Abstract:
An intelligent vehicle meter includes an associative processing unit and a signal processing unit connecting to various modules to process related signals. Through a measurement module and an accelerometer module physiological conditions of an exerciser and exercise intensity can be obtained to generate a control signal to be sent to a control module. Hence a corresponding control measure can be made immediately by the control module according to exerciser&#39;s conditions to actively change use intensity of the exercise equipment to enable the exerciser to do exercise under the optimal condition to protect the health and safety of the exerciser.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an exercise auxiliary apparatus and particularly to an exercise auxiliary apparatus that actively changes use intensity of an exercise equipment by measuring the physiological conditions and exercise intensity of exercisers. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    People doing exercise on moving exercise equipment such as bicycles often are prone to over stress the body due to not fully understand their physiological conditions and the intensity of the exercise. It could be harmful to the health of the exerciser. Moreover, outdoor exercises often encounter a wide variety of environments, such as uphill or downhill terrains. The exerciser who overstresses his/her body could be not able to take proper measures or contingent actions in response to the environments and expose to additional risks of exercise. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,940 discloses a contact type pulse measurement device to measure the physiological conditions of an exerciser to keep the exercisers informed of their physiological conditions. However, if the exerciser does not properly change the use intensity of the moving exercise equipment according to his/her physiological conditions and exercise intensity the efficacy of the exercise diminishes. The benefit of the exercise decreases. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Therefore the primary object of the present invention is to provide a means to enable people to change use intensity of exercise equipment according to their physiological conditions and exercise intensity. 
         [0005]    Another object of the invention is to provide a means that not only can change use intensity of exercise equipment also is portable and can be carried by an exerciser as a pedometer. 
         [0006]    The present invention provides an intelligent vehicle meter to be installed on a moving exercise equipment. It has a measurement module to measure the physiological conditions of an exerciser, and an accelerometer module to measure acceleration and perform conversion to get alterations of total mechanical energy, thereby to derive the exercise intensity of the exerciser. Then through processing of an associative processing unit and a signal processing unit, use intensity of the exercise equipment can be changed through a control module according to the physiological conditions and exercise intensity. The intelligent vehicle meter of the invention also can be detached to become portable and be carried by the exerciser to count the number of walking steps through change of acceleration. 
         [0007]    The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a system block diagram of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the invention adopted on an exercise equipment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the invention installed on handlebars. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a system block diagram of the accelerometer module of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a system block diagram of the control module of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a system block diagram of the measurement module of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of the invention in another use condition. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    Please refer to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  for an embodiment of the invention that takes a bicycle as an example for an exerciser equipment  90 . The intelligent vehicle meter  10  of the invention aims to be installed on handlebars  91  of the exercise equipment  90 . It includes an external input device  60 , an associative processing unit  15 , a signal processing unit  20 , a measurement module  30 , an accelerometer module  40 , a control module  50  and a display device  70 . The associative processing unit  15  receives input signals from the external input device  60 . The signal processing unit  20  receives processing signals from the associative processing unit  15  and sends a feedback signal to the associative processing unit  15 , thereby physical data of an exerciser and setting of system parameters can be entered through the external input device  60 . The display device  70  is connected to the signal processing unit  20  to display the present system conditions and parameter setting to be used by the exerciser for reference and setting purpose. 
