U.S. patent application number 17/645436 was filed with the patent office on 2022-04-14 for weight machine sensor.
This patent application is currently assigned to ShapeLog, Inc. The applicant listed for this patent is ShapeLog, Inc.. Invention is credited to Brandon Hazelton, Andrew Muth, Nolan Orfield, Jesse Raleigh.
Application Number | 20220111256 17/645436 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006048680 |
Filed Date | 2022-04-14 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20220111256 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Orfield; Nolan ; et
al. |
April 14, 2022 |
Weight Machine Sensor
Abstract
A weight machine sensor includes a force sensor, a position
sensor, and a processor. The force sensor is programmed to output a
force signal representing a force applied to a pulley-disposed on a
cable incorporated into exercise equipment having a stack of
weights. The position sensor is programmed to detect motion of the
stack of weights and output a position signal representing the
motion detected. The processor is programmed to receive the force
signal and the rotation signal and determine, from the force signal
and the position signal, exercise data including an amount of
exercise resistance and a number of repetitions performed.
Inventors: |
Orfield; Nolan; (Ann Arbor,
MI) ; Hazelton; Brandon; (Ann Arbor, MI) ;
Raleigh; Jesse; (Grand Rapids, MI) ; Muth;
Andrew; (Evanston, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ShapeLog, Inc. |
Ann Arbor |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
ShapeLog, Inc
Ann Arbor
MI
|
Family ID: |
1000006048680 |
Appl. No.: |
17/645436 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15997200 |
Jun 4, 2018 |
11235201 |
|
|
17645436 |
|
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62514941 |
Jun 4, 2017 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2225/52 20130101;
A63B 24/0062 20130101; A61B 2503/10 20130101; A63B 2220/89
20130101; A63B 2220/833 20130101; A63B 2024/0065 20130101; A63B
2220/807 20130101; A63B 71/0622 20130101; A63B 2220/805 20130101;
A63B 2220/51 20130101; A61B 5/224 20130101; A63B 24/0075 20130101;
A61B 5/1176 20130101; A63B 2225/15 20130101; A63B 2225/20 20130101;
A63B 2225/54 20130101; A63B 21/0628 20151001; A63B 2230/75
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 24/00 20060101
A63B024/00; A63B 21/062 20060101 A63B021/062; A63B 71/06 20060101
A63B071/06; A61B 5/22 20060101 A61B005/22 |
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. A weight machine sensor comprising: a force sensor programmed
to output a force signal representing a force applied to a pulley
disposed on a cable incorporated into exercise equipment; at least
one rotation sensor programmed to collect rotation data
representing rotation of the pulley; and a processor programmed to
determine force data from the force signal and further determine
position data from the rotation data, wherein the position data
represents a position of a weight stack, and wherein the processor
is programmed to determine an amount of exercise resistance based
at least in part on the force data and a number of repetitions
performed based at least in part on the rotation data.
22. The weight machine sensor of claim 21, wherein the rotation
data collected by the at least one rotation sensor represents at
least one of a direction of rotation of the pulley and a magnitude
of rotation of the pulley.
23. The weight machine sensor of claim 22, wherein the processor is
configured to compare rotation data output by the at least one
rotation sensor and determine at least one of the direction of
rotation of the pulley and magnitude of rotation of the pulley from
the rotation data.
23. The weight machine sensor of claim 21, wherein the rotation
sensor includes an optical sensor configured to visually detect
features of the pulley.
24. The weight machine sensor of claim 23, wherein the rotation
sensor includes a rotary encoder.
25. The weight machine sensor of claim 24, further comprising a
light source configured to illuminate the pulley, and wherein the
rotary encoder is configured to output rotation data based at least
in part on an observed pattern of light.
26. The weight machine sensor of claim 24, wherein the pulley
includes a plurality of slots and wherein the rotary encoder is
configured to collect rotation data based at least in part on light
shining through the plurality of slots as the pulley is
rotated.
