Heart rate monitor and method using detection to eliminate errors from interference

Abstract

A monitor-exercise equipment apparatus for measuring a biomedical response such as heartbeat rate, and for using the measured response to control the exercise equipment, where the monitor includes a transmitting unit and a receiving unit located in the exercise equipment. The monitor detects a biomedical response (heart rate) and produces a digital pulse train representing this response. The digital pulse train is then encoded to produce an encoded digital signal having a first identification part identifying the transmitting unit and a second data part representing the person's biomedical response. This encoded digital signal is wirelessly sent to the receiving unit which reads the received signal to determine if it is from the transmitting unit. If it is from that transmitting unit, the data part is read. If there are too many errors in the data part, a new frequency of wireless transmission is used in the monitor. If the errors are within a reasonable bound, the data bits representing the biomedical response are sent to a memory and/or a display. If the received signal were not from the correct transmitting unit, the received signal is rejected. Interference from other monitors or electrical equipment is minimized, and the data displayed is very accurate. The receiving unit provides a signal to a parameter control means in the exercise equipment. The parameter control means automatically regulates the resistance offered to the user in accordance with the measured heart rate of the user to provide a proper workout. Memory is included for providing exercise profiles unique to the user. An identification unit allows each user to identify himself/herself to the equipment to access the proper stored exercise profile for that person.