         [0016]    The measurement module  30  aims to measure the physiological conditions of the exerciser and transmits to the associative processing unit  15 . The accelerometer module  40  aims to measure acceleration. The signal processing unit  20  aims to send parameter signals to the accelerometer module  40  to alter the sensibility of the accelerometer module  40 . Also referring to  FIG. 4 , the accelerometer module  40  measures the acceleration of three axes (X, Y and Z axes) through a 3-axis accelerate sensor  41 , then by performing one time integration and two-time integration of time through an integrator a 3-axis velocity  42   a  and a 3-axis position  43   a  can be derived. Next, by performing addition in the vector direction a speed  42   b  and a position vector  43   b  can be obtained. With the speed  42   b  and mass (exerciser&#39;s physical data and the system parameters that have been entered) known, kinetic energy  45  can be derived through a kinetic energy calculation device  44 . Similarly, with the position vector  43   b , mass and gravity constant known, potential energy  47  can be derived through a potential energy calculation device  46 . Finally, by adding the kinetic energy  45  and the potential energy  47 , total mechanical energy  48  can be obtained. Without taking into account of energy loss caused by friction, increasing or decreasing amount of the total mechanical energy  48  at a unit time represents the exercise intensity bearable by the exerciser. But as the exercise equipment  90  is inevitably subject to the impact of friction, an exercise intensity assessing element  49  has to be used to do assessment and correction to estimate the exercise intensity bearable by the exerciser. Hence a desired exercise intensity for the exerciser can be converted from the total mechanical energy  48  and sent to the associative processing unit  15 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 , the control module  50  aims to change use intensity  55  of the exercise equipment  90 . The control module  50  is an automatic shifting system to automatically change the shift position of the bicycle. The automatic shifting system includes an automatic shift control device  51 , a bicycle power shifting device  52  and a shift positioned detection device  53 . The automatic shift control device  51  receives a control signal from the signal processing unit  20  and outputs a shifting signal to the bicycle power shifting device  52  to change speed. The shift positioned detection  53  aims to monitor change of the bicycle shift position and feed back a detection signal to the automatic shift control device  51  to correct the shifting signal. 
         [0018]    The invention may also include an electronic bicycle motor device  54  to output power to drive the bicycle. The electronic bicycle motor device  54  receives a control signal from the automatic shift control device  51  and a shift position signal from the bicycle power shifting device  52  to change output power. 
         [0019]    As previously discussed, the signal processing unit  20  receives exerciser&#39;s physiological conditions and exercise intensity transmitted from the associative processing unit  15  to set the system parameters and generate a control signal sending to the control module  50  to actively change the use intensity  55  of the exercise equipment  90 . In the event that exerciser&#39;s physiological conditions are abnormal (such as heartbeat becomes faster) or exercise intensity increases (such as on a uphill journey), the shift position can be automatically changed to a higher gear ratio through the automatic shift control device  51 , or a power output can be delivered through the electronic bicycle motor device  54  to alleviate the burden of the exerciser. An external control device  80  may also be included to transmit an external control signal to the control module  50  to change the use intensity  55  of the exercise equipment  90  to increase use flexibility for the exerciser. 
         [0020]    Also referring to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the measurement module  30  of the invention may adopt a contact type pulse measurement device that includes a bio-potential sensor  33 , a bio-signal measurement unit  34 , a negative feedback difference common mode signal unit  341  and a buffer/balanced circuit  342 . It also has a first detection electrode  31   a  and a second detection electrode  31   b  directly mounted onto the handlebars  91  of the exercise equipment  90  to be grasped by the hands of the exerciser to detect the bio-potential difference. Moreover, the first detection electrode  31   a  and the second detection electrode  31   b  are connected to the bio-potential sensor  33  through a conductive wire  32  to get the heartbeat of the exerciser. 
         [0021]    The first detection electrode  31   a  and the second detection electrode  31   b  are sensors aiming to measure the bio-potential difference of the exerciser. They may be installed at different location according to different products.  FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of the intelligent vehicle meter  10  of the invention detached from the exercise equipment  90  to be carried by the exerciser. The accelerometer module  40  can measure the acceleration of exerciser&#39;s body. Through alteration of the acceleration the number of the walking steps of the exerciser can be converted and derived. In addition, the intelligent vehicle meter  10  may also include an external hanging means  11  to be latched on a belt, waist band, pocket or the like so that it may be easily carried on exerciser&#39;s body. The first detection electrode  31   a  and the second detection electrode  31   b  may also be connected to other detection electrodes or be directly connected to exerciser&#39;s hands to get the bio-potential difference to measure the heartbeat.