Exercise devices – Having specific electrical feature – Monitors exercise parameter
Reexamination Certificate
2003-08-22
2004-11-23
Richman, Glenn E. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Having specific electrical feature
Monitors exercise parameter
C482S009000, C482S900000, C601S023000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06821229
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a walking support system which makes supports associated with biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking. More specifically, it relates to a system for estimating biological data at the time of walking which is a type of the foregoing walking support system and estimates biological data at the time of walking. Much more specifically, it relates to a walking pitch generator which is a type of the foregoing walking support system and generates walking pitches to obtain desired biological data such as a pulse rate at the time of walking.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
As one of supports associated with biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking, measurements of biological data such as a pulse which changes by walking (exercise) have heretofore been practiced. In the measurements of the biological data such as a pulse which changes by walking (exercise), a sensor capable of detecting a biological signal which changes by an exercise is attached directly to a living body every time the measurement is made.
Further, as one of supports associated with biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking, a walking pace generator has heretofore been available. This conventional walking pace generator causes a walker to walk in line with a sound or the like generated in synchronization with a preset walking pace.
However, the measurement using the sensor capable of detecting the biological signal which changes by an exercise has a problem that since the sensor receives the signal directly from a living body, the results vary depending on where and how the sensor is attached and lack reproducibility.
Meanwhile, the system which causes a walker to walk in line with a sound or the like generated in synchronization with a preset walking pace has a problem that as the walker walks at the preset walking pace, biological data such as a pulse may be increased beyond expectation depending on the body burden capacity (physical strength) of the user.
Thus, in view of the above problems of the walking support systems which make supports associated with biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for estimating biological data at the time of walking which can estimate biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking (exercise) with good reproducibility and a walking pitch generator capable of generating a walking pitch at which desired biological data such as a pulse can be obtained at the time of walking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above object, a system for estimating biological data at the time of walking, the system comprises: body burden capacity acquiring means; means for acquiring an exercise stress level at the time of walking; and means for estimating biological data at the time of walking; wherein: the body burden capacity acquiring means acquires a relationship between biological data and an exercise stress level prior to walking; the means for acquiring an exercise stress level at the time of walking acquires an exercise stress level at the time of walking; and the means for estimating biological data at the time of walking estimates biological data at the time of walking in correspondence to the exercise stress level acquired by the means for acquiring an exercise stress level at the time of walking based on the relationship acquired by the body burden capacity acquiring means. Thus, signals from a living body are not directly received, and biological data is estimated indirectly by acquiring an exercise stress level which is hardly influenced by where and how the system is attached and the movement of the living body for each walking activity, whereby reproducibility can be improved.
Further, the body burden capacity acquiring means comprises: pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means, and biological data measuring means, wherein: the pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means estimates a number of different exercise stress levels prior to walking, and the biological data measuring means measures biological data corresponding to each of the different exercise stress levels estimated by the pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means. As a result, the relationship between biological data and an exercise stress level prior to walking can be securely determined from at least two points.
Further, the pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means comprises: body weight inputting means, height inputting means, ascending/descending pitch generating means, and means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of ascending or descending a platform, wherein: the body weight inputting means takes in a body weight, the height inputting means takes in the height of the platform, the ascending/descending pitch generating means generates a constant ascending/descending pitch to ascend and descend the platform, and the means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of ascending or descending a platform computes an exercise stress level at the time of ascending or descending the platform based on the body weight inputted by the body weight inputting means, the height of the platform inputted by the height inputting means and the constant ascending/descending pitch generated by the ascending/descending pitch generating means. Thereby, the exercise stress levels prior to walking can be estimated easily by inputting the data and ascending and descending the platform.
Further, the means for acquiring an exercise stress level at the time of walking comprises: walking step measuring means, walking time measuring means, walking pitch computing means, body height inputting means, walking speed computing means, body weight inputting means, and means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of walking, wherein: the walking step measuring means measures walking steps at the time of walking, the walking time measuring means measures walking time during which the walking steps are measured by the walking step measuring means, the walking pitch computing means computes a walking pitch based on the walking steps measured by the walking step measuring means and the walking time measured by the walking time measuring means, the body height inputting means takes in a body height, the walking speed computing means computes a walking speed based on the walking pitch computed by the walking pitch computing means and the body height inputted by the body height inputting means, the body weight inputting means takes in a body weight, and the means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of walking computes an exercise stress level at the time of walking based on the walking speed computed by the walking speed computing means and the body weight inputted by the body weight inputting means. Thus, an exercise stress level which is hardly influenced by where and how the system is attached and the movement of a living body at the time of walking can be determined securely only by inputting and walking.
Further, the system further comprises walking amount computing means for computing a walking amount by use of the biological data estimated by the means for estimating biological data at the time of walking. Thereby, an accurate walking amount based on estimated biological data which is hardly influenced by where and how the system is attached and the movement of a living body can be obtained.
Further, the walking amount is at least one selected from exercise intensity, fat burning efficiency, a fat consumption calorie and an amount of burned fat. Thereby, accurate exercise intensity, accurate fat burning efficiency, an accurate fat consumption calorie or an accurate amount of burned fat based on estimated biological data which is hardly influenced by where and how the system is attached and the movement of a living body can be obtained.
Further, the biological data is a pulse rate. Thus, particularly accurate and easy estimation can be made because the pulse
Kajiya Naotaka
Nishibayashi Kenji
Sato Tomio
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Richman Glenn E.
Tanita Corporation
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