27. The weight machine sensor of claim 24, wherein the pulley
includes a plurality of protrusions and wherein the rotary encoder
is configured to collect rotation data based at least in part on
light reflected by the plurality of protrusions as the pulley is
rotated.
28. The weight machine sensor of claim 21, wherein the processor is
programmed to determine a velocity of the weight stack based at
least in part on the rotation data.
29. The weight machine sensor of claim 21, wherein the processor is
programmed to determine a range of motion of the weight stack.
30. A weight machine sensor comprising: a force sensor programmed
to output a force signal representing a force applied to a pulley
disposed on a cable incorporated into exercise equipment having a
weight stack; at least one magnet disposed on the pulley; at least
one magnetic sensor configured to output rotation data representing
rotation of the pulley, wherein the magnetic sensor is configured
to detect rotation of the pulley based at least in part on a
magnetic field generated by at least one magnet; and a processor
programmed to determine force data from the force signal and
further determine position data from the rotation data, wherein the
position data represents a position of the weight stack, and
wherein the processor is programmed to determine an amount of
exercise resistance based at least in part on the force data and a
number of repetitions performed based at least in part on the
rotation data.
31. The weight machine sensor of claim 30, wherein the processor is
programmed to determine a velocity of the weight stack based at
least in part on the rotation data.
32. The weight machine sensor of claim 30, wherein the processor is
programmed to determine a range of motion of the weight stack.
33. The weight machine sensor of claim 30, wherein the at least one
magnetic sensor includes at least one Reed switch.
34. The weight machine sensor of claim 30, wherein the at least one
magnetic sensor includes at least one Hall Effect sensor.
35. The weight machine sensor of claim 30, wherein the rotation
data collected by the at least one magnetic sensor represents at
least one of a direction of rotation of the pulley and a magnitude
of rotation of the pulley.
36. The weight machine sensor of claim 35, wherein the processor is
configured to compare rotation data output by the at least one
magnetic sensor and determine at least one of the direction of
rotation of the pulley and the magnitude of rotation of the pulley
from the rotation data.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to provisional patent
application No. 62/514,941 titled "SENSOR EQUIPPED EXERCISE MACHINE
PULLEY" filed on Jun. 4, 2017, the contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The advent of fitness trackers coupled with the increasing
ease with which digital data can be wirelessly recorded has led to
a proliferation of technologies that allow users to track and gain
insights from their exercise activities.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
that can be attached to a variety of weight machines.
[0004] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the device shown in
FIG. 1.
[0005] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of the device shown
in FIG. 1.
[0006] FIG. 4 shows the device in FIG. 1 incorporated into the
frame of a weight machine.
[0007] FIG. 5 shows the configuration of FIG. 4 from a side view
illustrating how the tension in the cable of the weight machine
translates into force exerted onto the pulley.
[0008] FIG. 6 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor in
which the pulley is in line with the force sensor.
[0009] FIG. 7 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor in
which the base mounts directly to the moving stack of weights.
[0010] FIG. 8 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
featuring an "E type" load cell as the force sensor.
[0011] FIG. 9 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
featuring a button type load cell as the force sensor.
[0012] FIG. 10 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
featuring a load pin load cell integrated into the shaft of the
pulley as the force sensor.
[0013] FIG. 11 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
featuring componentry to facilitate kinetic charging of a
battery.
[0014] FIG. 12 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
featuring a solar panel for charging of a battery.
[0015] FIG. 13 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
featuring a plurality of position sensors for detecting the weight
setting on an exercise machine as well as the motion behavior of
those weights during an exercise.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Despite the increased interest in digitizing and recording
users' fitness activity, currently-available products do not
accurately capture the activity performed on weight machines
commonly found in home gyms, commercial gyms, corporate wellness
facilities, or physical therapy centers. Thus, a device which can
integrate this significant aspect of physical fitness into the
expanding ecosystem of fitness trackers would be beneficial.
