U.S. patent application number 11/938406 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-15 for exercise facility and method.
Invention is credited to Barry J. French.
Application Number | 20080110115 11/938406 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39367837 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080110115 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
French; Barry J. |
May 15, 2008 |
EXERCISE FACILITY AND METHOD
Abstract
An exercise facility provides a physical space allowing
unconstrained user movement in a low light level. The low light
level improves the perceived user satisfaction with exercising, and
may improve duration, frequency, and quality of the exercise. The
room in which the physical space is located may have
characteristics that reduce inhibitions against physical movement.
These characteristics may include a dark floor, dark walls with a
matte finish, and indirect lighting off of a light-colored ceiling.
The environment may also aid in increasing focus of the user on the
exercise task, removing distractions that might otherwise divert
the attention of the user. The user-friendly environment may also
aid the exercise system in following movement of the user within
the physical space. For example, the environment surrounding the
physical space may provide less interference than prior
environments to infrared sensor systems.
Inventors: |
French; Barry J.; (Bay
Village, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Jonathan A. Platt;Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP
19th Floor, 1621 Euclid Ave
Cleveland
OH
44115
US
|
Family ID: |
39367837 |
Appl. No.: |
11/938406 |
Filed: |
November 12, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60858516 |
Nov 13, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/311.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/04 20130101;
A63B 2214/00 20200801; A63B 2213/001 20130101; A63B 2225/105
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/311.1 |
International
Class: |
A63B 26/00 20060101
A63B026/00 |
Claims
1. A method of providing an exercise environment, the method
comprising: providing a physical space for a user to make
unconstrained physical movement; and providing a low light level of
less than 10 foot-candles in the physical space during
exercise.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the physical space
includes providing a physical space in a room with a dark-colored
floor.
3. (canceled)
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the dark-colored floor is
black.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the physical space
includes providing a physical space in a room with dark-colored
walls.
6. (canceled)
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the dark-colored walls are dark
blue.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the dark-colored walls have a
matte finish, a semi-gloss finish, or an eggshell finish.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the room has a light-colored
ceiling.
10. (canceled)
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the
unconstrained physical movement in the physical space with an
exercise system; wherein the exercise system includes a sensor and
a display; and further comprising: sensing movement of the user
within the physical space, using the sensor; and displaying an
interactive view to the user.
12. (canceled)
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the directing includes
interactively directing the user in the unconstrained physical
motion using the displaying; wherein the interactively directing
includes directing the user to engage in unplanned unconstrained
physical movements; and wherein the unplanned unconstrained
physical movements include changes in height of a center of gravity
of the user.
14-15. (canceled)
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the displaying includes
displaying a view of a virtual space that corresponds to the
physical space; and wherein the displaying the view of the virtual
space includes displaying a user icon in a virtual location
corresponding to a user physical location of the user.
17-22. (canceled)
23. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the low light
level includes providing a light level of less than 1 foot-candle
in the physical space during exercise.
24. (canceled)
25. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical space is in a room;
and further providing one or more additional physical spaces for
unconstrained physical movement within the room; and further
comprising: providing stationary exercise devices in the room; and
providing a relatively high light level at the stationary exercise
devices that is bright than the low light level.
26. (canceled)
27. An exercise facility comprising: an exercise system that
directs unconstrained physical movement in a physical space of the
facility; and a stationary exercise device; wherein the physical
space is at a relatively low light level, and the stationary
exercise device is at a relatively high light level that is
brighter than the low light level.
28. The facility of claim 27, wherein the facility has a
dark-colored floor.
29. (canceled)
30. The facility of claim 28, wherein the dark-colored floor is
black.
31. The facility of claim 27, wherein the facility has dark-colored
walls.
32. (canceled)
33. The facility of claim 31, wherein the dark-colored walls are
dark blue.
34. The facility of claim 31, wherein the dark-colored walls have a
matte finish.
35. The facility of claim 31, wherein the facility has a
light-colored ceiling.
