Method for playing music in real-time synchrony with the heartbeat and a device for the use thereof

• US 7,207,935 B1
• Filed: 11/19/2000
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pelimor Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mordechai Lipo
• Inventors: Lipo, Mordechai
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert; Samuel G.
• Application Number:
  US10/130,476
• Time in Patent Office: 2,347 Days
• Field of Search: 128/897, 128/898, 600 26- 28, 600500-503
• US Class Current: 600/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/162 Testing reaction times
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/06 Heartbeat rate only

Abstract

A method and device for presenting music to a patient in real time synchrony with relation to every single pulse of the patient'"'"'s heartbeat, thereby inducing an enjoyable and relaxing sensation. A digitized electric signal representative of the patient'"'"'s heartbeat is fed to a microprocessor which brings the digitized electric signal into correspondence with a sequence of musical sound configurations so that each pulse beat is followed by one of the sound configurations in real time. The sequence of musical sound configurations is presented to the patient so that each sound configuration is played in real-time synchrony with a respective pulse beat.

Claims

1. A method for presenting music to a patient, comprising:

(a) sensing the patient'"'"'s pulse as an analog electric signal;

(b) digitizing said analog electric signal;

(c) using said digitized electric signal as an input signal to a microprocessor;

(d) bringing said digitized electric signal into correspondence with a sequence of musical sound configurations by means of said microprocessor so that each pulse beat is followed by one of said sound configurations in real time; and

(e) in response to a pulse beat, presenting said sequence of musical sound configurations to the patient with a fixed delay that is sufficiently short to avoid overlap between the musical sound configurations and a subsequent pulse beat of the patient so that each sound configuration is played in real-time synchrony with a respective pulse beat.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein each of said sound configurations is a member of a plurality of sound configurations responding to the patient'"'"'s pulse beats in a pre-determined order.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein a current sound configuration is stopped before the successive sound configuration starts if the duration of the current configuration is longer than a time interval between the two respective consecutive pulse beats.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sound configuration is played in response to a pulse beat immediately after said pulse beat.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sound configurations are at first prepared in a computer and downloaded into the memory of said microprocessor through a communication interface.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising changing a length of said delay, and a number and order of the sound configurations not in real time.

7. A method according to claim 1 including:

introducing a desired change to a musical arrangement of each of said sound configurations through a set-up table connected to said microprocessor; and

altering the musical arrangement of each of said sound configurations by a midi-processor connected to said microprocessor in response to said desired change.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein set-up data in said set-up table is transmitted to said microprocessor through the Internet.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said digitized electric signal is transmitted from the microprocessor to a computer in real time.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said digital electric signal is transmitted from said microprocessor to a computer through the Internet.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein all functions of said microprocessor are performed by a suitably programmed computer.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sound configurations are transmitted from a computer to a memory of said microprocessor through the Internet.

13. A method according to claim 1 further including evaluation of said music regarding a psychotherapeutic effect thereof.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the pulse sensor is placed on an artery pulse point.

15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the pulse sensor is placed on a fingertip.

16. A method according to claim 1 wherein a pulse picture of the patient is presented on a display.

17. A method according to claim 1 wherein said display is a computer screen.

18. A device for presenting music to a patient, said device comprising;

a pulse sensor for sensing the pulse of the patient and converting said pulse into electrical signal;

an analog to digital converter operatively connected to said sensor for digitizing said electric signal;

a microprocessor operatively connected to said analog to digital converter for bringing said digitized electric signal in correspondence with a sequence of musical sound configurations in real time so as to form a modified sequence of musical sound configurations whose tempo is synchronized to the pulse beat;

a midi-processor and a set-up table both connected to said microprocessor, said midi-processor being adapted for carrying out a desired change to a musical arrangement of each of said sound configurations, said change being introduced through said set-up table; and

headphones or loudspeaker operatively connected to said microprocessor for presenting the modified sequence of musical sound configurations to the patient.

19. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for presenting music to a patient, said method comprising:

(a) bringing a digitized electric signal electric signal representative of the patient'"'"'s pulse into correspondence with a sequence of musical sound configurations so that each pulse beat is followed by one of said sound configurations in real time; and

(b) in response to a pulse beat, presenting said sequence of musical sound configurations to the patient with a fixed delay that is sufficiently short to avoid overlap between the musical sound configurations and a subsequent pulse beat of the patient so that each sound configuration is played in real-time synchrony with a respective pulse beat.

20. A device for presenting music to a patient, said device comprising:

(a) a pulse sensor for sensing the pulse of the patient as an analog electrical signal;

(b) an analog to digital converter operatively connected to said sensor for digitizing said electric signal;

(c) a microprocessor operatively connected to said analog to digital converter and programmed for bringing said digitized electric signal in correspondence with a sequence of musical sound configurations so that each pulse beat is followed by one of said sound configurations in real time with a fixed delay between the pulse beat and a respective sound configuration that is sufficiently short to avoid overlap between the musical sound configurations and a subsequent pulse beat of the patient; and

(d) headphones or loudspeaker operatively connected to said microprocessor for presenting the modified sequence of musical sound configurations to the patient.

21. A device according to claim 20 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to stop a current sound configuration before starting a successive sound configuration if the duration of the current sound configuration is longer than the time interval between the two respective consecutive pulse beats.

22. A device according to claim 20 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to provide a plurality of sound configurations responding to the pulse of the patient in a predetermined order.

23. A device according to claim 20, having a communication interface through which said sound configurations are downloaded into the memory of said microprocessor from a PC coupled to said communication interface.

24. A device according to claim 20, having a communication interface through which the number, order and temporal arrangement of said sound configurations can be changed via a PC coupled to said communication interface.

25. A device according to claim 20 wherein said microprocessor comprises a communication interface for coupling to a PC for recording said sound configurations in a memory chip of said microprocessor and for changing the number, order and temporal arrangement of said sound configurations.

26. A device according to claim 20, further comprising a midi-processor and a set-up table both of which are connected to said microprocessor, said midi-processor being adapted for carrying out a desired change to a musical arrangement of each of said sound configurations, said change being introduced through said set-up table.

27. A device according to claim 20 wherein said microprocessor is completely contained within a computer.

28. A device according to claim 20 wherein said microprocessor is connectable to the Internet for modifying said sound configurations and changing musical arrangement thereof.

29. A device according to claim 20 wherein the analog to digital converter is directly connected to a computer for sending to the computer a digitized sample of the patient'"'"'s pulse.

30. A device according to claim 29 wherein said analog to digital converter is connectable to the Internet for sending said digitized sample of the patient pulse to a remote computer for analysis and appropriate modifying of said sound configurations.

31. A device according to claim 20 wherein said pulse sensor is a pressure sensitive sensor.

32. A device according to claim 20 wherein said pulse sensor is a photoelectric sensor.

33. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for presenting music to a patient, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code for causing the computer to bring a digitized electric signal electric signal representative of the patient'"'"'s pulse into correspondence with a sequence of musical sound configurations so that each pulse beat is followed by one of said sound configurations in real time; and

computer readable program code responsive to a pulse beat for causing the computer to present said sequence of musical sound configurations to the patient with a fixed delay that is sufficiently short to avoid overlap between the musical sound configurations and a subsequent pulse beat of the patient so that each sound configuration is played in real-time synchrony with a respective pulse beat.