[0017] Weight machines typically allow users to set his/her
training resistance by isolating some fraction of a stack of
weights using a pin, lever, or some other mechanism. The mechanical
configuration of the machine is such that when the user moves in
the intended fashion the weights that were isolated move in
accordance with the movement of the body, thereby providing
resistance to the desired muscle group or groups that is
proportional to the weight setting selected by the user.
Translating motion of the body into the rising and falling of the
weight stack is achieved by using a cable or belt and a series of
one or more pulleys to redirect the tension such that it resists
the movement. Using a stack of weights is the most common form of
resistance for these machines, sometimes referred to as
"selectorized" machines, but resistance can be provided in other
ways. For example, resistance can be provided by flexing one or
more beams, or by an electromechanical device such as a motor or
dynamo.
[0018] One solution for recording fitness activity on an exercise
machine involves a weight machine sensor that can detect
repetitions performed on the exercise machine, especially one that
requires a user to tension a cable to provide resistance. An
example of this sensor is a device that can detect the weight
lifted--or force exerted--by the user and the number of repetitions
performed on the exercise equipment. The device includes a force
sensor programmed to output a force signal representing a force
applied to a cable associated with the piece of exercise equipment.
The weight machine sensor further includes a rotation sensor to
determine from the rotation of the pulley, providing information
about the exercise being performed. Rotation of the pulley can be
used to measure the physical movement of the stack of weights, but
alternatively a position sensor or rangefinder can also be used to
achieve the same result. The weight machine sensor further includes
a processor programmed to receive the force signal and rotation
signals and determine, from these signals, exercise data including
an amount of weight lifted and a number of repetitions
performed.
[0019] The exercise data can be transmitted to and viewed by the
user of the exercise equipment. In some instances, the exercise
data may be transmitted to a remote server. The user can view the
exercise data by accessing the data stored on the remote server
via, e.g., a computer such as a smartphone, tablet computer, a
desktop computer, a laptop computer, or the like.
[0020] The elements shown may take many different forms and include
multiple and/or alternate components and facilities. The example
components illustrated are not intended to be limiting. Indeed,
additional or alternative components and/or implementations may be
used. Further, the elements shown are not necessarily drawn to
scale unless explicitly stated as such.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows one basic form of the weight machine sensor 100
which features a base 102, a pulley 104, and a cover 106 to protect
the enclosed electronic components. In this implementation, a
rotation sensor 108 extends through the cover 106 to measure
rotation of the pulley 104 as a way to calculate exercise data.
Rotation data can be translated into position data for the weight
stack 134 and therefore also velocity of the weight stack 134,
range of motion, and repetitions. When this position or rotation
signal is combined with information about the tension in the cable
other metrics such as work output, power output, and calories
burned can also be calculated. The rotation sensor 108 shown in the
figure is an optical sensor that interacts with features or marks
on the pulley 104 to infer information about the amount of rotation
and direction of rotation of the pulley 104.
[0022] Some rotation sensors, or rotary encoders, work by
reflecting light off of a surface and observing the pattern of
reflected light, while others feature a light emitting source
opposed from a light detector that observes the pattern of light
passed through a series of slots, protrusions, or other feature on
a rotating wheel. This rotation sensor might also feature multiple
sensors that, when used simultaneously, can help determine the
direction of rotation from the pattern observed when comparing the
two signals. Magnets can also be embedded in the pulley or other
rotating feature allowing for hall effect or reed sensors to
determine rotation information from the resulting magnetic
interaction signal. Optical or magnetic rotation sensors do not
require direct physical contact with the pulley and therefore do
not cause friction nor will they wear out mechanically. These are
examples of incremental rotation sensors that only measure the
relative change in angular position. A potentiometer or other
absolute position sensor could also be used because the pulley 104
is limited to a specific number of revolutions depending upon the
diameter of the pulley and range of travel of the weight stack
134.
[0023] The weight machine sensor 100 shown in FIG. 1 is modular in
nature such that it can be placed at various locations and on
various makes and models of weight machines without significant
re-engineering. The compactness of the device and simple
hole-mounts 103 featured in the base 102 serve to make the sensor
more universally implementable with some simple additional mounting
brackets, shims, and/or fasteners. The device could therefore be
used to retrofit existing lines of equipment or could be directly
integrated into the machines as they are being manufactured.
