1 Technical Field l The present invention relates to a jogging assistance apparatus that can provide necessary information to a jogger using a global positioning system and a jogging assistance method using the jogging assistance apparatus. background Art) Recently, with the increase of concern about health, the number of persons who select jogging as exercise is significantly increased. For jogging, there are the way, in which a jogger installs a running machine indoors and runs thereon, and the way, in which a jogger selects a proper running course outdoors and runs thereon. Generally, the way, in which a jogger runs outdoors, is preferable in view of the burden of costs and the comfort of an exercise.

However, the way, in which a jogger runs outdoors, has a disadvantage in that the jogger cannot easily learn the jogging status thereof compared to the way, in which the jogger runs on the running machine. That is, when the jogger uses the running machine, the jogger can control the pace thereof while monitoring numerical information on jogging status, such as a running speed and a running distance, provided by the running machine. However, when the jogger runs outdoors, the jogger detects such information using only sensation, so that it is difficult to effectively control the pace thereof.

Accordingly, to meet the demands of the modern people who desire effective and comfortable exercise, an apparatus is required to provide jogging status to the jogger, even outdoors.

Disclosure of Invention Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable jogging assistance apparatus, which can properly provide information required to maintain a jogging pace outdoors to a jogger, and a jogging assistance method using the same.

In order to accomplish the above object, a portable jogging assistance apparatus of the present invention includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) information processing unit receiving a signal provided by a satellite and calculating the location information of a user, the GPS information processing unit including a GPS chip that calculates the actual movement speed of the user using the calculated location information, a central processing unit controlling the location information and the actual movement speed calculated in the GPS information processing unit to be transmitted to a display unit, and the display unit displaying the calculated actual movement speed.

In addition, in order to accomplish the above object, a jogging assistance method of the present invention using an apparatus, which provides jogging status to a user using a signal provided by a satellite, includes setting the target movement speed of the user on the apparatus, and issuing an audible alarm signal through the apparatus when the actual movement speed of the user deviates from the upper and lower limits of the set target movement speed.

[Brief Description of Drawings) In order to fully understand the drawings used in a description of the present invention, a brief description of the drawings is provided below, in which: FIG. 1 is a view showing the basic principle of a jogging assistance apparatus according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a view showing the appearance of the jogging assistance apparatus of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a view showing the internal construction of the jogging assistance apparatus shown in FIG. 2; and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process of assisting jogging using the jogging assistance apparatus of FIG. 2.

*Description of reference numerals of principal elements in the drawings* 100... jogging assistance apparatus 101... antenna 102... power button 110... display unit 120... speaker unit 130... external input unit 140... GPS information processing unit 150... central processing unit Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention To fully understand the present invention, the operational advantages of the present invention and objects achieved by the working of the present invention,

reference should be made to the drawings and descriptions on the drawings.

Hereinafter, the present invention is described in detail by describing a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing the basic principle of a jogging assistance apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the jogging assistance apparatus 100 of the present invention uses a GPS method that receives a signal of a satellite 200 and detects the location thereof. That is, the jogging assistance apparatus 100 detects the signal from the satellite 200 through an antenna 101 attached thereto, and thus monitors the location thereof, and the actual movement speed of a user is calculated by dividing a displacement value attributable to changes of location by an elapsed time.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the appearance of the jogging assistance apparatus, which implements the above-described mechanism, and FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram schematically showing the internal construction of the jogging assistance apparatus.

As shown in Fig. 2, on the outside of the jogging assistance apparatus 100 are provided, a display unit 110 displaying information, an external input unit 130 enabling a user to freely input a target movement speed, the upper and lower limits of the target movement speed and a target movement distance, a speaker unit 120 for sending an alarm signal to the user, and the antenna 101. Additionally, the jogging assistance apparatus 100 of the present invention is of a wrist-worn type having a means (not shown) for allowing the apparatus 100 to be worn on the wrist of the user like the strap of a watch. Accordingly, it is considerably easy to carry the apparatus 100 and observe information during jogging.

Additionally, the internal construction of the apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 3, includes a GPS information processing unit 140, a central processing unit 150, and a memory unit 160. The GPS information processing unit 140 receives a signal from a satellite 200 through the antenna 101. Furthermore, the GPS information processing unit 140 calculates the present location of the apparatus 100 using the received signal, and includes therein a GPS chip 140a computing the actual movement speed of the user using information on the calculated location. The central processing unit 150 transmits the location information and the actual movement speed calculated in the GPS information processing unit 140 to the display unit 110 and the memory unit 160.

Additionally, a movement speed that cannot be computed by the GPS chip 104a, such as a movement speed on an inclined jogging course, can be computed by the central processing unit 150. The memory unit 160 can store the jogging course of the user and the change of the actual movement speed of the user.

An assistance process using the jogging assistance apparatus 100 constructed as described above is performed, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4.

A user turns on the power button 102 of the apparatus 100 at step S1, and then sets a target movement speed and a target movement distance desired by the user by manipulating the input buttons of the external input unit 130 at step S2. The upper and lower limits of the target movement speed can be set by manipulating the input buttons of the external input unit 130, or set to values predetermined in the apparatus 100. The information on the target movement speed and the target movement distance set as described above is stored in the memory unit 160, and displayed on the display unit 110.

When the user starts jogging, information on a present location is continuously measured through the GPS information processing unit 140 with the lapse of time at

step S3. The central processing unit 150 calculates the movement distance by accumulating changes of location, that is, displacements, simultaneously calculates an actual movement speed by dividing the movement distance by the elapsed time, and displays such results through the display unit 110 at step S4. At this time, the central processing unit 150 determines whether the actual movement speed has deviated from the upper and lower limits previously set at step S5. If, as a result of the determination, the actual movement speed has deviated from the limits, the central processing unit 150 sends a voice message or an alarm, such as beep sound, to the user at step S6. For voice messages that can be used in this case, there can be"too fast"and"too slow".

Additionally, the central processing unit 150 compares the actual movement distance accumulated in the memory unit 160 with the target movement distance, and permits the user to hear a voice message, such as"here is the halfway point of the target movement distance"or"reaching the target movement distance"at step S7. Of course, the user can freely control the upper and lower limits of speed or the time of informing the target movement distance through the external input unit 130.

After reaching of the target movement distance at step S8, the upper and lower limits of speed and the target movement distance previously set are automatically set and the assistance process is resumed, if the cases where the user desires to reset variables at step S9 or end the use of the apparatus 100 at step S10 does not occur.

Additionally, the jogging course of the user and changes in actual movement speed are stored in the memory unit 160, and displayed through the display unit 110 when the user desires to see those.

Although the present invention is described with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the embodiment is presented for illustrative purpose only.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the technical scope of protection of the present invention must be defined only by the technical sprit of the accompanying claims.

[Industrial Applicability] As described above, using a jogging assistance apparatus of the present invention, a user can be provided with assistance that enables the user to maintain a speed within a range of upper and lower limits desired by the user even outdoors, so that the user can effectively and comfortably enjoy jogging while maintaining the uniform pace thereof.