SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING FITNESS MACHINES BASED ON USER PRESENCE

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/721,666, filed November 18, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to fitness machines and particularly to systems and methods for detecting a user presence and controlling functions of the fitness machines based thereon.

BACKGROUND

The following U.S. Patents provide background information and are incorporated herein by reference in entirety.

U.S. Patent No. 11,458,356 discloses a fitness machine providing shock absorption for a user operating the fitness machine. The fitness machine includes a base and a member engageable by the user and moveable relative to the base during operation of the fitness machine. A resilient body resists movement of the member towards the base in a height direction. The resilient body has first and second ends defining a length therebetween, the length being defined in a length direction perpendicular to the height direction. A stop wall is engageable by the resilient body. The length of the resilient body increases when the member moves towards the base until the second end engages with the stop wall. The resilient body provides shock absorption for the user.

U.S. Patent No. 10,617,331 discloses a method for detecting whether a user is walking or running, such as on a treadmill. The method includes detecting foot interactions of the user and outputting data from the foot interactions detected. The method includes calculating a cadence frequency based on the data from the foot interactions, and measuring a first signal amplitude detected at a first multiplier of the cadence frequency calculated and a second signal amplitude for the data from the foot interactions detected at a second multiplier of the cadence frequency using the data from the foot interactions.

U.S. Patent No. 6,783,482 discloses a microprocessor-based exercise treadmill control system which includes various features to enhance user operation. These features include programs operative to: permit a set of user controls to cause the treadmill to initially operate at predetermined speeds; permit the user to design custom workouts; permit the user to switch between workout programs while the treadmill is in operation; and perform an automatic cooldown program where the duration of the cooldown is a function of the duration of the workout or the user's heart rate. The features also include a stop program responsive to a detector for automatically stopping the treadmill when a user is no longer on the treadmill and a frame tag module attached to the treadmill frame having a non-volatile memory for storing treadmill configuration, and operational and maintenance data. Another included feature is the ability to display the amount of time a user spends in a heart rate zone.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.

One independent aspect of the present disclosure generally relates to a method for controlling a fitness machine having a motor. The method comprises detecting whether a user is positioned on the fitness machine. The method comprises controlling the fitness machine to calibrate the motor if the fitness machine is determined to be absent a user positioned thereon and to postpone calibrating the motor if the user is determined to be positioned thereon. Postponing calibrating the motor when the user is positioned on the fitness machine prevents calibration errors.

In one example, the method further comprises receiving a request to operate the motor of the fitness machine, and controlling the fitness machine to calibrate the motor after receiving the request to operate the motor.

In another example, the request to operate the motor includes turning on the fitness machine.

In a further example, the method further comprises receiving a request to operate the motor of the fitness machine, and detecting whether the user is positioned on the fitness machine after receiving the request to operate the motor.

In another example, the fitness machine is a treadmill having a deck configured to support the user walking and/or running thereon, and detecting whether the user is positioned on the fitness machine comprises measuring a deflection of the deck.

In a further example, the method further comprises, after postponing calibrating the motor, determining that the fitness machine is absent the user being positioned thereon and subsequently calibrating the motor.

In another example, the method further comprises generating a notification for the user to get off the fitness machine when the user is determined to be positioned thereon.

In a further example, the method further comprises generating a notification for the user to remain off the fitness machine while the motor is being calibrated.

In another example, the method further comprises stopping calibrating the motor if the user is detected to be positioned on the fitness machine during calibration.

In a further example, the method further comprises operating the fitness machine to perform an exercise program after the motor calibration is complete.

In another example, the method further comprises preventing operating the fitness machine to perform an exercise program until the motor is calibrated.

In a further example, the method further comprises detecting whether the user is positioned on the fitness machine comprises receiving data from a sensor configured such that the data provided by the sensor changes as the presence of the user changes, processing the data to generate frequency domain data, comparing the frequency domain data to a threshold, and determining that the user is present when the frequency domain data is greater than or equal to the threshold and determining that the user is absent when the frequency domain data when the frequency domain data is below the threshold.

In another example, the data is received from the sensor is provided in a time domain, and the data is processed to generate the frequency domain data via Fast Fourier Transform.

In a further example, the Fast Fourier Transform is performed such that the frequency domain data includes only frequencies greater than or equal to 100 Hz.

In another example, the fitness machine is a treadmill having a deck, and the sensor is configured to measure the presence of the user on a belt supported by the deck.

In a further independent aspect of the present disclosure, a fitness machine configured to detect a presence of a user is provided. The fitness machine comprises a motor configured to operate while the fitness machine is in use. The fitness machine comprises a sensor configured to generate data that changes based on the presence of the user. The fitness machine comprises a controller configured to determine whether the user is present based on the data from the sensor, calibrate the motor if the fitness machine is determined to be absent the user positioned thereon, and postpone calibrating the motor if the user is determined to be positioned thereon. Postponing calibrating the motor when the user is positioned on the fitness machine prevents calibration errors.

In one example, the controller is configured to determine whether the user is present by processing the data from the sensor to generate frequency domain data, comparing the frequency domain data to a threshold, and determining that the user is present when the frequency domain data is greater than or equal to the threshold and determining that the user is absent when the frequency domain data when the frequency domain data is below the threshold.

In another example, the fitness machine is a treadmill having a belt configured to support the user thereon during operation, and the belt is rotatable by the motor.

In a further example, the sensor is a displacement sensor.

In another example, the motor comprises a brushless DC motor.

It should be recognized that the different aspects described throughout this disclosure may be combined in different manners, including those than expressly disclosed in the provided examples, while still constituting an invention accord to the present disclosure.

Various other features, objects and advantages of the disclosure will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is described with reference to the following drawing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fitness machine configured to detect a user presence and to control functions of the fitness machine based on the detected presence according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a section view of a lower portion of the fitness machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a close-up section view of the embodiment similar to that of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top-down view of the lower portion of the fitness machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a control system for operating a fitness machine according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a top-down schematic view depicting one type of sensor configured to provide data for detecting the presence of the user according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view depicting the sensor of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 depicts the sensor of FIG. 7 installed on the fitness machine of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view depicting another type of sensor configured to provide data for detecting the presence of the user according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart depicting one method for operating a fitness machine according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart depicting another method for operating a fitness machine according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart depicting another method for operating a fitness machine according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a graph showing time domain data collected when a user steps on a treadmill.

FIG. 14 is a graph showing frequency domain data generated and analyzed based on the time domain data from FIG. 13 according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a graph showing time domain data collected when a user walks slowly on a treadmill.