[0024] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the example device shown in
FIG. 1 with the cover 106 removed to reveal some of the internal
components. Removal of the screws 122 allows for accessing or
servicing the internal components. A shoulder bolt 110 connects the
pulley 104 to a force sensor 114 with a bushing 112 utilized to
fill the difference between the inner diameter of the bearing in
the pulley 104 and the outer diameter of the shoulder bolt 110. The
force sensor is then rigidly fixed to the base 102 with a bolt 116.
The example force sensor 114 shown here features a strain gauge
(e.g., a metal foil gauge) fixed directly to a rigid beam that is
deflected when a load is applied. Since the force sensor features a
cantilevered body designed to deflect an amount proportional to the
force applied, the force may be measured by the strain gauge, which
may include a metallic foil with an electrical resistance that
changes based on the amount of deflection. The change in resistance
may be amplified via, e.g., a Wheatstone bridge circuit or other
type of amplification circuit. In a different approach, the force
exerted onto the force sensor 114 via the pulley 104 may be
measured via a piezo-resistive force sensor, a pressure transducer,
a thin film pressure sensor, or any other force-measuring sensor
could be employed.
[0025] A spacer 118 is included to control the position of the
pulley 104 relative to the force sensor 114. A printed circuit
board (PCB' 120 contains the microprocessor 121 as well as
peripheral integrated circuitry for processing the signals received
from the force sensor 114 and rotation sensor 108. Additionally,
the PCB 120 includes a wireless communication device 123 (e.g., a
wireless transmitter) for transmitting the data that is recorded by
the sensors. The PCB also includes a wire connector 125 such as a
barrel connector for providing and receiving wired data
transmission, power, or both data transmission and power
simultaneously.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the weight machine sensor 100
shown in FIG. 1 with the cover 106 and associated screws 122
removed. This figure more clearly illustrates how the pulley 104 is
connected to a force sensor 114 which in this example configuration
utilizes strain gauges applied to a beam cantilevered from the base
102. An example of the direction of force 124 is shown with an
arrow, but the force sensor 114 can be configured to measure force
applied in any direction. For example, if a cable is routed such
that it contacts the top of the pulley 104 the direction of force
will be downward, while if the cable is routed such that it
contacts the bottom of the pulley 104 the direction of force will
be upward.
[0027] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the weight machine sensor
100 affixed to the rigid frame 126 of the exercise machine. The
sensor 100 may be associated with (e.g., identify or otherwise
distinguish) the user performing the exercise. This association may
facilitate workout tracking and progress monitoring over time as
well as administer more sophisticated automated coaching programs
which would be unique to each user. A short range communication
device 127, implemented via an antenna, circuits, chips, and
possibly other electronic components could be integrated into the
sensor system. Examples of the short range communication device 127
may include a near field communication (NFC) or radio frequency
identification (RIM) check-in electronic (hardware) module. Most
fitness trackers, wearables, smart phones, and smart watches
include NFC or RFD readable chips which could be used to check the
user in to the exercise machine. Members of commercial gyms are
also commonly issued keychain fobs, bracelets, or other ways to
identify themselves when they check in to the gym that could also
be used to check in to the individual exercise machine stations
using the short range communication device 127. An optical camera
129 coupled with facial recognition functionality could also be
used to scan the individual's face as a way to identify which user
is at the machine. A retina scanners or fingerprint scanner could
similarly provide the ability for the user to be identified without
requiring him or her to wear or carry an NFC/RFID equipped item. A
dedicated monitor 130 on the exercise machine allows real-time data
and coaching feedback 131 to be displayed to the user. The data
could be transmitted from the weight machine sensor 100 to the
monitor wirelessly or physically wired via the wire connector 125
included on the PCB 120. The coaching feedback 131 displayed on the
screen could include time-series data such as force, power,
repetition count, calories burned, position, or total work output
for that set. It could also include scatter plots that do not
include time on one of the axes but rather a combination of two of
the coaching metrics. For example, a graph showing power on one
axis and position on the other axis could be useful. Or repetition
count on one axis and total work on another axis as another
example. But any combination of metrics provided by the sensor
could be configured to suit the needs of the coaching paradigm,
trainer, or exerciser. These metrics could be displayed on the
dedicated monitor 130 or a remote device 190 (see FIG. 1), such as
a mobile phone, smartwatch, or wearable activity tracker, or to a
remote server 195 (see FIG. 1), such as a cloud-based server or a
server associated with a particular facility (e.g., a gym).
