System and method for interactive on-demand information

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein said canceling step further comprises the step of: presenting advertisements to said user.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 , wherein said advertisements are presented to said user if said request for on-demand information by said user is a request for advertisements.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of: storing said advertisements on a server of said local network prior to said step of presenting.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 , wherein said advertisements are provided to said local server by a remote server.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4 , wherein said advertisements are default advertisements that are continuously broadcast from said local server to one or more personal units of said local network.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 , wherein each of said one or more personal units is associated with an exercise equipment.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 , wherein said default advertisements are stored in a cache memory residing on a personal unit of said local network.

Claim 10

The method of claim 5 , wherein said local network is located at a fitness club.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 , wherein said remote server is under the control of a network operator.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of: accessing a website of said network operator by an advertiser to submit advertising content to said remote server.

Claim 13

The method of claim 11 , wherein said advertiser provides information as to the geographical location of said fitness club to present said advertising content.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12 , wherein said advertiser provides information as to the time of the day said advertising content is to be presented at said fitness club.

Claim 15

The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of: arranging said received advertising content into said advertisements by said network operator based on the information received from said advertiser.

Claim 16

The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of: providing said advertisements to said server of said local network by said remote server via a communications network capable of TCP/IP communication or satellite communication.

Claim 17

The method of claim 1 , wherein said on-demand information is requested by said user via a personal unit attached to an exercise equipment.

Claim 18

The method of claim 16 , wherein said user is a user of said exercise equipment.

Claim 19

The method of claim 1 , wherein said canceling step further comprises the step of: scheduling said user's on-demand request for information for delivery at a later time.

Claim 20

The method of claim 18 , wherein said on-demand request is scheduled for later delivery if said request for on-demand information is not a request for advertisements.

Claim 21

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: allowing the user to join a channel selected from a plurality of allocated channels.

Claim 22

The method of claim 20 , wherein said plurality of allocated channels are presented to said user for joining based on the demographics of said user.

Claim 23

An interactive on-demand information network for providing targeted information to one or more users via analog and digital channels, comprising: a central network under the control of a network operator; and at least one local information network communicatively connected to said central network, wherein said local network is located at a fitness club, wherein said local information network comprises: a local server for storing information received from said central network; at least one monitor connected to said local server for displaying information received from a third party via said local server, wherein said third party is selected from the group consisting of a cable TV operator, and a satellite TV operator; and at least one personal unit connected to said local server for presenting demographically targeted information to said user, wherein said personal unit is associated with an exercise equipment being used by said user, wherein said demographically targeted information is generated based in part on a demographic profile of said user stored in said local server, and wherein said information presented to said user is updated based in part on an activity of said user on said exercise equipment.

Claim 24

An interactive on-demand information network for providing targeted information to one or more users via analog and digital channels, comprising: a central network under the control of a network operator; and at least one local information network communicatively connected to said central network, wherein said local network is located at a fitness club, wherein said local information network comprises: a local server for storing information received from said central network; at least one monitor connected to said local server for displaying information received from a third party via said local server, wherein said third party is selected from the group consisting of a cable TV operator, and a satellite TV operator; and at least one personal unit connected to said local server for presenting demographically targeted information to said user, wherein said personal unit is associated with an exercise equipment being used by said user, wherein said demographically targeted information is generated based in part on a demographic profile of said user stored in said local server, and wherein said information presented to said user is updated based in part on an activity of said user on said exercise equipment.

Claim 25

The information network of claim 22 , wherein said demographically targeted information is generated and presented to said user in real time.

Claim 26

The information network of claim 22 , wherein said demographically targeted information is video-on-demand.

Claim 27

The information network of claim 24 , wherein said personal unit recognizes the type of exercise equipment with which said personal unit is associated and presents a default training video to said user based on the type of personal unit.

Claim 28

The information network of claim 24 , wherein said video-on-demand is based on a workout history of said user.

Claim 29

The information network of claim 26 , wherein said video-on-demand includes a recommendation for setting at least one control of said exercise equipment being used by said user.

Claim 30

The information network of claim 27 , wherein said video-on-demand includes at least one control for said exercise equipment being used by said user.

Claim 31

The information network of claim 22 , wherein said personal unit is attached to said exercise equipment.

Claim 32

The information network of claim 29 , wherein said personal unit recognizes the type of exercise equipment to which said personal unit is attached.

Claim 33

The information network of claim 22 , wherein said demographically targeted information is demographically targeted advertisement.

Claim 34

The information network of claim 31 , wherein said demographically targeted advertisement is part of video-on-demand.

Claim 35

The information network of claim 22 , wherein said local server records events associated with said local information network.

Claim 36

The information network of claim 33 , wherein a central server associated with said central network receives said recorded events from said local server.

Claim 37

The information network of claim 34 , wherein said central server generates one or more reports from said received events.

