occurring at the user interface, the at least change resulting from user input to the user interface, the at least one sensor component to assist in creating an output signal representative of the at least one change, the at least one sensor component to move with the user interface in three dimensional space wherein the three dimensional space comprises locations defined by a three dimensional accurate surface and movement of the user interface is substantially confined to locations about the three dimensional accurate surface.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one sensor component detects;

at least one of movement in one of at least three dimensions, a position, a user, the identity of a user, the location of a users appendage, an attribute of the user, an acceleration of the user interface, a velocity of the user interface, a range of motion of the user interface, distance moved by the user interface, movement and sends a corresponding activation signal.

29. The system as in claim 27, further comprising a clock to provide a time parameter wherein the output provided by the at least one sensor component comprises data and the data to be associated with the time parameter.

30. The system as in claim 27 wherein the at least one sensor component is one of a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS), an inertial measurement sensor, an angular rate sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, a ring laser sensor, a piezo sensor, a crystal based sensor, a thin film piezo sensor, a vibrating beam sensor, a global positioning sensor, a fiber optic sensor or a micro-machined vibrating sensor.

31. The system as in claim 27, further comprises one of a magnetic resonance imaging machine, an X-ray machine or an ultra-sound machine to generate data related to movement of the sensor component.