Repetitive-motion activity enhancement based upon media content selection

• US 9,978,426 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2015
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spotify AB (Spotify Technology SA)
• Original Assignee: Spotify AB (Spotify Technology SA)
• Inventors: Smith, Owen, Jehan, Tristan, Garmark, Sten, Sen, Rahul
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US14/883,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20160343410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 386201
• 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: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/15 using mechanical sensing means see provisionally also G11B27/13
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for repetitive-motion activity enhancement based upon media content selection are provided. An example media-playback device for enhancement of a repetitive-motion activity includes a media-output device that plays media content items, a plurality of media content selection engines, and a repetitive-activity enhancement mode selection engine. The plurality of media content selection engines includes a cadence-based media content selection engine and an enhancement program engine. The cadence-based media content selection engine is configured to select media content items based on a cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity. The enhancement program engine is configured to select media content items according to an enhancement program for the repetitive-motion activity. The repetitive-activity enhancement mode selection engine is configured to select a media content selection engine from the plurality of engines and to cause the media-output device to playback media content items selected by the selected engine.

Claims

1. A media-playback device for enhancement of a repetitive-motion activity, the media playback device comprising:

a media-output device that plays media content items;

a processing device; and

a computer readable data storage device storing data instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to;

determine a media playback mode among a plurality of media playback modes, the plurality of media playback modes including a cadence-based media playback mode and a repetitive-activity enhancement playback mode;

when the determined media playback mode is the cadence-based media playback mode;

determine a cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity, wherein the cadence is determined using a predetermined threshold and a predetermined duration to distinguish an intentional change in cadence from an environment-based change in cadence; and

upon determining the cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity, generate an audible cadence acquired indicator and select media content items based on the cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity;

when the determined media playback mode is the repetitive-activity enhancement playback mode, select media content items according to an enhancement program for the repetitive-motion activity;

playback media content items selected according to the determined media playback mode, wherein the selection of media content items is based on a tempo value and repetitive-motion activity score, the repetitive-motion activity score corresponding to suitability of a media content item for playback during the repetitive-motion activity;

monitor performance of the repetitive-motion activity during playback of the selected media content items to evaluate the suitability of at least one of the media content items for playback during the repetitive-motion activity in the future;

select a media content item to provide an enhancement booster for the repetitive-motion activity based upon monitoring the repetitive-motion activity;

determine a delay for playing back the enhancement booster; and

play back the enhancement booster after the delay.

2. The media-playback device of claim 1, further comprising a cadence-acquiring device comprising an accelerometer and further data instructions that cause the processing device to determine a cadence based on acceleration data captured by the accelerometer.

3. The media-playback device of claim 1, comprising further data instructions that cause the processing device to align consecutive playback of a first media content item and a second media content item.

4. The media-playback device of claim 3, wherein the data instructions that cause the processing device to align consecutive playback further cause the processing device to:

determine an alignment beat in the first media content item;

determine a starting beat in the second media content item; and

cause the second media content item to begin playback such that the starting beat is aligned with the alignment beat.

5. The media-playback device of claim 4, wherein the alignment beat is a downbeat and the starting beat is a downbeat.

6. The media playback device of claim 1, further comprising data instructions that cause the processing device to select media content items based on a physiological measurement.

7. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein the physiological measure is a heart rate.

8. The media-playback device of claim 1, wherein the enhancement program is a single segment identifying a tempo value for media content playback.

9. The media-playback device of claim 8, wherein the tempo value is identified based on a target cadence.

10. The media-playback device of claim 1, wherein the enhancement program comprises a plurality of segments.

11. The media-playback device of claim 1, wherein the data instructions that cause the processing device to select media content items based on a cadence further cause the processing device to:

monitor for changes in the cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity; and

upon detecting a change in cadence;

identify a second media content item based on a changed cadence; and

cause the media-output device to playback the identified second media content item.

