Rhythm Patents (Class 84/611)
  • Publication number: 20110146478
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the automatic scoring of a vocal performance are provided. The systems and methods for providing feedback and scoring a vocal performance generally relate to receiving/processing a user's vocals, measuring the various performance qualities of the performance according stored evaluation policies and rendering a score according to stored scoring policies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Keith Michael Andrews, Jerald Perry, Christopher Hercules Claudatos
  • Patent number: 7964783
    Abstract: Systems and methods of evolving music tracks are disclosed. One example method providing a plurality of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). Each of the ANNs uses a time signature input. The method also includes producing a rhythm from each of the plurality of ANNs. The method also includes evolving a next generation of ANNs based upon a user selection of one of the plurality of rhythms and upon the previous generation of ANNs. An example system includes a plurality of Compositional Pattern Producing Networks (CPPNs). Each of the CPPNs uses a time signature input to produce a rhythm. The system also includes logic configured to receive a selection of one or more of the CPPN, and logic configured to generate at least one evolved CPPN based upon the selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Rosario, Kenneth O. Stanley
  • Patent number: 7956276
    Abstract: A method of distributing mashup data for mashing up at least a first content and a second content. The method includes the step of distributing to a user, through a network, a data file having first data for dividing the first content and the second content into a plurality of blocks in accordance with individual contents, respectively, and second data indicating a disposition sequence for disposing the plurality of blocks in a predetermined sequence to create a new content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichiro Sako, Yasushi Miyajima, Mitsuru Takehara
  • Patent number: 7948981
    Abstract: An audio storage architecture allows an audio management application to manipulate and recombine segments of a musical piece such that the resulting finished composition includes parts (segments) from the decomposed piece, typically a song, adjustable for length by selectively replicating particular parts and combining with other parts such that the finished composition provides a similar audio experience in the predetermined duration. The architecture defines the parts with part variations of independent length, identified as performing a function of starting, middle, (looping) or ending parts. Each of the parts provides a musical segment that is integratable with other parts in a seamless manner that avoids audible artifacts (e.g. “pops” and “crackles”) common with conventional mechanical switching and mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorpoated
    Inventors: Soenke Schnepel, Stefan Wiegand, Sven Duwenhorst, Volker W. Duddeck, Holger Classen
  • Patent number: 7872188
    Abstract: Determining a plurality of heart rate sections for an individual, and selecting a plurality of songs, wherein each of the plurality of songs has an average beats per minute approximately equal to an average beats per minute of one of the plurality of heart rate sections, and playing the plurality of songs in a sequence on a song playing device. The plurality of songs includes a middle song, which has an average beats per minute which is greater than the average beats per minute of all of the other songs of the plurality of songs. The plurality of songs includes one or more preceding songs which precede the middle song, and each of which has an average beats per minute which is less than the average beats per minute of the middle song. The plurality of songs includes one or more succeeding songs which succeed the middle song, and each of which has an average beats per minute which is less than the average beats per minute of the middle song.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Inventor: Mariann Martin Willis
  • Publication number: 20100313739
    Abstract: A guitar delay engine such as a multi-tap delay pedal or other rhythm engine such as a vocal multi-tap delay pedal, a drum machine, or any other device that requires setting a rhythmic pattern (i.e. level and timing information) for operation is provided. In a guitar delay device, the guitarist can hold down a foot pedal, play a rhythmic pattern on their guitar, and then release the foot pedal and have the rhythmic pattern just played emulated in the delay pattern on the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Peter R. Lupini, Glen a. Rutledge, William Norman Campbell
  • Patent number: 7790975
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of synchronizing a musical score with a source of time-based information. The method comprises deriving a mapping between rhythmic positions associated with the musical score and a reference time base; and synchronizing the musical score and the source of time-based information using the derived mapping. The synchronization method can be used to synchronize the playback of a score with another source, such as a video clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Avid Technologies Europe Limited
    Inventors: Michael Eastwood, Paul Walmsley
  • Publication number: 20100192754
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating music is provided. A bio-signal measurer measures a bio-signal of a user. A bio-signal configuration information extractor extracts bio-signal configuration information from the measured bio-signal. A music composition information setter matches the extracted bio-signal configuration information to music composition information for composing a music file and sets a result of the matching as set music composition information. A melody composer composes a melody including the set music composition information. A music file generator generates a music file including the composed melody.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Pil KIM, Sun-Tae Jung