FIG. 16 is a graph showing frequency domain data generated and analyzed based on the time domain data from FIG. 15 according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart depicting another method for operating a fitness machine according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart depicting another method for operating a fitness machine according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to fitness machines, including systems and methods for detecting whether a user is present on the fitness machine and/or those in which one or more functions of the fitness machine are controlled based on whether the user is detected to be present. Through experimentation and development, the present inventors have recognized that systems and methods known in the art for detecting the presence of a user are not always accurate and in many cases are wholly non-functional for certain fitness machines and users. For example, in many cases the sensors of a fitness machine are not capable of detecting a smaller, lighter weight user, such as by not causing sufficient deflection of a deck for a treadmill. Additionally, the present inventors have recognized that the ability to detect the user’s presence may be inconsistent over time, whereby changes to the sensors and/or mechanical components of the fitness machine may vary such that the user is no longer detected, the user is detected when not present, and/or the detection is generally inaccurate. Accordingly, the present inventors have developed systems and methods that advantageously provide for reliably detecting whether a user is present even for these lighter weight users, and that work for any type of sensor (e.g., deck deflection sensors, piezo-electric sensors, etc.). As discussed further below, this detection may be performed via a wide variety of sensors, including deck deflection sensors, piezo-electric sensors, optical sensors, cameras, heart rate sensors, etc.

The accurate detection of whether the user is present or absent may then be used to control different operations of the treadmill accordingly. By way of example, detecting the presence of absence of a user may be used to control operations such as sleep modes, what to display on a console, and/or automatically stopping the belt of a treadmill. Other functions may also be beneficially controlled as a function of whether the user is detected, for example by coaching the user to get off or stay off the fitness machine while an operation is completed.

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a fitness machine 1 incorporating a system 40 for detecting the presence of a user and controlling functions of the fitness machine based thereon according to the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the fitness machine 1 is a treadmill having a belt 2 that is rotated such that a user may run or walk on the belt 2. FIGS. 1 and 2 show the belt 2 having a running upper strand 3 and a returning lower strand 4 that continuously cycle about belt rollers 6 in a conventional manner. While the present disclosure principally discusses embodiments in which the fitness machine 1 is a treadmill having a motor M (see FIG. 5) that rotates the belt 2, it should be recognized that the present disclosure equally applies to treadmills in which forces by the user rotate the belt 2, as well as to fitness machines 1 other than treadmills (e.g., stair climbers).

The fitness machine 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is supported on a base 20 having a front 21 and rear 22, left 23 and right 24, and top 25 and bottom 26. Operation of the fitness machine 1 is controlled by a console 10 in a manner known in the art, which for example controls the speed of the belt 2, an incline of the belt 2 relative to a horizontal plane (e.g., via a height adjustment system 30 in a manner known in the art), resistance levels (for example with bicycles, rowers, elliptical trainers, and/or treadmills in which the user rotates the belt), and/or other functions customary for operating fitness machines 1, as known in the art. The base 20 of the fitness machine 1 is supported on feet 14 and casters 12.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the fitness machine includes a shock absorbing system 41 for providing adjustable shock absorption (also referred to as stiffness) in a manner known in the art (e.g., as described in U.S. Patent No. 11,458,356). The fitness machine 1 includes a base 20 and at least one member 42 that is engageable by the user, which consequently moves relative to the base 20 during operation of the fitness machine 1. The member 42 shown is a running deck that supports the belt 2 in a conventional manner, which moves up and down relative to the base 20 from the impact of the user running or walking thereon.

The shock absorbing system 41 includes resilient bodies, shown here as leaf springs 50, that resist movement of the member 42 towards the base 20, particularly in a height direction HD. In certain embodiments, the leaf spring 50 is made of an elastomeric material, such as rubber, polyurethane, and/or other polymers. The leaf spring 50 is a resilient body that extends between a first end 51 and second end 52. A length L is defined between the first end 51 and the second end 52 in a length direction LD that is perpendicular to the height direction HD. The leaf spring 50 has a parabolic shape that opens downwardly and supports the member 42 at or near a vertex 54 of the parabolic shape. In the example shown, the member 42 rests on the leaf spring 50 without being coupled to the member 42.

Holes extend transversely through the leaf spring 50 at the first end 51 and in certain embodiments at the second end 52, which are configured to receive pins 66 therethrough to pivotally couple the leaf springs 50 to the base 20 via brackets 60. The bracket 60 is coupled to the inside of the base 20, for example via welding, fasteners (e.g., nuts and bolts), or other methods presently known in the art. Other types of fasteners known in the art may also or alternatively be used as the first pin 66, including those with set screws, threads (e.g., engaging with a nut 67 as shown in FIG. 3), or press fits, those integrated with the leaf spring 50 (e.g., via over-molding), those welded to the bracket 60, and/or those used in conjunction with the bracket 60 that prevent lateral translation of the first pin 66, for example. These same examples for the first pin 66 also apply to a second pin 82 for the second end 52 of the leaf spring 50. In this manner, the leaf spring 50 is permitted to freely rotate about the first pin 66, but the first end 51 is prevented from translating in the length direction LD or in the height direction HD relative to the base 20.

With continued reference to FIGS. 2-4, the shock absorption system 41 further includes end stops 70 that are fixable relative to the base 20, in the present embodiment in an adjustable manner. A separate end stop 70 is shown provided for each leaf spring 50 in a similar manner as the brackets 60. However, other configurations are also contemplated. The end stops 70 are coupled to a frame 100 that is moveably supported by the base 20. The end stops 70 may be coupled to the frame 100 via welding, fasteners, and/or the like.

The end stops 70 have stop walls 80 that limit the length L in which the leaf spring 50 may extend while providing shock absorption. In the embodiment shown, the stop wall 80 is formed at the end or termination of a slot 74 defined within the sides of the end stop 70. Specifically, the end stop 70 has a top 71 with two arms 73 that extend rearwardly from a front 76 to fingertips 77. In the example shown, the fingertips 77 extend from the front 76 of the end stop 70 approximately the same distance as do base tips 79 such that a slot 74 is formed between the fingertip 77 and base tip 79 on each side of the end stop 70. As shown in the top-down view of FIG. 4, providing two arms 73 for each end stop 70 allows the leaf spring 50 to be positioned between the arms 73, which retains the leaf spring 50 in position relative to the left 23 and right 24 of the fitness machine 1.

