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US-20260124500-A1 - SYSTEMS AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING EXERCISE WITH MUSIC

US20260124500A1US 20260124500 A1US20260124500 A1US 20260124500A1US-20260124500-A1

Abstract

A method of providing a user with information concerning differences between a measured rate of movement of the user and a target rate of movement, wherein the target rate of movement is based, at least in part, on the tempo of music provided to the user while exercising. The method includes determining the rate of movement of the user while the user is exercising and comparing the measured rate of movement of the user to the target rate of movement. The user is provided with information concerning differences between the measured rate of movement of the user and the target rate of movement. The measured and target rates of movement may comprise oscillations per minute (OPM). The rate of movement may be determined by utilizing a device having a camera and image recognition capability.

Inventors

  • Scott B. Radow
  • Dayan Paul

Assignees

  • Scott B. Radow

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251029

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A method of providing a user with information concerning movement of the user during exercise to facilitate synchronization of movement of the user with music provided to the user during exercise, the method comprising: utilizing image recognition to determine positions of the user while exercising; determining an oscillation rate (OR) of the user based, at least in part, on the positions of the user; and: providing the user with information concerning differences between the OR of the user and a target OR, wherein the target OR is based, at least in part, on the tempo of music provided to the user while the user is exercising.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein: the user is engaged in an exercise involving alternating applications of force by left and right legs of the user whereby each oscillation corresponds to an application of force by a leg of the user; and: the OR of the user comprises steps per minute (SPM).
  3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , including: configuring an electronic device to capture data corresponding to positions of the upper body and/or shoulders and/or face of the user while the user is exercising; utilizing the electronic device to provide the user with music while the user is exercising; and: utilizing a display of the electronic device to provide a user with visual information concerning differences between the OR of the user and a target OR, wherein the target OR is based, at least in part, on the tempo of music provided to the user by the electronic device while the user is exercising.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein: the electronic device comprises a smart phone.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 4 , including: configuring the smart phone to capture image data corresponding to positions of the user's face.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 3 , including: configuring the electronic device to provide a user with an input feature whereby the user can select a target OR and/or a tempo of music provided to the user.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , including: configuring the electronic device to provide music having a beats per minute (BPM), wherein the BPM is: 1) within a predefined range relative to a target OR selected by the user, and/or: 2) music that is within predefined range relative to an integer multiple of a target OPM selected by the user.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein: the user is provided with information concerning differences between the OR of the user and a target OR while the user is exercising on a stationary exercise device.
  9. 9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein: the stationary exercise device is selected from the group consisting of: a stationary exercise bike, a road bike in combination with a stationary trainer, a stair climbing machine, a revolving staircase exercise machine, an elliptical machine, a variable stride machine, a treadmill, and a rowing machine.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein: the position of a user varies between maximum and minimum positions; determining the OR of the user includes repeatedly determining the position of the user and comparing the position to one or more prior positions of the user to determine if the position of the user has reached one of a maximum or a minimum; the OR of the user is determined, at least in part, utilizing time between: 1) one or more maximum positions and/or: 2 one or more minimum positions and/or: 3) maximum and minimum positions.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 1 , including: determining if a user is in phase relative to target motion by determining a difference between the position of the user and a predefined target position; wherein the predefined target position is based, at least in part, on measured motion of prior users.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 1 , including: configuring the electronic device to provide the user with a playlist of songs selected from a plurality of playlists of songs, wherein each song in a first playlist of songs has a BPM within a first range of BPMs, and wherein each song in a second playlist of songs has a BPM within a second range of BPMs, and wherein the first range of BPMs is not equal to the second range of BPMs.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 1 , including: configuring an electronic device to provide an image indicating that: 1) the user needs to speed up if the OR of the user is less than the target OR, and: 2) the user needs to slow down if the OR of the user is greater than the target OR.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein: the electronic device comprises a smart phone, and including: configuring the smart phone to instruct the user to position the smart phone with a camera of the smart phone facing the user such that an image of the user is displayed on the smart phone while the user is exercising.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 14 , including: configuring the smart phone to: 1) superimpose an image onto a user's face, and: 2) cause the image to move with the user's face to thereby communicate to the user that the smart phone is tracking the position of the user during exercise.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 3 , including: configuring the electronic device to provide at least two skill levels whereby a user can select a first skill level or a second skill level; wherein the first skill level requires the OR of the user to be within a first predefined margin of error of the target OR to satisfy a first predefined synchronization criteria, and the second skill level requires the OR of the user to be within a second predefined margin of error of the target OR to satisfy a second predefined synchronization criteria; and wherein: the first predefined margin of error is greater than the second predefined margin of error.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , including: configuring the electronic device to provide a user with information concerning the synchronization performance of the user based, at least in part, on an extent to which the OR of the user satisfied the first or second predefined synchronization criteria.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 3 , including: configuring the electronic device to communicate a workout summary to the user after the user stops exercising, wherein the workout summary comprises: 1) a percentage of the OR of the user that were within a predefined margin of error relative to the target OR, and/or: 2) a total number of user oscillations, and/or: 3) a length of time the user exercised.
