Method and Apparatus for Interfacing Between a Wearable Electronic Device and a Server and An Article of Fitness Equipment

• US 20100009810A1
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Trzecieski
• Original Assignee: Michael Trzecieski
• Inventors: Trzecieski, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0661 arranged on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0724 Bar-bells; Hand bars
• 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 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/50 Force related parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• 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 24/0087 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 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 : having computer circuitry

Abstract

The user puts on a wearable electronic device at a gym and the wearable electronic device updates itself wirelessly through a server with a fitness session for the user that is stored within a plurality of user workout routines in a database as part of the server. The fitness session is a sequence of exercises the user should perform at the gym where the wearable electronic device provides an indication to the user of the various exercises. The user determines which exercises to complete and thereafter at the end of the fitness session the user'"'"'s progress is stored back to the database. On a subsequent visit to the gym a second fitness session is derived based upon the first fitness session where preferably this second fitness session is derived with the assistance of a trained professional. Optionally if an article of fitness equipment is busy, the user is advised of another article of fitness equipment to utilize. Optionally the machines are equipped with a wireless interface that allows the wearable electronic device to know which machine is being used.

Claims

1. A system for directing a user in a fitness session comprising:

a wearable electronic device for being worn by the user comprising a unique identification number that is unique to the user during the fitness session and comprising a first wireless interface;

a server comprising a second wireless interface for communicating with the first wireless interface of the wearable electronic device and comprising a database for storing a plurality of user workout routines where each user workout routine comprises a plurality of fitness sessions where each fitness session comprises a plurality of exercises where for the duration of a fitness session from the plurality of fitness sessions the unique identification number is correlated with the user and the fitness session,

wherein for the fitness session the wearable electronic device provides an indication of at least an exercise from the plurality of exercises for the user to perform.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the wearable electronic device comprises at least a display screen and the indication provided to the user is a visual indication that is derived from the at least an exercise and an audio jack for providing an acoustic indication that is derived from the at least an exercise.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the at least a display screen is a touch screen.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of fitness sessions comprise a first fitness session and a second fitness session and where the system comprising a computer terminal coupled with the server for generating the second fitness session from data derived from the first fitness session through the use of at least one of an algorithm and a trained professional.

5. A system according to claim 1 comprising:

an article of fitness equipment comprising a third wireless interface, where the third wireless interface is for at least one of wirelessly communicating with at least one of the second and first wireless interfaces and for determining the wearable electronic device is within a predetermined proximity to the article of fitness equipment.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein the article of fitness equipment comprises an actuator for adjusting a resistance experienced by the user of the article of fitness equipment in dependence upon the wearable electronic device having a proximity to the article of fitness equipment that is within a predetermined proximity.

7. A system according to claim 5 wherein the third wireless interface comprises one of a radio frequency identification interface and a received signal strength indicator for determining when the wearable electronic device has a proximity to the fitness equipment that is within a predetermined proximity.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein the wearable electronic device comprises a heart rate interface port for interfacing with a heart rate monitor.

9. A system according to claim 1 wherein the wearable electronic device comprises an accelerometer for measuring a motion of the user in at least an axis.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein the article of fitness equipment is coupled with the server and comprises an actuator for adjusting a resistance experienced by the user of the article of fitness equipment during their fitness session.

11. A method of directing a user in a fitness session comprising:

providing a plurality of articles of fitness equipment;

providing a server having stored therein a plurality of user workout routines where one of the plurality of user workout routines comprises a first fitness session where the first fitness session is indicative of a first sequence of articles of fitness equipment for a user to utilize from the plurality of articles of fitness equipment;

providing a wearable electronic device comprising a display screen;

receiving of the first fitness session by the wearable electronic device from the server;

providing an indication to the user of an article of fitness equipment to utilize from the plurality of articles of fitness equipment in dependence upon the first fitness session.

12. A method according to claim 11 comprising:

determining a proximity of the wearable electronic device to the article of fitness equipment; and

providing a second indication to the user when they are within a predetermined proximity to the article of fitness equipment to utilize from the plurality of articles of fitness equipment.

13. A method according to claim 12 comprising:

adjusting a resistance of the article of fitness equipment to utilize from the plurality of articles of fitness equipment when the user is within the predetermined proximity.

14. A method according to claim 11 comprising:

determining a second fitness session upon a completion of the first fitness session where the second fitness session is indicative of a second sequence of articles of fitness equipment for a user to utilize from the plurality of articles of fitness equipment, wherein the second sequence of articles of fitness equipment is derived from the first sequence of articles of fitness equipment.

15. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of articles of fitness equipment;

providing a server and a database for storing of a first fitness session;

providing a wearable electronic device for being worn by a user;

wireless updating of the wearable electronic device with the first fitness session comprising a plurality of exercises comprising a current exercise and a next exercise for a user to complete by using some of the plurality of articles of fitness equipment;

selecting the current exercise from the plurality of exercises;

providing an indication to the user of the current exercise;

receiving an indication from the user upon one of completion and skipping of the current exercise;

selecting the next exercise from the plurality of exercises;

providing an indication to the user of the next exercise; and

receiving an indication from the user upon one of completion and skipping of the next exercise.

16. A method according to claim 15 comprising:

updating the first fitness session in dependence upon one of completion and skipping at least one of the current exercise and next exercise; and

determining a second fitness session in dependence upon the first fitness session.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein updating comprises storing of data related to the first fitness session in dependence upon one of completion and skipping at least one of the current exercise and next exercise within the database.

18. A method according to claim 15 comprising determining whether the user is aware of how to perform the current exercise and displaying an instructional video to the user in dependence upon the determination.

19. A method according to claim 15 wherein selecting the current exercise from the plurality of exercises is dependent upon determining whether an article of fitness equipment from the plurality of articles of fitness equipment that is selected for the current exercise is occupied;

and

selecting another article of fitness equipment from the plurality of articles of fitness equipment that is other than occupied and within the plurality of exercises.