Electronic music pace-counting shoe

• US 4,571,680 A
• Filed: 05/18/1982
• Issued: 02/18/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Buster Brown & Company
• Original Assignee: Chyuan-Jong Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Chyuan-Jong
• Primary Examiner(s): Krass, Errol A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather
• Application Number:
  US06/379,346
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 377/15, 364/560, 364/561, 364/569, 364/410, 272/96, 272/99, 272/70, 235/105, 84/484, 84/470 R, 84/465, 84/1.03, 340/309.4, 340/232 R, 340/384 E, 368/3, 368/10, 368/12, 368/245, 368/251
• US Class Current: 377/24.2
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0054 provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/50 with sound or music sources
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

The present invention not only accumulates the number of steps walked, but also sounds delightful music to entertain the walker'"'"'s body and mind, and further, it can make a sound with beats to inspire the walker'"'"'s spirit and vigor.

Claims

1. Apparatus adapted for disposition on a shoe, comprising:

a switch device for generating a pace signal in response to each pace taken by said shoe; and

an electronic device responsive to said pace signals for generating pace count indicative of paces taken with said shoe, said electronic device comprising;

means for storing indicia of a predetermined number of paces;

means for comparing said pace count to said stored number of paces, and generating alarm signals when a predetermined relationship exists between said pace count and said stored number of paces, said alarms signals including musical notes having a tempo corresponding to a tempo of paces taken by said shoe; and

a display device for providing indicia of said count.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electronic device further comprises:

means responsive to said pace signals, for generating an interval count indicative of the time interval between successive pace signals;

means responsive to said interval count, for generating a rate signal indicative of the repetition rate of said paces; and

means for selectively applying said pace count and said rate signal to said display device for display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein said alarm signals comprise a representation of music.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said electronic device further includes radio transmitter means for transmitting said alarm signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein said alarm signals comprise a representation of a beat sound.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said electronic device further includes radio transmitter means for transmitting said alarm signals.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 further including data entry means, disposed on said shoe, for selectively providing data input signals to said electronic device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electronic device further includes radio transmitter means for transmitting said alarm signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further including data entry means, disposed on said shoe, for selectively providing data input signals to said electronic device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said data entry means includes a keyboard.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, 2, 9 or 10 wherein said electronic device comprises:

a microprocessor, including a first input port for receiving said pace signals;

a first group of output ports, for communicating data to said display device;

a second group of output ports for generating control signals to said display device, to effect scanning operation of said display device;

a second group of input ports, receptive of data input signals; and

a third output port for generating said alarm signals.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said alarm signals comprise a representation of music.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said alarm signals comprise a representation of a beat sound.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said electronic device further includes radio transmitter means for transmitting said alarm signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, 2, 9 or 10, wherein said apparatus is constructed as an integral part of said shoe.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for storing comprises;

an accessible memory; and

data input means for selectively generating signals indicative of said predetermined number of paces to establish a reference count in said memory.

17. Apparatus adapted for disposition on a shoe, comprising:

means for generating a pace signal in response to each pace taken with said shoe;

an electrical device responsive to said pace signals, said electronic device including;

first memory means comprising at least one group of addressable locations for storing indicia of various sounds;

output means, selectively receiving said indicia of various sounds, for controllably generating audible representations of said sounds; and

designating means, responsive to said pace signals, for selectively designating respective locations of said first memory means in predetermined sequence and sequentially applying signals indicative of the contents of each said designated location to said output means.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

second memory means for storing indicia of the number of paces taken;

third memory means, responsive to data input signals applied thereto, for storing indicia of a predetermined count;

means for comparing said number of paces taken and said predetermined count, and generating a comparison signal in accordance with said comparison; and

alarm means, responsive to said comparison signal, for selectively generating indicia of alarm.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said alarm means comprises means for selectively actuating said designating means.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

display means, responsive to output data signals applied thereto, for generating visual indicia of said output data; and

means for selectively applying signals from said second memory means representative of said number of paces, as output data signals to said display means.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

fourth memory means for storing an interval count indicative of the time interval between successive pace signals;

means, responsive to said interval count, for generating rate signals indicative of the repetition rate of said paces; and

means, for selectively applying said rate signals as output data signals to said display means.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said designating means includes;

fifth memory means responsive to selection data signals applied thereto for storing indicia of the starting address of a designated portion of said second memory means;

means, for storing indicia of an instantaneous address, corresponding to said starting address incremented in response to each said pace signal; and

means for applying signals to said output means in accordance with the content of the location in said first memory means corresponding to said instantaneous address.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further including data entry means for selectively generating said selection data signals to designate different portions of said fifth memory means.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said first memory means comprises:

a music notation table, comprising a plurality of addressable memory location, each corresponding to a respective predetermined frequency;

a meter table, comprising a plurality of addressable memory locations, each corresponding to a respective musical beat; and

a score table, including at least one group of addressable memory locations, each location in said group corresponding to a portion of a musical score and containing indicia of a location in said music notation table and a location in said meter table.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23 or 24 wherein said apparatus is constructed as an integral part of said shoe.

26. The apparatus of claim 17 or 18 further comprising:

fourth memory means for storing an internal count indicative of the time interval between successive pace signals;

means, responsive to said interval count, for generating rate signals indicative of the repetition rate of said paces; and

means, for selectively applying said rate signals as output data signals.