Dynamically adaptive scheduling system

• US 8,235,724 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gilley, Glenn Gregory, Brody, Sarah A., Ubillos, Randall Hayes, Pacurariu, Mihnea Calin, Dorogusker, Jesse Lee, Borchers, Robert Edward, Ginsburg, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): GANESAN, SUNDHARA M
• Application Number:
  US11/729,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20080076637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 434/127, 434/236, 434/238, 434/262, 705/1, 705/3, 705/50, 128/921
• US Class Current: 434/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing a lifestyle companion system are provided. The lifestyle companion system can provide a platform to conduct a user interview. Based on the user interview responses, the system can suggest activities, references, and/or plug-in modules. During performance of activities, the system can provide audio and/or visual cues related to the activities and collect data indicative of the user'"'"'s performance. Based on the collected data, the system can dynamically adapt the user'"'"'s goals and/or activities the user is performing or will perform. In some embodiments of the present invention, the lifestyle companion system of the present invention can be applied to fitness, nutrition, and/or medical modules. The system also can be used to facilitate synchronous group activities.

Claims

1. A portable media device comprising:

a first communication module for accepting food provider data from a food provider, wherein the food provider data is related to a plurality of nutritional activities;

first memory for storing a user nutritional profile of a user;

a second communication module for accepting a secondary nutritional profile of a partner of the user;

a first controller configured to suggest a current nutritional activity of the plurality of nutritional activities to the user based on the user nutritional profile, the secondary nutritional profile, and the food provider data;

a third communication module for accepting sensor data indicative of the user'"'"'s performance metrics of the current activity;

a second memory for storing first and second adjustable parameter values respectively associated with first and second activities of a nutrition program, wherein at least one of the first and second adjustable parameter values comprises an adjustable nutrition parameter value; and

a second controller configured to adjust at least one of the first and second adjustable parameter values based on the sensor data.

2. The portable media device of claim 1, further comprising a user input component through which a user can input data about the user'"'"'s activities, wherein the second controller is configured to adjust at least one of the first and second adjustable parameter values based on the data input by the user.

3. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein:

the current activity is the first activity; and

the second controller is configured to adjust the first adjustable parameter value based on the sensor data.

4. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein:

the current activity is the first activity; and

the second controller is configured to adjust the second adjustable parameter value based on the sensor data.

5. The portable media device of claim 4, wherein the second activity is a future activity.

6. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second adjustable parameter values comprises an adjustable fitness parameter value.

7. The portable media device of claim 6, wherein the adjustable fitness parameter value comprises an amount of time allocated for an associated fitness activity.

8. The portable media device of claim 6, wherein the adjustable fitness parameter value comprises a repetition number for an associated fitness activity.

9. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the adjustable nutrition parameter value comprises an amount of food allocated for an associated nutrition activity.

10. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the adjustable nutrition parameter value comprises a selection of food recommended for an associated nutrition activity.

11. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second adjustable parameter values comprises an adjustable medical parameter.

12. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the second controller is further configured to adjust a goal of the nutrition program based on the sensor data.

13. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is representative of a characteristic of a food item that is at least one of purchased by the user and eaten by the user.

14. The portable media device of claim 13, wherein the characteristic is at least one of a nutritional category of the food item, an amount of the food item, a calorie count of the food item, and an ingredient of the food item.

15. The portable media device of claim 13, wherein the food item is provided to the user by the food provider.

16. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the third communication module is configured to accept the sensor data by scanning a barcode representative of a characteristic of a food item that is at least one of purchased by the user and eaten by the user.

17. The portable media device of claim 16, wherein the food item is provided to the user by the food provider.

18. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the second controller is configured to dynamically adjust at least one of the first and second adjustable parameter values based on the sensor data.

19. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the user nutritional profile comprises data about at least one of the user'"'"'s medical conditions and the user'"'"'s weight loss goals.

20. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the user nutritional profile comprises data about the user'"'"'s financial allocation for nutritional needs.

21. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein:

the food provider data comprises a menu of the food provider; and

the current activity is a menu selection of the menu.

22. The portable media device of claim 21, wherein:

the first controller is configured to suggest the current activity by providing a visual cue related to the menu selection; and

the visual cue comprises information on a suggested portion size of the menu selection.

23. The portable media device of claim 21, wherein the food provider is one of a restaurant and a grocery store.

24. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein:

the user nutritional profile comprises data about the user'"'"'s financial allocation for nutritional needs;

the food provider data comprises price information about the plurality of food provider nutritional activities; and

the first controller is configured to suggest the current activity based on the user'"'"'s financial allocation for nutritional needs and the price information.

25. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the user nutritional profile comprises data generated from interview responses provided by the user.

26. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the partner of the user comprises a dining partner of the user.

27. The portable media device of claim 1, wherein the user nutritional profile is based on the user'"'"'s response to a first user interview, and wherein the secondary nutritional profile is based on the partner'"'"'s response to at least a portion of the first user interview.