MOBILE EXERCISE SUPPORT DEVICE AND EXERCISE SUPPORT SYSTEM

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Exercise devices are known that can assisting in various forms of exercise: treadmills for running, stationary bikes for cycling, and so on. Boxing bags that can be suspended from above and freestanding boxing bags are also known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment, an exercise support device includes a base and a boxing bag mounted on the base. The base includes a processor, a memory storing a movement pattern, and a drive system configured to move the base with the boxing bag mounted on the base. The processor is configured to control the drive system to move the base in accordance with the movement pattern stored in the memory.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of a mobile boxing bag as an example of an exercise support device;

FIG. 2 is a view of the mobile boxing bag showing an alternative arrangement for securing a boxing bag and base;

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the base of the mobile boxing bag;

FIG. 4 shows the bottom of the base of the mobile boxing bag;

FIG. 5 is a top view that illustrates directions of movement in one embodiment of the mobile boxing bag;

FIG. 6 illustrates a lower part of the mobile boxing bag with part of the base of the mobile boxing bag cut away;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates movement control of the mobile boxing bag;

FIG. 8 illustrates a user terminal screen for issuing direct commands to the mobile boxing bag;

FIG. 9 illustrates a user terminal screen for performing a sensor check;

FIG. 10 illustrates a user terminal screen for inputting a user profile;

FIGS. 11-17 illustrate screens or partial screens that can be displayed by the user terminal during creation of an exercise routine; and

FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate screens or partial screens that can be displayed by the user terminal to select an exercise routine to be executed by the mobile boxing bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1-6 show an exercise support device. In one embodiment, the exercise support device is a mobile boxing bag 100. The mobile boxing bag 100 includes a boxing bag 101 and a base 102. The boxing bag 101 can be a standard boxing bag or kickboxing bag designed to be attached to a stand as a freestanding bag. Bags of this type may have a base to be filled with sand or water for stability, and an upper part that serves as a boxing bag or kickboxing bag (see FIGS. 1 and 2). When used in a mobile boxing bag 100 as described herein, the base of the bag might be filled with less water or sand than usual, because the base 102 of the mobile boxing bag 100 provides additional weight and stability to the boxing bag 101. The base of the boxing bag 101 is mounted to the base 102. The base 102 has anchors 104 provided at, for example, four locations around the circumference of the base 102, on a top plate 111 of the base 102. The boxing bag 101 is mounted on the base 102 and secured by, for example, passing a strap 105 through anchors 104 on the base 102, tightening the strap 105, and securing the strap with a latch 106 (see FIG. 2). In the example shown in FIG. 1, the strap 105 is passed through two anchors 104 on opposite sides of the base 102, and is passed over the base of the boxing bag 101 at least at position 103 to secure the boxing bag 101 to the base 102. Hooks or loops could be provided at position 103 and one or more other positions around the circumference of the boxing bag 101 to allow the strap 105 to pass through the hooks or loops. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the strap 105 is passed through all four anchors 104 around the base 102, and is passed through a loop in a strap that is secured around the boxing bag 101 at the position where the bag and base of the boxing bag 101 meet. Other techniques can be used to secure the boxing bag 101 to the base 102.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base 102 has a chassis 110, to which a bottom plate 112 and the top plate 111 (not shown in FIG. 3) are mounted. The various components in the base 102, described below, are mounted directly or indirectly to the chassis 110. The circumference of the base 102 is formed by armor 113, and bumpers 114 are mounted at the bottom of the armor 113. The armor 113 includes plates mounted to the chassis 110 and surrounds the entire circumference of the base 102. The armor 113, bumpers 114, and top and bottom plates 111 and 112, can be considered a housing of the base 102, although a housing for the base is not limited to one having all of these components. One plate of the armor 113 is part of a door 142 described below. The bumpers 114 are provided around the entire circumference of the base 102, and the bumpers 114 project outward radially with respect to the armor 113 and all other components of the mobile boxing bag 100. That is, the bumpers 114 are the outward-most elements of the mobile boxing bag 100. Except for one bumper 114 that is mounted to a steel plate 143 as described below, the bumpers 114 can be fixed to the armor 113 and/or the chassis 110. The bumpers could additionally or alternatively be attached to the bottom plate 112. The bumpers 114 can have mechanical switch sensors 133 (see FIG. 7) to indicate when something has hit or been hit by the bumper 114. Sensitivity of the mechanical sensors 113 can be calibrated to activate on a desirable level of impact to a bumper 114. For example, a mechanical sensor 113 could be activated when anything touches the bumper 114 to which the mechanical sensor 113 is provided. Or a mechanical sensor 113 could be activated upon the corresponding bumper 114 receiving a level of force indicative of the mobile boxing bag 100 running into an object or a person. Each bumper 114 can have its own mechanical switch sensor 133, or only certain bumpers 114 can be provided with a mechanical switch sensor 133.

