Method and apparatus to determine the overall fitness of a test subject

• US 9,615,785 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Rcker, Kai, Gollhofer, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): So, Elizabeth K
• Application Number:
  US13/262,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,568 Days
• Field of Search: 600508-528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0647 for cycling in a standing position, i.e. without a seat or support for the trunk
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0652 for cycling in a recumbent position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• 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 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/065 within a certain range
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/20 blood composition characteristics
• 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 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A procedure and apparatus to determine the overall fitness of a test subject. For this purpose the qualitative and temporal progression of the heart rate under constant physical stress of the subject is prescribed with at least one parameter dependent on the subject. The heart rate of the subject is measured under constant physical stress during a period of time. The parameter(s) are determined from the measured values, and the maximum heart rate and/or the initial heart rate and/or the increase characteristic of the heart rate are determined from the function and the measured values by numerical procedures. The apparatus can measure the heart rate of the subject, record a temporal progression of the heart rate under physical stress, and determines numerically from the temporal progression of the heart rate, the maximum heart rate and/or the initial heart rate without physical stress and/or the increase characteristic of the heart rate.

Claims

1. A method to determine the overall fitness of a test subject comprising the following procedural steps:

entering of a qualitative temporal progression of a heart rate under constant physical stress of a subject as a mathematical function with at least one parameter dependent on the subject,

measuring of the heart rate of the test subject under continuous physical strain during a period of time,

determining the parameter(s) of the mathematical function from the measured values,

determining by a numerical process an increase characteristic of the heart rate from the maximum slope of the function and the measured values;

wherein the test subject undergoes a constant physical workout within a brief period of less than 50 seconds and during the brief period the heart rate of the test subject is continuously measured.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining additionally a performance of the subject during physical stress.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising monitoring performance during the time period and maintaining it within pre-determined limits.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising informing the subject about deviation from constant performance.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining endurance capacity from the initial heart rate and/or the increase characteristic of the heart rate.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising entering physical features the subject and considering them in determining endurance capacity.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a workout recommendation for the subject from the increase characteristic of the heart rate.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising calculating the parameters of the mathematical function at each heartbeat determined from the subject.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising terminating the measurement of the heart rate when the parameters determined from at least two successive heartbeats differ by less than a pre-determined value.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the qualitative temporal progression of the heart rate as a mathematical function the temporal progression of the heart rate of multiple subjects under physical stress.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein during physical stress the predominant portion of the muscular mass of the subject is under stress constantly and dynamically.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum heart rate is determined from the increase characteristic of the heart rate determined from the function and the measured values.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the initial heart rate is determined from the increase characteristic of the heart rate determined from the function and the measured values.

14. An apparatus to determine the overall fitness of a subject, comprising a device to measure the heart rate of the subject, a storage device to record a mathematical function for the temporal progression the heart rate under physical stress, and a calculating device configured to calculate parameters of the mathematical function from the measured values of the heart rate and to determine numerically the increase characteristic of the heart rate from the maximum slope of the function provided with the calculated parameters,

wherein the device to measure the heart rate of the subject is configured to continuously measure the rate of the subject during a brief period of less than 50 seconds within which the subject undergoes a constant physical workout.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a device to carry out physical movement with cardiopulmonary strain on a subject.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a device to determine performance generated during movement.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a plate to measure ground reaction forces.