Method and apparatus for monitoring exercise with wireless internet connectivity

• US 8,277,377 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips North America LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Q-Tec Systems LLC
• Inventors: Quy, Roger J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Sam
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIAN, SHIRLEY XUEYING
• Application Number:
  US12/211,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/335 using integrated circuit memory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/749 Voice-controlled interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 : Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 : Telephone telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/923 : by comparison of patient data to other data

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for wireless monitoring of exercise, fitness, or nutrition by connecting a web-enabled wireless phone to a device which provides exercise-related information, including physiological data and data indicating an amount of exercise performed. The connection may be by way of a wireless connection using protocols such as Bluetooth® or 802.11, or by way of a wired connection. An optional adaptor may be included if necessary. An application for receiving the exercise-related information and providing a user interface may be downloaded to the web-enabled wireless phone from an internet server. The exercise-related information may be transmitted to an internet server, and the server may calculate and return a response.

Claims

1. A method for interactive exercise monitoring, the method comprising the steps of:

a. downloading an application to a web-enabled wireless phone directly from a remote server over the internet;

b. coupling the a web-enabled wireless phone to a device which provides exercise-related information;

c. rendering a user interface on the web-enabled wireless phone;

d. using the application, receiving data indicating a physiologic status of a subject;

e. using the application, receiving data indicating an amount of exercise performed by the subject;

f. wherein at least one of the data indicating a physiologic status of a subject or the data indicating an amount of exercise performed by the subject is received from the device which provides exercise-related information, and wherein the data indicating a physiologic status of a subject is received at least partially while the subject is exercising;

g. sending the exercise-related information to an internet server via a wireless network;

h. receiving a calculated response from the server, the response associated with a calculation performed by the server based on the exercise-related information; and

i. using the application, displaying the response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving data indicating a physiologic status of a subject includes receiving data from a physiological sensor coupled to an exercise machine.

3. The method of claim 1, where the receiving data indicating an amount of exercise performed by the subject includes receiving data from an exercise machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the web-enabled wireless phone receives exercise-related information over a transmission medium, the transmission medium including a wired connection or a wireless connection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless connection includes an infrared connection or a radio frequency communication protocol including a short-range wireless transmission scheme.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the short-range wireless transmission scheme includes IEEE 802.11 protocol or short-wavelength radio transmission in the ISM band of 2400-2480 MHz.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the wired connection includes a USB connection, a cable, or a docking station.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the web-enabled wireless phone receives data via an adapter to convert a signal from the device to a suitable input for the wireless phone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicating an amount of exercise performed is received from a device selected from the group consisting of:

a treadmill, a stepper, an exercise cycle, an accelerometer, a rowing machine, physiotherapy equipment, an aerobic or anaerobic exercise device, and a device that monitors an amount of work or rate of work performed.

10. A web-enabled wireless phone, containing a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium comprising memory within a web-enabled wireless phone, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a processor in the web-enabled wireless phone to perform the method of claim 1.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium comprising memory within a web-enabled wireless phone, the computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a processor in a web-enabled wireless phone to perform the method of claim 1.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicating a physiologic status of a subject is received from a device selected from the group consisting of:

a heart rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, a body temperature monitor, a respiratory monitor, a biofeedback device, an electronic body weight scale, and a body fat gauge.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, containing an application for performing an interactive method of exercise monitoring, the application physically residing on a server, the method comprising the steps of:

a. downloading an application to a web-enabled wireless phone directly from a remote server over the internet;

b. receiving exercise-related information from a web-enabled wireless phone, wherein the exercise-related information includes data collected using the application and indicating a physiologic status of a subject and data indicating an amount of exercise performed by the subject, and wherein the data indicating a physiologic status of a subject is received at least partially while the subject is exercising;

c. calculating a response based on the exercise-related information;

d. transmitting the calculated response to the web-enabled wireless phone for subsequent display, the display using the application.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

a. enabling the web-enabled wireless phone to receive exercise-related information from a device; and

b. transmitting to the web-enabled wireless phone the device application including a user interface on which the calculated response may be rendered.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the calculating a response includes calculating a response to assist a person in monitoring calorie expenditure, losing weight, or maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the web-enabled wireless phone to receive the exercise-related information via an adapter, the adapter to convert a received data signal to a suitable input for the web-enabled wireless phone.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the data indicating an amount of exercise performed by the subject is received from a device which is selected from the group consisting of:

a pedometer, a treadmill, a stepper, an exercise cycle, an accelerometer, a rowing machine, physiotherapy equipment, an aerobic or anaerobic exercise device, and a device that monitors an amount of work or rate of work performed.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the receiving exercise-related information includes receiving exercise-related information over a wireless or a wired connection.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the data indicating a physiologic status of a subject is received from a device which is selected from the group consisting of:

a heart rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, a body temperature monitor, a respiratory monitor, a biofeedback device, an electronic body weight scale, and a body fat gauge.