U.S. patent application number 13/659632 was filed with the patent office on 2013-07-04 for interfacing portable media devices and sports equipment.
This patent application is currently assigned to Apple Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Lawrence Bolton, Jesse Dorogusker, Donald Ginsburg, Michael B. Hailey, Scott Krueger, Debbie Lambert, Gregory T. Lydon, Emily C. Schubert.
Application Number | 20130173746 13/659632 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40548471 |
Filed Date | 2013-07-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130173746 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dorogusker; Jesse ; et
al. |
July 4, 2013 |
INTERFACING PORTABLE MEDIA DEVICES AND SPORTS EQUIPMENT
Abstract
Circuits, methods, and apparatus allow sports or other
equipment, such as gym or other cardio equipment, to write data to
a media player. Examples further provide the uploading of this data
to a computer and third-party website. To monitor progress, the
third-party website can be used to track workout data over time.
The third party-website can also collect data from other users,
which is particularly useful for providing a competitive
environment. This data can then be graphically displayed in various
ways to provide encouragement.
Inventors: |
Dorogusker; Jesse; (Los
Altos, CA) ; Krueger; Scott; (San Francisco, CA)
; Bolton; Lawrence; (Fremont, CA) ; Schubert;
Emily C.; (San Jose, CA) ; Lydon; Gregory T.;
(Santa Cruz, CA) ; Lambert; Debbie; (San
Francisco, CA) ; Hailey; Michael B.; (Campbell,
CA) ; Ginsburg; Donald; (San Francisco, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc.; |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Apple Inc.
Cupertino
CA
|
Family ID: |
40548471 |
Appl. No.: |
13/659632 |
Filed: |
October 24, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13271230 |
Oct 12, 2011 |
8317658 |
|
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13659632 |
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|
12238436 |
Sep 26, 2008 |
8047966 |
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13271230 |
|
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61032805 |
Feb 29, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/217 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/0053 20130101;
A63B 22/0605 20130101; A63B 2220/20 20130101; A63B 2071/065
20130101; A63B 2220/18 20130101; G06F 1/1632 20130101; A63B
2071/0683 20130101; A63B 71/0622 20130101; A63B 2071/0658 20130101;
A63B 2225/50 20130101; H04L 67/02 20130101; A63B 2071/0625
20130101; A63B 22/0023 20130101; A63B 2220/30 20130101; A63B
2225/20 20130101; A63B 2230/06 20130101; A63B 24/0084 20130101;
G09B 19/0038 20130101; A63B 22/02 20130101; G16H 20/30 20180101;
A63B 2230/75 20130101; A63B 22/0664 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/217 |
International
Class: |
H04L 29/06 20060101
H04L029/06 |
Claims
1. A portable media player comprising: circuitry to form a
communication link with an item of sports equipment; circuitry to
transmit media through the communication link to the item of sports
equipment; circuitry to receive control information from the user
for controlling the transmitting of the media; and circuitry to
store workout data received from the item of sports equipment via
the communication link.
2. The portable media player of claim 1, further comprising
circuitry to transmit user profile data to the item of sports
equipment via the communication link.
3. The portable media player of claim 2, wherein the workout data
depends at least in part on the user profile data.
4. The portable media player of claim 1, wherein the workout data
is written to the portable media on a periodic basis using the
communication link.
5. The portable media player of claim 1, further comprising
circuitry to graphically format the workout data.
6. The portable media player of claim 5, wherein a communication
link with a computer is formed by circuitry of the portable media
player, wherein the graphically formatted workout is transmitted
from the portable media player to the computer via the
communication link.
7. The portable media player of claim 6, wherein prior workout data
is stored by circuitry of the portable media player, the prior
workout data is graphically formatted by circuitry of the portable
media player, and graphically formatted prior workout data is
transmitted to the computer via the communication link.
8. The portable media player of claim 1, further comprising
circuitry for determining, based at least in part on a selected
workout, whether a memory of the portable media player has
sufficient capacity to store all of the workout data for the
selected workout; and
9. The portable media player of claim 8, further comprising
circuitry for providing a notification to the user in the event
that the memory does not have sufficient capacity to store all of
the workout data for the selected workout.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
13/271, 230, filed Oct. 12, 2011, which is a divisional of
application Ser. No. 12/238,436, filed Sep. 26, 2011, both entitled
"Interfacing Portable Media Devices and Sports Equipment," the
disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference for all
purposes. This application claims priority to Provisional
Application No. 61/032,805, filed Feb. 29, 2008, entitled
"Interfacing Portable Media Devices and Sports Equipment," the
disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference for all
purposes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Portable media players have become very popular the past few
years and their market penetration shows no signs of abating.
