FITNESS EQUIPMENT INCORPORATED WITH CONTENT CONTROL OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Abstract

In a fitness equipment that provides a user with walking, running, or bicycling exercises, signals generated by a driving device corresponding to the forward/backward movement of the user is converted into the forward/backward control of an electronic game or the up/down scrolling control of the content of an application of an electronic device, such that the user is capable of enjoying the content control while physically exercising, which beats boredom of just exercising. On the other hand, content control of the electronic device transferred from manual operation to movement on the fitness equipment provides fitness objectives when using the electronic device. Furthermore, the resemblance between the movement of walking, running, or bicycling of the user and the movement of the figures in the electronic games or the scrolling of the content of the application adds to similarity, sense of presence, and convenience.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a fitness equipment, and more particularly, to a fitness equipment incorporated with content control of an electronic device.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Most video games or computer games are handled by human hands using dedicated game controllers such as a mouse, a keyboard, a joystick, a game wheel, or fashioned body sense controllers like a handheld controller incorporated with light sensing technology, G-sensors, or gyroscopes. Secondly, electronic devices such as desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, smart phones, or the like, also require a user's hand to handle the input devices (the mouse or the keyboard) to perform content scrolling control when browsing the web or content of an application. Without even requiring any other parts of the body to move, it only needs manual operation of the user to operate such game control or content reading/browsing. People working on such activities extremely lack proper exercises and training in other parts of the body.

Regarding body exercising, on the other hand, various types of fitness equipments are ready for meeting all kinds of need like cardio training, strength training, or durability training, in each and every part of the body. It is, however, a boring time when just using these fitness equipments, especially for those time requiring exercises like the treadmills, the exercising bike, or the spin bikes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To get a solution to the problems mentioned above, i.e., to make body exercising possible when playing video games/computer games or web browsing, or to prevent the boredom of just exercising when using the fitness equipments, the invention provides a fitness equipment incorporated with content control of an electronic device. The fitness equipment includes a frame, a driving device, a signal processing unit, a control unit, and a communication interface. The driving device is disposed at the frame. The driving device is adapted to being drove by a user moving along an exercising direction to generate actuating signals. The signal processing unit is connected to the driving device for receiving the actuating signals and converting the actuating signals into input signals. The control unit is connected to the signal processing unit. The control unit generates corresponding control signals according to the input signals. The communication interface is in connection with the electronic device. The control unit sends the control signals to the electronic device via the communication interface to perform content control of the electronic device.

In the fitness equipment that provides the user with moving forward/backward by walking, running, or bicycling exercises, signals generated by the driving device corresponding to the forward/backward movement of the user are converted into the forward/backward control commands to the figures in the electronic game of the electronic device, such as a computer or a video game player, or the up/down scrolling control of the content of the application of the electronic device, such that the user is capable of enjoying the content control of the electronic device (enjoying playing games or browsing) while physically exercising without extra operations, which beats boredom of just exercising. On the other hand, content control of the electronic device transferred from merely manual operation to movement, such as running, walking, or bicycling, on the fitness equipment provides fitness objectives when using the electronic device. Furthermore, the resemblance between the movement of walking, running, or bicycling of the user and the movement of the figures in the electronic games or the scrolling (and the scrolling rate) of the content of the application adds to similarity, sense of presence, entertainment, body sensation, and convenience of content browsing. Absent from the manual operation to the electronic device when exercising, safety may also be guaranteed using the electronic device. These components regarding content control of an electronic device may also be merchandized as an integrated package for any fitness equipment.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing an embodiment of a fitness equipment incorporated with content control of an electronic device according the invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a block diagram of the fitness equipment in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an illustration exemplifying one embodiment of the driving device in a mechanical driving structure.

FIG. 4 is an illustration showing a functional block diagram of another embodiment of a fitness equipment according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is an illustration showing the circuitry of parts of another embodiment of a fitness equipment according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing another embodiment of a fitness equipment incorporated with content control of an electronic device according the invention.

FIG. 7 is an illustration showing a block diagram of the fitness equipment in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an illustration exemplifying one embodiment of the driving device in a mechanical driving structure.

FIG. 9 is an illustration showing a functional block diagram of another embodiment of a fitness equipment according to the invention.

