Music synchronization arrangement

• US 8,704,068 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2011
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• 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:
  US13/079,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20110179943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 846/12, 846/36, 846/52, 846/68, 700/94
• 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
• 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
• 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 or perspiration; Biometric information
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/081 Genre classification, i.e. descriptive metadata for classification or selection of musical pieces according to style
• 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 one or more songs on a portable media device, the method comprising:

detecting a signal indicative of a selection of one user exercise activity profile of a plurality of user exercise activity profiles stored to the portable media device, wherein each user exercise activity profile is associated with a respective sequence of songs;

selecting one of a plurality of versions of a song of the respective sequence of songs associated with the selected one user exercise activity profile at a desired tempo, wherein each version of the plurality of versions of the song corresponds to a different tempo of the song; and

playing back the selected one version of the song at the desired tempo during a user performance of an exercise activity corresponding to the selected one user exercise activity profile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the signal includes receiving a signal indicative of a user selection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

dynamically adjusting the tempo of the song to fit the desired tempo.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising associating a tempo tag with each song of the respective sequence of songs.

6. An exercise system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect body metrics;

a portable media device comprising;

a storage device comprising a plurality of user exercise activity profiles, wherein each user exercise activity profile is associated respective sequence of songs; 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 sensors;

detect a user selection of one of the plurality of user exercise activity profiles; and

play back the respective sequence of songs associated with the selected one of the plurality of user exercise activity profiles, wherein each song of the respective sequence of songs is played back according to a tempo of each of the songs such that the respective tempos match to the current pace of exercise.

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 user exercise activity profiles, wherein each user exercise activity profile is associated with a respective sequence of songs, and wherein each respective sequence of songs comprises a plurality of versions of at least one song of the sequence of songs;

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

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

determine a desired pace of exercise for the user according to a selected user exercise activity profile;

select one version of the plurality of versions of the song that has a tempo corresponding to the desired pace of exercise based at least in part on the user'"'"'s current pace of exercise; and

dynamically adjust the tempo of the selected one version of the song to correspond to the desired pace of exercise.

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

16. The media player of claim 13, wherein the plurality of versions of the song comprises a plurality of tempo tags.