Abstract: A sound control apparatus is provided in a portable terminal for sounding a music tone in association with operation of the portable terminal, which is controlled by a main CPU. In the sound control apparatus, a memory memorizes music information representing a music tone and configuration information associated to a timbre of the music tone. An information acquiring section acquires the music information and the configuration information from the memory. A tone generating section is configured by the acquired configuration information to create a timbre specified by the configuration information. The tone generating section operates according to the acquired music information to generate the music tone being represented by the music information and having the specified timbre. A dedicated CPU is provided separately from the main CPU for controlling the memory, the information acquiring section and the tone generating section.

Abstract: In a system for animating an object along a music, a sequencer module sequentially provides music control information and a synchronization signal in correspondence with the music to be played. A parameter setting module is operable to set motion parameters effective to determine movements of movable parts of the object. An audio module is responsive to the synchronization signal for generating a sound in accordance with the music control information to thereby play the music. A video module is responsive to the synchronization signal for generating a motion image of the object in matching with progression of the music. The video module utilizes the motion parameters to basically control the motion image, and utilizes the music control information to further control the motion image in association with the played music.

Abstract: A communication apparatus having value added functions useful for musicians is provided. A tempo signal having a cycle corresponding to a tempo set by a user through an operation device is generated, a musical tone signal equivalent to a metronome sound is generated in accordance with the generated tempo signal, and the metronome sound is generated in accordance with the generated musical tone signal. Therefore, the present invention can contribute to further increasing the added value of a communication apparatus, which is requisite for musicians.

Abstract: Musical-score-related data set, including musical score information and right-to-use information defining a usable range of the musical score information, is distributed via a network or the like, and such a musical-score-related data set is stored in memory of an apparatus having received the data set. The right-to-use information includes information indicating that storage of the corresponding musical score is authorized or not authorized. When the musical score is to be displayed, the musical score information of the memory-stored musical-score-related data set is read out so that the musical score is visually displayed on a display device.

Abstract: An information producing apparatus is constructed for producing a combination of object information providing substantial contents and performance information providing a music piece in association with the substantial contents. In the information producing apparatus, a source section provides the object information having substantial contents. An extracting section analyzes the provided object information to extract therefrom the characteristic information which is characteristic of the substantial contents of the provided object information. An attaching section operates based on the extracted characteristic information for attaching performance information to the provided object information. On the other hand, an information reproducing apparatus utilizes the attached performance information to provide a performance of a music piece as a music effect in association with the substantial contents when reproducing the object information transmitted from the information producing apparatus.

Abstract: An information producing apparatus is constructed for producing a combination of object information providing substantial contents and performance information providing a music piece in association with the substantial contents. In the information producing apparatus, a source section provides the object information having substantial contents. An extracting section analyzes the provided object information to extract therefrom the characteristic information which is characteristic of the substantial contents of the provided object information. An attaching section operates based on the extracted characteristic information for attaching performance information to the provided object information. On the other hand, an information reproducing apparatus utilizes the attached performance information to provide a performance of a music piece as a music effect in association with the substantial contents when reproducing the object information transmitted from the information producing apparatus.

Abstract: A sound control apparatus is provided in a portable terminal for sounding a music tone in association with operation of the portable terminal, which is controlled by a main CPU. In the sound control apparatus, a memory memorizes music information representing a music tone and configuration information associated to a timbre of the music tone. An information acquiring section acquires the music information and the configuration information from the memory. A tone generating section is configured by the acquired configuration information to create a timbre specified by the configuration information. The tone generating section operates according to the acquired music information to generate the music tone being represented by the music information and having the specified timbre. A dedicated CPU is provided separately from the main CPU for controlling the memory, the information acquiring section and the tone generating section.

Abstract: A sound control apparatus is provided in a portable terminal for sounding a music tone in association with operation of the portable terminal, which is controlled by a main CPU. In the sound control apparatus, a memory memorizes music information representing a music tone and configuration information associated to a timbre of the music tone. An information acquiring section acquires the music information and the configuration information from the memory. A tone generating section is configured by the acquired configuration information to create a timbre specified by the configuration information. The tone generating section operates according to the acquired music information to generate the music tone being represented by the music information and having the specified timbre. A dedicated CPU is provided separately from the main CPU for controlling the memory, the information acquiring section and the tone generating section.

Abstract: A sound control apparatus is provided in a portable terminal for sounding a music tone in association with operation of the portable terminal, which is controlled by a main CPU. In the sound control apparatus, a memory memorizes music information representing a music tone and configuration information associated to a timbre of the music tone. An information acquiring section acquires the music information and the configuration information from the memory. A tone generating section is configured by the acquired configuration information to create a timbre specified by the configuration information. The tone generating section operates according to the acquired music information to generate the music tone being represented by the music information and having the specified timbre. A dedicated CPU is provided separately from the main CPU for controlling the memory, the information acquiring section and the tone generating section.