  • Publication number: 20100191733
    Abstract: A music linked photocasting service system and method are provided. The music linked photocasting service method includes reproducing music at the request of a user, analyzing a mood of the reproduced music at prescribed times, until music reproduction is completed, searching photographs suitable for a analyzed mood of the music, and displaying the searched photographs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Sung-Jin PARK, Won-Sang KWON, Won-Suk YANG, Chan-Seok YANG
  • Publication number: 20100175538
    Abstract: Computation time of correlation comparison between rhythm features obtained from motion capture (MoCap) data and rhythm features obtained from music data is shortened. A rhythm matching parallel processing apparatus includes a feature holding unit which holds beat information of a music segment of input music data and MoCap data having motion beat features of high correlation with beat features of the input music data, a correlative value computation parallel execution procedure registering unit which registers a correlation value computation parallel execution procedure, and a correlation value parallel computing unit which computes in parallel correlation values between the motion beat features of the MoCap data and the beat information of the music segment held in the feature holding unit. The correlation value parallel computing unit obtains in parallel a highest correlation value between the beat features of the music segment and the motion beat features of the MoCap data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventor: Ryoichi Yagi
  • Patent number: 7754958
    Abstract: A sound analysis apparatus stores sound source structure data defining a constraint on one or more of sounds that can be simultaneously generated by a sound source of an input audio signal. A form estimation part selects fundamental frequencies of one or more of sounds likely to be contained in the input audio signal with peaked weights from various fundamental frequencies during sequential updating and optimizing of weights of tone models corresponding to the various fundamental frequencies, so that the sounds of the selected fundamental frequencies satisfy the sound source structure data, and creates form data specifying the selected fundamental frequencies. A previous distribution imparting part imparts a previous distribution to the weights of the tone models corresponding to the various fundamental frequencies so as to emphasize weights corresponding to the fundamental frequencies specified by the form data created by the form estimation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Masataka Goto, Takuya Fujishima, Keita Arimoto
  • Patent number: 7741554
    Abstract: A plurality of template data files are provided, each designating a structure and conditions of a music piece, and having a plurality of tracks, each track being assigned to a particular instrument group and defining a time progression structure of music to be performed by the assigned instrument group by setting performance sections at time positions to be performed by the assigned instrument group along the time progression of music. A plurality of component data files are provided, each representing a length of musical phrase that constitutes a predetermined tone progression pattern of a predetermined tone color for a performance by a particular instrument group. When conditions such as a tempo for a music piece to be created are given, a template data file that satisfies the given conditions is selected. Then, component data files are picked up according to the conditions designated by the selected template data file and the musical phrases are placed on the tracks in the template data file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Michihiko Sasaki, Kenichiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7732694
    Abstract: A portable music player apparatus that outputs visual content to a head-worn transmissive display, the visual content being modulated in time with playing musical content and overlaid upon the user's direct view of his or her physical surroundings. In this way, the user is provided with an enhanced visual view of his or her physical surroundings, the enhanced visual view including transmissive visual content that is generally synchronized in time with the playing music content. This provides the user with an improved music listening experience in which he or she feels present within a visually enhanced version of the physical world that has changing visual qualities that are perceptually synchronized in time with one or more features of the playing music. The displayed visual content may include time-varying translucency and/or color-tinting such that the user's direct view of the physical world changes in brightness and/or color tinting in a manner choreographed with the playing music.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Outland Research, LLC
    Inventor: Louis B. Rosenberg
  • Publication number: 20100050854
    Abstract: The method according to the invention includes the creation of a reference multimedia sequence structure, the breaking down of this structure into basic components (tracks P1, P2, Pn) each containing a series of basic subcomponents (bricks B11-Bn4), the association to each one of these basic subcomponents of a plurality of homologous subcomponents (homologous bricks B11 Hi, B21 Hj, B?1 Hk) to each of which are assigned attributes and an automatic composition phase of a new multimedia sequence containing the maintaining of the subcomponents or their replacing with homologous subcomponents chosen algorithmically according to an algorithm determining the probability of the subcomponents of being chosen, considering its attributes, then by performing a random choice in respect of these probabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: MXP4
    Inventors: Sylvain Huet, Jean-Philippe Ulrich, Gilles Babinet
  • Patent number: 7667122
