Braking Systems and Methods for Exercise Equipment

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/058,697 filed Nov. 23, 2022 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” which is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2021/034632 filed May 27, 2021 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/032,512 filed May 29, 2020 entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/075,198 filed Sep. 6, 2020 entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” all of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/058,697 filed Nov. 23, 2022 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXEDRCISE EQUIPMENT,” which is a continuation-in-part to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/165,919 filed Feb. 2, 2021 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” which is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2019/045013 filed Aug. 2, 2019 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/714,635 filed Aug. 3, 2018 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” all of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/492,680 filed Oct. 23, 2023 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/165,919 filed Feb. 2, 2021 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” which is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2019/045013 filed Aug. 2, 2019 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/714,635 filed Aug. 3, 2018 and entitled “BRAKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EXERCISE EQUIPMENT,” all of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

The present application relates generally to the field of exercise equipment and methods, and more specifically to systems and methods for sensing and/or adjusting resistance in exercise equipment.

Modern fitness equipment is often configured to allow a user to adjust the intensity and/or other settings according to personal training goals. The adjustment operation may be difficult and cumbersome for many users, especially during exercise. For example, an exercise cycle, such as a spin bike, may be configured with a torque regulator, allowing a user to adjust the pedal resistance by adjusting a degree of torque to be applied to a flywheel. The torque adjustment can be difficult to operate and take a long time to accurately set, inconveniencing the user during exercise. The torque adjustment can also interfere with the exercise session if the user is distracted by sudden changes to the torque during adjustment. Further complicating the user experience, an auxiliary brake may also be included to stop the spinning flywheel and the drivetrain for safety purposes. This is usually achieved by a separate friction-based brake that is designed only to be used intermittently to bring the system to a full stop. There is therefore a need for improved systems and methods for operating exercise equipment that increases the convenience to the user and enhances the exercise experience.

In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for sensing and adjusting torque in exercise equipment are provided. In some embodiments, a braking system includes a plurality of magnets providing varying exercise resistance when moved in relation to a flywheel of the exercise apparatus. In some embodiments, a braking system includes both an easy to use and accurate resistance adjustment assembly for adjusting resistance during exercise and an auxiliary brake for bringing the flywheel to a full stop through the same adjustment knob, providing convenience and safety for the operator. A control system smoothly adjusts the resistance during operation and derives power, cadence, resistance, and other values for use by the system and display to the user.

In various embodiments, the resistance adjustment apparatus is operable to control the level of resistance in the resistance brake using electronic systems and methods. Further, it may be desirable to physically measure the amount of torque being applied to the flywheel of an exercise bike, and the amount of resistance being felt by the user in order to determine how much instantaneous power is being generated and how much total work has been done by the user. Physically measuring the level of applied resistance increases the accuracy of the measurement compared to conventional methods that infer an amount of resistance applied by measuring the position of the braking mechanism relative to the flywheel and comparing this measurement to a previously measured and correlated resistance level. The embodiments disclosed herein provide these and other advantages as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Referring to, example embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described. A resistance system includes an electronic resistance assembly operable to adjust the resistance applied to a flywheelof an exercise apparatus. The electronic resistance assembly may include an electrically driven actuatorthat drives a resistance brake assemblyto pivot towards and away from the flywheelabout a pivot point. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot pointcomprises one or more screws, bolts or other components to pivotably attach the resistance brake assemblyto a frame of the cycle.

The resistance brake assemblyincludes two or more magnetsselected and arranged such that, as the magnetsmove closer to (e.g., eclipsing the edge of the flywheel) and/or further away from the center of the flywheel, the amount of resistance can be adjusted from a maximum level to zero. The flywheelmay be made of aluminum or other material capable of generating resistive forces while passing through the field of the magnet. In one embodiment, the actuatoris a stepper motor, such as a permanent magnet linear stepper motor, comprising a shaft. The shafthas a first end pivotably attached to the frame of the cycle, allowing the shaftto pivot as the stepper motor traverses along the shaft. In one embodiment, the fixed end is hinged preventing rotation along its primary axis. The stepper motor bodyis pivotably attached to the resistance brake assemblyat a mounting point, allowing the stepper motorto pivot relative to the resistance brake assemblyduring operation. In operation, the stepper motoris operable to translate up and down the threaded shaft, causing the brake assemblyto pivot about the pivot point. As a result, the magnetsare selectively moved up and down relative to the flywheelto adjust the resistance.

