Systems and methods for facilitating group activities

• US 8,429,223 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• 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): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/729,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,219 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/208, 709/217, 709/224, 709/248, 709/251, 709/252
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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 master electronic device for coordinating a group activity, the master electronic device comprising:

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

a controller configured to;

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

transmit the synchronization signal to each of the first and second member electronic devices via the master communication module, wherein;

the playback of the first activity file 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 second activity file 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.

2. The master electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate first control signals to influence operation of the first member electronic device.

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

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

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

6. The master electronic device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to:

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

generate the first control signals based on at least a portion of the sensor data.

7. The master electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first control signals instruct the first member electronic device to generate a first media cue.

8. The master electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is further configured to generate the synchronization signal for synchronizing playback of a third activity file of the group activity by the master electronic device;

the controller is configured to accept second control signals from at least one of the first and second member electronic devices; and

the second control signals are configured to alter the playback of the third activity file.

9. The master electronic device of claim 8, wherein the second control signals instruct the controller to pause the playback of the third activity file.

10. The master electronic device of claim 8, wherein the second control signals instruct the controller to reduce play volume during the playback of the third activity file.

11. The master electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to periodically generate and transmit the synchronization signal.

12. The master electronic device of claim 1, further comprising memory for storing at least the first activity file, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the first activity file to the first member electronic device.

13. The master electronic device of claim 1, further comprising memory for storing the first activity file and the second activity file, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the first activity file to the first member electronic device and to transmit the second activity file to the second member electronic device.

14. The master electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first member electronic device is the master electronic device.

15. The master electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

accept first input data generated by the first user during the playback of the first activity file by the first member electronic device;

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

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

16. The master electronic device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to generate the first control signal for influencing the operation of the first member electronic device based on the first input data and the second input data.

17. The master electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

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

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

18. The master electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

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

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 controller is configured to generate the first control signal for influencing the operation of the first member electronic device based on a comparison of the first input data and the second input data.

19. The master electronic device of claim 18, wherein the first control signal instructs the first member electronic device to generate a first media cue.

20. The master electronic device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to generate a second control signal for influencing the operation of the second member electronic device based on at least one of the first input data and the second input data.

21. The master electronic device of claim 20, wherein the second control signal instructs the second member electronic device to change an adjustable parameter associated with the second activity file.

22. The master electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the controller is further configured to generate the synchronization signal for synchronizing playback of a third activity file of the group activity by the master electronic device; and

at least one of the first input data and the second input data instructs the controller to change an adjustable parameter associated with the third activity file.

23. The master electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first activity file is the second activity file.

24. The master electronic device of claim 23, wherein the group activity is a group workout activity.

25. The master electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first activity file is different than the second activity file.

26. The master electronic device of claim 25, wherein the first activity is different than the second activity.

27. The master electronic device of claim 25, wherein:

the first activity is the second activity; and

at least the first parameter of the first activity file is different than at least the second parameter of the second activity file.

28. The master electronic device of claim 25, wherein the group activity is one of a band group activity, a theatrical production group activity, and an interactive sport group activity.

29. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for a first portable media player, the computer readable medium comprising:

a first instruction code for playing back a first media file on the first portable media player;

a second instruction code for accepting user input from a first user into the first portable media player during playback of the first media file;

a third instruction code for generating a first control signal based on the user input for influencing operation of a second portable media player; and

a fourth instruction code for transmitting the first control signal from the first portable media player to the second portable media player, wherein the playback of the first media file instructs the first user of the first portable media player to perform a first activity of a group activity, wherein the first control signal is configured to influence playback of a second media file by the second portable media player, and wherein the playback of the second media file by the second portable media player instructs a second user of the second portable media player to perform a second activity of the group activity.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the first control signal is configured to instruct the second portable media player to pause playback of the second media file.

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the first control signal is configured to instruct the second portable media player to reduce play volume during playback of the second media file.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29, further comprising:

a fifth instruction code for accepting sensor data indicative of a user'"'"'s performance metrics; and

a sixth instruction code for generating media cues based on the sensor data.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29, further comprising a seventh instruction code for accepting a second control signal that influences operation of the first portable media player.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the second control signal influences playback of the first media file.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the second control signal instructs the first portable media player to reduce play volume during playback of the first media file.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the playback of the second media file instructs a second user of the second portable media player to perform a second activity of the group activity.

37. A master electronic device for coordinating a group activity, the master electronic device comprising:

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

a controller configured to;

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

transmit the synchronization signal to each of the first and second member electronic devices via the master communication module, wherein;

the playback of the first activity file instructs a first user of the first member electronic device to perform a first activity of the group activity; and

the playback of the second activity file instructs a second user of the second member electronic device to perform a second activity of the group activity, wherein the controller is further configured to;

accept first input data generated by the first user during the playback of the first activity file by the first member electronic device;

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

generate a first control signal for influencing the operation of the first member electronic device based on the second input data, wherein the second input data comprises speech of the second user during the playback of the second activity file.