Claims
- 1. An exercise monitor for monitoring the performance of an exercise comprising: detecting means mountable to a displaceable member of an exercise device for detecting repetitive motion of the displaceable member and outputting a corresponding signal; a processor for receiving the output signal of the detecting means and selecting, based upon the value thereof, a block of sound data for generating a verbal phrase for providing the user with verbal encouragement to motivate the user to continue to perform the exercise; and a speech generator for generating a voice for corresponding to the selected block of sound data.
- 2. An exercise monitor according to claim 1; wherein the processor further selects, based on the output signal of the detecting means, a block of sound data for providing the user with at least one of verbal instructions for performing an exercise using the exercise device, a verbal alarm indicating an incorrectly performed exercise or a dangerous health condition, and a verbal progress or status indication.
- 3. An exercise monitor according to claim 1; further comprising a monitor for monitoring a physiological condition of the user and outputting a corresponding signal to the processor; wherein the processor further selects, based on the output signal of the monitor, a block of sound data for providing the user with at least one of verbal instructions for performing an exercise using the exercise device, a verbal alarm indicating an incorrectly performed exercise or a dangerous health condition, and a verbal progress or status indication.
- 4. An exercise monitor according to claim 1; wherein the sound data includes data representing a monitored function of the exercise, the monitored function comprising at least one of distance, rate, speed and number of repetitions; and the processor selects at appropriate intervals sound data based on the monitored function and controls the speech generator to verbally announce the selected sound data.
- 5. An exercise monitor according to claim 4; wherein the processor controls the speech generator to generate the selected verbal encouragement between or in place of more successively generated verbal phrases corresponding to the monitored function.
- 6. An exercise monitor according to claim 1; wherein the detecting means, the processor and the speech generator are incorporated in a housing of the exercise device.
- 7. An exercise monitor according to claim 1; further comprising display means for providing a visual display indicative of performance of the exercise by the user.
- 8. An exercise monitor according to claim 1; wherein the sound data includes data representative of a plurality of verbal encouragement phrases; and the processor selects one of the phrases based on the user's progress in performing the exercise so as to motivate the user to continue to perform the exercise.
- 9. An exercise monitor according to claim 1; wherein the exercise device comprises one of a bicycle, a treadmill and a stairstepper.
- 10. An exercise monitor for monitoring the performance of an exercise, comprising: a detector for detecting a function associated with the performance of successive exercise movements and outputting a corresponding signal; a processor for receiving the output signal of the motion detector and selecting, based upon the value thereof, a block of sound data for generating a verbal phrase for providing the user with verbal encouragement to motivate the user to continue to perform the exercise; and a speech generator for generating a voice for corresponding to the selected block of sound data.
- 11. An exercise monitor according to claim 10; wherein the detector comprises an accelerometer for detecting movement of the user.
- 12. An exercise monitor according to claim 11; wherein the detected function comprises at least one of walking running, breathing, pulse rate and repetitive movement.
- 13. An exercise monitor according to claim 10; wherein the processor further selects, based on the output signal of the detector, a block of sound data for providing the user with at least one of verbal instructions for performing an exercise using the exercise device, a verbal alarm indicating an incorrectly performed exercise or a dangerous health condition, and a verbal progress or status indication.
- 14. An exercise monitor according to claim 10; further comprising a monitor for monitoring a physiological condition of the user and outputting a corresponding signal to the processor; wherein the processor further selects, based on the output signal of the monitor, a block of sound data for providing the user with at least one of verbal instructions for performing an exercise using the exercise device, a verbal alarm indicating an incorrectly performed exercise or a dangerous health condition, and a verbal progress or status indication.
- 15. An exercise monitor according to claim 10; wherein the sound data includes data representing a monitored function of the exercise, the monitored function comprising at least one of distance, rate, speed and number of repetitions; and the processor selects at appropriate intervals sound data based on the monitored function and controls the speech generator to verbally announce the selected sound data.
- 16. An exercise monitor according to claim 15; wherein the processor controls the speech generator to generate the selected verbal encouragement between or in place of more successively generated verbal phrases corresponding to the monitored function.
- 17. An exercise monitor according to claim 10; wherein the detecting means, the processor and the speech generator are incorporated in a housing of an exercise device.
- 18. An exercise monitor according to claim 10; further comprising display means for providing a visual display indicative of performance of the exercise by the user.
- 19. An exercise monitor according to claim 10; wherein the sound data includes data representative of a plurality of verbal encouragement phrases; and the processor selects one of the phrases based on the user's progress in performing the exercise so as to motivate the user to continue to perform the exercise.
- 20. An exercise monitor for monitoring the performance of an exercise, comprising: an exercise detector for monitoring a function associated with the performance of an exercise and outputting a corresponding signal; a processor for receiving the signal and selecting a block of corresponding sound data representative of a verbal encouragement phrase; and a speech generator for generating a voice in accordance with the selected sound data, the speech generator being controlled by the processor in response to the exercise detector to output a verbal representation of a variable determined in accordance with the monitored exercise function at selected times as a user progressively performs the exercise, and to output a selected verbal encouragement phrase selected from the second sound data based on the value of the variable so as to inform the user of his or her exercise progress and to motivate the user to continue to perform the exercise correctly.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/228,590, filed Jan. 12, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,048.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5538486 |
France et al. |
Jul 1996 |
A |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/228590 |
Jan 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/891745 |
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US |