People use them when walking, driving, and commuting by bus or
train. They are also particularly useful as a distraction or source
of entertainment when working out. People often bring these to a
gym or similar location to use while exercising.
[0003] While exercising, many people like to keep track of their
progress. For example, the distance "traveled" while on a treadmill
may be recorded and progress over time monitored. This can provide
positive feedback when progress is made; it can also provide
encouragement to improve when efforts have been somewhat
lacking.
[0004] This data is typically recorded using a clipboard and paper
or notebook. However, this is somewhat time consuming. Because
people often carve a few minutes out of their day to exercise, it
is not desirable to lose time keeping track of this data; they may
need to quickly return to work or home. Also, since it does not
happen automatically, such record keeping can become spotty at
times.
[0005] The portable media players that are often found at the gym
are capable of carrying data. Unfortunately, there is currently no
simple way to transfer workout data to them. That is, there is no
easy way to transfer data from equipment in the gym to a portable
media player.
[0006] Further, it would be desirable to store other types of data
using a media player. For example, heart rate, blood pressure,
blood oxygen level, and other monitors and sensors provide data
that could be collected and stored.
[0007] Thus, what is needed are circuits, methods, and apparatus
that allow sports and other types of equipment, such as the
above-mentioned treadmill, to write data to a media player for
record-keeping and other purposes.
SUMMARY
[0008] Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide
circuits, methods, and apparatus that allow sports and other types
of equipment, such as gym or other cardio equipment, to write data
to a media player. Embodiments of the present invention further
provide for the uploading of this data to a computer and
third-party website. To monitor progress and provide encouragement,
the third-party website can be used to track workout data over
time. The third party-website can also collect data from other
users. This is particularly useful in providing a competitive
environment to encourage progress. This data can then be
graphically displayed in various ways using the computer.
[0009] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides
sports equipment that is capable of writing workout data to a media
player. The workout data may be data related to contemporaneous
workout activity. The sports equipment may include a connector or
connector insert for mating to a connector receptacle on a media
player to form a communication link. The sports equipment may also
have wireless or optical circuitry that may be used to establish a
communication link with the media player.
[0010] Once a communication link is established, user information
may be retrieved from either the media player or sports equipment.
A workout regime may also be selected. In various embodiments of
the present invention, media on the media player can be read by the
sports equipment and provided to the user.
[0011] A user may end a workout session at any time and disconnect
the media player from the sports equipment. Accordingly, data is
typically written from the sports equipment to the media player on
a periodic basis. This prevents the loss of most of the workout
data that would otherwise occur if the sports equipment waited
until the end of a workout to write data.
[0012] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention
provides the uploading of this data to a user's computer. The
computer may also track past workout data. This data may be
graphically presented to the user. Reminders and encouragement may
also be provided to the user, for example, using a display,
speakers, headphone jack, or other interface.
[0013] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention also
provides the uploading of this data to a user's computer. The data
can be further uploaded to a third-party website. The website may
track past workout data. The website may also track other user's
data. Current and past data may be provided to the user to show
progress and provide encouragement. User workout data may be
compared to data from other users to show competition progress and
results. This information may be provided for viewing on the user's
computer.
[0014] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention
provides real-time, head-to-head competition. These competitions
may be between two or more people in one or more locations.
Competition data may be shared and displayed to each user. Data may
be shared using a wired, wireless, or optical link over a cellular,
Internet, LAN, or other type of network.
[0015] Various embodiments of the present invention may incorporate
one or more of these and the other features described herein. A
better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present
invention may be gained by reference to the following detailed
description and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates a method of using a media player to
record workout data according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a data workout recording system including
a media player and sports equipment according to an embodiment of
the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates a method of using a media player to store
workout data according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates a system for uploading workout data from
a media player to a computer;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of transferring
data to a user's computer according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates the use of a third-party website in
displaying workout data according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0022] FIG. 7A illustrates a method of using a third-party website
to display workout data according to an embodiment of the present
invention, while FIG. 7B illustrates a method of transferring data
from a user's computer to sports equipment via a website according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 8 illustrates the activities performed by sports
equipment and a media player during a workout session according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 9 illustrates another method of collecting data and
providing prompts during a workout session according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 10 illustrates the activities performed by sports
equipment and a media player when a user removes a media player or
otherwise breaks a communication link between a media player and
sports equipment before the expected end of a workout session
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 11 illustrates a method that may be used by sports
equipment to assess the capabilities of the media player according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 12 illustrates data that may be written to a media
device memory by sports equipment before, during, and after a
workout session according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0028] FIG. 13 illustrates a system including two items of sports
equipment that may be used for real-time competitions;
[0029] FIG. 14 illustrates the activities performed by two items of
sports equipment during a real-time competition according to an
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0030] FIG. 15 illustrates activities performed by two items of
sports equipment during a real-time competition where media is
shared according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0031] FIG. 1 illustrates a method of using a media player to
record workout data according to an embodiment of the present
invention. This figure, as with the other included figures, is
shown for illustrative purposes and does not limit either the
possible embodiments of the present invention or the claims.