36. (canceled)
37. The facility of claim 27, wherein the relatively low light
level is less than 10 foot-candles.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/858,516, filed Nov. 13, 2006, which
is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to an exercise facility and an
exercise method.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] According to an aspect of the invention, a method of
providing an exercise environment includes the steps of: providing
a physical space for a user to make unconstrained physical
movement; and providing a low light level of less than 10
foot-candles in the physical space during exercise.
[0004] According to another aspect of the invention, an exercise
facility includes: an exercise system that directs unconstrained
physical movement in a physical space of the facility; and a
stationary exercise device. The physical space is at a relatively
low light level, and the stationary exercise device is at a
relatively high light level that is brighter than the low light
level.
[0005] To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the
invention comprises the features hereinafter fully described and
particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description
and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative
embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative,
however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles
of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and
novel features of the invention will become apparent from the
following detailed description of the invention when considered in
conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] In the annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to
scale:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a view of an exercise facility in accordance with
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a view of an alternate embodiment exercise
facility in accordance with the present invention; and
[0009] FIG. 3 is a view of another alternate embodiment exercise
facility in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] An exercise facility provides a physical space allowing
unconstrained user movement in a low light level. The low light
level improves the perceived user satisfaction with exercising, and
may improve duration, frequency, and quality of the exercise. The
room in which the physical space is located may have
characteristics that reduce inhibitions against physical movement.
These characteristics may include a dark floor, dark walls with a
matte finish, and indirect lighting off of a light-colored ceiling.
The environment may also aid in increasing focus of the user on the
exercise task, removing distractions that might otherwise divert
the attention of the user. The user-friendly environment may also
aid the exercise system in following movement of the user within
the physical space. For example, the environment surrounding the
physical space may provide less interference than prior
environments to infrared sensor systems. Also, the dark walls and
floor may assist image-based systems such as chroma key systems in
following and tracking user movement. In essence, the environment
in and around the physical space is advantageous for both human
sensors (the user's eyes) and sensors of the exercise system
(camera or other signal-receiving device).
[0011] Referring initially to FIG. 1, a physical space 10 for
exercising is located in a room 12, as part of an exercise facility
13. The physical space (movement area or zone) 10 is a bounded
movement zone for unconstrained physical movement by a user 14. The
space is bounded in the sense that the user 14 is to remain within
it while performing the unconstrained physical movement. The user's
unconstrained physical movement may be performed in conjunction
with an exercise system 16, which may direct and/or measure
unconstrained physical movement of the user 14.
[0012] Unconstrained physical movement is defined as physical
movement that is unconstrained by stationary exercise equipment
devices, such as for example stationary bicycles, treadmills,
rowing machines, elliptical trainers, and stair climbers.
Unconstrained physical movement also specifically excludes movement
directed by illumination of locations on a floor surface or
directed by interactive physical equipment, such as pressure
sensors or pads, located at preselected locations on a floor
surface. Such illuminated locations or physical devices constitute
environmental landmarks for the user, while unconstrained physical
movement is accomplished at least mostly without environmental
landmarks, meaning that most of the unconstrained physical
movements are not guided by environmental landmarks. Unconstrained
physical movement may be two-dimensional movement within a given
floor area 15 of the physical space 10. The floor area 15 where the
unconstrained physical movement takes place may be substantially
free of environmental landmarks. Alternatively, the floor area 15
may have markings for boundaries and/or for some specific locations
within the floor area 15. Boundary markings may be primarily for
spectators or other non-users, to keep them away from the physical
space 10. Unconstrained physical movement may also be
three-dimensional movement, with the user prompted to move in a
vertical direction by jumping and/or by changing posture.
[0013] The exercise system 16 includes a display screen 18 to
prompt or direct unconstrained physical movement by the user 14.
The system 16 may also include sensors 20 to track position of the
user 14 within the physical space. The user 14 may wear a beacon 22
that emits a signal, such as an infrared signal, that is received
by the sensors 20. This sensing allows the system 16 to track
position of the user 14, such as the position of the user's center
of mass, in two or three directions, and in real time. An example
of such sensing may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,855, which is
incorporated by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,855
also describes many suitable variations for tracking user
position.
