Patents by Inventor Akira Tozuka
Akira Tozuka 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).
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Patent number: 6495747Abstract: A performance evaluation apparatus presents a reference performance of a music piece for practice. The user inputs manual performance operations in tempo with the presented reference performance. The apparatus compares the inputted manual performance and the reference performance, and outputs an evaluation report as to the correctness of the manual performance with respect to the reference performance. In one embodiment, the apparatus is provided with an outputting condition designating device for the user to designate whether to output an evaluation report after the practice performance is over. In another embodiment, the apparatus is provided with an evaluation span designating device for the user to designate performance spans about which the user's practice performance is to be evaluated. The apparatus outputs an evaluation report according to the user's designation.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2000Date of Patent: December 17, 2002Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventors: Hideaki Shimaya, Akira Tozuka
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Patent number: 6376760Abstract: In response to user's selection of a desired instrument style such as a piano style, only some of memory-stored automatic performance data sets that belong to the selected instrument style are made selectable. On the other hand, a tonal characteristic for manual performance is set to a tonal characteristic corresponding to the selected instrument switch. Thus, in executing an ensemble of manual and automatic performances, even a beginner can readily select and set a tone color and performance pattern. According to another aspect, there is provided a memory storing a plurality of automatic performance data sets and the setting parameters in corresponding relation to a plurality of performance styles. Tone setting parameters include manual performance tone setting parameters that are suited at least for the plurality of performance styles.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 1999Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: Yamaha CorprorationInventors: Akira Tozuka, Yasuhiko Asahi
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Publication number: 20010039870Abstract: A performance evaluation apparatus presents a reference performance of a music piece for practice. The user inputs manual performance operations in tempo with the presented reference performance. The apparatus compares the inputted manual performance and the reference performance, and outputs an evaluation report as to the correctness of the manual performance with respect to the reference performance. In one embodiment, the apparatus is provided with an outputting condition designating device for the user to designate whether to output an evaluation report after the practice performance is over. In another embodiment, the apparatus is provided with an evaluation span designating device for the user to designate performance spans about which the user's practice performance is to be evaluated. The apparatus outputs an evaluation report according to the user's designation.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2000Publication date: November 15, 2001Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATIONInventors: Hideaki Shimaya, Akira Tozuka
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Patent number: 6204441Abstract: An electronic musical apparatus for effectively displaying musical information such as notes and beats is configured using a keyboard, a visual display (e.g., liquid crystal display) and a storage device. A keyboard pattern, a bass staff and a treble staff are displayed on a screen of the visual display. Herein, the keyboard pattern is displayed at a lower base area of the screen while the bass staff is displayed at a lower left area of the screen, and the treble staff is displayed at an upper right area of the screen. In addition, a right end of the bass staff and a left end of the treble staff are located approximately in proximity to a center of the keyboard pattern which corresponds to a key of middle C note in a horizontal direction on the screen. Based on performance data stored in the storage device, keys of the keyboard pattern are respectively displayed to show a progression of notes of a tune.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 1999Date of Patent: March 20, 2001Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventors: Yasuhiko Asahi, Akira Tozuka
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Patent number: 6067302Abstract: A vehicle multiplex communication apparatus having such a transmission arrangement that the rate of transmission of information over a common bus is limited to a prescribed rate without limiting the number of additional control elements provided in a vehicle. The communication apparatus has the common bus provided in the vehicle and a plurality of central control units connected to the common bus. The central control units transmit information in accordance with a first information protocol between the common bus and constitutional controlled equipment of the vehicle or control elements for controlling the controlled equipment. The communication apparatus also has an information collection control unit connected to at least one of the plurality of central control units through a simpler bus.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1997Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Akira Tozuka
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Patent number: 6031175Abstract: A music performing apparatus comprises a manipulative music performing device which performs music according to the player's musical performance on the apparatus and an automatic accompaniment performing device which performs musical accompaniment according to automatic accompaniment signals provided in the apparatus. The properties and the manners of a musical performance and an automatic accompaniment are determined by the parameters set by the various controls such as switches and knobs in the control panel provided on the apparatus. A state of combination of such parameters is defined as a registration for a musical performance. Different registrations are stored in a data storage device representing different combinations of the parameters, and a desired one of the registrations is selectively called by the user to set the performance properties and manners.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 1999Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventor: Akira Tozuka
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Patent number: 5710898Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises a plurality of function operating elements for designating execution of a plurality of functions, respectively, and a help operating element for designating display of explanations and/or instructions related to information displayed on the display screen of the display device. A CPU is responsive to operation of the help operating element, for controlling the display device to display explanations and/or instructions related to the information displayed on the display screen. The CPU is further responsive to operation of each of the function operating elements taking place during the display of the explanations and/or instructions responsive to the operation of the help operating element, for controlling the display device to display explanations and/or instructions related to the each function operating element.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 1995Date of Patent: January 20, 1998Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventor: Akira Tozuka
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Patent number: 5513352Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic appliance, for example such as an electronic musical instrument, having a secondary storage device for storing data to be recorded which can be easily divided into divisional elements under a plurality of predetermined items. With respect to information to be stored in the secondary storage device, a portion the same as the already stored information is not newly stored to thereby effectively use the storage capacity of the secondary storage device. In the electronic appliance, specifically, data to be stored as one file in the secondary storage device is divided into a plurality of constituent portions under predetermined items, file names are affixed respectively to files, and entry names are affixed respectively to the itemized constituent portions.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 1994Date of Patent: April 30, 1996Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventor: Akira Tozuka
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Patent number: 5410941Abstract: An external memory medium storing data corresponding to a desired automatically playing or tone color selecting function can be removably set, so as to expand various functions of an electronic musical instrument. An identification code is recorded in the medium, and thus the function of the medium can be automatically determined from the code. The instrument is automatically set to an operation mode corresponding to the function in accordance with the determined function so that the data stored in the medium can be utilized. The determined function may be displayed to the player.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 1994Date of Patent: May 2, 1995Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventors: Harumichi Hotta, Akira Suzuki, Akira Tozuka
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Patent number: 5160799Abstract: There is provided an electronic musical instrument capable of sounding plural musical tones, e.g., first and second musical tones, having different tone colors, to each of which the performer can impart a different pitch-bend-effect independently. As a means for imparting the pitch-bend-effect, there is provided a wheel-type control. In addition, this system also provides first and second modes. In the first mode, different variation widths of pitch-bend-effects are respectively imparted to the first and second musical tones on the basis of the control input given by operating the wheel-type control. In the second mode, the same variation width of pitch-bend-effect is imparted to the first and second musical tones on the basis of the control input given by operating the wheel-type control.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 1992Date of Patent: November 3, 1992Assignee: Yamaha CorporationInventors: Akira Tozuka, Yasushi Kurakake, Kotaro Mizuno