1 . An apparatus for controlled exercise of a user, including in combination: 
 a transmitting unit for producing an encoded digital signal representative of a person's heart rate, said transmitting unit including a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting said encoded digital signal over a first frequency to a receiver-control unit,    a receiver-control unit located on a piece of exercise equipment for control of said exercise equipment in response to said user's heart rate, said receiver-control unit including a receiving means for receiving said wirelessly transmitted encoded digital signal and display means for displaying said person's heart rate and other information,    a microprocessor located in said receiver-controller unit for reading said encoded digital signal and for controlling a parameter control means in response to said person's heart rate,    parameter control means responsive to said microprocessor for continuously adjusting a parameter of said exercise equipment in response to said person's heart rate,    identification means located in said receiver-control unit responsive to an entry by said user for identifying said user,    first memory means for storing a profile of heart rate response of said user of said exercise equipment,    input means connected to said microprocessor for enabling said user to control said parameter control means dependently of said stored profile, and    second memory means coupled to said microprocessor for receiving a recording of an exercise program specific to a particular user.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where said transmitting unit includes means for detecting and correcting errors in said measured heart rate.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further including frequency change means for automatically changing the frequency over which said encoded digital signal is transmitted if a specified error exists in the encoded digital signal received by said receiver.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , where said frequency change means includes means for wirelessly transmitting a frequency change signal from said receiver-control unit to said transmitting unit when said specified error is determined.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further including means for enabling said transmitting unit to know that said frequency change signal is from said receiver-control unit.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for exercise based on a human biomedical response, including in combination: 
 a transmitting unit for producing an encoded digital signal representative of a biomedical response of a person, said transmitting unit including a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting said encoded digital signal to a receiver located on a piece of exercise equipment,    a receiver located on said exercise equipment for receiving said encoded digital signal,    a display means located on said exercise equipment for displaying said biomedical response,    detection means for detecting errors in said received encoded digital signal,    correction means for automatically changing said transmitter and said receiver to provide accurate transmission therebetween,    a microprocessor for reading said encoded digital signal to determine the identity of the person whose biomedical response is being measured,    parameter control means responsive to said biomedical response as determined by said microprocessor for continuously adjusting a parameter of said exercise equipment in response to the biomedical response determined by said microprocessor,    memory means for storing programs for the operation of said microprocessor and for storing a profile of the biomedical response of said user of said exercise equipment,    input means connected to said microprocessor for enabling said user to control said parameter control means independently of a profile stored in said first memory means, and    second memory means coupled to said microprocessor for receiving a recording of an exercise program specific to said user, said microprocessor controlling said parameter control means in response to said recording of an exercise program and in response to the continuous measurement of said biomedical response in said microprocessor.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , where said correction means includes frequency change means for changing the frequency over which said encoded digital signal is wirelessly transmitted.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further including identification means for determining that the encoded digital signal received by said receiver is from said transmitting unit.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , where said biomedical response is heart rate.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , where said transmitting unit is capable of being worn on a person using the exercise equipment.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for controlled exercise in response to a user's heart rate, comprising: 
 a transmitting unit for producing an encoded digital signal representative of a person's heart rate, said transmitting unit including transmitter means for wireless transmission of said encoded digital signal to a display unit located on a piece of exercise equipment,    encoding means for producing said encoded digital signal, said encoding means being in said transmitting unit and producing an encoded digital signal having a first part identifying said transmitting unit and a second part representative of said user's heart rate,    a display unit located on said exercise equipment for displaying information representing the user's heart rate,    a receiving means located on said exercise equipment for receiving said encoded digital signal via wireless transmission from said transmitting unit,    means for determining if said received encoded digital signal is from said transmitting unit,    frequency change means for changing the frequency over which said encoded digital signal is transmitted from said transmitting unit if errors beyond a specified amount occur in said second part of said encoded digital signal received by said receiving means,    a microprocessor for reading said received encoded digital signal and for providing a signal to a parameter control means,    parameter control means responsive to said signal from said microprocessor for continuously adjusting a parameter of said exercise equipment in response to the measured heart rate of said user,    memory means located in said exercise equipment for storing a profile of heart rate response of said user,    input means connected to said microprocessor for enabling said user to control said parameter control means independent of said stored profile of heart rate response, and    identification means located in said exercise equipment, said identification means being responsive to an entry by said user identifying said user to said exercise equipment.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further including additional memory means coupled to said microprocessor for receiving a recording of an exercise program specific to said user.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further including error detection and correction means located in said transmitting unit for ensuring the correctness of heart rate wirelessly transmitted to said receiving means.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , where said first memory means contains memory for storing information representative of the person's most recent use of said exercise equipment.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where said frequency change means includes means for wirelessly transmitting a digital frequency change signal from said exercise equipment to said transmitting unit, said frequency change signal containing information identifying the exercise equipment from which it is sent.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where said microprocessor controls the user's warm-up and cool-down periods of use of said exercise equipment.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where said identification means is a magnetic card reader for reading a magnetic code identifying said user.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where said parameter control means operates under control of a signal from said microprocessor in response to said user's heart rate independently of the exercise program being provided by said first or second memory means.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where said exercise equipment includes means located therein for determining that said encoded digital signal is from said transmitting unit.  
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for controlled exercise in response to continuous monitoring of a person's heart rate, comprising in combination: 
 exercise equipment having resistance determining means therein for increasing or decreasing the resistance offered by said exercise equipment to a user of said equipment,    parameter control means in said exercise equipment for changing the resistance offered by said exercise equipment to said user,    microprocessor means in said exercise equipment for providing a signal to said parameter control means for determining tie resistance offered by said exercise equipment to said user, said signal being proportional to a measured heart rate of said user when operating said exercise equipment,    a transmitting unit adapted to be worn by said user for detecting and digitally encoding a signal representative of the user's heart rate, said transmitting unit including encoding means for producing an encoded digital signal having a first part identifying said transmitting unit and a second part representative of the user's heart rate,    receiving means located in said exercise equipment for receiving said encoded digital signal via wireless transmission from said transmitting unit and for providing said received digitally encoded signal to said microprocessor means,    error correction means located in said transmitting unit for ensuring the accuracy of said measured heart rate,    memory means located in said exercise equipment for storing an exercise program specific to said user,    identification means in said exercise equipment responsive to the entry of an identification code specific to said user, and    display means in said exercise equipment for displaying the user's heart rate and other information relative to the parameters of exercise being undertaken by said user.    
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further including additional memory coupled to said microprocessor means for receiving a recording of an exercise program specific to said user.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , including memory means for storing a plurality of exercise profiles specific to said user.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , further including input means connected to said control means for enabling said user to override control of said parameter control means.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , including means for determining a warm-up exercise profile, a cool-down exercise profile and a sustained exercise profile for maintaining an aerobic workout of said user.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further including frequency change means for changing the frequency over which said encoded digital signal is wirelessly transmitted from said transmitting unit to said exercise equipment.