Exercise support apparatus, computer readable storage medium recording a computer program, and exercise support method

• US 8,496,563 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Xing
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Xing
• Inventors: Komatsu, Yoshiaki, Sato, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): GANESAN, SUNDHARA M
• Application Number:
  US12/870,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20100323846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9
• US Class Current: 482/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• 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 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 Athletics
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

An exercise support apparatus comprising acquiring unit for acquiring first information representative of at least one of an exercise experience and physical fitness of a user, storing unit for storing a plurality of kinds of exercises, exercise selecting unit configured to select at least one of the exercises stored in the storing unit, and at least one break; and exercise menu generating unit configured to generate an exercise menu including the selected exercises and the at least one break based on the acquired first information by the acquiring unit.

Claims

1. An exercise support apparatus comprising:

storing unit for storing a plurality of kinds of exercises which includes at least one of an aerobic exercise and at least one of an anaerobic exercise; and

a processor configured to cause a computer to provide the following functions;

acquiring first information representative of at least one of an exercise experience and physical fitness of a user;

selecting a plurality of exercises which includes a plurality of the aerobic exercises and a plurality of the anaerobic exercises stored in the storing unit, and a plurality of breaks;

generating a circuit exercise menu, including the plurality of selected exercises and the plurality of breaks;

determining a ratio between each of break times of the breaks included in the exercise menu, and each of exercise times of the aerobic exercises and the anaerobic exercises relative to the breaks, on the basis of the first information;

determining the ratio between the aerobic exercise time of the plurality of selected aerobic exercises, and the break time of at least one of the plurality of breaks, on the basis of the acquired exercise experience information;

determining the ratio between the anaerobic exercise time of the plurality of selected anaerobic exercises, and the break time of at least one of plurality of breaks, on the basis of the acquired physical fitness information; and

generating the circuit exercise menu based on the plurality of selected exercises, the plurality of breaks and the determined ratios.

2. The exercise support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor further causes the computer to provide the functions:

presenting an image representative of the plurality of aerobic exercises, the plurality of anaerobic exercises and the plurality of breaks included in the exercise menu,

wherein while presenting an image representative of each one of the breaks included in the exercise menu, presenting the image representative of each break, and the image indicative of one of the anaerobic exercises or the aerobic exercises placed immediately after each break.

3. The exercise support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the storing unit stores exercise parts respectively indicative of the plurality of kinds of anaerobic exercises; and

if an aerobic exercise is placed immediately after a break in the exercise menu, displaying an exercise part representative of an anaerobic exercise.

4. The exercise support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein while presenting the image representative of one of the breaks, the presenting unit displays a remaining period of a presentation period of the image representative of at least one break.

5. The exercise support apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising presenting song data which is synchronized with at least one of rhythm and tempo of exercise.

6. The exercise support apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising presenting a 3-dimensional image of an instructor doing exercise according to the exercise menu as the image.

7. The exercise support apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising presenting a scaled down image which represents the aerobic exercise and the anaerobic exercise to be presented next time according to the exercise menu during a break time.

8. The exercise support apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a receiver for receiving the first information representative of an exercise experience and physical fitness from a terminal apparatus;

a transmitter for transmitting the ratio determined by the exercise ratio determining unit, and the exercise menu generated by the exercise menu generating unit to the terminal apparatus.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium recording a program to be executed by the computer, the program causing a computer to perform steps comprising:

acquiring first information representative of at least one of an exercise experience and physical fitness of a user;

storing a plurality of kinds of exercises which includes at least one of an aerobic exercise and at least one of an anaerobic exercise;

selecting a plurality of exercises which includes a plurality of aerobic exercises and a plurality of the anaerobic exercises stored in the storing unit, and a plurality of breaks;

generating an exercise menu, including the plurality of selected exercises and the plurality of breaks; and

determining a ratio between each of break times of the breaks included in the exercise menu, and each of exercise times of the aerobic exercises and the anaerobic exercises relative to the breaks, on the basis of the first information;

determining the ratio between the aerobic exercise time of the plurality of aerobic exercises selected by the exercise selecting unit, and the break time of at least one of the plurality of breaks, on the basis of the exercise experience information acquired by the acquiring unit;

determining the ratio between the anaerobic exercise time of the anaerobic exercises selected by the exercise selecting unit, and the break time of at least one of plurality of breaks, on the basis of the physical fitness information acquired by the acquiring unit; and

generating a circuit exercise menu based on the plurality of selected exercises, the plurality of breaks and the ratios determined by the exercise ratio determining unit.

10. A computer implemented exercise support method comprising:

acquiring on a computer first information representative of at least one of an exercise experience and physical fitness of a user;

storing in a memory on the computer a plurality of kinds of exercises which includes at least one of an aerobic exercise and at least one of an anaerobic exercise;

selecting a plurality of exercises which includes a plurality of aerobic exercises and a plurality of the anaerobic exercises stored in the memory, and a plurality of breaks;

generating an exercise menu, including the plurality of selected exercises and the plurality of breaks;

determining a ratio between each of break times of the breaks included in the exercise menu, and each of exercise times of the aerobic exercises and the anaerobic exercises relative to the breaks, on the basis of the first information;

determining the ratio between the aerobic exercise time of the plurality of selected aerobic exercises, and the break time of at least one of the plurality of breaks, on the basis of the acquired exercise experience information;

determining the ratio between the anaerobic exercise time of the plurality of selected anaerobic exercises and the break time of at least one of plurality of breaks, on the basis of the acquired physical fitness information; and

generating a circuit exercise menu based on the plurality of selected exercises, the plurality of breaks and the determined ratios.