Portable apparatus

• US 8,988,241 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Tilvis, Marko, Rytky, Pekka, Karjalainen, Markku, Puolakanaho, Pertti
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Daniell L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barakat, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US12/751,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 434/258, 482/9, 482/8, 210/656, 377/24.2, 340/686.6, 340/691.8, 340 101- 104, 600/300, 600/301, 600/483, 600/500, 600/509
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00 Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices electric or electronic controls therefor A63B24/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/14 Geo-tagging, e.g. for correlating route or track location data with specific information related to that specific location
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/10 Multi-station exercising machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance

Abstract

Interaction between a portable apparatus and a personal exercise area is disclosed. A method comprises: transferring wirelessly information between a personal exercise area and a portable apparatus; detecting proximity of the portable apparatus to the personal exercise area by utilizing the transferred information; and configuring the portable apparatus in relation to an exercise performed within the personal exercise area by a user of the portable apparatus.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus comprising:

a proximity communication unit configured to wirelessly transfer information with a plurality of location-bound proximity communication units, each of the plurality of location-bound proximity communication units being associated with one of a plurality of personal exercise areas, the proximity communication unit communicating the information while the proximity communication unit is within a plurality of ranges, the plurality of ranges being non-overlapping so as to not interfere with each other, each of the plurality of non-overlapping ranges being associated with at least one of the plurality of personal exercise areas;

a processor configured to detect proximity of the portable apparatus to at least one of the plurality of personal exercise areas by utilizing the communicated information, and to configure the portable apparatus to be compatible with an exercise performed within the at least one detected personal exercise area by a user of the portable apparatus;

a heart rate measurement sensor configured to measure heart rate data from the user; and

a memory into which the processor is further configured to store the heart rate data measured from the exercise in such a manner that the stored heart rate data is associated with the detected personal exercise area,

wherein the configuration of the portable apparatus comprises adjusting heart rate guidance zones according to at least one heart rate limit instruction transmitted from the personal exercise area, the heart rate guidance zones being defined by a lower limit and a higher limit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity communication unit is further configured to receive information associated with the personal exercise area as the communicated information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to modify a measurement configuration of the portable apparatus to be compatible with the personal exercise area on the basis of the communicated information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus further comprises a memory, and the processor is further configured to start storing heart rate data measured from the exercise into the memory after having detected the proximity of the portable apparatus to the personal exercise area.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus further comprises a user interface, and the processor is further configured to output exercise instructions relevant to the personal exercise area with the user interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus further comprises a user interface, and the processor is further configured to output information on a next available and/or suitable personal exercise area with the user interface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus further comprises a radio communication unit, and the processor is further configured to transmit user-specific exercise equipment configuration data for configuring exercise equipment of the personal exercise area with the radio communication unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity communication unit is further configured to receive information relating to the exercise, and the processor is further configured to process the received information relating to the exercise.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus further comprises a radio communication unit configured to receive information relating to the exercise, and the processor is further configured to process the received information relating to the exercise.

10. A method comprising:

transferring, wirelessly, information between a portable apparatus and a plurality of location-bound proximity communication units, each of the location-bound proximity communication units being associated with one of a plurality of personal exercise areas, the portable apparatus communication the information while the portable apparatus is within a plurality of ranges, the plurality of ranges being non-overlapping so as to not interfere with each other, each of the plurality of non-overlapping ranges being associated with at least one of the plurality of personal exercise areas;

detecting, using the portable apparatus, proximity of the portable apparatus to at least one of the plurality of personal exercise areas by utilizing the communicated information;

configuring the portable apparatus to be compatible with an exercise performed within the detected personal exercise area by a user of the portable apparatus;

measuring heart rate data, using a sensor, from the user; and

storing the heart rate data measured from the exercise, in a storage device in such a manner that the stored heart rate data is associated with the at least one detected personal exercise area,

wherein the configuration of the portable apparatus comprises adjusting heart rate guidance zones according to at least one heart rate limit instruction transmitted from the personal exercise area, the heart rate guidance zones being defined by a lower limit and a higher limit.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

transferring, wirelessly, information between a portable apparatus and a plurality of location-bound proximity communication units, each of the location-bound proximity communication units being associated with one of a plurality of personal exercise areas, the portable apparatus communicating the information while the portable apparatus is within a plurality of ranges, the plurality of ranges being non-overlapping so as to not interfere with each other, each of the plurality of non-overlapping ranges being associated with at least one of the plurality of personal exercise areas;

detecting proximity of the portable apparatus to at least one of the plurality of personal exercise areas by utilizing the communicated information;

configuring the portable apparatus to be compatible with an exercise performed within the detected personal exercise area by a user of the portable apparatus;

measuring heart rate data from the user; and

storing the heart rate data measured from the exercise in such a manner that the stored exercise data is associated with the at least one detected personal exercise area,

wherein the configuration of the portable apparatus comprises adjusting heart rate guidance zones according to at least one heart rate limit instruction transmitted from the personal exercise area, the heart rate guidance zones being defined by a lower limit and a higher limit.

12. An apparatus of a personal exercise area, comprising a location-bound proximity communication unit configured to wirelessly transmit information associated with one of a plurality of personal exercise areas to a proximity communication unit of a portable apparatus, the location-bound proximity communication unit being associated with one of the plurality of personal exercise areas, the location-bound proximity communication unit being configured such that the location-bound proximity communication unit communicates the information while the portable apparatus is within a plurality of ranges, the plurality of ranges being non-overlapping so as to not interfere with each other, each of the plurality of non-overlapping ranges being associated with at least one of the plurality of personal exercise areas,

wherein the transmitted information includes at least one personal exercise area heart rate limit instruction related to the personal exercise area, the transmitted information being configured to be processed by the portable apparatus for adjusting heart rate guidance zones, the heart rate guidance zones being defined by a lower limit and a higher limit.