Exercise and health equipment
View Patent ↗An exercise system includes a local system having an exercise apparatus and an associated local computer, where the local computer controls and monitors the operation and use, respectively, of the exercise apparatus. The system further includes a remote system having a remote computer, and a transmission medium including a telephone line that couples the local system to the remote system for data communication between the local system and the remote system. The remote system may receive local system data from the local system concerning the use of the exercise apparatus, and the local system may receive remote system data from the remote system concerning the operation of the exercise apparatus. The local computer preferably controls the operation of the exercise apparatus based upon a modifiable script stored in a read/write memory of the local computer, which can be updated by the remote system. A method for controlling an exercise apparatus includes running a modifiable script on a local computer to control the use and to monitor the operation of an exercise apparatus, and communicating with a remote system to provide the remote system with data concerning the use of the exercise apparatus. The script is stored in read/write memory of the local computer and remote system data received from the remote system may include at least a portion of a new script to be stored in the read/write memory of the local computer.
1. An exercise system for enabling a user to exercise on a variety of different types of exercise apparatuses, the exercise system comprising:
a plurality of exercise apparatuses, wherein a first exercise apparatus of the plurality of exercise apparatuses compnses:
a frame;
a housing coupled to and at least partially surrounding said frame;
a user engagement mechanism coupled to said frame for relative movement with respect thereto;
a resistance varying mechanism coupled between said frame and said user engagement mechanism, said resistance varying mechanism being operative in response to control signals to cause a change of an exertion by the user engaged with the user engagement mechanism during an exercise session; and
control circuitry electrically coupled to said resistance varying mechanism for communicating said control signals to said resistance varying mechanism, said control circuitry having an input; and
a storage device storing said control signals and the voice of a virtual personal trainer, wherein said control signals and said voice of a virtual personal trainer are interrelated, said digital storage device being coupled to said input of said control circuitry whereby said first exercise apparatus can be operated within an exercise session by varying a resistance of said user engagement mechanism in accordance with said control signals with the accompaniment of said voice of said virtual personal trainer, the exercise session comprising use of said plurality of exercise apparatuses,
wherein said first exercise apparatus is adapted for communication with a second exercise apparatus of said plurality of exercise apparatuses such that said control signals from said storage device of said first exercise apparatus can cause a change of an exertion by the user when the user is engaged with said second exercise apparatus during the exercise session, and wherein said voice of said virtual personal trainer of said first exercise apparatus is adapted to provide instructions regarding use of both said first and second exercise apparatuses of said plurality of exercise apparatuses during the exercise session, and wherein said first and said second exercise apparatuses are different types of exercise apparatuses such that the user can exercise on a variety of different exercise apparatuses with the accompaniment of said voice of said virtual personal trainer.
2. An exercise system as recited in claim 1 wherein said digital storage device is at least one of coupled to said frame, coupled to said housing, and at least partially surrounded by said housing.
3. An exercise system as recited in claim 1 wherein said input to said control circuitry includes an input port, and wherein said digital storage device is counled to said input port by a cable.
4. An exercise system as recited in claim 3 wherein said control circuitry includes a microprocessor, and wherein said digital storage device comprises at least one of a CD optical diaital storage, other forms of optical digital storage, a hard disk magnetic digital storage, other forms of magnetic digital storage, RAM semiconductor digital memory, and other forms of semiconductor digital memory.
5. An exercise system as recited in claim 4 wherein said resistance varying mechanism includes at least one of a brake and a motor, and further comprising an output port coupled to at least one of said control circuitry and said input port, which provides audio output signals of at least said voice of said virtual personal trainer.
