Exercise system and a method for communication

Abstract

The present invention relates to an exercise system for giving feedback to a user thereof and to a method for communication between different devices in the exercise system. The exercise system comprises at least two body coupled communication modules ( 14 ) for forming a body area network and at least one exercise device ( 2 ) comprising at least one sensor ( 6 ), feedback means ( 8 ) and one of the at least two body coupled communication devices. The exercise system further comprises a processing unit ( 4 ) for collecting and processing user data from the at least one sensor ( 6 ) and output the processed data on the feedback means ( 8 ) via the body area network in order to give the user feedback on his exercise.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An exercise system for giving feedback to a user thereof comprising:
 at least two body coupled communication modules for forming a body area network adapted to be coupled to each other via the user's body when transiently in contact with or in close proximity to the user's body to communicate user data through the user's body; 
 at least one exercise device comprising at least one sensor, at least one feedback device and one of the at least two body coupled communication modules; and 
 a processing unit coupled via to at least one of the at least two body coupled communication modules to the body area network for collecting and configured to collect user data from the at least one sensor, processing process the data, and controlling control output of the processed data via the at least one feedback device. 
 
     
     
       2. An exercise system according to  claim 1  where the system comprises two exercise devices and the processing unit is an integrated part of one of the exercise devices. 
     
     
       3. An exercise system according to  claim 2  where the exercise devices comprise meditation balls adapted to fit in the palm of a hand. 
     
     
       4. An exercise system according to  claim 1  where the system comprises a display for giving feedback to and coaching the user of the system and said display is connected to a floor plate comprising one of the at least two body coupled communication modules for connecting the display to the body area network. 
     
     
       5. An exercise system according to  claim 1  where the at least one sensor comprises an accelerometer and the at least one feedback device comprises light emitting diodes. 
     
     
       6. An exercise system according to  claim 1  where the system comprises an identification tag coupled to the body area network for identification of the user of the exercise system. 
     
     
       7. An exercise system according to  claim 6  where the identification tag comprises an ECG sensor integrated into one of the exercise devices. 
     
     
       8. An exercise device as in system according to  claim 1  where the at least one feedback device is adapted to produce a user perceptible output representative of the processed data. 
     
     
       9. An exercise device as in system according to  claim 1  where the user data relates to at least one of the exercise device and the user of the exercise device. 
     
     
       10. An exercise device as in system according to  claim 3  where the meditation balls are configured to detect movements thereof by the user and the integrated processing unit is adapted to compare said movements to predetermined movement patterns. 
     
     
       11. An exercise device as in system according to  claim 10  where the processing unit controls the at least one feedback device to provide a user perceptible output responsive to the detected movements of at least one of the meditation balls. 
     
     
       12. A method for communication between a plurality of devices in an exercise system, at least one of said devices comprising an exercise device including a feedback unit, said method comprising:
 utilizing a body coupled communication module transiently in close proximity to or transiently in contact with a body of a user and associated with each of said devices for forming a body area network to communicate user data through the body; 
 utilizing sensors associated with said devices to collect data relating to at least one of the exercise device and a user of the exercise device; and 
 utilizing a processing unit associated with at least one of the devices for:
 identifying all of the devices communicatively connected to the body area network communication module; 
 negotiating roles for each of the connected devices; 
 collecting data from the sensors associated with the connected devices; 
 exchanging data between the connected devices; and 
 controlling feedback, relating to the data, from the feedback device unit to the user of the exercise device. 
 
 
     
     
       13. A method as in  claim 12  where the processing unit uses the collected data to analyze movement patterns of the user in performing an exercise. 
     
     
       14. An exercise device, comprising:
 a communication module adapted to be coupled to another communication module via the user's body when transiently in contact with or in close proximity to the user's body to communicate user data through the user's body;   at least one sensor;   at least one feedback device; and   a processing unit coupled to the communication module and configured to:   collect user data from the at least one sensor;   process the user data; and   control an output of the processed data via the at least one feedback device.   
     
     
       15. An exercise device according to claim 14 where the exercise device comprises a meditation ball adapted to fit in the palm of a hand or a handheld exercising weight. 
     
     
       16. An exercise device according to claim 14 where the at least one sensor comprises an accelerometer and the at least one feedback device comprises light emitting diodes. 
     
     
       17. An exercise device according to claim 14 where the at least one feedback device is configured to produce a user perceptible output representative of the processed data. 
     
     
       18. An exercise device according to claim 14 where the user data relates to at least one of the exercise device and a user of the exercise device. 
     
     
       19. An exercise device according to claim 14 where the at least one sensor is configured to detect movement of the exercise device or movement of a user, and the processing unit is configured to compare the movement to predetermined movement patterns and control the at least one feedback device to provide a user perceptible output based on the comparison. 
     
     
       20. An exercise device according to claim 19 where the processing unit is further configured to:
 receive movement data from another exercise device in communication with the exercise device via the communication module;   compare the movement received by the other exercise device and the movement of the exercise device to predetermined movement patterns; and   control the at least one feedback device to provide a user perceptible output based on the comparison, provide feedback to the other exercise device instructing on a manner of providing user perceptible output at the other exercise device, or a combination of control the at least one feedback device to provide the user perceptible output based on the comparison and provide the feedback to the other exercise device.