APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING USER FITNESS BY TRACKING ACTIVITY TIME

Abstract

The present invention is and includes an apparatus, system and method of providing a schedule for improving fitness of a user by tracking activity time. The apparatus, system and method may include at least one user interface suitable for accepting a plurality of user information regarding the user; at least one database including a plurality of exercise activities coded at least by time; a matching engine suitable for selecting a fitness program including ones of the plurality of exercise activities matched, correspondent to the respective coded times, to the plurality of user information; and an electronic calendar of the fitness program suitable for receiving updates from the user regarding completion of the coded times for each of the matched ones of the exercise activities of the fitness program.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/594,816, filed Feb. 3, 2012, entitled Apparatus, System and Method for Improving User Fitness By Tracking Activity Time, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to improving user fitness, and, more particularly, is directed to an apparatus, system and method for improving user fitness by tracking activity time.

2. Description of the Background

Improving user fitness, health and overall well being has become a multi-billion industry worldwide. However, improved fitness typically requires a user to understand the different aspects of exercise, and to dedicate him or herself to tasks the user finds unpleasant, or at least very inconvenient.

For example, it is generally understood that the aspects of exercise include cardiovascular fitness, which is the fitness level of the heart, lungs, veins and arteries that are responsible for processing and transporting oxygen to the muscles (i.e., as your fitness improves, the heart becomes more efficient at pumping more blood with fewer contractions); muscular strength, which is the strength to perform everyday tasks like lifting, carrying, and even comfortably standing (i.e., as muscular strength improves, the muscles become stronger and these tasks can be performed with less exertion); muscular endurance, which is the stamina to continue exerting muscular strength over periods of time (i.e., as endurance improves, the user will be able to exert for longer time periods); and flexibility, which is the ability to move freely and have a high range of motion in the joints (i.e., as flexibility improves, posture improves and muscular tension, atrophy and stiffness decrease).

In application, the aforementioned types of fitness are deemed by the fitness industry to be best achieved only by well understood means. For example, aerobic exercise is typically prescribed to improve cardiovascular fitness; weightlifting is often prescribed to improve strength and endurance; and yoga and low impact aerobics are typically prescribed to improve flexibility. However, because each of these types of fitness is affected by age, inactivity, and like factors, it is typical that the users who would benefit most from each time of exercise, i.e., those over 30 years old and those who are currently inactive, are also those who deem themselves to busy for the typically prescribed exercises, or too sedentary to begin the prescribed exercises.

On the other hand, it is also typically recommended that moderately to very active persons engage in exercise of any type daily, and that moderately inactive to inactive persons engage in exercise of any type every other day. However, because of the typical prescription of the aforementioned exercises, most users deem this recommendation of daily or semi-daily exercise to mean that the user must engage in one of the foregoing described activities in those timeframes, i.e., aerobics, weightlifting, or yoga. This understanding of most users regarding how to improve fitness is incorrect.

Rather, most users would benefit greatly simply by engaging in some activity (not necessarily the typically prescribed exercises) either daily, semi-daily, or the like. In fact, by way of non-limiting example, an average user could improve fitness simply by going up and down a few flights of stairs at his or her parking garage at work every day, rather than taking the elevator. However, the available art fails to give the average user the option to monitor activity by time as a way of improving fitness.

Therefore, the need exists for an apparatus, system and method of improving user fitness by tracking activity time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is and includes an apparatus, system and method of providing a schedule for improving fitness of a user by tracking activity time. The apparatus, system and method may include at least one user interface stored remotely over a network from the user and suitable for accepting a plurality of user information regarding the user; at least one database including a plurality of exercise activities coded at least by time; a matching engine suitable for selecting a fitness program including ones of the plurality of exercise activities matched, by the matching engine and correspondent to the respective coded times, to the plurality of user information; and an electronic calendar of the fitness program provided to at least one of the at least one user interface for the user, communicative with the matching engine and suitable for receiving updates from the user regarding completion of the coded times for each of the matched ones of the exercise activities of the fitness program.

The present invention is and further includes an apparatus, system and method of providing a schedule for improving fitness of a plurality of users by tracking active time. The apparatus, system and method may include at least one administrative user interface suitable for accepting a plurality of challenges for ones of the plurality of users, wherein each of the plurality of challenges comprises at least aggregated active time; at least one database comprising a plurality of exercise activities selectable for inclusion in ones of the plurality of challenges and coded in the at least one database at least by time; a challenge engine suitable for providing to select ones of the plurality users the ones of the plurality of challenges related, according to the at least one administrative user interface, to the select ones of the plurality of users; and an electronic calendar provided to each of the select ones of the plurality of users that illustrates to the select one of the users accessing the electronic calendar at least progress of the select one of the users toward the aggregated active time of the related ones of the plurality of challenges.