[0028] A bracket may allow the base 102 to be rigidly mounted to
the frame 126 such that any force transferred from the cable 128 to
the pulley 104 is thereby detected by the force sensor 114. If the
cable 128 were to pass by the pulley 104 without being rerouted
such that it remained a straight line, there could be sufficient
friction to rotate the pulley 104 and therefore record motion and
position data via the rotation sensor 108. To record data regarding
the amount of weight lifted, however, the tension in the cable 128
should also be measured. For this reason, the pulley 104 should
actively reroute the cable 128 by some angle. The force applied by
the cable 128 to the pulley 104 can then be measured by the force
sensor 114 to deduce the tension in the cable and therefore the
amount of resistance experienced by the user.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the configuration shown in FIG.
4. This angle makes the resultant force 124 applied to the pulley
104 by the cable 128 more apparent. Rerouting the cable 128 by a
small angle will result in a force 124 that is small relative to
the tension in the cable. Rerouting the cable 128 by a large angle,
conversely, will result in a relatively higher force 124.
Translating the force measurement to weight values can be achieved
by calibrating the device as the relationship is in most cases a
basic linear fit. For the weight machine sensor to measure adequate
information about the exercise being performed, it measures two
basic details of the activity: the amount of weight being lifted
and the motion behavior of the weight stack 134. The force sensor
incorporated into the base and pulley assembly allows the sensor to
deduce the weight being lifted, but there are more ways to measure
the motion behavior of the weight stack 134. One configuration
presented earlier features a rotation sensor on the pulley. Another
approach is to use an optical position sensor 144 that is mounted
to the frame 126 of the weight machine and oriented toward the
weight stack 134 to measure its position. The position sensor 144
could include an infrared sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic
sensor, or any other form of position detection. Mounting the
position sensor 144 in a position where it is fixed relative to the
sensor is most convenient, but the same results could be achieved
by mounting the position sensor 144 such that it moves relative to
the weight stack 134 and measures position relative to a fixed
object such as the frame 126. The examples just cited feature an
optical way to "watch" the behavior of the weight stack 134 without
any physical interaction, but a string wrapped around a rotary
encoder that extends from the weight stack 134 could also be used
as a way to measure the motion behavior. Another way to deduce the
weight setting used by the user would be to connect the weight
selector pin to the aforementioned string. Because the weight
setting selection locations typically begin with the lightest
weight settings near the top of the weight stack 134 and the
heaviest weight setting at the bottom, the length of the string
when it is in its selector location could indicate the weight
resistance chosen by the user. In this example, a single rotatory
encoder could be used to determine both the weight setting selected
by the user and the motion behavior of the weight stack 134.
[0030] FIG. 6 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor in
which the pulley 104 is in line with the force sensor 114, rather
than cantilevered off the side as shown in the configuration
represented in FIG. 1.