[0014] The display 18 may include a representation 28 of all or
part of the physical space 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the
representation 28 may be a virtual representation that shows a
virtual environment that corresponds to all or part of the physical
space 10. A user icon or representation 30 may be located in the
virtual representation 28, at a location that corresponds to the
location of the user 14 within the physical space 10. A protagonist
or avatar icon 32 may also be placed in the representation 28 to
represent a virtual character or object that the user 14 is to
interact with by movement of the user icon or representation 30.
The protagonist or avatar icon 32 may represent a virtual opponent
that the user 14 competes against. Alternatively, the icon 32 may
represent a virtual character that serves as a trainer or guide,
directing the user 14 through one or more movements. As a further
alternative, the icon 32 may represent a virtual object that the
user 14 is to collide with or avoid colliding with. Such virtual
objects may be stationary or mobile. Although only one icon 32 is
shown, it will be appreciated that multiple icons 32 of similar or
different types may be provided. Details and examples of such
systems may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,855.
[0015] The display 18 may be any of a wide variety of suitable
displays, including projection displays, plasma displays, liquid
crystal displays, digital light processing displays, and cathode
ray tube displays. The display 18 may also include speakers for
producing sounds, such as words, music, or sound effects.
[0016] The exercise system 16 may be an interactive system that
provides directions to the user 14 to perform physical activities,
and modifies these directions or bases new directions at least in
part as a function of user response. For example, the rate or
difficulty of physical activity may be altered based on user
performance. The physical activity may involve any of a wide
variety of physical activities, for example including moving to
specified locations within the physical area 10, and/or changing
the height of the user's center of gravity, for example by jumping
or crouching. The physical activities may include directed
movements that are perceived by the user as being random, in the
sense that the movements directed by the system do not follow a
readily discernable predictable pattern. Such movements are
referred to as "unplanned physical movements."
[0017] Many alternatives are possible for the exercise system 16.
One alternative is a chroma key system that uses a camera to
capture images of the user 14 that are displayed on the display 18.
The image of the user 14 may be displayed against a solid color
background, or against a representation of an appropriate
environment, such as a sports-specific environment. The image on
the display may also include a virtual opponent that the user
competes against, and/or one or more virtual objects that the user
interacts with by moving within the physical space 10.
[0018] The room 12 is configured to enhance the exercise experience
for the user 14. The room 12 has a light source 40 used to
illuminate the physical space 10. The light source 40 may provide a
much lower amount of light than is usually provided in exercise
facilities. Some of the light reaching the physical area 10 from
the light source 40 may be indirect light, reaching the physical
space 10 reflected from a light-colored ceiling 42. The ceiling 42
may be painted white to provide a good ability to reflect light
from the light source 40, in order to provide good indirect
lighting of the physical space 10.
[0019] The light source 40 may include any of a wide variety of
well-known light-producing devices and fixtures. One example is
track lighting. It will be appreciated that the light source 40 may
have a wide variety of number, size, and configuration of
light-producing devices.
[0020] The physical space 10 may have a dark-colored floor 44, and
dark-colored walls 46 in its vicinity. As used herein, dark means a
saturated shade of color that is deep in value and of a hue remote
from white. The floor 44 may be dark blue, dark green, dark purple,
dark brown, or black, and may have a finish that does not
excessively reflect light. The walls 46 may be painted a suitable
dark color, such as dark blue, dark green, dark purple, dark brown,
or black. The paint used for the walls 46 may give the walls 46
other than a high-gloss surface, such as a matte finish, a
semi-gloss finish, or an eggshell finish, so as to not excessively
reflect light. The floor 44 and/or the walls 46 may be dark blue or
dark green, which are colors that enhance the attractiveness of
human skin tones. The walls 46 may include a decorative header
48.
[0021] The light level in the physical space 10 may be less than 10
foot-candles, measured at a most significant plane of motion, such
as at the center of gravity of an average adult in a standing
position. This light level may include light directly entering the
physical space 10 from the light source 40. It may also include
light reflected off of the ceiling 42, or other parts of the room
12. In addition, the light level includes light entering the
physical space 10 from the display screen 18. The light level may
be even lower than 10 foot-candles, such as less than 5
foot-candles, less than 3 foot-candles, less than 1 foot-candle, or
less than 0.5 foot-candles.
