Abstract:
An objective of the present invention is to provide a comprehensive multi-purpose exercise equipment with the ability to access the Internet via a computer network while exercising and engaging in meaningful work or in the alternative, customize his or her entertainment choices during an exercise routine. Another objective of the invention is to provide an affordable customized multi-faceted exercise and entertainment choice for users.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    The present application is a regular Non-Provisional patent application claiming priority to United States Provisional Patent Application, A Comprehensive, Multi-Purpose Exercise Equipment, Ser. No. 60/809,952 filed May 31, 2006 and the entire disclosure of the Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/809,952 is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to a comprehensive, multi-purpose exercise equipment which allows the user to access the Internet via a computer network while exercising, as well as provides the flexibility to select the manner in which the user wants to be entertained from a variety of different audiovisual options. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Most people find it difficult to balance the competing demands of work and family, while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle with balanced nutrition, daily exercise, rest and relaxation. In performing the balancing act, some individuals sacrifice working overtime or family time in order to fit exercise into their schedule. These same individuals are often overcome with guilt for having chosen work or family over exercise. The guilt is further compounded when the exercise routine does not require the user&#39;s full concentration or it engages the lower body without fully engaging the mind and/or the upper body. Thus, there exists a need to be able to maximize one&#39;s exercise routine by combining exercise with work where the lower body and the larger muscle groups of the body are fully engaged in a cardiovascular workout while the mind and hands are free to perform productive work. 
         [0004]    Although the holistic benefits of exercise are unquestionable, many people fail to exercise because they find exercising to be a chore with little or no enjoyment. Gymnasiums (“gyms”) do their best to alleviate this problem by providing magazines and television sets as entertainment tools for their clientele while they exercise or wait for available exercise equipment. Generally, the television sets are strategically placed immediately adjacent to, or near the exercise equipment for simultaneous viewing by the maximum number of people. However, in that arrangement there are limitations to the television program choices for each individual. Similarly, there is a restraint on an individual&#39;s ability to listen to television programs in any other language other than the language of the majority of viewers. 
         [0005]    Gyms also use music to reduce the boredom factor by playing certain genre of music via speakers throughout the gym to stimulate the adrenaline flow while the clients are exercising. For example, popular music choices would include pop, funk, rock, techno, hip-hop and reggae or some other high energy music. However, musical taste and enjoyment is a very personal affair as what motivates one individual may simply annoy another. Thus, there is a limitation as to an individual&#39;s choice of music while they are exercising at the gym. In fact, most gyms do not offer their clients a choice in the music selection that is being played throughout the gym, but rather the clients are subjected to the personal choice of the gym&#39;s deejay or disc jockey. Thus, there exists a need for individuals to customize their entertainment choices for their own listening and viewing pleasure while exercising at the gym. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a comprehensive multi-purpose exercise equipment with the ability to access the Internet via a computer network while exercising and engaging in meaningful work or in the alternative, customize his or her entertainment choices during an exercise routine. Another objective of the invention is to provide an affordable customized multi-faceted exercise and entertainment choice for users. 
         [0007]    To accomplish the objectives of the invention, the comprehensive multi-purpose exercise equipment utilizes aerobic means for providing the ability to engage in aerobic exercise in conjunction with an audiovisual component, and an access means. In one embodiment of the present invention, the aerobic means comprises of a recumbent bicycle which may include a horizontal support bar for supporting a wireless mouse. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the aerobic means comprises of a conventional upright bicycle, versus a recumbent bicycle. In that embodiment of the invention, the mouse may be encompassed as part of the electronic wireless keyboard and as such no additional horizontal support is needed to support the wireless mouse. 
         [0008]    The audiovisual component includes speaker(s) coupled to a docking station for a hand held audiovisual system, for example, a personal iPod. During the workout session, the user sits on the comprehensive, multi-purpose exercise equipment to achieve exercise and simultaneously the user may dock his or her iPod to download music or view videos or slideshows while exercising. It is understood by those skilled in art of the invention that other multi-media devices including telephones with broadband and DSL capabilities which allows watching TV on demand may be employed by the invention. In an alternate embodiment, the comprehensive multi-purpose exercise equipment has one or more speakers attached such that musical selection or videos may be played in stereo. 
