Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Cardiovascular
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-15
2001-05-08
Getzow, Scott M. (Department: 3762)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Cardiovascular
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230047
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus, systems and methods that link an audio signal and an individual's pulse rate (heartbeat), musical listening devices which include the apparatus and/or systems, and methods for listening to music utilizing the apparatus and/or systems.
BACKGROUND
Listening to music while performing physical exercise is very popular. Often a person exercising will listen to music from a compact disc, SONY MINIDISC™, a tape (e.g., a cassette, 8-track, or reel-to-reel tape) or a record (e.g., LP). The music may be played through audio speakers in the room where the person is exercising or audio speakers attached to headphones worn by the exerciser.
A problem of listening to music while exercising is that the music often has a steady tempo which is not in sync with the tempo of the person exercising, as reflected by the person's pulse rate. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have an apparatus for combining an audio signal received from a music playback device with a signal received from a person's pulse rate and a rhythm signal from a rhythm track to produce a combined audio signal which is linked to a person's pulse rate.
Another problem which afflicts many people in society is anxiety attacks, or other emotional or physical disturbances which cause the individual's heartbeat to rise, and the person's heart to beat rapidly. It would be advantageous to have a device that would have a calming effect to relieve the person's anxiety while also slowing their heartbeat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for providing audio that is correllated to an individual's heart rate. The audio comprises a rhythm that is played at a selected tempo corresponding to an individual's heart rate. The rhythm may comprise an instrumental track produced by percussion, bass or other instruments. The audio may further comprise music, including but not limited to orchestral, new wave, alternative, jazz, vocal, rock, punk, bebop, pop, swing, soul, country, folk and/or other forms of music. The tempo of the music may be correllated to the rhythm tempo, or may be at a different tempo. When the audio comprises music, the rhythm track may form part of the music.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a system comprising:
a memory or storage device including stored rhythm patterns;
a selector including a plurality of locations, each location corresponding to a stored rhythm pattern;
a signal generator capable of producing a rhythm signal corresponding to a selected rhythm pattern;
a pulse reader capable of obtaining an individual's pulse rate;
a pulse signal generator capable of producing a pulse signal corresponding to the user's pulse rate;
one or more transmission media capable of transmitting the pulse signal and rhythm signal;
a mixer for receiving the rhythm signal and pulse signal and capable of linking the signals to produce an combined signal;
at least one transmission medium capable of transmitting the combined signal; and
at least one speaker for playing the combined signal.
A system of the present invention may further comprise a musical playback device such as a MP3 player, cd player, tape player, record player, radio or the like that generates an audio signal; and one or more transmission media capable of transmitting the audio signal to the mixer wherein the audio signal is combined with the pulse and rhythm signals in the mixer to produce a single combined signal for the speaker.
Suitable memory or storage devices include electronic memory devices such as DRAM's, RAM, ROM's and other conventional memory devices.
Suitable selectors include mechanical switches, such as toggle, slide, detent or rotary switches and/or electronic switches such as touch sensitive switches or pads.
Suitable pulse readers for use in the present invention include conventional apparatus for measuring heart rate, including conventional pulse monitors such as the type marketed by POLAR electronics.
Suitable transmission media include wires, infrared or radio frequency transmitters. In the following description wires are referenced as the transmission media however other media may be substituted.
Suitable signal generators include those of the type conventionally utilized in music playback devices and other hand held electronic equipment.
Suitable mixers include those known to ordinary skill in the art.
Suitable speakers include headphones, in the ear speakers, loudspeakers and the like.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for collating an audio signal and an individual's heart rate comprises:
obtaining a pulse based signal corresponding to an individual's heart rate;
transmitting the pulse based signal to a mixer;
transmitting a rhythm signal corresponding to a desired rhythm pattern to the mixer;
mixing the pulse based signal and the rhythm signal to produce a combined signal. Other methods of the present invention may further include transmitting the combined signal to a speaker for playback to an individual. In addition, an audio signal may be obtained from a musical playback device and also combined with the pulse aid rhythm signals.
In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus which receives a signal from the heartbeat of an individual user and triggers a programmed rhythm that is played at the tempo of the user's heartbeat. As the user's pulse rate increases, the tempo of the rhythm correspondingly increases; as the user's pulse rate decreases, a corresponding decrease also occurs. The apparatus advantageously correlates the musical rhythm that is heard with the rate of the individual's heartbeat and allows a user to exercise to his/her own internal clock.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus which may be utilized to slow a person's heartbeat via a programmed rhythm that is played at a desired, e.g. normal, heartbeat while receiving a signal from the heartbeat of the user. The programmed rhythm is played at least as long as the person's heartbeat is above the desired heartbeat. At the point the heartbeat signal indicates the desired heartbeat is reached, the programmed rhythm may continue, or may halt. Alternatively, an audio signal may be triggered to indicate to the user that the desired heartrate has been reached.
In a still further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus which may be utilized to raise a person's heartbeat to a desired, or preprogrammed level, to permit the person to exercise at that level. This aspect is similar to the aspect discussed above, except that the programmed rhythm is played a level above the person's resting heartbeat.
An apparatus of the present invention may comprise:
means for storing a plurality of rhythm patterns on memory means such as a chip;
means for the user to select one of the rhythm patterns for output;
means for outputting the selected rhythm pattern to create a rhythm signal;
means for receiving a pulse signal corresponding to a user's pulse rate;
means for combining the rhythm signal and the pulse signal to create a linked rhythm/pulse signal;
means for receiving an audio signal from a music playback device such as a portable CD or cassette player or a music chip;
musical mixing means for combining the linked rhythm/pulse signal and the audio signal to create a combined rhythm/pulse/audio signal and:
means for outputting the combined rhythm/pulse/audio signal.
The apparatus may further comprise one or more of the following features:
means for outputting the pulse signal to the user, means for correlating the pulse signal to a predetermined heartbeat chosen by the user;
user programmable means for generating a pulse alarm signal corresponding to a user defined pulse rate and means for outputting the alarm signal to the user; and
electrical communication means (e.g. wires or wireless) for communicating the signals between said means.
A musical playback sys
Calkins Charles W.
Getzow Scott M.
Kirkpatrick & Stockton LLP
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