Portable exercise scripting and monitoring device

Abstract

An apparatus, method and computer program product for a portable exercise scripting and monitoring including includes a processor, a separate and user affixable wireless motion sensor configured to wirelessly send motion signals to the processor in dependence on detection of exercise motions associated with either a user's body part or a dynamic element of an exercise apparatus to which the motion sensor is affixed. A datastore is provided and coupled to the processor and configured to retrievably store one or more user configurable or selectable exercise regimens, each exercise regimen including a plurality of prescribed exercise activity sets, each set including a prescribed exercise type and a number of prescribed repetitions to be performed by the user. An exercise monitoring program accesses an exercise regimen and sequences through a plurality of exercise activity sets included therein, for each outputting an indication to the user the prescribed exercise type and the number of repetitions to be performed in accordance, processing the motion signals sent from the motion sensor as the user performs the prescribed exercise activity set, interactively counting the number of prescribed repetitions performed by the user in dependence on the processed motion signals, and determining when the user has performed the prescribed number of repetitions of the exercise set.

1 . A portable exercise scripting and monitoring device comprising: 
 a processor having operatively coupled thereto;    a separate and user affixable wireless motion sensor configured to wirelessly send motion signals to the processor in dependence on detection of exercise motions associated with either a user's body part or a dynamic element of an exercise apparatus to which the motion sensor is affixed;    a datastore configured to retrievably store one or more user configurable or selectable exercise regimens, each exercise regimen including a plurality of prescribed exercise activity sets, each prescribed exercise activity set including a prescribed exercise type and a number of prescribed repetitions to be performed by the user for the prescribed exercise type;    a memory having operatively loaded therein an exercise monitoring program IS including instructions executable by the processor to;    access an exercise regimen,    sequence through a plurality of prescribed exercise activity sets included in the accessed exercise regimen, and for each prescribed exercise activity set    output an indication to the user the prescribed exercise type and the number of prescribed repetitions to be performed,    process the motion signals sent from the motion sensor as the user performs the prescribed exercise activity set,    interactively count the number of repetitions performed by the user during the exercise activity set in dependence on the processed motion signals and determine when the user has performed the number of prescribed repetitions of the prescribed exercise activity set.    
   
   
       2 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  wherein the output is generated in a human cognizable format selected from the group consisting of; an audio output, a visual output and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  further including an audio processing subsystem coupled to the processor and configured to audibly output a current repetition count of a current exercise activity set contemporaneous with the exercise movements of the user.  
   
   
       4 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  further including a display coupled to the processor and configured to visually output a current repetition count of a current exercise activity set contemporaneous with the exercise movements of the user.  
   
   
       5 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  wherein the exercise monitoring program further includes instructions executable by the processor to retrievably store in the datastore, an exercise history for each of the plurality of exercises activity sets performed by the user.  
   
   
       6 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 5  wherein the exercise history includes a time value associated with each performed repetition of the exercise activity set, the time value indicating the length of time required by the user to perform each repetition.  
   
   
       7 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  wherein the motion sensor is magnetically affixable to the dynamic element of the exercise apparatus.  
   
   
       8 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  wherein the outputted repetition count is either an increasing count indicative of the number of prescribed repetitions completed by the user in the prescribed exercise activity set or a decreasing count indicative of the number of prescribed repetitions remaining to complete the prescribed exercise activity set.  
   
   
       9 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 2  wherein the exercise monitoring program further includes instructions executable by the processor to output an audio representation of the number of repetitions remaining to be completed in the prescribed exercise activity set.  
   
   
       10 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  wherein the motion sensor is selectively affixable to an article of clothing, a wrist band, a belt, or a shoe worn by the user.  
   
   
       11 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  wherein the exercise monitoring program further includes instructions executable by the processor to determine an elapsed time between each of a plurality of repetitions performed by a user.  
   
   
       12 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 11  wherein the exercise monitoring program further includes instructions executable by the processor to determine and output in a human cognizable format, a representation of the user's performance in dependence on the elapsed time and a predefined exercise goal.  
   
   
       13 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 12  wherein the exercise monitoring program further includes instructions executable by the processor to heuristically define a future exercise activity set in dependence on the determined user's performance.  
   