[0032] In this method, a media player records data provided by
sports or other gym equipment. This data is then transferred to a
computer. The data is then uploaded to a website, where it is
combined with previous data as available, and downloaded to the
computer and presented in a graphical fashion.
[0033] Specifically, in act 110, a communication link is
established between a media player and an item of sports equipment.
This communication may be wired or wireless.
[0034] For example, it may be established by using a connector such
as the 30 pin connector described in copending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/423,290, filed Apr. 25, 2003, titled Media
Player, which is incorporated by reference. The communication link
may alternatively be wireless or optical in nature. The link may be
used to download workout data from the sports equipment to the
media player. Also, other types of information may be exchanged
between the media player and the sports equipment. For example, the
sports equipment may be located in a gym or hotel. In such a
situation, it may be desirable that local news, weather, and
information regarding the gym or hotel be placed on the media
player.
[0035] The link may also include power supply circuitry to charge
the media player. The power supply charging circuitry may provide
DC power, or it may provide inductive charging. The sports
equipment may derive the charging power from a power source.
Alternatively, user interaction with the equipment may be used to
create the power source, particularly where a physical connection
is not practical, for example, on a bicycle. In this case, a
generator that derives power from a spinning wheel or other moving
part can be attached to the sports equipment, be it a treadmill,
bicycle, or other type of equipment. The power thus generated can
then be used to charge the media player.
[0036] The media player may be a media player such as an iPod or
iPhone manufactured by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.
Alternatively, other types of phones, media players, personal
digital assistants, or other electronic devices may be used.
[0037] The sports equipment may be gym equipment, such as a
treadmill, elliptical stepper, stationary bicycle, weight machine,
or other gym or cardio equipment. The sports equipment may be other
types of sports equipment, such as bicycles or other sports or
cardio equipment. Also, while embodiments of the present invention
are particularly suited to recording data provided by sports
equipment, data from other sources may be recorded as well. For
example, data from monitors, detectors, sensors, or other measuring
or other types of equipment may also be recorded and placed on the
media player.
[0038] The sports equipment may be located in a traditional
location such as a gym. The equipment may also be located in
workplace or hotel workout areas. The sports equipment may be for
personal use and located in a home, or used by individuals in
public places. For example, the equipment may be a bicycle.
[0039] The data may be data generated by the sports equipment by
measuring physical movement of a portion of the sports equipment
being acted on by a user. This physical movement may be angular,
linear, or have other directional qualities. For example, a user
may spin a wheel on a bicycle. Alternatively, the user may cause
one or more wheels to spin on a treadmill. These physical
activities can then be translated by circuitry in or associated
with the sports equipment into data to be written to the media
player. The data may be written by the same or other circuits on or
associated with the sports equipment. The translation from physical
movement to workout data may include or account for user profile
data such as weight, height, or other attributes or types of
data.
[0040] It is often desirable that this recorded data be associated
with a particular user. Accordingly, in act 120, user data, such as
user profile data, is either entered or recalled from memory. The
user data may include user profile data such as a user name,
nickname, or other identification, age, weight, gender, or other
user data. The user data may be entered using the sports equipment,
media player, computer, or other device. This information may
alternatively be entered before the communications link is
established in act 110. For example, it may be desirable for a user
to enter certain information at home while the media player is
connected to a computer before the user goes to a gym for a
workout.
[0041] This data may be newly entered, or it may be retrieved from
memory located either on the media player or the sports equipment.
In some instances where a user may be limited in time, it may be
desirable to collect and store this user data while the workout is
proceeding. Alternatively, for safety reasons, it may be desirable
to collect this data either after or before the workout. In some
embodiments of the present invention, user data for more than one
user may be stored on a media player. Accordingly, act 120 may
consist of asking the user to identify herself from a list of
possible users.
