IP Library Granted Patent US 11,235,190
Granted Patent B2
US 11,235,190 · App. 17/179,289 · Granted Feb 1, 2022

Digital strength training

Inventors: Aly E. Orady (San Francisco, CA); Bret G. Stott (Menlo Park, CA)
Assignee: Tonal Systems, Inc.
A63B21/0059A63B21/00181A63B21/015A63B21/018A63B21/16A63B21/169A63B21/4035A63B23/1281A63B24/0062A63B24/0087A63B71/0054A63B2071/0072A63B2220/17A63B2220/34A63B2220/40A63B2220/62A63B2220/80A63B2220/805A63B2220/833
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,235,190
App. No.
17/179,289
Granted
Feb 1, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information related to the position of an actuator coupled to a cable which is coupled to a motor is received. A filter is used to provide an input to a motor controller coupled to the motor, to adjust torque on the motor such that a strength curve is implemented relative to the position of the actuator.

Claims (31)

1. An exercise machine including:

an actuator;

a motor;

a cable coupled between the actuator and the motor; and

a processor configured to:

receive a series of position updates, wherein a position update is associated with motion of the cable coupled between the actuator and the motor;

based at least in part on an evaluation of the series of position updates, detect a first change in direction of travel;

ignore the first change in direction of travel based at least in part on a determination that the first change in direction does not comply with a threshold position; and

determine that a repetition of a movement has been completed based at least in part on a determination that a second detected change in direction complies with the threshold position.

2. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a range of motion for the movement, and wherein the determination that the repetition of the movement has been completed is based at least in part on the range of motion.

3. The exercise machine of claim 2 , wherein the range of motion comprises a start point and an end point.

4. The exercise machine of claim 3 , wherein determining the range of motion further comprises determine a difference between the start point and the end point.

5. The exercise machine of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to update the start point and the end point of the range of motion.

6. The exercise machine of claim 3 , wherein the start point and the end point are updated with the repetition.

7. The exercise machine of claim 3 , wherein updating the start point and the end point comprises determining at least one of an average, a moving average, or a weighted average of a plurality of previously recorded samples of start points and end points.

8. The exercise machine of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of previously recorded samples includes at least one sample from a previous set.

9. The exercise machine of claim 3 , wherein the range of motion further comprises a stride length.

10. The exercise machine of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect a change in stride.

11. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a percent range of motion, the percent range of motion comprising a representation of position as a percent of the range of motion.

12. The exercise machine of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine, based at least in part on the percent range of motion, a transition from a concentric phase of the movement to an eccentric phase of the movement.

13. The exercise machine of claim 12 , wherein the transition from the concentric phase of the movement to the eccentric phase of the movement is determined at least in part by determining that the percent range of motion has changed from increasing to decreasing.

14. The exercise machine of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine, based at least in part on the percent range of motion, a transition from an eccentric phase of the movement to a concentric phase of the movement.

15. The exercise machine of claim 14 , wherein the transition from the eccentric phase of the movement to the concentric phase of the movement is determined at least in part by determining that the percent range of motion has changed from decreasing to increasing.

16. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to filter out the detected first change in direction of travel using hysteresis.

17. The exercise machine of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to filter out the detected first change in direction of travel from being used to determine a range of motion for the movement.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving a series of position updates, wherein a position update is associated with motion of a cable coupled between an actuator and a motor included in an exercise machine;

based at least in part on an evaluation of the series of position updates, detecting a first change in direction of travel;

ignoring the first change in direction of travel based at least in part on a determination that the first change in direction does not comply with a threshold position; and

determining that a repetition of a movement has been completed based at least in part on a determination that a second detected change in direction complies with the threshold position.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising determining a range of motion for the movement, and wherein the determination that the repetition of the movement has been completed is based at least in part on the range of motion.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2026
From: TONAL SYSTEMS, INC.
To: HERCULES CAPITAL, INC., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 075306/0212 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2026
From: THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, IN ITS CAPACITY AS RECEIVER FOR SIGNATURE BRIDGE BANK, N.A.
To: TONAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 074028/0088 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2025
From: TONAL SYSTEMS, INC.
To: CUSTOMERS BANK
Reel/Frame 073255/0161 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 11, 2023
From: TONAL SYSTEMS, INC.
To: THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, IN ITS CAPACITY AS RECEIVER FOR SIGNATURE BRIDGE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063283/0182 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16737684 · Jan 8, 2020
Continuation 15655682 · Jul 20, 2017
Provisional Application 62366573 · Jul 25, 2016
Related Publication 20210170214A1 · Jun 10, 2021