In various embodiments, the resistance system further includes an auxiliary brake assembly, which can operate independently of the pivoting resistance brake assembly. The auxiliary brake assemblymay be activated by the operator by pressing down onto an adjustment knob, which will cause an elongated adjustment shaftto translate towards the flywheel, causing the pivoting friction brake assemblyto pivot towards the flywheel, eventually contacting the edge of the flywheel and providing the braking force. Rotating the adjustment knobwill cause the elongated adjustment shaftto rotate about its primary axis which is connected to an electrical encoder (e.g., as shown in). The electrical encoder generates a signal in response to sensed rotation of the adjustment knob, which may be used by the electronic control system to generate commands to activate the electronic actuatorto move the pivoting resistance brake assemblycloser or further away from the flywheel.

A load cellmeasures the reaction force transmitted from a second partof the pivoting brake assembly (including a magnet holding bracket and one or more magnets held therein) to the first partmounted to the frame. In various embodiments, the load cellmay have metal body and be comprised of bonded metal foil strain gauges, silicon strain gauges, and/or other components. The load celljoins the first part of the brake assemblyto the second part of the brake assembly. In one embodiment, the brake assemblyis supported by the load celland is not supported by other devices or assemblies.

The configuration of the magnet holding bracketand the load cellwill be such that the force measured by the load cellwill be proportional to the load being applied to the flywheel. In order to calculate the torque applied to the user, the product of the applied force, and the distance from the center of the flywheel will yield the torque applied to the flywheel. The rotational speed of the flywheel may also be measured using one or more sensors (e.g., using one or more sensors to measure RPMs). The power absorbed by the resistance apparatus may be calculated as a function of shaft torque and speed, for example by using the formula Power (W)=Shaft Torque (N*m)*Speed (RPM)*0.10472.

Referring to, additional embodiments of a braking system for an exercise apparatus will now be described. In the illustrated embodiment, the braking systemis provided for an exercise cycle that includes a torque sensing apparatus that can reduce the adjustment effort and shorten the sensing time, thereby increasing the convenience of the operation for the user.

The braking systemincludes a torque adjusting unitand a linkage assembly. The torque adjusting unitincludes an adjusting bracket, an adjusting shaft, and a brake compression spring. In some embodiments, the brake compression springis provided to bias the adjust shaftin an upward position (no resistance on flywheel) absent downward force applied to the adjusting shaft.

The adjusting bracketis disposed around a periphery of a flywheel, with one end of the adjusting bracketattached to load cell. The adjusting shaft(in some embodiments, a push rod having a push rod tip), passes through a brake encoder, which senses the rotation of the adjusting shaft. The push rod tipincludes an end portion adapted to correspondingly engage with a portion of brake pad assembly. In some embodiments, a joint is formed between push rod tipand the brake pad assemblyhousing. In the illustrated embodiment, the push rod tipis substantially conical shaped with a rounded tip to engage a corresponding concave portion of the brake pad assemblyhousing, allowing the push rod to apply downward pressure on the brake pad assembly, which pivotably rotates to the fly wheel. In various embodiments, the push rod tipand the brake pad assemblyhousing may be correspondingly formed in other configurations that enable the push rodto pivotably move the brake pad assemblytowards the flywheel.

In one or more embodiments, a brake padis disposed in the adjusting bracketto apply additional resistance to the flywheelwhen the adjusting bracketis pushed down onto the flywheelby the adjusting shaft. In various embodiments, the adjusting bracket includes a brake pad disposed to apply a resistance to the flywheel when the adjusting bracket is pushed into the flywheelby the adjusting shaft. A knob, handle, lever or other mechanism may be disposed at an end of the adjusting shaftto facilitate the application of force to lower the brake pad assemblyto contact the flywheel.