    Abstract: To generate motion data of a motion in synchronization with a melody of music. As an embodiment of the present invention, when motion pattern data corresponding to a predetermined motion pattern is stored, music data is analyzed to detect a beat of music based on the music data, and the music data is divided into a plurality of bar intervals based on the detected beat, the motion pattern data is allocated to the bar intervals of the music data being divided to generate motion data. In this manner, when the motion data is reproduced together with the music data, the motion pattern can be switched in synchronization with switching of first bar intervals and second bar intervals corresponding to a bar when the music based on music data is expressed in a musical score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Saijo
  • Publication number: 20100011939
    Abstract: A robot includes: a sound collecting unit collecting and converting a musical sound into a musical acoustic signal; a voice signal generating unit generating a self-vocalized voice signal; a sound outputting unit converting the self-vocalized voice signal into a sound and outputting the sound; a self-vocalized voice regulating unit receiving the musical acoustic signal and the self-vocalized voice signal; a filtering unit performing a filtering process; a beat interval reliability calculating unit performing a time-frequency pattern matching process and calculating a beat interval reliability; a beat interval estimating unit estimating a beat interval; a beat time reliability calculating unit calculating a beat time reliability; a beat time estimating unit estimating a beat time on the basis of the calculated beat time reliability; a beat time predicting unit predicting a beat time before the current time; and a synchronization unit synchronizing the self-vocalized voice signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro NAKADAI, Yuji Hasegawa, Hiroshi Tsujino, Kazumasa Murata, Ryu Takeda, Hiroshi Okuno
  • Publication number: 20100017034
    Abstract: A beat tracking apparatus includes: a filtering unit configured to perform a filtering process on an input acoustic signal and to accentuate an onset; a beat interval reliability calculating unit configured to perform a time-frequency pattern matching process employing a mutual correlation function on the acoustic signal of which the onset is accentuated and to calculate a beat interval reliability; and a beat interval estimating unit configured to estimate a beat interval on the basis of the calculated beat interval reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro NAKADAI, Yuji HASEGAWA, Hiroshi TSUJINO, Kazumasa MURATA, Ryu TAKEDA, Hiroshi OKUNO
  • Publication number: 20090314154
    Abstract: The vocal track of any song provided by a user may be isolated and data based on the vocal track, such as pitch, rhythm, and/or duration, may be generated. The data may be used in a game in which the user may sing into a microphone and may try to match their singing as closely as possible to that of the vocal track. Feedback may be provided to the user at as to how the user's singing compares with respect to the vocal track based on the on the pitch, rhythm, and/or duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher Esaki, Keiichi Yano
  • Patent number: 7625284
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying cues indicating input actions in a rhythm-action game may include: displaying, to a player of a rhythm-action game, a lane divided into at least two sub-lanes, each sub-lane containing cues indicating a drum input element; and displaying, to the player, an additional cue spanning a plurality of the sub-lanes, the additional cue indicating a foot pedal action. In some embodiments, the additional cue may span all the sub-lanes. In some embodiments, each sub-lane may contain cues indicating a drum input element of a set of linearly arranged drum input elements. In other embodiments, each sub-lanes may correspond to a fret button of a simulated guitar and the additional cue may correspond to an open strum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Kay, Greg LoPiccolo, Daniel Schmidt, Alexander Rigopulos
  • Publication number: 20090282965
    Abstract: The present invention is a musical sound device having an input device including a plurality of selection sections and a timing input section, a storage unit for storing first musical sound data for outputting a first musical sound, second musical sound data for outputting a second musical sound, and a rhythm pattern to output the second musical sound data, an allocation unit for allocating the first and second musical sound data to the plurality of selection sections according to a predetermined relationship, a control unit for outputting the second musical data corresponding to the input from selection section, to an output unit according to the rhythm pattern, and outputting the first musical sound data according to input from the selection section and the timing input section, to the output unit, and an output unit corresponding to the first and second musical sound data received from the control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Matejka, Douglas Rappaport, Brian Christian
  • Publication number: 20090272253
    Abstract: A music editing apparatus is provided that uses so-called time line meta data that describe a beat and melody structure of a song to automatically accomplishes an automatic DJ remix play with a low load. The apparatus also includes a synchronous reproduction controlling section which sends a master beat to the remix processing section and reproduces a plurality of songs corresponding to a remix process which the remix processing section designates corresponding to a remix pattern and the meta data and a mixing section which mixes the songs reproduced by the synchronous reproduction controlling section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kosei Yamashita, Yasushi Miyajima, Motoyuki Takai, Akihiro Komori
  • Patent number: 7612275
