Patents Examined by David S. Warren
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Patent number: 8674207Abstract: The device relates to a circular electronic musical instrument having a keyboard with keys which produces polyphonic musical notes. The device is an organ which covers at least one octave of musical notes. The octaves are aligned in bands of concentric rings located on the top of the instrument. Each band of keys may contain one octave of notes. Notes in a first octave are next to or nearby identical notes in a second octave to make popular chords and songs easy to play. Notes may be played simultaneously which are octaves apart with one hand due to proximity of all the keys. A hand may extend over a centrally located loudspeaker and be used to vary the loudness and produce vibrato effects. A small overlay having information may be easily placed on the top of the keyboard to assist in learning songs by number, color, or other visual aids.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2012Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: Advins, Inc.Inventor: Arthur Francis Seymour
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Patent number: 8669459Abstract: The sound-processing apparatus of the present invention generates plural frequency data by decoding plural encoded sound data and applying inverse quantization. Each of the frequency data are subjected to sound-processing and then synthesized into one single frequency data. Transformation processing from frequency domain to time domain is applied to the synthesized single frequency data so as to generate sound data in time domain so as to reduce computation amounts of decoding process.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2011Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: CRI Middleware Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masao Oshimi, Ryo Gobara
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Patent number: 8664497Abstract: A double keyboard piano system is provided. The double keyboard piano system may include a first automatic player piano, a second automatic player piano, and a double keyboard console including a first keyboard and a second keyboard mounted above the first keyboard. The first automatic player piano is in communication with the double keyboard console to receive a first signal including first information describing a first key for the first automatic player piano to automatically play based on a first key of the first keyboard being played, and the second automatic player piano is in communication with the double keyboard console to receive a second signal including second information describing a second key for the second automatic player piano to automatically play based on a second key of the second keyboard being played.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2011Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research FoundationInventor: Christopher Taylor
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Patent number: 8662245Abstract: Disclosed is a method for modifying the frequency response of a wood panel within an acoustical structure such as a studio or concert hall. The modification is imparted by exciting the wood paneling with acoustic energy. Frequency response is the measure of a system's spectrum response at the output to a signal of varying frequency (but constant amplitude) at its input. The acoustic energy includes at least one excitation frequency, which is preferably in the audible spectrum (20 to 20,000 Hz). The use of acoustic energy from the remote source provides non-contact excitation of the wood paneling. In one embodiment, the acoustic energy is at least one sound wave which comprises at least one resonant frequency of the wood paneling, at least one acoustic mode of the wood paneling, at least one discrete broadband frequency, a composite frequency (including multiple broadband frequencies, white noise and pink noise) or any combination thereof.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2011Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: University of South FloridaInventors: James L. Hall, Daniel P. Hess
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Patent number: 8658878Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for facilitating improving health of a user. In accordance with some applications, a first physiological variable, which is indicative of a voluntary action of the user, is received. A second physiological variable, which is not entirely under the direct voluntary control of the user, is received. Responsive to the first and second variables, the second physiological variable is changed in a desired manner, by using circuitry to direct the user to modify a parameter of the voluntary action, by generating an output signal. Other applications are also described.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2012Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Intercure Ltd.Inventor: Naphtali Wagner
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Patent number: 8653349Abstract: A system and method for musical collaboration in virtual space is described. This method is based on the exchange of data relating to position, direction and selection of musical sounds and effects, which are then combined by a software application for each user. The musical sampler overcomes latency of data over the network by ensuring that all loops and samples begin on predetermined temporal divisions of a composition. The data is temporarily stored as a data file and can be later retrieved for playback or conversion into a digital audio file.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2011Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Podscape Holdings LimitedInventors: Christopher P. R. White, Vinnie Vivace, Chih-Kuo Chuang
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Patent number: 8653353Abstract: An electronic keyboard musical instrument, including: a key; a mass body driven by a depressed key for pivotally moving in a movement region between a rest position and an end position; a back check portion to back check the mass body; a position detecting portion to detect a position of the mass body; and a controller for controlling silencing of a tone, such that the currently generated tone is silenced when the mass body reaches a preset tone silencing position in its movement from the end position to the rest position, wherein the controller is configured to change the tone silencing position on the basis of respective times required for the mass body to pass through first and second sub regions of the movement region in the movement of the mass body, the second sub region being located nearer to the rest position than the first sub region.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventor: Akihiko Komatsu