         [0009]    The access means further comprises of a computer processor, display monitor, keyboard and mouse to wirelessly transmit information via any type of analog and/or digital communication system such that there&#39;s connectivity to the Internet. By providing computer access, the user may use the computer in whichever manner he or she chooses, e.g. conduct research; access, read and respond to emails; and if available, the user may engage in remote access to their personal or business computer through a software program. 
         [0010]    The computer processor of the invention also monitors the aerobic means to determine user activity as well as it controls the degree of difficulty of the workout by varying the resistance of the pedal mechanism. The display monitor is constantly updated with biofeedback information that is being monitored and processed by the computer processor informing the user of their progress, calories expended, heart rate, and other like biofeedback information. If the user is actively engaged on the Internet, the user may elect to minimize the biofeedback display. In the alternative, the user may explode the biofeedback information to maintain a constant vigil on his or her progress during the workout. In either event, the user may select how he or she would like to view the biofeedback information being displayed on the computer display monitor. 
         [0011]    For a further and more fully detailed understanding of the present invention, various objects and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Further objectives and advantages of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the Figures. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a right side view of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the invention, which includes a plurality of entertainment options. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the access means used in the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The present invention is now described in more detail by reference to the exemplary drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the various views. This is for convenience only and is not intended to limit the application of the present invention. In fact, after reading the following description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the following invention in alternate embodiments. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows the right side view of the comprehensive multi-purpose exercise equipment  10  in accordance with the invention. The comprehensive, multi-purpose exercise equipment  10  comprises of a support structure  12  for supporting a user while the comprehensive, multi-purpose exercise equipment  10  is in use with a pedal mechanism  15  (not shown). The support structure  12  further comprises of a bicycle seat  14  which may take the form of a saddle seat as shown, bucket seat (not shown) or gel form (not shown) or any other variations on bicycle seats  14  that are presently well known and used in the art. The bicycle seat  14  allows the user to be seated in the recumbent position while the comprehensive, multi-purpose exercise equipment  10  is in use. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the bicycle seat  14  is slideably mounted to the support structure  12  by securing means  16  that is used to secure the bicycle seat  14  to the support structure  12 , and is otherwise adjustable for varying levels of extension depending on the user&#39;s height, weight and comfort level when seated. The securing means  16  is further connected to the support structure  12  via a horizontal rod  18 . Once the desired level of extension is obtained, the user can secure the desired position of the bicycle seat  14  with a metal pin  20  (not shown) that fits securely in one of the holes  21 ,  21 ′,  21 ″ alongside the horizontal rod  18  locking the bicycle seat  14  in place. Depending on the type of bicycle seat  14  that is being used the present invention however, can employ other types of securing means  16  for the bicycle seat  14  without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0019]    The pedals  19  extend perpendicularly from the support structure  12 , and allow the user to pedal and engage in aerobic activity. The comprehensive multi-purpose exercise equipment  10  is powered by electricity through an electric cord  13 , which supplies power to the computer processor  32  (not shown) of the invention. By using the keyboard  36  (not shown) and display monitor  34  of the invention, the user may select the type of programmed workout that he or she would like to experience, e.g. cross training, fat burning, mountain climbing, interval or hill programs or other types of aerobic, cardiovascular or strengthening programs. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the user may make his or her selection for the type of programmed workout and enter certain information, e.g. weight, age, length of workout, through a series of buttons with LED indicators  24  (not shown). 
