Method and apparatus for exercise monitoring combining exercise monitoring and visual data with wireless internet connectivity

• US 8,712,510 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Q-Tec Systems LLC
• Inventors: Quy, Roger J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): VOORHEES, CATHERINE M
• Application Number:
  US12/692,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482900-902, 128903-904, 600/513, 600/520
• US Class Current: 600/520
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for a wireless exercise monitoring system for interactively monitoring an aspect of exercise, nutrition, or fitness by connecting a wireless internet device to or with a digital camera and/or an exercise monitoring device. Exercise-related data and/or visual information from the camera is transmitted to a server using standard internet protocols and may be integrated with various operating systems for mobile wireless devices, especially those with enhanced capabilities for handing images and visual data. Responses may be calculated and transmitted back to a user, trainer, or coach.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring exercise using a mobile phone, connected in at least partial wireless communication with one or more internet servers through a network, comprising:

a sensor adapted to be coupled to a physiological monitoring device for receiving a first type of data that is physiological data related to a user of a mobile phone measured during exercise;

a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone is a web-enabled phone configured to be carried on a person during exercise and further configured to display information and images through a connection to the internet, the mobile phone including a sensor, keypad or keyboard system, or voice processing technology for user input, an integral digital camera, a GPS device, an accelerometer, and a timer, and a display for images including photographs and video clips captured by the camera, the mobile phone configured to receive the first type of data that is physiological data related to a user of the mobile phone measured during exercise from the sensor for receiving a first type of data measuring physiological data, and the mobile phone further configured to determine a second type of data that is a quantitative amount of exercise work performed using the GPS device, the accelerometer, or the timer; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium within the mobile phone, the non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for causing the mobile phone to perform a method for monitoring exercise, the method comprising steps of;

accepting the first type of data during exercise from the physiological monitoring device;

accepting the second type of data measuring an amount of exercise performed from the GPS device, the internal accelerometer, or the internal timer;

accepting a visual image captured by the camera during exercise, including a photographic or video image pertaining to the location of the exercise; and

displaying the physiological data, the data measuring the quantitative amount of exercise work performed, and the visual image, on the mobile phone.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the medium further includes instructions for causing the mobile phone to transmit the first and second types of data, and the visual image, to the internet server, where the transmitting employs a protocol selected from the group comprising:

a variety of cellular protocols, a variety of 802.11 protocols, other IEEE family protocols, or a variety of RF protocols.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile phone is further adapted to receive the second type of data from a pedometer, a device tracking, rate, intensity, distance, duration, or total amount of exercise;

a body weight scale, a body fat gauge, a biofeedback device, a treadmill, a rowing machine, an exercise bicycle, or a stepper.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile phone further comprises the sensor associated with a physiological monitoring device, and wherein the first type of data is received from the sensor disposed within the mobile phone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the medium further includes instructions for causing the mobile phone to provide a user interface, wherein the user interface employs the sensor, keypad or keyboard system, or voice processing technology for user input, and wherein the instructions further cause the mobile phone to receive a nutrition parameter from the user interface, and to transmit the nutrition parameter to the internet server.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the physiological monitoring device is selected from the group comprising:

a heart rate monitor, an ECG monitor, a respiration rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, a temperature monitor, a body weight scale, or a body fat gauge.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor associated with a physiological monitoring device is adapted to be disposed on an exercise machine.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second mobile device, and wherein the instructions further cause the mobile phone to transmit the first and second types of data, and the visual images, to the second mobile device through the internet server, so that a the second mobile device displays the data sent from the mobile phone.

9. A method of monitoring exercise using a mobile phone or hand-held computer connected in wireless communication with an internet server through a network, comprising:

downloading an application from an internet server on the network to a mobile phone or hand-held computer, the application having instructions for the mobile phone or hand-held computer;

using instructions from the downloaded application, receiving a first type of data measuring physiological data measured during exercise work, and further, using instructions from the downloaded application, receiving a second type of data from a GPS device, an accelerometer, or a timer that is a quantitative amount of the exercise work performed;

receiving a third type of data representing visual images captured during exercise by a digital camera integral with the mobile phone or handheld computer, the visual images including photographic or video images captured at the same time as the exercise work was performed; and

displaying the first, second, and third types of data, on the mobile phone or hand-held computer.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising transmitting the first, second, and third types of data, to one or more internet connected devices, wherein the transmitting employs a protocol selected from the group comprising:

a variety of cellular protocols, a variety of 802.11 protocols, other IEEE family protocols, Bluetooth protocols, or a variety of RF protocols.

11. A computer program, which is downloadable from a server to a mobile phone, residing on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing the mobile phone to perform the method of claim 9.

12. A computer program, residing on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, containing instructions for causing a server in signal communication with the internet to:

download a device application and user interface to a mobile phone or hand-held computer, wherein the device application contains instructions for causing the mobile phone or hand-held computer to receive a first type of data representing physiological data measured during exercise and a second type of data measuring a quantitative amount of exercise work performed;

receive signals corresponding to the received first and second data types and a signal corresponding to a third type of data representing a visual image from the mobile phone or hand-held computer, the received first, second, and third data types corresponding to exercise;

calculate a response based at least in part on the received signals;

communicate the response to the mobile phone or hand-held computer for display on the user interface; and

transmit the received signals corresponding to the first, second, and third data types to a second mobile device.

13. A system for monitoring exercise, comprising:

a mobile internet device configured to be carried on a person, the mobile internet device including;

voice processing technology for receiving user input, an integral digital camera, and a generic port providing a connection to an exercise monitoring device;

a communications port providing an interactive wireless connection with one or more internet servers;

a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for providing a user interface for displaying visual images including graphics, photographs, and video clips;

the non-transitory computer readable medium further having instructions stored thereon for performing a method comprising steps of;

receiving a first type of data that is physiological data measured during exercise, and receiving a second type of data that is a quantitative amount of exercise work performed;

receiving a third type of data representing visual images captured by the camera during the time the exercise work was performed, including photographic or video images pertaining to the location of the exercise; and

transmitting the first type of data measuring the physiological data, the second type of data measuring the quantitative amount of exercise work performed, and the third type of data representing the visual images, to one or more internet servers, and

a non-transitory computer readable medium residing on one or more internet servers having instructions stored thereon defining a server application for performing a method comprising steps of;

receiving the first type of data that is the physiological data, and receiving the second type of data that is a quantitative amount of exercise work performed, and receiving the third type of data representing visual images from the mobile internet device;

processing the first, second, and third types of data; and

transmitting the processed data to the mobile internet device in response;

so that the non-transitory computer readable medium of the wireless internet device further has instructions for causing the wireless internet device to receive and display the processed data on the user interface of the wireless internet device.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a GPS device, an accelerometer, or a timer, integral within the mobile internet device and wherein the data measuring a quantitative amount of exercise work performed is received from the GPS device, the accelerometer, or the timer.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first or second types of data, or both, are received from the generic port, and wherein the generic port for connection to an exercise monitoring device is adapted to receive signals from a device selected from the group comprising:

a heart rate monitor, a respiration rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, a temperature monitor, an accelerometer, a pedometer, a GPS device, a timer;

a device tracking, rate, intensity, distance, duration, or total amount of exercise;

a body weight scale, a body fat gauge, a biofeedback device, a treadmill, a rowing machine, an exercise bicycle, or a stepper.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the generic port for connection to an exercise monitoring device is configured to provide a wired connection.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the generic port for connection to an exercise monitoring device is configured to provide a wireless connection.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the generic port for connection to an exercise monitoring device is configured to provide a wireless connection that employs a protocol selected from a variety of 802.11, Bluetooth, or other short range wireless transmission methods.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the communications port providing an interactive wireless connection to one or more internet servers is configured to provide a wireless link that employs a protocol selected from a variety of 802.11, other IEEE family protocols, cellular, or other RF protocols.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the server application is further configured to transmit the processed data to a second mobile device, whereby a user of the second mobile device may review the transmitted data and images.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the server application is further configured to share physiological data related to exercise, or data measuring a quantitative amount of exercise work performed, or visual images related to exercise, or combinations thereof, received from and transmitted to multiple mobile internet devices.

22. A method of monitoring exercise using a mobile internet device wherein the mobile internet device is a mobile phone, hand-held computer, or other device-configured to be carried on a person and including a sensor, keyboard or keypad system or voice processing technology for user input, a digital camera, and a display for images including photographs and video clips captured by the camera, the mobile internet device connected in wireless communication with a network, comprising:

receiving a first type of data that is physiological data measured during exercise, and further receiving a second type of data from a GPS device, an accelerometer, or a timer, the second type of data being a quantitative amount of exercise work performed;

receiving a third type of data representing visual images captured during exercise by the digital camera, the visual images including photographic or video images during the exercise; and

displaying the first, second, and third types of data on the mobile internet device.

23. A computer program, residing on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and downloadable to a mobile internet device, containing instructions for causing the mobile internet device to perform the method of claim 22.