Thus, the present invention provides at least an apparatus, system and method of improving user fitness by tracking activity time

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings, like numerals represent like elements, and:

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating aspects of an exemplary method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating aspects of an exemplary apparatus and system of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating aspects of an exemplary apparatus and system of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 32 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 33 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 35 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 36 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 38 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 39 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 40 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 41 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 42 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 43 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 44 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 45 is a screen shot illustrating exemplary aspects of the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for the purpose of clarity, many other elements typically found in computerized apparatuses, systems and methods. Those of ordinary skill in the art will thus recognize that other elements and/or steps are thus desirable and/or required in implementing the present invention. However, because such elements and steps are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements and steps is not provided herein. The disclosure herein is directed to all such variations and modifications to such elements and methods known to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the embodiments identified and illustrated herein are for exemplary purposes only, and are not meant to be exclusive or limited in their description of the present invention.

As referenced hereinabove, it is a frequent goal of persons to improve health, wellness and/or fitness status. To that end, the current art provides a myriad of offerings for persons at different levels of health, wellness or fitness (hereinthroughout also collectively referred to as “fitness”) to improve their respective levels. However, such offerings are provided in relation to activities that users do not typically monitor, such as steps, types of exercise, calories burned, or the like, and are thus not dedicated to information that users do typically monitor, such as time. More particularly, to the extent time is tracked in the current art, such available fitness programs track time correspondent to the exercise performed for a period of time or in relation to calories burned, rather than simply tracking time as active time that will directly correlate to improved fitness. The modification of behavior that leads to improved fitness is, however, most readily performed by simplifying the factors to be monitored by the person desiring to improve fitness. As such, the tracking of the singular factor of time stands the greatest chance of causing behavior modifications such that fitness may be improved.

FIG. 1 illustrates a method in accordance with the present invention. At step 902, a user may be asked for or provided with log-in information, which log-in information may be unique to the present invention or may be part of a larger fitness, wellness, health-care, gym choice, or like program. In an embodiment, at the inception of use and upon logging in for the first time, a user may be asked to provide personal information, body information such as height, weight, or body mass index, age, fitness level, exercise level, or the like.

At step 904, the user may preferably be asked for activity preferences, such as whether the user prefers walking, running, participatory video watching, or the like. The user may preferably be enabled to respond that the user doesn't know what exercise the user prefers, in order to account for the fact that some users may not currently engage in any fitness activities, and/or may not have activity preferences. Correspondingly, the user may be asked as to the user's current activity level, and may be given the option to respond that the user is not currently active. The user may further be asked, such as heirarchically, as to the user's activity preferences. For example, if the user selects that the user prefers to engage in participatory exercise videos, the user may be asked what type of classes the user prefers to participate in on video.

At step 906, the user may be asked for, or provided with, personal goals for the user's activity program, wherein such goals are defined by time according to the present invention. That is, the user may be provided with an exercise program correspondent to the user's current activity level, wherein the exercise program is designed to maintain user interest, such as by blending videos, and walking, and wherein the personal goals provided for the user are correspondent to certain time periods of activity, rather than types of activity as in the available art.

In the course of obtaining the above-referenced information, and developing the personal goals for the user, the user may, of course, be asked for and/or provided with a variety of information. For example, the user may be asked as to preferred modes of communication, wherein the preferred methods suggested to the user may be e-mail or SMS/text/MMS. Further, the user may be asked for a variety of health information, which the user may or may not be required to provide. Such requested information may include, for example, information regarding the user's eating habits, the user's health history, the user's occupation, the user's income level, or the like. The more information garnered by the present invention, the more likely a desirable fitness program will be provided to the user. Thereby, the user may be incentivized to provide more complete and adequate information, and thus the volume of information accumulated in the present invention may be highly valuable for use by advertisers, marketers, health-care providers, and the like, particularly in aggregated form such as to protect the privacy of individual user's, and/or to provide highly targeted offerings to particular users.

Further, irrespective of the amount of information entered, it is preferred that the recommended exercise program not only be tracked by time, as referenced above, but further that the program provided be a detailed program targeted to the current and desired fitness level of the particular user, as best as that level can be assessed based on the information provided by the user.