[0031] FIG. 7A shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
in which the base 102 has a bracket for containing the pulley 104,
and the base 102 mounts directly to a weight selector tube 132
which in turn raises the stack of weights 134. In this
configuration, a portion of the bracket is removed such that force
exerted onto the pulley 104 by the cable 128 is transferred, at
least in part, through the force sensor 114 attached to the base
102. The example shown here features an "S type" load cell as the
force sensor but other configurations or force sensor types could
be employed. FIG. 7B shows an alternate view of the configuration
shown in FIG. 7A but with the pulley 104 and cable 128 removed to
illustrate the portion of the base 102 that is removed so that the
force experienced by the user from the movement of the weight stack
134 is transferred through the force sensor 114. In this example
featuring just one force sensor 114, only about half of the force
will be measured, but two force sensors could be used on both
halves of the bracket or base 102 such that the total force applied
to the pulley 104 is measured. This configuration of the weight
machine sensor 100 could include a rotation sensor 108, a motion
sensor, or both. Because the device is moving, an accelerometer
could be used as a motion sensor, although position sensors such as
infrared (IR), ultrasonic, or lidar, for example, could also be
used. In some scenarios such as a multi-gym environment where
multiple exercise types can be conducted at the same station, the
pulley 104 might be lifted by the cable 128 on the left side
causing clockwise motion, lifted by the right side causing
counter-clockwise motion, or lifted by both sides simultaneously to
allow for raising the weights with little or no rotation of the
pulley 104. To detect exercise types and gather more data about the
exercises being performed it would therefore be beneficial include
both rotation data and motion data for this example
application.
[0032] FIG. 8 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
featuring an "E type" load cell as the force sensor. In this sample
configuration, the force sensor 114 could be positioned to measure
force transferred between the base 102 and the fixed, rigid frame
126 of the weight machine. Alternatively, the force sensor 114
could be positioned to measure force transferred between the base
102 and the weight selector tube 132. In other words, the weight
machine sensor 100 could be positioned such that it is stationary
or it could be positioned such that it moves in accordance with
movement of the weights or other resistance source.
[0033] FIG. 9 shows a variation of the weight machine sensor 100
shown in FIG. 8 but features a button type load cell as the force
sensor rather than an "E type" load cell.
[0034] FIG. 10 shows a configuration of the weight machine sensor
100 featuring a load pin load cell integrated into the shaft of the
pulley as the force sensor 114.
[0035] In commercial gym environments it can be difficult or
cumbersome to route power cables to the weight machines, so
harvesting energy as a way to power the electronics on the PCB 120,
microprocessor 120, and wireless communication device 123 would
eliminate the need to plug the device in or replace batteries. FIG.
11 shows an exploded view of the same weight machine sensor 100
shown in FIG. 2, but with some additional kinetic charger
components to facilitate kinetic charging of a battery that powers
the device. In this sample configuration, the kinetic charger
components include electrical coils 136 fixed to the base 102 and
positioned in such a way that an electrical current is generated
when the plurality of magnets 138 rotate. The magnets 138 are
mounted in a fashion such that rotation of the pulley 104 causes
rotation of the magnets 138 and therefore the production of an
electrical current through the coils 136. The circuitry could be
set up such that the resulting torque applied to the pulley from
electromagnetic induction will be experienced only when the weights
are being lowered to not add any additional resistance when the
weights are being lifted. In this case, electricity would also only
be generated when the weights are being lowered. One possible
rotation sensor 108 technology features rotating magnets and a
hall-effect or reed sensor to deduce rotational position and
rotational direction data. The rotation sensor 108 could be
situated such that the magnets 138 used for kinetic charging could
also be used for rotation detection.
[0036] FIG. 12 illustrates another possible way to harvest energy
featuring a solar panel 140 to charge a battery 142 that runs the
electronics on the weight machine sensor 100. Whether the gym is
outdoors or indoors, the presence of some form of lighting means
that a solar panel 140, or photovoltaic cell of some form, could
provide the power required to run the device. The weight machine
sensor 100 operates in a "low-power" or "sleep" mode for extended
periods of time and will "wake up" and transmit data only when in
use. A wake sensor allows for this functionality. Given these usage
patterns the solar panel 140 need not be able to provide the
maximum power requirement such as when the device is awake and
transmitting data wirelessly, but rather merely provide the average
power requirement. The presence of a battery 142 allows for a
buffer to store the harvested energy to be delivered whenever the
device demands. The battery would also be included in the
configuration shown in FIG. 11 featuring kinetic energy harvesting
and could also be included in any of the other configurations
described herein.