The load cellis connected on a first end to the adjusting bracketand on a second end to a first mounting bracket. An actuator, such as stepper motor, is pivotably attached between the first mounting bracketand a second mounting bracket. The stepper motorincludes a stepper motor rodthat is pivotably attached to a brake mounting bracket. In operation, the stepper motoris driven to move up and down along the stepper motor rod. At the same time, the mounting bracketsandmove up and down, causing corresponding movement of the adjusting bracketrelative to the flywheel, such that magnetic flux between one or more pairs of magnetic membersdisposed on opposite sides of the flywheel is changed, providing resistance to the flywheel. When the stepper motoris driven, the mounting bracketsandand the load celladjust accordingly. The torque adjustment unitis driven to orient toward or away from the brake mounting bracketsuch that a distance and orientation between the stepper motorand the brake mounting bracketis changed, as may be sensed by the load cell.

In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the braking systemof the present embodiment includes a load cellmounted to support and move the adjusting bracketin response to the stepper motorto provide resistance to the flywheel. In some embodiments, the mounting bracketsandare pivotably attached to a bike frame. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting bracketsandare pivotably attached to the bike frame through a bike frame weldment, in an assembly that may include one or more screws, bolts and/or spacers to center the brake assembly over the flywheel and allow for pivoting of the brake assembly up and down relative to the flywheel.

In one embodiment, a brake mounting bracket pivotably connects the brake pad assemblyto the frame at the same pivot point connecting mounting bracketto frame. In some embodiments, a torque spring is provided to bias the brake pad assemblyupward absent downward force applied by the push down rod.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to.illustrates a stepper motorin a first position adjacent to the brake mounting bracket. In this first position, the magnets in the adjusting bracketare maintained in a position above the flywheel, providing minimal resistance on the flywheel.illustrates the stepper motorin a second position, adjacent to a second end of the stepper motor rod. In this second position, the magnets in the adjusting bracketare lowered such that the flywheel is between each corresponding pair of magnets, thereby maximizing magnetic resistance during exercise. The position of the magnets relative to the flywheelis sensed through the load cell.

illustrates the auxiliary brake in a first position, providing no resistance on the flywheel. In the first position, the brake pad assemblyis biased away from the flywheel.illustrates the auxiliary brake in second position, with the brake padpressed against the flywheelthrough the downward pressure applied by a user on the adjusting rod. It will be appreciated that the operation of the auxiliary brake does not affect the resistance applied by the magnets of the adjusting bracket, which is controlled by the stepper motor. It will be appreciated that certain advantages are achieved in the disclosure embodiments. For example, a user may be provided with a single knob that may be rotated to control the stepper motorto raise or lower the resistance braking assembly, and that may be depressed to activate an auxiliary brake through a second braking assembly.

The embodiments disclosed herein achieve various design goals, including reducing bike-to-bike watt variability (and metrics accuracy) and providing accurate calibration for a simple and easy way for the user to accurately adjust the resistance during exercise. In various embodiments, a braking mechanism may include a resistance control system comprising a user-controlled adjustment knob and a brake encoder for sensing the user knob adjustments. The sensed knob adjustments may be translated into signals for driving an electric actuator to vary the resistance. In various embodiments, accuracy will approach and/or exceed +/−1%.

In various embodiments, the actuator may include a stepper motor operable to selectively drive the brake assembly towards and away from the flywheel, with speed and precision exceeding human control. In this manner, the user is provided with fully programmatic control of brake level.

In some embodiments, the braking force is measured via a load cell, which may include a low cost, high precision load cell operable to measure forces generated directly within the brake mechanism. Braking force can be used with a measured flywheel speed to accurately calculate user power output. In one embodiment, the actuator may comprise a 35 mm permanent magnet, non-captive, linear stepper motor to actuate the braking mechanism. In various embodiments, the load cell may include a low-cost aluminum, single point load cell, arranged such that the load cell is the only member connecting the magnet holding bracket to the rest of the braking mechanism. The stepper motor may include an integrated stepper driver with current control. In some embodiments, a stepper motor operable at 12 v, 500-900 mA may be used. Microstepping may be used for smooth and quiet operation.

