Method and system for guiding a person in physical exercise

• US 8,052,580 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2007
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Firstbeat Analytics OY (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Firstbeat Technologies Oy
• Inventors: Kettunen, Joni, Saalasti, Sami, Seppänen, Mikko, Pulkkinen, Aki
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganesan; Sundhara M
• Application Number:
  US12/308,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20100216601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482900-902, 434/247, 434/254, 434/255, 600/587, 600/595
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• 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 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for guiding a person to a physiological cumulative state in physical exercise, in which the exercise has a physiological target in the form of a physiological state at the end of the exercise, a duration, and a performance parameter. In the method at the start of the exercise the physiological target is set, as is the value of the performance parameter, and during the exercise at regular intervals: at least one quantity proportional to the momentary intensity is measured, and the present physiological state and an estimate of the physiological state and the end of the exercise are calculated with the aid of the momentary intensity and the exercise performed, and a guidance range for the momentary intensity is defined, in order to reach the target state and the performance parameter. The user is guided by means of feedback to remain within the said guidance intensity range. At the start of the exercise the intensity guidance range is expanded according to a pre-selected function, in order to reduce the variation in the guidance.

Claims

1. System for guiding a person, with the aid of feedback, to a physiological cumulative state during a physical exercise that is proportional to a change in general homeostatic state achieved by exercising, the physical exercise having

a duration,

an intensity that may vary over the duration of the physical exercise and that at any given moment during the physical exercise has a value defined as a momentary intensity,

a physiological target that is a physiological state of the person at the end of the physical exercise, and

a performance parameter that is one selected from a group consisting of distance, duration of the exercise, speed, power output of work, EPOC change, accumulated EPOC, energy consumption, energy consumed, oxygen consumption, total oxygen consumption, heart-rate level, TRIMP already accumulated, number of steps, work output as a function of speed and inclination of surface, and change in blood lactic acid concentration,

the system comprising:

a sensor for measuring at least one quantity that is proportional to the momentary intensity and selected from a group consisting of heart rate, speed, pedaling power measured from pedals of a bicycle, % VO₂max and rate of EPOC accumulation;

means for recording values of the physiological target and the performance parameter;

means for giving feedback to the person to keep the exercise intensity within a dynamic intensity guidance range;

program means for, at regular intervals during the physical exercise;

recording the measured quantity and a performed physical intensity profile;

calculating a present physiological state of the person and an estimate of the physiological state at the end of the physical exercise using said measured quantity and the performed intensity profile; and

defining the intensity guidance range for the momentary intensity so that the physiological target and the performance parameter can be reached within the duration of the physical exercise, the intensity guidance range being defined by calculating a minimum intensity and a maximum intensity required to reach the physiological target and, if the difference between the minimum intensity and the maximum intensity is less than a value according to a preset criteria, the intensity guidance range is expanded by lowering the minimum intensity to a lower value that is equal to the maximum intensity minus the value, whereby the intensity guidance range is expanded during the beginning of the duration of the exercise;

an altimeter; and

means for recording and processing route data when an altitude profile is included in the route data, and the program means being arranged to take into account the said altitude profile.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the system includes means for positioning the person and recording and processing route data, and program means for selecting a route to reach the physiological target.

3. System for guiding a person, with the aid of feedback, to a physiological cumulative state during a physical exercise and being proportional to a change in general homeostatic state achieved by exercising, the physical exercise having

a duration,

an intensity that may vary over the duration of the physical exercise and that at any given moment during the physical exercise has a value defined as a momentary intensity,

a physiological target that is a physiological state of the person at the end of the physical exercise, and

a performance parameter that is one selected from a group consisting of distance, duration of the exercise, speed, power output of work, EPOC change, accumulated EPOC, energy consumption, energy consumed, oxygen consumption, total oxygen consumption, heart-rate level, TRIMP already accumulated, number of steps, work output as a function of speed and inclination of surface, and change in blood lactic acid concentration,

the system comprising:

a sensor for measuring at least one quantity that is proportional to the momentary intensity and selected from a group consisting of heart rate, speed, pedaling power measured from pedals of a bicycle, % VO₂max and rate of EPOC accumulation

means for recording values of the physiological target and the performance parameter;

means for giving feedback to the person to keep the exercise intensity within a dynamic intensity guidance range; and

program means for, at regular intervals during the physical exercise;

recording the measured quantity and a performed physical intensity profile;

calculating a present physiological state of the person and an estimate of the physiological state at the end of the physical exercise using said measured quantity and the performed intensity profile; and

defining the intensity guidance range for the momentary intensity so that the physiological target and the performance parameter can be reached within the duration of the physical exercise, the intensity guidance range being defined by calculating a minimum intensity and a maximum intensity required to reach the physiological target and, if the difference between the minimum intensity and the maximum intensity is less than a value according to a preset criteria, the intensity guidance range is expanded by lowering the minimum intensity to a lower value that is equal to the maximum intensity minus the value, whereby the intensity guidance range is expanded during the beginning of the duration of the exercise;

characterized in that the value according to the preset criteria is 30% of maximum intensity.