Exercising apparatus

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes a frame and a load mechanism disposed on the frame. The load mechanism has a plurality of selectable weights with each of the selectable weights having an associated indicator device. A press is mechanically coupled to the load mechanism to displace a load based on a selected weight and a sensor is disposed to measure an extent and speed of displacement of the load. A processor is in communication with the sensor, and the processor is configured to determine an indicator signal to send to the indicator device of one of the plurality of selectable weights of the load mechanism based on received performance data, the indicator signal used to indicate which one of the plural of weights to select.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . An exercise apparatus comprises:
 a frame;   a load mechanism attached to the frame, the load mechanism having a plurality of selectable weights, with each of the selectable weights having an associated indicator device;   a press mechanism mechanically coupled to the load mechanism to displace a load that is based on a weight selected from the load mechanism;   a linkage that mechanically couples the load mechanism with the press;   a display;   a processor in communication with the display and the sensor, the processor configured to:
 determine an indicator signal to send to the indicator device of one of the plurality of selectable weights of the load mechanism, with the determination of the indicator signal based on received performance data, the indicator signal used to instruct a user on which one of the plural of weights to select for providing the load. 
   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein each of the associated indicator devices is capable of rending different states in response to a value of the indicator signal sent by the processor. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 32  further comprising a rotary optical encoder sensor that has an absorbent surface adjacent to a reflective surface disposed to measure an extent and speed of displacement of the load, the rotary optical encoder sensor further comprising:
 a plurality of optical sensors; 
 a plurality of light sources, with light from the plurality of light sources being reflected off the reflected surface in a first position of the sensor and directed to the optical sensors and being absorbed by the absorptive surface in a second different position causing the optical sensors to produce a series of pulses that are used to determine displacement of the load mechanism by determining displacement of the linkage. 
 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the processor generates a first indicator signal having a first value that corresponds to a first state of the indicator device to instruct the operator to select the weight associated with the indicator device, and if the operator selects an alternative weight that is different from the predetermined associated weight, the processor generates a second indicator signal to activate a second, different state of an indicator device associated with the alternative weight. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 render on the display:
 a recommended pace indicator for providing real-time information to the operator regarding a recommended pace of performing an exercise; and 
 an operator pace indicator that varies in position relative to the recommended pace indicator, according to the operator's current pace of performing the exercise. 
 
 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 a port to receive a removable memory device with the processor configured to:   initiate exercising instructions for an exercise program by reading data stored on the removable memory device when inserted into the port.   
     
     
         38 . An exercise apparatus, comprising:
 a frame;   a load mechanism disposed on the frame, the load mechanism comprising:
 a plurality of selectable weights; and 
 an indicator device associated with each of the selectable weights; 
   a press positioned on the frame for displacing a load based on a selected one of the plurality of weights;   a display;   a sensor for measuring a displacement and a speed of the load;   a processor configured to:
 retrieve from a memory, performance data for an operator of the exercise apparatus; 
 determine an indicator signal to send to the indicator device of one of the plurality of selectable weights of the load mechanism based on the retrieved performance data of the operator, the indicator signal used to activate the indicator for the associated one of the plural of weights; 
 process sensor data that provides a current measure of an operator's displacement of the press; 
 cause the display to render a recommended pace indicator for providing real-time information to the operator regarding a recommended pace of performing an exercise and an operator pace indicator that varies in position relative to the recommended pace indicator, according to the operator's current pace of performing the exercise. 
   
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38  further comprising a memory storage device configured to store exercise instructions for an exercise program. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 38  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 compare the operator's current performance against the retrieved performance data for the operator; 
 analyze the current performance data of the operator against a determined rate of performance; and 
 determine an exercising instruction to send to the display for performance by the operator, with the exercising instruction determined based on information associated with the retrieved performance data for the operator. 
 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 38  wherein the sensor comprises:
 a rotary optical encoder having an absorbent surface adjacent to a reflective surface on a surface of the sensor pulley; 
 a plurality of optical sensors; and 
 a plurality of light sources, with light from the plurality of light sources being reflected off the reflected surface in a first position and directed to the optical sensors and being absorbed by the absorptive surface in a second different position causing the optical sensors to produce a series of pulses that are used to determine displacement of the load mechanism by determining displacement of the linkage. 
 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , further comprising a linkage joining the load mechanism with the press through the sensor pulley. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 40  wherein the exercising instruction is rendered by the processor on the display as an indicator that depicts the displacement and the speed of the linkage with respect to a predetermined standard in real time. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 a port to receive a removable memory device with the processor configured to:   initiate exercising instructions for an exercise program by reading data stored on the removable memory device when inserted into the port.   
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44  wherein the processor is configured to:
 transfer information stored on the removable memory device when inserted into the port to the memory storage device. 
 
     
     
         46 . An exercise apparatus comprises:
 a frame;   a load mechanism attached to the frame;   a press mechanism mechanically coupled to the load mechanism to displace a load from the load mechanism;   a linkage that mechanically couples the load mechanism with the press;   a sensor to measure displacement and speed of displacement of the load;   a display;   a processor in communication with the display and the sensor, the processor configured to:   determine a current pace of operator performance of an exercise based on displacement and speed data of displacing of the load by the operator; and   render on the display:
 a recommended pace indicator for providing real-time information to the operator regarding a recommended pace of performing the exercise; and 
 an operator pace indicator that varies in position relative to the recommended pace indicator, according to the determined current pace of operator performance of the exercise. 
   
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the processor is configured to render the recommended pace indicator as a box on the display and the operator pace indicator as a bar that varies in position relative to the box, according to the determined current pace of performing the exercise. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 47  wherein the processor is configured to render a superimposed arrangement of the recommended pace indicator box and the operator pace indicator bar. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the processor is further configured to cause the display to:
 render a range indicator for providing a lower and upper pace of performing the exercise. 
 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 49  wherein the processor is configured to render the recommended pace indicator as a recommended pace indicator box on the display and the operator pace indicator as an operator pace indicator bar that varies in position relative to the box, according to the determined current pace of performing the exercise and render the range indicator as a range indicator bar. 
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein the processor is configured to render a superimposed arrangement of the recommended pace indicator box, the operator pace indicator bar and the range indicator bar. 
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein the processor is configured to render the operator pace indicator bar superimposed on the recommended pace indicator box, and the recommended pace indicator box superimposed on the range indicator bar. 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , further comprising:
 a port on the display device to receive a removable memory device with the processor configured to:   initiate exercising instructions for an exercise program by reading data stored on the removable memory device when inserted into the port.   
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the load mechanism further comprises:
 a plurality of selectable weights; and   an indicator device associated with each of the selectable weights;   
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 retrieve from a memory, performance data for the operator of the exercise apparatus; 
 process the sensor data that provides the current pace of the operator's displacement of the press; and 
 determine a recommended pace that is displayed as the recommended indicator according to in addition to the operator's current pace of performing the exercise the retrieved performance data. 
 
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 55  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 compare the operator's current performance against the retrieved performance data for the operator; 
 analyze the current performance data of the operator against a determined rate of performance; and 
 determine an exercising instruction to send to the display for performance by the operator, with the exercising instruction determined based on information associated with the retrieved performance data for the operator. 
 
     
     
         57 . The apparatus of  claim 55  wherein the exercising instruction is rendered by the processor on the display as the recommended pace indicator that depicts the displacement and the speed of the linkage with respect to a predetermined standard in real time.