Treadmill

Abstract

A treadmill is disclosed that includes: a base portion; an elongate belt extending along the base portion and rotatably disposed about a roller so that rotation of the roller causes rotation of the elongate belt; an upright portion extending from the base portion, the upright portion supporting an interface; a motor rotatably driving the roller; an elevator having a driving element engaged with the base portion, the driving element vertically movable to incline the base portion to an inclination measurable by an inclination value; and a controller electronically coupled with the motor and the elevator and including one or more processors configured to perform a number of steps with respect to the treadmill.

1 . A treadmill, comprising:
 a base portion, an elongate belt extending along the base portion and rotatably disposed about a roller so that rotation of the roller causes rotation of the elongate belt;   an upright portion extending from the base portion, the upright portion supporting an interface;   a motor rotatably driving the roller;   an elevator having a driving element engaged with the base portion, the driving element vertically movable to incline the base portion to an inclination measurable by an inclination value; and   a controller electronically coupled with the motor and the elevator and comprising one or more processors configured to perform the steps of:
 (a) receiving, at the controller, base running pace data corresponding to a base running pace for a user of the treadmill; 
 (b) accessing, by the controller, first running program data comprising a plurality of intervals each having a respective duration and an associated inclination value for the base portion; 
 (c) determining, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals based upon the base running pace data a respective roller speed corresponding to a belt speed; 
 (d) generating, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals a motor control signal corresponding to the determined roller speed for the respective interval; 
 (e) generating, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals an elevator control signal corresponding to the associated inclination value for the respective interval; 
 (f) transmitting, from the controller to the motor, the respective motor control signal to cause the motor to rotate the roller at the respective determined roller speed during the respective interval; and 
 (g) transmitting, from the controller to the elevator, the respective elevator control signal to cause the elevator to incline the base portion to the respective inclination value during the respective interval. 
   
     
     
         2 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the first running program data is accessed from local non-transitory computer-readable memory that is electronically coupled with the controller. 
     
     
         3 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the first running program data is accessed from a remote computer system in electronic communication with the controller via a data network. 
     
     
         4 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the first running program data is accessed from an electronic device provided by the user of the treadmill. 
     
     
         5 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the first running program data is accessed from one or more inputs provided through the interface. 
     
     
         6 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the step of:
 generating, by the controller, one or more motor control signals corresponding to interval transition speeds between a first roller speed of a first interval and a second roller speed of a second interval, the first roller speed different from the second roller speed.   
     
     
         7 . The treadmill of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the step of:
 transmitting, from the controller to the motor, the one or more motor control signals to cause the motor to rotate the roller at the interval transition speeds.   
     
     
         8 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the steps of:
 (h) accessing, by the controller, second running program data comprising a plurality of intervals each having a duration and an associated inclination value for the base portion;   (i) determining, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals of the second running program data based upon the base running pace data a roller speed corresponding to a belt speed;   (j) generating, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals of the second running program data a motor control signal corresponding to the determined roller speed for the respective interval;   (k) generating, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals of the second running program data an elevator control signal corresponding to the associated inclination value for the respective interval;   (l) transmitting, from the controller to the motor, the respective motor control signal to cause the motor to rotate the roller at the respective roller speed during the respective interval of the second running program data; and   (m) transmitting, from the controller to the elevator, the respective elevator control signal to cause the elevator to incline the base portion to the respective inclination value during the respective interval of the second running program data.   
     
     
         9 . A treadmill, comprising:
 a base portion, an elongate belt extending along the base portion and rotatably disposed about a roller so that rotation of the roller causes rotation of the elongate belt;   an upright portion extending from the base portion, the upright portion supporting an interface;   a motor rotatably driving the roller;   an elevator having a driving element engaged with the base portion, the driving element vertically movable to incline the base portion to an inclination measurable by an inclination value; and   a controller electronically coupled with the motor and the elevator and comprising one or more processors configured to perform the steps of:
 (a) receiving, at the controller, first running program data comprising a plurality of intervals each having a duration, an associated inclination value for the base portion, and an associated belt speed based upon a base running pace of the user; 
 (b) determining, by the controller, roller speeds corresponding to each belt speed; 
 (c) generating, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals a motor control signal corresponding to the determined roller speed for the respective interval; 
 (d) generating, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals an elevator control signal corresponding to the associated inclination value for the respective interval; 
 (e) transmitting, from the controller to the motor, the respective motor control signal to cause the motor to rotate the roller at the respective roller speed during the respective interval; and 
 (f) transmitting, from the controller to the elevator, the respective elevator control signal to cause the elevator to incline the base portion to the respective inclination value during the respective interval. 
   
     
     
         10 . The treadmill of  claim 9 , wherein the first running program data is received from local non-transitory computer-readable memory that is electronically coupled with the controller. 
     
     
         11 . The treadmill of  claim 9 , wherein the first running program data is received from a remote computer system in electronic communication with the controller via a data network. 
     
     
         12 . The treadmill of  claim 9 , wherein the first running program data is received from an electronic device provided by the user of the treadmill. 
     