In the exemplary screen shots discussed below, the use of one or more client interfaces is illustrated in accordance with the method discussed above—that is, the illustration includes the offering of a program that tracks exercise time for each user, including the sign-up/log-in of the user, the entry of sign up-login information into a relational database as related to the particular user, the obtaining of relevant exercise related information correspondent to the user's information, the obtaining from the database of one or more detailed, relevant recommended exercise programs tailored to the user's entered information, and the like. As will be understood by the those skilled in the art and as will be appreciated with respect to the following figures, multiple templates may be provided, wherein underlying content for each page template may be varied without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Such templates may include, by way of non-limiting example, one or more common landing pages, one or more registration pages, and one or more program/offerings/calendaring pages.

More particularly with respect to a program page as used herein, a program may include any pre-created activity that is matched by fitness level and that is provided for the purpose of monitoring exercise by time. A program administrator page may be provided on the back end of the present invention to allow an administrator to create, change, add, or delete such programs over time. Programs may thus include, for example, walking programs, running programs, and video-based programs.

Further, a program, as the term is used herein, may include one or more challenges that begin, end, or have a duration that is pre-defined. A challenge administrator may be an administrator that can create, change, add, or delete programs over time, for example. Further, a user or an administrator may create teams to compete with one another during challenges, in addition to an individual user's participation in a challenge, by way of non-limiting example only.

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary computing system 100 for use in accordance with herein described apparatus, system and method. Computing system 100 is capable of executing software, such as an operating system (OS) and a variety of computing applications 190, including thick and thin client applications, by way of non-limiting example. Such applications may include, by way of non-limiting example, the fitness application(s) discussed herein.

The operation of exemplary computing system 100 is controlled primarily by computer readable instructions, such as instructions stored in a non-transitory manner on a computer readable storage medium, such as hard disk drive (HDD) 115, optical disk (not shown) such as a CD or DVD, solid state drive (not shown) such as a USB “thumb drive,” a remote server or servers (not shown), or the like. Such instructions may be executed within central processing unit (CPU) 110 to cause computing system 100 to perform operations. Thereby, the CPU 110 may access or execute computing code instructions from storage medium 115 to collectively provide the engine(s), such as the matching engine and the challenge engine, that provide the time tracked fitness program systems and methods discussed hereinthroughout.

It is appreciated that, although exemplary computing system 100 is shown to comprise a single CPU 110, such description is merely illustrative as computing system 100 may comprise a plurality of CPUs 110. Additionally, computing system 100 may exploit the resources of remote CPUs (not shown), for example, through communications network 170 or some other data communications means.

In operation, CPU 110 fetches, decodes, and executes instructions from a computer readable storage medium such as HDD 115. Such instructions can be included in software such as an operating system (OS), executable programs, and the like. Information, such as computer instructions and other computer readable data, is transferred between components of computing system 100 via the system's main data-transfer path. The main data-transfer path may use a system bus architecture 105, although other computer architectures (not shown) can be used, such as architectures using serializers and deserializers and crossbar switches to communicate data between devices over serial communication paths. System bus 105 can include data lines for sending data, address lines for sending addresses, and control lines for sending interrupts and for operating the system bus. Some busses provide bus arbitration that regulates access to the bus by extension cards, controllers, and CPU 110.

Memory devices coupled to system bus 105 can include random access memory (RAM) 125 and read only memory (ROM) 130. Such memories include circuitry that allows information, such as the databases, relational databases, and the like discussed hereinthroughout, to be stored and retrieved. ROMs 130 generally contain stored data that cannot be modified. Data stored in RAM 125 can be read or changed by CPU 110 or other hardware devices. Access to RAM 125 and/or ROM 130 may be controlled by memory controller 120. Memory controller 120 may provide an address translation function that translates virtual addresses into physical addresses as instructions are executed. Memory controller 120 may also provide a memory protection function that isolates processes within the system and isolates system processes from user processes.

Display 160, which is controlled by display controller 155, can be used to display visual output and/or presentation generated by or at the request of computing system 100. Such visual output may include text, graphics, animated graphics, and/or video, for example. Display 160 may be implemented with a CRT-based video display, an LCD-based flat-panel display, gas plasma-based flat-panel display, touch-panel, or the like. Display controller 155 includes electronic components required to generate a video signal that is sent to display 160.

Further, computing system 100 may contain network adapter 165 which may be used to couple computing system 100 to an external communication network 170, which may include or provide access to the Internet and/or the aforementioned remote servers and/or the aforementioned storage devices. Communications network 170 may provide user access for computing system 100 with means of communicating and transferring software and information electronically. Additionally, communications network 170 may provide for distributed processing, which involves several computers and the sharing of workloads or cooperative efforts in performing a task. It is appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing communications links between computing system 100 and remote users may be used.