This embodiment of end stop 70 is configured such that a second pin 82 extending through the second pin hole 57 in the second end 52 of the leaf spring 50 is translatable in the length direction LD within the slot 74. The second pin 82 is insertable into the slot 74 at least via the open end 75 opposite a stop wall 80 and front 76. The clearance C of the slot 74 is selected based on the diameter of the second pin 82 such that no movement is permitted in the height direction HD. Forward translation of the second end 52 of the leaf spring 50 may thus be prevented by engagement between the stop wall 80 and the second pin 82 extending through the second end 52, and/or engagement between the stop wall 80 and the second end 52 itself.

The support frame 100 is moveable in translation relative to the base 20 in the length direction LD via other configurations and mechanisms. FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of the shock absorption system 41 providing this adjustment via engagement with a track system 90. The track system 90 includes a sliding track 92 that is coupled to the base 20 via track mounts 91. Specifically, a track riding bracket 94 is coupled to the support frame 100, for example on the side members 102. The track riding bracket 94 slidably engages with the sliding track 92, which may function similarly to a conventional drawer slide having roller bearings, incorporate a rack and pinion engagement, and/or other sliding mechanisms known in the art. The support frame 100 may then be locked relative to the base 20 in a manner known in the art.

The position of the stop wall 80 for an end stop 70 is adjustable by moving the support frame 100 to which the end stop 70 is coupled, as described above. The support frame 100 includes cross members 104 extending between a first end 125 and a second end 127 that run perpendicular to the length direction LD, as well as side members 102 extending between a first end 121 and second end 123 and a mid-support 103 extending between a first end 131 and second end 133 that all run parallel to the length direction LD. The cross members 104, side members 102, and mid-support 103 may vary in number from that shown and may be coupled together and/or integrally formed, for example. The end stops 70 are coupled to the support frame 100 such that when multiple leaf springs 50 are provided, one or more leaf springs 50 (and therefore the gaps G associated therewith) are adjustable together.

With continued reference to FIG. 2-4, the support frame 100 is moveable via an actuator 110, which may be operated via electrical momentary switches, a control system 200 as discussed below (including via the console 10), or other methods known in the art. The actuator may be an electrical, pneumatic, and/or hydraulically actuator known in the art. For example, a mechanism similar to a conventional height adjustment system 30 (see FIG. 1) for a treadmill could be employed to move the support frame 100. One such commercially available height adjustment mechanism is Treadmill incline motor lift actuator 0K65-01192-0002 / CMC-778, produced by P-Tech USA. The actuator 110 may also itself provide the locking function for the positioning of the support frame 100. It should be recognized that while the present disclosure principally focuses on actuators 110 that make adjustments in the length direction LD, other configurations are also contemplated.

The actuator 110 is coupled between the base 20 and a front end 101 of the support frame 100 to translate the support frame 100 relative to the base 20 in the length direction LD. Specifically, a first end of the actuator 110 is coupled to a cross member 126 of the base 20 with brackets 119 and fasteners 117, such as bolts, pins, and/or the like. An opposite end of the actuator 110 is coupled to the support frame 100, also via a bracket 119 and fastener 117 in a conventional manner, which may be the same bracket 119 and/or fastener 117 provided between the actuator 110 and the cross member 126 as described above. It should be recognized that the actuator 110 may be coupled between the base 20 and support frame 100 in alternate positions as well. Likewise, other types of actuators 110, including scissor-type actuators, rack and pinion actuators, and/or other configurations known in the art may also be used. It should be recognized that multiple types of actuators 110 may also be used to adjust the shock absorption provided by one or more leaf springs 50.

The exemplary actuator 110 of FIGS. 2-4 includes a motor 112 that rotatably engages with a gearbox 113. Rotation of the motor 112 extends or retracts a rod 114 relative to a housing 115 of the gearbox 113 in the length direction LD. Specifically, rotation of the motor 112 in a first direction causes rotation of the rod 114 through the gearbox 113, where a threaded engagement between the outer diameter of the rod 114 and the interior of the housing 115 causes the rod 114 to extend or retract in the length direction LD relative to the housing 115 as the motor 112 rotates. In contrast, rotation of the motor 112 in an opposite direction causes retraction of the rod 114 in the opposite manner. It should be recognized that either the rod 114 or the housing 115 may be coupled to the support frame 100 (with the other to the base 20), depending on the configuration of the actuator 110. In this manner, operating the actuator 110 causes movement of the support frame 100 relative to the base 20. This movement of the support frame 100 consequently adjusts the gap G between the leaf springs 50 and the stop walls 80 of the corresponding end stops 70, as discussed above. In the example shown, all leaf springs 50 are adjusted simultaneously and equivalently (i.e., a same distance in the length direction LD).

With reference to FIGS. 3-4, it should be recognized that the length L between the first end 51 and the second end 52 of the leaf spring 50 is caused to increase when the member 42 moves towards the base 20 during operation of the fitness machine 1. In other words, the parabolic shape of the leaf spring 50 is caused to flatten during use. However, the length L of the leaf spring 50 may be constrained by engagement between the second end 52 and the stop wall 80 of the end stop 70. Once the length L can no longer increase, the leaf spring 50 may further resist movement of the member 42 towards the base 20, but now through a different mechanism, namely, compression of its resilient material. Therefore, adjusting the gap G between the leaf spring 50 and the stop wall 80 of the end stop 70 adjusts the allowable length L of the leaf spring 50, and thus the profile of resistance provided by the system 40, which consequently adjusts the stiffness of the fitness machine 1.

The resistance provided by the system 40 varies depending upon whether the second end 52 of the leaf spring 50 is engaging the stop wall 80, creating two or more distinct phases. In an initial phase referred to as first phase P1, the resistance provided by the leaf spring 50 against movement between the member 42 and the base 20 is primarily provided via bending deformation of the leaf spring 50. In other words, the length L of the leaf spring 50 may change, increasing as the member 42 moves towards the base 20. However, once the second end 52 engages with the stop wall 80 of the end stop 70 (or second pin 82 extending therethough for an embodiment discussed above), which has been fixed relative to the base 20, a second phase P2 begins in which a length L of the leaf spring 50 can no longer change. At this stage, further movement of the member 42 towards the base 20 is resisted by the leaf spring 50 primarily by compressing the leaf spring 50, rather than by bending the leaf spring 50 as provided during first phase P1. In other words, the parabolic shape can no longer get wider longer, and thus the leaf spring 50 starts to compress. In this manner, moving the stop walls 80 adjusts the stiffness of the treadmill by changing when the leaf spring provides each phase of resistance. The present inventors have also recognized that the stiffness may alternatively or additionally be adjusted by moving the leaf spring rather than the stop walls. Additional explanation is provided in U.S. Patent No. 11,458,356.