[0042] Once communication is established between a media player and
sports equipment, data may be recorded by the sports equipment on
the media player. Accordingly, in act 130, workout data is recorded
by the sports equipment on the media player. Typically, this data
is recorded on a periodic basis. This prevents large amount of
workout data from being lost if communication between the media
player and sports equipment is broken. Specifically, only the
amount of data generated since the last write cycle is lost when
the user removes or otherwise breaks the communication link between
the media player and the sports equipment. For example, a user may
abruptly remove the media player at a time before what the sports
equipment may expect. The user may be dissatisfied if the workout
data is not recorded on the media player due to its removal.
Accordingly, a specific embodiment of the present invention records
data every 10 seconds, though other embodiments may record the data
every 20 seconds, or on another periodic basis.
[0043] In act 140, the workout data is transferred to a user's
computer. The data may be transferred using software, such as
iTunes, a product of Apple Inc. of Cupertino Calif. The software
program used to transfer the workout data may be the same software
program that is used to write data and media to the media player.
In other embodiments of the present invention, the workout data is
transferred to the user's computer in real-time, for example, using
a wireless link between the media player or sports equipment and
the user's computer.
[0044] Once the data is transferred to a user's computer, it is
desirable to make this data available to the user in a graphical
format. For example, a graphical format may be useful in
encouraging the user to continue with a workout regiment. In this
specific example, the data is uploaded to a server where it is
formatted graphically and downloaded to the user's computer for
viewing. Alternatively, this may be done on the user's computer.
Moreover, some or all of this may be done on the media player
itself.
[0045] Specifically, in act 150, workout data is uploaded from the
user's computer to a website server. This data may be combined with
previous data retrieved from the server memory in act 160. This is
particularly useful in showing a user's workout progress. Also,
data from other users may be provided as well. This is particularly
useful in providing a competitive setting. For example, it may be
desirable to track which of the number of users is the first to
reach a certain number of miles on a treadmill.
[0046] Again, for encouragement purposes, it is often desirable to
show such workout data, including progress and competition data, in
a graphical format. Accordingly, in act 170, the graphical data is
downloaded from the server to the user's computer.
[0047] Again, the equipment may be sports equipment or other types
of equipment. The sports equipment may be gym equipment, or other
type of equipment, such as a bicycle. One type of gym equipment
that is particularly suited to an embodiment of the present
invention is the treadmill. An example is shown in the following
figure.
[0048] FIG. 2 illustrates a data workout recording system including
a media player and sports equipment according to an embodiment of
the present invention. This figure includes a media player and a
treadmill. The media player includes a display, touchpad, and a
connector receptacle. The treadmill includes a connector insert,
typically located in a recessed portion of the treadmill, and an
optional display. In various embodiments of the present invention,
some sports equipment may not have a display. Alternatively, other
sports equipment may have a simple display, for example, one formed
using a number of LEDs. Still other embodiments may include an LCD
or other type of display, while still other higher-end units may
include a touchscreen display.
[0049] User data, prompts, and other information may be generated
and displayed using either the media player or the display on the
treadmill. The treadmill may also have other means of receiving
input data, in this example, the touchpad. The touchpad may be a
keypad or other such tactile interface, or it may be another type
of data entry interface.
[0050] The user can establish communication between the media
player and the treadmill by inserting the connector insert of the
treadmill into the connector receptacle of the media player. Again,
the treadmill insert may be recessed for mechanical stability
reasons. While the workout is underway, the treadmill can record
workout data on the media player.
[0051] A user may also wish to enjoy the media stored on the media
player while the workout is progressing. Accordingly, embodiments
of the present invention may also include items such as a headphone
jack or speakers (not shown.) Also, the display, if available, may
be used to view video or other media. The touchpad or touchscreen,
if available, can be used to enter user data, select workout
routines, or select and control media from the media player. These
various activities are shown further in the following figure.
[0052] FIG. 3 illustrates a method of using a media player to store
workout data according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In this figure, the media player is inserted in the sports
equipment. During the workout, data is written to the media
player.
[0053] Specifically, in act 310, the media player is inserted into
the sports equipment, for example, the treadmill in FIG. 2. Again,
in other embodiments of the present invention, communication may be
established in other ways. For example, wireless, optical, or other
wired connections may be used. Alternatively, the media player may
be attached to a cable or other electronic device that is in
communication with the sports equipment.
[0054] In act 320, the user is prompted as to whether the workout
should be recorded. For example, the user may simply insert the
media player in order to watch a movie or listen to music during
her workout. If the workout is not to be recorded, no further
activity is performed, as shown in act 322. If the workout is to be
recorded, user data is entered or retrieved from memory in act 330.
Again, this may include entering data using the media player or
sports equipment, or selecting a user from a list of possible
users.
