Monitoring fitness activity across diverse exercise machines utilizing a universally accessible server system

A system for monitoring the fitness activity of an exerciser, said system comprising:

• means for receiving at least one type of exercise indicator signal associated with exercise performed by a particular user from a particular exercise machine from among a plurality of accessible exercise machines in a particular mark-up language format at a universally accessible server system in accordance with a universal identifier associated with said particular user;
• and
• means for storing said at least one type of exercise indicator signal as current fitness activity for said particular user at said universally accessible server system wherein said at least one type of exercise indicator signal is stored in association with said universal identifier to identify said current fitness activity for said particular user, such that a universally accessible server system in accordance with a universal identifier associated with said particular user monitors the real-time fitness activity of said particular user from said at least one type of exercise indicator signal received from at least one exercise machine.

A program for monitoring the fitness activity of an exerciser, said program comprising:

• means for receiving at least one type of exercise indicator signal associated with exercise performed by a particular user from a particular exercise machine from among a plurality of accessible exercise machines in a particular mark-up language format at a universally accessible server system in accordance with a universal identifier associated with said particular user;
• and
• means for storing said at least one type of exercise indicator signal as current fitness activity for said particular user at said universally accessible server system wherein said at least one type of exercise indicator signal is stored in association with said universal identifier to identify said current fitness activity for said particular user, such that a universally accessible server system in accordance with a universal identifier associated with said particular user monitors the real-time fitness activity of said particular user from said at least one type of exercise indicator signal received from at least one exercise machine.

A method for competing against a plurality of exercisers, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving current fitness activity for a first exerciser exercising on a first exercise machine in a particular mark-up language format at an exercise machine monitor for monitoring exercise performed by a second exerciser on a second exercise machine, wherein said current fitness activity is received at said exercise machine monitor from a universally accessible server system, wherein said current fitness activity for a first exerciser is identified by a universal identifier associated with said first exerciser;
• and
• displaying a graphical comparison of said current fitness activity for said first exerciser with current fitness activity for said second exerciser from an output interface controlled by said exercise machine monitor, such that said second exerciser is enabled compete against a plurality of exercisers.

A system for competing against a plurality of exercisers, said system comprising:

• means for receiving current fitness activity for a first exerciser exercising on a first exercise machine in a particular mark-up language format at an exercise machine monitor for monitoring exercise performed by a second exerciser on a second exercise machine, wherein said current fitness activity is received at said exercise machine monitor from a universally accessible server system, wherein said current fitness activity for a first exerciser is identified by a universal identifier associated with said first exerciser;
• and
• means for displaying a graphical comparison of said current fitness activity for said first exerciser with current fitness activity for said second exerciser from an output interface controlled by said exercise machine monitor, such that said second exerciser is enabled compete against a plurality of exercisers.

A universally accessible database of server systems comprising:

• a plurality of universally accessible server systems each with access respectively to one of a plurality of data storage mediums, wherein a particular data storage medium comprises current fitness activity stored in a mark-up language format for a particular user according to a particular universal identifier;
• and
• a communication interface between said plurality of universally accessible server systems and a controller for an exercise machine from among a plurality of exercise machines for receiving current fitness activity of said particular user on said exercise machine at said particular data storage medium.