Exercise machine and user interface for exercise machine

Abstract

An exercise machine may include a tower enclosing, at least in part, a cable and pulley system, a base supporting the tower on a surface, and a plurality of handles operatively coupled to the cable and pulley system and configured to extend from the tower. The exercise machine may include a resistance motor operatively coupled to the cable and pulley system. The resistance motor may include a fan and a flywheel connected to a common shaft. The exercise machine may be operatively associated with a user interface which includes an exercise display area configured to activate one or more exercise indicators in a predetermined sequence and a control area including at least one mode control operable to change the sequence of activation of the one or more exercise indicators. The user interface may be provided on a console of the exercise machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exercise system including a user interface for an exercise machine, the user interface comprising:
 an exercise display area configured to display an exercise sequence by activating one or more exercise indicators of a plurality of exercise indicators in a predetermined sequence; and   a control area comprising at least one mode control operable to change a sequence of activation of the one or more exercise indicators.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , wherein the exercise display area comprises a plurality of lights, each of which correspond to an exercise indicator of the plurality of exercise indicators. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of lights comprises at least two uniquely colored lights, each uniquely colored light associated with a same type of exercise. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise system of  claim 2 , wherein the exercise display area comprises an array of lights arranged in m rows and n columns. 
     
     
         5 . The exercise system of  claim 4 , wherein the exercise display area comprises a same number of rows and columns of lights. 
     
     
         6 . The exercise system of  claim 4 , wherein the lights in each row have a same color. 
     
     
         7 . The exercise system of  claim 4 , wherein the lights in each column have a different color. 
     
     
         8 . The exercise system of  claim 4 , wherein the user interface is configured, responsive to a selection of a first mode, to activate all of the lights in one row before activating any lights in another row. 
     
     
         9 . The exercise system of  claim 4 , wherein the user interface is configured, responsive to a selection of a second mode, to activate all of the lights in one column before activating any lights in another column. 
     
     
         10 . The exercise system of  claim 4 , wherein the user interface is configured to activate all of the lights in one row followed by less than all of the lights in another row responsive to a selection of a third mode. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to activate the plurality of exercise indicators in accordance with a plurality of predetermined sequences, each of which is configured to continue for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise system of  claim 11 , wherein all of the sequences of the plurality of predetermined sequences are configured to continue for a same period of time. 
     
     
         13 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface further comprises a pause control configured to temporarily suspend the sequence. 
     
     
         14 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface further comprises a timer configured to provide an indication of time associated with an exercise or a group of exercises, an indication of a rest period following the exercise or the group of exercises, or both. 
     
     
         15 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , wherein the timer is a first timer configured to provide the indication of time associated with an exercise or a group of exercises, the user interface further comprising a second timer configured to provide the indication of the rest period following the exercise or the group of exercises. 
     
     
         16 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to activate one or more exercise indicators in accordance with a first sequence responsive to a selection of one of a plurality of modes, the user interface further configured to disengage the exercise display area responsive to a selection of another of a plurality of modes. 
     
     
         17 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is associated with an exercise machine comprising a tower enclosing, at least partially, a cable and pulley system. 
     
     
         18 . The exercise system of  claim 17 , further comprising the exercise machine, wherein the exercise machine further comprises a resistance motor operatively coupled to the cable and pulley system. 
     
     
         19 . The exercise system of  claim 18 , wherein the exercise machine is configured to change a resistance provided by the resistance motor responsive to input received via the user interface. 
     
     
         20 . The exercise system of  claim 18 , wherein the resistance motor comprises a fan and a flywheel driven by a common shaft. 
     
     
         21 . The exercise system of  claim 20 , wherein the user interface further comprises a resistance control configured to select a level of resistance provided by the flywheel. 
     
     
         22 . The exercise system of  claim 17 , further comprising the exercise machine, and wherein the user interface is provided on a console of the exercise machine. 
     
     
         23 . The exercise system of  claim 17 , further comprising the exercise machine, and wherein the exercise display area, the control area, or both are located on the tower. 
     
     
         24 . The exercise system of  claim 17 , further comprising the exercise machine, and wherein the user interface is provided, at least partially, on a console movably connected to the tower. 
     
     
         25 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an exercise machine comprising:
 a cable and pulley system; 
 a resistance motor operatively engaged with the cable and pulley system; and 
 a wireless communication interface for communicatively coupling the exercise machine to a portable computing device; and 
   non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable instructions for providing the user interface on the portable computing device.   
     
     
         26 . The exercise system of  claim 17 , further comprising the exercise machine, and wherein the exercise machine includes a media holder configured to secure a media device to the tower, wherein the media holder comprises a support structure, a track associated with the support structure, and a slider movably connected to the support structure via the track, wherein the slider is adjustable to multiple positions along a length of the track, and wherein the slider is configured to remain at any of the multiple positions by frictional force between the slider and the track. 
     
     
         27 . The exercise machine of  claim 26 , wherein the tower includes a storage compartment, and wherein the support structure comprises a back support member movably coupled to the tower to cover and uncover an opening of the storage compartment. 
     
     
         28 . The exercise machine of  claim 26 , wherein the media holder is configurable in a first configuration for securing an electronic media device to the exercise machine and in a second configuration for securing a printed media to the exercise machine.