Patents Examined by Marlon Fletcher
  • Patent number: 10068560
    Abstract: A mini-music machine includes: a platform; a plurality of arcos disposed around a perimeter of the platform, the plurality of arcos disposed in a substantially vertical orientation; a central mast disposed substantially at a center of the platform; and a serpentine figure disposed around the central mast, wherein each of the plurality of arcos is strung with a musical instrument string, and wherein each musical instrument string is tuned to produce a musical tone when caused to vibrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Inventor: Katherine Quittner
  • Patent number: 10068558
    Abstract: This is a method and installation in which a time-domain digital audio signal is split into a plurality of narrow-band time-domain digital audio signals confined to specific frequency bands, short-term segments of which are temporarily stored in memory. The method comprises the use of signal processing algorithms for extracting multiple signal features from said short-term segments in a fixed sequence or upon request from a decision-making algorithm. Said decision-making algorithm makes tentative or final decisions about the type of occupancy of frequency bands resulting from the extracted features. Said decision-making algorithm may request from said signal processing algorithms further specific feature extractions from specific short-term segments and make further tentative or final decisions about the type of occupancy of frequency bands resulting from the requested features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Uberchord UG (Haftungsbeschränkt) I.G.
    Inventor: Martin Polak
  • Patent number: 10068559
    Abstract: A magnetic pickup is configured for a stringed instrument with at least one string, a neck part, and a body, which has a soundboard. A north and south pole of the magnetic pickup define a magnetic axis. The magnetic axis of the magnetic pickup is oriented substantially parallel to the soundboard or, in the region of the magnetic pickup, an auxiliary magnet having a magnetic axis is arranged, the magnetic axis of the auxiliary magnet is oriented substantially parallel to the soundboard or at a right angle to the magnetic axis of the magnetic pickup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Inventor: Cölestin Julius Kober
  • Patent number: 10062366
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a reproducible audio information sequence includes a receiver adapted to receive and decode a signal in which at least one sequence of symbols is encoded to which an audio information sequence is to correspond, memory storing a plurality of reproducible audio elements, a processor configured for associating one of the reproducible audio elements with at least one first symbol included in the sequence of symbols on the basis of the first symbol and of at least one second symbol that, in the sequence of symbols, precedes or follows the first symbol, and a sound generator for outputting audio sequences, configured for cyclically reproducing said reproducible audio information sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Saronikos Trading and Services, Unipessoal LDA
    Inventor: Robert James
  • Patent number: 10062368
    Abstract: A chord judging method performed by a processor to judge chords of a musical piece, in which the processor estimates plural chord candidates of each of plural parts specified in the musical piece; calculates connection costs, each of which is defined between the chord candidates of adjacent parts of the musical piece; obtains total sums of the connection costs between the chord candidates along plural routes through the musical piece; and selects a route from among the plural routes, which route shows a less total sum of the connection costs of the chord candidates, thereby outputting an appropriate chord candidate of each of the parts along the found route of the musical piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Junichi Minamitaka
  • Patent number: 10062367
    Abstract: A vocal effects control system may include a device having a display, an audio input, an audio output, and a processor configured to present a user interface (UI) on the display. The UI may include an array of toggle elements, each toggle element corresponding to one of a plurality of vocal effects applicable by the processor, and one or more scrolling vocal effect indicators synchronized to a selected audio background track of a song, each of the one or more vocal effect indicators indicating when a corresponding one of the vocal effects is to be active within a timeline of the song.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: MUSIC TRIBE GLOBAL BRANDS LTD.