FIG. 10 is an illustration showing the circuitry of parts of another embodiment of a fitness equipment according to the invention.

FIG. 11 is an illustration of a functional diagram showing the signal transmission of the fitness equipment according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is an illustration showing an embodiment of a fitness equipment 1 incorporated with content control of an electronic device according the invention, and FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a block diagram of the fitness equipment 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the fitness equipment 1 may be a treadmill, or an exercising bike or a spin bike. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the fitness equipment 1 includes a frame 10, a driving device 20, an electrical switch 40, a control unit 50, and a communication interface 60. The driving device 20 is disposed at the frame 10 and is adapted to being drove by a user moving along an exercising direction, the direction L in FIG. 1 for example. A treadmill as the example, the driving device 20 may be composed of the moving belt and its inner related components, as the exercising direction is the direction the user runs or walks on the moving belt. An exercising bike or a spin bike as the example, the driving device 20 may be composed of the wheel and its related components of the bike, as the exercising direction is the rotation direction of the wheel.

The fitness equipment 1 as the embodiment incorporates game control from the movement of the user driving the driving device 20 to generate the signals and accomplish the purpose of computer game or video game control. Please refer to FIG. 2. As the user exercises on the fitness equipment 1, which drives the driving device 20, the driving device 20 generates actuating signals. The electrical switch 40 that connects to the driving device 20 receives the actuating signals so as to turn on a control switch 51 in the control unit 50. The control unit 50 then generates corresponding control signals according to the turn-on state of the control switch 51. In this embodiment, the driving device 20 may be a mechanically-driven structure, light-sensing or magnetic-sensing actuating structure that has magnetic switch, light-sensing switch, or photoresistor. The electrical switch 50 may be implemented as a relay, an electrical switch circuit, or a switch transistor. The control unit 50, as a processing unit that receives signals from each corresponding input component and converts the received signals into corresponding control signals with commands to the games waiting for control, may be practically adapting a mouse control chip, a keyboard control chip, or a joystick control chip as a game control unit that can easily generate the required game control signals.

In the embodiment of the invention, the fitness equipment 1 is in connection with an electronic device 2, such as a computer or a video game player, via the communication interface 60, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an IEEE 1394 (Firewire) interface, or any existing interfaces between two devices, by which an electronic game 70 in the electronic device 2 may be controlled when using the fitness equipment 1. Due to the one way movement (forward or backward) on the fitness equipment 1 like the treadmill or the bike, the electronic game 70 in the electronic device 2 that is applicable to be controlled may be, practically, a role playing game, an online role playing game, a puzzle game, a sport game, a virtual reality game, a motion game, or a shooting game. The electronic game 70 may also be a landscape interactive application, in which as the user is running, walking, or bicycling on the fitness equipment 1, the movement of the user may be simulated as walking, running or bicycling at the virtual street on the landscape map provided by the interactive application. Specifically, when the control unit 50 generates the corresponding control signals, these control signals are adapted to the commands controlling the figures or the objects in the electronic games 70 to move forward. To put it another way, the user's running, walking, or bicycling on the fitness equipment 1 simulates the commands controlling the figures or the objects in the electronic games 70 to move forward, as the control switch 51 of the control unit 50 corresponding to a switch with “moving forward” command.

An expansion interface 80 may further be included in the fitness equipment 1. Such expansion interface 80 may either have the same specification as the communication interface 60 or form an interface group with the communication interface 60 via serially connecting with the communication interface 60. The expansion interface 80 directly connects to the control unit 50 and can be expandedly connected with an auxiliary input device 90, which may be a mouse, a joystick, a keyboard, a touch screen panel, a light sensor, or a video camera. In FIG. 1, the keyboard 14 is an example of the auxiliary input device 90 that transmits another types of control signals to the control unit 50 for providing a more extensive control for the fitness equipment 1 to the electronic game 70. Please refer to FIG. 1. The fitness equipment 1 further includes one or more direction control components 12, such as left/right control buttons, disposed at a handrail 11 of the frame 10 and connected to the control unit 50. When pressed/actuated, the direction control components 12 transmit direction control signals (turning left/right or rotating left/right) to the control unit 50. Additionally, besides the “moving forward command” from the driving device 20 and the “turning left/right or rotating left/right command” from the direction control components 12, the fitness equipment 1 may further use one or more function control components 13, which are disposed at the frame 10 and practically correspond to one or more default or customized buttons and are directly connected to the control unit 50, to transmit a default or customized function control signals to the control unit 50 when they are actuated/pressed.

