US20100204015A1

US20100204015A1 - Interactive system for exercise condition and method thereof

Info

Publication number: US20100204015A1
Application number: US12/320,852
Authority: US
Inventors: Chaucer Chiu; Wen Jie Shi
Original assignee: Inventec Corp
Current assignee: Inventec Corp
Priority date: 2009-02-06
Filing date: 2009-02-06
Publication date: 2010-08-12

Abstract

An interactive system for exercise condition and a method thereof are described. In the system and method, a trainer terminal gives an exercise direction to a trainee terminal through a server according to exercise data and physiological data that represent the trainee terminal generated by a measurement equipment, so as to solve the problem existing in the prior art that the trainee might be injured due to the continuous and inappropriate fitness exercise because a fitness trainer has no time to give the exercise direction, thereby achieving the technical efficacy of real-time and long-time continuously giving the appropriate exercise direction to the trainee.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to an interactive system for exercise condition and a method thereof, and more particularly to an interactive system for exercise condition and a method thereof that give an exercise direction to a user based on exercise data and physiological data that represents the user generated by a measurement equipment.
2. Related Art
In recent years, the indoor fitness exercise that was considered to be general exercise in Europe and America before also begins to have a certain market in Asia. Comparing with the limitation of the outdoor exercise, the advantage of the indoor fitness center is that it has a comfortable and convenient exercise environment and even entertainment facilities, and can achieve the goal for body slimming and body shaping with serial exercise courses via the direction of a fitness trainer according to the personal requirements.
In general, the one to be doing exercise in an indoor fitness center should become the member/trainee of the fitness center firstly, such that the fitness center can know the consumption condition of the member/trainee and the usage condition of fitness equipments with corresponding software and hardware, and control the operating condition of the center by consulting the consumption records of the member/trainee. On the other hand, in order to attract more members/trainees, the fitness center also focuses on providing multiple service items and improving service qualities, including exercise environment qualities and members' benefits, such as shower facilities, entertainment facilities, and fitness courses.
In the fitness center, a professional fitness trainer should have physical fitness related professional knowledge, including movement mechanics, human body structure, nutrition, usage experiences of fitness equipments, injury treatment etc., so as to give a real-time personal exercise direction to a member/trainee based on the exercise condition and the physiological condition of the member/trainee. For example, for a beginner with simple wasting, his/her exercise time period is 2 h/day, the pulse rate when doing exercise is 160 times/minute, based on this condition, the fitness trainer will suggest him/her to change the arrangement to be ding exercise every two days with a medium amount of exercise for 1 to 1.5 h/day. Alternatively, for the trainee having special requirements, the trainer can also give him/her suggestions on equipment types and dietary intakes.
However, in the case that multiple trainees are directed by a trainer, the trainer has no time to take into account every trainee. The trainer might pay more attention to the beginner to give a direction for helping to stabilize the condition, but after some time, the frequency at which the trainee receives the direction may become relatively unstable, and the trainer may have no time to concern his/her exercise condition for a long time. As a result, the trainee cannot determine whether his/her exercise condition is suitable or not since the trainer is unable to take into account the exercise condition of every trainee in time and continuously, thereby probably causing exercise injury due to the continuous and inappropriate exercise.
Accordingly, in the prior art, the trainee might be injured due to the continuous and inappropriate fitness exercise because the fitness trainer has no time to give an exercise direction, and thus it is necessary to develop an improved technical means to solve such a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the problem existing in the prior art that the trainee might be injured due to the continuous and inappropriate fitness exercise because the fitness trainer has no time to give an exercise direction, the present invention is directed to an interactive system for exercise condition and a method thereof.
The interactive system for exercise condition provided in the present invention includes a measurement equipment, a portable storage device, a trainee terminal, a trainer terminal, and a server. The server includes a database, a classification module, an access module, and a transmission module. The measurement equipment is used for generating exercise data or physiological data that represents the trainee terminal. The portable storage device is used for storing the exercise data and the physiological data that represents the trainee terminal generated by the measurement equipment when the portable storage device is connected with the measurement equipment. The trainee terminal is used for receiving the exercise data and the physiological data when it is connected with the portable storage device and transferring the exercise data and the physiological data, as well as receiving a direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data. The trainer terminal is used for receiving the exercise data and the physiological data, generating the direction message based on the exercise data and the physiological data, and transferring the direction message.