It is appreciated that exemplary computing system 100 is merely illustrative of a computing environment in which the herein described systems and methods may operate. Thus, the exemplary system discussed does not limit the implementation of the herein described systems and methods in computing environments having differing components and configurations, as the inventive concepts described herein may be implemented in various computing environments using various components and configurations.

As shown in FIG. 3, computing system 100 may be deployed in networked computing environment 200. In general, the above description for computing system 100 applies to server, client, and peer computers deployed in a networked environment, for example, server 205, tablet/laptop/mobile computer 210, and desktop computer 230. FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary illustrative networked computing environment 200, with a server in communication with client computing and/or communicating devices via a communications network, in which the herein described apparatus and methods may be employed.

As shown in FIG. 3, server 205 may be interconnected via a communications network 240 (which may include any of, or any combination of, a fixed-wire or wireless LAN, WAN, intranet, extranet, peer-to-peer network, virtual private network, the Internet, or other communications network such as POTS, ISDN, VoIP, PSTN, etc.) with a number of client computing/communication devices such as laptop computer 210, wireless mobile telephone 215, wired telephone 220, personal digital assistant 225, user desktop computer 230, and/or other communication enabled devices (not shown). Server 205 may comprise dedicated servers operable to process and communicate data such as digital content 250 to and from client devices 210, 215, 220, 225, 230, etc. using any of a number of known protocols, such as hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), file transfer protocol (FTP), simple object access protocol (SOAP), wireless application protocol (WAP), or the like. Additionally, networked computing environment 200 may utilize various data security protocols such as secured socket layer (SSL), pretty good privacy (PGP), virtual private network (VPN) security, or the like. Each client device 210, 215, 220, 225, 230, etc., may be equipped with an operating system operable to support one or more computing and/or communication applications, such as a web browser (not shown), email (not shown), or the like, to interact with server 205.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary screen shot in accordance with the time-tracked fitness system discussed herein. The exemplary screen shot may be provided on the afore-discussed computer display, such as a thin client interface available over at least one network. The illustrative screen shot shows a user several options to begin a time monitored fitness program. The options include, for example, entering the program, logging-in to an existing account within the program, obtaining fitness information, and the like. The screen shot of FIG. 4 may be provided, for example, when a user logs-in from a computer on which they are not “cookied” but for a user who has an existing account, or for a user who does not have an existing account.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary registration template screen, such as for a new user to the time tracked fitness program. As illustrated, a first registration screen may obtain very basic information regarding the new user, and may provide a log-in. Further, a user may have received an invitation, such as by e-mail, to join the time-tracked fitness program, and in this event an identification code associated with the invitation may be entered, manually or automatically based on metadata in the invite, at the illustrated registration screen.

FIG. 6 is a screen shot illustrating further information that may be gained at registration. As illustrated, a user may be asked to provide an indication of the user's overall health or fitness, which indication may be modified by the user over time, or which indication may be modified automatically, at least in part, as the user engages in the time tracked fitness program. By way of non-limiting example, FIG. 6 illustrates that a user may assess his or her energy level, his/her satisfaction with his/her current looks, his/her assessment of his/her overall health, and/or his/her assessment of his/her quality of life. As understood by those skilled in the art, and as discussed above, this information may be entered to, for example, a database wherein this information will be associated with the other information of the user obtained at log-in, and further that this information may be accumulated, such as anonymously, across multiple users, such as for advertising and/or marketing purposes.

FIG. 7 is a screen shot illustrating further information that may be obtained from the user upon registration, and/or that may be modified by the user during the program, and/or may be modified by the program automatically. The illustrated information of FIG. 7 relates to the user's body, and includes the user's physical condition, the user's coordination, the user's strength, and the user's flexibility. Needless to say, the information of FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, and/or additional information obtained from the user at registration or thereafter, may be provided on multiple screens, such as a quick login as discussed elsewhere herein, or may be provided on a single screen through which the user can scroll during and throughout the different aspects discussed herein.

FIG. 8 is a screen shot illustrating a user's input upon registration, which may be modified post-registration, and in this case the user's input is with regard to the user's exercise habits. As shown, and by way of non-limiting example, a user may enter information with respect to the user's exercise experience level, the user's exercise knowledge, the user's motivation, the user's knowledge of nutrition, and the user's eating habits. Again, this information may be associated with the user in the database, and may likewise be accumulated for use in advertising or marketing. Further, the features entered by the user, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 6-8, may be used to drive the detailed generation of the user's targeted, time-tracked exercise program.