Please refer to FIG. 3, which is an illustration exemplifying one embodiment of the driving device 20 in a mechanical driving structure. In this embodiment, rotation of a moving shaft of the fitness equipment 1 swings a pendulum to generate actuating signals, which are later converted into corresponding control signals with commands of moving forward or moving backward. The driving device 20 includes a rotary shaft 21, linked to the moving belt for example, a friction device 23, a pendulum 24, and an actuator 25. The friction device 23 is connected to the rotary shaft 21 and the pendulum 24 is connected to the friction device 23. When the rotary shaft 21 is rotated by the moving belt (due to the user moving along the exercise direction), the pendulum 24 is moved by the friction device 23 to swing toward a side along direction D₁ to actuate the actuator 25 at the side. When actuated, the actuator 25 generates the aforementioned actuating signals. Additionally, the driving device 20 in FIG. 3 may also have the pendulum 24 swinging to an opposite side, representing the user having opposite movement on the fitness equipment 1 such as walking backward or bicycling reversely. In such a manner, the pendulum 24 swings to the other side along direction D₂ to actuate an actuator 26 at the other side. When actuated, the actuator 26 generates another corresponding actuating signals. Once the user stops his/her movements, the rotary shaft 21 will stop being rotated and the pendulum 24 returns to a vertically downward position due to the gravity. At this moment, neither the actuator 25 nor the actuator 26 is actuated. Instead of using the friction device 23 as illustrated in FIG. 3, mechanism like the mechanical lock, the switch gear, or the stroke switch may also be implemented for achieving the required purpose.

Please refer to FIG. 4, which is an illustration showing a functional block diagram of another embodiment of a fitness equipment 3 according to the invention. The fitness equipment 3 includes a driving device 120, an electrical switch 140, a control unit 150, a communication interface 160, an expansion interface 180, and an auxiliary input device 190. These components and relations therebetween are similar as those of the embodiment of the fitness equipment 1 and the description about which is omitted here for brevity. For the fitness equipment 3, the driving device 120 includes a rotary shaft 121 and an actuator 122, which is utilized for generating the actuating signals having impulse current. The driving device 120 of the fitness equipment 3 transmits the actuating signals to a signal converter 125 from the actuator 122 (like an electrical detecting system), and then the electrical switch 140 turns on a control switch 151 of the control unit 150. The actuator 122 may be a magnetic switch, a light sensor switch, or a photoresistor, which gets related movement signals via photo detection or magnetic detection. As a matter of fact that the photo detection or magnetic detection generates signals in impulsive form, the signal converter 125 (the signal converter 125 in FIG. 5 may be referred) connected between the driving device 120 and the electrical switch 140 functions to convert the actuating signals having impulse current into continuous current signals, which then activate the electrical switch 140 (such as a mange-inductive switch of a relay that can turn on the control switch 151 connected to one end of the relay), so that the control of the game figures or the objects moving, halting, walking, or running may be performed.

Please refer to FIG. 5, which is an illustration showing the circuitry of parts of another embodiment of a fitness equipment according to the invention. The actuating signals may also be generated via kinetic conversion, by converting the kinetic power generated by the fitness equipment due to the movement of the user on the fitness equipment into an electrical form. FIG. 5 shows that the driving device 120 includes a motor or an electrical generator, which can be drove to generate current when the user is exercising on the fitness equipment. The current (the actuating signals) generated by the motor or the electrical generator is alternative current signals and is converted by the signal converter 125 (such as a relay, an electric switch circuit, or a switch transistor) into direct current signals to turn on or turn off the control switch 151 of the control unit 150.

