Systems, methods, and devices for simulating real world terrain on an exercise device

• US 9,028,368 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Original Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Inventors: Ashby, Darren C., Watterson, Scott R., Lorrigan, Kirk, Dalebout, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINTER, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US13/176,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20120220427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482/51, 482 57- 65, 482900-902
• US Class Current: 482/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0081 Coaching or training aspects related to a group of users
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/009 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled in synchronism with visualising systems, e.g. hill slope
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/015 including rotating or oscillating elements rubbing against fixed elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/225 with flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0023 the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the inclination of an endless band
• 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 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• 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 2220/70 Measuring or simulating ambient conditions, e.g. weather, terrain or surface conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/78 Surface covering conditions, e.g. of a road surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0476 by rotating cycling movement arrangements on or for real bicycles A63B69/16
• 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
• 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 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

An exercise system includes one or more exercise devices that communicate via a network with a communication system. The communication system stores and/or generates exercise programming for use on the exercise device. The exercise programming is able to control one or more operating parameters of the exercise device to simulate terrain found at a remote, real world location. The exercise programming can include images/videos of the remote, real world location. The control signals and the images/videos can be synchronized so that a user of the exercise device is able to experience, via the changing operating parameters, the topographical characteristics of the remote, real world location as well as see images of the location.

Claims

1. An exercise system that simulates a real world exercise route, the exercise system comprising:

an exercise device comprising a movable element that is movable in performance of exercise by a user, the exercise device having one or more operating parameters that are controllable by user defined exercise programming, the exercise device comprising a support base that rests upon a support surface, an upright support structure mounted on the support base, and a resistance assembly that provides resistance to movement of the movable element;

a display that presents display programming to the user during performance of exercise;

a remote communication system that communicates with a user of the exercise device to enable the user to select a starting point and an ending point for a real world exercise route of the user defined exercise programming and generates the user defined exercise programming, the user defined exercise programming including (i) one or more control signals representative of changes to be made to the one or more operating parameters to substantially simulate topographical characteristics of the real world exercise route, and (ii) the display programming that includes images of the real world exercise route, wherein the one or more control signals control the operating parameters of the exercise device while the display programming is presented to the user on the display, and wherein the remote communication system generates the exercise programming from data stored external to the remote communication system;

wherein the exercise programming is adapted to adjust a tilt of the upright support structure and the resistance provided by the resistance assembly based upon the topographical characteristics of the real world exercise route and the user'"'"'s weight such that the remote communication system changes the tilt based on the topographical characteristics and the user'"'"'s weight at the same time the display programming of the simulated real world exercise route depicts a change in terrain.

2. An exercise system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a network that facilitates communication of the user defined exercise programming from the remote communication system to at least one of the exercise device and the display.

3. An exercise system as recited in claim 1, wherein the exercise device comprises an exercise cycle, wherein the upright support structure includes a seat, a handle bar assembly, and a pedal assembly that is rotatable by the user'"'"'s feet;

and the resistance assembly provides resistance to the rotation of the pedal assembly.

4. An exercise system as recited in claim 3, wherein the upright support structure is pivotally mounted on the support base, the upright support structure being selectively tilted forward or backward to substantially simulate for the user the experience of riding a bicycle up or down a hill.

5. An exercise system as recited in claim 4, wherein the resistance provided by the resistance assembly can be associated with the tilt of the upright support structure to substantially simulate for the user the experience of riding a bicycle up or down a hill on the remote, real world exercise route.

6. An exercise system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data stored external to the remote communication system comprises data stored by at least one third party.

7. An exercise system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display is separate from the exercise device.

8. An exercise system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display is incorporated into the exercise device.

9. An exercise system as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote communication system communicates with the user of the exercise device via the exercise device or a separate computer to enable the user to select the starting point and the ending point for the real world exercise route.

10. An exercise system that simulates a real world exercise route, the exercise system comprising:

an exercise device comprising a movable element that is movable during performance of exercise by a user, at least one actuator that controls one or more operating parameters of the exercise device, an upright support structure, and a resistance assembly operable to apply resistance to movement of the movable element, the exercise device being receptive to control signals representative of changes to be made to the one or more operating parameters to substantially simulate topographical characteristics of the real world exercise route, the changes to the one or more operating parameters corresponding to one or more aspects of the real world exercise route;

a remote communication system that communicates with a user of the exercise device to enable the user to select a starting point and an ending point for the real world exercise route, wherein the remote communication system uses data relating to the one or more aspects of the real world exercise route to generate exercise programming, the exercise programming including one or more control signals and display programming, the display programming including images of the real world exercise route synchronized with the one or more control signals; and

a local computer in communication with the remote communication system and the exercise device, wherein the local computer receives the exercise programming from the remote communication system, wherein the local computer communicates the one or more control signals to the exercise device, and wherein the local computer comprises a display that presents the display programming to the user during performance of exercise;

wherein the exercise programming is adapted to adjust a tilt of the upright support structure and the resistance provided by the resistance assembly based upon the topographical characteristics of the real world exercise route and the user'"'"'s weight such that the remote communication system changes the tilt based on the topographical characteristics and the user'"'"'s weight at the same time the display programming of the simulated real world exercise route depicts a change in terrain.

11. An exercise system as recited in claim 10, wherein the local computer communicates with the remote communication system via a network.

12. An exercise system as recited in claim 10, wherein the control signals control the one or more operating parameters while the user views the images provided by the display programming on the display.

13. An exercise system as recited in claim 10, wherein the data used to generate the exercise programming comprises map data, topographical data, video or image data, or a combination thereof relating to the one or more aspects of the real world exercise route.

14. An exercise system as recited in claim 10, wherein the exercise device is selected from the group consisting of a treadmill, an exercise cycle, a climber, a hiker, an elliptical, and a stepper.

15. An exercise system as recited in claim 10, wherein the remote communication system communicates with at least one third party to obtain the data used to generate the exercise programming.

16. An exercise system as recited in claim 15, wherein the at least one third party comprise a database or website.

17. In a computerized exercise environment including an exercise device, a remote communication system that generates exercise programming, and a local computer, a method of controlling the exercise device, the exercise device comprising a movable element that is movable during performance of exercise by a user, an upright support structure, and a resistance assembly operable to apply resistance to movement of the movable element, the method comprising:

receiving one or more user inputs at the remote communication system, the one or more user inputs defining at least a starting point and an ending point for a real world exercise route, wherein the remote communication system generates and synchronizes one or more control signals with one or more images of the real world exercise route to generate exercise programming, the one or more control signals being adapted to control one or more operating parameters, which include at least a tilt of the upright support structure and the resistance provided by the resistance assembly of the exercise device based upon topographical characteristics of the real world exercise route and the user'"'"'s weight such that the remote communication system changes the tilt based on the topographical characteristics and the user'"'"'s weight at the same time the display programming of the simulated real world exercise route depicts a change in terrain;

communicating the exercise programming from the remote communication system to the local computer;

communicating the one or more control signals from the local computer to the exercise device to control the one or more operating parameters of the exercise device; and

displaying the one or more images of the real world exercise route as the one or more control signals control the one or more operating parameters of the exercise device.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more images of the real world exercise route are displayed on a display associated with the local computer or the exercise device.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more control signals are communicated from the local computer to the exercise device via a wireless connection.