[0055] Once a workout commences, data is typically written to the
media player on a periodic basis. Again, a user, at the completion
of a workout, may simply remove the media player without warning or
being prompted by the sports equipment. It is therefore undesirable
to wait until the end of the workout session to write data to the
media player. Accordingly, in act 340, it is determined that a
predetermined amount of time, in one specific example, 10 seconds,
has passed, thus the workout data is stored on the media player by
the sports equipment in act 350. In other embodiments of the
present invention, other periods of time, such as 20 seconds, may
be used, that is, data may be written by the sports equipment to
the media player every 20 seconds.
[0056] It may also be desirable to display workout data to the user
while the workout is progressing. For example, speed, calories
burned, and the like it may be displayed. Further, other
information, for example, information from other users, may also be
provided for competitive purposes. Previous information generated
by the user may be displayed to show progress.
[0057] In act 370, it is determined whether the workout has ended
or the media player has been removed. If not, data is written after
the predetermined time has elapsed. When the workout ends, workout
indications may be provided on the treadmill or media player. Such
indications may be messages such as "congratulations," "good work,"
and the like, and these may be used to provide encouragement to the
user.
[0058] Workout data collected in this way may be viewed using the
media player. However, it is desirable to transfer this data from
the media player to a computer, which typically has more storage
space, in order to free memory space on the media player for the
next workout, or for storing media or other content. Also, for
encouragement purposes, it is desirable to view the data in a more
sophisticated graphical context. Accordingly, workout data is
typically moved to a user's computer. An example is shown in the
following figure.
[0059] FIG. 4 illustrates a system for uploading workout data from
a media player to a computer. In this example, the workout or other
data collected above can be transferred from the media player to a
user's computer. Also, data from the computer may be loaded onto
the media player. For example, information may be entered by the
user on the computer. This information may in turn be loaded onto
the media player. Again, the media player typically includes a
connector receptacle. A cable having a connector insert on a first
end and a second connector, such as a USB or FireWire connector
appropriate for connecting to a computer on a second end. This
cable may be used to form a wired connection between the computer
and the media player. Alternatively, wireless or optical
communications may be used to transfer data between the media
player and the user's computer. A software program resident on the
computer can then process the data. The computer can then display
the data in a graphical format. This data may include recent
workout data, as well as workout data from prior workout sessions
to show user progress. These acts are shown further in the
following figure.
[0060] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of transferring
data to a user's computer according to an embodiment of the present
invention. In act 510, the user connects the media player to a
computer. This connection may be a physical connection, or
wireless, optical or other type of connection. Current data is
transferred from the media player to the computer in act 520. Prior
data may be retrieved from memory in act 530. Current and prior
data may be displayed graphically in act 540.
[0061] It may be further desirable to upload workout data to a
third-party website. This is particularly useful as it allows
third-party information to be provided to the user. Also, workout
data from other users may be provided by the website for
competition purposes. An example of this is shown the following
figure.
[0062] FIG. 6 illustrates the use of a third-party website in
displaying workout data according to an embodiment of the present
invention. As before, a connection is made between a user's
computer and media player. Data can be transferred from the media
player to the user's computer. This data can be further uploaded
via the Internet to a third-party website. The third-party website
can retrieve previous workout data and present this data to the
user. Again, this is particularly useful to show use progress. Data
from other users may be included as well. This is useful to show
competitive results. These activities are shown in the following
figure.
[0063] FIG. 7A illustrates a method of using a third-party website
to display workout data according to an embodiment of the present
invention. In this method, the user connects a media player to her
computer. Data is transferred from the media player to the
computer, then uploaded to a website server. Other data is combined
with this and graphically displayed on the user's computer.
[0064] Specifically, in act 710, a user connects the media player
to her computer. In act 720, current data is transferred from the
media player to the computer. This workout data is uploaded from
the computer to a third-party website server in act 730. Other
data, such as prior workout data or other user data may also be
retrieved from server memory in acts 740 and 750. This data is then
graphically displayed on the user's computer in act 760.
[0065] In these examples, data is written to a media player during
a workout. Later, the data is transferred to a computer. In other
embodiments of the present invention, data can be written directly
to a computer or third party website. This may be accomplished
using a web-enabled media player. For example, data may be written
to the media player, then uploaded over a wireless network or
cellular network to a computer or third-party server.
[0066] In these examples, data is written by the sports equipment
to the media player. Data on the media player is uploaded to the
user's computer. The user's computer can then pass the data on to a
third-party website and the third-party website can then display
this and other data on the user's computer. In other embodiments of
the present invention, other data flows are possible.
[0067] For example, a user may use her computer to log on to the
third-party website. User information, such as a user
identification or nickname, may be provided by the user to the
website. The website can then provide this data to the media player
via the user's computer. The media player can in turn provide this
data to the sports or other equipment when communication is
established between the media player and the equipment. These acts
are shown further in the following figure.
