Granted Patent B2

US 9,186,549 · App. 13/856,336 · Granted Nov 17, 2015

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. A data collecting device that is selectively attachable to a tread base of a treadmill, the data collecting device capable of converting the treadmill that lacks certain data collecting and communicating features into a treadmill that is capable of tracking and transmitting data to an external computing device, the data collecting device comprising:

a foot fall sensing mechanism that collects foot fall data from the tread base;

an inclination sensing mechanism that collects inclination data regarding the inclination of the tread base relative to horizontal; and

a communication mechanism that selectively transmits the foot fall data and the inclination data to an external computing device;

wherein the foot fall sensing mechanism, the inclination sensing mechanism, and the communication mechanism are portable, hand-held electronic mechanisms that are selectively attachable to the treadmill, wherein the data collecting device is a cellular telephone.

2. The data collecting device of claim 1 , wherein the foot fall sensing mechanism comprises an accelerometer.

3. The data collecting device of claim 1 , wherein the inclination sensing mechanism comprises a gyroscope.

4. The data collecting device of claim 1 , wherein the communication mechanism transmits the foot fall data and the inclination data to an external computing device via a wireless connection.

5. The data collecting device of claim 4 , wherein the communication mechanism comprises a Bluetooth transmitter.

6. The data collecting device of claim 1 , wherein the communication mechanism transmits the foot fall data and the inclination data to an external computing device intermittently during a workout session on the treadmill.

7. The data collecting device of claim 1 , wherein the communication mechanism transmits the foot fall data and the inclination data to an external computing device via a wired connection.

8. The data collecting device of claim 7 , wherein the communication mechanism comprises a Universal Serial Bus cable.

9. The data collecting device of claim 1 , further comprising a timer.

10. The data collecting device of claim 9 , wherein the timer begins to track elapsed time when a first foot fall is sensed.

11. The data collecting device of claim 9 , wherein the foot fall data includes a number of foot falls per unit of time.

12. The data collecting device of claim 1 , further comprising a memory that may store the foot fall data and the inclination data.

13. The data collecting device of claim 1 , further comprising software that converts the foot fall data into a speed or distance traveled.

14. The data collecting device of claim 1 , wherein data received by the communication mechanism includes at least one of a user stride length, a user height, a user weight, a user inseam length, a user gender, and a user age.

15. The data collecting device of claim 1 , further comprising a magnet that is selectively attachable to the tread base.

16. A system for tracking and transmitting exercise related data comprising:

a treadmill having a tread base, the treadmill lacking certain data collecting and communicating features including a foot fall sensing mechanism and an inclination sensing mechanism; and

a data collecting device selectively attachable to the treadmill to provide data collecting and transmission capabilities to the treadmill, the data collecting device comprising a foot fall sensing mechanism, an inclination sensing mechanism, and a communication mechanism,

wherein the data collecting device may be selectively attached to the tread base;

wherein the foot fall sensing mechanism collects foot fall data from the treadmill base;

wherein the inclination sensing mechanism collects inclination data regarding the inclination of the tread base relative to horizontal;

wherein the communication mechanism selectively transmits the foot fall data and the inclination data to an external computing device; and

wherein foot fall sensing mechanism, the inclination sensing mechanism, and the communication mechanism are portable, hand-held electronic mechanisms, wherein the data collecting device is a cellular telephone.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the communication mechanism transmits the foot fall data and the inclination data to an external computing device via a wireless connection.

18. The data collecting device of claim 17 , wherein the communication mechanism transmits the foot fall data and the inclination data to an external computing device intermittently during a workout session on the treadmill.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the data collecting device is selectively attached to the tread base through a magnetic attraction.

20. A method for tracking data regarding exercise performed on a treadmill and transmitting the data to an external computing device, the treadmill being converted from a treadmill that does not collect data regarding foot falls of a user on a treadmill tread base or inclination of the treadmill tread base into a treadmill that is capable of collecting data regarding foot falls of a user on the treadmill tread base and inclination of the treadmill tread base and capable of transmitting the data to an external computing device, the method comprising:

selectively attaching a portable, hand-held data collecting device to a treadmill tread base of an existing treadmill;

sensing foot falls of a user on the treadmill tread base with the data collecting device;

sensing the inclination of the treadmill tread base relative to horizontal with the data collecting device;

transmitting data regarding the foot falls of the user and the inclination of the treadmill tread base from the data collecting device to an external computing device; and

displaying exercise related data generated from the data regarding the foot falls of the user and the inclination of the treadmill tread base;

wherein the data collecting device receives data from an external computing device, wherein the data collecting device is a cellular telephone.

Assignments (21)