Physical activity manager

• US 7,914,419 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hodges, Stephen Edward, Karkanias, Chris Demetrios
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US11/754,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20080300109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482900-902, 434/247
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0078 Exercise efforts programmed as a function of time
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0093 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/04 with movable multiple steps , i.e. more than one step per limb, e.g. steps mounted on endless loops, endless ladders steppers with cantilevered support elements pivoting about an axis A63B22/0048
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/02 Testing, calibrating or measuring of equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/50 temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• 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: A63B 24/0084 : Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• 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 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 : having computer circuitry

Abstract

A system that facilitates activity management and tracking with respect to an individual is disclosed. The innovation employs the notion of establishing a strategy to compress activity information into an identifying indicia (e.g., two-dimensional barcode) that can be processed (e.g., scanned) by a wide array of devices (e.g., mobile phone, personal data assistant). The innovation discloses a system that facilitates the ability to plan, monitor and log activity of an individual. The planning phase enables a user or third party (e.g., health-care professional) to proactively define an exercise or activity regimen for a user. The monitoring phase enables real-time fitness and/or activity tracking of an individual. Finally, the logging phase enables a user to log the information into a fitness log that can be subsequently used in health or fitness-related assessment.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating activity management, comprising:

an activity preparation component configured to incorporate a predefined regimen of activity into configuration indicia, the activity preparation component including

a regimen generation component configured to facilitate planning of an exercise or activity regimen that addresses one or more particular goals, at least in part by consideration of physiological parameters associated with the one or more particular goals, and by consideration of availability of exercise devices,

an indicia generation component configured to incorporate regimen information corresponding to the regimen into transferable indicia or a medium, and

a communication component configured to communicate the regimen information from the transferable indicia or medium to an apparatus; and

an activity information management component configured to interpret the configuration indicia and calibrate the apparatus as a function of the regimen information, the activity information management component including

an indicia management component configured to select a type of the transferable indicia or medium, and to aggregate activity information corresponding to the regimen, the activity information including at least physiological effects of the regimen, and to subsequently generate indicia corresponding to the activity information, and

a communication component configured to communicate the activity information, via the generated indicia, to a receiving device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transferable indicia or medium includes one of a barcode, magnetic strip, radio frequency identification tag (RFID) or memory device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the regimen generating facilitates identification of a plurality of events that define the regimen.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity information management component is further configured to dynamically monitor the activity information and adjust the apparatus to compensate if the activity information indicates a deviation from the regimen.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicia management component comprises an indicia type selection component configured to select a manner in which to convey the activity information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication component of the activity preparation component is configured to transfer the configuration indicia to the activity information management component.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicia management component is configured to encode the activity information into progress indicia, and the communication component of the activity information management component is configured to convey the progress indicia to a logging entity.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

an information monitor component configured to dynamically monitor the activity information via the apparatus; and

an information aggregation component configured to compile the activity information, wherein the activity information represents a subset of a plurality of events.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the indicia generation component is configured to establish the progress indicia.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an indicia analysis component configured to evaluate the progress indicia and determine a method of rendering the progress indicia.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a rendering component configured to deliver the progress indicia to the logging entity.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a protocol selection component configured to choose a protocol type by which to deliver the progress indicia, wherein the protocol type includes at least one of instant message, email, short message service (SMS), Bluetooth transfer, peer-to-peer or infrared transfer.

13. The system of claim 7, further comprising an activity information access component configured to employ an indicia processing component that obtains the activity information by way of the progress indicia.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the indicia processing component includes at least one of a scanner, radio frequency information tag reader, magnetic card reader, or browser.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a log framework component configured to format, categorize and maintain the activity information.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a machine learning and reasoning component configured to employ at least one of a probabilistic and a statistical-based analysis that infers an action that a user desires to be automatically performed.

17. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that, if executed by a computing device, perform a method comprising:

preparing regimen information corresponding to a planned regimen of activity, the planned regimen taking into consideration at least physiological parameters associated with one or more particular goals, and availability of exercise devices;

selecting transferable indicia or a medium to communicate the regimen information;

incorporating the regimen information in the selected transferable indicia or medium;

communicating the regimen information via the transferable indicia or medium to an apparatus;

interpreting the regimen information of the transferable indicia or medium to calibrate the apparatus;

aggregating activity information corresponding to the regimen and generated by the apparatus, the activity information including at least physiological effects of the regimen;

generating indicia corresponding to the activity information; and

communicating the activity information, via the generated indicia, to a receiving device.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising monitoring the activity information via the apparatus.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising conveying progress indicia associated with the regimen to a logging entity.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

dynamically monitoring the activity information; and

adjusting the apparatus to compensate if the activity information indicates a deviation from the regimen.