Systems, methods, and computer readable media for determining a circuit training path in a smart gym

Abstract

Techniques are provided for determining a circuit training path in a smart gym for an exerciser to perform an exercise program in order to minimize user contention for exercise equipment. The training path is defined by the exerciser visiting a number of exercise machines in the order specified by a system. The system determines a next exercise machine for the exerciser to visit which addresses the personal exercise program. In making this determination, the system communicates with all station agent nodes in the system to determine the set of station agent nodes that have an associated exercise machine which operate to address the personal exercise program. Out of that set of station agent nodes, the system reserves the next exercise machine associated with one of the set of station agent nodes that has a state value reflecting the least waiting time for the exerciser.

1 . A system for determining a circuit training path in a smart gym for an exerciser to perform an exercise program, the system comprising: 
 a network;    a plurality of station agent nodes; and    a management node for determining a next exercise machine for the exerciser to perform an exercise, the management node receiving a personal exercise program on behalf of the exerciser, the management node determining a portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having an associated exercise machine that operates to address the personal exercise program, each of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having a state, each of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes communicating their state to the management node over the network, the management node reserving the next exercise machine from the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having a state value reflecting the least waiting time for the exerciser.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the management node receives the personal exercise program from a networked data store.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the management node receives the personal exercise program from a handheld computer.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the state of a station agent node includes a vacancy state.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the personal exercise program comprises a workout stage having a plurality of target muscles.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the personal exercise program comprises a workout stage having a plurality of exercises.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the personal exercise program comprises a workout stage having a plurality of exercise machines.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the management node calculates a waiting time for the exerciser to wait before visiting the next station agent node.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the state of a station agent node includes a reservation state.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the management node attempts to find all the available and unreserved station agent nodes when determining a portion of the plurality of station agent nodes which have an associated exercise machine that operates to exercise one of the plurality of target muscles.  
   
   
       11 . A method for determining a training path in a smart gym for an exerciser to perform an exercise program, the method comprising: 
 retrieving a personal exercise program on behalf of the exerciser;    determining a portion of a plurality of station agent nodes having an associated exercise machine that operate to address the personal exercise program;    evaluating the state of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes; and    reserving a next exercise machine associated with one of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having a state value reflecting the least waiting time for the exerciser.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the personal exercise program is retrieved from a data store.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the personal exercise program is retrieved from a handheld computer.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the state value indicates a station agent node's vacancy state.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of target muscles.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of exercises.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of exercise machines.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the reserving step further comprises calculating a waiting time for the exerciser to wait before visiting the next station agent node.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising communicating to the exerciser that the reserved machine is the next exercise machine for the exerciser to visit.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the state value indicates a station agent node's reservation state.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the vacancy state includes at least an available condition, wherein the reservation state includes at least an unreserved condition, wherein the determining step further includes finding all the available and unreserved station agent nodes.  
   
   
       22 . A computer readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to determine a circuit training path in a smart gym for an exerciser to perform an exercise program, the computer system performing the steps of: 
 retrieving a personal exercise program on behalf of the exerciser;    determining a portion of a plurality of station agent nodes having an associated exercise machine that operate to address the personal exercise program;    evaluating the state of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes; and    reserving a next exercise machine associated with one of the portion of the plurality of station agent nodes having a state value reflecting the least waiting time for the exerciser.    
   
   
       23 . The computer readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the personal exercise program is retrieved from a data store.  
   
   
       24 . The computer readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the personal exercise program is retrieved from a handheld computer.  
   
   
       25 . The computer readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the state value indicates a station agent node's vacancy state.  
   
   
       26 . The computer readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of target muscles.  
   
   
       27 . The computer readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of exercises.  
   
   
       28 . The computer readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the personal exercise program includes a workout stage having a plurality of exercise machines.  
   
   
       29 . The computer readable medium of  claim 22  wherein the reserving step further comprises calculating a waiting time for the exerciser to wait before visiting the next station agent node.  
   
   
       30 . The computer readable medium of  claim 22  further comprising communicating to the exerciser that the reserved machine is the next exercise machine for the exerciser to visit.  
   
   
       31 . The computer readable medium of  claim 25  wherein the state value indicates a station agent node's reservation state.  
   
   
       32 . The computer readable medium of  claim 31  wherein the vacancy state includes at least an available condition, wherein the reservation state includes at least an unreserved condition, wherein the determining step further includes finding all the available and unreserved station agent nodes.