Please refer to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. FIG. 6 is an illustration showing an embodiment of a fitness equipment 5 incorporated with content control of an electronic device according the invention, and FIG. 7 is an illustration showing a block diagram of the fitness equipment 5. As shown in FIG. 6, the fitness equipment 5 may be a treadmill, or an exercising bike or a spin bike. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the fitness equipment 5 includes a frame 10, a driving device 20, a signal processing unit 30, a control unit 50, and a communication interface 60. The driving device 20 is disposed at the frame 10 and is adapted to being drove by a user moving along an exercising direction, the forward direction L₁ or backward direction L₂ in FIG. 6 for example. A treadmill as the example, the driving device 20 may be composed of the moving belt and its inner related components of the treadmill, as the exercising direction is the direction the user runs or walks on the moving belt, forward or backward. An exercising bike or a spin bike as the example, the driving device 20 may be composed of the wheel and its related components of the bike, as the exercising direction is the rotation direction of the wheel.

The fitness equipment 5 as the embodiment incorporates content control from the movement of the user driving the driving device 20 to generate the signals and accomplish the purpose of content scrolling on the screen of an electronic device. Please refer to FIG. 7. As the user exercises on the fitness equipment 5, the driving device 20 of which is drove to generate actuating signals. The signal processing unit 30 that connects to the driving device 20 receives the actuating signals so as to convert the actuating signals into input signals with specific frequency. In this embodiment, the driving device 20 may be a mechanically-driven structure, light-sensing or magnetic-sensing actuating structure that has magnetic switch, light-sensing switch, or photoresistor. The driving device 20 may also be a kinetic converter like a motor or an electrical generator. The signal processing unit 30 may be implemented as a relay, an electrical switch circuit, or a switch transistor. The control unit 50, as a processing unit that receives signals from each corresponding input component and converts the received signals into corresponding control signals with commands to the application of the electronic device waiting for control, may be practically adapting a mouse control chip, a keyboard control chip, or a joystick control chip as the control unit that can easily generate the required control signals.

In the embodiment of the invention, the fitness equipment 5 is in connection with an electronic device 2, such as a tablet computer, a smart phone, an electronic book reader, or a laptop computer, via the communication interface 60, for example, RS232, PS/2, USB, SATA, local area network, Firewire, Bluetooth, infrared ray, ultraviolet ray, ultrasonic wave, radio wave, wireless communication network or any existing interfaces between two devices, by which an application 71 in the electronic device 2 may be controlled when using the fitness equipment 5. Due to the one way movement (forward or backward) on the fitness equipment 5 like the treadmill or the bike, the application 71 in the electronic device 2 that is applicable to be controlled may be, practically, a web browser, a portable document file (PDF) reader, an office program, or an electronic book application. Specifically, when the control unit 50 generates the corresponding control signals, these control signals are adapted to the commands scrolling up or down the content of the application 71. To put it another way, the user's running, walking, or bicycling on the fitness equipment 5 simulates the commands scrolling up or down the content of the application 71.

An expansion interface 80 may further be included in the fitness equipment 5. Such expansion interface 80 may either have the same specification as the communication interface 60 or form an interface group with the communication interface 60 via serially connecting with the communication interface 60. The expansion interface 80 directly connects to the control unit 50 and can be expandedly connected with an auxiliary input device 90, which may be a mouse, a joystick, a keyboard, a touch screen panel, a light sensor, or a video camera. In FIG. 6, the keyboard 14 is an example of the auxiliary input device 90 that transmits another types of control signals to the control unit 50 for providing a more extensive control for the fitness equipment 5 to the application 71. Please refer to FIG. 6. The fitness equipment 5 further includes one or more direction control components 12, such as left/right control buttons, disposed at a handrail 11 of the frame 10 and connected to the control unit 50. When pressed/actuated, the direction control components 12 transmit direction control signals (turning left/right or rotating left/right) to the control unit 50.

