Intelligent Treadmill and Enhancements to Standard Treadmills

Abstract

An intelligent treadmill is described with modifications to existing treadmills, and associated methodology. The invention allows the conveyor belt automatically keeps track of and fixes the user's position dynamically with respect to a stationery reference point of the treadmill by adjusting its own speed free hands. Two position measurement techniques and their corresponding belt speed control algorithms are described. Other features of the invention allow users to perceive in real time how their surroundings would be changing by means of video, incline of platform, fan speed, sound and illumination as if they were in fact running in the natural environment. Real time positions of the runner and his partners on other treadmills with respect to a chosen track are displayed. The invention also utilizes a vectored controlled 2/3-phase AC induction motor or a BLDC motor to drive the conveyor belt for energy efficiency and fast response.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 966,247 filed Feb. 20, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a device for walking or running while staying in the same place, commonly referred to a treadmill, enhancements and adaptations to existing treadmills, and associated methodology. Specifically, the treadmill aspect of the invention involves a modification to conventional drives found in domestic applications, a position sensing device, a speed controlling algorithm to dynamically fix the user or runner at the same position and a virtual environment to aid walking and running with Internet based social communication. In this document, the terms “user” and “runner” share the same meaning, i.e. the human body moving on the moving belt of the treadmill.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Treadmills are popular exercise machines for running or...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]According to an aspect of the invention, the present invention comprises a two or three phase AC induction motor, or a Brushless DC (BLDC) motor to drive the treadmill conveyor belt for better transient response as well as higher energy efficiency. The unique advantage of AC induction or BLDC motors in the context of the present invention is due to faster transient belt speed changes as compared with conventional treadmills, i.e., the present invention allows for automatic, hands free changing of the conveyor belt speed based on the sensing hardware and algorithms of this invention. At the same time, energy saving can be achieved. A previous invention involves the use of ultrasound distance measurement but the precision achieved was found not good enough for our application. An aspect of the invention makes use of laser technology for dynamic position sensing of the runner on the running belt. Another aspect of the invention makes use of pairs of poles, equipped with laser based obstacle sensors and installed by the two sides of the running belt, to detect the current position of the runner. One pair of poles installed at the rear of the treadmill helps to initiate an emergency stop when the runner falls back to such position. Due to this nature of the present invention, another aspect of the present invention comprises standard vectored control algorithms which utilize the relatively high transient torque of such AC or BLDC motors. In other words, the AC or BLDC motors are much more suitable for sudden acceleration and deceleration than the standard DC motors that have only one dimension of control, i.e. the DC current fed to the rotor. In this way, the response of AC or BLDC motors is even more immediate to fit the runner's performance. Furthermore, BLDC motors have a much higher torque-to-motor volume ratio, good for replacing traditional DC motors. In addition, AC and BLDC motors require less maintenance than standard DC motors used in conventional treadmills. Finally, the use of 3-phase AC or BLDC motors can improve energy efficiency.

Problems solved by technology

A previous invention involves the use of ultrasound distance measurement but the precision achieved was found not good enough for our application.

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