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US006808472B1
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,808,472 Bi
Hickman (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 26,2004
(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOTE INTERACTIVE EXERCISE AND HEALTH EQUIPMENT
(76) Inventor: Paul L. Hickman, 27140 Moody Rd., Los Altos Hills, CA (US) 94022
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/690,701
(22) Filed: Oct. 16, 2000
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Continuation of application No. 09/273,591, filed on Mar.
22, 1999, now Pat. No. 6,193,631, which is a continuation
of application No. 08/766,513, filed on Dec. 13, 1996, now
Pat. No. 6,059,692. (60) Provisional application No. 60/008,603, filed on Dec. 14,
1995.
(51) Int. CI.7 A63B 21/00
(52) U.S. CI 482/8; 482/4; 482/9; 607/2
(58) Field of Search 482/1-9, 51, 54,
482/57, 900-902; 600/300, 418, 520; 607/2,
9, 19, 32
An exercise system includes a local system having an exercise apparatus and an associated local computer, where the local computer controls and monitors the operation and use, respectively, of the exercise apparatus. The system further includes a remote system having a remote computer, and a transmission medium including a telephone line that couples the local system to the remote system for data communication between the local system and the remote system. The remote system may receive local system data from the local system concerning the use of the exercise apparatus, and the local system may receive remote system data from the remote system concerning the operation of the exercise apparatus. The local computer preferably controls the operation of the exercise apparatus based upon a modifiable script stored in a read/write memory of the local computer, which can be updated by the remote system. A method for controlling an exercise apparatus includes running a modifiable script on a local computer to control the use and to monitor the operation of an exercise apparatus, and communicating with a remote system to provide the remote system with data concerning the use of the exercise apparatus. The script is stored in read/write memory of the local computer and remote system data received from the remote system may include at least a portion of a new script to be stored in the read/write memory of the local computer.
13 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
