Movement supporting method and apparatus

• US 20070154872A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Makino, Kenichi, Takai, Motoyuki, Sano, Akane, Inoue, Makoto, Sako, Yoichiro, Komori, Akihiro, Terauchi, Toshiro, Takatsuka, Susumu, Tamori, Hirofumi, Sakai, Yuichi, Sasaki, Toru, Nakamura, Takatoshi, Shirai, Katsuya
• Granted Patent: US 9,675,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/247
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0627 when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm

Abstract

A movement supporting method includes the following steps: detecting a movement tempo of a user; determining whether a movement tempo detection value is within a target range; and outputting a warning when the movement tempo detection value is out of the target range.

Claims

1. A movement supporting method comprising the steps of:

detecting a movement tempo of a user;

determining whether a movement tempo detection value is within a target range; and

outputting a warning when the movement tempo detection value is out of the target range.

2. The movement supporting method according to claim 1, wherein the target range has an upper allowable width and a lower allowable width above and below a target tempo, respectively.

3. The movement supporting method according to claim 2, wherein the upper allowable width and the lower allowable width are functions of the target tempo and increase as the target tempo increases.

4. The movement supporting method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the target tempo is set according to a tempo of music being played when the user is moving or a movement tempo of the user when the user starts moving.

5. The movement supporting method according to claim 1, wherein a warning is output when the movement tempo detection value has been out of the target range for a predetermined period of time or longer.

6. The movement supporting method according to claim 1, wherein a warning is output when an average of movement tempo detection values in a predetermined period of time is out of the target range.

7. The movement supporting method according to claim 1, wherein a warning is output by changing a playback state of content being played.

8. The movement supporting method according to claim 1, wherein a warning is output by outputting a beep, a noise, or another sound, changing a sound being output, or stopping output of a sound.

9. The movement supporting method according to claim 1, wherein a warning is output by outputting light, changing a light output mode, or stopping output of light.

10. The movement supporting method according to claim 1, wherein a warning is output by generating a vibration, changing a vibration mode, or stopping output of a vibration.

11. A movement supporting apparatus comprising:

detection means for detecting a movement tempo of a user;

determining means for determining whether a movement tempo detection value is within a target range;

output means for playing content, outputting a sound or light, or generating a vibration; and

control means for allowing the output means to output a warning when it is determined by the determining means that the movement tempo detection value is out of the target range.

12. The movement supporting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the target range has an upper allowable width and a lower allowable width above and below a target tempo, respectively.

13. The movement supporting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the upper allowable width and the lower allowable width are functions of the target tempo and increase as the target tempo increases.

14. The movement supporting apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the target tempo is set according to a tempo of music being played when the user is moving or a movement tempo of the user when the user starts moving.

15. The movement supporting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control means allows the output means to output a warning when the movement tempo detection value has been out of the target range for a predetermined period of time or longer.

16. The movement supporting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control means allows the output means to output a warning when an average of movement tempo detection values in a predetermined period of time is out of the target range.

17. The movement supporting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control means allows the output means to output a warning by changing a playback state of the content being played by the output means.

18. The movement supporting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control means allows the output means to output a warning by outputting a beep, a noise, or another sound, changing a sound being output, or stopping output of a sound.

19. The movement supporting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control means allows the output means to output a warning by outputting light, changing a light output mode, or stopping output of light.

20. The movement supporting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control means allows the output means to output a warning by generating a vibration, changing a vibration mode, or stopping output of a vibration.

21. A movement supporting apparatus comprising:

a detector operable to detect a movement tempo of a user;

a determining unit operable to determine whether a movement tempo detection value is within a target range;

an output unit operable to play content, output a sound or light, or generate a vibration; and

a controller operable to allow the output unit to output a warning when it is determined by the determining unit that the movement tempo detection value is out of the target range.