U.S. patent application number 11/554648 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-01 for method and system for dynamic music tempo tracking based on exercise equipment pace.
This patent application is currently assigned to MOTOROLA, INC.. Invention is credited to JOSEPH L. DVORAK, VON A. MOCK, JORGE L. PERDOMO.
Application Number | 20080103022 11/554648 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39330985 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080103022 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DVORAK; JOSEPH L. ; et
al. |
May 1, 2008 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMIC MUSIC TEMPO TRACKING BASED ON
EXERCISE EQUIPMENT PACE
Abstract
A method (10) and system (50 or 200) for music selection based
on pace can include tracking (12) a pace as used on an exercise
equipment device (61), receiving (14) a pace value representative
of the pace via a short range wireless transmission at an audio
output device (51), searching (16) a media library within the audio
output device for a media file with a pace closest to the pace
value received, and presenting(18) a media file having the pace
closest to the pace value received. The method can further
optionally include t automatically playing (20) the media file if
the pace closest to the pace value received is an exact match and
adjusting (22) to the pace value the pace of a song when the song
is within a user settable range or percentage of the pace
value.
Inventors: |
DVORAK; JOSEPH L.; (BOCA
RATON, FL) ; MOCK; VON A.; (BOYNTON BEACH, FL)
; PERDOMO; JORGE L.; (BOCA RATON, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AKERMAN SENTERFITT
P.O. BOX 3188
WEST PALM BEACH
FL
33402-3188
US
|
Assignee: |
MOTOROLA, INC.
SCHAUMBURG
IL
|
Family ID: |
39330985 |
Appl. No.: |
11/554648 |
Filed: |
October 31, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/3 ; 482/7;
G9B/27.019 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2220/34 20130101;
A63B 2071/0625 20130101; A63B 2225/50 20130101; A63B 71/0622
20130101; G11B 27/105 20130101; A63B 2230/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/3 ;
482/7 |
International
Class: |
A63B 71/00 20060101
A63B071/00; A63B 24/00 20060101 A63B024/00 |
Claims
1. A method of music selection based on pace, comprising the steps
of: tracking a pace as used on an exercise equipment device;
receiving a pace value representative of the pace via a short range
wireless transmission at an audio output device; searching a media
library within a memory on the audio output device for a media file
with a pace closest to the pace value received; and presenting a
media file having the pace closest to the pace value received.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the
step of automatically playing the media file if the pace closest to
the pace value received is an exact match.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the
step of adjusting to the pace value the pace of a song serving as
the media file having the pace closest to the pace value when the
song is within a user settable range or percentage of the pace
value received or alternatively adjusting a degree of difficulty
level on the exercise equipment device to enable a user to easily
match the pace value of the song serving as the media file.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises the
step of playing a current song playing on the audio output device
when a song is not found within the user settable range or
percentage of the pace value received.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the
step of playing the media file with the closest pace to the pace
value received with an unaltered pace.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the
step of logging changes in pace and creating an exercise playlist
substantially matching the changes in pace logged and enabling a
user to select songs from the exercise playlist.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the
step of receiving the pace value representative of the pace via the
short range wireless transmission when the pace value changes and
further comprises receiving an exercise equipment identifier to
enable maintenance of a playlist for each piece of equipment the
user uses.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the
step of capturing an image to correlate a piece of exercise
equipment with a given user's playlist.
9. A system of music selection based on pace, comprising: a
portable audio output device; a short range wireless transceiver
coupled to the portable audio output device; and a processor
coupled to the short range wireless wireless transceiver and the
portable audio output device, wherein the processor is programmed
to: track a pace as used on exercise equipment; receive a pace
value representative of the pace via the short range wireless
transceiver; search a music library within a memory on the portable
audio output device for a media file having a pace closest to the
pace value received; and play a media file having the pace closest
to the pace value received.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further
programmed to automatically play the media file if the pace closest
to the pace value received is an exact match.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further
programmed to adjust to the pace value the pace of a song serving
as the media file having the pace closest to the pace value when
the song is within a user settable range or percentage of the pace
value received.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further
programmed to play a current song playing on the audio output
device when a song is not found within the user settable range or
percentage of the pace value received.
13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further
programmed to play the media file with the closest pace to the pace
value received with an unaltered pace.
14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further
programmed to log changes in pace and create an exercise playlist
substantially matching the changes in pace logged and enable a user
to select songs from the exercise playlist.
15. The system of claim 9, wherein a song pace is kept in a song's
metadata.
