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Interface for controlling and accessing information on an exercise deviceRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, Having Specific Electrical Feature, Equipment Control, Rate Of MovementInterface for controlling and accessing information on an exercise device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060189437, Interface for controlling and accessing information on an exercise device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIO [0001] This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/866,154, filed May 24, 2001, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/206,834, filed on May 24, 2000, which is incorporated by reference herein. The disclosure of each prior application is considered part of and is incorporated by reference in the disclosure of this application. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] This invention relates to exercise equipment and computer networking. BACKGROUND [0003] In the exercise industry, a relatively homogenous group of people frequent fitness centers and use exercise equipment. These people include fitness-minded individuals in the middle to upper income level with a concern about their health. Currently, there is not an effective way to tailor the marketing of products and services to these individuals based upon their common interest in fitness and frequent visits to the gym. Accordingly, fitness centers generate little or no marketing revenue for advertising to their membership the products and services of other companies. [0004] Conversely, the Internet provides a conduit for delivering marketing and other information however does not provide an efficient way to tie marketing information with a homogenous group of individuals. Unfortunately, many portals and other websites have attempted to do this varied success. The costs associated with large advertising campaigns on television, radio and even the Internet urging people to visit a website often exceed any revenue stream they could reasonably generate. In particular, there are no existing systems capable of tying together customers in the exercise industry with the power and direct marketing capabilities of the Internet. [0005] Others have clearly failed to recognize the capabilities of using the Internet in the fitness industry and with fitness equipment. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,509 concerns controlling exercise equipment remotely and U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,839, merely aggregates existing functions on a computer connected to the Internet with an exercise bicycle. SUMMARY [0006] In one aspect of the invention, a method for use on a display device associated with an exercise device includes connecting a network connection to the exercise device capable of accessing information stored over a network, partitioning a first portion of the display device associated with the exercise device to display content, partitioning a second portion of the display device associated with the exercise device to display one or more controls that control the exercise device, and providing a selectable element on the display device that upon selection removes the second portion of the display used to display the one or more controls. [0007] In another aspect of the invention, a method for improving the usability of an interface for an exercise device includes connecting a network connection to the exercise device capable of accessing information stored over a network, partitioning a first portion of the display device associated with the exercise device to display content having one or more selectable elements, partitioning a second portion of the display device associated with the exercise device to display one or more controls that control the exercise device, and providing a selectable element in the second portion of the display device that upon selection increases the size of the one or more selectable elements in the first portion of the display device. [0008] Aspects of the invention provide at lease one or more of the following advantages. Display devices can be used to display both controls for exercise equipment and information retrieved over a network such as the Internet including text, graphics, and other multimedia information. Because the information is shared efficiently on a single display device, costs associated with creating the exercise equipment can be controlled. In addition, centralizing the controls and display of content on a single display device makes using the exercise equipment easy even though the user can also access the Internet while using the equipment. The user does not have to perform any complex steps to shift between controlling the exercise equipment and accessing web pages over the Internet. [0009] The feature that increases the size of selectable elements such as hypertext and selectable graphics greatly improves the usability of the exercise equipment for accessing content and other information while exercising. The increased font sizes and images of these selectable elements make them easy to access while a user is exercising. The user can see the selectable elements more readily and, because the area to select is increased, is less likely to make errors when selecting the elements. [0010] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting numerous network-enabled exercise devices (NED) connected to a network. [0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the architecture of an exemplary NED as shown in FIG. 1. [0013] FIG. 3 is a flow chart diagram illustrating the market dynamics created between the NED, fitness centers, emarketers, and fitness customers using the device. [0014] FIGS. 4A and 4B show a flow chart diagram of the operations associated with formulating the cost associated with the NED. [0015] FIG. 5 is a flow chart diagram of the operations associated with customizing the content delivered to a display device on the NED. [0016] FIG. 6 is a flow chart diagram of the operations associated with providing incentives to users operating the NED. [0017] FIG. 7 is a flow chart diagram of the operations used to control a graphical user interface designed to work with the NED. [0018] FIG. 8 is flow chart diagram of the operations that control display of selectable elements on the display device of the NED. [0019] FIG. 9 is a flow chart diagram of the operations used to selectively reset one or more of the NEDs. Continue reading about Interface for controlling and accessing information on an exercise device... 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