Systems and methods for facilitating group activities

• US 9,881,326 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2013
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gilley, Glenn G., Brody, Sarah A., Ubillos, Randall H., Pacurariu, Mihnea C., Dorogusker, Jesse L., Borchers, Robert E., Ginsburg, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Won, Michael Y
• Application Number:
  US13/850,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20130251328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709217, 709234, 709248
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 Nutrition
• 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: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

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 member electronic device for use in a group activity, the member electronic device comprising:

a member communication module configured to communicate with a master communication module disposed in a master electronic device;

memory for storing at least a first activity file; and

a controller configured to;

playback the stored first activity file from the memory, wherein the playback of the first activity file instructs a first user of the member electronic device to perform a first activity of the group activity;

synchronize the playback of the first activity file to a synchronization signal, wherein the controller is configured to accept the synchronization signal from the master electronic device via the member communication module once the first activity file is stored in the memory and then to use the received synchronization signal to synchronize the playback of the stored first activity file;

accept first sensor data associated with the member electronic device during the playback of the first activity file;

accept second sensor data associated with another electronic device during the playback of the first activity file; and

generate media cues for the first user based on the first and second sensor data.

2. The member electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to accept first control signals from the master electronic device via the member communication module, wherein the first control signals are configured to influence operation of the member electronic device.

3. The member electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first control signals instruct the controller to pause playback of the first activity file.

4. The member electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first control signals instruct the controller to reduce a play volume during playback of the first activity file.

5. The member electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first control signals instruct the controller to change an adjustable parameter associated with the first activity file.

6. The member electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

accept the first sensor data from at least a first sensor associated with the member electronic device; and

transmit the first sensor data to the master electronic device via the member communication module.

7. The member electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate second control signals to influence operation of another electronic device.

8. The member electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to accept the first activity file from the master electronic device and store the first activity file in the memory.

9. The member electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate the media cues during the playback of the first activity file based on the first and second sensor data.

10. The member electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to use the received synchronization signal to initiate the playback of the stored first activity file.

11. The member electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to accept the synchronization signal from the master electronic device via the member communication module after the entirety of the first activity file has been stored in the memory.

12. The member electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to use the received synchronization signal to synchronize the playback of the stored first activity file from the memory of the electronic device with the playback of another activity file on another electronic device.

13. A method for coordinating a group activity, the method comprising:

generating a synchronization signal for synchronizing playback of a first activity file by a first member electronic device and playback of a second activity file by a second member electronic device;

after storing the first activity file on the first member electronic device and after storing the second activity file on the second member electronic device, transmitting the synchronization signal to each of the first and second member electronic devices, wherein;

the playback of the stored first activity file by the first member electronic device is in response to the first member electronic device receiving the transmitted synchronization signal and instructs a first user of the first member electronic device to perform a first activity of the group activity in accordance with a first parameter; and

the playback of the stored second activity file by the second member electronic device is in response to the second member electronic device receiving the transmitted synchronization signal and instructs a second user of the second member electronic device to perform a second activity of the group activity in accordance with a second parameter that is different than the first parameter;

accepting second input data generated by the second user during the playback of the second activity file by the second member electronic device; and

generating a first control signal for influencing the operation of the first member electronic device based on the second input data.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

accepting first input data generated by the first user during the playback of the first activity file by the first member electronic device, wherein the generating the first control signal for influencing the operation of the first member electronic device comprises generating the first control signal based on the second input data and based on the first input data.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the second input data comprises sensor data indicative of performance metrics of the second user during the playback of the second activity file; and

the first control signal instructs the first member electronic device to change an adjustable parameter associated with the first activity file.