Please refer to FIG. 8, which is an illustration exemplifying one embodiment of the driving device 20 in a mechanical driving structure. In this embodiment, rotation of a moving shaft of the fitness equipment 5 swings a pendulum to generate actuating signals, which are later converted into corresponding control signals with commands of scrolling up or scrolling down of the content of the application. The driving device 20 includes a rotary shaft 21, linked to the moving belt for example, a friction device 23, a pendulum 24, and a plurality of actuators 251-257, 261-267. The friction device 23 is connected to the rotary shaft 21, the pendulum 24 is connected to the friction device 23, and the plurality of actuators 251-257, 261-267 is disposed at the swinging path of the pendulum 24. When the rotary shaft 21 is rotated by the moving belt (due to the user moving along the exercise direction), the pendulum 24 is moved by the friction device 23 to swing toward a side along direction D₁ to actuate one of the actuators 251-257 at the side. When actuated, the one of the actuators 251-257 generates the aforementioned actuating signals. Additionally, the driving device 20 in FIG. 8 may also have the pendulum 24 swinging to an opposite side, representing the user having opposite movement on the fitness equipment 5 such as walking backward or bicycling reversely. In such a manner, the pendulum 24 swings to the other side along direction D₂ to actuate one of the actuators 261-267 at the other side. When actuated, the one of the actuators 261-267 generates another corresponding actuating signals. Once the user stops his/her movements, the rotary shaft 21 will stop being rotated and the pendulum 24 returns to a vertically downward position due to the gravity. At this moment, none of the actuators 251-257, 261-267 is actuated. Instead of using the friction device 23 as illustrated in FIG. 8, mechanism like the mechanical lock, the switch gear, or the stroke switch may also be implemented for achieving the required purpose.

Also in the embodiment of FIG. 8 showing the mechanical driving structure, the pendulum 24 is swung by the friction device 23 with a specific direction and force due to the rotational rate of the rotary shaft 21 with respect to the direction and speed when the user is exercising on the fitness equipment 5. It means the angle the pendulum 24 swinging relative to the vertically downward position varies with the rotational rate of the rotary shaft 21. To put it another way, the closer the pendulum 24 gets to the vertically downward position, the slower the user is exercising on the fitness equipment 5, and the closer the pendulum 24 gets to a horizontal level (a larger swinging angle), the faster the user is exercising on the fitness equipment 5. Accordingly, the pendulum 24 actuates one of the actuators 251-257, 261-267 at each position to generate corresponding actuating signals. Once the rotary shaft 21 stops rotating, the pendulum 24 returns to the vertically downward position due to the gravity and none of the actuators 251-257, 261-267 is actuated. Each of the actuators 251-257, 261-267 has connection to the signal processing unit 30, which receives and converts the actuating signals transmitted by the actuators 251-257, 261-267 at various positions into the input signals with various frequencies. For example, when the actuator closer to the horizontal level is actuated (the pendulum 24 swinging at a larger angle), the input signals outputted by the signal processing unit 30 by converting the actuating signals has higher frequency, and when the actuator closer to the vertically downward position is actuated (the pendulum 24 swinging at a smaller angle), the input signals outputted by the signal processing unit 30 by converting the actuating signals has lower frequency.

Additionally, the actuating signals generated by one of the plurality of actuators 251-257 actuated by the pendulum 24 moved by the friction device 23 to swing toward a first side along direction D₁ is received and converted by the signal processing unit 30 into the “forward” input signals, and the actuating signals generated by one of the plurality of actuators 261-267 actuated by the pendulum 24 moved by the friction device 23 to swing toward a second side along direction D₂ is received and converted by the signal processing unit 30 into the “backward” input signals, where the terms “forward” and “backward” may represent the commands for scrolling “up” and “down” the content of the application 71, respectively.

Please refer to FIG. 9, which is an illustration showing a functional block diagram of another embodiment of a fitness equipment 7 according to the invention. The fitness equipment 7 includes a driving device 120, a signal processing unit 130, a control unit 150, a communication interface 160, an expansion interface 180, and an auxiliary input device 190. These components and relations therebetween are similar as those of the embodiment of the fitness equipment 5 and the description about which is omitted here for brevity. For the fitness equipment 7, the driving device 120 includes a rotary shaft 121 and an actuator 122, which is utilized for generating the actuating signals as impulse current, voltage signals, or alternative current signals. The driving device 120 of the fitness equipment 7 transmits the actuating signals to a signal processing unit 130 via the actuator 122 (like an electrical detecting system), and then the signal processing unit 130 converts the received actuating signals into input signals with specific frequency according to the frequency of the impulse current, voltage signals, or alternative current signals. The input signals outputted by the signal processing unit 130 may have parameters like the state of movement, the direction of movement, and the speed of movement. The actuator 122 may be a magnetic switch, a light sensor switch, or a photoresistor, which gets related movement signals via photo detection or magnetic detection.

