Content Playback Method and Content Playback Apparatus

• US 20090003802A1
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saka, Yoichiro, Makino, Kenichi, Takai, Motoyuki, Inoue, Makoto, Terauchi, Toshiro, Miyajima, Yasushi, Shirai, Katsuya, Asukai, Masamichi, Yamashita, Kosei
• Granted Patent: US 8,358,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/285
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/391 Automatic tempo adjustment, correction or control
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

By allowing the movement of a user to affect the playback of content, the entertainment characteristic or uplifting spirits derived from content playback itself can be enhanced. The timing at which the user places his/her foot on the ground while walking or the timing at which the user shakes or changes from swinging in one direction to swinging to another direction is detected. Then, content, such as a music piece or moving pictures, is played back by allowing the timing of beats or bars of the music piece or the timing of scene changes or cut changes of the moving pictures to be synchronized with the timing of the movement of the user.

Claims

1. A content playback method comprising:

detecting a movement of a user; and

playing back content by allowing the timing of the content to be synchronized with a feature, a cycle, or a rhythm of the movement.

2. The content playback method according to claim 1, wherein the feature is a start point, an end point, a maximal point, a minimal point, a maximum peak point, or a minimal peak point of the movement.

3. The content playback method according to claim 1, wherein the feature is a timing at which the user places his/her foot on the ground while walking.

4. The content playback method according to claim 1, wherein the feature is a timing at which the user shakes or changes from swinging in one direction to swinging in another direction.

5. The content playback method according to claim 1, wherein the content is a music piece and the timing is a timing of a beat or a bar of the music piece.

6. The content playback method according to claim 1, wherein the content is moving pictures and the timing is a timing of scene changes or cut changes of the moving pictures.

7. The content playback method according to claim 1, wherein the content is still images and the timing is a timing of switching the still images.

8. The content playback method according to claim 1, wherein information indicating the timing is recorded on a recording medium in association with the content.

9. The content playback method according to claim 1, wherein the content is played back by being generated by splicing content materials.

10. A content playback apparatus comprising:

detection means for detecting a movement of a user; and

playback means for playing back content by synchronizing the timing of the content with a feature, a cycle, or a rhythm of the movement detected by the detection means.

11. The content playback apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the detection means is fixed at part of the body of the user or at an article worn or carried by the user.

12. The content playback apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the playback means plays back a music piece as the content by synchronizing the timing of a beat or a bar of the music piece with a feature, a cycle, or a rhythm of the movement detected by the detection means.

13. The content playback apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the playback means plays back moving pictures as the content by synchronizing the timing of scene changes or cut changes of the moving pictures with a feature, a cycle, or a rhythm of the movement detected by the detection means.

14. The content playback apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the playback means plays back still images as the content by synchronizing the timing of switching the still images with a feature, a cycle, or a rhythm of the movement detected by the detection means.

15. The content playback apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the playback means plays back the content by generating the content by splicing content materials.