[0037] FIG. 13 demonstrates a configuration of the weight machine
sensor 100 wherein a plurality of optical position sensors 144 can
be arranged in a manner to allow detection of the amount of weight
resistance chosen from the weight stack 134 as well as the motion
behavior of the weight stack 134. The position sensors 144 could
include an infrared sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor,
or any other form of position detection or combination thereof. A
position sensor 144 arranged on the frame 126 of the machine facing
downward, for example, could view the motion of the weight stack
134 while position sensors 144 arranged adjacent to the weight
stack, possibly horizontally angled, could view the weight stack
134 from a different angle and thereby be used by the
microprocessor 121 to infer the weight setting. By overlaying data
from the various position sensors 144 the algorithms implemented on
the microprocessor 121 could calculate the thickness of the
material being moved and therefore determine the weight setting and
therefore the exercise data produced by other configurations of the
weight machine sensor.
[0038] The combination of the force sensor 114 and rotation sensor
108 data (or position sensor 144 data), which the microprocessor
121 is programmed to determine from the force signal output by the
force sensor and the motion signal output by the rotation sensor,
respectively, allows for calculation of many exercise metrics
(referred to as "exercise data") that allow the exerciser to
monitor the progress of his/her physical fitness and automate the
delivery of coaching feedback 131. For example, the user's
strength, force, power, work output, calorie expenditure,
repetition count, and weight resistance settings can all be tracked
and compared to historical performance. That is, the microprocessor
121 may be programmed to calculate strength, force, power, work
output, calorie expenditure, and weight resistance setting from the
force signal output by the force sensor, the motion signal output
by the position/rotation sensor, or both. The metrics also allow
for engagement with an interactive community whose members could be
in close proximity or geographically dispersed. For example, the
metrics could be displayed on a leaderboard with real time
comparisons of the group of participants, or the participants could
be exercising in a home gym environment with a similar leaderboard
monitoring and comparing everyone's progress. The workouts that are
part of this described experience could be self-guided, loaded on
an "on-demand" basis, or streamed live onto the user's television,
mobile device, or wearable fitness tracker.
[0039] The wireless communication device 123 may be implemented via
an antenna, circuits, chips, or other electronic components
configured or programmed to facilitate wireless communication. For
instance, the wireless communication device may be programmed to
transmit the data collected by the force sensor, rotation sensor,
or both via a telecommunication protocol such as Bluetooth.RTM.,
Bluetooth Low Energy.RTM., etc., to a remote device 190 (see FIG.
1) such as a mobile phone, smartwatch, or wearable activity
tracker, or to a remote server 195 (see FIG. 1), such as a
cloud-based server or a server associated with a particular
facility (e.g., a gym). Wireless communication could be the only
way to communicate the exercise data or it could be secondary to
data transmission via a wired connection such as with an ethernet
cable. Multiple formats of wireless communication could also be
used in combination to allow simultaneous streaming of data to a
remote device 190 and a remote server 195, for example. The term
"server" refers to a computer having a processor and memory. The
term "remote" when used in the context of the remote device and
remote server may refer to the spatial relationship of the remote
device, the remote server, or both, relative to the exercise
tracker. Therefore, although referred to as "remote," the remote
device 190 and remote server 195 may be physically near the
exercise tracker 100 (i.e., the remote server 195 may be in
communication with the exercise tracker 100, the remote device 190,
or both, via a local network connection). Alternatively, the remote
device 190 or remote server 195, or both, may be physically
"remote" but still in signal communication with the exercise
tracker 100 (e.g., the remote server 195 may be cloud-based).