6. An exercise apparatus comprising:
a user engagement mechanism including at least one of a pedal, a step, a graspable member, and a planar surface;
an exertion varying mechanism coupled to said user engagement mechanism, said exertion varying mechanism being operative to cause a change of an exertion by a user engaged with the user engagement mechanism during an exercise session; and
circuitry electrically coupled to said exertion varying mechanism and being operationally receptive to control signals which are provided in correlation with a voice of a virtual personal trainer, wherein both said control signals and said voice of a virtual personal trainer are, at least at some point in time, stored together in a digital storage medium;
whereby said exercise apparatus can be operated within an exercise session with the capability of both varying an exertion of said user and contemporaneously providing said voice of a virtual personal trainer, the exercise session comprising use of a plurality of exercise apparatuses, and said voice of a virtual personal trainer of said exercise apparatus being capable of providing instructions regarding use of at least two exercise apparatuses of said plurality of exercise apparatuses during the exercise session, wherein said at least two exercise apparatuses comprise different types of exercises apparatuses such that a user can exercise on a variety of different exercise apparatuses with the accompaniment of said voice of a virtual personal trainer, and wherein said exercise apparatus is adapted to communicate said control signals to a second exercise apparatus of the plurality of exercise apparatus such that said control signals from said exercise apparatus are able to cause a change of an exertion by the user when the user is engaged with said second exercise apparatus during the exercise session.
7. An exercise apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said digital storage medium associated with digital device can derive said control sianals and said voice of said virtual personal trainer from said digital storage medium.
8. An exercise system as recited in claim 6 wherein said digital storage medium is selected from the group consisting essentially of magnetic media, optical media, and semiconductor media.
9. An exercise system as recited in claim 8 wherein said optical media is a compact disc (CD).
10. An exercise system as recited in claim 6 wherein said circuitry receives said control signals from a server which communicates over a network.
11. An exercise system as recited in claim 10 wherein said server is accessed using Internet protocols.
12. An exercise system as recited in claim 6 wherein said digital storage medium is separate from said apparatus and is coupled to said apparatus by a transmission medium.
13. An exercise system as recited in claim 12 wherein said transmission medium is a cable.
14. An exercise system as recited in claim 6 wherein said resistance varying mechanism includes at least one of a brake and a motor.
15. An exercise system for enabling a user to exercise on a variety of different types of exercise apparatuses, said exercise system comprising:
(a) first and second exercise apparatuses, wherein said first and second exercise apparatuses are different types of exercise apparatuses, said first exercise apparatus including:
a frame;
a housing coupled to and at least partially surrounding said frame;
a user engagement mechanism coupled to said frame for relative movement with respect thereto;
an exertion varying mechanism coupled to said frame and associated with said user engagement mechanism, said exertion varying mechanism being operative to cause a change of exertion level by a user engaged with the user engagement mechanism during an exercise session;
internal circuitry including a microprocessor at least partially surrounded by said housing and electrically coupled to said exertion varying mechanism, said internal circuitry being operationally responsive to digital control signals which are temporally related with a voice of a virtual personal trainer whereby an exercise session can be enhanced with the capability of both varying an exertion and providing said voice of said virtual personal trainer,
wherein the exercise session comprises use of said first and second exercise apparatuses, said voice of a virtual personal trainer of said first exercise apparatus being capable of providing instructions regarding use of both said first and second exercise apparatuses during the exercise session such that the user can exercise on a variety of different exercise apparatuses with the accompaniment of said voice of a virtual personal trainer, and said internal circuitry of said first exercise apparatus being in communication with said second exercise apparatus such that said first exercise apparatus is able to control at least one operating parameter of said second exercise apparatus by communicating said control signals to said second exercise apparatus; and
an input port coupled to said control circuitry; and
(b) an external device coupled to said input port, said external device including digital storage provided separately from said exercise apparatus and operative to at least temporarily store said control signals and said voice of said virtual personal trainer together in said digital storage.
16. An exercise system as recited in claim 15 wherein said external device includes a digital processor.
17. An exercise system as recited in claim 16 wherein said external device comprises at least one of a personal computer system and a server communicating over a network.
18. An exercise system as recited in claim 16 wherein said digital storage is at least one of optical storage, magnetic storage, and semiconductor storage.
19. An exercise system as recited in claim 16 wherein said digital storage is at least one of a CD, a hard disk, a RAM and a ROM.
20. An exercise system as recited in claim 15 further comprising an output port providing analog electrical sianals to drive an electro-acoustical device which reproduces said voice of said virtual personal trainer.