Treadmill belt wear notification system

• US 9,898,918 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peloton Interactive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Precor Incorporated (Peloton Interactive, Inc.)
• Inventors: Munro, Daniel L. M., Albright, Mark, Brown, Tormay J, Durnford, Doug, May, Gregory B, Pennington, Blakely T, Tremblay, Cynthia, Whitbeck, Richard W
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US15/250,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20160371958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/002 electronically, e.g. by using a program
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0676 with crank and handles being on the same side of the exercising apparatus with respect to the frontal body-plane of the user, e.g. crank and handles are in front of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0658 Position or arrangement of display
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0051 using eddy currents induced in moved elements, e.g. by permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0058 using motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/015 including rotating or oscillating elements rubbing against fixed elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/078 Devices for bench press exercises , e.g. supports, guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0023 the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the inclination of an endless band
• 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 22/0076 Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system seats moving during exercise A63B22/0087; training appliances for rowing or sculling on boats A63B69/06
• 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 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/04 with movable multiple steps , i.e. more than one step per limb, e.g. steps mounted on endless loops, endless ladders steppers with cantilevered support elements pivoting about an axis A63B22/0048
• 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 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/58 Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/72 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/10 : Multi-station exercising machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/107 : Resisting devices being of the same kind
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 : Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/305 : Remote servicing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 : with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/035 : for limbs, i.e. upper or lower limbs, e.g. simultaneously
• 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 24/0087 : 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: G06Q 10/0639 : Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 : Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 : Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/187 : Machine fault alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/38 : using flashing light
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5625 : Operations, administration and maintenance [OAM]

Abstract

Belt wear of a treadmill is monitored. In one implementation, samples of electric current draw of a treadmill at different speeds of the treadmill belt of the treadmill are received. A value of each sample is differently weighted based on a speed of the treadmill belt at which the value of each sample was obtained. A belt wear notification is output based on the different weighted values of the samples.

Claims

1. A treadmill wear monitor comprising:

a controller to;

receive samples of electric current draw of a treadmill at different speeds of a treadmill belt of the treadmill;

differently weigh a value of each sample based on a speed of the treadmill belt at which the value of each sample was obtained; and

output a notification signal based on the different weighted values of the samples.

2. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the differently weighting of the values of the samples by the controller comprises partitioning speeds of the treadmill belt into ranges of speeds and assigning a different weighting factor to each of the ranges of speeds.

3. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 2, wherein the different weighting factors assigned to each of the ranges of speeds is based upon a resolution of each of the ranges of speeds, each resolution being based upon a difference between electric current draw of the treadmill when driving a new treadmill belt as compared to when driving a completely worn treadmill belt in need of replacement.

4. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 2, wherein the different weighting factors assigned to each of the ranges of speeds is further based upon an occurrence frequency of each of the ranges of speeds, each occurrence frequency being based upon a number of the samples in each of the ranges of speeds.

5. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein values for samples of electric current draw received while the treadmill below is at a speed of less than 5 mph are weighted by the controller by a first weighting factor and wherein values for samples of electric current draw received while the treadmill belt is at a speed of greater than 7 mph are weighted by the controller by a second weighting factor that is greater than the first weighting factor.

6. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the controller is to further:

group values for samples of electric current draw during a predefined time interval of at least two seconds into groups; and

derive a statistical value for each group from the values for the electric current draw in each group, wherein the belt wear notification is based upon the statistical value for each of the groups.

7. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the controller is to further:

partition speeds of the treadmill belt into ranges of speeds;

store values of the samples within each range of speed from a plurality of different workouts; and

derive a statistical value for the values for the electric current draw in each range of speed from the plurality of different workouts, wherein the belt wear notification is based upon the statistical value for each of the ranges of speed.

8. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the values of the samples of electric current draw are differently weighted based upon an incline setting of the treadmill belt at which the value of each sample was obtained.

9. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the belt wear notification is not based upon samples of electric current draw taken at an incline setting of the treadmill belt other than zero.

10. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the controller is further to determine the presence of a runner on the treadmill belt, wherein the belt wear notification is not based upon samples of electric current draw taken in absence of a runner on the treadmill belt.

11. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the controller is further to:

partition speeds of the treadmill belt into ranges of speeds;

store values of the samples within each range of speed from a plurality of different workouts; and

derive a statistical value for the values for the electric current draw and range of speed from the plurality of different workouts, wherein the belt wear notification is based upon the statistical value for each of ranges of speed.

12. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the controller is to output the belt wear notification based upon different weighted values of the samples from a plurality of workouts on the treadmill and is to differently weight the values for the samples based upon an age of the samples.

13. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the controller is to output the belt wear notification based upon different weighted values of the samples from a predefined number of workouts, wherein the workouts upon which out of the belt wear notification is based are selected on a first in first out basis.

14. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the output is additionally based upon service conditions other than belt wear.

15. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, wherein the controller is incorporated as part of the treadmill.

16. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 1, further comprising a wear indicator, the wear indicator providing a visible indication based at least in part upon the belt wear notification signal.

17. The treadmill wear monitor of claim 16, wherein the wear indicator is incorporated as part of the treadmill.

18. A treadmill comprising:

a controller to;

receive and store first samples of electric current draw from a first workout on the treadmill;

receive and store second samples of electric current draw of the treadmill from a second workout on the treadmill; and

output a notification based on the first stored samples and the second stored samples.

19. The treadmill monitor of claim 18, wherein the controller outputs the notification based upon a combination of (a) the different weighted values of the samples and (b) a second service condition of the treadmill that is independent of the first service condition.

20. A treadmill monitor comprising:

a controller to;

maintain a workout array, the workout array comprising an array of a predefined number of workouts, each of the workouts comprising a weighted average of amperage values received from an electric current sensor of a treadmill for each of a plurality of speed ranges, wherein for each new workout added to the workout array, an oldest workout is removed; and

output a notification based on an aggregation of the weighted average of amperage values for the plurality of speed ranges of the workout array.