[0068] FIG. 7B illustrates a method of transferring data from a
user's computer to sports equipment via a website according to an
embodiment of the present invention. In this method, a user enters
data on a computer. This data may be an identification, nickname,
or other type of data. This data is uploaded to a third-party
website server. The third-party website server then transfers this
data to the media player via the computer. The data is then
transferred to the sports equipment.
[0069] Specifically, in act 770, a user enters data on a website
using her computer. In act 775, the data is transferred from the
website to the user's computer. In act 780, the data is transferred
from the computer to a media player. In act 785, a communication
link is established between the sports equipment and the media
player. In act 790, the data is transferred from the media player
to the sports equipment.
[0070] When a user uses a media player in conjunction with a piece
of sports or other equipment, it is desirable that the equipment
provides information back to the user as well as record workout
data. Flowcharts illustrating methods of performing these tasks are
shown in the following three figures.
[0071] FIG. 8 illustrates the activities performed by sports
equipment during a workout session according to an embodiment of
the present invention. In this embodiment of the present invention,
the sports equipment writes workout data onto the media player.
Also, the sports equipment or media player, or combination of the
equipment and media player, provides various prompts at different
times during the workout session. These prompts may be shown using
a display on the sports equipment, on the media player, or these
displays may work in conjunction with each other.
[0072] Specifically, in act 810, the sports equipment provides a
welcome screen. At this time, the information displayed is a
welcome screen, which may inform a user the way to establish
communication between a media player and the sports equipment. In
act 816, a user inserts a media player into the sports equipment or
otherwise establishes communication between the media player and
the sports equipment.
[0073] In act 820, the capabilities of the media player can be
determined. Information regarding the compatibility or
incompatibility of the media player may be displayed in act 824. In
act 830, a selection of workouts may be provided and displayed in
act 834. The user may select one of these workouts in 836.
[0074] Once the workout is selected, the media player may determine
whether the media player has enough capacity to store information
for this workout in act 840. If there is enough room, an indication
that there is enough memory space and that data will be recorded
may be provided in act 844. If there is not enough memory space,
this may be indicated in act 844. This information may be handled
differently in various embodiments of the present invention. For
example, if the chosen workout is 1 hour, the media player can
determine how much memory will be required since data will be
recorded every T seconds, as outlined below. If there is enough
space, that can be communicated to the user. If there is not enough
space, that can be communicated. However, in some embodiments of
the present invention, the duration of a selected workout may be
undetermined. In this case, the media player may inform the user
that it has room for a workout of duration X. In some embodiments
of the present invention, X is provided to the user only when it is
below a threshold; it may not be of interest to a user that a
workout of 28 hours can be recorded.
[0075] At this point, or at another point, user data may be
prompted for or retrieved. This may be in the form of the user
greeting or request for user data in act 854. If needed, the user
can enter this data in act 856. This data may be entered using an
interface on the sports equipment, media player, or both. Again,
this may be as simple as identifying oneself from a list of users.
Alternatively, no identification may be needed. As the workout is
occurring, data is recorded every T seconds in act 860. This limits
the data loss if communication between the media player and the
sports equipment is terminated, as for example, when a user removes
the media player. Also at this time, the media player may
optionally determine how much memory capacity it has left. From
this, it can let the use know how much longer it can record workout
data. This information along with workout data or information
regarding the workout data may be provided on the display in act
864. This information or data may include calories burned, elapsed
time, distance, speed, heart rate, incline, resistance, effort, and
other types of information. An option to pause may also be
displayed. This pause may be optionally selected in act 866. The
use of this pause function avoids having the sports equipment write
large amounts of empty data to the media player.
[0076] At the end of the workout, an end of workout indication may
be provided to the user in act 870. This may be displayed in act
874. This indication may include congratulatory statements,
reminders to resynchronize the media player, or other such
information. In act 876, the user may remove the media player.
[0077] FIG. 9 illustrates another method of collecting data and
providing prompts during a workout session according to an
embodiment of the present invention. In this method, the option of
recording or not recording the data is provided to the user at the
end of the workout.
[0078] Specifically, in act 970, the end of the workout is
determined. In act 974, the option to record or not record the data
is provided. The user may select one of these options in act 976.
If the selection is made to not record, the data is not recorded.
If the selection is made to record the data, the data is recorded
in act 980. In either case, an end of workout indication may be
provided in act 984. Specifically, workout prompts and reminders
may be provided in act 984. The media player may be removed in act
986.