         [0020]    The resistance experienced while cycling will be a direct result of the information entered by the user in selecting the type of workout session that the user would like to experience. The computer processor  32  (not shown) controls and maintains the level of difficulty of the exercise routine by controlling the pedal resistance via the pedal mechanism  15  (not shown) housed in the support structure  12 . As the workout progresses, the user may adjust the level of the workout by adjusting the input parameters, e.g. length of workout, type of workout desired, etc. The user&#39;s caloric, pulse or heart rate information, miles traveled or any other monitoring information that is generally being monitored during an exercise routine is displayed on the display monitor  34  that is disposed opposite to the bicycle seat  14 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the invention, which includes a plurality of entertainment options. As seen in  FIG. 2 , the aerobic means  22  of the invention employs a conventional bicycle as opposed to the recumbent bicycle as shown in  FIG. 1 . The comprehensive, multi-purpose exercise equipment  10  having access means  24  connected thereto for accessing the Internet, further comprises of a computer processor  32  (not shown), a display monitor  34 , a keyboard  36 , and a wireless mouse  38  (not shown). As previously mentioned, in this embodiment of the invention, the mouse  38  is already incorporated into the keyboard  36  as is commonly known and used in the art. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  also shows a computer display monitor  34  and keyboard  36 , which allows the user to either track their exercise routine on the display monitor  34  in a fully expanded mode or to minimize the monitoring information concerning the exercise routine and access the Internet to perform meaningful work. The user can enter their individual statistics via the computer keyboard  36  which is proximally located adjacent to the display monitor  34 . The keyboard  36  is preferably positioned immediately adjacent to the handlebars  28 . A sensing apparatus  41  (not shown) is located in the handlebars  44  that provides biofeedback, e.g. user&#39;s heart rate, pedal speed, calories expended, to the computer processor such that dynamic adjustments can be made to accommodate the type or variations in levels of workouts that the user selects. 
         [0023]    Referring back to  FIG. 1 , a horizontal support stand  17  extends perpendicularly from the support structure  12 , which provides support for a wireless computer mouse  38 . This will allow the user to access and control the wireless mouse  38  to navigate the Internet using the computer processor  32 , display monitor  34  and keyboard  36 . The wireless mouse  38  will use infrared or Bluetooth technology to connect to the computer processor  32 . Once connected to the Internet, the user may use the computer in whichever manner they choose, e.g. conduct research; access, read and respond to emails; and if available, they may engage in remote access to their personal or business computer through a software program, like Citrix using www.gotomypc.com. In an alternate embodiment of the invention as seen in  FIG. 2 , the mouse  38  (not shown) located on the keyboard  36  is similar in nature and function as a laptop&#39;s mouse which is part of the computer keyboard  36 . In that embodiment of the invention, the horizontal support stand  17  is omitted as superfluous. 
         [0024]    In the alternative, a user may elect to be entertained while using the comprehensive, multi-purpose exercise equipment  10 . Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the user has the ability to engage the audio means  45  which comprises of a docking station  40  for playing multi-media audio components, e.g. an iPod or a cellular phone with broadband DSL capabilities allowing a user to for example watch on demand TV, listen to music or watch videos. The docking station  40  is coupled to the speakers  42 ,  42 ′ (not shown) and the computer processor  32  for transmitting audio. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, audio can be transmitted via head phones  46  from the docking station  40  to the user either by using a cable coupled to the computer processor  32 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , or by wireless headphones  48  (not shown) using Bluetooth technology or other similar technology to wirelessly transmit audio. 
         [0025]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , the docking station  40  can accommodate a user&#39;s iPod (not shown) or multi-media device (not shown). The user will be able to use the multi-media device and all of its functions during exercise when the iPod is in the docking station  40 . The docking station  40  is connected to the multi-media device headphone jack  50  (not shown) via cable  50  (not shown) thereby allowing the user to select the audiovisual content of their choice and transmit the audio through detachable speakers  42 ,  42 ′, which are preferably located on either sides of the display monitor  34 , or through the wireless headphones  48 . The user is therefore able to choose their listening preference via a switch  21  (not shown) on the docking station  17  which enables either the detachable speakers  19  and  19 ′ or the wireless headphones  48 . 
         [0026]    Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the invention is to be defined not by the preceding illustrative description but instead by the following claims.