16. The system of claim 9, wherein receiving the pace value
representative of the pace via the short range wireless
transmission occurs when the pace value changes and the processor
is further programmed to receive an exercise equipment identifier
to enable maintenance of a playlist for each piece of equipment the
user uses.
17. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further
programmed to capture an image to correlate a piece of exercise
equipment with a given user's playlist.
18. The system of claim 9, wherein the portable audio output device
is a cellular phone, an MP3 player, a smart phone, or a personal
digital assistant.
19. A portable wireless communication unit having a system of music
selection based on a pace of an exercise equipment device,
comprising: a short range wireless transceiver coupled to portable
wireless communication unit; and a processor coupled to the short
range wireless transceiver, wherein the processor is programmed to:
track a pace as used on the exercise equipment device, wherein the
exercise equipment device further has an identifier; receive a pace
value representative of a pace currently used on the exercise
equipment device and the exercise equipment identifier via the
short range wireless transceiver; search a music library within a
memory on the portable audio output device for a media file having
a pace closest to the pace value received; and play a media file
having the pace closest to the pace value received.
20. The portable communication unit of claim 9, wherein the
processor is further programmed to: automatically play the media
file if the pace closest to the pace value received is an exact
match; adjust to the pace value the pace of a song serving as the
media file having the pace closest to the pace value when the song
is within a user settable range or percentage of the pace value
received or play the media file with the closest pace to the pace
value received with an unaltered pace; and play a current song
playing on the audio output device when a song is not found within
the user settable range or percentage of the pace value
received.
21. A system of music selection based on a pace of an exercise
equipment device, comprising: a processor operatively coupled to a
audio output device, wherein the processor is programmed to:
receive information correlated to a particular user's music library
on the audio output device; track a pace as used on the exercise
equipment device; send a pace value representative of a pace
currently used on the exercise equipment device to the audio output
device; search a music library within a memory on the portable
audio output device for a media file having a pace closest to the
pace value received; and play a media file having the pace closest
to the pace value received.
Description
FIELD
[0001] This invention relates generally to music tempo tracking,
and more particularly to a method and system for dynamic music
tempo tracking based on exercise equipment pace.
BACKGROUND
[0002] As someone works out on a piece of exercise equipment, they
tend to change the pace of their activity (stair climbing, running,
etc.) as their workout progresses. Playing music that matches the
current activity pace can help to maintain or increase a current
pace and produce a better workout. However, it is often difficult
to find a song that has the correct tempo to match the exercise
pace. Furthermore, searching for an appropriate song can be
intrusive and disruptive to the exercise activity.
[0003] While there has been discussion of using accelerometers to
track a person's pace as they walk and transmitting such pacing
information to a laptop containing a playlist songs to enable the
appropriate selection from the playlist and further discussion of
systems that allow a user to view or manage the playlist based on
performance or the type of anticipated exercise to be done, such
systems have not been applied to exercise equipment and portable
audio output devices in a manner that would be feasible or
practical.
SUMMARY
[0004] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention can
provide a mechanism enabling a phone or other handheld personal
device providing music to continuously track changes in a person's
activity pace as a workout progresses with minimal disruption to
the workout.
[0005] In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method of
music selection based on pace can include tracking a pace as used
on an exercise equipment device, receiving a pace value
representative of the pace via a short range wireless transmission
at an audio output device, searching a media library within a
memory on the audio output device for a media file with a pace
closest to the pace value received, and presenting a media file
having the pace closest to the pace value received. The method can
further include the step of automatically playing the media file if
the pace closest to the pace value received is an exact match and
the step of adjusting to the pace value the pace of a song (serving
as the media file having the pace closest to the pace value) when
the song is within a user settable range or percentage of the pace
value received or alternatively adjusting a degree of difficulty
level on the exercise equipment device to enable a user to easily
match the pace value of the song serving as the media file. The
method can also continue to play a current song playing on the
audio output device when a song is not found within the user
settable range or percentage of the pace value received. The method
can also play the media file with the closest pace to the pace
value received with an unaltered pace. The method can also log
changes in pace and create an exercise playlist substantially
matching the changes in pace logged and enabling a user to select
songs from the exercise playlist. The method can also include
receiving the pace value representative of the pace via the short
range wireless transmission when the pace value changes and further
receiving an exercise equipment identifier to enable maintenance of
a playlist for each piece of equipment the user uses. The method
can also include the step of capturing an image to correlate a
piece of exercise equipment with a given user's playlist.