[0079] Again, a user may end a workout session early by removing
the media player or otherwise breaking a communication link between
the media player and sports equipment. This is shown in the
following figure.
[0080] FIG. 10 illustrates the activities performed by sports
equipment when a user removes a media player or otherwise breaks a
communication link between a media player and sports equipment
before the expected end of a workout session according to an
embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, in act 1066, the
media player is removed by the user at a time before the time the
sports equipment expects the workout session to end. This triggers
an end of workout determination by the sports equipment in act
1070. End of workout prompts and reminders may be displayed in act
1074. The user may further be asked whether she wants to record or
not record data on the media player in act 1076. It the option to
not record is selected, the data can be deleted from the media
player. If the option to record is selected, the data is retained
on the media player for uploading to the user's computer at a later
time.
[0081] New types of media players and related devices are
consistently being provided to the marketplace. Each successive
generation of these devices has various capabilities. Moreover,
different firmware or software releases may mean that different
devices within a particular device type also have different
capabilities. In some embodiments of the present invention, it may
be beneficial if the sports or other equipment can utilize various
capabilities of the media player to the extent that they are
available. However, when these capabilities are not available, it
is desirable that the sports equipment continue proper operation in
their absence. Accordingly, it is desirable that the sports
equipment be able to accurately assess the capabilities of the
media player. A flowchart illustrating one method of performing
this is shown in the following figure.
[0082] FIG. 11 illustrates a method that may be used by sports
equipment to assess the capabilities of the media player according
to an embodiment of the present invention. This interrogative
process avoids a situation where an error condition arises when an
item of sports equipment identifies itself as communicating using a
lingo not understood by the media player.
[0083] Specifically, in act 1110, the sports equipment identifies
itself as being capable of communications using a general lingo.
The media player acknowledges this in act 1115. In act 1120, the
sports equipment requests information regarding a particular lingo
and version from the media player. In this example, the media
player is capable of understanding this lingo and replies
appropriately in act 1125. In act 1130, the sports equipment
requests information regarding another lingo and version from the
media player in act 1130. Again, the media player is capable and
replies appropriately in act 1135. A further request for
information regarding another lingo and version is made to the
media player in act 1140. In this case, the media player is not
capable of understanding this lingo. Accordingly, the media player
acknowledges the requests and sends back a bad parameter response
in act 1145. The sports equipment requests options that the media
player may have in act 1150. This information is provided by the
media player in act 1155. In act 1160, the sports equipment
identifies itself as having the specific lingo and option
capabilities determined by the above interrogatory. The media
player acknowledges this in act 1165. In act 1170, the media player
may retrieve device authentication from the sports equipment.
[0084] Various types of data may be written to the media player
memory before, during, and after a workout session. Examples of
data that may be written are shown the following figure.
[0085] FIG. 12 illustrates data that may be written to a media
device memory by sports equipment before, during, and after a
workout session according to an embodiment of the present
invention. For each piece of data, the memory space allocated for
the data is also shown in parentheses. In this example, data is
written using XML format, though in other embodiments of the
present invention, other data formats may be used. Identifying
information is provided at the beginning and end of the complete
data package. Similarly, identifying information is included at the
beginning and end of each particular information type.
[0086] Specifically, identification data identifying this as gym
data is provided as data 1200 and 1295. Gym equipment information
1220 is also included. This includes manufacturer ID, manufacturer
name, equipment type, model, serial number, as well as the name and
location of the gym. User information 1230, which may include user
profile information such as name, weight, gender, or other
information, may also be included.
[0087] Workout data includes a workout template 1240, interval data
1250, and workout summary 1270. Workout template data 1240 may
include such information as a workout name, caloric goal, time
goal, distance goal, speed goal, and heart rate goal.
[0088] Interval data 1250 is data that is written to the media
player periodically, for example every 10 or 20 seconds. This data
can include current calories, current elapsed time, current
distance, current speed, current heart rate, incline, and
resistance/effort information. This data can be combined in a
workout summary 1270, which may include total calories, total
elapsed time, total distance, and average speed.
[0089] Once the workout is done and the media player is removed
from the sports equipment, or the communication link between the
sports equipment and media player is otherwise interrupted, end of
file data such as a signature 1290 may be written by the media
player. In various embodiments of the present invention, files are
signed or verified. This signing or verification requires an
increase in the file size that is written to the media player. In a
specific embodiment of the present invention, this signing doubles
the file size written to the media player. Also, end of file data
such as media player information including start and end times,
model, software version, and serial number may be written.
[0090] Typically, equipment, user, and workout template information
may be written to the media player before the workout begins.