   
       14 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  wherein the exercise monitoring program further includes instructions executable by the processor to store in the datastore a digital representation of at least one of; a number of prescribed repetitions completed, an elapsed time between completed repetitions, an exercise type performed, a weight level used, a current date, a current time and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       15 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the prescribed exercise activity sets further includes an indication of a weight level to be used when the user performs the prescribed exercise activity set.  
   
   
       16 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 3  wherein the exercise monitoring program further includes instructions executable by the processor to output audio representations of words of encouragement in dependence on an elapsed time between two sequential repetitions of a current exercise activity set.  
   
   
       17 . The portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 1  wherein each exercise regimen defines a prescribed order in which an included plurality of prescribed exercise activity sets are to be performed by a user.  
   
   
       18 . A method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device comprising: 
 providing a datastore configured to retrievably store one or more user configurable or selectable exercise regimens, each exercise regimen including a plurality of prescribed exercise activity sets, each exercise activity set including a prescribed exercise type and a number of prescribed repetitions to be performed by a user;    providing an exercise monitoring program including instructions executable by a processor associated with the portable exercise scripting and monitoring device for;    accessing a stored exercise regimen from the datastore,    sequencing through a plurality of prescribed exercise activity sets included in the accessed exercise regimen and for each prescribed exercise activity set,    outputting an indication to the user the prescribed exercise type and the number of prescribed repetitions to be performed,    processing the signals sent from a motion sensor coupled to the processor as the user performs the prescribed exercise activity set,    interactively counting the number of repetitions performed by the user during the exercise activity set in dependence on the processed signals and determining when the user has performed the number of prescribed repetitions included in the prescribed exercise activity set.    
   
   
       19 . The method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 18  further including configuring the motion sensor to be separately affixable to either a user's body part or a dynamic element of an exercise apparatus.  
   
   
       20 . The method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 18  further including providing a motion sensor that may be magnetically affixed to a movable portion of an exercise apparatus.  
   
   
       21 . The method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 18  further including providing a motion sensor that may be selectively affixed to an article of clothing, a wrist band, a belt, or a shoe worn by the user.  
   
   
       22 . The method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 18  wherein the outputting is generated in a human cognizable format selected from the group consisting of; an audio output, a visual output and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       23 . The method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 22  further including outputting a current repetition count as either an increasing count indicative of the number of repetitions completed by the user in the prescribed exercise activity set or as a decreasing count indicative of the number of prescribed repetitions remaining to complete in the prescribed exercise activity set.  
   
   
       24 . The method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 18  further including instructions executable by the processor for determining an elapsed time between each of a plurality of consecutive repetitions performed by the user.  
   
   
       25 . The method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 24  further including instructions executable by the processor for determining and outputting in a human cognizable format an assessment of the user's current performance in dependence at least in part on the elapsed time and a predefined exercise goal.  
   
   
       26 . The method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 25  further including instructions executable by the processor for heuristically determining a future exercise activity set in dependence on the user's current performance assessment.  
   
   
       27 . The method for providing a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device according to  claim 18  further including instructions executable by the processor for storing in a datastore coupled to the processor, a digital representation of at least one of; a number of prescribed repetitions completed, an elapsed time between the completed repetitions, an exercise type performed, a weight level used, a current date, a current time, and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 22  further including outputting an updated repetition count as performed by the user during an exercise activity set contemporaneous with the exercise movements of the user.  
   
   
       29 . A computer program product embodied in a tangible form comprising instructions executable by a processor associated with a portable exercise scripting and monitoring device to; 
 access an exercise regimen,    sequence through a plurality of prescribed exercise activity sets included in the accessed exercise regimen and for each exercise activity set,    output an indication of a prescribed exercise type and a number of repetitions of the prescribed exercise type,    process a plurality of motion signals sent from a motion sensor coupled to the processor as a user performs the prescribed exercise activity set,    interactively count the number of repetitions performed by the user in dependence on the processed motion signals and determine when the user has performed the number of prescribed repetitions of the prescribed exercise activity set.    
   
   
       30 . The computer program product according to  claim 29  further including instructions executable by the processor for storing in a datastore coupled to the processor, a representation of at least one of; a number of prescribed repetitions completed, an elapsed time between the completed repetitions, an exercise type performed, a weight level used, a current date, a current time and any combination thereof.