MUSIC SYNCHRONIZATION ARRANGEMENT

• US 20110179943A1
• Filed: 04/04/2011
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bowen, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 8,704,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/612
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/636 by using biological or physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/18 Selecting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/046 for differentiation between music and non-music signals, based on the identification of musical parameters, e.g. based on tempo detection
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/375 Tempo or beat alterations; Music timing control tempo display G10H2220/081; tempo analysis G10H2210/076; humanising effect G10H2210/165; scratch effect G10H2210/241
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/385 Speed change, i.e. variations from preestablished tempo, tempo change, e.g. faster or slower, accelerando or ritardando, without change in pitch with repetitive changes in pitch, e.g. scratch DJ effects G10H2210/241
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/391 Automatic tempo adjustment, correction or control
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/361 Mouth control in general, i.e. breath, mouth, teeth, tongue or lip-controlled input devices or sensors detecting, e.g. lip position, lip vibration, air pressure, air velocity, air flow or air jet angle
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/371 Vital parameter control, i.e. musical instrument control based on body signals, e.g. brainwaves, pulsation, temperature, perspiration; biometric information signals from body positions or movements G10H2220/321
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing. conductor baton movement sensing G10H2220/206, angle sensing without reference to gravity G10H2220/391; player body joint angle sensing G10H2220/321
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/081 Genre classification, i.e. descriptive metadata for classification or selection of musical pieces according to style analysis genre G10H2210/036
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/131 : Library retrieval, i.e. searching a database or selecting a specific musical piece, segment, pattern, rule or parameter set
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/135 : Library retrieval index, i.e. using an indexing scheme to efficiently retrieve a music piece
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 : of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 : Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

The invention generally pertains to a hand-held computing device. More particularly, the invention pertains to a computing device that is capable of controlling the speed of the music so as to affect the mood and behavior of the user during an activity such as exercise. By way of example, the speed of the music can be controlled to match the pace of the activity (synching the speed of the music to the activity of the user) or alternatively it can be controlled to drive the pace of the activity (increasing or decreasing the speed of the music to encourage a greater or lower pace). One aspect of the invention relates to adjusting the tempo (or some other attribute) of the music being outputted from the computing device. By way of example, a songs tempo may be increased or decreased before or during playing. Another aspect of the invention relates to selecting music for outputting based on tempo (or some other attribute). For example, the computing device may only play songs having a particular tempo. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to both selecting music based on tempo and adjusting the tempo of the music.

Claims

1. A method for playing a media item on a portable media device, the method comprising:

detecting a signal indicative of a user event;

generating a tempo value based upon the signal;

comparing the tempo value to a set of rules to derive a desired tempo; and

playing a media item at the desired tempo.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting a signal includes receiving a signal from an accelerometer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user event is body motion.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

downloading multiple versions of the media item from a server computer, wherein the multiple versions represent the media item in different tempos.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

dynamically adjusting the tempo of the media item to fit the desired tempo.

6. An exercise system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect body metrics;

a portable media device containing;

a storage device containing a plurality of media items; and

a processor configured to;

determine a current pace of exercise of a user of the portable media device based on information received from the one or more sensor;

compare the current pace of exercise to a set of rules to derive a desired tempo; and

play a media item at the desired tempo.

7. The exercise system of claim 6, wherein the one or more sensors are integrated within an article of clothing.

8. The exercise system of claim 6, wherein the one or more sensors are integrated into a piece of exercise equipment.

9. The exercise system of claim 6, wherein the one or more sensors include accelerometers.

10. The exercise system of claim 6, wherein the one or more sensors include pressure switches.

11. The exercise system of claim 6, wherein the one or more sensors include proximity sensors.

12. The exercise system of claim 6, wherein the one or more sensors include optical sensors.

13. A media player for selecting a song based on a user'"'"'s current pace, the media player comprising:

a file system storing a plurality of songs and a plurality of tempo tags, each associated with one of the plurality of songs, wherein each tempo tag represents an exact tempo value of an associated song;

a sensor capable of measuring a user'"'"'s current pace; and

a processor coupled to the file system and the sensor and operable to;

determine a desired pace of exercise for the user;

select a song associated with a tempo tag that has a tempo corresponding to the desired pace of exercise, based on the user'"'"'s current pace of exercise; and

dynamically adjust the tempo of the song to fit the desired pace of exercise.

14. The media player of claim 13, further comprising a media database operable to store the plurality of tempo tags.

15. The media player of claim 13, further comprising a CODEC operable to produce an analog output signal based on the selected song.