Apparatus and method for resistance calibration and digitization for exercise equipment

Abstract

A system and method for using resistance type exercise machines is provided. One embodiment provides a tailored resistance level (TRL) that indicates a resistance level for that particular user and that particular exercise machine. The TRL, calculated for a particular user and a particular exercise machine, is based on three concurrently measured variables: the user biometric (such as heart rate), cadence of the user's effort, and measured resistance value (measured as the degrees of angular rotation of the resistance knob 104 of the exercise machine).

Therefore, having thus described the invention, at least the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A measured resistance monitoring device configured to provide resistance information to a user of an exercise machine, wherein the exercise machine creates a resistance force to oppose the user's efforts during a workout, and wherein the exercise machine employs a rotatable resistance knob that is rotated by the user to adjust a resistance level that defines the resistance force, the measured resistance monitoring device comprising:
 a biometric monitor interface communicatively coupled to a biometric monitor, wherein the biometric monitor outputs biometric information corresponding to a biometric condition of the user, and wherein the biometric information is received at the biometric monitor interface;   a cadence sensor interface communicatively coupled to a cadence sensor, wherein the cadence sensor communicates cadence information corresponding to a cadence of an exercise motion of the user during the user's workout, and wherein the cadence information is received at the cadence sensor interface;   an angular rotation sensor that senses angular position of the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine;   a processor system communicatively coupled to the biometric monitor interface, the cadence sensor interface, and the angular rotation sensor; and   a memory communicatively coupled to the processor system, the memory storing a tailored resistance level calibration module that is configured to determine a Resistance Level Ratio (RLR) that is based on the biometric condition of the user, the cadence, and a Total Measured Resistance of Calibration (TMRc) value corresponding to a change in the resistance force created by the exercise machine that is being used by the user during their workout.   
     
     
         2 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the measured resistance monitoring device begins a calibration process during a first calibration duration,
 wherein the user sets the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine to a zero resistance value; 
 wherein the user operates the exercise machine at a first cadence, wherein the cadence sensor communicates first cadence information corresponding to the first cadence to the cadence sensor interface, and wherein the biometric monitor communicates first biometric information corresponding to a first biometric condition of the user to the biometric monitor interface, 
 wherein the first duration ends when:
 the first cadence remains stabilized for at least a predefined first stabilization duration, and 
 the first biometric condition of the user remains stabilized for at least a predefined second stabilization duration, and 
 
 wherein the first biometric information corresponding to the user's first biometric condition is stored in the memory of the measured resistance monitoring device, 
   wherein the measured resistance monitoring device concludes the calibration process during a second calibration duration,
 wherein the user rotates the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine to a non-zero resistance value so that the angular position sensor communicates Total Measured Resistance of Calibration (TMRc) to the processor system, wherein the TMRc corresponds to a change in angular position of rotation of the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine made by the user; 
 wherein the user operates the exercise machine at a second cadence, wherein the cadence sensor communicates second cadence information corresponding to the second cadence to the cadence sensor interface, and wherein the biometric monitor communicates second biometric information corresponding to a second biometric condition of the user to the biometric monitor interface, 
 wherein the second duration ends when:
 the second cadence remains stabilized for at least a predefined third stabilization duration, and 
 the second biometric condition of the user remains stabilized for at least a predefined fourth stabilization duration, and 
 
 wherein the angular position information, the second biometric information, and the second cadence information are stored in the memory of the measured resistance monitoring device, 
   wherein the measured resistance monitoring device determines a User Effort Level (UEL) based on a difference between the second biometric condition and the first biometric condition, wherein the difference is divided by the second cadence,   wherein the measured resistance monitoring device determines the RLR based on a ratio between the TMRc and the UEL, and   wherein the RLR is stored in the memory.   
     
     
         3 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein the difference is multiplied by a Resistance Level Scaler (RLS), wherein the RLS is a predefined scaler value associated with the exercise machine. 
     
     
         4 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a plurality of calibrations are conducted for the exercise machine and the user,   wherein for each of the plurality of calibrations, a unique RLR defined by a ratio between the TMRc and the UEL determined for that calibration, and   wherein a hardened RLR is determined based on an average of the determined unique RLRs for the plurality of calibrations.   
     
     
         5 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein identity information of the user is associated with the RLR and is stored in the memory, wherein a plurality of different users may have unique RLRs determined for the exercise machine. 
     
     
         6 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein identify information of the exercise machine is associated with the RLR and is stored in the memory, wherein a plurality of different exercise machines may have unique RLRs determined for the user. 
     
     
         7 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 , wherein after calibration, the measured resistance monitoring device determines tailored resistance level (TRL) based on a ratio between a current Total Measured Resistance (TMR) and the determined RLR of the exercise machine and the user, wherein the TMR is defined by a current angle of rotation of the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine. 
     
     
         8 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a housing; and   a display disposed on a surface of the housing and communicatively coupled to the processor system,   wherein the display presents the TLR to the user.   
     
     
         9 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 8 , wherein the angular position sensor resides in the housing, and further comprising:
 a wireless transceiver residing in the housing that is communicatively coupled to the processor system that is residing in the housing,   wherein the information corresponding to the TLR is wirelessly communicated from the wireless transceiver to a mobile electronic device of the user, and   wherein a display of the mobile electronic device presents the TLR to the user.   
     
