Portable Media Player Integrating Physiologic Data Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for monitoring exercise performance, such as pedometers and foot-mounted units, are limited in their ability to integrate and analyze physiologic data with media playback, lacking a comprehensive system for user interaction and data handling.
Innovation Solution
A method that interoperates a portable media player with a computer to receive and process physiologic data from a wireless data gathering device, allowing for coordinated media playback and data analysis, including account setup with a workout data service for storage and processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standalone mechanical pedometer is used to monitor exercise, then device simplicity is maintained, but data integration and analysis capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple previously separate functions into a unified system: media playback, exercise monitoring, and physiologic data analysis are merged into an integrated system where the portable media player coordinates with exercise equipment and data gathering devices, allowing seamless data flow and coordinated control
Solution Approach 2:
The portable media player serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a media player, a data collection hub, an exercise coordinator, and an analysis platform. The system can handle various data types (motion data, physiologic data, media playback) and perform diverse operations (playback control, data storage, real-time analysis) through a single unified device
2Measurement precision
If a foot-mounted unit with wireless transmission is used, then motion data collection is improved, but ease of operation and user interaction is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The portable media player serves as an intermediary device that receives data from the foot-mounted unit and presents it in an easily interactable format. It translates raw motion data into meaningful exercise information, provides a user-friendly interface for control and monitoring, and coordinates between the sensor device and the user without requiring direct complex interaction with the sensor itself
3Quantity of substance
If physiologic data is collected from wireless devices, then data comprehensiveness is improved, but device complexity and data handling requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple data streams (motion data from foot-mounted units, physiologic data from sensors, media playback information) are merged into a single coordinated system managed by the portable media player. The system integrates these diverse data types into a unified data structure that can be processed and analyzed together, reducing the complexity of handling separate data streams independently
4Adaptability or versatility
If media jukebox functionality is combined with physiologic data handling, then system versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The portable media player is designed as a universal platform that handles multiple function types: media playback, data collection, data storage, real-time analysis, and user interaction. This multi-functional design allows a single device to replace multiple specialized devices while providing coordinated operation across all functions through unified software control
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided to operate a computer to interoperate with a portable media player. The method includes processing signals provided from the portable media player to the computer that are indicative of whether an accessory has been connected to the portable media player, to determine whether the accessory has been connected to the portable media player. Based on a determination that the accessory has been connected to the portable media player, physiologic data of a user that was provided to the portable media player from a wireless physiologic data gathering device, is received from the portable media player, into the computer, via the accessory.