Please refer to FIG. 10, which is an illustration showing the circuitry of parts of another embodiment of a fitness equipment according to the invention. The actuating signals may also be generated via kinetic conversion, by converting the kinetic power generated by the fitness equipment due to the movement of the user on the fitness equipment into an electrical form. FIG. 10 shows that the driving device 120 includes a kinetic converter such as a motor or an electrical generator, which can be drove to generate current when the user is exercising on the fitness equipment. The alternative current signals generated by the kinetic converter has various frequencies corresponding to the rate the user moves the driving device 120 as the user moves along the exercising direction, i.e., higher frequencies standing for faster speed, lower frequencies standing for lower speed, and zero frequency standing for stillness of the user. A signal converter 125 (such as a relay, an electric switch circuit, or a switch transistor) may also be used to convert the actuating signals into direct current signals, where a signal processing unit 130 converts the direct current signals into input signals. The signal converter 125 may also be omitted from the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 to simply use the signal processing unit 130 to process the actuating signals from the kinetic converter. Furthermore, the driving device 120 may have two kinetic converters, each actuated by the rotary shaft of the fitness equipment according to the direction of rotation. Each kinetic converter generates the actuating signals corresponding to the commands of scrolling up and down the content of the application 71, respectively.

Please refer to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is an illustration of a functional diagram showing the signal transmission of the fitness equipment according to the invention. A driving device 220 of a fitness equipment 9 may be as the driving device 20, 120 of any of the previous embodiments, in which the actuating signals generated by the driving device 220 is transmitted to a signal processing unit 230 to be converted into the input signals with specific frequency and specific parameters (like the direction of movement, the speed, . . . ). The input signals are then transmitted to a control unit 250 to generate the corresponding control signals. To meet the different using requirements from the users, the fitness equipment 9 may further include a signal adjusting device 19 to adjust the ratio (or the sensitivity) between the rate of the user's exercising and the scrolling speed of the content of the application. The signal adjusting device 19 may modify an enlarging scale of the frequency of the input signals transmitted from the signal processing unit 230. The signal adjusting device 19 is connected to the control unit 250 and can be a lever, a knob, or a switch having sliding variable resistor that is disposed at the frame 10. Taking the signal adjusting device 19 as the switch having sliding variable resistor as an example, with maximum resistance value 100 ohm and minimum resistance value 0 ohm, whereas the resistance value at the half position of the switch's sliding path is 50 ohm. When the switch is set at the ½ position (50 ohm), the signal adjusting device 19 sets the frequency of the input signals as exactly the frequency of the signals from the signal processing unit 230. When the switch is set at the maximum position (100 ohm), the signal adjusting device 19 enlarges ten times the frequency of the input signals. When the switch is set at the minimum position (0 ohm), the signal adjusting device 19 modifies the enlarging scale of the frequency of the input signals to be 0.1. The example above is only for illustrative purpose and should not be regarded as a limitation to the invention.

The input signals processed by the signal adjusting device 19 are then utilized for the control unit 250 to generate the control signals, which are conveyed via the communication interface 260 to the application 71 for performing content scrolling control of the application 71. At least two ways are provided for the control unit 250 to generate the control signals: one by directly controlling the content scrolling of the application 71 of the electronic device 2 via a switch circuit, and another by sending a specific control signal to the electronic device 2 that is recognizable by the application 71, and the application 71 performing scrolling control by itself.

In one of the embodiments, the control unit 250 may include a switch circuit and the control signals represent the frequency signals that the switch circuit turns on and off a switch of the electronic device 2 utilized for controlling the scrolling of the content, according to the specific frequency of the input signals and processed by the signal adjusting device 19. The switch circuit may be a relay, an electric switch circuit, or a switch transistor. The frequency of turning on and off the switch of the electronic device 2 determines the speed of scrolling the content of the screen. Taking a switch that controls scrolling up the content of the application of the electronic device 2 for example, frequency as 5 Hz for the control signals represents that the switch is turned on and off for 5 times in one second, resulting that the content of the screen of the application 71 is scrolling up for 5 times in one second. Frequency as 10 Hz for the control signals represents that the switch is turned on and off for 10 times in one second, resulting that the content of the screen of the application 71 is scrolling up for 10 times in one second. As a result, the frequency of the control signals determines the scrolling speed of the content, while the direction information of the control signals determines which switch (corresponding to scrolling up and scrolling down, respectively) is to be turned on and off.