[0022] The low light levels used in the physical space 10 contrast
with the much higher light levels that are typically used in
exercise facilities and in locations where physical movement is
expected to take place. The conventional wisdom calls for high
light levels in such areas in order to elevate mood, and in order
to provide sufficient light to navigate around obstacles. For
example, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a light
level for exercise facilities of at least 50 foot-candles at the
floor surface. Exercise facilities often provide higher light
levels in the belief that high light levels act as a mood enhancer,
thus providing a more pleasant experience.
[0023] The surprising discovery made is that the conventional
wisdom with regard to light levels is completely wrong when in
comes to exercise tasks involving unconstrained physical movement
(as defined above) in a physical area. People often become self
conscious when performing physical tasks in front of others,
especially when those tasks involve a potential for appearing
awkward or clumsy. Such concerns may not be important when the
range of possible physical movements is tightly controlled by an
apparatus that is used, or by the type of activity. Thus
embarrassment over appearing awkward may not be a significant
factor when someone is riding a stationary bicycle, or performing a
simple aerobics routine. However, unconstrained physical movements
over an area of floor space are another matter. Fear of appearing
uncoordinated may inhibit a potential user from even initiating
such an exercise program. Extra effort and encouragement may be
needed to overcome such initial inhibitions, if they can be
overcome at all. Such fears and inhibitions may continue during the
unconstrained physical motion activity. This may interfere with the
user's enjoyment of the exercise activity. The result may be
shorter exercise times, reduced user satisfaction, and a lowered
chance of user adherence to such an exercise program.
[0024] The use of lower light levels reduces inhibitions from fears
of appearing awkward when engaging in unconstrained physical
movement, particularly unplanned unconstrained physical movements.
When a person performing a physical activity in a crowded room is
less visible, that person is less prone to feelings of
embarrassment. With lower light levels the user 14 is more
compliant, more willing to perform as directed by the exercise
system 16. In addition, having some of the light from the light
source 40 reach the physical area 10 as indirect light can make the
user 14 feel less on display, with less of a feeling of being in
the spotlight. This can lead to greater user satisfaction,
resulting in longer exercise times and increased adherence to an
exercise program.
[0025] The use of lower light levels may have other benefits for
users as well. It is known that blue and green light enhances the
perceived attractiveness of skin tones. This is because there is
little or no blue or green coloring in normal flesh tones/pigments.
Use of blue or green for the floor 44 and/or the walls 46 may thus
lead to a feeling of attractiveness on the part of the user 14.
This may lead to better user satisfaction with the exercise
process.
[0026] Another surprising benefit of the facility described herein
is with regard to elderly users. Often it is believed that
increased light levels are required for exercise facilities
catering to the elderly, because the illuminance perceived by the
elderly is less than that perceived by younger people. Although it
is often believed that increased light levels (for example at least
50 foot candles) is necessary to allow elderly people to navigate
through an environment, this was not found to be true in use of the
exercise facilities such as described herein. The lower ambient
light levels make it less productive for elderly users to focus on
their feet as they walk. Instead such users focus straight ahead,
such as on a lighted display against a dark wall. In doing so the
elderly user builds confidence in his or her ability to control
foot placement without looking down. In addition the user builds
peripheral vision in the appropriate visual planes.
[0027] A low-light environment with a dark floor 44 and/or dark
walls 46 also increases the user's focus on the display screen 18.
The display screen 18 is illuminated to a much greater degree than
the surrounding environment. This effect is due both the low light
level and the user of a dark floor 44 and dark walls 46. The dark
floor and walls drop away from the visual awareness of the user 14,
increasing the user's focus on the display screen 18 and the
unconstrained (and perhaps unplanned) physical movement activity
being directed by the exercise system 16. The result is a more
intense exercise experience, which may result in better
performance, as well as increasing user satisfaction and the user's
desire to repeat the experience. The dark walls, by not reflecting
light, appear to disappear or drop out from the perspective of the
player. This leads to a reduction in the visible landmarks and
therefore a lower perceived exertion. Having a floor without few or
no environmental landmarks enhances this effect.