By way of further example, the user's generation of a recommended exercise program may include consideration of the user's entered preferences. For example, and as illustrated in FIG. 9, the user may be asked preferences as to walking, running, exercise classes, other types of exercise, and the user may additionally be offered an option of not knowing what the user's activity preferences are. This last option, for example, allows the present invention to include or design detailed exercise programs for those users who were previously engaged in little or no activity. FIG. 10 further illustrates other exemplary aspects of user activity preferences, such as whether the user prefers cardio exercises, strength exercises, or stress relief and relaxation exercises.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the key aspect to the detailed design of a user's time tracked fitness program may be the user's current commitment to activity time, particularly in view of the user's commitment that will be required to obtain a desired fitness level. FIG. 11 shows that the user may be asked at what level the user is currently active, such as per day, per week, per month, or the like. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the user is asked whether he or she is inactive, active less than one hour per week, active one to two and half hours per week, active two and a half to five hours per week, or active more than five hours per week. Obviously, those skilled in the art will appreciate that such time commitment levels are indicative of a user's current state of health, that is, a user that is currently inactive is likely to be very unfit, while a user who is active more than five hours per week is likely to be moderately to significantly fit.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary screen shot that illustrates that a user of the present invention may preferably set forth personal goals for his or her fitness. Further, as illustrated, the present invention may ask that the user commit more to the user's fitness than the user's current activity level entered in FIG. 11, such as in an attempt to design a program to improve the user's fitness. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 12 and as may be the case throughout the screen shot illustrations in the present invention, the user may be provided with information, data, recommendations, or the like that may improve the user's fitness. Such information or data may be targeted to the user based on information entered by the user throughout the screen shots, may be generically provided to all users at various points throughout the screen shots, and/or may include targeted advertisements to the user throughout the screen shots of the present invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates that a user may elect communication preferences for the time tracked fitness program in accordance with the present invention. Thereby, for example, the user may be enabled to communicate via one or two way communication with the engine of the present invention that time tracks the fitness program via numerous communication methodologies that increase the convenience for the user of the use of the present invention. As illustrated, such methodologies may include, for example, SMS messages, MMS messages, e-mail, blogging, voice communications, or the like.

FIG. 14 illustrates additional health information that may preferably be obtained regarding the user prior to recommendation of a time tracked fitness program. As illustrated, it may be preferred that height, weight, body mass index, or the like may be obtained regarding the user such that the user's actual fitness information may be compared to the previously entered fitness information, such as for verification and to further allow for the accumulation of data, such as for targeted marketing, advertising, or like purposes. Needless to say, it may be preferable that such information, upon being obtained from the user, be kept strictly confidential, and as such, such information may or may not be shared only in a marketing or advertising context in aggregated form with the data of other users. Of course, this and additional information may be entered at registration, and may be modified by the user at a later time, such as automatically, including upon interaction by the user with an electronic device, such as an automated scale, or based on the user's participation in the fitness program and the estimated results obtained thereby.

FIG. 15 is a screen shot illustrating a preliminary recommendation of several different programs that may work for the given user based on the information entered by that user at registration. Likewise, a detailed program may be recommended when the user modifies or enters new information. These recommendations may, for example, be provided by the engine discussed hereinabove, wherein the engine may take into account a variety of information entered by the user, and may additionally incorporate available external or third party information, such as by a web-crawl, web search, or the like, in order to generate a time tracked fitness program. In certain embodiments, this fitness program recommendation wizard may make a minimum number of suggestions for fitness program, such as one suggestion, and may further have a maximum number of suggestions, such as two, three, four, or more suggestions. The programs selected by the present invention may be selected from a limited number of programs that are available, wherein each available program may have associated therewith particular criteria, such as in accordance with the criteria requested of the user. Thereafter, upon receipt of the user criteria, the engine may make a best match for a program most likely to be desired by, or helpful to, the user.

FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary screen shot in which goal progress of a user may be tracked. As illustrated, FIG. 16 may be a type of “home page” for a given user, whereat the user's calendar, scheduling, exercise types, exercise options, and the like are available, as are the user's goals and the user's profile. Further, the user may be enabled to view the user's fitness calendar, challenges in which the user is participating, and the exercise or fitness types that the user is undertaking. Additionally, the user may be enabled to quick log exercise of particular types, such as quick logging a time tracking of unexpected exercise, such as wherein steps are taken from a twentieth floor office building to depart the building upon hearing a fire drill.