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing a beat and tatum tracker includes an accent filter bank, a periodicity estimator, a period estimator and a phase estimator. The accent filter bank is configured to downsample an input audio signal. The periodicity estimator is configured to determine a periodicity based on the downsampled signal. The period estimator is configured to determine a period based on the periodicity. The phase estimator is configured to estimate a phase based on the period for determining beat and tatum times of the input audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Jarno Seppänen, Antti Eronen, Jarmo Hiipakka
  • Patent number: 7608775
    Abstract: Methods for providing a musical user interface are disclosed. A notation window with a musical sign, for example, a note is displayed. Selection of the sign is received. A time duration indicator at a selected sign is displayed. User manipulation of the time duration indicator to adjust time duration of the selected musical sign is received. The dynamically changed time duration indicator is displayed while receiving user manipulation. A beat ruler with beat marks and a staff are displayed. Selection of the note is received. A beat mark corresponding to the selected note is determined and then modified. Next, a modified beat mark is displayed. The selected note changes a position on the staff along the beat ruler in response to an input from a user. Determining, modifying the beat mark, and displaying the modified beat mark is repeated while the position of the selected note is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Matt Evans
  • Patent number: 7601906
    Abstract: Methods and systems for automated display of music data in a music display system. In one embodiment, a method for distinguishing lyrics and notations of a music data file is provided. In one embodiment, the lyrics are automatically shown in a different color or other display appearance relative to the notations. In another embodiment, the key of the notations is automatically determined and stored and/or displayed. In another embodiment, zoom in and zoom out capability is provided by automatically changing the font to appropriate permitted sizes, and/or by automatically determining the relative pixel spacing of the words in the lyric lines and the musical notation lines in the corresponding musical notation lines and selecting a font that maintains adequate spacing. Other inventive music display file presentation, storage, and analysis capabilities and features also are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Corevalus Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Tim Craig, Michael Craig, Mark Craig, Daniel Maggart, Doug Anderson
  • Publication number: 20090235809
    Abstract: Systems and methods of generating music tracks are disclosed. One such method, for generating one type of music track from another type of music track, is implemented in a computer. The method includes the steps of receiving a music track input having a first type into an artificial neural network (ANN), and producing a music track output having a second type from the ANN, based upon the music track input having the first type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth O. Stanley, Michael Rosario, Amy Kathryn Hoover
  • Publication number: 20090217805
    Abstract: Provided is a music generating device. The device includes a user interface, a lyric processing module, a melody generating unit, a harmony accompaniment generating unit, and a music generating unit. The user interface receives lyrics and melody from a user, and the lyric processing module generates a voice file corresponding to the received lyrics. The melody generating unit generates a melody file corresponding to the received melody, and the harmony accompaniment generating unit analyzes the melody file to generate a harmony accompaniment file corresponding to the melody. The music generating unit synthesizes the voice file, the melody file, and the harmony accompaniment file to generate a music file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jeong Soo Lee, In Jae Lim
  • Patent number: 7582822
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provides metronomes capable of wireless synchronization with other similar metronomes. A metronome includes a tactile device capable of conveying the tempo and beat to a user without the use of sound. In one example, one of the metronomes is used as a lead unit (for example, controlled by a band leader or conductor) and transmits control signals to the other metronomes. This allows multiple musicians in an orchestra, or similar music ensemble, to each have a metronome that is synchronized with other metronomes and shares a common tempo and beat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Inventors: Stephen Olander-Waters, Andrew Heiveil
  • Patent number: 7579546
    Abstract: A user is asked to perform tapping at beat positions by using a tapping detection section while listening to the beginning of a waveform from which beats are to be detected. When a fluctuation calculation section determines that tapping fluctuation falls in a predetermined range, a beat interval close in number to the tempo of the tapping is selected from among beat-interval candidates detected by a tempo-candidate detection section, and a tapping position where tapping becomes stable is determined to be the starting beat position. Tapping by the user for just some beats allows beats to be detected in the entire musical piece more correctly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Ren Sumita
  • Publication number: 20090199698
    Abstract: A musical piece correction apparatus corrects a sounding timing (note-on timings) of a sound constituting apart of a musical piece. First, the musical piece correction apparatus reads, from storage means, music performance data indicating sounding timings in the musical piece. Next, the musical piece correction apparatus sets a plurality of reference timings (grids) in a performance period of the musical piece, and sets, for each reference timing, a reference period (area) including said each reference timing. At this point, from among sounding timings included in the reference period, a nearest sounding timing to said each reference timing is selected, and the selected sounding timing is corrected so as to coincide with said each reference timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Kazumi Totaka, Yuichiro Okamura