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Patent number: 8653350Abstract: A performance apparatus 11 extends in a longitudinal direction to be held by a player, and is provided with an acceleration sensor 23. CPU 21 of the performance apparatus 11 gives a sound source unit 31 of a musical instrument unit 19 an instruction (note-on event) to generate a musical tone. CPU 21 generates a note-on event indicating a sound-generation timing represented by a time when an acceleration-sensor value of the acceleration sensor 23 exceeds a first predetermined value and thereafter has decreased to a value less than a second threshold value ?, which is less than a first threshold value ?, and gives the musical instrument unit 19 the generated note-on event to generate a musical tone.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2011Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Takahashi, Takahiro Mizushina
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Patent number: 8653352Abstract: From analog music information in which the sounds of a plurality of musical instruments are mixed, sound data corresponding to the register of the reproduced sound of a bass guitar and sound data corresponding to the register of the reproduced sound of a drum are extracted using a band-pass filter. A drive pulse with a low frequency is generated within the periods of data sections in which the former sound data reaches a predetermined level or higher, and a drive pulse with a high frequency is generated within the periods of data sections in which the latter sound data reaches a predetermined level or higher. A vibrating body in a vibration mechanism unit is resonated by two drive pulses with frequencies, thereby causing vibration according to the reproduced sound of music.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tomokuni Wauke
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Patent number: 8648243Abstract: A tone generation control device sets a setting value for crosstalk cancellation. When vibration generated in a target striking surface is detected, a value indicative of the degree of crosstalk that the target received from comparison striking surfaces is calculated. The calculated value is displayed regardless of whether a tone generation instruction has been output. Meanwhile, setting values used for crosstalk cancellation for the respective striking surfaces are also displayed. Therefore, the user can observe and understand as to whether the vibration generated at the target is vibration caused by crosstalk received from the comparison striking surface, such that setting values to be used for crosstalk cancellation can be suitably set.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2013Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: Roland CorporationInventor: Ryo Susami
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Patent number: 8642874Abstract: A resonance tuner receives and digitizes an analog signal in response to a resonance of a structure thereby creating a plurality of time samples. A series of the time samples are buffered upon burst detection. A power spectrum is estimated by computing a Time-To-Frequency-Transform of the series of time samples and a magnitude of each of the resulting frequency samples is squared. At least one subset associated with at least one spectral peak is selected from the frequency samples. Each spectral peak has at least one sample with a sufficient magnitude and being spectrally adjacent to any other sample in another spectral peak by less than a threshold. A fundamental spectral peak is determined in a fundamental subset including a spectral peak with a sample at the lowest frequency greater than zero. The fundamental spectral peak has the sample with the largest magnitude within the fundamental subset.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2011Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignee: Overtone Labs, Inc.Inventor: David Byrd Ribner
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Patent number: 8633370Abstract: The present invention provides a complementary bifurcated circuit to process and optimize music digitally with high fidelity yet with wireless elements. In a particular embodiment, an audio transducer in close proximity to a musical instrument or vocalist's mouth transforms audible music to analog electrical signals, which are digitized and then filtered to remove external noise at the frequencies of alternating current as well as internally generated noise. A FPGA encoder optimizes the signal's latency and formats the signal for wireless transmission, which is then accomplished with a transmitter and receiver. A transmitter control interface programs one or more of the digital encoder, digital processor, FPGA encoder and wireless transmitter.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2011Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: PRA Audio Systems, LLCInventors: K. Paul Raley, Howard A. Carnes
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Patent number: 8629343Abstract: An example computer of an information processing apparatus that reproduces music composed of one or more tracks is caused to function as: a reproduction section configured to reproduce the music; a meter change section configured to change the meter for reproduction of the music, while the reproduction section is reproducing the music; and a determination section configured to, based on the meter that has been changed, repeatedly determine whether or not to cause the reproduction section to reproduce the next beat supposed to be reproduced in a bar of the music that is currently being reproduced. The reproduction section reproduces the music, based on the result of the determination by the determination section.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2012Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hajime Wakai, Masato Mizuta
