Method for calculating a fitness index

• US 5,456,262 A
• Filed: 11/01/1993
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Birnbaum, Burton H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parker, Marianne
• Application Number:
  US08/144,018
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 128/707, 128/903, 128/690, 128/687, 128/689, 128/696, 128/701, 128/632, 128/635
• US Class Current: 600/520
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate

Abstract

A method and a device for measuring the heartbeat pulse of a person during physical performance on an exercise device. The invention includes processing of a signal carrying pulse data and indicating the pulse frequency to the user of the exercise device. Included are the steps of programming the exercise device to provide a sequence of exercise to the performer, detecting and transmitting during the exercise a heartbeat pulse signal with electrodes and a transmitter attached to the body of the performer, receiving the transmitted pulse signal with a receiver connected to the exercise device, processing the received pulse signal, and calculating a mean pulse value during the performance and presenting the value to the performer.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a heartbeat pulse of a person using an exercise device for physical performance, the method comprising the steps of:

programming the exercise device to provide an exercise program for a user of the device to perform;

detecting a heartbeat pulse during the performance of the exercise program and transmitting heartbeat pulse signals corresponding to said heartbeat pulse detected with a transmitter attached to the user;

receiving the transmitted heartbeat pulse signals with a receiver connected to the exercise device;

processing the received heartbeat pulse signals; and

calculating a mean heartbeat pulse value from all of the heartbeat pulse signals received during the performance of the program and displaying the calculated mean heartbeat pulse value to the user at the end of the program.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising transmitting the heartbeat pulse signals during the performance of the exercise program from a telemetric wireless transmitter attached to the user and receiving the transmitted heartbeat pulse signals with a telemetric wireless receiver connected to the exercise device.

3. An apparatus for measuring a mean heartbeat pulse of a person during physical performance of an exercise program on an exercise device, comprising an exercise device, means for programming the exercise device to provide an exercise program for a user of the device to perform, heartbeat pulse detector means attachable to the user for generating heartbeat pulse signals indicative of the heartbeat pulse detected during the performance of the exercise program, heartbeat pulse signal transmitter means attachable to the user for transmitting said heartbeat pulse signals, receiver means connected to said exercise device for receiving said heartbeat pulse signals transmitted by said transmitter means, processing means for calculating at the end of the program a mean heartbeat pulse value of the person using the exercise device from all of the heartbeat pulse signals received during the performance of the program, and display means for displaying said calculated mean heartbeat pulse value to the person using said exercise device at the end of the program.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, including a control means for controlling operation of said exercise device and wherein the receiver means is connected to the control means.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 or 4, wherein the exercise device is a cycle ergometer.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 or 4, wherein the exercise device is a treadmill.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 or 4, wherein the transmitter means comprises a telemetric wireless transmitter attachable to the person using the device, and the receiver means comprises a telemetric wireless receiver connected to the exercise device.