The server is provided for the trainee terminals and the trainer terminals connected via a network to access the exercise data, the physiological data, and the direction message. The database of the server is used for storing the exercise data, the physiological data, the direction message, and a category list. The classification module is used for classifying data based on the category list of the database, and assigning the category for the trainee terminal or the trainer terminal. The access module is used for accessing selectively based on the category assigned by the classification module. When the category is the trainee terminal, the access module is used for storing the exercise data and the physiological data at the trainee terminal to the database, and searching for the direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data in the database. In contrast, when the category is the trainer terminal, the access module is used for searching for the exercise data and the physiological data in the database, as well as storing the direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data. The transmission module is used for receiving and sending the exercise data, the physiological data, and the direction message between each of the trainee terminals and each of the trainer terminals.
The interactive method for exercise condition provided in the present invention includes the following steps. First, a category list is established at a server. A portable storage device is connected to various measurement equipments, so as to store exercise data and physiological data that represents a trainee terminal generated by each of the measurement equipments. After establishing a connection between the trainee terminal and a server, the server receives the exercise data and the physiological data via the trainee terminal and stores the exercise data and the physiological data. After it is determined that a connection between the server and a trainer terminal is established, the server transfers the exercise data and the physiological data to the trainer terminal, and stores a direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data generated by the trainer terminal after receiving the direction message. Finally, when it is determined that the direction message is stored at the server, the server transfers the direction message to the trainee terminal.
The difference between the system and method provided in the present invention as above and the prior art is that the present invention is provided with the technical means that a trainer terminal can give an exercise direction to the trainee terminal via a server based on exercise data and physiological data that represents the trainee terminal generated by a measurement equipment. By the technical means above, in the case that the fitness trainer has no time to give an exercise direction, the present invention can achieve the technical efficacy for real-time and long-time continuously giving the appropriate exercise direction to the trainee.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an interactive system for exercise condition according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are flow charts illustrating steps of an interactive method for exercise condition according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an entry page of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an interactive system for exercise condition according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the interactive system 10 includes a measurement equipment 100, a portable storage device 200, a trainee terminal 300, a trainer terminal 400, and a server 500. The server 500 includes a database 510, a classification module 520, an access module 530, and a transmission module 540. The measurement equipment 100 is used for generating exercise data or physiological data that represents the trainee terminal 300. The portable storage device 200 is used for storing the exercise data and the physiological data that represents the trainee terminal 300 generated by the measurement equipment 100 when the portable storage device 200 is connected with the measurement equipment 100. The trainee terminal 300 is used for receiving the exercise data and the physiological data when the trainee terminal 300 is connected with the portable storage device 200 and transferring the exercise data and the physiological data, as well as receiving a corresponding direction message. The trainer terminal 400 is used for generating the corresponding direction message based on the received exercise data and physiological data, and transferring the corresponding direction message.
It should be noted that the exercise data refers to the exercise related data generated by using exercise equipment. For example, the exercise data generated by using a running machine is the time record for using the running machine, total time for running exercise, or various data generated by the running machine such as running distance and calorie-burning. The physiological data refers to the data generated by using physiological measurement equipment, and can be a pulse record generated by a pulse recorder, a blood pressure record generated by a sphygmomanometer, or even body fat data or muscle density. The measurement equipment 100 described herein broadly refers to the exercise equipment which can generate the exercise data and the physiological data above (such as a running machine) and physiological measurement equipment (such as a pulse recorder). The records of these two data fully show the exercise condition of the trainee, and the direction message of the trainer terminal 400 is generated based on the two data.
Based on the above, the server 500 is provided for each of the trainee terminals 300 and each of the trainer terminals 400 connected via a network to access the exercise data, the physiological data, and the direction message. The database 510 of the server 500 is used for storing the exercise data, the physiological data, the direction message, and the category list. For the purpose of detailed description and in conformity with the logical sequence, the direction message and the category list will be described fully when mentioned subsequently.
The classification module 520 is used for classifying based on the category list of the database 510 and assigning the category for the trainee terminal or the trainer terminal. The category list is a correspondence list for the account number and the identity category in the form as follows.