Accordingly, in some implementations, the data may be transmitted
from the weight machine sensor 100 to the remote device 190 or the
remote server 195 (see FIG. 1) via a Wi-Fi network connection. The
wireless communication device may be programmed to periodically
transmit the collected data to the remote device or remote server,
or transmit the data as it is collected. Alternatively, the
wireless communication device may be programmed to transmit the
data to the remote device or the remote server 195 at specific
times, such as when all repetitions have been performed or when a
workout is complete. The wireless communication device may
determine that all repetitions have been performed based on the
force sensor signal or that the workout is complete in response to
a user input provided to the exercise machine input or remote
device 195.
[0040] In general, the computing systems and/or devices described
may employ any of a number of computer operating systems,
including, but by no means limited to, versions and/or varieties of
the Microsoft Windows.RTM. operating system, the Unix operating
system (e.g., the Solaris.RTM. operating system distributed by
Oracle Corporation of Redwood Shores, Calif.), the AIX UNIX
operating system distributed by International Business Machines of
Armonk, N.Y., the Linux operating system, the Mac OSX, macOS, and
iOS operating systems distributed by Apple Inc. of Cupertino,
Calif., the BlackBerry OS distributed by Blackberry, Ltd. of
Waterloo, Canada, and the Android operating system developed by
Google, Inc. and the Open Handset Alliance. Examples of computing
devices include, without limitation, a computer workstation, a
server, a desktop, notebook, laptop, or handheld computer, or some
other computing system and/or device.
[0041] Computing devices generally include computer-executable
instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or
more computing devices such as those listed above.
Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted
from computer programs created using a variety of programming
languages and/or technologies, including, without limitation, and
either alone or in combination, Java.TM., C, C++, Visual Basic,
Java Script, Perl, etc. Some of these applications may be compiled
and executed on a virtual machine, such as the Java Virtual
Machine, the Dalvik virtual machine, or the like. In general, a
processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, e.g.,
from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these
instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including
one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions
and other data may be stored and transmitted using a variety of
computer-readable media.
[0042] A computer-readable medium (also referred to as a
processor-readable medium) includes any non-transitory (e.g.,
tangible) medium that participates in providing data (e.g.,
instructions) that may be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor
of a computer). Such a medium may take many forms, including, but
not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile
media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other
persistent memory. Volatile media may include, for example, dynamic
random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes a main
memory. Such instructions may be transmitted by one or more
transmission media, including coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber
optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled to a
processor of a computer. Common forms of computer-readable media
include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk,
magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other
optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium
with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM,
any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which
a computer can read.
[0043] Databases, data repositories or other data stores described
herein may include various kinds of mechanisms for storing,
accessing, and retrieving various kinds of data, including a
hierarchical database, a set of files in a file system, an
application database in a proprietary format, a relational database
management system (RDBMS), etc. Each such data store is generally
included within a computing device employing a computer operating
system such as one of those mentioned above, and are accessed via a
network in any one or more of a variety of manners. A file system
may be accessible from a computer operating system, and may include
files stored in various formats. An RDBMS generally employs the
Structured Query Language (SQL) in addition to a language for
creating, storing, editing, and executing stored procedures, such
as the PL/SQL language mentioned above.
[0044] In some examples, system elements may be implemented as
computer-readable instructions (e.g., software) on one or more
computing devices (e.g., servers, personal computers, etc.), stored
on computer readable media associated therewith (e.g., disks,
memories, etc.). A computer program product may comprise such
instructions stored on computer readable media for carrying out the
functions described herein.
[0045] With regard to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics,
etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the
steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring
according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be
practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than
the order described herein. It further should be understood that
certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps
could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be
omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are
provided for the purpose of illustrating certain embodiments, and
should in no way be construed so as to limit the claims.
[0046] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above
description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive.
Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided
would be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope
should be determined, not with reference to the above description,
but should instead be determined with reference to the appended
claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such
claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future
developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein, and
that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into
such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the
application is capable of modification and variation.
[0047] All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their
ordinary meanings as understood by those knowledgeable in the
technologies described herein unless an explicit indication to the
contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular
articles such as "a," "the," "said," etc. should be read to recite
one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an
explicit limitation to the contrary.
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