     
         13 . The treadmill of  claim 9 , wherein the first running program data is received through the interface. 
     
     
         14 . The treadmill of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the step of:
 generating, by the controller, one or more motor control signals corresponding to interval transition speeds between a first roller speed of a first interval and a second roller speed of a second interval.   
     
     
         15 . The treadmill of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the step of:
 transmitting, from the controller to the motor, the one or more motor control signals to cause the motor to rotate the roller at the interval transition speeds.   
     
     
         16 . The treadmill of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the steps of:
 (g) receiving, at the controller, second running program data comprising a plurality of intervals each having a duration and an associated inclination value for the base portion;   (h) determining, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals of the second running program data based upon the base running pace data a roller speed corresponding to a belt speed;   (i) generating, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals of the second running program data a motor control signal corresponding to the determined roller speed for the respective interval;   (j) generating, by the controller, for each of the plurality of intervals of the second running program data an elevator control signal corresponding to the associated inclination value for the respective interval;   (k) transmitting, from the controller to the motor, the respective motor control signal to cause the motor to rotate the roller at the respective roller speed during the respective interval of the second running program data; and   (l) transmitting, from the controller to the elevator, the respective elevator control signal to cause the elevator to incline the base portion to the respective inclination value during the respective interval of the second running program data.   
     
     
         17 . A system for providing an individualized group treadmill training program, comprising:
 (a) a computer system comprising:
 (i) one or more processors; 
 (ii) non-transitory computer-readable memory operatively connected to the one or more processors; 
 (iii) a user activity module stored in the non-transitory computer-readable memory and configured to run on the one or more processors to store electronic data associated with a base running pace of each of a plurality of users; 
 (iv) an interval control module stored in the non-transitory computer-readable memory and configured to run on the one or more processors to generate for each of a plurality of treadmills associated with a respective user a series of treadmill training intervals, wherein each interval comprises an individualized treadmill belt speed for a period of time and a base portion inclination for the period of time, wherein the individualized belt speed is based upon the respective base running pace of the user; and 
 (v) a treadmill control module configured to generate and transmit to each treadmill respective machine-readable instructions comprising belt speeds, base portion inclination values, and associated periods of time as correspond to the respective generated series of treadmill training intervals; 
   (b) a first treadmill comprising:
 (i) a base portion, an elongate belt extending along the base portion and rotatably disposed about a roller so that rotation of the roller causes rotation of the elongate belt; 
 (ii) an upright portion extending from the base portion, the upright portion supporting an interface; 
 (iii) a motor rotatably driving the roller; 
 (iv) an elevator having a driving element engaged with the base portion, the driving element vertically movable to incline the base portion to an inclination measurable by a base portion inclination value; and 
 (v) a controller electronically coupled with the motor and the elevator and comprising one or more treadmill processors configured to perform the steps of receiving, from the treadmill control module, the machine-readable instructions, causing the motor to operate at speeds corresponding to the belt speeds and periods of time specified by the machine-readable instructions, and causing the elevator to move the base portion to the base portion inclination values specified by the machine-readable instructions; and 
   (c) a second treadmill comprising:
 (i) a base portion, an elongate belt extending along the base portion and rotatably disposed about a roller so that rotation of the roller causes rotation of the elongate belt; 
 (ii) an upright portion extending from the base portion, the upright portion supporting an interface; 
 (iii) a motor rotatably driving the roller; 
 (iv) an elevator having a driving element engaged with the base portion, the driving element vertically movable to incline the base portion to an inclination measurable by a base portion inclination value; and 
 (v) a controller electronically coupled with the motor and the elevator and comprising one or more treadmill processors configured to perform the steps of receiving, from the treadmill control module, the machine-readable instructions, causing the motor to operate at speeds corresponding to the belt speeds and periods of time specified by the machine-readable instructions, and causing the elevator to move the base portion to the base portion inclination values specified by the machine-readable instructions. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the periods of time specified by the machine-readable instructions for the first treadmill are the same as the periods of time specified by the machine-readable instructions for the second treadmill. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the base portion inclination values specified by the machine-readable instructions for the first treadmill are the same as the base portion inclination values specified by the machine-readable instructions for the second treadmill. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 (d) a third treadmill comprising:
 (i) a base portion, an elongate belt extending along the base portion and rotatably disposed about a roller so that rotation of the roller causes rotation of the elongate belt; 
 (ii) an upright portion extending from the base portion, the upright portion supporting an interface; 
 (iii) a motor rotatably driving the roller; 
 (iv) an elevator having a driving element engaged with the base portion, the driving element vertically movable to incline the base portion to an inclination measurable by a base portion inclination value; and 
 (v) a controller electronically coupled with the motor and the elevator and comprising one or more treadmill processors configured to perform the steps of receiving, from the treadmill control module, the machine-readable instructions, causing the motor to operate at speeds corresponding to the belt speeds and periods of time specified by the machine-readable instructions, and causing the elevator to move the base portion to the base portion inclination values specified by the machine-readable instructions.