The chassis 110 can be, for example, aluminum. The top plate 111 (including the anchors 104) and the bottom plate 112 can be, for example, steel. The armor 113 can be, for example, plastic. The bumper 114 can be, for example, rubber.

The base 102 has a drive system including a motor and a wheel to drive the mobile boxing bag 100 in at least two directions, and preferably four or more directions. The drive system may also be able to rotate the mobile boxing bag in place. In the illustrated example, the base 102 includes four wheels 120 exposed through openings 121 in the bottom plate 112 (see FIG. 4). The wheels 120 project from the bottom plate 112 so that the wheels 120 can contact the ground while the bottom plate 112 does not contact the ground. The wheels 120 are driven by respective electric motors 121 (see FIG. 3), which are driven by respective motor drivers 122 (see FIG. 7), under the control of a CPU 150 as an example of a processor that is included among the electrical hardware 125, to move the mobile boxing bag 100. The wheels 120 and their motors 121 are one example of a drive system of the mobile boxing bag 100, which makes the mobile boxing bag movable in at least two directions, and preferably four or more directions. The drive system of the mobile boxing bag 100 can also rotate the mobile boxing bag 100 in place. In this example, the four wheels 120 can be independently driven by their respective electric motors 121 to allow the mobile boxing bag 100 to move omni-directionally, or in at least eight directions as shown in FIG. 5. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the wheels 120 is a mecanum wheel and the drive system uses four wheels 120, but the drive system of the base 102 can be formed by other multi- or omni-directional movement mechanisms. For example, omni wheels or poly wheels could be used in place of the mecanum wheels 120, or a Killough platform not using omni or mecanum wheels could be used. In addition, the mobile boxing bag 100 is not limited to four-wheeled embodiments.

The mobile boxing bag 100 can have at least one emergency stop button 107 which, when activated, causes the CPU 150 to stop movement of mobile boxing bag 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the mobile boxing bag has two emergency stop buttons 107 provided at opposing positions of the circumference of the base 102. The mobile boxing bag 100 could have one emergency stop button 107, or three, four, or more emergency stop buttons 107.

A speaker 108 can be provided in the base 102, to allow the mobile boxing bag to play music, issue exercise instructions, sound alarms, or make other sounds. In addition to, or instead of, the speaker 108, a user terminal 200 (described below) can play the music, issue the exercise instructions, sound the alarms, or make other sounds. The user terminal 200 can issue sounds in response to wireless instructions from the mobile boxing bag 100, or can issue sounds in accordance with an exercise routine (described below) that has been selected and started on the user terminal 200. As another alternative, a user may connect headphones, for example by WiFi or Bluetooth®, to the base 102 or to the user terminal 200, and sounds can be issued via the headphones.