  • Publication number: 20090150781
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for a clip-beat aligner that identifies musical beats in an audio file. An editing mode is provided to associate the audio file with a media segment according to a timeline. The clip-beat aligner aligns a boundary of the media segment with a musical beat on the timeline. Upon performing an editing operation, the clip-beat aligner maintains that the boundary of the media segment is aligned with any one of the musical beats. To align a boundary of each media segment with a musical beat, the clip-beat aligner identifies a musical beat that is proximate to the position of the media segment's boundary. The clip-beat aligner then aligns the media segment's boundary with the proximate musical beat by, if necessary, automatically trimming the media segment's duration such that the media segment's boundary occurs at the same moment in time as the proximate musical beat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Iampietro, P. B. Ramesh, Abhinav Darbari
  • Patent number: 7534951
    Abstract: A music-synchronized display apparatus includes a beat extractor configured to detect a portion in which a power spectrum in a spectrogram of an input music signal greatly changes and to output a detection output signal that is synchronized in time to the changing portion in synchronization with the input music signal; a tempo value estimation section configured to detect the self-correlation of the detection output signal from the beat extractor and to estimate a tempo value of the input music signal; a variable frequency oscillator in which an oscillation center frequency is determined on the basis of the tempo value from the tempo value estimation section and the phase of the output oscillation signal is controlled on the basis of a phase control signal; a phase comparator; a beat synchronization signal generation and output section; an attribute information storage section; an attribute information obtaining section; and a display information generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kosei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7531734
    Abstract: To provide an electronic metronome making a display similar to the movement of a mechanical metronome or a parabolic movement, an electronic metronome of the present invention includes a timing setting portion for setting a timing for emitting a sound, a control portion that outputs pieces of tempo indication data and a tempo sound signal, which are based on a piece of data on a set tempo, respectively at timings based on a piece of sound emission timing information set by the timing setting portion, a display portion that is constructed of a plurality of light emitting elements or liquid crystal display segments and visually displays a tempo by sequentially displaying the pieces of tempo indication data outputted from the control portion, and a sound emitting portion that emits a sound through amplification of the tempo sound signal outputted from the control portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Akiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7528316
    Abstract: In order to provide a musical sound generating vehicular apparatus and a program of the same for playing musical sounds based on a status of a vehicle without depending on parameter changes such as volume of the musical sound, a vehicle status detection means (11) which detects a control status of the vehicle, a storage means (13) which stores musical sound data, a musical sound data playback means (3) which plays the musical sound based on the musical sound data stored in the storage means (13), and a control means (1) which determines a playback interval of the musical sound data stored in the storage means (13) based on the control status of the vehicle detected by the vehicle status detection means (11) and controls the musical sound playback means (3) to play the playback interval of the musical sound data are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Isozaki
  • Patent number: 7528315
    Abstract: A rhythm action game apparatus comprising an audio analyzer adapted to analyze a music track and provide corresponding rhythm data, and a sequence generator adapted to generate game play cues according to said rhythm data. There is also disclosed a music processor comprising an audio analyzer adapted to analyze a music track and provide corresponding rhythm data, and an audio post processor adapted to reconfigure the music track controlled by the rhythm data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Codemasters Software Company Limited
    Inventor: Simon Nicholas Goodwin
  • Patent number: 7528313
    Abstract: To generate motion data of a motion in synchronization with a melody of music. As an embodiment of the present invention, when motion pattern data corresponding to a predetermined motion pattern is stored, music data is analyzed to detect a beat of music based on the music data, and the music data is divided into a plurality of bar intervals based on the detected beat, the motion pattern data is allocated to the bar intervals of the music data being divided to generate motion data. In this manner, when the motion data is reproduced together with the music data, the motion pattern can be switched in synchronization with switching of first bar intervals and second bar intervals corresponding to a bar when the music based on music data is expressed in a musical score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Saijo
  • Patent number: 7525036
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and software for the adjustment of properties of media streams and events, principally timing information, based on a template, i.e., a groove map. The invention further provides methods by which the templates can be created, edited, and arranged within the context of the media they influence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc.