[0006] In a second embodiment of the present invention, a system of
music selection based on pace can include a portable audio output
device, a short range wireless transceiver coupled to the portable
audio output device, and a processor coupled to the short range
wireless wireless transceiver and the portable audio output device.
The portable audio output device can be or be a portion of a
cellular phone, an MP3 player, a smart phone, or a personal digital
assistant. The processor can be programmed to track a pace as used
on exercise equipment, receive a pace value representative of the
pace via the short range wireless transceiver, search a music
library within a memory on the portable audio output device for a
media file having a pace closest to the pace value received, and
play a media file having the pace closest to the pace value
received. The processor can also be programmed to automatically
play the media file if the pace closest to the pace value received
is an exact match, adjust to the pace value the pace of a song
(serving as the media file having the pace closest to the pace
value) when the song is within a user settable range or percentage
of the pace value received, play a current song playing on the
audio output device when a song is not found within the user
settable range or percentage of the pace value received, or play
the media file with the closest pace to the pace value received
with an unaltered pace. The processor can also be programmed to log
changes in pace and create an exercise playlist substantially
matching the changes in pace logged and enable a user to select
songs from the exercise playlist. Note, a song pace can be kept in
a song's metadata. Also not that receiving the pace value
representative of the pace via the short range wireless
transmission occurs when the pace value changes and that the
processor is further programmed to receive an exercise equipment
identifier to enable maintenance of a playlist for each piece of
equipment the user uses. The processor can also be programmed to
capture an image to correlate a piece of exercise equipment with a
given user's playlist.
[0007] In a third embodiment of the present invention, a portable
wireless communication unit having a system of music selection
based on a pace of an exercise equipment device can include a short
range wireless transceiver coupled to portable wireless
communication unit and a processor coupled to the short range
wireless transceiver. The processor can be programmed to track a
pace as used on the exercise equipment device (where the exercise
equipment device further has an identifier), receive a pace value
representative of a pace currently used on the exercise equipment
device and receive the exercise equipment identifier via the short
range wireless transceiver, search a media library within a memory
on the portable audio output device for a media file having a pace
closest to the pace value received, and play a media file having
the pace closest to the pace value received. The processor can
further be programmed to automatically play the media file if the
pace closest to the pace value received is an exact match, adjust
to the pace value the pace of a song serving as the media file
having the pace closest to the pace value when the song is within a
user settable range or percentage of the pace value received or
play the media file with the closest pace to the pace value
received with an unaltered pace, and play a current song playing on
the audio output device when a song is not found within the user
settable range or percentage of the pace value received.
[0008] In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a system of
music selection based on a pace of an exercise equipment device can
include a processor operatively coupled to an audio output device.
The processor can be programmed to receive information correlated
to a particular user's music library on the audio output device,
track a pace as used on the exercise equipment device, send a pace
value representative of a pace currently used on the exercise
equipment device to the audio output device, search a music library
within a memory on the portable audio output device for a media
file having a pace closest to the pace value received, and play a
media file having the pace closest to the pace value received.
[0009] The terms "a" or "an," as used herein, are defined as one or
more than one. The term "plurality," as used herein, is defined as
two or more than two. The term "another," as used herein, is
defined as at least a second or more. The terms "including" and/or
"having," as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open
language). The term "coupled,"as used herein, is defined as
connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily
mechanically.
[0010] The terms "program," "software application," and the like as
used herein, are defined as a sequence of instructions designed for
execution on a computer system. A program, computer program, or
software application may include a subroutine, a function, a
procedure, an object method, an object implementation, an
executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an
object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other
sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer
system. The "processor" as described herein can be any suitable
component or combination of components, including any suitable
hardware or software, that are capable of executing the processes
described in relation to the inventive arrangements.
[0011] Other embodiments, when configured in accordance with the
inventive arrangements disclosed herein, can include a system for
performing and a machine readable storage for causing a machine to
perform the various processes and methods disclosed herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method of music selection based
on pace accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a system for music selection
based on pace in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an illustration of another system for music
selection based on pace in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] While the specification concludes with claims defining the
features of embodiments of the invention that are regarded as
novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood
from a consideration of the following description in conjunction
with the figures, in which like reference numerals are carried
forward.
[0016] Embodiments herein can be implemented in a wide variety of
exemplary ways that can enable a portable device user such as cell
phone or MP3 user to receive current exercise pace information from
a piece of exercise equipment and further enable the portable
device to play a media file such as a song matching or
substantially matching the current pace on the exercise equipment.