The base 102 can include at least one ultra-wide band (UWB) sensor 131 (two are provided in the base 102 in the example shown in FIG. 3) as a localization sensor, and the base 102 can include laser sensors 132 as distance sensors (e.g., LiDAR-light detection and ranging-sensors) arranged around the circumference of the base 102. The base 102 can include one or more UWB sensors 131 without including any laser sensor 132; the base 102 can alternatively include laser sensors 132 without including any UWB sensors 131; or the base 102 can include both one or more UWB sensors 131 and the laser sensors 132. The UWB sensors 131 are localization sensors, and the laser sensors 132 are distance sensors. Using inputs from the UWB sensors 131, the CPU 150 can locate the position of the mobile boxing bag 100. Using inputs from the laser sensors 132, the CPU 150 can detect obstacles to movement of the mobile boxing bag 100, including one or more people who may be using the mobile boxing bag 100 to exercise. In this way, the laser sensors 132 can be considered proximity sensors. Information from the laser sensors 132 can also be used by the CPU 150 to locate the position of the mobile boxing bag 100. The CPU 150 can also determine, using information from one or more mechanical switch sensors 133 provided to the bumpers 114, whether the mobile boxing bag 100 has run into, or been hit by, an object. Furthermore, the base 102 can include one or more inertial measurement units (IMU) 134 (see FIG. 7), to provide information about the movement and orientation of the mobile boxing bag 100.

In one embodiment, the base 102 includes at least one UWB sensor 131 as a localization sensor, a plurality of laser sensors 132 as proximity sensors, and a plurality of mechanical switch sensors 133 as impact sensors. The mobile boxing bag 101, under control of the CPU 150 executing a program stored in the memory 151, uses the UWB sensor(s) 131 to locate itself in the space where it is used. The laser sensors 132 are configured to detect objects close to the base 102, for example only within five feet, or three feet, or one foot. For example, the laser sensors 132 can be configured to detect objects on the ground near the base 102, such as the feet of an exerciser who is using the mobile boxing bag 100. The laser sensors 132 can also be arranged to detect walls or other obstacles. Since a plurality of laser sensors are provided, different laser sensors 132 can be configured to detect objects at different heights (on the ground, a few feet off the ground, and so on). When the laser sensor 132 detects an object near the base 102, the CPU 150 can control the mobile boxing bag 100 to slow down or stop depending on the nearness of the object. For example, the CPU 150 can control the mobile boxing bag 100 to stop immediately if an object is very close to the base, and the CPU 150 can control the mobile boxing bag 100 to slow down if an object is detected but not very close to the base. In addition, or alternatively, the CPU 150 can control the mobile boxing bag 100 to change direct to avoid the detected object. When the laser sensors 132 no longer detect the object, or detect that the object is moving away, the CPU 150 can control the mobile boxing bag 100 to resume movement (if stopped) or increase speed (if slowed down). When one of the mechanical sensors 133 is activated, indicating that one of the bumpers 114 has come into contact with an object, the CPU 150 can control the mobile boxing bag 100 to stop immediately. Alternatively, the CPU can control the mobile boxing bag 101 to reverse direction for a certain distance immediately and then resume pre-planned movement, or reverse direction and then stop, upon detecting an impact via one of the sensors 133. The CPU 150 can control the mobile boxing bag 100 to remain stopped for a preset length of time, such as 3 seconds, 5 seconds, or 10 seconds, and then resume movement. Alternatively, the CPU 150 can remain stopped until a resume command is issued, via the user terminal 200 for example.