In some embodiments, the signal from the load cell may be conditioned via integrated amplifiers and high-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) compatible for load cell amplification. Alternatively, a standalone amplifier could be used in conjunction with a built in ADC on a microcontroller. Alternatively, the load cells may include conditioning circuitry and provide a digital output.

In some embodiments, the resistance magnets may include 6 resistance magnets arranged in 3 corresponding magnet pairs (or other paired arrangement). Each magnet may be, for example, 25 mm diameter, 8 mm thick sintered Neodymium rare earth magnets, grade N32. The resistance apparatus may include a magnet holder that is formed in one piece, machined and bent into shape for use as described herein. In some embodiments, two opposing linear bearings carry the measurement subassembly and common drawer slides or linear bearings with a similar envelope could be used.

illustrate an alternate embodiment of a brake mechanismin a first position () providing resistance to the flywheeland a second position () with the magnets maintained in a position above the flywheel, providing minimal resistance on the flywheel. The brake mechanismincludes an actuator, a bracket, magnet brake componentsdisposed on the bracket, a load cell (not shown) disposed between the bracket and a mounting bracket, which is slidably mounted to drawer slides.

In various embodiments, the auxiliary (e.g., emergency brake) may be activated via a cable, plunger or other mechanical system. By integrating the emergency brake into the resistance apparatus, the cycle has a cleaner look without an extra activation interface.

Various embodiments of electrical components for use in an exercise apparatus with a braking system disclosed herein will now be described with reference to. In various embodiments, logical components are operable to evaluate the load cell signals and adjust for noise, accuracy, precision, resolution and/or drift throughout a workout. The logical components may include a calibration procedure, power calculation method, reporting of data to a display, tablet or other connected device, and/or other features associated with the operation of the exercise apparatus. The logical components may also function to evaluate and tune the actuator assembly motion, accuracy, speed and audible noise. In some embodiments, communication with a tablet or display may be facilitated across a wired (e.g., using RS-232 standard) or wireless communications (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, etc.) standard. The logical components may include a “go to resistance” option directing the stepping motor/actuator to adjust the resistance until a desired resistance is sensed.

illustrates electrical and processing components for an example exercise apparatus in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. A systemincludes exercise apparatus electrical componentsand an operator terminal. The exercise apparatus electrical componentsfacilitate the operation of an exercise apparatus, including communications with the operator terminal, controlling various components (e.g., a linear actuator), and receiving and processing sensor data.

In various embodiments, the exercise apparatus electrical componentsinclude a controller, power supply, communications components, a stepper motor driverfor controlling the linear actuator, load cell circuitry(e.g., PGA and/or ADC) for receiving a signal from load celland conditioning the signal, and interfaces with other sensors, which may include sensors for detecting flywheel RPMs and/or sensors for measuring changes in knob positon in response to user adjustments as disclosed herein.

The controllermay be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs) (e.g., field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), field programmable systems on a chip (FPSCs), or other types of programmable devices), or other processing devices used to control the operations of the exercise apparatus.

Communications componentsmay include wired and wireless interfaces. Wired interfaces may include communications links with the operator terminal, and may be implemented as one or more physical networks or device connect interfaces. Wireless interfaces may be implemented as one or more WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular, infrared, radio, and/or other types of network interfaces for wireless communications, and may facilitate communications with the operator terminal, and other wireless devices. In various embodiments, the controlleris operable to provide control signals and commnications with the operator terminal.

The operator terminalis operable to communicate with and control the operation of the exercise apparatus electrical componentsin response to user input. The operator terminalincludes a controller, exercise and user control logic, display components, user input/output components, and communications components.

The processormay be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs) (e.g., field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), field programmable systems on a chip (FPSCs), or other types of programmable devices), or other processing devices used to control the operator terminal. In this regard, processormay execute machine readable instructions (e.g., software, firmware, or other instructions) stored in a memory.

Exercise logicmay be implemented as circuitry and/or a machine readable medium storing various machine readable instructions and data. For example, in some embodiments, exercise logicmay store an operating system and one or more applications as machine readable instructions that may be read and executed by controllerto perform various operations described herein. In some embodiments, exercise logicmay be implemented as non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory, hard drive, solid state drive, or other non-transitory machine readable mediums), volatile memory, or combinations thereof. The exercise logicmay include status, configuration and control features which may include various control features disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the exercise logicexecutes an exercise class (e.g., live or archived) which may include an instructor and one or more other class participants. The exercise class may include a leaderboard and/or other comparative performance parameters for display to the user during the the exercise class.