It should be recognized that the shock absorption system provides support for the fitness machine via many different components and many different connections (e.g., leaf springs, brackets, pins, actuators, tracks, and the like). Accordingly, the present inventors have recognized that as these elements break in and/or wear over time, the support of these different components may change. For example, a middle or “home” position of a treadmill deck may not be consistent over time. As such, the data provided by different sensors that relate to the position of the deck may also change over time, without any change in the forces being applied thereto (e.g., wear may result in a higher deck deflection measurement despite not having any load on the deck).

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary control system 200 for detecting whether a user is present on a fitness machine, controlling different operations or functions of the fitness machine based on whether the user is present, and also controlling other conventional aspects of the fitness machine (e.g., adjusting a stiffness, changing an incline, receiving user login credentials, etc.). Inputs are provided to the control systems 200 via different input devices 199, which include different sensors (e.g., a deck deflection sensor 250 discussed further below, a piezo-electric sensor 300 discussed below, optical sensors 302 and/or cameras 304 positioned to detect whether a user is standing on the deck of a treadmill, and/or others known in the art), and also provided by the user via the console 10.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure are described or depicted as functional and/or logical block components or processing steps, which may be performed by any number of hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, certain embodiments employ integrated circuit components, such as memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, or the like, configured to carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more processors or other control devices. The connections between functional and logical block components are merely exemplary, which may be direct or indirect, and may follow alternate pathways.

In certain examples, such as shown in FIG. 5, the control system 200 communicates with each of the one or more components of the fitness machine via a communication link CL, which can be any wired or wireless link. The control system 200 is capable of receiving information and/or controlling one or more operational characteristics of the fitness machine and its various sub-systems by sending and receiving control signals via the communication links CL. In one example, the communication link CL is a controller area network (CAN) bus; however, other types of links could be used. It will be recognized that the extent of connections and the communication links CL may in fact be one or more shared connections, or links, among some or all of the components in the fitness machine 1. Moreover, the communication link CL lines are meant only to demonstrate that the various control elements are capable of communicating with one another, and do not represent actual wiring connections between the various elements, nor do they represent the only paths of communication between the elements. Additionally, the system 40 may incorporate various types of communication devices and systems, and thus the illustrated communication links CL may in fact represent various different types of wireless and/or wired data communication systems.

The control system 200 may be a computing system that includes a processing system 210, memory system 220, and input/output (I/O) system 230 for communicating with other devices, such as input devices 199 (e.g., a console and/or other user interfaces, sensors measuring movement of one or more members that are engageable by the user, such as a running deck) and output devices 201 (e.g., actuators, a motor to rotate a belt, etc.), either of which may also or alternatively be stored in a cloud 202. The processing system 210 loads and executes an executable program 222 from the memory system 220, accesses data 224 stored within the memory system 220, and directs the system 40 to operate as described in further detail below.

The processing system 210 may be implemented as a single microprocessor or other circuitry, or be distributed across multiple processing devices or sub-systems that cooperate to execute the executable program 222 from the memory system 220. Non-limiting examples of the processing system include general purpose central processing units, application specific processors, and logic devices.

The memory system 220 may comprise any storage media readable by the processing system 210 and capable of storing the executable program 222 and/or data 224. The memory system 220 may be implemented as a single storage device, or be distributed across multiple storage devices or sub-systems that cooperate to store computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. The memory system 220 may include volatile and/or non-volatile systems, and may include removable and/or non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information. The storage media may include non-transitory and/or transitory storage media, including random access memory, read only memory, magnetic discs, optical discs, flash memory, virtual memory, and non-virtual memory, magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store information and be accessed by an instruction execution system, for example.

With reference to FIGS. 6-8, additional description is now provided for different sensors configured to detect whether a user is present based on detecting whether that user is positioned on the fitness machine, here on a belt of a treadmill supported by its deck. In particular, FIGS. 6-7 show one sensor assembly 250 configured to detect motion of the member 42 as the user operates the fitness machine 1 similar to that of FIGS. 2-4. The sensor assembly 250 shown is an arc sensor, such as the 100° Arc Sensor (Part No. 013-0047) produced by CambridgeIC. The sensor assembly 250 includes an arc-shaped sensor 252 that extends in an arc between a first end 254 and a second end 256. The sensor assembly 250 is shown to be a 100° arc sensor, meaning that the first end 254 and the second end 256 are positioned so as to detect movement of up to 100° therebetween. However, the arc-shaped sensor 252 can detect movement up to another angle as defined by an angle 258 defined between the first end 254 and the second end 256. The arc-shaped sensor 252 is coupled to the inside of a housing 260 and includes a chipset 262.

The sensor assembly 250 also includes an arm 270 that extends between a first end 272 and a second end 274. The arm 270 is pivotally coupled to the housing 260 (e.g., via a fastener such as a nut and bolt) so as to pivot about a pivot axis 276. A coil spring 279 is positioned between the arm 270 and the housing 260. The spring 279 biases the arm 270 so as to rotate the first end 272 of the arm 270 upwardly.

A finger 278 extends perpendicularly from the first end 272 of the arm 270. In certain embodiments, the finger 278 is a roller rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the first end 272 of the arm 270. A resonant inductive target, also referred to as a target 280, is provided at or near the second end 274 of the arm 270. The sensor assembly 250 is configured such that the arc-shaped sensor 252 detects the position of the target 280 between the first end 254 and the second end 256, in this case via inductance between the target 280 and the arc-shaped sensor 252. In this manner, the sensor assembly 250 detects movement of the first end 272 of the arm 270 by measuring the position of the target 280, which is communicated via the chipset 262 to the control system 200 discussed above via a cable 282.

FIG. 8 shows the sensor assembly 250 of FIG. 7 installed on a fitness machine 1, here a treadmill. In particular, the sensor assembly 250 is coupled to the base 20 of the fitness machine 1 such that the finger 278 on the arm 270 of the sensor assembly 250 is in contact with the underside of the member 42. Contact is maintained between the member 42 and the finger 278 by the biasing provided by the spring 279 (i.e., biases the first end 272 of the arm 270 upwardly).

As the user operates the fitness machine 1, it should be recognized that the member 42 moves up and down in the height direction HD in response to the impact of the user running on the member 42. The movement of the member 42 correspondingly moves the first end 272 of the arm 270 of the sensor assembly 250, which is detected and communicated to the control system 200 via the cable 282 as discussed above. In this manner, the sensor assembly 250 detects movement of the member 42 in real-time during use of the fitness machine 1.

