← Back to Patent Explorer
US5163439A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Rhythmic biofeedback technique

Assignee: Lifewaves International Inc
•
Filing: 1991-04-12
•
Granted: 1992-11-17
•
Expires: 2011-04-12
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An exercise technique having therapeutic effects. In this technique the heart rate of the individual being treated is continuously monitored and the prevailing rate is displayed as he undergoes a conditioning session constituted by successive stress-relaxation cycles forming a wave pattern. In the course of each cycle, the individual is required to raise his level of exertion, as indicated by his perceived heart rate, to a peak representing maximum stress, following which he is required to decrease his exertion until he reaches a lower relaxation limit at which a recovery response takes place. The upper and lower limits are determined by the individual's existing capacity for exercise, and as the individual's condition improves in the course of subsequent conditioning sessions, the limits are raised to effect further improvement.

Inventors

  • 👤 Irving I. Dardik

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 23:07
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/02; A61B5/024; A61B5/02438; A61B5/22; A61B5/221; A61B5/222; A63; A63B; A63B24/00; A63B2230/00; A63B2230/04; A63B2230/06; A63B2230/065; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/905

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 172 words
An exercise technique having therapeutic effects on an individual operating an exercise machine which subjects him to stress and causes his heart rate to vary as a function of his exertion, said technique comprising: (a) monitoring the heart rate of the individual operating the exercise machine and displaying on a visual indicator the resultant heart rate which depends on the degree of exertion; (b) causing the individual to vary his exertion to undergo a stress-relaxation cycle in which first he increases his exertion, as indicated by the displayed heart rate, until he reaches a predetermined stress level, followed by reduction in exertion to a predetermined relaxation level as then indicated by the displayed heart rate, thereby completing the cycle; (c) causing the individual to then repeat said stress-relaxation cycle to produce a series of such cycles during a predetermined period representing a conditioning session to provide a heart rate wave pattern indicative of the individual's performance during this session; and (d) recording the heart rate wave pattern to provide a record thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 172 words
An exercise technique having therapeutic effects on an individual operating an exercise machine which subjects him to stress and causes his heart rate to vary as a function of his exertion, said technique comprising: (a) monitoring the heart rate of the individual operating the exercise machine and displaying on a visual indicator the resultant heart rate which depends on the degree of exertion; (b) causing the individual to vary his exertion to undergo a stress-relaxation cycle in which first he increases his exertion, as indicated by the displayed heart rate, until he reaches a predetermined stress level, followed by reduction in exertion to a predetermined relaxation level as then indicated by the displayed heart rate, thereby completing the cycle; (c) causing the individual to then repeat said stress-relaxation cycle to produce a series of such cycles during a predetermined period representing a conditioning session to provide a heart rate wave pattern indicative of the individual's performance during this session; and (d) recording the heart rate wave pattern to provide a record thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, the step of monitoring the heart rate comprises, the individual wearing said heart rate monitor whose output is transmitted to a display panel on the indicator to provide a reading of heart rate that can be seen by the individual.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, wherein said machine is a rowing machine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, wherein as the individual's condition changes, as indicated by the recorded heart rate wave pattern, resetting subsequent conditioning session stress levels to higher values.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 38 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, the step of causing the individual to vary his exertion to undergo a stress-relaxation cycle comprises, setting the stress level to take into account an individual's age and physical condition.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 44 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, the step in which the heart rate wave patterns are produced in successive sessions comprises digitizing and storing in a digital computer to make a diagnosis of the individual's condition as a result of these sessions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 36 words
A technique as set forth in claim 6, comprising the step of storing in said computer heart rate wave patterns characteristic of chronic diseases and comparing them with the heart rate pattern of the exercising individual.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4278095A Cited
US4367752A Cited
US4622980A Cited
US5007430A Cited
US4883063A Cited
US4896675A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-11-17 1996-05-18 1996-11-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-11-17 2000-05-18 2000-11-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-11-17 2004-05-18 2004-11-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag