Exercise device path traces

• US 9,011,291 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peloton Interactive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Precor Incorporated (Peloton Interactive, Inc.)
• Inventors: Birrell, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): JALALZADEH ABYAN, SHILA
• Application Number:
  US13/371,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20130210578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482/4
• US Class Current: 482/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0682 with support elements being cantilevered, i.e. the elements being supported only on one side without bearing on tracks on the floor below the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/009 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled in synchronism with visualising systems, e.g. hill slope
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0017 the adjustment being controlled by movement of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0056 the pivoting movement being in a vertical plane, e.g. steppers with a horizontal axis platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• 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 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/902 Employing specific graphic or video display

Abstract

An apparatus and method concurrently present one or more visible tracings on a display, each of the one or more visible tracings being based upon one of a plurality of available paths actually taken by a member of an exercise device.

Claims

1. An exercise device comprising:

a frame;

a first member movably coupled to the frame so as to be moved by feet of a person and configured to move through a selected one of a first plurality of different available paths and to change between the first of different available paths in response to force applied by a person to the first member;

a display; and

a controller configured to generate control signals causing the display to present at least one visible tracing, wherein when the at least one visible tracing comprises a plurality of visible tracings, the plurality of visible tracings are concurrently presented, wherein each of the at least one visible tracing is based upon at least one of the plurality of different available paths taken by the first member by the person during an exercise session and wherein the at least one visible tracing overlaps itself or another visible tracing that is also based upon at least one of the plurality of different available paths taken by the first member in response to force applied by the person during the exercise session.

2. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing crosses itself or another visible tracing at an intersection and wherein the controller is configured to generate control signals causing the display to present a target shape having interior boundaries defining an interior area for receiving and containing the intersection spaced from the interior boundaries.

3. The exercise device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to generate and display a score for a workout, the score being based upon one or more factors selected from a group of factors consisting of:

time to completely fill in the interior area of the target shape; and

accuracy or extent to which the at least one visible tracing extends outside of the interior area of the target shape.

4. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a difficulty level based upon a comparison of the score of the workout with a predefined threshold.

5. The exercise device of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the difficulty level with one or more adjustments selected from a group of adjustments consisting of:

adjusting a line thickness, adjusting the target shape, adjusting a proportional relationship between the at least one visible tracing and a parameter represented by the at least one visible tracing.

6. The exercise device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a characteristic of the target shape based upon physical characteristics of the person exercising.

7. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing comprises a plurality of distinct visible tracings that overlap, each of the plurality of distinct visible tracings corresponding to a completed one of the plurality of different available paths.

8. The exercise device of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of distinct visible tracings has a shape different than the corresponding completed one of the plurality of different available paths and wherein each of the plurality of visible tracings has a characteristic based on the corresponding completed one of the plurality of different available paths.

9. The exercise device of claim 8, wherein the shape comprises a straight line segment having ends and wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of an orientation and a magnitude based upon the corresponding completed one of the plurality of different available paths.

10. The exercise device of claim 1 further comprising a user actuatable actuator configured to actuate between an active state and an inactive state, wherein, in the active state, visible tracings are added to existing already presented visible tracings that have been generated in response to force applied by the person to the first member during the exercise session and wherein, in the inactive state, visible tracings are not added despite movement of the first member.

11. The exercise device of claim 10 wherein the user actuatable actuator is depressable and is configured to execute or pause addition of visible tracings to existing already presented visible tracings only while being depressed.

12. The exercise device of claim 10, wherein actuation of the actuator executes the addition of visible tracings to existing already presented visible tracings that have been generated in response to force applied by the person to the first member during the exercise session, wherein prior to actuation, movement of the first member does not result in addition of visible tracings.

13. The exercise device of claim 10, wherein actuation of the actuator interrupts the addition of visible tracings to existing already presented visible tracings, despite ongoing movement of the first member and recording of data resulting from movement of the first member.

14. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing changes color based upon an age of the at least one visible tracing being displayed.

15. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing has a color based upon a resistance level applied against movement of the first member during the path taken by the first member.

16. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing has different colors, each different color being based upon and associated with a different resistance level applied against movement of the first member during the path taken by the first member.

17. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing has different colors, each different color being based upon and associated with a different velocity of the first member during the path taken by the first member.

18. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing has a plurality of portions, each portion of the at least one visible tracing corresponding to a portion of the path taken by the first member and having a different color, wherein each different color is based upon an associated a velocity of the first member during the portion of the path taken by the first member.

19. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing has a line width based upon a number of times that the associated path is completed.

20. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing has a line width based upon a resistance level applied against movement of the first member during the path taken by the first member and upon which the at least one visible tracing is based.

21. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing comprises the plurality of visible tracings, each of the plurality of visible tracings having a different line width, each different line width being based upon and associated with a different resistance level applied against movement of the first member during the path taken by the first member.

22. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing comprises the plurality of visible tracings, each of the plurality of visible tracings having a different line width, each different line width being based upon and associated with a different velocity of the first member during the path taken by the first member.

23. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing comprises the plurality of visible tracings, each of the plurality of visible tracings having a different graphic pattern, each different graphic pattern being based upon a characteristic of the path selected from a group of characteristics consisting of:

resistance level against movement of the first member during the path and repetitions of the path.

24. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing is a line matching the path taken by the first member.

25. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing is a line having a horizontal magnitude proportional to a horizontal displacement of the first member during the path taken by the first member, a vertical magnitude proportional to a vertical displacement of the first member during the path taken by the first member and an angle based upon an orientation of the path of the first member path taken by the first member.

26. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing forms an image and wherein the controller is configured to store the image.

27. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the at least one visible tracing has a different user selectable starting point.

28. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to automatically move a location of the at least one visible tracing being generated.

29. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate control signals causing the display to present a target lobed shape having a first lobe, a second lobe and a third lobe defining an interior area for receiving the at least one visible tracing.

30. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate control signals causing the display to present a filled in target shape having a filled interior, the filled interior to receive the at least one visible tracing and to be erased by the at least one visible tracing.

31. A method comprising:

moving a first member from a first selected one of a plurality of different available paths to a second one of the plurality of different available paths in response to force applied to the first member from feet of a person; and

presenting at least one visible tracing on a display, wherein when the at least one visible tracing comprises a plurality of visible tracings, the plurality of visible tracings are concurrently presented, wherein the at least one visible tracing is based upon a one of the plurality of different available paths taken by the first member in response to force applied by the person during an exercise session, and wherein the at least one visible tracing overlaps itself or another visible tracing that is also based upon one of the plurality of different available paths taken by the first member in response to force applied by the person during the exercise session.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising, in response to actuation of an actuator, adding visible tracings to existing already presented visible tracings that have been generated in response to force applied by the person to the first member during the exercise session, wherein prior to actuation, movement of the first member does not result in addition of visible tracings.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the user actuator is depressable and wherein visible tracings are added to existing already presented visible tracings only while the actuator is being depressed.

34. The method of claim 31 further comprising interrupting addition of visible tracings to existing already presented visible tracings in response to actuation of a user actuator, wherein the addition of visible tracings is interrupted while the first member is continued to be moved and while data is continued to be collected regarding movement of the first member.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the user actuator is depressable and wherein the interruption of the addition of visible tracings to existing already presented visible tracings only occurs while the actuator is being depressed, despite ongoing movement of the first member and recording of data resulting from movement of the first member.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one visible tracing overlaps itself or another visible tracing at an intersection and wherein the method further comprises presenting a target shape defining an interior area for receiving the at least one visible tracing such that the intersection is contained within the interior area spaced from boundaries of the target shape.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising storing a workout score based upon one or more factors selected from a group of factors consisting of:

time to completely fill in the interior area of the target shape; and

accuracy or an extent to which the at least one visible tracing extends outside of the interior area of the target shape.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one visible tracing changes color based upon an age of each individual visible tracing being displayed.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one visible tracing has different colors, each different color being based upon and associated with a characteristic of the path of the first member upon which each individual visible tracing is based, the characteristic being chosen from a group of characteristics consisting of:

resistance level against movement of the first member during the path taken by the first member, velocity of the first member during the path, and repetitions of the path taken by the first member.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one visible tracing comprises the plurality of visible tracings and wherein two or more of the visible tracings have different line widths, each different line width being based upon and associated with a characteristic of the path taken by the first member upon which each individual visible tracing is based, the characteristic being chosen from a group of characteristics consisting of:

resistance level against movement of the first member during the path, and repetitions of the path taken by the first member.

41. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one visible tracing comprises the plurality of visible tracings, each visible tracing having a different graphic pattern, each different graphic pattern being based upon a characteristic of the path selected from a group of characteristics consisting of:

resistance level against movement of the first member during the path, velocity of the first member during the path, and repetitions of the path taken by the first member.

42. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one visible tracing is a line matching the path taken by the first member.

43. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one visible tracing is a straight line having opposite ends and having a horizontal magnitude proportional to a horizontal displacement of the first member during the path taken by the first member, a vertical magnitude proportional to a vertical displacement of the first member during the path taken by the first member and an angle based upon an orientation of the path of the first member path taken by the first member.

44. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one visible tracing forms an image and wherein the method further comprises storing the image.

45. The method of claim 31, further comprising receiving user input and adjusting a location of one of the at least one visible tracing on the display based upon the user input.