    Inventors: Franklin Minor Shotwell, Peter Haller, Matthew Miller, Matthew Allen Logan, Matthew Liang Chaboud
  • Patent number: 7518053
    Abstract: Beat matching for two audio streams extracts beats from each, computes a conversion ratio from one stream to the other stream by an initial beat alignment plus a stability-maintaining beat alignment. A variable resampling converter or time scale modifier adjusts one stream to align beats with those of the other (reference) stream. Thus for cross-fading two music streams the beats of the fading-in stream can be matched to those of the fading-out stream for a seamless transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel S. Jochelson, Stephen J. Fedigan
  • Patent number: 7514622
    Abstract: A control unit controls to access the beat guide file for timings of beats, cues, lyrics, and messages of musical sound data to be reproduced, and controls an image processing unit to display beat guide objects (52a and 52b), which respectively represent beat timings and reproducing pitches of selected musical sound data. This allows a user to reproduce musical sound data at will by referring to the beat guide objects (52a and 52b) and visually recognizing beat progression, reproducing pitches, cue positions, lyrics, and messages of the musical sound data to be reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Hajime Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20090056526
    Abstract: Upon receiving a digital audio signal recorded in a .wav file, a beat extraction processing unit 12 extracts coarse beat position information from this digital audio signal and outputs the result as metadata recorded in an .mty file. In addition, a beat alignment processing unit 13 aligns beat information of the metadata recorded in the .mty file and outputs the result as metadata recorded in a .may file. Beats of a rhythm of music are extracted highly accurately while reproducing a music signal of a musical tune.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosei Yamashita, Yasushi Miyajima
  • Patent number: 7485797
    Abstract: When a first bar-division determination section determines that the bass note changes in a bar or when a second bar-division determination section determines that the degree of change in the chord in the bar is large, a chord-name determination section divides the bar and detects chords. This operation allows correct chords to be detected even when the chord changes within a bar, while the bass note is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Ren Sumita
  • Patent number: 7485042
    Abstract: In a game played by a plurality of game machines through teamwork, an evaluation is performed according to the correlation among operation information obtained through communications with each of the game machines. A plurality of game machines communicate with one another to establish timing synchronization. After the game, input timings at which buttons are operated during the game are collected and then evaluated so as to determine an absolute and relative timing coincidence in a predetermined period (unison part). A predetermined number of points are added to its game score based on the evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Nintendo Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Akito Nakatsuka, Yuichi Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20090007762
    Abstract: A musical accompaniment system is described including a fretted, stringed electric musical instrument, a floor unit, interface units and connecting cables. Designated frets of the instrument are divided into sections that output to a switching component that sends MIDI note # data to a synthesizer when strings of instrument contact designated fret sections. The floor unit includes actuators that output to the synthesizer when tapped by the user. The user taps on the actuators with his or her feet and thereby actuates accompaniment notes that are generated in the rhythms in which they are tapped. Accompaniment notes generated by the process are designated by notes and chords being fingered on the instrument. Methods are described that facilitate the actuating and generating of accompaniment notes in the musical style of traditional bass accompaniment through the use of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventor: Anthony LaBarbera
  • Patent number: 7462772
    Abstract: A system for music composition including: a display module configured to display data; a graphical user interface module in communication with the music data control module, and configured to interface with a user; a music data control module in communication with the display module and with the graphical user interface module, and configured to control music data; and a music data source module in communication with the music data control module and providing a first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Inventor: Hal C. Salter
  • Publication number: 20080276793