In the illustrated embodiment, the mobile boxing bag 100 is battery-powered. One or more rechargeable batteries 140 are provided in the base 102 as a power supply, to supply power to the electrical components of the mobile boxing bag 100 and power the movement of the mobile boxing bag 100. As shown FIG. 3, two batteries 140 can be provided, and each can be supported on a drawer 141 that is slidable in and out with respect to the base 102 to allow the batteries 140 to be easily exchanged (see also FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 6, only one battery may be provided, supported on a drawer 141 that is slidable in and out with respect to the base 102 to allow the battery 140 to be exchanged. The battery or batteries 140 are accessible by opening a lockable battery door 142 that forms a panel of the armor 113. On the bottom-most of the battery drawers 141 (or sole battery drawer 141 if only one is provided), a plate 143 (made of steel, for example) is mounted. One of the bumpers 114 is mounted on the plate 143 (see FIGS. 3 and 4, the bumper 114 is not shown in FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 6, the plate 143 can be movable between upward (operational) and downward positions, to move the bumper 114 mounted on the plate, to allow easier access to the battery 140 mounted on the bottom-most drawer 141. In the illustrated embodiment, the base 102 has two batteries 140, but the mobile boxing bag could use only one battery 140, or could use three or more batteries 140.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates control by the CPU 150 of movement of the mobile boxing bag 100. As shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 150 receives, as inputs, information from the UWB sensors 131, the mechanical switches 133 of the bumpers 114, the laser sensors 132, and the inertial measurement unit (IMU) 134. The CPU 150 also communicates with a memory 151, which stores (among other information) exercise routines that can be executed by the mobile boxing bag. And the CPU communicates wirelessly with a user terminal 200. Based on one or more of information from the UWB sensors 131, information from the mechanical switches 133 of the bumpers 114, information from the laser sensors 132, information from the inertial measurement unit (IMU) 134, information retrieved from the memory 151, information transmitted from the user terminal 200, and feedback from the motor drivers 122, the CPU 150 instructs the motor drivers 122 to drive the wheels 121 to move and/or rotate the mobile boxing bag 100.

To control the mobile boxing bag 100 to execute operations including the operations described above and below, the CPU 150 executes one or more software programs that are stored in the memory 151 or another memory in the base 102. The CPU 150 is connected to a RAM and other electrical components provided in the base 102 to allow the CPU 150 to control the mobile boxing bag 100. The CPU 150 is also connected to one or more wireless communication units, which can be a WiFi antenna with associated hardware and/or a Bluetooth® antenna and associated hardware, or other radio antenna(s) and associated hardware.

The user terminal 200 can be a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. The user terminal 200 could alternatively be a dedicated or purpose-built terminal for use with the mobile boxing bag 100. The user terminal 200 and the mobile boxing bag 100 communicate wirelessly, for example by Bluetooth® (short-range wireless communication) or WiFi (wireless communication based on IEEE 802.11 standards). The user of the user terminal 200 can be a person who will exercise with the mobile boxing bag (an “exerciser”) or can be another person such as a trainer (e.g., exercise trainer, boxing trainer, or personal trainer) who will use the mobile boxing bag 100 as an exercise tool to be used by a client. The user terminal 200 can issue direct operational instructions to the mobile boxing bag 100 to instruct the mobile boxing bag to move and turn, or the user terminal 200 can transmit an exercise routine to the mobile boxing bag 100 to be stored in the memory 151.

The user terminal 200 can have a software program such as a computer application installed thereon to enable the user terminal 200 to perform the actions described herein. The user terminal 200 includes a display, processors such as a CPU, memory to store the software program (application) and other information, RAM, and one or more wireless communication units. The wireless communication units can be a WiFi antenna with associated hardware and/or a Bluetooth® antenna and associated hardware, or other radio antenna(s) and associated hardware. Examples of operation of the user terminal 200 and examples of control of the mobile boxing bag 100 via the user terminal 200 are described below. FIGS. 8-19 illustrate examples of displays which can be screens, partial screens, windows, etc., that can be displayed by the user terminal 200.

