Systems and Methods for Delivering Activity Based Suggestive (ABS) Messages

Abstract

A personal electronic device (PED) is provided with a system for playing, mixing, and delivering media and activity based messages to a user based upon the activity of the user. In some embodiments, the user can define user preferences, which determine when and how and when the media is mixed and activity based messages are mixed and output. In some embodiments, the message selection is based upon monitored and detected activity, the location, or speed of the user. In some embodiments, the message selection is based upon a detection of a local environmental event.

At least the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method in a personal electronic device (PED), comprising:
 enabling a user to input a user preference associated with an activity;   playing media from the PED;   monitoring, using at least one sensor in the PED, user activity associated with the user; and   in response to the user activity, mixing the media playing from the PED based on the user preference.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user preference defines a desired volume level of the media playing from the PED; and   the method further comprises, in response to the user activity, adjusting a volume of the media playing from the PED based on the user preference.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user preference defines a time period; and   the method further comprises, in response to the user activity, mixing the media playing from the PED based on the time period.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user preference defines an output condition for output of an activity based suggestive (ABS) message; and   the method further comprises, in response to the user activity meeting the output condition, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the ABS message is provided between audio tracks playing from the PED. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the ABS message is provided during an audio track playing from the PED. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user preference defines a selection condition; and   the method further comprises:
 selecting an ABS message based on the selection condition; and 
 in response to the user activity, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that an event has occurred in a local environment associated with the PED by analyzing data measured by one or more transducers situated in or communicatively coupled to the PED;   selecting an activity based suggestive (ABS) message based on the event; and   mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the user preference defines an output condition; and   the method further comprises:
 determining that an event has occurred in a local environment associated with the PED by analyzing data measured by one or more transducers situated in or communicatively coupled to the PED; 
 selecting an activity based suggestive (ABS) message based on the event; and 
 in response to the user activity meeting the output condition, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring location data associated with the PED;   selecting an activity based suggestive (ABS) message based on the location data; and   in response to the user activity, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 communicating the location data to a remote server computer system; and   receiving the ABS message from the remote server computer system based on the location data.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 monitoring the user activity comprises detecting a speed associated with the PED; and   mixing the media playing from the PED comprises mixing the media based on the user preference and the speed.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining a location associated with the PED;   selecting an ABS message based on the location; and   mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         14 . A method in a personal electronic device (PED), comprising:
 enabling a user to perform a first function, comprising:
 receiving a user preference associated with an activity; and 
 monitoring, using at least one sensor in the PED, user activity associated with the user with reference to the user preference; and 
   enabling the user to perform a second function, comprising:
 playing media from the PED; and 
 mixing the media playing from the PED based on the user activity. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the user preference defines a time period; and   the method further comprises, in response to the user activity, mixing the media playing from the PED with reference to the time period.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first function further comprises receiving a second user preference that defines an output condition for output of an activity based suggestive (ABS) message; and   the second function further comprises, in response to the user activity meeting the output condition, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the ABS message is provided between audio tracks playing from the PED. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the ABS message is provided during an audio track playing from the PED. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the user preference defines a selection condition;   the first function further comprises selecting an ABS message based on the selection condition; and   the second function further comprises, in response to the user activity, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining that an event has occurred in a local environment associated with the PED by analyzing data measured by one or more transducers situated in or communicatively coupled to the PED;   selecting an activity based suggestive (ABS) message based on the event; and   mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computing readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by a processing system, directs the processing system to perform a method in a personal electronic device (PED), the method comprising:
 receiving a user preference associated with an activity;   monitoring, using at least one sensor in the PED, activity associated with the PED with reference to the user preference; and   in response to the activity, mixing media playing from the PED to output an activity based suggestive (ABS) message.   
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computing readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the user preference defines a desired volume level of the media playing from the PED; and   the method further comprises, in response to the activity, adjusting a volume of the media playing from the PED based on the user preference.   
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computing readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the user preference defines a time period; and   the method further comprises, in response to the activity, mixing the media playing from the PED based on the time period.   
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computing readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the user preference defines a time period; and   the method further comprises, in response to the activity, mixing the media playing from the PED based on the time period to output the ABS message.   
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computing readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the user preference defines an output condition for output of the ABS message; and   the method further comprises, in response to the activity meeting the output condition, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computing readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the user preference defines a selection condition; and   the method further comprises:
 selecting the ABS message based on the selection condition; and 
 in response to the activity, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message. 
   
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computing readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining that an event has occurred in a local environment associated with the PED by analyzing data measured by one or more transducers situated in or communicatively coupled to the PED;   selecting the ABS message based on the event; and   mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computing readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the user preference defines an output condition; and   the method further comprises:
 determining that an event has occurred in a local environment associated with the PED by analyzing data measured by one or more transducers situated in or communicatively coupled to the PED; 
 selecting the ABS message based on the event; and 
 in response to the activity meeting the output condition, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message. 
   
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computing readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises:
 monitoring location data associated with the PED;   selecting the ABS message based on the location data; and   in response to the activity, mixing the media playing from the PED with the ABS message.   
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computing readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the method further comprises:
 communicating the location data to a remote server computer system; and   receiving the ABS message from the remote server computer system based on the location data.