12. The media-playback device of claim 1, wherein the media content item is streamed to the media-playback device by a media-delivery system based on a request for media content items that specifies the cadence.

13. The media-playback device of claim 1, wherein the media playback device is a watch.

14. The media-playback device of claim 1, wherein the media playback device is a smartphone including the processing device and the computer-readable data storage device.

19. The media-playback device of claim 1, wherein an intentional change in cadence is determined based on a combination of a difference between an acquired cadence and a current cadence and a duration of the difference.

20. The media-playback device of claim 1, further comprising an altimeter for acquiring altitude measurements, and wherein changes in cadence that occur while the altitude measurements are changing rapidly are ignored.

21. The media-playback device of claim 1, further comprising data instructions that cause the processing device to:

monitor performance of the repetitive-motion activity during playback of the enhancement booster; and

calculate an enhancement effectiveness score for the enhancement booster representative of a suitability of the enhancement booster for future playback during the repetitive-motion activity.

22. The media-playback device of claim 1, wherein the delay is calculated to allow the playback of a media content item to complete.

15. A method of selecting media content to enhance a repetitive-motion activity according to an enhancement program comprising:

selecting a media content item for playback based on a tempo defined by a first segment of the enhancement program and based on repetitive-motion activity score, the repetitive-motion activity score corresponding to suitability of a media content item for playback during the repetitive-motion activity;

determining a cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity, wherein the cadence is determined using a predetermined threshold and a predetermined duration to distinguish an intentional change in cadence from an environment-based change in cadence;

upon determining the cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity, generating an audible cadence acquired indicator;

monitoring the repetitive-motion activity to determine whether the first segment is complete and to evaluate the suitability of the selected media content item for playback during the repetitive-motion activity in the future;

upon determining that the first segment is complete, selecting a second media content item for playback based on a tempo defined by a second segment of the enhancement program and based on the repetitive-motion activity score;

selecting a media content item to provide an enhancement booster for the repetitive-motion activity based upon monitoring the repetitive-motion activity;

determining a delay for playing back the enhancement booster; and

playing back the enhancement booster after the delay.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first segment is determined to be complete based on a duration of time specified for the first segment.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first segment is determined to be complete based on a physiological measurement captured during the repetitive-motion activity.

18. A mobile device for enhancement of a repetitive-motion activity, the mobile device comprising:

a media-output device that plays media content items;

a cadence-acquiring device comprising an accelerometer and configured to determine a cadence based on acceleration data captured by the accelerometer;

a processing device; and

a computer readable data storage device storing data instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to;

determine a media playback mode among a plurality of media playback modes, the plurality of media playback modes including a cadence-based media playback mode, a repetitive-activity enhancement playback mode, and a physiological control playback mode;

when the determined media playback mode is the cadence-based media playback mode;

determine, by the cadence-acquiring device, a cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity, wherein the cadence is determined using a predetermined threshold and a predetermined duration to distinguish an intentional change in cadence from an environment-based change in cadence; and

upon determining the cadence associated with the repetitive-motion activity, generate a voiceover indicator of the determined cadence and select media content items based on the cadence;

when the determined media playback mode is the repetitive-activity enhancement playback mode, select media content items according to an enhancement program for the repetitive-motion activity;

when the determined media playback mode is the physiological control playback mode, select media content items based on a physiological measurement;

playback media content items selected according to the determined media playback mode with the media-output device, wherein the selection of media content items is based on a tempo value and repetitive-motion activity score, the repetitive-motion activity score corresponding to suitability of a media content item for playback during the repetitive-motion activity;

select a media content item to provide an enhancement booster for the repetitive-motion activity based upon monitoring the repetitive-motion activity;

determine a delay for playing back the enhancement booster;

play back the enhancement booster after the delay;

align consecutive playback of media content items; and

monitor performance of the repetitive-motion activity during playback of the selected media content items to evaluate the suitability of at least one of the media content items for playback during the repetitive-motion activity in the future.