FIG. 8 shows a screen 800 that can be displayed on the user terminal 200 as part or all of a screen on the user terminal 200 to allow direct movement instructions to be issued from the user terminal 200 to the mobile boxing bag 100 and executed by the mobile boxing bag 100. The screen 800 has eight directional arrows 801 and two rotational arrows 802 as icons representing buttons on the screen. Each directional arrow 800, when pressed or tapped by a user, instructs the mobile boxing bag 100 to move in the corresponding direction. Each rotational arrow 802, when pressed or tapped by a user, causes the mobile boxing bag to rotate in the corresponding direction (right or left). A single press or tap to one of the arrows 801 or 802 instructs or causes the mobile boxing bag 100 to move or rotate by a fixed amount in the direction corresponding to the pressed/tapped arrow 801 or 802. A continuous press or tap to one of the arrows 801 or 802 (i.e., holding one of the icons) instructs or causes the mobile boxing bag 100 to continuously move in the direction corresponding to the pressed/tapped arrow 801 or 802 until the press/tap of the arrow 801 or 802 is stopped, or until the mobile boxing bag 100 encounters an obstacle and cannot move further.

The partial screen 800 can be displayed as part of a calibration operation to allow the mobile boxing bag 100 to locate and/or orient itself within a space where the mobile boxing bag can 100 be used. For example, a user can be instructed to move the mobile boxing bag 100 by a certain amount and/or in certain directions and/or to certain positions, to allow the CPU 150 of the mobile the mobile boxing bag 100 to locate itself within the space where it will be used. As the mobile boxing bag 100 is moved during calibration, the laser sensors 131 allow the CPU 150 to determine distance to various walls or other objects in the space where the mobile boxing bag will be used. The program installed on the user terminal 200 to control the mobile boxing bag 100 may require the user to perform such a calibration before allowing the user to perform further operations with the mobile boxing bag.

The partial screen 800 could also or alternatively be displayed as a kind of joystick control for controlling movement of the mobile boxing bag 100. The screen 800 could be used to control the mobile boxing bag 100 to move to a desired position. The screen 800 could also be used by a trainer to move the mobile boxing bag 100 in various ways while the trainer instructs an exerciser to perform various exercises and interact with the mobile boxing bag 100. In this way, the mobile boxing bag 100 could be used without executing an exercise routine (described below).

The mobile boxing bag 100 could alternatively be instructed to move via voice commands issued by a user and received by a microphone in the base 102, or by a microphone in the user terminal 200 (the move commands would then be transmitted from the user terminal 200 to the base 102). Commands relevant to exercise routines (described below) could also be issued by voice. Example commands include start (to start an exercise routine), stop (to end an exercise routine), pause (to pause an exercise routine), and resume (to resume a paused exercise routine). By using voice commands in this manner, a user can issue commands to the mobile boxing bag 100 (directly or via the user terminal 200) without having to physically interact with the user terminal 200 or mobile boxing bag 100.

FIG. 9 shows a screen 900 that can be displayed on the user terminal 200 to confirm the operational status of and/or calibrate the laser sensors 131 and the mechanical switches 133 of the bumpers 114. Screen 900 includes a bumper area 901 with indicators 902 corresponding to the mechanical switches 133 of the bumpers 114, and a laser sensor area 903 with indicators 904 corresponding to the laser sensors 131. Each indicator 902 in the bumper area 901 corresponds to one mechanical switch 133. Each indicator 904 in the laser sensor area 903 corresponds to one laser sensor 131. A user can initiate a sensor check of the laser sensors 131 and/or the mechanical switches 133 by pressing or tapping the “Start sensor check” icon 905. During a sensor check, the user can check the operational status of and/or calibrate the laser sensors 131 by walking around the mobile boxing bag 100 (or the base 102 of the mobile boxing bag 100). As each laser sensor 131 detects the user as an obstacle within a preset distance, the color of the corresponding indicator 904 changes on the screen 900. Also during a sensor check, the user can check the operational status of and/or calibrate the mechanical switches 133 by pushing each of the bumpers 114 in turn. As each bumper 114 is pushed by the user to activate the associated mechanical switch 133, the color of the corresponding indicator 903 changes on the screen 900. The program installed on the user terminal 200 to control the mobile boxing bag 100 may require the user to perform a sensor check before allowing the user to perform further operations with the mobile boxing bag.