  19. 19 . A method of providing a user with an oscillation rate (OR) of the user during exercise, the method comprising: utilizing a motion capture system of a portable electronic device to determine movement of a user's face during exercise; initializing the motion capture system for oscillating movement comprising a selected one of step, stroke, or stride capture, whereby the motion capture system utilizes criteria that is specific to the selected one of step, stroke, or stride capture; repeatedly determining a position of the user's face and associating each position with a time stamp to thereby capture motion of the user's face; utilizing a distance threshold to determine if a movement constitutes a step, stroke, or stride, wherein the distance threshold comprises a predefined distance that is specific to the selected one of step, stroke, or stride capture; determining an OR utilizing a time to complete an oscillating movement or a portion of an oscillating movement; averaging the OR of at least three oscillations to provide a rolling average OR; and: displaying the rolling average OR on a display screen of the portable electronic device while the user is exercising.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein: the portable electronic device comprises a smartphone having an augmented reality (AR) image capture rate; and: the position of the user's face is determined at a rate that is equal to the AR image capture rate or a multiple of the AR image capture rate.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 63/715,866, filed on Nov. 4, 2024, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING EXERCISE WITH MUSIC, and of U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 63/821,576, filed on Jun. 11, 2025, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING EXERCISE WITH MUSIC, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Various types of stationary exercise devices have been developed. Examples include stationary bikes, bike trainers, rowing machines, stair climbers, elliptical machines, cross trainers, alternative motion machines, etc. Known devices may control the resistance force experienced by a user based on one or more inputs such as velocity and user-selected difficulty or resistance. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE An aspect of the present disclosure is a method of providing a user with information concerning the user's movement during exercise to facilitate synchronization of the user's movement with the tempo of music provided to the user during exercise. The method may include utilizing image recognition to determine positions of the user while exercising and determining an oscillation rate (OR) of the user based, at least in part, on the positions of the user. The method further includes providing the user with information concerning differences between the user's OR and a target OR, wherein the target OR is based, at least in part, on the tempo (e.g. beats per minute) of music provided to the user while the user is exercising. The oscillation rate (OR) may comprise oscillations per minute, steps per minute, or other rates of movement of the user during exercise. The tempo of the music may comprise a beat frequency such as beats per minute (BPM). Another aspect of the present disclosure is a method of providing a user with an oscillation rate of the user during exercise. The method includes utilizing a motion capture system of a portable electronic device to determine movement of a user's face or other body part during exercise. The method further includes initializing the motion capture system for oscillating movement comprising a selected one of step, stroke, or stride capture, whereby the motion capture system utilizes criteria that is specific to the selected one of step, stroke, or stride capture. The method further includes repeatedly determining the position of the user's face and associating each position with a time stamp to thereby capture motion of the user's face. A distance threshold is utilized to determine if a movement constitutes a step, stroke, or stride. The distance threshold may comprise a predefined distance that is specific to the selected one of step, stroke, or stride capture. The method includes determining the time to complete an oscillating movement or a portion of an oscillating movement to determine an oscillation rate (OR). The OR of at least three sequential oscillations may be averaged to provide a rolling average OR, and the rolling average OR may be displayed on a display screen of the portable electronic device while the user is exercising. These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially schematic view of an exercise device that may be utilized in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a schematic showing a graphical user interface according to an aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a schematic showing a graphical user interface according to another aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a schematic showing a graphical user interface according to another aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 6A is a flowchart showing another aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 6B is a continuation of the flowchart of FIG. 6A showing another aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 is a schematic showing another aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 is a schematic showing another aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 is a schematic showing another aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a schematic showing another aspect of the present disclosure; and FIG. 11 is a schematic showing a graphical user interface according to another aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIG. 1 However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the