Other types of sensors may provide data to be used as additional inputs for the control system 200. For example, weight sensors (e.g., piezoelectric sensors 300, see FIG. 9, with further detail also provided in U.S. Patent No. 6,783,482) may be used to measure the weight of the user and/or deflection of the deck, with other examples being linear transducers (e.g., a linear Cambridge IC sensor with the target mounted on the edge of the deck and the PCG mounted on the frame adjacent to the target), inertial measurement units, a Hall-effect sensor, and/or optical sensors, speed sensors may be used to measure a rotational speed of a treadmill belt or bicycle cranks, and/or incline sensors or encoders may be used to measure an incline of a fitness machine during use (e.g., the incline angle of a treadmill deck relative to the floor). While the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 9 show particular numbers of sensors used to measure deflection, the present disclosure also contemplates configurations of systems 40 having other quantities, locations, and/or types of sensors. By monitoring the data provided by the sensors, the control system 200 (FIG. 5 may detect the presence of the user on the fitness machine), as discussed further below.

As discussed above, the present inventors have recognized that problems exist with respect to detecting the presence of a user on fitness machines known in the art. This relates both to the process by which the user detection takes place, and consequences of the user being present on the fitness machine while different operations are performed. The systems and methods according to the present disclosure address each of these independently, as well as together. For brevity, the user may be referred to as being on the fitness machine. However, it should be understood that for different types of fitness machines, the user may engage the fitness machine in other manners, for example making contact without being supported by the fitness machine from below.

FIG. 10 depicts a method 400 for operating a fitness machine having a motor, and particularly in a manner in which the presence or absence of a user is a basis for controlling an operation of the fitness machine. Operations may also be referred to as functions. In step 402, a request to operate the fitness machine motor is received, such as by powering on in a conventional manner. In other examples, step 402 may include a user selecting an exercise program, making selections in a setup menu, detecting a user device in proximity withe fitness machine (e.g., detecting a user's phone or watch via NFC, Bluetooth ®, or other protocols), or other situations in a request or input is provided to the fitness machine. Step 404 provides for detecting whether a user is positioned on the fitness machine. This detection may include the use of data collected from conventional sensors and/or new sensors, such as cameras built into the console, optical sensors built into the support base, arms, etc., piezo-electric sensors, deck deflectors, and/or others. Examples of these different sensors were provided above and are thus not repeated here for brevity. Step 404 may be performed via the method 500 of FIG. 11, or another method according to the present disclosure. As discussed further below, in certain embodiments Step 404 provides for accurate detection of whether a user is present by analyzing data from the sensors described above within the frequency domain, rather than time series analysis techniques known in the art. Detecting whether a user is present may involve comparing sensor measurements to thresholds, such as comparing a deck deflection sensor reading to a threshold associated with the deflection expected for a user standing on a deck (see e.g., the method 500 of FIG. 11, discussed further below). It should be recognized that for brevity, data may be referred to as being greater than or less than these thresholds. However, since data may be modified for comparison (e.g., made negative versus positive, etc.), the terms greater than versus less than need not be literally correct for a given configuration and these terms shall also be interpreted to cover the opposite literal interpretation (e.g., greater meaning less and less meaning greater). Data may also be referred to as exceeding or not exceeding a threshold.

With continued reference to FIG. 10, step 406 provides that if the user is detected on the fitness machine, the method continues to step 408, which provides for generating a notification instructing the user to get off the fitness machine. By way of example, the notification may be provided via a display, an audible message, and/or haptic feedback, as well as other known communication techniques. If instead no user is detected to be on the fitness machine, the method proceeds to optional step 410, which provides for generating a notification instructing the user to stay off the fitness machine, particularly for operations that require or benefit from the user being off the fitness machine during such operation. By way of example, the present inventors have recognized that operations that may benefit from operating when the user is not present on the fitness machine may include setup configurations for incline adjustment actuators, shock absorption adjustment actuators, and/or piezo-electric sensors, load sensors, pressure sensors, displacement sensors, position or proximity sensors, and/or the calibration or setup of other components. Errors in and/or inaccurate results can arise if a user steps on (and/or off) the fitness machine before such operations have completed. The present inventors have recognized that issues may cause the operations to fail at that time, such as a failed or aborted calibration, and/or may allow the operation to complete, but result in incorrect results from that component thereafter. For example, a sensor calibration may complete but produce inaccurate readings as a result of the user being present during the calibration. Accordingly, step 410 ensures that the operation completes successfully.

The method 400 further proceeds with starting (or continuing) the operation in step 412 and determining whether the operation has completed in step 414. If the operation has not completed, the process returns to step 404 and repeats. If instead the operation is determined to have completed in step 414, the method 400 proceeds to step 416, which determines whether the operation was successful. By way of example, this may correspond to a calibration of one or more actuators not only completing, but completing successfully (e.g., without calibration failures and/or the like). If the operation completed successfully, the method proceeds to step 418, which allows the fitness machine to be operated in an intended manner. This may include conventional operations such as displaying a main menu or program selection menu, operating the fitness machine to perform exercise programs, etc. If instead the operation is determined in step 416 to have not completed successfully, step 420 provides for generating a notification such as displaying an error message, and/or preventing certain operations of the fitness machine that require or benefit from successfully completing the operation of step 412. For example, if a sensor is needed to accurately control an actuator, use of that actuator may be prohibited if a setup operation failed.

It should be recognized that the method 400 therefore provides for controlling at least one operation in one manner if the fitness machine is determined to be absent a user positioned thereon, and in a different manner if the user is determined to be present (e.g., positioned thereon). By controlling the operation in this manner, the method 400 prevents the errors, inaccuracies, and/or undesirable operating conditions that could negatively impact fitness machines presently known in the art. The method provides additional benefit for operations that require the user to be present, absent, and/or consistently one or the other during such operation. The method also advantageously provides coaching for users to either get off or stay off the fitness machine such that this operation process can be quickly and successfully completed.

Additional information is now provided for systems and methods for detecting user presence on a fitness machine. Through experimentation and development, the present inventors have recognized some sensors that can measure the presence of some users are incapable of detecting the presence of other users. For example, whereas a lightweight user stepping on the deck of a treadmill may be insufficient to create a discernible event in the data outputted by a deck deflection sensor. However, the present inventors have further discovered that these same sensors can be utilized in a different manner than previously known to detect even these previously undetectable users. For example, even lightweight users can be detected via an otherwise unusable sensor if the output is analyzed in the frequency domain, rather than in the time domain. In other words, the present inventors have shown that an undetectable event within time domain data can nonetheless result in a substantial, detectable event if analyzed according to the present disclosure within frequency domain data.

