Virtual exerciser device

• US 9,616,288 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2011
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Newhula.Com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Newhula.Com, Inc.
• Inventors: Greenberg, Nelson, Trevick, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhr, Justin
• Application Number:
  US13/261,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20130123955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,198 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 19/00 Hoop exercising apparatus A63B21/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0009 Computerised real time comparison with previous movements or motion sequences of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• 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 2220/40 Acceleration
• 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 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a device which detects repetitive movement of a user'"'"'s body part. The device has a sensor which detects G forces along at least two axes when the user repeatedly moves the body part; a memory, which stores reference data corresponding to ideal reference data; a processor/computing unit, which communicates with the sensor and the memory, and receives data associated with the G forces. The processing/computing unit compares the ideal reference data with the data associated with the detected G forces. A feedback component is connected to the processor/computing unit to provide the user with a signal when a target has been achieved. Also disclosed is a method of computing data received by the device and an exerciser device that simulates the movement of a hula hoop.

Claims

1. A device for detecting repetitive movement of a waist of a user as if mimicking a hula-hoop exercise, the device comprising:

a sensor for measuring G forces along at least two axes when the user repeatedly rotates the waist as if mimicking the rotation of a hula hoop, the G forces having maximum/minimum values with a period determined therebetween;

a memory for storing first reference data, the first reference data being a range of reference data previously collected from hula hoop users;

a processor/computing unit, in communication with the sensor and the memory, for receiving data associated with the G forces measured along the at least two axes and for comparing the first reference data with the data associated with the G forces measured along the at least two axes; and

at least one feedback component connected to the processor/computing unit for providing the user with a signal indicating that a degree of matching between the measured G forces and the first reference data has been achieved.

2. The device, according to claim 1, in which the G forces are measured along x- and z-axes.

3. The device, according to claim 2, in-which x- and z-values detected in the x- and z-axes are taken from a user who is rotating his hips as if moving a virtual hula hoop.

4. The device, according to claim 1, in which the G forces are measured along x-, y- and z-axes.

5. The device, according to claim 1, in which the movement of the body part in the x-axis is represented by X=A sin(Bt+C)+D;

With Period=2pi/B;

Phase=C/B and the movement of the body part in the z-axis is represented by Z=A sin(Bt+C)+D;

With Period=2pi/B;

Phase=C/B, wherein D represents an offset from a neutral axis for curves representing particular users;

A represents amplitude;

B represents angular frequency; and

C represents phase.

6. The device, according to claim 1, in which the sensor is an accelerometer.

7. The device, according to claim 1, in which the sensor is a gyroscope for measuring changes in spatial position relative to a starting point.

8. The device, according to claim 1, in which the sensor, the memory, the processor/computing unit, and the feedback components are provided as a unitary body.

9. The device according to claim 1, is adapted to be worn on a user'"'"'s belt or waist.

10. The device, according to claim 1, in which the at least one feedback component includes a speaker and an amplifier, LED lighting, an LCD screen, or a wireless transreceiver.

11. The device, according to claim 1, is a cell phone, a PDA, a smart phone or a music playback device.

12. A method for detecting repetitive movement of a user'"'"'s waist as if mimicking a hula-hoop exercise, the method comprising:

electronically measuring G forces along at least two axes when the user repeatedly the rotates the waist in real time, as if mimicking the rotation of a hula hoop the G forces having maximum/minimum values with a period determined therebetween;

comparing first data associated with the G forces measured along the at least two axes in real time with first reference data, the first reference data being G forces measured along the at least two axes stored in a memory, the first reference data being taken independently from the first data, the first reference data being a range of reference data previously collected from hula hoop users; and

providing feedback to the user in real time indicating that a degree of matching between the first data and the first reference data has been achieved.

13. The method, according to claim 12, in which the at least two axes are x- and z-axes.

14. The method, according to claim 13, in which values associated with x-axis represent forward and backwards movement of the user'"'"'s hips and the values associated with the z-axis represent lateral movement of the user'"'"'s hips.

15. The method, according to claim 13, includes:

obtaining maximum and minimum x and y values and storing the values as individual sets equal to individual i values.

16. The method, according to claim 15, includes:

obtaining 3 sets of maximum and minimum values; and

calculating an average of these values is calculated using the following equation;

(Max_Xi+Min_Xi)/2.

17. The method, according to claim 16, includes:

calculating an average of the averages to acquire DX wherein;

(AverageX1+AverageX2+ . . . +AverageXi)/i=DX.

18. The method, according to claim 17, includes:

electronically measuring an additional set of set of G force data in the x- and z-axes and normalizing the additional set of data on both axes using DX.

19. The method, according to claim 18, includes:

determining the maximum and minimum values of the G forces in the x- and z-axes;

determining a period between the maximum and minimum values is found in both the x- and z-axes;

comparing maximum/minimum data with common maximum/minimum data; and

repeating for the period against common period values.

20. The method, according to claim 12, includes:

providing audible or visual feedback to the user when the first reference data is achieved.

21. The method, according to claim 12, in which the user is moving the waist as if mimicking the movement of a hula hoop.

22. The method, according to claim 12, further includes:

alerting the user when the user successfully achieves the first reference data.

23. The method, according to claim 12, further includes:

alerting the user when the user fails to achieve the first reference data.