Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Cardiovascular
Patent
1998-01-23
2000-03-28
O'Connor, Cary
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Cardiovascular
600503, A61B 502
Patent
active
060425490
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with device for measuring exercise intensity and with a device for measuring exercise quantity during exercise such as running, race walking, and so on.
2. Background Art
Many people do exercise for promoting their health.
In general, an individual performing exercise (hereafter, referred to as an exerciser) ascertains his own exercise capacity and then carries out exercise of an intensity depending on his capacity.
However, even when the intensity of the exercise is the same, the stress loaded on the body will vary each time, depending on the condition of the body.
For this reason, even when the exerciser exercises in accordance with his own exercise capacity, it is desirable that the exercise should be carried out with constant monitoring of the degree of stress loaded on the exerciser.
Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. Hei 8-10234 (Title: Device for Measuring Exercise Quantity) may be cited as one example of exercise quantity measuring devices developed to meet this purpose.
However, in this exercise quantity measuring device, the sensor for detecting blood flow is fixed in place to the treadmill machine. Thus, considering that exercise intensity is limited only to exercise in which the treadmill is employed, there must be a disadvantage it is not possible to measure exercise intensity during exercise when the treadmill machine is not available.
In addition, a pedometer is available as an example of devices for measuring exercise quantity (note that in this specification, exercise intensity indicates the intensity of exercise at each instant, while exercise quantity indicates the amount of exercise within a given period of time).
However, exercise which falls below a given intensity level has little significance from the perspective of promoting endurance. Conversely, an exercise level which is in excess of a given intensity level may be dangerous. It is therefore necessary that exercise of the appropriate intensity should be performed.
An pedometer typically counts the number of steps, irrespective of whether the user is walking slowly or quickly. While the user is able to know the number of steps, he cannot know how many steps are truly effective (i.e., the exercise quantity).
Furthermore, as an individual continues to do exercise, the appropriate intensity as described above will increase. In this regard, a device capable of measuring the exercise quantity corresponding to the improvement of individual s exercise capacity had not been available until now.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was conceived in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and has as its first objective the provision of an exercise intensity measuring device capable of measuring the intensity of exercise, irrespective of the type of exercise being performed.
The present invention has as a second objective the provision of an exercise quantity measuring device which can measure the exercise quantity only for exercise which is of an appropriate intensity for the user.
In order to resolve these objectives, the present invention is firstly characterized in determining the exercise intensity of the exercise currently being performed from the harmonic wave components of the pulse waveform.
Further, the present invention is secondly characterized in the provision of:
a pulse rate setting means which sets the appropriate limits for the pulse rate during exercise based on maximal oxygen uptake quantity, %Vo.sub.2max by the user;
a pulse rate measuring means which measures the user s pulse rate;
an accumulating means which accumulates the time duration in which the pulse rate measured by the pulse rate measuring means is within the limits set by the pulse rate setting means; and
a notifying means which provides notice of the results of the accumulating operation performed by the accumulating means.
As a result of the above described first characteristic, it is possible to measure the intensity of exercise i
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Amano Kazuhiko
Ishiyama Hitoshi
Uebaba Kazuo
Natnithithadha Navin
O'Connor Cary
Seiko Epson Corporation
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