Touchscreen Exercise Controller Zooming Control Increments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional exercise device controllers often lack fine-grained control options, requiring users to incrementally adjust speed and incline in predefined steps, which can limit user flexibility and precision during workouts.
Innovation Solution
A touchscreen exercise device controller that allows users to adjust operational parameters through touch inputs such as pinching, spreading, and sliding, enabling zooming in and out of control increments for finer or coarser adjustments, allowing users to select speed and incline settings in increments such as hundredths of a mile per hour or degrees.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional buttons with predefined increments are used, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the manufacturing precision and control precision are limited to fixed increments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical buttons with fixed predefined increments with a touchscreen interface that allows continuous adjustment of operational parameters. The touchscreen displays a range of numbers that users can interact with to set speed and incline to any desired value within the range, eliminating the mechanical constraint of fixed increment buttons while maintaining system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from discrete predefined increments to continuous adjustable values. The touchscreen interface allows users to select from a continuous range of numbers (e.g., speed from 0.0 to 20.0 mph in any increment, incline from 0.0 to 20.0 degrees in any increment), transforming the control system from fixed-step adjustments to fine-grained continuous parameter adjustment.
2Measurement precision
If touchscreen with continuous adjustment is implemented, then control precision is improved, but the ease of operation becomes more complex requiring users to understand numerical ranges and increments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual representation of the range of numbers on the touchscreen display to copy the concept of physical button positions into a digital interface. The display shows numerical ranges (e.g., 0.0-20.0 mph for speed, 0.0-20.0 degrees for incline) that visually guide users in making appropriate adjustments, making the continuous adjustment as intuitive as traditional button pressing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixed increment buttons are used, then the ease of operation is maintained through simple pressing actions, but the adaptability to different user needs and workout intensities is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustability where users can change operational parameters (speed and incline) to any value within a continuous range during exercise sessions. This allows the system to adapt to varying workout intensities and user needs in real-time, unlike fixed increment buttons that require multiple presses and cannot provide fine-grained adjustment for different fitness levels or workout phases.
Data Source
AI summary
A touchscreen exercise device controller is connected to an exercise device and is used to adjust one or more operational parameters relative to the exercise device. The touchscreen exercise device controller includes a touchscreen that displays one or more exercise device controls for controlling exercise device operations, and receives touch inputs from an exercise device user that indicate which exercise device operations are to be changed. The touchscreen exercise device controller further includes a processing module that generates operational commands for the exercise device based on the received user inputs, and upon determining that one or more of the touch inputs comprises a predefined touch input, modifies at least a portion of the exercise device controls displayed on the touchscreen.