Patent ID: 7874957

Claim:
An integrated sensing and braking component, for use with an exercise machine of the type that permits a human exerciser to spin a wheel, said integrated sensing and braking component removably attachable to said exercise machine and configured to apply friction to the spinning wheel of the exercise machine and to measure power the human exerciser manually expends to spin said exercise machine spinning wheel, said integrated sensing and braking component comprising: a structure removably attachable to the exercise machine; a friction applying component directly mounted to said removably attachable structure, said friction applying component configured to, in use, apply frictional force to said spinning wheel; a force sensor directly mounted on the removably attachable structure, the force sensor in use sensing the amount of frictional force the friction applying component applies to the exercise machine spinning wheel; a cadence sensor directly mounted on the removably attachable structure, the cadence sensor configured to sense a cadence rate at which said spinning wheel is spinning; a processor directly mounted on the structure, the processor coupled to said force sensor and said cadence sensor, said processor calculating power at least in part in response to said sensed force and said sensed cadence rate; and a transmitter directly mounted on the structure and coupled to the processor, the transmitter wirelessly communicating at least one data packet representing said calculated power to a location that is remote to said structure.