In another embodiment, the control unit 250 directly sends a specific control signal to the electronic device 2 and the application 71 performing scrolling control by itself. The control signals with specific frequency are converted into a control signal recognizable by the application 71. For example, when the input signals (including information of the scrolling direction of the content, the scrolling speed, the scrolling duration . . . ) is received by the control unit 250, the input signals are converted into digital control signal and conveyed to the application 71 of the electronic device 2 via the communication interface 260. As the application 71 receives the parameters of the scrolling direction of the content, the scrolling speed, the scrolling duration in the control signal, the application 71 performs content scrolling according to these parameters. Completion of one content scrolling is followed by receiving another control signal for successive control.

In the fitness equipment that provides the user with walking, running, or bicycling exercises, signals generated by the driving device corresponding to the forward/backward movement of the user is converted into the forward/backward control of the figures in the electronic game or the up/down scrolling control of the content of the application of the electronic device, such that the user is capable of enjoying the content control while physically exercising, which beats boredom of just exercising. On the other hand, content control of the electronic device transferred from merely manual operation to movement, such as running, walking, or bicycling, on the fitness equipment provides fitness objectives when using the electronic device. Furthermore, the resemblance between the movement of walking, running, or bicycling of the user and the movement of the figures in the electronic games or the scrolling of the content of the application adds to similarity, sense of presence, and convenience. Absent from the manual operation to the electronic device when exercising, safety may also be guaranteed using the electronic device.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fitness equipment incorporated with content control of an electronic device, comprising:

a frame;

a driving device disposed at the frame, the driving device adapted to being drove by a user moving along an exercising direction to generate actuating signals;

a signal processing unit connected to the driving device for receiving the actuating signals and converting the actuating signals into input signals;

a control unit connected to the signal processing unit, the control unit generating corresponding control signals according to the input signals; and

a communication interface in connection with the electronic device, the control unit sending the control signals to the electronic device via the communication interface to perform content control of the electronic device.

2. The fitness equipment of claim 1, wherein the fitness equipment is a treadmill, the driving device is a moving belt of the treadmill, and the exercising direction is a direction the user runs or walks on the moving belt.

3. The fitness equipment of claim 1, wherein the fitness equipment is an exercising bike or a spin bike, the driving device is a wheel of the exercising bike, and the exercising direction is a rotation direction of the wheel.

4. The fitness equipment of claim 1, further comprising an electrical switch connected to the driving device for receiving the actuating signals and turning on a control switch, the control unit being a game control unit comprising the control switch, the game control unit utilized for generating the corresponding control signals when the control switch is turned on, the control signals utilized for controlling an electronic game of the electronic device.

5. The fitness equipment of claim 4, wherein the driving device is a mechanical driving structure, comprising:

a rotary shaft rotated by the user moving along the exercising direction;

a friction device connected to the rotary shaft;

a pendulum connected to the friction device and moved by the friction device toward a side when the rotary shaft is rotated; and

an actuator disposed at the side where the pendulum is moved toward and actuated by the pendulum moving toward the side so as to generate the actuating signals.

6. The fitness equipment of claim 4, wherein the driving device comprises a rotary shaft and an actuator for generating the actuating signals having impulse current when the user moves along the exercising direction.

7. The fitness equipment of claim 6, wherein the actuator is a magnetic switch, a light sensor switch, or a photoresistor.

8. The fitness equipment of claim 6, further comprising a signal converter, connected between the driving device and the electrical switch for converting the actuating signals into continuous current signals.

9. The fitness equipment of claim 4, wherein the electrical switch is a relay, an electrical switch circuit, or a switch transistor.

10. The fitness equipment of claim 4, wherein the driving device is a kinetic converter and the actuating signals are alternative current.