     
         10 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the biometric condition monitor interface is a wireless transceiver residing in a mobile electronic device of the user that communicatively couples the mobile electronic device to the biometric monitor, and   wherein the information corresponding to the user's biometric condition is wirelessly communicated from the biometric monitor to the biometric interface.   
     
     
         11 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the cadence sensor interface is a wireless transceiver residing in a mobile electronic device of the user that communicatively couples the mobile electronic device to the cadence sensor, and   wherein the information corresponding to the cadence is wirelessly communicated from the cadence sensor to the cadence sensor interface.   
     
     
         12 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the biometric monitor interface residing in the housing is a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to the biometric monitor, and   wherein the information corresponding to the user's biometric is wirelessly communicated from the biometric monitor to the biometric monitor interface.   
     
     
         13 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the cadence sensor interface residing in the housing is a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to the cadence sensor,   wherein the information corresponding to the cadence is wirelessly communicated from the cadence sensor to the cadence sensor interface.   
     
     
         14 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first duration and the third duration are the same, and   wherein the second duration and the fourth duration are the same.   
     
     
         15 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a means for securing the measured resistance monitoring device to a top surface of the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine.   
     
     
         16 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the biometric monitor is a heart rate monitor,   wherein the biometric condition is a heart rate of the user.   
     
     
         17 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the biometric monitor is a heart rate monitor,   wherein the biometric condition is a heart rate of the user,   wherein the measured resistance monitoring device begins a calibration process during a first calibration duration,   wherein the user sets the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine to a zero resistance value;   wherein the user operates the exercise machine at a first cadence for a first duration,   
       wherein the measured resistance monitoring device concludes the calibration process during a second calibration duration,
 wherein the user rotates the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine to a non-zero resistance value so that the angular position sensor communicates Total Measured Resistance of Calibration (TMRc) to the processor system, wherein the TMRc corresponds to a change in angular position of rotation of the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine made by the user; 
 wherein the user operates the exercise machine at a second cadence, wherein the cadence sensor communicates second cadence information corresponding to the second cadence to the cadence sensor interface, and wherein the biometric monitor communicates biometric information corresponding to a biometric condition of the user to the biometric monitor interface, 
 wherein the second duration ends when the second cadence remains stabilized for at least a predefined first stabilization duration and ends when the biometric condition of the user remains stabilized for at least a predefined second stabilization duration, and 
 wherein the angular position information, the biometric information, and the second cadence information are stored in the memory of the measured resistance monitoring device, 
 
       wherein the measured resistance monitoring device determines a User Effort Level (UEL) based on a difference between the biometric condition and a predefined resting heart rate, wherein the difference is divided by the second cadence, and wherein the result is multiplied by a Resistance Level Scaler (RLS), and 
       wherein the measured resistance monitoring device determines a Resistance Level Ratio (RLR) defined by a ratio between the TMRc and the UEL, and
 wherein the RLR is stored in the memory. 
 
     
     
         18 . The measured resistance monitoring device of  claim 17 , wherein the difference is multiplied by a Resistance Level Scaler (RLS), wherein the RLS is a predefined scaler value associated with the exercise machine. 
     
     
         19 . A measured resistance monitoring device configured to provide resistance information to a user of an exercise machine, wherein the exercise machine creates a resistance force to oppose the user's efforts during a workout, and wherein the exercise machine employs a rotatable resistance knob that is rotated by the user to adjust a resistance level that defines the resistance force, the measured resistance monitoring device comprising:
 a user input/output (I/O), wherein the user inputs an estimated user level of exertion information;   a cadence sensor interface communicatively coupled to a cadence sensor, wherein the cadence sensor communicates cadence information corresponding to a cadence of an exercise motion of the user during the user's workout, and wherein the cadence information is received at the cadence sensor interface;   an angular rotation sensor that senses angular position of the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine;   a processor system communicatively coupled to the biometric monitor interface, the cadence sensor interface, and the angular rotation sensor; and   a memory communicatively coupled to the processor system, the memory storing a tailored resistance level calibration module that is configured to determine a Resistance Level Ratio (RLR) that is based on the estimated user level of exertion information, the cadence, and a Total Measured Resistance of Calibration (TMRc) value corresponding to a change in the resistance force created by the exercise machine that is being used by the user during their workout.   
     
     
         20 . A method of providing resistance information to a user of an exercise machine, wherein the exercise machine creates a resistance force to oppose the user's efforts during a workout, and wherein the exercise machine employs a rotatable resistance knob that is rotated by the user to adjust a resistance level that defines the resistance force, the measured resistance monitoring device comprising:
 receiving biometric information corresponding to a biometric condition of the user, and wherein the biometric information is received at the biometric monitor interface;   receiving cadence information corresponding to a cadence of an exercise motion of the user during the user's workout, and wherein the cadence information is received at the cadence sensor interface;   sensing angular position of the rotatable resistance knob of the exercise machine; and   determining a Resistance Level Ratio (RLR) that is based on the biometric condition of the user, the cadence, and a Total Measured Resistance of Calibration (TMRc) value corresponding to a change in the resistance force created by the exercise machine that is being used by the user during their workout.