Patents by Inventor Stephen R Schwartz

Stephen R Schwartz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8023665
    Abstract: A method and system is described to improve the reproduction of sound of an acoustic musical instrument. According to one embodiment, a first microphone is placed at a proximate location to the musical instrument to pick up the sound of the musical instrument. The sound as picked up by the first microphone is compared to a reference sound of the instrument (e.g., the sound of the instrument as perceived at a normal listening position). Based on this comparison, a tailor-made equalizer is designed to compensate for the differences between the sounds as picked up by the first microphone and the reference sounds of the musical instrument. Accordingly, using the tailor-made equalizer allows the reproduction of sound from the first microphone to have a quality similar to that of the reference sound of the musical instrument. In an implementation of the above system, a filter arrangement is provided having a low-pass and a high-pass filter that allows separate control of the frequency and/or gain for each filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Inventor: Stephen R. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 7162046
    Abstract: A method and system is described to improve the reproduction of sound of an acoustic musical instrument. According to one embodiment, a first microphone is placed at a proximate location to the musical instrument to pick up the sound of the musical instrument. The sound as picked up by the first microphone is compared to a reference sound of the instrument (e.g., the sound of the instrument as perceived at a normal listening position). Based on this comparison, a tailor-made equalizer is designed to compensate for the differences between the sounds as picked up by the first microphone and the reference sounds of the musical instrument. Accordingly, using the tailor-made equalizer allows the reproduction of sound from the first microphone to have a quality similar to that of the reference sound of the musical instrument. In an implementation of the above system, a filter arrangement is provided having a low-pass and a high-pass filter that allows separate control of the frequency and/or gain for each filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Inventor: Stephen R. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 7024006
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are described which reduce the presence of an unwanted signal. According to one embodiment, a first signal is provided from a desired location that includes an unwanted signal while a second signal is provided from an alternate location (e.g., one where the unwanted signal is less of a proportion of the total signal). The first and alternate signals are provided to respective signal processors. A level for a selected frequency band of the first and alternate signals is adjusted so that an increase in one results in a decrease in the other. Doing so allows the frequncy band that includes the unwanted signal to be reduced in the desired first signal and filled in with a similar frequency band from the alternate signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Inventors: Stephen R. Schwartz, John H. Osmand, Damian Kulash
  • Patent number: 6574685
    Abstract: Embodiments of a method and apparatus are described which provide for a consistent, continuous and/or repeating signal. Such a repeating signal may be used to set the controls for a processor. For example, an embodiment of a preview sampler described herein allows a user to repeatedly output a data segment into a processor so that the processor can be adjusted to achieve a desired effect. Such a method and apparatus provides improved results when compared to an individual attempting to repeatedly generate a data signal (e.g., a note or chord on a musical instrument).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventors: Stephen R. Schwartz, John H. Osmand
  • Patent number: 6448846
    Abstract: By taking advantage of the ability to control the phase relationship between a processor's output (or portions of a processor's output) and the phase of the pre-processed signal (in a particular frequency range or ranges, a controlled accentuation or enhancement of the processor's effect can be realized. In one embodiment this is achieved by providing a gain control circuit that receives and selectively amplifies the input signal prior to it being summed with the processor's output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Inventor: Stephen R. Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20020018573
    Abstract: A method and system is described to improve the reproduction of sound of an acoustic musical instrument. According to one embodiment, a first microphone is placed at a proximate location to the musical instrument to pick up the sound of the musical instrument. The sound as picked up by the first microphone is compared to a reference sound of the instrument (e.g., the sound of the instrument as perceived at a normal listening position). Based on this comparison, a tailor-made equalizer is designed to compensate for the differences between the sounds as picked up by the first microphone and the reference sounds of the musical instrument. Accordingly, using the tailor-made equalizer allows the reproduction of sound from the first microphone to have a quality similar to that of the reference sound of the musical instrument. In an implementation of the above system, a filter arrangement is provided having a low-pass and a high-pass filter that allows separate control of the frequency and/or gain for each filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventor: Stephen R. Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20010052813
    Abstract: By taking advantage of the ability to control the phase relationship between a processor's output (or portions of a processor's output) and the phase of the pre-processed signal, a controlled accentuation or enhancement of the processor's effect can be realized. In one embodiment this is achieved by providing a gain control circuit that receives and selectively amplifies the input signal prior to it being summed with the processor's output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Inventor: STEPHEN R. SCHWARTZ
  • Publication number: 20010043704
    Abstract: A method and system is described to improve the reproduction of sound of an acoustic musical instrument. According to one embodiment, a first microphone is placed at a proximate location to the musical instrument to pick up the sound of the musical instrument. The sound as picked up by the first microphone is compared to a reference sound of the instrument (e.g., the sound of the instrument as perceived at a normal listening position). Based on this comparison, a tailor-made equalizer is designed to compensate for the differences between the sounds as picked up by the first microphone and the reference sounds of the musical instrument. Accordingly, using the tailor-made equalizer allows the reproduction of sound from the first microphone to have a quality similar to that of the reference sound of the musical instrument. In an implementation of the above system, a filter arrangement is provided having a low-pass and a high-pass filter that allows separate control of the frequency and/or gain for each filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventor: STEPHEN R. SCHWARTZ
  • Patent number: 6233548
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for level compensation is presented to compensate for signal level changes made by a signal processor. The original, unprocessed input signal and the output signal from the signal processor (e.g., an equalizer) are provided to a comparison unit which determines a difference in signal level between the two signals. The output of the comparison unit is provided to a level compensator along with the output signal from the signal processor. The level compensator then modifies the signal level of this output signal (e.g., matches it to the original, unprocessed input signal).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Inventors: Stephen R Schwartz, John H. Osmand