[0028] To further expand on the contrast between prior exercise
environments, and the environment described above, conventional
dynamic exercise machines such as treadmills, stationary bikes,
ellipticals, steppers and alike provide for the user an opposing
force so that the user may perform productive work. Such work
produces well-known health benefits for the user. One example of
such machine-enabled opposing force is the force the user applies
to the pedals of a stationary bike. When exercising on one of the
aforementioned exercise machines, the user's work is performed
within the constraints (the "envelope") of the machine itself-no
work is accomplished by the user relative to the environment in
which the machine is located. In other words, the user's position
in the environment remains essentially constant/static relative to
the environment even though the user is performing measurable work.
The exercise machine's prescribed exercise pattern, not the
environment's objects/cues, constrains the user. Therefore in using
such equipment, visual landmarks/reference points in the
environment/facility are of little or no value to the user in
assessing his/her work rate. In contrast, control of visual
landmarks and the surrounding environment is much more important in
unconstrained physical movement activities.
[0029] The advantages of the facility 13 extend beyond direct
advantages for the user 14. There may be advantages as well for
performance of the exercise system 16, in particulars for sensors,
such as infrared sensors or cameras. Blue is toward the end of the
visible color spectrum farthest from the infrared spectrum. Thus a
blue floor and blue walls may advantageously preferentially absorb
light in the infrared range. This reduces reflected infrared light
received by the sensors 20 of the system 16, reducing interference
with infrared light emitted from the beacon 22 directly to the
sensors 20. In addition, all common light sources emit some amount
of infrared light. By reducing the overall amount of light in the
physical space 10, the absolute amount of infrared light introduced
into the physical space 10 is reduced. This also may improve the
performance of the exercise system 16 in tracking the position of
the beacon 22 as the user 14 moves.
[0030] The dark floor and walls may also aid in preventing
interference from other infrared light sources. An example of an
infrared source is a halogen lamp.
[0031] The light-colored ceiling 42 may also indirectly improve
performance of the sensors 20. The use of a light-colored ceiling
allows some indirect lighting of the physical area 10 and the
regions adjacent to it. If the level of indirect lighting were to
be reduced, for example by use of a dark-colored ceiling, the level
of direct lighting may need to be increased for safety purposes.
The increase of direct lighting would result in more infrared
interference in the physical area 10.
[0032] Chroma key systems, as well as other types of sensors used
to track motion, may also benefit from the environment of the
facility 13. The walls 46 may essentially function as a giant
monochrome screen that facilitates the system extracting or
distinguishing the user 44 from the background. The floor 44 and
the walls 46 may also be made the same color, eliminating the
possibility of a difference in color between them reducing
effectiveness of the system.
[0033] The environment described above thus provides performance
advantages for both the user 14 and the exercise system 16. Broadly
speaking, the low-light environment provides advantages to a pair
of very different types of "sensors": the eyes of the user 14, and
the infrared or other sensors 20 of the exercise system 16. The
user 14 has better perception in the exercise experience, and
receives more satisfaction from the exercise experience. The
exercise system sensors 20 experience less interference, and a
corresponding better ability to track the beacon worn by the user
14. Surprisingly, given the divergence between the human and
machine "sensors" involved, there is no trade off involved--both
systems perform better in the above-described environment.
[0034] Instructors, attendants, or other personnel may wear outfits
or uniforms that are designed to blend in with the surroundings.
For example, the personnel may where blue shirts that match the
wall color, and black pants that match the floor color. It will be
appreciated that there are advantages in having personnel be
inconspicuous (less intrusive) to users. Of course there are
advantages to having some or all personnel be more visible.
Accordingly personnel may alternatively wear apparel that contrasts
with the colors of the facility, or is otherwise more visible.
[0035] FIG. 2 shows a variant of the facility 13 that has multiple
physical areas 10 and exercise systems 16 in the same room 12. The
low-light environment and the dark floor 44 and dark walls 46 may
help the users 14 focus on the display screens 18 of their
individual exercise environments. The floor 44 and walls 46 may
also reduce signal interference from one system 16 to another
system 16, allowing the sensors 20 to better track the position of
the individual users 14 within their respective physical areas
10.
