Network coaching method

• US 8,840,401 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Koletry Processing LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Piccionelli, Gregory A., Gerardi, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US12/156,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,304 Days
• Field of Search: 434/247, 434/236, 434/238, 434/127, 482/9
• US Class Current: 434/247
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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

Abstract

A method of obtaining advice pertaining to a fitness-related activity performed by a user is provided. A user accesses a central site via a network, such as the Internet, then visits a physical location associated with a fitness-related activity. Information identifying the location is provided to the central site. The user then receives live advice pertaining to the fitness-related activity from a personal advisor, via the network from the central site. Fitness-related activities for which advice is provided include, for example, use of exercise equipment, consumption of foods or beverages, and engagement in other activities having an impact on a user'"'"'s physical, mental or spiritual well-being.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining advice pertaining to a fitness-related activity performed by a user using one or more pieces of equipment, the method comprising:

accessing a central site on a communication network using a portable network access device;

obtaining, with the portable network access device, GPS location information corresponding to a physical location associated with a fitness-related activity while the user carries the portable network access device;

providing the GPS location information to the central site over the network with the portable network access device, the location information being associated with a record of previous use, by the user, of equipment located at the physical location; and

while the user is at the physical location, receiving advice information on the portable network access device, over the network from the central site, wherein the advice information pertains to use of the equipment located at the physical location and wherein the advice information is based on the record of previous use by the user of the equipment located at the physical location.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the advice information comprises a live message from a personal advisor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the central site arranges for at least one personal advisor to directly contact the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the advice information is provided in exchange for a per-use or periodic fee.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving advice information comprises receiving information that corresponds to the user'"'"'s previous use of a plurality of pieces of fitness equipment located at the physical location.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein providing GPS location information to the central site comprises providing GPS location information associated with the location of a plurality of pieces of fitness equipment located at the physical location.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the advice information comprises information regarding previous use by the user of the equipment located at the physical location.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding a number of repetitions of exercise activities to perform using the equipment located at the physical location.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding an amount of weight for the user to use when performing exercise activities using the equipment located at the physical location.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding an amount of time relating to exercise activities using the equipment located at the physical location.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the advice information comprises advice pertaining to a sequence of use of the plurality of pieces of fitness equipment located at the physical location.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting a signal to update the record of previous use after completion of use of the equipment located at the physical location; and

transmitting to the central site via the network a request to update the record based on the user'"'"'s completed use of the equipment located at the physical location.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the GPS location information to the central site over the network with the portable network access device occurs while the user is at the physical location associated with the fitness-related activity.

2. A method of obtaining advice pertaining to performance of an exercise by a user employing at least one exercise apparatus, the method comprising:

accessing a central site on a communication network using a portable network access device;

obtaining, with the portable network access device, GPS location information corresponding to a physical location at which at least one exercise apparatus is present;

providing the GPS location information to the central site over the network with the portable network access device;

receiving, at the portable network access device, from a particular exercise apparatus present at the physical location, information regarding the particular exercise apparatus;

providing to the central site the information regarding the particular exercise apparatus; and

receiving advice information on the portable network access device, over the network from the central site, wherein the advice information pertains to use by the user of the particular exercise apparatus.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one exercise apparatus comprises a camera which enables a personal advisor to observe the user'"'"'s performance on the at least one exercise apparatus.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the advice information is provided in exchange for a per-use or periodic fee.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the advice information comprises information regarding previous use by the user of the at least one exercise apparatus located at the physical location.

25. The method of claim 2, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding a number of repetitions of exercise activities to perform using the at least one exercise apparatus located at the physical location.

26. The method of claim 2, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding an amount of weight for the user to use when performing exercise activities using the at least one exercise apparatus located at the physical location.

27. The method of claim 2, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding an amount of time relating to exercise activities using the at least one exercise apparatus located at the physical location.

28. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the GPS location information to the central site over the network with the portable network access device occurs while the user is at the physical location at which the at least one exercise apparatus is present.

