GB2185109A - Exercise and pulse rate monitor - Google Patents

Abstract

A device which will enable a wide range of home computers to be used without modification to monitor physical exercise and heart pulse rate comprises a mat 6 with pressure sensitive electrical switches and a pulse detector 5 both supplying signals to a plug 3 fitting the computer joy stick port. The pulse detector 5 may include a photo-electric sensor and be connected to an amplifier and opto-coupler 4. Computer software calculates and displays the pulse rate and exercise details. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Home computer exercise pad This invention relates to an attachment to a home computer so that the computer can be used to detect and monitor physical exercise. With this invention, computersoftwarecan plan, monitorand amend as necessary a course of exercise for an individual. The computer would calculate a course of exercise for the individual and once this has been calculated, the invention decribed here is used to monitor the exercise.

There are two main hardware componatsto this invention. One componant monitors the rate and amount of exercise by use of pressure sensitive electrical switches and another componant monitors pulse rate during exercise by having the heart beat actuate an electrical switch. The state of these switches is constantly monitored by the computer software.

Most home computers have exposed connectors for control, data and buss lines, which are provided for attaching such peripherals as printers and disc drives. These connections provide a useful means of connecting additional hardware as they can often give such things as timing pulses and power supplies. However, these input/output ports are not always standard between makes of home computers and hardware designed for one computer made need modification to work on another make of computer. Whereas this invention can be constructed to use the input/output port, it can also be constructed to use the 9 pin 'D' socket provided on most home computers for connecting a joy stick.

The advantage of using the joy stick input socket is that it is standard on a wide range ofconmputers and is available on some computers which do not have an input/output port.

When constructed specifically to use the joy stock socket, the invention will work on a wide range of home computers without modification.

The wiring standard for the 9 pin joy stick socket is that pins 8 and 9 are common, and movementofa joy stick will make or break connections between any ofthe pins 1 to 7 and the common pins. Softwareto read the state of the joy stick port is used in most computer games and the instructions required (depending on the computer used) are well known.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of a 9 pin 'd' plug (1)with simulated wiring (2). By reading thejoystickportand testing the reply, the software would detect that only pin 5 was connected to the common.

In order to detect physical exercise, such as running on the spot, a mat is used with pressure sensitive electrical switches. The switch contacts are connected between any of the pins 1 to 7 and the common pin 8.

Figure 1 shows a cross section of one possible way of constructing a mat with a pressure sensitive switch.

Figure 1 shows an upper conducting plate (1), and a lower conducting plate (2),which form the switch contacts. The two plates are kept apart by a shaped section of material (3) such as foam rubberwhich can be compressed to allow the contacts to meet with downwards pressure (4), and separate the contact by returning to it's natural shape when the pressure is taken off.

In Figure 1, the connecting cable is shown as5, the 9 pin plug as 6, and a suitableflexible cover as 7.

In Figure 1,the downward pressure (4) bringsthe switch contacts together.

Figure 2 shows an alternative construction where downward pressure (4) will open the switch contacts. The switch contacts are shown as 1 amd 2, held together by a compressable material 3.

Downward pressure 4 would be detected by the computer as the switch contacts open. The switch is covered by a flexable material such as strong fabric, shown as 7.

There may be any number of switches which either open or close under pressure built into the mat.

When more than one switch is used, each switch has one contact connected to the common pin, or one common contact is shared by switches as shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3, the upper plates (2) are independant and supported by a compressable non-conductive section (3) made of a material such as foam rubber. The non-conductive section (3) has apertures at each switch location so that downward pressure (4) at that point will cause the particular uppercontactto meet the common contact. In Figure 3, the connecting cable is shown as 5, and the flexible covering as 6 and 7.

Figure 4 shows an alternative construction where a read switch 1 will open orclosewhen a magnet (2) is press close enough to it. The connecting cable is shown as 3 and the cover as 4.

Figure 7 shows how the invention may contain an electrical socket at any point to utilise input pins not being used by switches within a mat. Into this socket maybe plugged such items as heart pulse or breathing rate detectors.

In Figure 7, the wires from the mat (in this case three), are not affected by including a socket. The wires from the mat are shown as 1 ,the socket as 2, the contacts within the socket as4, the cables from the socket as 5, the plug to the computer as 6, and the connecting pins on the plug as 7.

The cables may contain any number of wires.

An alternative construction has a built in pulse detector. A pulse rate detector and indicator has several components. A complete unit contains ameans of detecting the pulse, an amplifierforthis signal, a reference timer, a rate calculating unit, a means of displaying the rate and often a load speaker to give an audible beep. This invention has the advantage that a reference timer, means of calculation, means of display and audible output is all provided bythecomputer.

Within this invention, the pulse is amplified to open and close an electrical switch which is connected between one of the input pins and the common pin of the 9 pin plug. Constant monitoring ofthisconnection by the computer software will enable the pulse rate to be accurately calculated and displayed. There are a number 0 ways of constructing the required detector using readily available components and Figure 6 shows one method of construction.

Item 1 in Figure6showsthepulsepickup,this contains a small lamp and a cadmium-sulphide photocell. Each pulse interrupts the lightfalling on the cell causing the electrical resistance to vary. This type of pick-up can be used on the finger, ear lobe or wrist.

The outputfrom the pick-up is feed to a simple high gain amplifier, shown as 2. The design mayvery depending on the cadmium-sulphide cell used but any amplifier with a gain of around 2000 is suitable.

To eliminate interference the amplifier may have a frequency roll-off at 5Hz, this is shown as 3. To isolate the amplifierfrom the computer connections an opto-coupler is used, this is shown as 4. The output from the opto-couplerconnects to the joy stick input plug at the output point 5. Asuitable powersupply is required, favourately a battery, and this is shown as 6.

These electronic componants are protected by a suitable case.

Figure 8 shows a convenient arrangementforthe entire invention. In Figure 8 the computer monitor which shows the pulse rate and exercise details is shown as 1. The computer as 2, the connecting plug as 3, the case forthe amplifer, opto-coupler and battery as 4. The cables from the mat pass through this case. The pulse pick up is shown as 5 and the exercise mat with pressure switches as 6.

Figure 9 shows a suitable flowchartforthe computer softwa re. Although the 9 pin 'd' plug is recommended to give maximum compatibility, the invention may be constructed with other plugs if so required.

Claims (4)

1. A device which without modification, enables a wide range of home computers to be used to monitor exercise and pulse rate.

2. A device as in claim 1, which contains a mat with pressure sensitive electrical switches which plugs directly into the joy stick port of a home computer, thus providing a simple and economical means ofenableing home computer software to monitorthe rate and duration of physical exercise.

3. A device as in claim 2 where detection of a heart beat pulse shares the same input port to the computer.

4. A device as in claim 3 where the computer software calculates and displays the pulse rate.