Patents by Inventor Katsuhiko Obata

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

  • Patent number: 5048391
    Abstract: A vibration of a string is picked up by a pickup to be converted to an electric signal. A pitch extracting circuit obtains pitch data expressing a pitch or a duration of the string vibration from the electric signal. A musical tone generating circuit generates a musical tone having a corresponding tone pitch in accordance with the pitch data. An envelope extracting circuit extracts an envelope from the electric signal detected by the pickup and supplies a signal expressing the envelope to a multiplier. Furthermore, a signal expressing the musical tone is supplied to the multiplier to be multiplied by the signal expressing the envelope. Thus a musical tone having a controlled envelope determined by the extracted envelope is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Uchiyama, Katsuhiko Obata
  • Patent number: 5018428
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument extracts a pitch from an input waveform signal by a pitch extracting circuit, and directs a sound source circuit to generate a musical tone at the pitch based on the extracted pitch. The sound source circuit electronically generates musical tones at the pitches according to the performance. The pitch extracting circuit obtains fundamental period of the input waveform signal by detecting the time interval (t1) between these first two zero-cross points after two positive peak points of the input waveform signal are detected, by detecting a time interval (t2) between first two zero-cross points after two negative peak points of the input signal waveform are detected, or by detecting both the time intervals (t1, t2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Uchiyama, Katsuhiko Obata
  • Patent number: 5014589
    Abstract: A pitch is extracted from an input waveform signal, and a musical tone having a corresponding tone pitch is generated. In this case, a signal intensity at the leading edge of the input waveform signal is detected to determine a tone volume of the musical tone. A change degree of the signal intensity at the leading edge of the input waveform signal is detected to determine a timbre of the musical tone. As a result, the tone volume and the timbre of the output musical tone can be independently controlled in accordance with a music performance manner, and an improvement of a performance effect is expected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Obata
  • Patent number: 4924746
    Abstract: Data representing a pitch is extracted from an input waveform signal and a musical tone having a corresponding tone pitch is generated. By chromatically designating a tone pitch, a musical tone having a tone pitch of a semitone unit is generated from a sound source circuit at the starting of the input waveform signal. After tone generation is started, in the system for updating a tone pitch having an interval of less than a semitone interval, a musical tone is generated in accordance with various performances. Therefore, a musical interval after tone generation is started can be clearly recognized, thus obtaining an excellent musical performance effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Obata