Systems for interaction with exercise device
View Patent ↗An exercise device is configured to enable a user to interact with a trainer in real-time communication. The exercise device includes an exercise mechanism having a movable element for movement in performance of exercise by a user. Communicating with the exercise mechanism is an interface adapted for gathering a first real-time signal from the user. The interface communicates with a communication system for receiving a packetized second real-time signal including a synchronized control signal from the trainer. The exercise device includes an output device configured to reproduce the second real-time signal. The control signals carried by the second signal are used to control the operating parameters of the exercise mechanism in real-time.
1. A method of operating one or more operating parameters of an exercise module of a user module, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) preparing a first signal for delivery to a communication module;
(b) in response to the first signal, producing and packetizing programming having one or more control signals for controlling the one or more operating parameters of the exercise module; and
(c) reproducing and depacketizing the programming and adjusting the one or more operating parameters of the exercise module in response to the one or more control signals.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the preparing step comprises:
(a) gathering one or more signals representative of a user exercising on the exercise module; and
(b) manipulating the one or more signals into a form capable of being delivered via a network to the communication module.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second signals are each real time signals and wherein the programming is reproduced and depacketized in real time.
4. A method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the producing and packetizing step comprises:
(a) transmitting the first real-time signal to a trainer module located at a distant location from the user module;
(b) in response to the first real-time signal, creating the programming and the one or more control signals; and
(c) synchronizing the programming and the one or more control signals before transmittal to the communication module.
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the producing and packetizing step comprises:
(a) selecting the programming from a data storage module of the communication module;
(b) in response to the first signal, generating the one or more control signals; and
(c) synchronizing the programming and the one or more control signals.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting the programming and the one or more control signals from the communication module to the exercise module.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the reproducing step comprises delivering the programming to one or more output devices.
8. A method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the one or more output devices comprises one or more video displays and one or more speakers.