Method For Monitoring Exercise, And Apparatus And System Thereof

Abstract

An exercise monitoring device having sensors for monitoring and measuring the physiological and physical parameters of a person during an exercise. The monitored and measured parameters are stored and used in real-time comparison with the same person's performance another time. The monitored and measured parameters of another person in the same exercise may also be used. Real-time monitoring and measuring of the parameters of several people provides the possibility to have virtual competition between people in different locations.

1 . A method of monitoring the exercise of a user, comprising the step of:
 using at least one sensor to record at least one performance parameter of the user during his exercise;   comparing the record of the performance parameter against another record of the same performance parameter; and   indicating to the user the how the performance parameter of the user compares to the other record of the same performance parameter.   
     
     
         2 . A method of monitoring the exercise of a user, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the other record of the same performance parameter is of an earlier exercise of the same user.   
     
     
         3 . A method of monitoring the exercise of a user, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the other record of the same performance parameter is of an earlier exercise of another person.   
     
     
         4 . A method of monitoring the exercise of a user, as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein
 the comparison is made as the user is performing the exercise.   
     
     
         5 . A method of monitoring the exercise of a user, as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein
 the step of comparing the record of the performance parameter against another record of the same performance parameter is made when the user is performing the exercise at the same time as the other person.   
     
     
         6 . A method of monitoring the exercise of a user, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the step of indicating to the user the how the performance-parameter of the user compares to the other record of the same performance parameter comprises providing a voice prompt to the user.   
     
     
         7 . A method of monitoring the exercise of a user, as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein
 the voice prompt is via a earphone.   
     
     
         8 . An exercise monitoring system for remote competition, comprising
 a host server;   a plurality of client exercise monitoring devices in wireless communication with the host server;   each client exercise monitoring device having at least one sensor for monitoring at least one performance parameter of a respective user during an exercise;   each client exercise monitoring device being capable of sending the performance parameter of the respective user to the host server;   the host server being adapted to compare the performance parameter sent from the plurality of client exercise monitoring devices; and   the host server being adapted to communicate to each client exercise monitoring device how the performance parameter of each user compares to the performance parameter of another user; wherein   the comparative performance of the users in the exercise is indicated to each user.   
     
     
         9 . A client exercise monitoring device for the exercise monitoring system as claimed in  claim 8 . 
     
     
         10 . An exercise monitoring device comprising
 at least one sensor for monitoring at least one performance parameter of a user during an exercise, and   a controller for comparing the performance parameter of the user to another performance parameter; and   and output device for indicating to the user the extent to which the performance parameter of the user differs from the other performance parameter.   
     
     
         11 . An exercise monitoring device as claimed in  claim 10  wherein
 the other performance parameter is the performance parameter of the user during an earlier exercise. 
 
     
     
         12 . An exercise monitoring device as claimed in  claim 10  wherein
 the other performance parameter is of another person.