COORDINATED GROUP MUSICAL EXPERIENCE

• US 20110245944A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Louboutin, Sylvain Rene Yves
• Granted Patent: US 8,521,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/175 for jam sessions or musical collaboration through a network, e.g. for composition, ensemble playing or repeating; Compensation of network or internet delays therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes

Abstract

Sharing of a music experience amongst a group of people each using a personal communication device is described. In some cases, the group can congregate at the same geographic location or at least some of the group can be located at widely dispersed locations and yet still be able to share a music experience. Information can be passed between the personal communication devices using point to point wireless communication, a distributed network of computers such as the Internet, a wireless cellular communication network, and so on. The information can include an indication of a shared music characteristic. The personal communication devices can use the shared music characteristic to identify and start to privately play those music items stored in the personal communication device having a characteristic that matches or most closely matches the shared music characteristic at about the same time.

Claims

1. A method, comprising;

receiving information at a first personal communication device from an external circuit, the information including an indication of a shared music characteristic;

concurrent with the receiving, re-broadcasting at least some of the information including the shared music characteristic;

selecting at least a first music item from a plurality of music items stored in the first personal communication device in accordance with the shared music characteristic; and

privately playing the selected music item.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the re-broadcasted information at a second personal communication device;

selecting a second music item from a plurality of music items stored in the second personal communication device in accordance with the shared music characteristic; and

privately playing the second music item at the second personal communication device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

synchronizing music playing functions of the first personal communication device and the second personal communication device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the synchronized first and the second personal communication devices start privately playing the first and second music items at about the same time.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first music item and the second music item have only the shared music characteristic in common.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the shared music characteristic is tempo in beats per minute (bpm).

7. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

updating the shared music characteristic at the first personal communication device;

broadcasting the updated shared music characteristic; and

selecting a third music item in accordance with the updated shared music characteristic.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

at the second personal communication device,

receiving the broadcasted updated shared music characteristic; and

selecting a fourth music item in accordance with the updated shared music characteristic.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

synchronizing the music playing functions of the first and the second personal communication devices when needed; and

starting the private play of the third and fourth music items at about the same time, wherein the third music item and the fourth music item have only the shared music characteristic in common.

10. A personal communication device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver arranged for receiving information from an external circuit, the information including an indication of a shared music characteristic;

a data storage device arranged for storing at least one music item;

a audio circuit arranged to process music items; and

a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver, the data storage device, and the audio circuit, wherein when the wireless transceiver receives the information that includes the shared music characteristic, the processor;

instructs the wireless transceiver to re-broadcast at least some of the information that includes the shared music characteristic,

instructs the data storage device to provide at least a first music item in accordance with the shared music characteristic, and

instructs the audio circuit to process and play the first music item only when a private listening device is attached to the personal communication device.

11. The personal communication device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

at a second personal communication device within wireless range of the personal communication device, the second personal communication device receives the re-broadcasted information that includes at least the shared music characteristic, selects a second music item in accordance with the shared music characteristic, and privately plays the second music item.

12. The personal communication device as recited in claim 11, wherein the first and the second personal communication devices each includes a synchronization unit arranged to synchronize music playing functions of the first personal communication device and the second personal communication device.

13. The personal communication device as recited in claim 12, wherein the first music item and the second music item have only the shared music characteristic in common.

14. The personal communication device as recited in claim 10, wherein the shared music characteristic is beats per minute (bpm).

15. A method, comprising:

receiving a notification of a shared musical experience at a plurality of personal communication devices, the notification including a designated location and a start time of the shared musical experience;

at the start time, wirelessly receiving information at only those of the plurality of personal communication devices at the designated location, the information including a shared music characteristic;

at each of the personal communication devices that wirelessly received the information, selecting at least one music item stored on the personal communication device in accordance with the shared music characteristic; and

privately playing the at least one music item selected by each of the personal communication devices starting at about the same time, wherein the selected music items privately played by each of the personal communication devices have the same shared music characteristic.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the shared music characteristic is tempo in beats per minute (bpm).

17. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

updating the shared music characteristic at a first personal communication device;

broadcasting the updated shared music characteristic; and

selecting at least a music item in accordance with the updated shared music characteristic by the first personal communication device.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

receiving the updated shared music characteristic at those of the plurality of portable communication devices within a wireless range of the first personal communication device;

at each of the receiving personal communication devices,

concurrent with the receiving, re-broadcasting the updated shared music characteristic; and

selecting at least another music item in accordance with the shared music characteristic.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving a shared musical experience application at those of the plurality of personal communication devices determined to not include the shared music experience application.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing a computer program executable by a processor included in a personal communication device for participating in a shared music experience, the computer program comprising:

computer code for receiving information at a first personal communication device from an external circuit, the information including an indication of a shared music characteristic;

computer code for re-broadcasting information including the shared music characteristic concurrent with the receiving;

computer code for selecting at least a first music item from a plurality of music items stored in the personal communication device in accordance with the shared music characteristic; and

computer code for privately playing the selected music item.

21. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

computer code for receiving the re-broadcasted information at a second personal communication device; and

computer code for selecting a second music item in accordance with the shared music characteristic

22. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

computer code for synchronizing music playing functions of the first personal communication device and the second personal communication device.

23. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

computer code for privately playing the first and second music items at the synchronized first and second personal communication devices, respectively.

24. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 23, wherein the first music item and the second music item have only the shared music characteristic in common.

25. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the shared music characteristic is beats per minute (bpm).