11. The fitness equipment of claim 10, wherein the driving device is a motor or an electrical generator.

12. The fitness equipment of claim 4, wherein the electronic device is a computer or a video game player, and the electronic game is a role playing game, an online role playing game, a puzzle game, a sport game, a virtual reality game, a landscape interactive application, a motion game, or a shooting game.

13. The fitness equipment of claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit is utilized for converting the actuating signals into the input signals with specific frequency, the control unit is utilized for generating the control signals according to the input signals with specific frequency, and the control signals are utilized for performing content scrolling control of an application of the electronic device.

14. The fitness equipment of claim 13, wherein the driving device is a mechanical driving structure, comprising:

a rotary shaft rotated by the user moving along the exercising direction;

a friction device connected to the rotary shaft;

a pendulum connected to the friction device and moved to swing by the friction device when the rotary shaft is rotated; and

a plurality of actuators disposed at the swinging path of the pendulum, one of the plurality of actuators actuated by the pendulum moved by the friction device so as to generate the actuating signals.

15. The fitness equipment of claim 14, wherein the actuating signals generated by one of the plurality of actuators actuated by the pendulum swinging at a larger angle is received and converted by the signal processing unit into the input signals with higher frequency.

16. The fitness equipment of claim 14, wherein the actuating signals generated by one of the plurality of actuators actuated by the pendulum moved by the friction device to swing toward a first side is received and converted by the signal processing unit into the forward input signals, and the actuating signals generated by one of the plurality of actuators actuated by the pendulum moved by the friction device to swing toward a second side is received and converted by the signal processing unit into the backward input signals.

17. The fitness equipment of claim 13, wherein the driving device comprises a rotary shaft and an actuator for generating the actuating signals having impulse current when the user moves along the exercising direction, wherein the actuator is a magnetic switch, a light sensor switch, or a photoresistor.

18. The fitness equipment of claim 17, wherein the signal processing unit is utilized for converting the actuating signals into the input signals with specific frequency according to the frequency of the impulse current of the actuating signals.

19. The fitness equipment of claim 13, wherein the driving device is a kinetic converter and the actuating signals are alternative current signals with frequency corresponding to the rate that the driving device is drove as the user moves along the exercising direction.

20. The fitness equipment of claim 19, wherein the driving device is a motor or an electrical generator.

21. The fitness equipment of claim 13, further comprising a signal adjusting device connected to the control unit, the signal adjusting device utilized for modifying an enlarging scale of the specific frequency of the input signals.

22. The fitness equipment of claim 21, wherein the signal adjusting device is a lever, a knob, or a switch having sliding variable resistor and is disposed at the frame.

23. The fitness equipment of claim 13, wherein the control unit comprises a switch circuit and the control signals are frequency signals of the switch circuit turning on a scrolling switch of the application according to the specific frequency of the input signals, wherein the switch circuit is a relay, an electrical switch circuit, or a switch transistor.

24. The fitness equipment of claim 13, wherein the control signals comprise scrolling direction of the content, scrolling speed, and scrolling duration.

25. The fitness equipment of claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a tablet computer, a smart phone, an electronic book reader, or a laptop computer, and the application is a web browser, a portable document file (PDF) reader, an office program, or an electronic book application.

26. The fitness equipment of claim 1, wherein the control unit is a mouse control chip, a keyboard control chip, or a joystick control chip.

27. The fitness equipment of claim 1, further comprising a direction control component, the frame comprising a handrail and the direction control component is disposed at the handrail for being actuated to transmit direction control signals to the control unit.

28. The fitness equipment of claim 27, wherein the direction control component is a button.

29. The fitness equipment of claim 1, further comprising a function control component disposed at the frame for being actuated to transmit function control signals to the control unit.

30. The fitness equipment of claim 29, wherein the function control component is a button.

31. The fitness equipment of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary input device and an expansion interface, the auxiliary input device connected to the expansion interface to transmit control signals to the control unit.

32. The fitness equipment of claim 31, wherein the auxiliary input device is a mouse, a joystick, a keyboard, a touch screen panel, a light sensor, or a video camera.

33. The fitness equipment of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is selected from one of the following: RS232, PS/2, USB, SATA, local area network, Firewire, Bluetooth, infrared ray, ultraviolet ray, ultrasonic wave, radio wave, and wireless communication network.