[0036] FIG. 3 shows another variant, in which the facility 13
includes both plural exercise systems 16, for unconstrained
physical movement in respective physical areas 10, and one or more
stationary exercise equipment devices 60. The stationary devices 60
may be any of a variety of exercise equipment devices that do not
involve unconstrained physical movement. Examples include
stationary bicycles, treadmills, rowing machines, elliptical
trainers, weight machines, free weights, and stair climbers. The
light sources 40 may be configured to provide a relatively high
level of light, for example slightly higher than the level of light
in the physical area 10, in the areas around the stationary devices
60. Thus stationary equipment users 64 may safely and comfortably
move around and utilize the equipment 60, while the unconstrained
movement users 14 are able to perform their exercises in a low
light level. It will be appreciated that the concerns discussed
above with regard to unconstrained physical movement do not apply
to the stationary equipment users 64. Such stationary equipment
users may prefer a somewhat higher light level, which may cause a
mood enhancement effect that is not offset by an undue increase in
user inhibitions. Thus it may be beneficial to have multiple
lighting levels in exercise areas of the facility 13, with
relatively high light levels for stationary devices (not involving
unconstrained physical movement), and relatively low light levels
for unconstrained physical movement activities.
[0037] As also illustrated in FIG. 3, the exercise systems 16 and
the stationary devices 60 may be configured with identification
sensors 68 for detecting and identifying the presence of the users
14 and 64. The beacons 22, or other identifying devices 70 worn or
carried by the users 14 and 64, may be capable of being detected by
the sensors 68. This allows the users 14 and 64 to be associated
with the exercise systems 16 and the devices 60, in order to track
the exercise activities of the users. Individualized information
regarding the duration of exercise activities of various sorts, as
well as the results of these activities, may be obtained by this
process.
[0038] A wide variety of devices may be used to provide information
to the device-mounted sensors 68 regarding identity of the users 14
and 64. Aside from being incorporated in the beacon 22, the
identification device may be incorporated in a wide variety of
other devices, such as a wrist band or laminated plastic card. The
identification device may be a passive or active device. It may be
automatically detected by proximity to device-mounted sensors 68.
Alternatively, some action by the user may be necessary for
carrying out the identification process. For example, the
identification device may be a device that emits an infrared
identification signal when a button or switch on the beacon 22 is
activated. In such a system the sensors 20 of the system 16 may
perform the functions of the identification sensor 68. The user may
be prompted to emit such a signal before being an exercise session
on one of the systems 16 or the devices 60. To give another
alternative, the identification device may be a magnetic strip on a
plastic card, such as an identification card, that is passed
through a card reader serving as a device sensor 68. To give yet
another example, the identification device 70 may be a radio
frequency identification (RFID) device that interacts with the
sensor 68, perhaps automatically, once the user gets within a
certain distance of the device sensor 68.
[0039] The identification device 70 may be relatively permanently
associated with an individual user, for example by being part of a
membership card unique to the individual. Alternatively, the
identification device 70 may be associated with the user only for
the duration of a single visit. For example, a single beacon may be
identifiably associated with a single user at the start of the
user's overall exercise session, when the beacon is issued to the
user. The association may be removed when the user turns in the
beacon at the end of the session. The same beacon may be used by
different users in different sessions, and associated with a user
only for an individual session.
[0040] The identification system described above allows collection
of exercise information about individuals with no effort or with
minimal effort by the users. It is more convenient that systems
that require user to enter an identification number or code each
time he or she shifts to a new system, machine, or device. Such a
system may be effectively combined with a reactive training program
of different types of exercises, such as alternating bouts of
unconstrained movement activities and strength training. Such
reactive training is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,855.
[0041] Although the invention has been shown and described with
respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, it is
obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to
others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of
this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard
to the various functions performed by the above described elements
(components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms
(including a reference to a "means") used to describe such elements
are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any
element which performs the specified function of the described
element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not
structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs
the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or
embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular
feature of the invention may have been described above with respect
to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such
feature may be combined with one or more other features of the
other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given
or particular application.
* * * * *