Communications componentsmay include wired and wireless interfaces. A wired interface may be implemented as one or more physical network or device connection interfaces (e.g., Ethernet, and/or other protocols) configured to connect the operator terminalwith the exercise apparatus electrical components. Wireless interfaces may be implemented as one or more WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular, infrared, radio, and/or other types of network interfaces for wireless communications.

Displaypresents information to the user of operator terminal. In various embodiments, displaymay be implemented as an LED display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, and/or any other appropriate display. User input/output componentsreceive user input to operate features of the operator terminal.

Referring, an exemplary exercise apparatus is shown including an embodiment of the braking system disclosed herein. As shown, a stationary bikeincludes integrated or connected digital hardware including at least one display screen.

In various exemplary embodiments, a stationary bikemay comprise a frame, a handlebar postto support the handlebars, a seat postto support the seat, a rear supportand a front support. Pedalsare used to drive a flywheelvia a belt, chain, or other drive mechanism. The flywheelmay be a heavy metal disc or other appropriate mechanism. In various exemplary embodiments, the force on the pedals necessary to spin the flywheelcan be adjusted using a resistance adjustment knobwhich adjusts a resistance mechanism, such as the braking system disclosed herein. The resistance adjustment knob may rotate an adjustment shaft to control the resistance mechanismto increase or decrease the resistance of the flywheelto rotation. For example, rotating the resistance adjustment knob clockwise may cause a set of magnets of the resistance mechanismto move relative to the flywheel, increasing its resistance to rotation and increasing the force that the user must apply to the pedalsto make the flywheelspin.

The stationary bikemay also include various features that allow for adjustment of the position of the seat, handlebars, etc. In various exemplary embodiments, a display screenmay be mounted in front of the user forward of the handlebars. Such display screen may include a hinge or other mechanism to allow for adjustment of the position or orientation of the display screen relative to the rider.

The digital hardware associated with the stationary bikemay be connected to or integrated with the stationary bike, or it may be located remotely and wirelessly connected to the stationary bike. The digital hardware may be integrated with a display screenwhich may be attached to the stationary bike or it may be mounted separately but should be positioned to be in the line of sight of a person using the stationary bike. The digital hardware may include digital storage, processing, and communications hardware, software, and/or one or more media input/output devices such as display screens, cameras, microphones, keyboards, touchscreens, headsets, and/or audio speakers. In various exemplary embodiments these components may be integrated with the stationary bike. All communications between and among such components may be multichannel, multi-directional, and wireless or wired, using any appropriate protocol or technology. In various exemplary embodiments, the system may include associated mobile and web-based application programs that provide access to account, performance, and other relevant information to users from local or remote personal computers, laptops, mobile devices, or any other digital device.

In various exemplary embodiments, the stationary bikeis equipped with various sensors that can measure a range of performance metrics from both the stationary bike and the rider, instantaneously and/or over time. For example, the resistance mechanismmay include sensors providing resistance feedback on the position of the resistance mechanism. The stationary bike may also include power measurement sensors such as magnetic resistance power measurement sensors or an eddy current power monitoring system that provides continuous power measurement during use. The stationary bike may also include a wide range of other sensors to measure speed, pedal cadence, flywheel rotational speed, etc. The stationary bike may also include sensors to measure rider heart-rate, respiration, hydration, or any other physical characteristic. Such sensors may communicate with storage and processing systems on the bike, nearby, or at a remote location, using wired (such as view wired connection) or wireless connections.

Hardware and software within the sensors or in a separate processing system may be provided to calculate and store a wide range of status and performance information. Relevant performance metrics that may be measured or calculated include resistance, distance, speed, power, total work, pedal cadence, heart rate, respiration, hydration, calorie burn, and/or any custom performance scores that may be developed. Where appropriate, such performance metrics can be calculated as current/instantaneous values, maximum, minimum, average, or total over time, or using any other statistical analysis. Trends can also be determined, stored, and displayed to the user, the instructor, and/or other users. A user interface may be provided for the user to control the language, units, and other characteristics for the information displayed.