This advantageously enhances the capability of detecting user presence without requiring any new sensors, or particular types of sensors, for collecting the data. Rather, the present disclosure provides for systems and methods in which the same sensors having the same collection capabilities already in the field can be utilized to provide this new functionality for controlling fitness machines. The present inventors have also advantageously discovered that analyzing data in the manner disclosed herein, including analyzing and performing comparisons in the frequency domain, essentially eliminates the effects of wear and tear, drift, etc. of the different sensors, electrical components, and mechanical components. To the extent the incoming data in time series does shift over time, the magnitudes discernible within the frequency domain data still advantageously permit the system to detect the presence of the user.

FIG. 11 shows a method 500 for detecting a presence of a user of a fitness machine, which may be used within the method 400 of FIG. 10 or separately therefrom. Step 502 provides for receiving data from a sensor in time domain (see time domain data 600 in FIG. 13, showing left side data 602 and right side data 604 associated with left and right side sensors, respectively). For the purposes of illustration, the sensor will be described as a deck deflection sensor such as the sensors 250 of FIG. 6. In certain configurations and/or with certain users, a step event 606 of the user stepping on the deck will not be sufficiently discernible in the time domain data 600, and thus cannot be used to determine user presence under conventionally known systems and methods.

Step 504 provides for processing the data from step 502 to generate frequency domain data, as depicted in the frequency domain data 610 of FIG. 14 with left side data 612 and right side data 614 shown. By way of example, the time domain data may be converted to frequency domain data via Fourier transform or Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) techniques known in the art. In brief, FFT is a computational algorithm that efficiently computes the discrete Fourier transform of a sequence, converting time-domain signals into their frequency-domain representations. Common FFT techniques include the Cooley-Tukey algorithm and radix-2 implementations, which are widely available in commercial software packages such as MATLAB, Python's NumPy library, and dedicated signal processing hardware. In some aspects, FFT may be implemented using windowing functions such as Hamming or Hanning windows to reduce spectral leakage and improve frequency resolution.

In certain examples, step 504 is performed as a sequence of non-overlapping windows. For example, step 504 may be performed with each new set of 10 data points received in step 502. It should be recognized that the number of data points may vary, including smaller sets (e.g., 2, 5, 8) or larger sets (e.g., 12, 16, 20, 24, 32, 36, 48, 64, or higher) or others. In certain embodiments, the present inventors have recognized that it is advantageous to perform the FFT techniques to effectively filter out any data corresponding to a frequency below 100 Hz. It should be recognized that this may vary by sampling rate, which may be 2ms, 5ms, 10ms, 20ms, 30ms, 50ms, or others.

Step 506 provides for determining whether the deck position is currently changing (e.g., an actuator is operating to change the deck incline and/or stiffness, or the stiffness adjustment system is performing a homing sequence). Through experimentation and development, the present inventors have recognized that the operation of actuators is detectable within the data received in step 502. Moreover, the present inventors have further recognized that operation of actuators may interfere with step detection, such as being detected but indiscernible from a legitimate step-on/step-off event. This results in false positives or false negatives, thereby creating problems with accuracy and control. Therefore, if step 506 is answered affirmatively, the process returns to step 502 and repeats until the deck position is not changing in step 506, then proceeding to step 508.

Step 508 provides for determining whether the fitness machine is operating, in this example whether a belt is rotating at an RPM > 0. If the belt is indeed rotating at an RPM > 0, the method proceeds to step 510, which compares the magnitude of the frequency domain data (610 in FIG. 14) generated in step 504 to determine whether any point exceeds a data threshold (threshold 616 in FIG. 14) saved in memory. For reference, the step event can be observed within the frequency domain data 610 as region 618, which provides much more pronounced distinction between the step event and the data beforehand as compared to the step event 606 in the time domain data 600 (the latter potentially being potentially impossible or impractical to detect, worsened by lighter users, lighter steps, or different configurations of the system). The data threshold may be set based on empirical data based on the particular sensors involved, the gain in the electronics, etc. Examples of data thresholds are provided below, which need not be the same as the threshold 616 shown in FIG. 14. By way of example, the data threshold may be set to 15 Hz, 20 Hz, 25 Hz, or others, which may be set to be just above a natural sampling noise for that configuration. Based on experimental testing and development, the present inventors have further identified that focusing on frequencies of approximately 200 Hz is particularly suitable for detecting a user stepping on or off a fitness machine.

If the data threshold is determined to be exceeded in step 510, step 512 determines whether this status remains true for longer than a threshold duration (see FIG. 14). For example, the threshold duration may be set so that at least two data points in the frequency domain data exceed the data threshold. In other examples the threshold duration may require that the magnitude exceed the data threshold for at least a preset duration in milliseconds, or a moving average of magnitudes may be compared to the data threshold. The present inventors have determined that in certain configurations, it is desirable to require that the magnitude of frequency domain data exceeds the data threshold for at least two (or more) data points (or a time corresponding thereto, based on sampling rates) to ensure that the data corresponds to an actual event, such as the user stepping on the deck, rather than a mathematical anomaly.

If the frequency magnitude exceeds the data threshold but has not yet exceeded the data threshold for the threshold duration in step 512, the process returns to step 502. If the frequency magnitude exceeds the data threshold for at least the threshold duration in step 512, the method proceeds to POINT A, which determines that the user is present in step 514 and controls the fitness machine accordingly in step 516. By way of example, step 516 may include stopping or postponing an operation of the fitness machine and/or generating a notification for the user to take a certain action (e.g., get off the belt), as discussed above. Other operations may include performing exercise programs and/or preventing the machine from timing out and going into a low power mode.

Returning to step 510, if the frequency magnitude does not exceed the data threshold, step 518 determines whether this status has been consistent in excess of a threshold duration, which may be the same or different from that of step 512. If the threshold duration is not exceeded in step 518, the process returns to step 502. If the threshold duration is exceeded in step 518 (i.e., the magnitude is below the data threshold for at least the threshold duration), the method proceeds to POINT B, which determines that the user is not present in step 520 and controls the fitness machine accordingly in step 522. By way of example, step 522 may include starting or continuing an operation stopped or postponed and/or generating a notification for the user to stay off the belt, as discussed above in step 516. Other operations may be eventually putting the fitness machine into a welcome screen or a low power mode.