    Abstract: In a sound output device, a sound input unit acquires a sound signal reproduced by a reproduction device. A beat extractor extracts a beat component of the sound signal based on a spectrogram, and generates a beat waveform having information of a beat timing and a beat intensity. An output signal generator amplifies the sound signal with the beat waveform being a gain, using the beat timing and beat intensity which the beat waveform has. A sound output unit outputs the beat enhanced sound signal as a sound by performing D/A conversion on the beat enhanced sound signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicants: SONY CORPORATION, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Kosei YAMASHITA, Yasuhide HOSODA
  • Publication number: 20080236368
    Abstract: Provided is a recording or playback apparatus capable of separating a musical piece from an audio including the musical piece and a speech through a simple arithmetic process. A cut point detector detects, as a cut point, a time point at which an audio signal level or an amount of change in the audio signal level is not lower than a predetermined value. A frequency characteristic amount calculator calculates a characteristic amount in a frequency area of the audio signal only at each cut point and in its proximity. A cut point judging unit judges an attribute of the cut point on a basis of the calculated characteristic amount of the frequency. A music section detector detects a start and end points of each music section on a basis of the attribute and an interval between sampling points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru MATSUMOTO, Yuji YAMAMOTO, Tatsuo KOGA
  • Patent number: 7427708
    Abstract: As the user executes a performance on a preliminary or trial basis, performance data based on the user's performance are evaluated, a performance tendency of the user is extracted as a result of the extraction, and then, performance tendency information, indicative of the extracted performance tendency, is generated. Psychological state, such as a mood or feeling, of the user is detected from the performance tendency, and feeling information, indicative of the detected psychological state, is generated. Then, tone color control information corresponding to the generated feeling information is acquired from a storage section, such as a “mood/feeling” vs. tone color control” correspondence table, the acquired tone color control information is delivered to a tone generator, and desired tone color parameters are set on the basis of the tone color control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroko Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20080190269
    Abstract: A system for playing music is provided. The system includes: a mood categorizer categorizing a mood of a music file; a similar music search module searching for similar music having a mood similar to music which a user desires by referring to the categorized mood; a highlight detector detecting a highlight section of the music file; and a theme categorizer categorizing a theme of the music file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ki Wan Eom, Hyoung Gook Kim
  • Patent number: 7396990
    Abstract: A system and methods use music features extracted from music to detect a music mood within a hierarchical mood detection framework. A two-dimensional mood model divides music into four moods which include contentment, depression, exuberance, and anxious/frantic. A mood detection algorithm uses a hierarchical mood detection framework to determine which of the four moods is associated with a music clip based on the extracted features. In a first tier of the hierarchical detection process, the algorithm determines one of two mood groups to which the music clip belongs. In a second tier of the hierarchical detection process, the algorithm then determines which mood from within the selected mood group is the appropriate, exact mood for the music clip. Benefits of the mood detection system include automatic detection of music mood which can be used as music metadata to manage music through music representation and classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Lie Lu, Hong-Jiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 7390955
    Abstract: A metronome for use by a musician or group of musicians generally includes a signal generator for producing an electrical signal according to a desired timing scheme and one or more transducers in wireless communication with the signal generator. Each transducer, which may take the form of a piezoelectric device, a buzzer, electrodes or any substantial equivalent, is adapted to impart a sensation to the musician in response to the generated electrical signal. The wireless communication may be established with an infrared link or a radio frequency transmission system. The signal generator is under the centralized control of a conductor, bandleader, lead musician or music instructor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Solutions for Thought, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher V. Parsons, David M. Tumey
  • Publication number: 20080110322
    Abstract: A photo recommendation method using a mood of music is provided. The photo recommendation method using the mood of the music includes: categorizing the music into a mood by analyzing a sound source of the music; searching for a photo using meta information of the music; and recommending the photo corresponding to the categorized mood of the music according to a result of the searching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Won Lee, Hyoung Gook Kim, Jung Eun Kim