Such an arrangement enables the user to maintain their exercise
pace without any or minimal action by the user and provides for a
better workout.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, a flow chart illustrating a method 10
of music selection based on pace can include the step 12 of
tracking a pace as used on an exercise equipment device, receiving
a pace value representative of the pace via a short range wireless
transmission at an audio output device at step 14, searching a
media library within a memory on the audio output device for a
media file with a pace closest to the pace value received at step
16, and presenting at step 18 a media file having the pace closest
to the pace value received. The method 10 can further optionally
include the step 20 of automatically playing the media file if the
pace closest to the pace value received is an exact match and the
step 22 of adjusting to the pace value the pace of a song (serving
as the media file having the pace closest to the pace value) when
the song is within a user settable range or percentage of the pace
value received or alternatively adjusting a degree of difficulty
level on the exercise equipment device to enable a user to easily
match the pace value of the song serving as the media file. The
method 10 can also optionally continue to play a current song
playing on the audio output device when a song is not found within
the user settable range or percentage of the pace value received at
step 24. The method 10 can also play the media file with the
closest pace to the pace value received with an unaltered pace at
step 26. The method can also log changes in pace and create an
exercise playlist substantially matching the changes in pace logged
and enable a user to select songs from the exercise playlist at
step 28. The method 10 can also include the step 30 of receiving
the pace value representative of the pace via the short range
wireless transmission when the pace value changes and further
receiving an exercise equipment identifier to enable maintenance or
correlation of a playlist (for each user) for each piece of
equipment the user uses. The method can also include the step 32 of
capturing an image to correlate a piece of exercise equipment with
a given user's playlist.
[0018] Note, using a short range wireless communication interface
to enable a portable wireless device to communicate with exercise
equipment in a fitness room might not be as trivial as it might
seem. A user might need to select from a list of all objects in the
fitness room that are equipped with RF transponders. For example, a
fitness room 50 having treadmills 61, 62 and 63 in near proximity
communicating respectively with portable wireless devices (such as
music enabled cellular phones) 51, 52, and 53 would need to have a
means for correlating exercise equipment with user playlists on the
portable wireless devices to avoid confusion and interference among
devices. One possible implementation can utilize exercise equipment
identifiers that uniquely identify a piece of equipment (per
exercise room location) and transmit the identifier as well as any
pacing information. Thus, treadmill 61 can send a unique identifier
via processor 56 and transmitter or transceiver 54 to portable
wireless device 51. Likewise, treadmills 62 and 63 can send a
unique identifier via processor 56 and transmitter or transceiver
54 to portable wireless devices 52 and 53 respectively. Another
possible implementation within contemplation of the present
invention can utilize near field communications (NFC) that uses
RFIDs that are attached to the exercise equipment or object. Yet
another embodiment can capture an image of the object by the mobile
device and then compare or correlate the image to the previously
captured image and provide the exercise song list that has been
previously linked to the image stored in the mobile device. The
image capture scheme can operate similarly to receiving a unique
identifier that makes one piece of equipment distinguishable from
another. The image capture can also be used to distinguish one
particular user or playlist for another. For example, a captured
image of a pair of running shoes would bring up a song list that is
linked to the image of such running shoes. An image capture of a
cross-trainer shoe might bring up yet a different playlist for the
very same user. A captured image for a stationary bike can bring up
a song list for the stationary bike that was previously linked to
the stationary bike image.
[0019] As noted above, embodiments herein can enable a user to
select one or more songs to match the pace or tempo of the user.
The song can be chosen so that the tempo of the song would
reinforce the exercise movement of the user. In one embodiment, the
song's current tempo can be adjusted to match or substantially
match a desired heart rate or pace. Alternatively, the exercise
equipment settings can be altered to enable the user to more
closely match the pace of a particular song. In other words, a
difficulty level setting can be made easier or harder in order to
bring the user's pace more in-line with the particular pace of a
song. The data associated with a particular song can include such
pace or tempo information and can be part of the metadata within a
song file. A device and system as contemplated can also track the
correlation between songs used (and their tempo or pace) and the
particular piece of exercise equipment. This allows the device to
automatically load songs with the preferred tempo once the user
starts exercising on the device. As a particular workout progresses
and the pace changes, the automatically loaded and/or presented
songs can change to correspond to the changed pace. Such as system
can also provide a user with the ability to inspect an exercise log
to adjust a desired playlist for future exercise. The log can also
enable a user to manually assemble an exercise playlist that tracks
the equipment's pace to the accuracy desired by the user. This can
also assume the tracking and recording of some physiological
information such as heart rate is being recorded or other
physiological information.