With continued reference to FIG. 11, if instead in step 508 the belt is determined to not be rotating (e.g., the RPM is not greater than 0), the process proceeds to step 524, which determines whether the deck is in a position designated as “home”. In other words, the deck is in the home position when it is at its neutral, nominal, roughly middle, or “classic” stiffness setting. The deck also has a stiffest position and a softest position, the latter also being referred to as a “switch” position, as well as other positions therebetween.

If in step 524 the deck is determined to not be in the home position, step 526 records the deck position as measured by the corresponding sensors as a current maximum deck position. The method then continues to step 528, which may be performed in a substantially similar manner as step 510 as discussed above (and likewise for step 530 being similar to step 512). The steps after POINT A (steps 514 and 516) may also proceed as described above. If instead in step 528 the frequency magnitude does not exceed the data threshold (which may be the same or a different threshold than that described above), the method continues to step 532, which calculates a maximum delta as a difference between the current maximum deck position from step 526 and a previous maximum deck position stored in memory from the last time step 526 was performed, which may have been only milliseconds prior in the last window of frequency domain data. Step 534 then compares this maximum delta to a threshold saved in memory, which like other thresholds described herein may be fixed, a fixed difference, a relative difference, etc. (e.g., a 5% difference). If the maximum delta exceeds the threshold in step 534, the process continues to POINT B, which as described above proceeds to steps 520 and 522. If instead in step 534 the maximum delta does not exceed the threshold, the process proceeds to POINT A, and then steps 514 and 516 as discussed above.

The present inventors have included the steps beginning with step 526 as another mechanism for determining whether a user is present. In short, even if an event such as stepping on or off the deck has not occurred, the presence of the user may be detectable if the measured deck position is changing when the user and/or system are not requesting such a change (as determined previously in step 506). In other words, if frequency magnitudes are exceeding thresholds (step 528) and the measured deck position is changing by more than a threshold, (e.g., 3%, 5%, etc.), the system determines that a user must have stepped on or off the deck.

With continued reference to FIG. 11, if instead in step 524 the deck position is determined to be in the home position and that the homing process completed successfully (e.g., was not previously interrupted), step 536 provides for calculating a deck delta, which is a difference between the position measured by the sensor(s) when the deck is in the home position and when the deck is in another position. In the present example, the “another” position is the positioned measured when the deck is in the “switch” position, or the position corresponding to the softest stiffness setting. Step 538 then provides for determining whether this deck delta calculated in step 536 exceeds a delta threshold stored in memory, which accounts for non-substantive variations in the sensor and components. By way of example, the delta threshold may be set to 5%, 10%, 20%, 25% greater and/or less than a nominal difference stored in memory. It should be recognized that these are merely examples and that other relative and/or absolute differences may also or alternatively be used as thresholds. Likewise, the threshold need not be fixed, but may be updated over time to compensate for wear of components and the like.

If the deck delta is determined in step 538 to exceed the delta threshold, the method proceeds to POINT A in a similar manner as step 512 as described above. If instead the deck delta is determined in step 538 to not exceed the delta threshold, the method proceeds to POINT B in a similar manner as step 518 as described above.

The present inventors have included the steps beginning with step 536 as another mechanism for determining whether a user is present. In short, the presence of the user may be detectable if the measured deck positions when the deck is in the home and switch positions differ more than what would be expected for a deck absent a person. This allows determining whether the user is present without comparing frequency domain data magnitudes to thresholds, which may not have been able to detect a user if that user is not moving.

The present disclosure also contemplates other methods for determining whether the user is present or absent and controlling the fitness machine accordingly, including methods that add to or remove from steps of methods described above. By way of example, FIG. 12 shows a method 550 that is similar to the method 500 of FIG. 11, but with fewer steps. For brevity, the steps labeled using the same labels used above may be performed in the same manner as described above, noting that many other steps from FIG. 11 are not present, such as steps 506, 508, etc. FIG. 12 also exemplifies that the control of the fitness machine need not vary both when the user is detected to be present and detected to be absent. For example, the fitness machine may be controlled to generate a display stating that the user should stay off the belt if the user is detected to be absent, without also being controlled to generate a display to get off the belt if the user is detected to be present (and vice versa). As such, steps 516 and 522 are shown in dashed lines to indicate that each is optional. It should be recognized that other steps not shown in dashed lines may also be optional in other embodiments.

In addition to the steps previously described, the method 550 provides the further steps (some or all of which may be optional) of determining in step 552 whether a timeout threshold has been exceeded for controlling the fitness machine on the basis of detecting that the user is present. For example, step 552 may provide that a message for the user to get off the fitness machine in step 516 is only displayed for a timeout threshold of 1 minute, after which the control may change, the display may be discontinued, or other variations such as displaying an error message in step 554.

The present inventors have further recognized that the methods described above are not limited to detecting whether the user is present or absent, but also for detecting footfalls and the like. For example, FIG. 15 shows time domain data 700 for a user slowly walking on a deck of a treadmill, specifically left side data 702 and right side data 704. It can be very challenging to parse out the data to determine when footfalls occur, which is further exacerbated by the fact that left foot impacts still have an impact on the right side data 704 from the right side sensor. To accurately detect footfalls for the left side versus the right side, pattern detection and other complicated, processor-intensive techniques are typically required, which are still prone to error. It should be recognized that footfall detection and user presence algorithms may vary from each other. For example, user detection methods may be configured to determine that there is regular vibration on the deck that doesn’t exist without a user present, whereas footfall detection may optimally detect movement by other mechanisms, including those known in the art. For brevity, references to detecting user presence shall be interpreted as including detecting footfalls where not precluded from such interpretations.

FIG. 16 shows an example results from processing and analyzing the data of FIG. 15 according to the methods disclosed herein, including converting this raw data to frequency domain data 750, shown as left side data 752 and right side data 754. When processed in this manner, it is possible to provide a threshold 756, which is saved in memory for comparison to the left side data 752 and right side data 754. In the example shown, the threshold 756 is 50. though other values are contemplated. Each time the left side data 752 or right side data 754 is determined to exceed the threshold 756 (potentially being subject to a duration threshold, e.g., two data points, 5 milliseconds, etc.), a footfall is detected for that corresponding side. This greatly simplifies the process of detecting footfalls over systems and methods presently known in the art, as a simple comparison to a threshold becomes possible. This also dramatically improves the accuracy in determining that a footfall has occurred. Moreover, the present inventors have recognized that the systems and methods are advantageously unsusceptible to long-term issues of wear and tear, drift, and the like discussed above with respect to aging sensors, electrical components, and mechanical components.