    Inventors: Stephen Jarrett Evans, Jesper Richard Rage
  • Patent number: 10056062
    Abstract: A music application guides a user with some musical experience through the steps of creating and editing a musical enhancement file that enhances and plays in synchronicity with an audio signal of an original artist's recorded performance. This enables others, perhaps with lesser musical ability than the original artist, to play-along with the original artist by following melodic, chordal, rhythmic, and verbal prompts. The music application accounts for differences in the timing of the performance from a standard tempo by guiding the user through the process of creating a tempo map for the performance and by associating the tempo map with MIDI information of the enhancement file. Enhancements may contain MIDI information, audio signal information, and/or video signal information which may be played back in synchronicity with the recorded performance to provide an aural and visual aid to others playing-along who may have less musical experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: FIVER LLC
    Inventors: Brian Reynolds, William B. Hudak
  • Patent number: 10056061
    Abstract: A frequency-domain peak detector is configured to detect harmonic content of a digital input signal. An equalizer-based feedback synthesizer is configured to generate simulated feedback at a specified frequency by filtering existing content of the digital input signal at the specified frequency. A tone-based feedback synthesizer is configured to generate simulated feedback at the specified frequency by generating a tone at the specified frequency. Feedback selection logic is configured to determine the specified frequency at which to generate simulated feedback based on the harmonic content, and whether to utilize the equalizer-based feedback synthesizer or the tone-based feedback synthesizer to generate simulated feedback at the specified frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Brandon Graham, Norm Campbell, Glen A. Rutledge
  • Patent number: 10043500
    Abstract: A method of making audio music selection and creating a mixtape, comprising importing song files from a song repository; sorting and filtering the song files based on selection criteria; and creating the mixtape from the song files sorting and filtering results. The sorting and filtering of the song files comprise: spectral analyzing each of the song files to extract low level acoustic feature parameters of the song file; from the low level acoustic feature parameter values, determining the high level acoustic feature parameters of the analyzed song file; determining a similarity score of each of the analyzed song files by comparing the acoustic feature parameter values of the analyzed song file against desired acoustic feature parameter values determined from the selection criteria; and sorting the analyzed song files according to their similarity scores; and filtering out the analyzed song files with first similarity scores lower than a filter threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: MiQ Limited
    Inventors: John Saint Quattro, Alexander Varlamov, Siu Ka Shan
  • Patent number: 10037750
    Abstract: A method is described comprising receiving a stem signal and an audio mix signal, wherein the audio mix signal comprises information of the stem signal. The method includes applying a first transform to the stem signal to provide a first stem spectrum, applying a second transform to the stem signal to provide a second stem spectrum, generating a plurality of mix signals using the audio mix signal, applying a first transform to each mix signal of the plurality of mix signals to provide a corresponding first mix signal spectrum, applying a second transform to each mix signal of the plurality of mix signals to provide a corresponding second mix signal spectrum, and using information of the first stem spectrum, the second stem spectrum, a first mix signal spectrum, or a second mix signal spectrum to detect the information of the stem signal in the audio mix signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: RMXHTZ, INC.
    Inventors: Sam Brooker, Eugene Melnichenko, Matt Wilder, Seth Johnson
  • Patent number: 10032441
    Abstract: A system is described that permits identified musical phrases or themes to be synchronized and linked into changing real-world events. The achieved synchronization includes a seamless musical transition—achieved using a timing offset, such as relative advancement of an significant musical “onset”, that is inserted to align with a pre-existing but identified music signature, beat or timebase—between potentially disparate pre-identified musical phrases having different emotive themes defined by their respective time signatures, intensities, keys, musical rhythms and/or musical phrasing. The system operates to augment an overall sensory experience of a user in the real world by dynamically changing, re-ordering or repeating and then playing audio themes within the context of what is occurring in the surrounding physical environment, e.g. during different phases of a cardio workout in a step class the music rate and intensity increase during sprint periods and decrease during recovery periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: TIME MACHINE CAPITAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Joseph Michael William Lyske
  • Patent number: 10032442
    Abstract: Music data memory includes pieces of music within a group and other pieces of music outside the group. The next piece to be played is automatically determined by random table among pieces within the group. Favorite or newest piece is weighted to be more frequently played in the group. Piece in music data memory is automatically included into the group by random table. Newly downloaded piece into music data memory is included into the group by priority. Most frequently played piece is excluded from the group in place of newly included piece. Favorite or newest piece may be an exception of exclusion. Next piece is capable of being played in tempo similar to that of preceding piece by means of tempo-adjusted or piece replacement or repetition of the same piece for the purpose of continued baby cradling in synchronism with the same tempo of succeeding pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: NL GIKEN INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Masahide Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10032440