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Patent number: 8629344Abstract: An input apparatus including: a first operation detecting section provided on a first operating section which detects acceleration and angular speed based on movement of the first operating section; a second operation detecting section provided on a second operating section which detects acceleration and angular speed based on movement of the second operating section; a judging section which judges whether or not the first and second operating sections have been held together, based on the accelerations and the angular speeds detected by the first and second operation detecting sections; a detecting section which detects a change operation based on the accelerations and the angular speeds detected by the first and second operation detecting sections, when the judging section judges that the first and second operating sections have been held together; and a changing section which changes a predetermined parameter in accordance with the change operation detected by the detecting section.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2011Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Casio Computer Co., LtdInventor: Morio Yamanouchi
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Patent number: 8624099Abstract: A foot control for control of musical effects from a musical instrument, the instrument having an electrical signal output operable to send signals to a speaker system, the control having a housing with at least one side wall; a roller rotatably mounted in the housing, a roller surface portion exposed and extending away from the housing for contact by a foot, to enable rotation of the roller by the foot; and, circuitry within the base connectable with the instrument and operable in response to rotation of the roller, to vary signals from the instrument.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2011Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Inventor: Andrew T Osborne
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Patent number: 8618404Abstract: A file creation process, file format and playback device are provided that enables an interactive and if desired collaborative music playback experience for the user(s) by combining or retrofitting an “original song” with a MIDI time grid, the MIDI score of the song and other data in a synchronized fashion. The invention enables a music interaction platform that requires a small amount of time to learn and very little skill, knowledge or talent to use and is designed to bring “mixing music” to the average person.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2008Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Inventor: Sean Patrick O'Dwyer
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Patent number: 8618401Abstract: An information processing apparatus is provided which includes a signal conversion unit for converting an audio signal to a pitch signal indicating a signal intensity of each pitch, a melody probability estimation unit for estimating for each frame a probability of each pitch being a melody note, based on the audio signal, and a melody line determination unit for detecting a maximum likelihood path from among paths of pitches from a start frame to an end frame of the audio signal, and for determining the maximum likelihood path as a melody line, based on the probability of each pitch being a melody note, the probability being estimated for each frame by the melody probability estimation unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2009Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Yoshiyuki Kobayashi
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Patent number: 8618402Abstract: Melody and accompaniment audio signals are received and processed to identify one or more harmony notes and a harmony signal is produced based on the one or more harmony notes. Typically the melody note is identified and a spectrum of the accompaniment audio signal and is obtained, and one or more harmony notes are identified based on the melody note and the accompaniment spectrum. The melody, and accompaniment signals can be processed in real-time for combination with the harmony signal in an audio performance. In some examples, audio signals are processed and harmonies generated for subsequent performance based on, for example, MIDI files generated from the audio signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2012Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Harman International Industries Canada LimitedInventors: Glen A. Rutledge, William Norman Campbell, Peter R. Lupini
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Patent number: 8599047Abstract: Various embodiments provide keyboards that provide haptic feedback to a user of the keyboard. In at least some embodiments, movement of an actuator and/or a user-engageable portion in a direction generally orthogonal to a direction of the keypress when the switch is closed provides a user with haptic feedback, which simulates a snapover movement.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2012Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: James William Schlosser, Cody George Peterson, Andrew Huska
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Patent number: 8592669Abstract: Provided are a musical performance-related information output device and a musical performance system capable of superimposing musical performance-related information on an audio signal without damaging the general versatility of the audio signal. The musical performance-related information output device includes a musical performance-related information acquiring section that is adapted to acquire musical performance-related information related to a musical performance of a performer, a superimposing section that is adapted to superimpose the musical performance-related information on an analog audio signal such that a modulated component of the musical performance-related information is included in a band higher than the frequency component of the analog audio signal generated in accordance with the musical performance manipulation of the performer, and an output section that outputs the analog audio signal on which the superimposing section superimposes the musical performance-related information.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2009Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Iwase, Takuro Sone, Mitsuru Fukui