As discussed above, the present disclosure provides solutions to problems with both detecting the presence of a user and/or with operations that are negatively impacted by the presence of a user (or in certain examples, changes to the presence or absence of the user). Some of these are particularly advantageous for systems having actuators, sensors, and/or other devices that require or benefit from calibration. The techniques of generating and analyzing data in the frequency domain may also be advantageous in the case of sled-type treadmills (i.e., those in which the user moves the belt, rather than a motor driving the belt), which provide additional challenges in that deck deflection is often minimal.

Through experimentation and development, the present inventors have identified further issues with fitness machines presently known in the art, and in particular relating to problems with calibrating motors. By way of example, this includes motors operable for driving a belt for a treadmill, the steps of a stair climber, and/or other motors for these or other fitness machines. Traditionally, treadmills have used AC motors, and specifically AC induction motors, for rotating the belt on which the user may run or walk. However, the present inventors have recognized that there are benefits to using DC motors, including DC brushless motors, which may provide improved energy efficiency, a higher maximum speed, smaller packaging, and/or other benefits over AC induction motors. As such, it would be advantageous to provide treadmills or other fitness machines with DC motors for operation during an exercise program. It should be noted that brushless DC motors may also be referred to as Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM), which may be AC machines. To control either a PMSM/brushless DC motor, an inverter is used to output AC current to the motor. For brevity, all motors in which calibration is required, as discussed further below, may be referred to herein as DC motors.

However, the present inventors have further recognized that introducing DC motors within fitness machines creates new problems. In particular, DC motors must be regularly calibrated, for example with the fitness machine running a calibration routine each time the fitness machine is powered on and before using the fitness machine for exercise. In short, calibration is needed to align the permanent magnets of the rotor with the stator to provide maximum torque output throughout operation. DC motors typically require calibration before use because the precise alignment between the rotor's permanent magnets and the stator's electromagnetic field may vary due to manufacturing tolerances, temperature effects, and component aging, which can result in reduced torque output and inefficient operation. The calibration process typically involves energizing the motor windings in a specific sequence while monitoring the rotor position through sensors or back-EMF measurements to determine the exact magnetic pole positions. This calibration data is then stored in the motor controller's memory and used to optimize the timing of current switching during operation, ensuring maximum torque delivery and smooth motor performance.

Problems arise if the user is positioned on the fitness machine or otherwise engaged with the motor during this calibration routine, for example with the user standing on the belt of a treadmill. The load on the motor from the user being positioned on the fitness machine may cause the calibration to fail and the fitness machine to generate an error. Without successful calibration, the fitness machine cannot be operated and thus the user cannot perform the intended workout. In other cases in which the calibration doesn’t fail, the load on the motor from the user being present may nonetheless results in an erroneous calibration that may result in damage or inferior performance during subsequent operation. The present inventors have recognized that even small but undetectable calibration mismatches can cause a drop in efficiency or small vibration, or worse, or a loss of control and/or damage to the machine

Accordingly, the present inventors have developed solutions for these new problems, including detecting whether the user is present and only calibrating the motor when the user is not present (or in other words, is absent, and varying subsequent operations of the fitness machine accordingly. As discussed above, this detection may be performed via a wide variety of sensors, including deck deflection sensors, piezo-electric sensors, optical sensors, cameras, heart rate sensors, etc.

In addition to the calibration process itself, additional functions may also be beneficially controlled as a function of whether the user is detected, such as coaching the user to get off or stay off the fitness machine while this calibration process is completed. The disclosure above identified and described particular techniques for detecting whether a user is present, and controlling an operation of the fitness machine based thereon.

Following the recognized problems and corresponding solutions disclosed herein relating to motor calibration, it should be recognized that the methods 400 and 550 discussed above may be used for implementing these improvements for motor calibration, with the calibration being the operation controlled as a function of user presence. For the sake of brevity, alternate methods 400’ and 550’ are shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 for controlling motor calibration according to the present disclosure. Like step numbers have been used where possible, with prime versions of step numbers used where the step of method 400 or 550 was modified to include motor calibration in the corresponding steps 400’, 550’ of FIGS. 17 and 18, respectively.

While the techniques described above for detecting user presence (e.g., the method 500 of FIG. 11) may also be used within the methods 400’, 550’ of FIG. 17 and 18, this is not a limitation of the methods 400’ and 550’. As such, user detection may alternatively be detected via other methods, including those known in the art. In other words, conventional methods for detecting user presence may be used as inputs for controlling the calibration process according to the present disclosure, such as within the methods 400’ and 550’ of FIGS. 17 and 18.

It should be recognized that the method 400’ therefore provides for calibrating the motor if the fitness machine is determined to be absent a user positioned thereon, and to postpone calibrating the motor if the user is determined to be positioned thereon. By postponing calibrating the motor when the user is positioned on the fitness machine, the method prevents the calibration errors that impact fitness machines presently known in the art. The method provides particular benefit for DC motors that require calibration before use. Moreover, the method advantageously provides coaching for users to either get off or stay off the fitness machine such that this calibration process can be quickly and successfully completed.

For the sake of clarity, it is again stated that while the inventions corresponding to detecting user presence and corresponding to improving motor calibration may be advantageously performed together, each also has independent benefit being performed alone.

It should be noted that calibration intentionally uses low torque to align the pole positions, due to the previous possibility of someone being on the belt and potentially being “jerked” or thrown off the machine. The low torque results in a slower process.

The present inventors have further recognized that ensuring there is no user present on the belt during calibration also serves as a safety feature. Moreover, ensuring there is no user present on the belt during calibration also provides the potential for increasing the speed of calibration, specifically by controlling the motor calibration more aggressively in view of the knowledge that no users are present.

The functional block diagrams, operational sequences, and flow diagrams provided in the Figures are representative of exemplary architectures, environments, and methodologies for performing novel aspects of the disclosure. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodologies included herein may be in the form of a functional diagram, operational sequence, or flow diagram, and may be described as a series of acts, it is to be understood and appreciated that the methodologies are not limited by the order of acts, as some acts may, in accordance therewith, occur in a different order and/or concurrently with other acts from that shown and described herein. For example, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a methodology can alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram. Moreover, not all acts illustrated in a methodology may be required for a novel implementation.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly construed. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have features or structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent features or structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.