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Method and system for continuous monitoring and training of exerciseMethod and system for continuous monitoring and training of exercise description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070219059, Method and system for continuous monitoring and training of exercise. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/783,424 filed on Mar. 17, 2006. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD [0002]This disclosure relates to methods and systems for facilitating continuous monitoring, real-time analysis, and computerized evaluation of level of effort, physical stress, resulting fatigue, and remaining energy reserves during physical activity or exercise and then performing evaluation of that person's physical performance and acting as an automated coach to guide exercise intensity and duration thereby optimizing and individualizing the training process. It also makes possible more efficient coaching and training of groups. BACKGROUND [0003]The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. Continuous Monitoring of Exercise [0004]Currently, heart rate is primarily used as an indicator of exercise intensity in many settings and situations by individuals performing exercise. These active individuals typically use heart rate monitors that are built into either wrist watch type devices or into cardiac training equipment such as treadmills, recumbent bicycles and elliptical trainers, among others. However, the utility of conventional exercise monitors is limited to simple calculation of the heart rate, virtual distance moved, and sometimes calorie expenditure rather than objective level of effort, or actual measures of fatigue, stress and remaining capacity for activity. Body Sounds and Body Signs for Exercise Monitors [0005]Continuous monitoring of body functions can be of essential importance in evaluation of athletes for optimal pulmonary and cardiac training and for detection of dangerous conditions during physical activity before they become critical. Typical body sounds include heart sounds, lung sounds, upper airway respiratory sounds, etc. Other body signs such as chest movements contain further physiological information. These body sounds and signs contain specific information that is related to exercise. For example, some essential parameters can be derived from body sounds: heart rate, heart pumping volume, respiratory rate, inhale/exhale durations and volume, among others. Also, chest movements can be used to derive respiratory volumes. All these physiological parameters as well as others can be used jointly to measure a person's levels of effort, stress, fatigue and fitness. [0006]For instance, it is well perceived and commonly used that the heart rate is useful for assessing activity levels. Also, it is known that heart rate variability indicates a person's effort and mental stress. Combined parameters, such as inspiration duration vs. the overall respiratory rate can be effectively used to evaluate a person's level of effort and fatigue. Further, signal analysis of the body sounds, such as Fourier analysis and statistical analysis, can extract features for body activity and exertion. Such features are necessary to accurately estimate total calorie expenditure. Noise Reduction During Body Sound Acquisition [0007]To obtain quantitative and reliable monitoring and detection of emergency situations, it is especially important that body sound acquisition obtains sounds of high clarity. But acoustic environments of gymnasiums and other related sports type facilities impose great challenges for body sound acquisition. Unlike acoustic labs in which noise levels can be artificially controlled and reduced, and body sounds can be processed off-line, these environments are very complex acoustically due to loud music, clanging of weights and vibrations from strength training machines, conversations, audio from televisions, and other real-life aural artifacts. The unpredictable and broadband natures of such noises render these physical training locations very difficult environments for sound analysis. [0008]The body sound analyzer invention disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/367,807 surmounts the problems inherent in body sound acquisition and analysis and this device and methods can be applied to clinical settings such as might be found in a physical rehabilitation center. [0009]However, this new system and method can also be used in removing noise from other physiological (such as vital signs), and motion signals (such as chest movements), and applied to non-clinical settings much akin to rehabilitation centers which are essentially exercise studios. Because body sounds and vital signs contain such a rich reservoir of vital physiological information, this type of data can be useful for monitoring a person's response to physical activity, and can be definitive in determining the amount of effort being exerted by a person participating in strenuous physical exercise. Separation of Body Sounds During Exercise [0010]Performance of physical tasks places a tax on the cardiopulmonary systems of the human body. Changes in these physiological systems must be evaluated in order to quantify the person's physical reaction to exercise. Body sounds and vital signs, such as heart and lung, interact with each other during data acquisition. Exercise introduces even more corruption among body sounds and causes difficulty for capturing authentic body sounds and vital signs, and causing difficulties in subsequent diagnosis. The body sound analyzer invention of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/367,807, which the present disclosure builds upon, provides multiple improvements in the ability to separate the overlapping body sounds and remove confounding noise. In the present invention, the body sound analyzer invention will be used in its extension to other signals including vital signs and motion measurements. This technology is highly desirable, specifically for the present invention because it helps to perform computerized cardiopulmonary evaluation during exercise, to use the functionality afforded by the previously disclosed body sound analyzer disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/367,807. Pattern Recognition and Evaluation of Exercise Physiology [0011]Body sounds, vital signs, and motions contain a rich reservoir of vital physiological, pathological, and fitness information that is of critical importance for clinical diagnosis and sports medicine. Continuous monitoring of body sounds, vital signs, and motions therefore could provide a non-invasive and inexpensive means for assisting in evaluating accurately and in real-time the impact of physical activity in terms of level of effort, physical stress, overall fatigue, relation to peak performance, and relative remaining energy reserves with respect to maximum available. Moreover it becomes more feasible to have the information necessary to encourage an exerciser to greater effort in order to meet the levels needed for them to expend sufficient calories to support their weight loss goals. In addition, it is possible that by monitoring heart and lung functions continuously a number of the sudden deaths that occur during exercise might be avoided by use of the exercise monitors disclosed in the present application. Prior Art in Sports Training [0012]Historical improvements by athletes in sports performance are attributable to advances in technique and form, but also due to increases in strength, neuromuscular speed, and cardiovascular endurance. Recent improvements in these areas have been assisted by new exercise technologies. The most modern sports training centers are able to use sophisticated physiological monitors identical to the most expensive equipment used by physicians. Migration of training techniques used by professional and elite athletes to the general population has increased understanding that aerobic and anaerobic exercise can be made more efficient by training based on heart rate. [0013]In order to more accurately measure aerobic capacity, sports doctors measure many physiological variables including lung functions. While pulmonary function is measured for elite athletes it is not currently practical to measure for ordinary athletes unless there are some prevailing medical conditions such as exercise induced asthma. Even when there is the possibility of exercise induced respiratory problems, lung function is still not measured during day-to-day training by professional athletes, much less amateurs. [0014]Currently, in actual practice, day-to-day training falls under three categories of monitoring. (1) The athlete uses self observation of their perceived heart effort, and breathing effort or how "out of breath" they feel to subjectively assess how relatively hard they are pushing themselves and how tired they are; (2) The athlete uses the same cues supplemented with objective values from a heart rate monitor; and (3) a trainer directly observes the exercise being performed and uses both their own personal experience with the individual, and their expert knowledge to assess from visual and auditory cues and possibly heart rate information, how hard the athlete is trying relative to their own ability and how much reserve energy is available for continued effort. Prior Art in Heart Rate Monitors Continue reading about Method and system for continuous monitoring and training of exercise... Full patent description for Method and system for continuous monitoring and training of exercise Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method and system for continuous monitoring and training of exercise patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20090291804 - Total body exercise methods and apparatus - An exercise apparatus includes a frame, an arm supporting member, and a leg supporting member. A sensor is connected to at least one of the arm supporting member and the leg supporting member, and/or a resilient member is interconnected between the arm supporting member and either the leg supporting member ... ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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