Notification signal control apparatus and method

Abstract

A first notification signal generation apparatus (first music playback apparatus) is attached to an upper arm of a first exercising person. The first notification signal generation apparatus includes a display, an operation button 4 a , and a sensor that detects an exercise condition of the first exercising person 1 a , such as repetition tempo. The sensor is either built in, or connected external to, the first notification signal generation apparatus. A second notification signal generation apparatus (second music playback apparatus) also includes the same elements as the first notification signal generation apparatus. A second exercising person performs repetitive exercise in synchronization with a repetition notification tempo (music tempo) of a notification signal (music), and therefore shares a value of certain exercise information, obtained during his or her repetitive exercise, with the first exercising person. Thus, the first and second exercising person can share a value of certain exercise information.

1 . A notification signal control apparatus for providing a notification synchronized with repetitive exercise performed by a first exercising person to a second exercising person, the apparatus comprising:
 an exercise information obtaining section that obtains exercise information related to the exercise performed by the first exercising person in order for the second exercising person to utilize the exercise information;   a repetition-notification-tempo specifying section that specifies, based on the obtained exercise information, a repetition notification tempo synchronized with repetitive exercise performed by the first exercising person in order for the second exercising person to perform repetitive exercise; and   a notification signal generation controller that controls a notification signal generator to generate a notification signal with a tempo corresponding to the repetition notification tempo specified by the repetition-notification-tempo specifying section.   
     
     
         2 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exercise information obtaining section obtains the exercise information related to the exercise performed by the first exercising person in real time, while the second exercising person performs repetitive exercise. 
     
     
         3 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exercise information indicates a repetition tempo of the repetitive exercise performed by the first exercising person, and
 wherein the repetition-notification-tempo specifying section specifies a repetition notification tempo corresponding to the repetition tempo of the first exercising person, the repetition tempo being indicated by the exercise information.   
     
     
         4 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the repetition-notification-tempo specifying section calculates a repetition tempo for the second exercising person based on the obtained exercise information, and specifies a repetition notification tempo corresponding to the calculated repetition tempo. 
     
     
         5 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the obtained exercise information includes an exercise speed, and
 wherein the repetition-notification-tempo specifying section calculates a repetition tempo for the second exercising person by dividing the exercise speed that is included in the obtained exercise information by a stride of the second exercising person.   
     
     
         6 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the obtained exercise information includes an exercise distance and an elapsed exercise time, and
 wherein the repetition-notification-tempo specifying section obtains an average exercise speed based on the exercise distance and the elapsed exercise time that are included in the obtained exercise information, and calculates a repetition tempo for the second exercising person by dividing the average exercise speed by the stride of the second exercising person.   
     
     
         7 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the obtained exercise information includes exercise intensity, and
 wherein the repetition-notification-tempo specifying section refers to an exercise-intensity versus repetition-tempo table for the second exercising person according to the exercise intensity that is included in the obtained exercise information to obtain a repetition tempo for the second exercising person.   
     
     
         8 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exercise information obtaining section receives first exercise information related to repetitive exercise performed by the first exercising person in real time during the exercise performed by the first exercising person. 
     
     
         9 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exercise information obtaining section obtains first exercise information related to repetitive exercise performed by the first exercising person from a database. 
     
     
         10 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the exercise information obtaining section receives the first exercise information related to repetitive exercise performed by the first exercising person via a communication network. 
     
     
         11 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the exercise information obtaining section further obtains second exercise information related to repetitive exercise performed by the second exercising person in real time during the exercise performed by the second exercising person, and
 wherein the repetition-notification-tempo specifying section compares a value indicated by the first exercise information and a value indicated by the second exercise information, and increases or decreases a current value of the repetition notification tempo to reduce a difference between the compared values.   
     
     
         12 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a detector that detects at least one of motion performed by the second exercising person and a physical reaction of the second exercising person in real time during the exercise performed by the second exercising person; and   an own exercise information generation section that generates exercise information related to the exercise performed by the second exercising person based on an output from the detector,   wherein the exercise information related to the exercise performed by the second exercising person can be transmitted externally.   
     
     
         13 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exercise information related to the exercise performed by the first exercising person which is obtained by the exercise information obtaining section is virtual information. 
     
     
         14 . The notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the notification signal is music, while the repetition notification tempo is a music tempo, and
 wherein the notification signal generation controller controls the notification signal generator to produce music with a tempo corresponding to the music tempo specified by the repetition-notification-tempo specifying section.   
     
     
         15 . A portable music playback apparatus comprising:
 the notification signal control apparatus according to  claim 1 , and   a notification signal generator that generates the notification signal according to control by the notification signal generation controller.   
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method of providing a notification synchronized with repetitive exercise performed by a first exercising person to a second exercising person, the method comprising:
 obtaining exercise information related to exercise performed by the first exercising person in order for the second exercising person to utilize the exercise information;   specifying, based on the obtained exercise information, a repetition notification tempo synchronized with repetitive exercise performed by the first exercising person in order for the second exercising person to perform repetitive exercise; and   generating a notification signal with a tempo corresponding to the specified repetition notification tempo.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions to cause a processor to perform a method of providing a notification synchronized with repetitive exercise performed by a first exercising person to a second exercising person, the method comprising:
 obtaining exercise information related to exercise performed by the first exercising person in order for the second exercising person to utilize the exercise information;   specifying, based on the obtained exercise information, a repetition notification tempo synchronized with repetitive exercise performed by the first exercising person in order for the second exercising person to perform repetitive exercise; and   controlling a notification signal generator to generate a notification signal with a tempo corresponding to the specified repetition notification tempo.   
     
     
         18 . A system that provides a notification synchronized with repetitive exercise performed by a first exercising person to a second exercising person, the system comprising:
 a first terminal carried by the first exercising person, comprising:
 a detector that detects at least one of motion performed by the first exercising person and a physical reaction of the first exercising person in real time during the exercise performed by the first exercising person; 
 an own exercise information generation section that generates exercise information related to the exercise performed by the first exercising person based on an output from the detector; and 
 a communication section that transmits first exercise information related to the exercise performed by the first exercising person, the first exercise information being generated by the own exercise information obtaining section; and 
   a second terminal carried by the second exercising person, comprising:
 an exercise information obtaining section that receives the first exercise information; 
 a repetition-notification-tempo specifying section that specifies, based on the received exercise information, a repetition notification tempo synchronized with repetitive exercise performed by the first exercising person in order for the second exercising person to perform repetitive exercise; and 
 a notification signal generator that generates a notification signal with a tempo corresponding to the repetition notification tempo specified by the repetition-notification-tempo specifying section.