Claim 38

The information network of claim 35 , wherein said generated reports are accessed by an operator of said fitness club via a website associated with said central network.

Claim 39

The information network of claim 34 , wherein said central server transmits commands to one or more local information networks.

Claim 40

The information network of claim 37 , wherein said commands are sent via a communications network capable of TCP/IP communication.

Claim 41

The information network of claim 38 , wherein said local server executes said received command.

Claim 42

Computer executable software code stored on a computer readable medium for load balancing between a plurality of channels including analog channels and digital channels for providing on-demand information to a user in a local network, comprising: code for receiving a request for on-demand information from a user; code for determining the number of allocated digital channels in said network; code for allocating a digital channel from said plurality of channels, if the number of allocated digital channels is less than an optimal number of channels, to provide the user requested information to said user in digital format; code for determining the number of available analog channels if the number of allocated digital channels is not less than said optimal number of channels; code for allocating an analog channel, if said determined number of available analog channels is greater than zero, to provide said user requested information to said user in analog format; code for allocating a digital channel, if said determined number of allocated digital channels is less than the number of said plurality of digital channels and said determined number of available analog channels is zero, to provide said user requested information to said user in digital format; and code for canceling said request received from said user if said determined number of allocated digital channels is not less than the number of said plurality of digital channels and said determined number of available analog channels is zero.

Claim 43

Computer executable software code stored on a computer readable medium for load balancing between a plurality of channels including analog channels and digital channels for providing on-demand information to a user in a local network, comprising: code for receiving a request for on-demand information from a user; code for determining the number of allocated digital channels in said network; code for allocating a digital channel from said plurality of channels, if the number of allocated digital channels is less than an optimal number of channels, to provide the user requested information to said user in digital format; code for determining the number of available analog channels if the number of allocated digital channels is not less than said optimal number of channels; code for allocating an analog channel, if said determined number of available analog channels is greater than zero, to provide said user requested information to said user in analog format; code for allocating a digital channel, if said determined number of allocated digital channels is less than the number of said plurality of digital channels and said determined number of available analog channels is zero, to provide said user requested information to said user in digital format; and code for canceling said request received from said user if said determined number of allocated digital channels is not less than the number of said plurality of digital channels and said determined number of available analog channels is zero.

Claim 44

The computer executable software code of claim 40 , wherein said code for canceling further comprises: code for presenting advertisements to said user.

Claim 45

The computer executable software code of claim 41 , wherein said advertisements are presented to said user if said request for on-demand information by said user is a request for advertisements.

Claim 46

The computer executable software code of claim 41 , further comprising: code for storing said advertisements on a server of said local network.

Claim 47

The computer executable software code of claim 43 , wherein said advertisements are provided to said local server by a remote server.

Claim 48

The computer executable software code of claim 43 , wherein said advertisements are default advertisements that are continuously broadcast from said local server to one or more personal units of said local network.

Claim 49

The computer executable software code of claim 45 , wherein each of said one or more personal units is associated with an exercise equipment.

Claim 50

The computer executable software code of claim 45 , wherein said default advertisements are stored in a cache memory residing on a personal unit of said local network.

Claim 51

The computer executable software code of claim 40 , wherein said on-demand information is requested by said user via a personal unit attached to an exercise equipment.

Claim 52

The computer executable software code of claim 48 , wherein said user is a user of said exercise equipment.

Claim 53

The computer executable software code of claim 40 , wherein said code for canceling further comprises: code for scheduling said user's on-demand request for information for delivery at a later time.

Claim 54

The computer executable software code of claim 50 , wherein said on-demand request is scheduled for later delivery if said request for on-demand information is not a request for advertisements.

Claim 55

The computer executable software code of claim 40 , further comprising: code for allowing the user to join a channel selected from a plurality of allocated channels.

Claim 56

The computer executable software code of claim 52 , wherein said plurality of allocated channels are presented to said user for joining based on the demographics of said user.

Claim 57

The computer executable software code of claim 44 , wherein said local network is located at a fitness club.

Claim 58

The computer executable software code of claim 54 , wherein said remote server is under the control of a network operator.

Claim 59

The computer executable software code of claim 55 , further comprising: code for accessing a website of said network operator by an advertiser to submit advertising content to said remote server.

Claim 60

The computer executable software code of claim 56 , wherein said advertiser provides information as to the geographical location of said fitness club to present said advertising content.

Claim 61

The computer executable software code of claim 57 , wherein said advertiser provides information as to the time of the day said advertising content is to be presented at said fitness club.

Claim 62

The computer executable software code of claim 58 , further comprising: code for arranging said received advertising content into said advertisements by said network operator based on the information received from said advertiser.

Claim 63

The computer executable software code of claim 59 , further comprising: code for providing said advertisements to said server of said local network by said remote server via a communications network capable of TCP/IP communication or satellite communication.