FIG. 10 illustrates a user terminal screen 1000 that can be displayed on the user terminal 200 for inputting a user profile. As shown in FIG. 10, a user profile can include various biographical and physical details about a user, including information on the user's level of physical activity. Multiple profiles can be stored on the user terminal 200, and the mobile boxing bag 100 can also store multiple user profiles in the memory 151. Exercise routines performed by an exerciser can be stored in association with the user profile in the user terminal 200 and/or in the memory 151 of the mobile boxing bag 100.

User profiles can be created both for exercisers who will exercise using the mobile boxing bag, and for exercise trainers. Thus, a system including the mobile boxing bag 100 can include several user terminals, namely user terminals for one or more exercisers, and user terminals for one or more trainers. A trainer can use a mobile terminal 200 and the program described herein that calibrates the mobile boxing bag 100 and creates exercise routines, to perform training functions such as creating exercise routines, assigning exercise routines to exercisers, tracking the progress of exercisers, and communicating with exercisers by video, telephone, or chat messaging. Different versions of a program for interacting with the mobile boxing bag 100 can be available to exercisers and trainers. Exercisers may have a more limited version that allows the selection and execution of exercise routines, and trainers can have a more advanced version that enables one or more of the trainer functions.

An exercise routine (which can also be referred to as a training session or as an exercise scenario) can include (i) a movement pattern to be followed by the mobile boxing bag 100, including positions where the boxing bag should stop momentarily or for a preset period of time, (ii) exercise instructions to be issued during execution of the exercise routine (whether via the speaker 108, via the user terminal 200, via headphones, or by other means), and (iii) music to be played during the exercise routine (whether via the speaker 108, via the user terminal 200, via headphones, or by other means). The exercise routine can also include information about how fast the mobile boxing bag 100 should move, and how long the mobile boxing bag 100 should stop at a given location after moving. For example, the speed of the mobile boxing bag can be controlled via the user terminal 200. Using a default speed of the mobile boxing bag 100 as a baseline, a user could instruct the mobile boxing bag to move at half speed, regular speed, double speed, 1.5× speed, and so on.

The exercise instructions to be issued via the speaker 108 (via the user terminal 200, via headphones, or by other means) can be boxing instructions (e.g., “jab” or “cross”), or other instructions to perform exercises (e.g., “pushup” or “squat-thrust”) to be performed by the exerciser. In accordance with the exercise routine being executed, the mobile boxing bag 100 can wait at a given position for a preset period of time to allow the exercises to be performed before moving to a next position in the movement pattern, or the mobile boxing bag 100 can issue an instruction to perform an exercise and continue moving along the movement pattern to force the exerciser to move along with the mobile boxing bag 100 while performing the exercises. For example, the mobile boing bag 100 could move to a certain position in the movement pattern, issue an instruction to perform a certain number of exercises (e.g., five squats) and wait for a preset period of time (e.g., five seconds) to allow the exerciser time to perform the exercises. Or, for example, the mobile boxing bag 100 can move to a certain position in the movement pattern, issue an instruction to perform a certain number of exercises (e.g., five jabs) and immediately continue moving to a next position in the movement pattern, thereby encouraging the exerciser to perform the exercises while moving along with the mobile boxing bag 100.

The memory 151 can store a database of preset exercise routines, and new exercise routines can be created using the user terminal 200 and transmitted to the mobile boxing bag 100 to be executed immediately and/or to be added to the database in the memory 151. New exercise routines could also be downloaded by the user terminal 200 from a designated server or from the internet, and transmitted to the mobile boxing bag 100 to be executed immediately and/or to be added to the database in the memory 151.