Further, as illustrated in the exemplary screen shot of FIG. 17, secondary home pages may optionally update the user as to challenge progress, personal goal progress, present advertisements, or the like. As such, to the extent the user is not yet participating in a challenge or has not yet set personal goals, the secondary home screen may provide an opportunity to update challenges or personal goals.

FIG. 18 is an exemplary embodiment of a key aspect of the present invention—namely, the calendar that tracks the time track of the fitness program. As illustrated, the calendar tracks scheduled exercise activities, such as particular videos, and such as other scheduled activities. Further, the calendar allows for the tracking of completion of the timed activities, such as by a user checking on the activity with a green box, or by checking on the activity with a red box to indicate the task was not completed in a timely manner. Further, the calendar, illustrated in FIG. 18, including the days, times, duration, activities, and the like, may be downloaded in whole to a personal calendar, such as an Outlook calendar, as will be understood to those skilled in the art. Further, based on the previously discussed user communication preferences, individual activities, or a calendar in whole or in part, may be communicated to the user via SMS/MMS, e-mail, or the like. For example, FIG. 19 illustrates synchronization of the calendar shown in FIG. 18 with an offline calendar, such as a Google calendar or Outlook calendar. Further, other events may be entered into the calendar, such as unexpected timed events. This is illustrated with greater particularity in FIG. 20, wherein a quick log allows for a user to enter in an activity and a duration and upload that activity as a completed activity to the calendar. Further, the quick log capability may, because the quick logged activity is not part of the recommended program, further allow for the engine of the present invention to assess a quality of time of the exercise entered. That is, the user may receive the precise time of the activity as credited time for the time tracked fitness program, or may receive greater time credit for a more strenuous activity or less time credit for a less strenuous activity.

FIG. 21 illustrates with greater particularity an aspect of a recommended program. As shown, a walking program may have various options within the program, wherein options not yet selected by the user may indicate, such as by a plus sign, that those options may be add-able by the user, and wherein options already selected by the user may include a minus sign, such as to be deleted from the program by the user. Needless to say, the addition or deletion of a program aspect from the overall program may be employed to update the calendar discussed hereinabove. FIG. 22 is similar to FIG. 21, with the exception that FIG. 22 is illustrative of an exemplary running program. Likewise, FIG. 23 is similar to FIGS. 21 and 22, but FIG. 23 illustrates a proposed video program.

FIG. 24 is an exemplary illustration that a user may make recommended purchases through the present invention. Products advertised may be applicable to the user's selected time tracked fitness program and/or may be sponsored products or advertisements. For example, a user may be enabled to join a gym for time tracked fitness credits in the user's time tracked program, wherein a recommended gym may be geographically assessed as local to the user, such as based on the user's GPS position on a mobile device or based on the user's IP address. Similarly, FIG. 25 illustrates recommended healthy diets for use in conjunction with the user's recommended time tracked fitness program. Foods may include third-party products or services, such as through sponsored advertisements or based on recommendations.

FIG. 26 is an exemplary illustration of motivation to be used to keep a user exercising in accordance with the prescribed time tracked fitness program. Such motivation, may include, for example, motivational sayings, photos, such as of the user in a previous fitness state, charts of progress towards personal goals, and the like. Favorite motivational tactics may be indicated by the user, so that the most motivational material for a particular user can be provided to the user on a regular basis. The use of such motivational favorites is illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of screen shot in FIG. 27.

The screen shot of FIG. 28 illustrates, as discussed hereinabove, that goals and progress may be updated by the user as the user improves and follows the recommended program. Upon receipt of such updates, the engine may create new recommendations, either in part or in whole for a time tracked fitness program for that user.

FIG. 29 illustrates an exemplary challenge for a user. In preferred embodiments, the current challenge is indicated to the user, and progress towards the current challenge is tracked. For example, the aforementioned engine may calculate, such as on a daily basis, the percentage of total minutes that the user has achieved, and may compare that value with the percentage of days that have already passed in the challenge. In preferred embodiments, challenges may be shared with friends, such as using a widget or via an invite to join the underlying website of the present invention.