3. A method of obtaining advice pertaining to an activity performed by a user on at least one piece of fitness equipment, the method comprising:

accessing a central site on a communication network using a portable network access device carried by the user while visiting a physical location;

obtaining, with the portable network access device, GPS location information corresponding to the physical location, while the user visits the physical location;

while the user visits the physical location, providing the GPS location information to the central site over the network with the portable network access device, the location information being associated with a record of previous use, by the user, of fitness equipment located at the physical location; and

while the user visits the physical location, receiving advice information on the portable network access device, over the network from the central site, wherein the advice information pertains to use of the fitness equipment located at the physical location, wherein the advice information is based on the record of previous use, by the user, of the fitness equipment located at the physical location, and wherein the advice information comprises advice pertaining to one or more of the following;

a number of repetitions of exercise activities to perform using the fitness equipment located at the physical location,

an amount of weight for the user to use when performing exercise activities using the fitness equipment located at the physical location, or

an amount of time relating to exercise activities using the fitness equipment located at the physical location;

accepting a signal to update the record of previous use, by the user, of the fitness equipment located at the physical location after completion of use of the fitness equipment located at the physical location; and

transmitting to the central site via the network a request to update the record based on the user'"'"'s completed use of the fitness equipment located at the physical location.

11. A method of providing advice over a communication network having a central site, the advice pertaining to a fitness-related activity performed by a network user using one or more pieces of fitness equipment, the network user having a communication device communicatively connected to the communication network, the method comprising:

receiving GPS location information at the central site from a network user while the network user is visiting a physical location associated with a fitness-related activity;

associating the network user with a piece of fitness equipment located at the physical location;

associating the GPS location information with a record retained by the central site, the record including previously-stored information about the network user'"'"'s previous use of the piece of fitness equipment located at the physical location;

accessing the record; and

transmitting advice information over the network from the central site to the network user'"'"'s communication device, wherein the advice information pertains to use of the fitness equipment located at the physical location and wherein the advice information comprises information based on the record.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein transmitting advice information comprises transmitting information that corresponds to the network user'"'"'s previous use of a plurality of pieces of fitness equipment located at the physical location.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving location information at the central site comprises receiving location information associated with the location of the plurality of pieces of fitness equipment located at the physical location.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the advice information comprises information regarding the network user'"'"'s previous use of the piece of equipment located at the physical location.

29. The method of claim 11, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding a number of repetitions of exercise activities to perform using the fitness equipment located at the physical location.

30. The method of claim 11, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding an amount of weight for the user to use when performing exercise activities using the fitness equipment located at the physical location.

31. The method of claim 11, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding an amount of time relating to exercise activities using the fitness equipment located at the physical location.

32. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

updating the record, after completion of use of the equipment located at the physical location, based on the user'"'"'s completed use of the equipment located at the physical location.

14. A method of providing advice over a communication network, the advice pertaining to a fitness-related activity performed by a network user using one or more pieces of fitness equipment, the network user having a communication device communicatively connected to the communication network, the method comprising:

receiving GPS location information at a central site from the communication device while the network user is visiting a physical location associated with a fitness-related activity;

receiving fitness equipment information at the central site from the communication device while the network user is visiting the physical location associated with the fitness-related activity;

identifying fitness equipment at the physical location from one or more of the GPS location information and the fitness equipment information;

accessing a record pertaining to prior use of the fitness equipment by the user; and

transmitting advice information over the network from the central site to the network user'"'"'s communication device, wherein the advice information pertains to use of the fitness equipment by the user and wherein the advice information is based on the record.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the advice information comprises information regarding the network user'"'"'s previous use of the piece of equipment located at the physical location.

33. The method of claim 14, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding a number of repetitions of exercise activities to perform using the fitness equipment located at the physical location.

34. The method of claim 14, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding an amount of weight for the user to use when performing exercise activities using the fitness equipment located at the physical location.

35. The method of claim 14, wherein the advice information comprises advice regarding an amount of time relating to exercise activities using the fitness equipment located at the physical location.

36. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

updating the record, after completion of use of the equipment located at the physical location, based on the user'"'"'s completed use of the equipment located at the physical location.