Music Tempo Synchronization for Exercise Rhythm Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional music reproduction systems for exercise fail to synchronize music tempo with user movement, leading to unnatural music experiences and decreased exercise willingness, as they only reproduce pre-specified music at modified tempos without considering user heart rate or exercise intensity, resulting in discomfort and inefficient workouts.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus that senses repetitive tempo during exercise, specifies a corresponding music tempo, and selects a music data file to reproduce, ensuring the music tempo aligns with the user's exercise tempo, heart rate, and emotional state, thereby maintaining a harmonious exercise experience without frequent music changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If music tempo is modified to match walking tempo, then synchronization between music and movement is improved, but music becomes unnatural and user engagement decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemusic tempoVSAvoiduser engagement

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of music tempo dynamically based on detected walking tempo. When synchronization is achieved between music tempo and walking tempo, the system maintains this matched tempo to enhance user engagement and exercise performance, resolving the contradiction between tempo modification and music naturalness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If music tempo is modified significantly from original, then synchronization with exercise is improved, but music quality deteriorates and user comfort decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemusic tempoVSAvoidmusic quality

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system modifies music tempo within a controlled range based on detected walking tempo. By adjusting tempo parameters dynamically while maintaining music quality standards, the system achieves exercise synchronization without compromising music reliability or user comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If music data is recorded as waveform data, then music quality is improved, but tempo modification causes pitch changes and user discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemusic qualityVSAvoidpitch distortion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

When waveform data is used, the system carefully controls tempo modification parameters to avoid excessive pitch changes. By limiting the degree of tempo parameter changes, the system maintains music quality and prevents pitch distortion that would cause user discomfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Adaptability or versatility

If music data is recorded as performance data, then tempo modification is easier, but music richness decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetempo flexibilityVSAvoidmusic richness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system selects appropriate music data formats based on requirements. When performance data is used for its tempo flexibility, the system compensates for reduced music richness by carefully managing tempo parameter changes and selecting high-quality performance data, thus maintaining an acceptable balance between adaptability and music quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

5Speed

If music switching is frequent to match exercise tempo changes, then synchronization is improved, but user comfort deteriorates due to frequent changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemusic tempoVSAvoiduser comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by not switching music for every minor tempo variation. Instead, it switches music only when the detected walking tempo difference exceeds a threshold, thus achieving sufficient synchronization while avoiding excessive music changes that would reduce user comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

6Productivity

If music tempo is adjusted to control heart rate, then exercise effectiveness is improved, but music naturalness decreases when tempo differs significantly from original

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexercise effectivenessVSAvoidmusic naturalness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system adjusts music tempo parameters to control heart rate during exercise while maintaining music naturalness. By dynamically changing tempo within reasonable limits and selecting appropriate music pieces, the system achieves exercise effectiveness without making music sound unnatural.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7737353B2Apparatus for controlling music reproduction and apparatus for reproducing music

Publication Date: 2010.06.15 YAMAHA CORP

AI summary

In order to reproduce music suitable for a situation where a user listens to the music while performing repetitive exercise, if a walking tempo value sensed by a walking tempo sensing portion 3 falls outside a certain range defined on the basis of a music tempo value of a music data file currently being reproduced by a music data reproduction portion 6, a music tempo specifying portion 4 specifies a music tempo value agreeing with the walking tempo value. A reproduction control portion 5 selects a music data file having a music tempo value corresponding to the music tempo specified by the music tempo specifying portion 4 from among a plurality of music data files stored along with data on music tempo of the respective music data files in a data storage portion 2, and causes the music data reproduction portion 6 to start the reproduction of the selected music data file.