Challenges, or competitions, may also be created by the user, and other users may be invited to join such challenges. This is illustrated with greater particularity in FIG. 30. A created challenge may be announced, such as several days in advance of the beginning of the challenge. Challenge results may be viewed in real time until a new challenge is announced, and as such, progress among competitors may be tracked in real time. Challenges may be organized by team, or by individual. For example, in a team challenge, a particular team, such as co-workers at a particular company, may participate in the challenge against other teams, such as other personnel from other companies. In a team challenge, individual competitors may or may not be shown, but the progress of each team versus the user's team may be viewable in real time. In a preferred embodiment, in an individual challenge, the progress of individual competitors may be shown as against the user to the user. Creation of an individual challenge is illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 31. Challenges in which a user is actively participating may be viewable to the user, such as illustrated in FIG. 32. As mentioned above, progress versus competitors in a challenge may likewise be available to the user, such as is illustrated in FIG. 33. Further, FIG. 34 illustrates that a trophy case may be provided, such as when trophies are obtained by the user upon completion of challenges, upon victories in challenges, either as an individual or a team, or the like.

FIGS. 35-38 illustrate the updating of health information pursuant to participation in a time tracked fitness program recommended by the present invention. As discussed throughout, the correspondent information may be updated by a user, or may be at least partially automatically updated by the engine by the present invention in accordance with the user's participation level in the program, or may be automatically updated by association of the user with electronic devices, such as with a scale, for example. Further, the present invention allows for the tracking of detailed data not available in the prior art, in part because the user's height, weight, body mass index, or the like is known, and the user's exercise level is likewise known. Further known are the preferred activities of the user that lead to the improvement or the decline in fitness levels. Additionally, as illustrated in FIGS. 35-38, the updating of health information is visually simplistic, such as wherein red is used for a worsening condition, and green is illustrative of an improving condition.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate, in light of the discussion herein, that challenges may receive titles to allow users to differentiate between challenges, and that such titles may be set administratively or by users, for example. Different titles and different criteria may indicate different challenges, such as different lengths of challenges, different types of challenges, or the like. For example, an active New Year's Challenge may be a title that indicates a challenge that lasts for four weeks in January, just after the New Year, and that requires a user to accumulate 600 minutes of exercise over the four week period. A March Madness challenge may occur for three weeks in March, such as overlapping with the NCAA basketball tournament, and may require that a user accumulates 600 minutes over a three week time period, but that the user may get double minutes for every strenuous exercise video class taken. Likewise, users may get bonus minutes for attempting certain new activities, or for trying a particular number of different activities over the course of a month, a quarter, or the like.

Needless to say, and as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the engine of the present invention may include an administrative “back end,” wherein the administrative back end may allow for administrative functions by authorized administrative users, such as including the generation of new programs. As illustrated in the screen shot of FIG. 39, an administrative user who is authorized to have access to new programs may access a new program generator screen, wherefrom new programs may be created to be offered to users. New programs may include, for example, a category of the program such that the program may be matched to appropriate fitness level users, and such that the program may be properly categorized on the site for selection by users; a title of the program; an activity in the program; a duration of the program, noting that the program might have a start date but not an end date; a frequency for the program, such as the number of sessions in a particular week, which frequency may change over the course of a program; the recommended days of the week for each session within the program, which may likewise change over the duration of the program; and session durations specified in minutes per session and aggregated minutes for the total program, which may likewise change over the course of the program. These program values may then be calculated for optimized impact based on time tracking of the entered fitness program, wherein the optimal program is then populated to the user's calendar with activity dates and times for the program entered.

Similarly, FIG. 40 illustrates a challenge generator for the creation of challenges by administrative users. The challenge generator may be available only to administrative users for particular challenges, noting that, and as discussed above, certain challenges may also be available for generation by individual users who are not administrators. The administrative challenge generator may require entry of the name of the challenge, as that name will be seen by users; a description of the challenge, as the description will be seen by users; the start and end date of the challenge; the goal of the challenge, which may be fixed for variable, for example, and whether the obtaining of goal rewards, such as a trophy in the aforementioned trophy case, may occur; any available bonus minutes, which preferably includes the activities, that, if any, allow for the earning of bonus minutes; and of the start and end of the message dates, such as for messages inviting users to join the challenge.

FIG. 41 illustrates a screen shot, preferably available to administrators, that illustrates a key that may be used to match a user's answers to registration questions to exercise preference and intensity options, by way of by way of non-limiting example. FIG. 42 illustrates, with greater particularity, the association of a key with particular exercises, as discussed above with respect to FIG. 41. Moreover, FIG. 43 is an illustration of an administrative view of program names matched with program codes, program keys and program descriptions/description codes. Challenges may be included in the administrative screens of FIGS. 42, 42 and 43, by way of non-limiting example.

