Exercise data device, server, system and method

• US 8,152,693 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nurmela, Marja-Leena, Tuorila, Heini, Reed, Dominick
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROLAND, DANIEL F
• Application Number:
  US11/429,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,164 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 702/213, 702/214, 702/215, 702/216, 702/142, 702/149, 702/160, 702/176, 701/213, 701/214, 701/215, 701/216
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• 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 2225/52 modulated by measured values
• 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 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 in connection with sports or games
• 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: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A method for providing an exercise goal using an exercise data device, the method including: receiving input indicating a selected exercise goal; obtaining exercise goal data relating to the selected exercise goal; obtaining a current performance measurement related to exercise performance of a user of the exercise data device, the current performance measurement including a current distance and a current time measurement; calculating a current progress indicator using the current performance measurement and the exercise goal data; and providing the current progress indicator to the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a cellular telecommunications network, at least one input in a portable device capable of executing an exercise application indicating a selected exercise goal;

obtaining, from the exercise application in the portable device, exercise goal data relating to said selected exercise goal;

obtaining a current performance measurement related to exercise performance data inputted to said exercise data device, said current performance measurement comprising a current distance and a current time measurement;

calculating a current progress indicator using said current performance measurement and said exercise goal data; and

using the current progress indicator to provide an indication of the current performance measurement relative to the selected exercise goal;

wherein said exercise goal data comprises at least one check point, each at least one check point comprising a check point time and a check point distance;

the selected exercise goal corresponds to a detected current performance class, and said exercise goal data is calculated by said exercise application in the portable device using said detected current performance class as an input;

wherein exercise goals enabled by the exercise application for selection are limited by a detected current performance class;

the method further comprising using the exercise goal data to define intermediate points for the selected exercise goal, and calculating a current target position using an interpolation between at least two intermediate points of the selected exercise goal to provide a profile of the current target position over time; and

comparing the profile of current target position over time to a profile of current target position over time of an online opponent at another portable device in real time and providing an indication of a result of the comparison on the current progress indicator; and

sending, by the cellular telecommunications network, the result of the comparison to the online opponent.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said obtaining a current performance measurement, calculating a current progress indicator and providing said current progress indicator, are repeated until an exercise associated with said exercise goal is determined to have ended.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said exercise goal data is related to previously measured performance measurements recorded in said exercise data device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said exercise goal data is related to performance measurements of a user that is different than a current user of the exercise application.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a user is associated with a current performance class, and said exercise goal data is related to said user qualifying for a performance class being higher than a current performance class.

6. The method according to claim 1, furthermore comprising, prior to said calculating a current progress indicator, calculating a current target position using at least said exercise goal data and said current time measurement,

wherein said current progress indicator includes a measurement indicating a current position of a user, in time, related to said target position.

7. The method according to claim 1, furthermore comprising, prior to said calculating a current progress indicator, calculating a current target position using at least said exercise goal data and said current time measurement,

wherein said current progress indicator includes a measurement indicating a current position of a user, in distance, related to said target position.

8. The method according to claim 1, furthermore comprising, after an exercise associated with said exercise goal is determined to have ended:

submitting performance data indicating a final result of said exercise goal over a network to a server.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said exercise goal is related to running.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said exercise goal is related to cycling.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising providing a current progress indicator to a user and the online opponent includes presenting said current progress indicator on a display of each respective portable device.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein providing said current progress indicator comprises presenting at least part of said current progress indicator using voice synthesis.

13. A computer program product comprising software instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium that, when executed in an exercise data device, performs the method according to claim 1.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein exercise goals enabled by the exercise application for selection are dependent upon the detected current performance class.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the detected current performance class is dependent upon prior exercise goals achieved by a user of the exercise application.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining a current performance measurement and providing a progress indicator using the current performance measurement and the current target position of a user and the online opponent, the progress indicator being configured to provide a visual indication of the current performance measurement against the current target position of each of the user and the online opponent.

17. An exercise data device configured to provide an exercise goal, said exercise data device comprising a controller configured to perform the method of claim 1.

18. The exercise data device according to claim 17, wherein said exercise data device is a mobile communication terminal.

19. The exercise data device of claim 17 comprising:

means for receiving the at least one input for the application indicating a selected exercise goal;

means for obtaining the exercise goal data relating to said selected exercise goal;

means for obtaining the current performance measurement related to exercise performance;

means for calculating the current progress indicator using said current performance measurement and said exercise goal data; and

means for providing said current progress indicator.

20. A system comprising a server and an exercise data device, said system configured to provide an exercise goal to a user, wherein said exercise data device comprises:

a controller configured to perform the method of claim 1;

said controller further configured to submit performance data indicating a final result of said exercise goal over a network to said server,

and said server comprises;

a server data receiver with a controller;

said server data receiver controller being configured to receive performance data indicating a final result of said exercise goal over said network from said exercise data device.

21. The system of claim 20, comprising:

means for receiving the at least one input for the application indicating a selected exercise goal;

means for obtaining the exercise goal data relating to said selected exercise goal;

means for obtaining the current performance measurement related to exercise performance;

means for calculating the current progress indicator using said current performance measurement and said exercise goal data;

means for providing said current progress indicator.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said exercise data device is a mobile communication terminal.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein said system furthermore comprises an intermediate communication device,

and said controller is configured to send said performance data over a short range link to said intermediate communication device, said intermediate communication device being configured to forward said performance data to said server.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said intermediate communication device is a personal computer.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein said intermediate communication device is a mobile communication terminal.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein

said server furthermore comprises a data sender for sending exercise goal data over said network to said exercise data device,

said exercise data device furthermore comprises a data receiver for receiving said exercise goal data over said network,

wherein said exercise goal data is data relating to a competition.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein

said server furthermore comprises a memory, said memory comprising data relating said user of said exercise data device with a performance class, and

said exercise goal data is related to said performance class.

28. A server configured to communicate with an exercise data device, and said server comprising:

server data receiver for receiving performance data indicating a final result of an exercise goal over a network from said exercise data device, said exercise device comprising a controller for performing the method of claim 1.

29. The server according to claim 28, wherein said server furthermore comprises server data sender for sending the exercise goal data over said network to said exercise data device.

30. The server according to claim 29, wherein

said server furthermore comprises a memory, said memory comprising data relating a user of said exercise data device with a performance class, and

said exercise goal data is related to said performance class.