Music synchronization arrangement

• US 7,705,230 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2009
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bowen, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren; David S.
• Application Number:
  US12/367,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20090139389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 846/12, 846/36, 846/52, 846/68, 482/8, 482/9
• 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 modifying a song based on an exercise regime, the method comprising:

downloading multiple versions of the same song from a server computer to a portable device, wherein the multiple versions represent the same song in different tempos;

determining a desired tempo based on an exercise regime that comprises four or more tempos;

comparing the desired tempo to a tempo tag of the song, wherein the tempo tag represents a tempo value associated with the particular song; and

selecting, at the portable device, a song associated with a tempo tag that is similar to the desired tempo, such that the song, when dynamically adjusted to match exactly the desired tempo, has a length that matches the length of a portion of the exercise routine corresponding to the desired tempo; and

dynamically adjusting, on the portable device, the tempo of the song to match the desired tempo.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user input specifying the exercise regime before determining the desired tempo.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading a plurality of songs from the server computer to the portable device, each of the songs having a tempo tag representing a tempo value associated with the corresponding song.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the song comprises selecting the song associated with the tempo tag that represents a tempo value closest to the desired tempo.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the song comprises selecting the song associated with the tempo tag that represents a tempo value within a range of the desired tempo.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the song comprises selecting the song associated with the tempo tag representing a tempo value closest to a multiple of the desired tempo.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing the song.

8. A method for modifying a song based on an exercise regime, the method comprising:

downloading multiple versions of the same song from a server computer to a portable device, wherein the multiple versions represent the same song in different tempos;

receiving a user input selecting an exercise regime comprising at least four distinct regions;

associating a desired tempo with each of the at least four distinct regions, wherein the tempos associated with each of the at least four distinct regions are different;

comparing the desired tempos to a tempo tag of a plurality of songs, wherein each tempo tag represents a tempo value associated with a particular song;

selecting, at the portable device, at least one song associated with a tempo tag that is within a predetermined range of the desired tempo for each of the at least four distinct regions, so that, when dynamically adjusted, the selected songs have sufficient length to play for the entire durations of the corresponding regions; and

dynamically adjusting, on the portable device, the tempo of the selected songs to match the desired tempos.

9. A media player for modifying a song based on an exercise regime, the media player comprising:

a file system operable to store a plurality of songs having tempo tags associated with each of the songs, wherein each tempo tag represents an exact tempo value of a song from the plurality of songs, and an exercise regime that comprises four or more tempos; and

a processor coupled to the file system and operable to;

download multiple versions of the same song from a server computer to a portable device, wherein the multiple versions represent the same song in different tempos;

determine a desired tempo of a portion of an exercise regime;

compare the desired tempo to at least one of the stored tempo tags; and

select, at the portable media device, a song from the plurality of songs, so that, when dynamically adjusted, the selected song has sufficient length to play for the entire duration of the portion of the exercise routine; and

dynamically adjust the tempo of the selected song to match the desired tempo.

10. The media player of claim 9, further comprising an input device operable to receive a user input selecting an exercise regime.

11. The media player of claim 9, further comprising input circuitry operable to receive the plurality of tempo tags from a host computer.

12. The media player of claim 9, further comprising a media database operable to store the plurality of tempo tags.

13. The media player of claim 9, further comprising a CODEC operable to produce an analog output signal based on the selected song.

14. A method for modifying a song based on a user'"'"'s current pace, the method comprising:

downloading multiple versions of the same song from a server computer to a portable device, wherein the multiple versions represent the same song in different tempos;

determining a desired tempo based on a user'"'"'s current pace;

comparing the desired tempo to a plurality of tempo tags, wherein each tempo tag represents an exact tempo value associated with a particular song; and

selecting, at the portable device, a song associated with a tempo tag that is similar to the desired tempo; and

dynamically adjusting, on a portable device, the tempo of the selected song to match the desired tempo.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a user'"'"'s current pace before determining the desired tempo.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising playing the selected song.

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

a file system operable to store 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 operable to measure a user'"'"'s current pace; and

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

download multiple versions of the same song from a server computer to the media player, wherein the multiple versions represent the same song in different tempos;

determine a desired tempo from the user'"'"'s current pace;

compare the desired tempo to at least one of the stored plurality of tempo tags;

select, at the media player, a song from the plurality of songs, wherein the selected song is associated with a tempo tag that is similar to the desired tempo; and

dynamically adjust the tempo of the selected song to match the desired tempo.

18. The media player of claim 17, further comprising a media database operable to store the plurality of tempo tags.

19. The media player of claim 17, further comprising a CODEC operable to produce an analog output signal based on the selected song.