FIG. 44 is an illustration of a user's side interface for a mobile application in accordance to the invention discussed hereinabove. As illustrated, and in preferred embodiments, the previously discussed quick log may be available in order to have the user enter unexpected exercise time to his or her account for time tracking associated with such unscheduled activity. Further, and as illustrated, a user may be enabled to find a gym proximate to the user's GPS location, and/or to check-in to that gym location; to mark a scheduled activity, such as on the user's calendar, as done; to check progress towards a challenge the user is participating in, or the like.

FIG. 45 illustrates with greater particularity an exemplary embodiment of a quick log on a mobile device. As shown, the user may be enabled to enter or access, such as via a drop-down, the date of the event to be quick logged, the duration of the event, and the type of activity engaged in for the unexpected exercise.

Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the herein described systems and methods may be subject to various modifications and alternative constructions. There is no intention to limit the scope of the invention to the specific constructions described herein. Rather, the herein described systems and methods are intended to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the scope and spirit of the invention and its equivalents.

Claims

1. A system of providing a schedule for improving fitness of a user by tracking activity time:

at least one user interface instantiated by computing code stored remotely over a network from the user in at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and suitable for accepting a plurality of user information regarding the user;

at least one database stored in at least one of the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising a plurality of exercise activities coded at least by time;

a matching engine comprising computing code executed from at least one of the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and suitable for selecting a fitness program comprising ones of the plurality of exercise activities matched, by the matching engine and correspondent to the respective coded times, to the plurality of user information; and

an electronic calendar of the fitness program provided to at least one of the at least one user interface for the user, communicative with the matching engine and suitable for receiving updates from the user regarding completion of the coded times for each of the matched ones of the exercise activities of the fitness program.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user information comprises current activity level of the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user information comprises at least two of height, weight, body mass index, and current fitness level of the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of exercise activities comprises at least one of walking, running, and participatory video watching.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the matching engine is suitable for modifying the fitness program in accordance with the received updates from the electronic calendar.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one user interface comprises at least a stationary user interface and a mobile user interface.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the network at least partially comprises a cellular network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of exercise activities comprises at least one of aerobic exercise, weightlifting, and yoga.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the received updates are received at least partially in real time during the activity time.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the received updates are received at least partially from a mobile device.

11. A system of providing a schedule for improving fitness of a plurality of users by tracking active time:

at least one administrative user interface instantiated by computing code stored in at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and suitable for accepting a plurality of challenges for ones of the plurality of users, wherein each of the plurality of challenges comprises at least aggregated active time;

at least one database stored in at least one of the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium, and comprising a plurality of exercise activities selectable for inclusion in ones of the plurality of challenges and coded in the at least one database at least by time;

a challenge engine comprising computing code executed from at least one of the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and suitable for providing to select ones of the plurality users the ones of the plurality of challenges related, according to the at least one administrative user interface, to the select ones of the plurality of users, wherein the aggregated active time comprises at least a summation of the coded time of each of ones of the plurality of activities in the related ones of the plurality of challenges; and

an electronic calendar provided to each of the select ones of the plurality of users that illustrates to the select one of the users accessing the electronic calendar at least progress of the select one of the users toward the aggregated active time of the related ones of the plurality of challenges.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the aggregated active time further comprises bonus time accorded ones of the plurality of the plurality of activities in the related ones of the plurality of challenges.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the bonus time comprises negative time summed to the coded time.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the bonus time comprises additive time summed to the coded time.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic calendar further illustrates to the select one of the users at least progress of others of the select ones of the users participating in the related ones of the plurality of challenges.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic calendar further illustrates to the select one of the users at least aggregated progress of others of the select ones of the users participating in the related ones of the plurality of challenges.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the challenge engine illustrates to the select one of the users at least aggregated progress of others of the select ones of the users participating in the related ones of the plurality of challenges.

18. A method of providing a schedule for improving fitness of a user by tracking active time:

instantiating, by non-transitory computing code, a user interface for accepting a plurality of user information regarding the user;

storing, in a non-transitory computer readable medium, a plurality of exercise activities coded at least by time;

matching, using non-transitory computing code, of ones of the plurality of exercise activities, according to the respective coded times, to the plurality of user information to generate a recommended fitness program; and

calendaring the recommended fitness program to receive updates from the user regarding completion of the respective coded times for each of the matched ones of the exercise activities of the fitness program.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising challenging the user to complete the respective coded times of ones of the plurality of exercise activities in competition with other users.

20. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of user information comprises at least a current activity level, and wherein said matching comprises matching according to the current activity level.