Interval data can be written during the workout session. End of
file data such as a workout summary and signature data can be
written after the workout, either by the sports equipment or the
media player itself. The media player information can be written
after the workout, though most data, except for end time, can be
written some time before the end of the workout.
[0091] Again, in various embodiments of the present invention, it
is desirable to provide data from other users. This data is useful
for competitions as a way of encouraging progress by the user. This
data may be collected ahead of time, or it may be collected in
real-time. Examples of real-time data collection and sharing are
shown in the following figures.
[0092] FIG. 13 illustrates a system including two items of sports
equipment that may be used for real-time competitions. In this
example, treadmills are depicted, though as before, other types of
sports or other equipment may be used. Each treadmill is in
communication with a media player. Specifically, treadmill 1 is in
communication with media player 1, while treadmill 2 is in
communication with media player 2. These treadmills may be located
in the same building, or they may be located in different
buildings, in different cities, or even in different continents. In
this example, media on one media player can be shared between the
two treadmills. Also, data from both treadmills can be displayed on
each treadmill, thus showing the users their respective standings
in the competition.
[0093] Information may be shared between the sports or other
equipment using a communication link through the equipment itself,
through the media players, or through a combination of equipment
and media players. For example, the sports equipment may include or
be associated with optical, wired, or wireless communication
circuits that can form a communication link via the Internet, WiFi,
LAN, Bluetooth, one of the IEEE802.11 standards, or other network
or a combination of these. Also, information may be shared between
the sports or other equipment using a communication link between
the media players. For example, the media players may include
wireless circuitry for WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular, Internet, LAN,
one or more of the IEEE 802.11 standards, or other networks. The
media players may communicate over short distances using, for
example, Bluetooth, one or more of the IEEE 802.11 standards, or
other wireless, optical, or wired connections. The media players
may also communicate with each other over long distances, for
example using the Internet, cellular, or other connection.
Information may also be shared in other ways, for example, media on
a media player may be shard between the media player and a piece of
sports equipment located remotely from the media player using any
of the above or other networks. Also, while two pieces of sports
equipment are shown in this example, this concept may be extended
to any number of pieces of sports equipment and media players. The
activities performed by the two items of sports equipment are shown
in the following figures.
[0094] FIG. 14 illustrates the activities performed by two items of
sports equipment during a real-time competition according to an
embodiment of the present invention. Communication is established
between a first media player and first sports equipment in act
1410. Similarly, communication is established between a second
media player and second piece of sports equipment in act 1415. In
act 1420 and 1425, user data is entered or recalled from memory. A
workout data is recorded on the media players in act 1430 and 1435.
User 1 workout data is transmitted to the second sports equipment
in act 1440. In act 1445, user 1 workout data is received from
sports equipment 1 by sports equipment 2. In act 1455, workout data
is transmitted to sports equipment 1 from sports equipment 2. In
act 1450, this data is received from sports equipment 2. User 1 and
user 2 workout data is displayed in acts 1460 and 1465.
[0095] Again, in various embodiments of the present invention, it
is desirable to share media between two or more users. An example
of this is shown in the following figure.
[0096] FIG. 15 illustrates activities performed by two items of
sports equipment during a real-time competition where media is
shared according to an embodiment of the present invention. As
before, communication is established between the media players and
sports equipment in act 1510 and 1515. User data is entered or
recalled from memory in acts 1520 and 1525. In this example, media
is transferred from media player 1 to sports equipment 2 in act
1530. The media is received from the sports equipment 1 in act 1535
and provided to the user. Workout data is recorded in acts 1540 and
1545. Workout data is transferred between the sports equipment in
act 1550, 1555, 1560, and 1565. The media, user 1, and user 2 data
is displayed or otherwise provided to the users in acts 1570 and
1575.
[0097] In these examples, workout data may be transmitted from a
first item of sports equipment to a second in a number of ways. For
example, workout data may be transmitted from the first item of
sports equipment to the second directly, that is, without involving
the media players. Also, data may be generated by the first item of
sports equipment then transferred to its associated first media
player, which then transmits the data to the second item of sports
equipment. The data may be received by the second item of sports
equipment either directly or via its associated second media
player. To achieve this, either or both sports equipment and media
players may include or be associated with circuitry for wireless,
wired, or optical communications. These may include one or more of
the IEEE 802.11 standards, WiFi, Bluetooth, LAN, cellular,
Internet, or other types of network communications or combination
of these.
[0098] The above description of exemplary embodiments of the
invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise form described, and many modifications and
variations are possible in light of the teaching above. The
embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the
principles of the invention and its practical applications to
thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the
invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as
are suited to the particular use contemplated.
* * * * *