FIGS. 11-17 illustrate screens or partial screens that can be displayed by the user terminal 200 during creation of an exercise routine. As shown in FIG. 11, the space in which the mobile boxing bag 100 will be used can, or convenience, be divided into a grid 1101 representing an exercise area or exercise terrain. The grid can be considered a virtual landscape where the exercise routine will be planned and executed. Each square (cell) 1102 in the grid represents a position that can be occupied by the mobile boxing bag 100. As an alternative, each square (cell) 1102 in the grid can represent a boxing step, meaning that the mobile boxing bag 100 takes the position in the grid and then moves by an amount corresponding to one step of the user (the amount corresponding to one step of the user can be a default amount, or can be an amount specific to the user that is set in the user's profile and adjusted via the user terminal 200).

In FIG. 11, only a first position (designated by “1”) has been designated. The first position can be a default start position for the mobile boxing bag 100 that is automatically designated, or can be a designated start position that is chosen by the user. The size of the grid 1101 is customizable by a user. For example, the user can select icon 1103 to bring up a grid-size-change dialog box 1200 as shown in FIG. 12. Using the dialog box, the user can input desired numbers of squares in both the length and width directions of the grid 1101. The grid could be, for example, 8×8, 3×3, 12×12, 10×5, 5×10, and so on. The grid could also have an irregular size with certain squares removed to match the configuration of a room where the mobile boxing bag 100 will be used. In addition, in some configurations, a user could add or remove squares by tapping on the grid 1101 instead of by using the dialog box 1200.

FIG. 13 shows an exercise routine creation screen 1300 at a point during creation of an exercise routine. As shown in FIG. 13, first and second positions for the mobile boxing bag 100 have been designated (see the squares 1102 marked “1” and “2”), and a third position is in the process of being designated. In FIG. 13, certain squares 1301 extending from the second position are marked in a different color, to indicate possible locations for the third position that can be reached by straight-line movement of the mobile boxing bag 100, assuming that the mobile boxing bag 100 can move in eight directions. The positions that can be selected by the user are not necessarily limited to those that can be reached by straight-line movement; other positions could be designated as the next position for the mobile boxing bag 100. In the exercise routine creation screen 1300, icon 1302 can be selected to add a new position for the mobile boxing bag 100. Icon 1303 can be selected to save work on the created exercise routine. Icon 1304 can be selected to begin creation of a new exercise routine. And icon 1305 can be selected to access previously-created exercise routines.

At each position in the movement pattern of the mobile boxing bag 100 in the exercise routine, aspects of the exercise routine can be set or modified. For example, screen 1400 shown in FIG. 14 provides options for making setting changes. As shown in FIG. 14, the position being modified is designated by the header at 1401. The speed of the mobile boxing bag 100 can be set from a drop down menu 1402. The speed can be set at, for example, “normal” corresponding to a default speed, “slow” corresponding to half speed, and “fast” corresponding to double speed. The speed of the mobile boxing bag 100 could be left constant throughout an exercise routine, or could change. For example, the speed could be selected to be “slow” at Position 1 and “fast” and Position 2, so that the mobile boxing bag 100 moves at the slow speed from Position 1 to Position 2 and at the fast speed from Position 2 to Position 3. An exercise to be performed by the exerciser can be designated at 1403, for example by typing the exercise in and/or by selecting the exercise from a drop down menu 1404 as shown in FIG. 15. A number of times that the exercise should be repeated can be set at 1405. When the mobile boxing bag 100 issues an instruction to an exerciser to perform an exercise, the instruction is based on both the selected exercise to be performed and the number of times that the exercise has been set to be performed. For example, the mobile boxing bag can instruct the user via the speaker 108 to “jab five times” or “squat three times.” A pause time for the mobile boxing bag to pause in its position can be set at 1406. The pause time is an amount of time that the mobile boxing bag pauses after reaching a position (position 3 in FIG. 14). As shown in FIG. 14, the pause time can be set in milliseconds, or could be set in seconds or fractions of a second. If the pause time is set at zero, the mobile boxing bag does not stop at the position but rather continues on to the next position. In this case, for example, the mobile boxing bag moves to a designated position, issues an exercise instruction at the position based on the inputs at 1403 and 1405 (“jab five times”), and continues moving on to the next position without stopping. Icon 1407 can be selected to finish the setting process for the current position. As shown in FIG. 16, once the settings have been made and finished for a given position, a next position can be modified, while the settings already made for prior positions can be listed on the screen.