    Abstract: A modular trigger system releasably attaches to a cymbal or other percussive element. The trigger system has a metal cover plate releasably affixable to a surface of the cymbal or percussive element, at least one piezo sensor releasably affixable to a surface of the cover plate, and a dampening element sandwiched between the undersurface of the cymbal or percussive element and the metal cover plate. The dampening element comprises a flexible thin sheet of rubber with a plurality of openings aligned with the piezo sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: FIELD ELECTRONIC DRUMS, LLC
    Inventor: William Todd Field
  • Patent number: 10013961
    Abstract: A new method of written music using a color coded keyboard to show the player which octave on the keyboard to use, which note in the octave to play and the finger of the hand used to play the note. The phrasing of the melody and chord progressions are indicated by the spacing of the notes in the tablature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Sean Campbell
  • Patent number: 10008190
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described that are utilized for remotely controlling a musical instrument. A first digital record comprising musical instrument digital commands from a first electronic instrument for a first item of music is accessed. The first digital record is transmitted over a network using a network interface to a remote, second electronic instrument for playback to a first user. Optionally, video data is streamed to a display device of a user while the first digital record is played back by the second electronic instrument. A key change command is transmitted over the network using the network interface to the second electronic instrument to cause the second electronic instrument to playback the first digital record for the first item of music in accordance with the key change command. The key change command may be transmitted during the streaming of the video data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Inventor: Michael John Elson
  • Patent number: 10008188
    Abstract: A method of generating a musical score file for one or more target musical instruments with a score generation component based on input audio data. The score generation component finds candidate musical notes within the input audio data using a frequency analysis to identify segments that share substantially the same audio frequency, and finds a best match for those candidate musical notes in audio data associated with target musical instruments in a sound database. Note, chord, and/or rhythm information is saved to a musical score file along with a page description header describing print settings. The generated musical score file can then be printed as sheet music or audibly played back over speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Ver Dabon, Neil-Paul Bermundo
  • Patent number: 9997146
    Abstract: A drum assembly includes a drum, a stimulus processor assembly and a light pattern display generator. The drum includes a drum shell that at least partially defines a drum interior. The stimulus processor assembly receives a stimulus, generates an input signal, and converts the input signal to an output signal. The light pattern display generator receives the output signal from the stimulus processor assembly. The light pattern display generator generates a light pattern display in response to the output signal. Additionally, the light pattern display generator projects the light pattern display at least partially within the drum interior. The light pattern display generator can include one or more of an animation laser, a hologram projector and a lumin disk. The stimulus can be generated by the drum or by a source remote from the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Inventor: Drew M. Koltun
  • Patent number: 9997147
    Abstract: A method for generating voice identifications for MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) note signals. The method provides voice identification for every note in MIDI signals, which makes music learning intuitive and easier. The method can be used with any MIDI instruments as a separate unit, or a part of such instruments. Solfege is used as voice identification system since it is widely used in music education. However, any such system can be used or newly devised by preparing a different set of patches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Inventor: Masaaki Kasahara
  • Patent number: 9990911
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for creating a preview track. The method includes: acquiring a plurality of tracks; extracting rhythm data from each of the tracks; determining a plurality of extracted parts each corresponding to the respective tracks based on the extracted rhythm data; cutting out the extracted parts from the respective tracks; and connecting the extracted parts with one another to create a preview track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: BUZZMUISQ INC.
    Inventors: Jungsuk Lee, Keunwoo Choi, Tae Hoon Kim, Gukhyeon Gyeong, Uk Her, Sungho Lee
  • Patent number: 9978346
    Abstract: A stringed musical instrument and method of constructing a stringed musical instrument, having a body with a hollow or semi-hollow interior, a front and rear sound board disposed on opposite sides of the hollow interior, a single set of strings and a dual bridge and saddle assembly extending between the front and rear sound board with the dual bridge and saddle assembly including a first bridge and saddle mounted upon the front sound board, a second bridge and saddle mounted upon the rear sound board and with said single set of strings being strung such that the single set of strings interconnect the first bridge and front sound board to the second bridge and rear sound board through the interior body of the musical instrument for generating sound from each sound board respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Inventor: Robert L. Oberg