Account	Password	Note

instructor01	biter07	trainer
marychen	janny31	trainee

In particular, when a terminal is connected with the server 500, the classification module 520 searches for the note that conforms to the account in the category list base on the account sent by the terminal, and assigns the category for the trainee terminal or the trainer terminal accordingly.
The access module 530 is used for accessing selectively the exercise data and the physiological data at the trainee terminal 300 as well as the direction message of the trainer terminal 400 based on the category assigned by the classification module 520. When the classification module 520 of the server 500 assigns the category for the trainee terminal, the transmission module 540 receives the exercise data and the physiological data at the trainee terminal 300 by connecting with the trainee terminal 300, then the access module 530 stores the exercise data and the physiological data to the database 510, as well as searches for the direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data in the database 510, and finally the transmission module 540 sends the direction message to the trainee terminal 300. In contrast, when the classification module 520 assigns the category for the trainer terminal, the access module 530 searches for the exercise data and the physiological data in the database 510, the transmission module 540 sends the exercise data and the physiological data to the trainer terminal 400, as well as stores the direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data sent by the trainer terminal 400.
It should be noted that the trainee terminal 300 receives the exercise data and the physiological data from the measurement equipment 100 via a portable storage device 200. As described above, when the portable storage device 200 is connected with the measurement equipment 100, the portable storage device 200 stores the exercise data and the physiological data that represents the trainee terminal 300 generated by the measurement equipment 100. When the portable storage device 200 is connected with the trainee terminal 300, the trainee terminal 300 sends the exercise data and the physiological data to the server 500.
FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are flow charts illustrating steps of an interactive method for exercise condition according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, a category list is established at a server 500 first (step 205). When a portable storage device 200 is connected with each of the measurement equipments 100 (step 210), the portable storage device 200 stores exercise data and physiological data that represents a trainee terminal 300 generated by each of the measurement equipments 100 (step 215). A connection between the trainee terminal 300 and the server 500 is established (step 220). The server 500 receives the exercise data and the physiological data from the trainee terminal 300 via the connection (step 225), and stores the received exercise data and physiological data (step 230). At this time, if it is determined that a connection between the server 500 and a trainer terminal 400 is established (step 235), the server 500 transfers the exercise data and the physiological data to the trainer terminal 400 (step 240), receives a direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data returned from the trainer terminal 400 (step 245) and stores the direction message (step 250). When it is determined that the direction message is stored at the server 500 (step 255), the server 500 transfers the direction message to the trainee terminal 300 (step 260).
Moreover, the database 510 of the server 500 (see FIG. 1) may further include a correspondence list, and the correspondence list is record data that represents the corresponding relationship between the trainer and the trainee, in which one trainer generally corresponds to at least one trainee. Therefore, the step 230 may further include a step of storing the exercise data and the physiological data to a specific location based on the correspondence list. In particular, the specific location refers to a specific storage space within the database 510, such as a data folder named by the account of the trainee. Additionally, before performing the step 260, the method further includes a step of sending a direction notification message to the trainee terminal 300, and the direction notification message is used as notification to direct the trainee terminal 300 to read the direction message.
In brief, a terminal is connected with the server and inputs an account and a password on an entry page (as shown in FIG. 3). The server verifies and determines that the category of the terminal is a trainer terminal, searches for all of the trainees that have the corresponding relationship with the trainer based on the correspondence list, and sends exercise data and physiological data stored by the specific data folder for each of the trainees to the trainer terminal. The trainer terminal inputs a corresponding direction message based on the exercise data and the physiological data, and then the trainer terminal transfers the corresponding direction message to the server for storage. On the other hand, if the server verifies and determines that the category of the terminal is a trainee terminal, the server receives exercise data and physiological data at the trainee terminal and stores the exercise data and the physiological data to the specific data folder of the database base on the correspondence list, and searches for the direction message previously stored at the server by the trainer terminal. It should be noted that in the case that the trainee terminal has no exercise data and physiological data to be uploaded, the server directly searches to see if the direction message corresponding to the previous exercise data and physiological data is stored in the database. If the directing message exists, the server sends a direction notification message to the trainee terminal, such that the trainee terminal can start and read the direction message via the direction notification message.
Moreover, this embodiment can also include a management terminal used for consulting the exercise data for each of the trainees and various personnel data via the server. Therefore, in addition to trainee numbers and consumption records of the trainees, an administrator can further know the data such as the usage rate and the usage time of the measurement equipment from the data generated by statistic analysis for the exercise data. It should be noted that the application of the portable storage device actually is not limited to the portable tool between the measurement equipment and the trainee terminal. In the case of data safety, in addition to the exercise data and the physiological data, the trainer terminal and/or management terminal can also use the portable storage device to carry the direction message and/or personnel data.
In summary, it is known that the difference between the present invention and the prior art is that the present invention is provided with the technical means that a trainer terminal can give an exercise direction to the trainee terminal via a server based on exercise data and physiological data that represents a trainee terminal generated by a measurement equipment. By such a technical means, the problem in the prior art that the trainee may be injured due to the continuous and inappropriate fitness exercise because the fitness trainer has no time to give the exercise direction may be solved, thereby achieving the technical efficacy for real-time and long-time continuously giving the appropriate exercise direction to the trainee.
Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An interactive system for exercise condition, comprising:

a measurement equipment, for generating exercise data or physiological data that represents a trainee terminal;

a portable storage device, for storing the exercise data and the physiological data when being connected with the measurement equipment;

a trainee terminal, for receiving the exercise data and the physiological data when being connected with the portable storage device and transferring the exercise data and the physiological data, as well as receiving a corresponding direction message;

a trainer terminal, for generating the corresponding direction message based on the received exercise data and physiological data, and transferring the corresponding direction message; and

a server, for each of the trainee terminals and each of the trainer terminals connected via a network to access the data, wherein the server comprises:

a database, for storing the exercise data, the physiological data, the direction message, and a category list;

a classification module, for classifying data based on the category list of the database, and assigning the category for the trainee terminal or the trainer terminal;

an access module, for accessing selectively based on the category, wherein:

when the category is the trainee terminal, store the exercise data and the physiological data at the trainee terminal to the database, as well as search for the direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data in the database; and

when the category is the trainer terminal, search for the exercise data and the physiological data in the database, as well as store the direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data; and

a transmission module, for receiving and sending the exercise data, the physiological data, and the direction message between each of the trainee terminals and each of the trainer terminals.

2. The interactive system for exercise condition according to claim 1, wherein the database of the server further comprises a correspondence list in which one trainer corresponds to at least one trainee.

3. The interactive system for exercise condition according to claim 2, wherein the access module of the server is further used for storing the exercise data and the physiological data to a specific location of the database based on the correspondence list.

4. The interactive system for exercise condition according to claim 1, wherein when the classification module of the server assigns the category for the trainee terminal, the access module is further used for sending a direction notification message to the trainee port when it is determined that the direction message is stored in the database.

5. The interactive system for exercise condition according to claim 1, further comprising a management terminal used for consulting the exercise data that represents the trainee via the server.

6. An interactive method for exercise condition, comprising:

establishing a category list at a server;

connecting a portable storage device to each of the measurement equipments;

the portable storage device storing exercise data and physiological data that represents a trainee terminal generated by each of the measurement equipments;

establishing a connection between the trainee terminal and the server;

the server receiving the exercise data and the physiological data via the trainee terminal;

the server storing the exercise data and the physiological data;

wherein when it is determined that a connection between the server and a trainer terminal is established, the server:

transfers the exercise data and the physiological data to the trainer terminal;

receives a direction message corresponding to the exercise data and the physiological data generated by the trainer terminal; and

stores the direction message; and

the server transferring the direction message to the trainee terminal when it is determined that the direction message is stored at the server.

7. The interactive method for exercise condition according to claim 6, wherein the step of establishing a category list at the server further comprises a step of establishing a category list and a correspondence list in which one trainer corresponds to at least one trainee at the server.

8. The interactive method for exercise condition according to claim 7, wherein the step of the server storing the exercise data and the physiological data further comprises a step of the server storing the exercise data and the physiological data to a specific location based on the correspondence list.

9. The interactive method for exercise condition according to claim 6, wherein the step that when it is determined that the direction message is stored at the server, the server transfers the direction message to the trainee terminal, further comprises a step of sending a direction notification message to the trainee terminal before transferring the direction message to the trainee terminal.

10. The interactive method for exercise condition according to claim 6, further comprising:

establishing a connection between a management terminal and the server; and

the server transferring the exercise data that represents the trainee to the management terminal.