As shown in FIG. 17, in a dialog box 1701, a user (who could be an exerciser or a trainer) can name an exercise routine at 1702, designate a difficulty level (e.g., easy, medium, or hard) of the exercise routine at 1703, and select music to be played by the mobile boxing bag 100 through the speaker 108 (or via the user terminal 200 or via headphones, etc.) during execution of the exercise routine at 1704. These settings can be made once a user has set all positions in the movement pattern of the mobile boxing bag 100 in the exercise routine, and has also set all exercises and pause times for the mobile boxing bag 100 in the exercise routine, as described above. The settings shown in FIG. 17 could be made at another convenient time during creation of an exercise routine.

Once the exercise routine has been created, it can be added to a database of exercise routines maintained on the user terminal 200, and it can be transmitted to the mobile boxing bag 100 to be added to a database of exercise routines maintained in the memory 151. An exercise routine to be executed can be selected from a list 1801 of exercise routines shown in FIG. 18 (the list 1801 has only one exercise routine on it, but more exercise routines can be listed). By selecting sort icon 1802 or filter icon 1803, the exercise routines can be sorted (for example, by name or by date of creation), or filtered based on various criteria. For example, selecting the filter icon 1803 can open dialog box 1901 shown in FIG. 19, which allows a user to filter exercise routines by difficulty, grid size, and number of positions in the movement pattern.

The user terminal 200 and/or the mobile boxing bag 100 can store instructional videos related to the exercise routine. The instructional videos can demonstrate how to use the mobile boxing bag 100 and/or how to perform specific exercises. Specific instructional videos can be associated with or linked to exercises designated in each exercise routine, so that each exercise routine includes exercises to be performed linked to videos demonstrating how to perform each exercise. For premade exercise routines, such as those loaded in the memory of the mobile boxing bag, or those downloaded by the user terminal 200, instructional videos may include a video demonstrating of how to perform the entire exercise routine with the mobile boxing bag 100.

To execute an exercise routine, one of the exercise routines can be selected from the list 1801, and a play or start instruction can be issued. The user terminal 200 transmits the selected exercise routine to the mobile boxing bag 100, or the user terminal 200 can transmit an identifier of the selected exercise routine to the mobile boxing bag 100 so that the CPU 150 can retrieve the selected exercise routine from the memory 151. The CPU 150 controls the mobile boxing bag 100 to execute the selected exercise routine. For example, the CPU 150 can control the mobile boxing bag to execute an exercise routine with “n” positions as follows:

• • Begin playing music associated with the exercise routine
  • Move to (or start at) position 1
    • Issue exercise instruction associated with position 1 (e.g., “squat three times”)
    • Pause for a time associated with position 1 (e.g., 3 seconds)
  • Move to position 2 at speed designed in the exercise routine (e.g., slow, normal, or fast)
    • Issue exercise instruction associated with position 2 (e.g., “jab five times”)
    • Pause for a time associated with position 1 (e.g., 0 seconds, meaning do not stop)
  • Move to position n at speed designed in the exercise routine (e.g., slow, normal, or fast)
    • Issue exercise instruction associated with position n (e.g., “cross two times”)
    • Pause for a time associated with position 1 (e.g., 1 seconds)
  • Stop

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the device, system, and technique described herein. Additional embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration and/or practice of the instant disclosure. It is intended that the specification and examples provided herein be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope of the invention being described by the claims.