Referring to, a processfor operating a braking system in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described. In step, a rotation of an adjustment shaft is sensed using a brake encoder and received by the electrical control components (step). In accordance with the sensed rotation, the electrical control components generate a signal to drive a linear actuator to adjust the resistance applied to the flywheel (step). The linear actuator is then operated in response to the generated signal, to vary resistance by moving resistance components towards and/or away from the flywheel (step). A load cell is connected between the resistance components and the frame and senses a load applied to the resistance assembly. The load cell data is received by the electrical control components and one or more operational parameters is determined (step), such as instantaneous power or a measure of resistance applied to flywheel.

An example brake implementation in accordance with one or more embodiments will now be described with reference to. The illustrated embodiments provide example criteria for the brake, encoder and for deriving values for power, cadence and resistance, which may be displayed to the user. The data may be stored in a memory component associated with the exercise apparatus, a central server, such as a cloud storage service, or other storage system.

illustrate an example control system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. A processing systemincludes a control unitconfigured to receive and process signals from a plurality of sensors and/or components of an exercise apparatus and facilitate communications between components and a computing device. In the illustrated embodiment, the control unitis electrically connected to a rotary encoder, which is configured to sense rotation of a brake adjustment shaft, a load cellconfigured to measure the force being applied to the flywheel by a magnetic braking assembly, a hall effect sensor, which may be disposed to track rotation of a flywheel(e.g., speed of rotation), and a stepper motor, which provides information regarding a current brake position.

The control unitmay be connected to other devices through a communications link(e.g., USB-C connection providing 24V power to the control unit). The control unitprocesses the sensor inputs to generate datafor processing by the systemand/or display to the user (e.g., through a display device), such as revolutions per minute (RPMs), power, resistance and brake position. In various embodiments, the control unitmay be implemented as circuitry providing an interface between the sensors and a processing system, a sensor board, a data logger, a computing device and/or other hardware and/or software configured in accordance with system requirements. In various embodiments, the control unitinclude an RPM/cadence processing module, a load cell processing module, a knob position processing module, a resistance controller, a stepping supervisorand a data processing module.

illustrates example power states for efficient operation of an exercise apparatus, such as systemof. The power statesinclude production system states, state transitions and mapping to subsystem states including a touch display/tablet, brake controller and other system components. In the NO POWER state, the system is not receiving power (e.g., not connected to a wall power outlet) and all components are off. When the system is connected to a power source, the system enters an OFF state. This is a lower power state (e.g., consuming less than 0.5 W) and no processing is performed. A light (e.g., a LED) may be powered on to indicate to the user that power is being received. If the system is turned on (e.g., by pressing a button on a tablet, tapping a touchscreen display, or other user input), then the system enters an AWAKE statefor full operation of the system and exercise apparatus. The system may enter a SLEEP modein response to user input (e.g., pressing button on tablet) or the system being idle for a period of time. The user may exit the SLEEP modeby pressing a control on the tablet or providing other input detected by the system. An AWAKE (DSP OFF) stateprovides background processing such as system updates, data processing, data communications with other devices, while appearing to the user to be in a sleep mode (e.g., tablet display is turned off).

Referring back to, embodiments of sensor input processing will now be described. A processfor calculating the RPM and cadence metrics is illustrated in. First, the rate of rotation of the flywheel is determined in Stepusing a sensor, for example, receiving data from the hall effect sensorwhich is configured to calculate the RPMs of the exercise apparatus during operation. The system may then calculate the cadence in Stepusing the hall effect sensorlocated on the flywheel. The hall effect sensormay be disposed in a fixed position on the exercise apparatus to sense a magnet on the flywheelwith each revolution of the flywheel. The sample rate may be interrupt driven and may represent crank RPM which is proportional to the flywheel RPM. In one implementation the crank RPM is calculated by dividing the flywheel RPM by a constant (e.g., 4.395 in an example implementation) representing the relationship between a crank revolution and a flywheel revolution.