[0020] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary diagrammatic representation of a
machine in the form of a computer system 200 within which a set of
instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any
one or more of the methodologies discussed above. In some
embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device. In some
embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., using a network)
to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may
operate in the capacity of a server or a client user machine in
server-client user network environment, or as a peer machine in a
peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. For example, the
computer system can include a recipient device 201 and a sending
device 250 or vice-versa.
[0021] The machine may comprise a server computer, a client user
computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, personal digital
assistant, a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a desktop computer,
a control system, a network router, switch or bridge, or any
machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or
otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine, not to
mention a mobile server. It will be understood that a device of the
present disclosure includes broadly any electronic device that
provides voice, video or data communication. Further, while a
single machine is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be
taken to include any collection of machines that individually or
jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform
any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.
[0022] The computer system 200 can include a controller or
processor 202 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics
processing unit (GPU, or both), a main memory 204 and a static
memory 206, which communicate with each other via a bus 208. The
computer system 200 may further include a presentation device such
as a video display unit 210 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD),
a flat panel, a solid state display, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)).
The computer system 200 may include an input device 212 (e.g., a
keyboard), a cursor control device 214 (e.g., a mouse), a disk
drive unit 216, a signal generation device 218 (e.g., a speaker or
remote control that can also serve as a presentation device) and a
network interface device 220. Of course, in the embodiments
disclosed, many of these items are optional.
[0023] The disk drive unit 216 may include a machine-readable
medium 222 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions
(e.g., software 224) embodying any one or more of the methodologies
or functions described herein, including those methods illustrated
above. The instructions 224 may also reside, completely or at least
partially, within the main memory 204, the static memory 206,
and/or within the processor 202 during execution thereof by the
computer system 200. The main memory 204 and the processor 202 also
may constitute machine-readable media.
[0024] Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not
limited to, application specific integrated circuits, programmable
logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed
to implement the methods described herein. Applications that may
include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments broadly
include a variety of electronic and computer systems. Some
embodiments implement functions in two or more specific
interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and
data signals communicated between and through the modules, or as
portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Thus, the
example system is applicable to software, firmware, and hardware
implementations.
[0025] In accordance with various embodiments of the present
invention, the methods described herein are intended for operation
as software programs running on a computer processor. Furthermore,
software implementations can include, but are not limited to,
distributed processing or component/object distributed processing,
parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also be
constructed to implement the methods described herein. Further
note, implementations can also include neural network
implementations, and ad hoc or mesh network implementations between
communication devices.
[0026] The present disclosure contemplates a machine readable
medium containing instructions 224, or that which receives and
executes instructions 224 from a propagated signal so that a device
connected to a network environment 226 can send or receive voice,
video or data, and to communicate over the network 226 using the
instructions 224. The instructions 224 may further be transmitted
or received over a network 226 via the network interface device
220.
[0027] While the machine-readable medium 222 is shown in an example
embodiment to be a single medium, the term "machine-readable
medium" should be taken to include a single medium or multiple
media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or
associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of
instructions. The term "machine-readable medium" shall also be
taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or
carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and
that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the
methodologies of the present disclosure. The terms "program,"
"software application," and the like as used herein, are defined as
a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer
system. A program, computer program, or software application may
include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an
object implementation, an executable application, an applet, a
servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic
load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for
execution on a computer system.
[0028] In light of the foregoing description, it should be
recognized that embodiments in accordance with the present
invention can be realized in hardware, software, or a combination
of hardware and software. A network or system according to the
present invention can be realized in a centralized fashion in one
computer system or processor, or in a distributed fashion where
different elements are spread across several interconnected
computer systems or processors (such as a microprocessor and a
DSP). Any kind of computer system, or other apparatus adapted for
carrying out the functions described herein, is suited. A typical
combination of hardware and software could be a general purpose
computer system with a computer program that, when being loaded and
executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the
functions described herein. Further note, the embodiments are not
necessarily limited to song files, but can also include video files
or multimedia files that can have a pace or tempo associated with
such files.
[0029] In light of the foregoing description, it should also be
recognized that embodiments in accordance with the present
invention can be realized in numerous configurations contemplated
to be within the scope and spirit of the claims. Additionally, the
description above is intended by way of example only and is not
intended to limit the present invention in any way, except as set
forth in the following claims.
* * * * *