Abstract: A sound control apparatus is provided in a portable terminal for sounding a music tone in association with operation of the portable terminal, which is controlled by a main CPU. In the sound control apparatus, a memory memorizes music information representing a music tone and configuration information associated to a timbre of the music tone. An information acquiring section acquires the music information and the configuration information from the memory. A tone generating section is configured by the acquired configuration information to create a timbre specified by the configuration information. The tone generating section operates according to the acquired music information to generate the music tone being represented by the music information and having the specified timbre. A dedicated CPU is provided separately from the main CPU for controlling the memory, the information acquiring section and the tone generating section.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for making sample contents from music contents whereby server and user are connected with each other via a communication network, whereby the server supplies non-sample regular contents including at least performance information of a music piece and sound information pertaining to the music piece and sample contents including a sample of part of the non-sample regular contents. Thereafter, the user receives the sample contents and test-listens to the received sample contents. When the user has decided on acquiring the non-sample regular contents and performed a predetermined operation to acquire the contents, the non-sample regular contents are distributed from the server to the user via the communication network, at which time unique additional information, such as client information and serial number, is attached to the individual distributed contents.

Abstract: A server apparatus constituting a data communication system including the server apparatus and a client terminal capable of communicating together includes: a storing device which stores a pre-shared key and a Hash function which are jointly owned in the client terminal; a receiving device for receiving a predetermined data and a first Hash value supplied from the client terminal; a producing device for employing the received predetermined data and the pre-shared key as an argument and producing a second Hash value by using the Hash function; and a comparing device for comparing the produced second Hash value with the received first Hash value and judging as to whether the predetermined data is altered or not.

Abstract: The transmission of sample or regular content such as audio data from a server to a single client over a communication network for test-listening or purchase is disclosed. A user may choose a musical selection for test-listening. The sample content may be a selected representative portion extracted from the regular content. If the user decides to purchase the sampled musical selection, the musical selection is transmitted from the server to the client computer. Additional information supplied along with the regular content identifies the musical selection and provides security. However, this additional information is not supplied when sample content is transmitted. Profile information may be supplied along with regular or sample content. The content may be classified, organized, and selected on a channel-by-channel basis. Regular content may be supplied to the client by downloading, while sample content may be supplied to the client by streaming.

Abstract: Supplied text data set is classified into any one of a plurality of categories in accordance with the substance of the supplied text data set, and a musical composition data set is selected or generated which corresponds to the category of the text data. Content information contains first position information indicative of a stored position, such as an URL, of the supplied text data set, and second position information indicative of a stored position, such as an URL, of the selected or generated musical composition data set. One set of the content may include a plurality of text data sets and a plurality of musical composition data sets, and these text data sets and musical composition data sets may be reproduced in sequence.

Abstract: To musical composition information such as a standard MIDI file, there are added accessory data, such as message or text data, and setting information for the accessory information which are both unrelated to the musical composition information. These accessory data and setting information are inserted, as meta events, in the standard MIDI file. In this way, a musical composition information file can be created which is an integral combination of the musical composition information and the accessory data containing the setting information. The musical composition information file with the accessory data can be transmitted or received via a communication network, or stored in a recording medium for portability. The musical composition information file can be reproduced to permit simultaneous execution of performance reproduction processing and image reproduction processing such as for display of a message.

Abstract: Server and user are connected with each other via a communication network for bidirectional communication therebetween. The server supplies non-sample regular contents including at least performance information, such as MIDI data, of a music piece and sound information, such as PCM data, pertaining to the music piece, and also sample contents including a sample of part of the non-sample regular contents. The user receives the sample contents via the communication network and test-listens to the received sample contents. When the user has decided on acquiring the non-sample regular contents and performed a predetermined operation to acquire the contents, the non-sample regular contents are distributed from the server to the user via the communication network, at which time unique additional information, such as client information and serial number, is attached to the individual distributed contents.

Abstract: A user accesses a sound data distribution server by operating a client terminal. The sound data distribution server transmits data for displaying a list of distributable music. The data are displayed on a display unit of the client terminal. While referring to the display on the display unit, the user requests the sound data distribution server for distribution of regular music data. This request is issued from the client terminal. A cellular phone to which the regular music data are to be distributed is specified by data (e.g., a mail address of the cellular phone) input at the client terminal. This enables the sound data distribution server to recognize the cellular phone and distribute the regular music data to the cellular phone.

Abstract: User enters information of a melody or other musical material and, when necessary, desired parameters. The input information and parameters are transmitted to a server via a network or other communication media. On the basis of the received musical material and parameters, the server creates content by imparting the musical material with an additional value corresponding to the parameters. For example, in the case where the musical material is a melody of a music piece, the server creates, as the content, harmony information, backing information, accompaniment information, musical score picture information, or the like. There may also be created test-listening or test-viewing sample content corresponding to the regular content. The user receives the sample content from the server, and purchases the regular content when the sample content has been found to be satisfactory as a result of the test listening or test viewing.

Abstract: In accordance with a request from a portable telephone 60, a sound data delivering server 20 delivers a trial-listening music data to the portable telephone without charging a fee to a user of the portable telephone, or delivers a regular music data to the portable telephone upon charging a fee to the user. The delivered trial-listening music data is actually reproduced by the portable telephone; however, the number of reproduction times is limited, and the trial-listening music data is erased from a memory (RAM 63) of the portable telephone after the trial-listening music data is reproduced for the predetermined number of reproduction times. Thus, a system is provided in which the user of the portable telephone can obtain the trial-listening music data of an incoming call melody without being charged for the fee, and can actually reproduce the trial-listening music data with the use of the user s portable telephone.

Abstract: Two data units are selected from main information, such as MIDI data, into which additional information is to be incorporated, to calculate a difference between respective values of the two data units. A particular data segment to be incorporated into one of the MIDI data units is selected from a group of data of additional information. The size of the data segment to be incorporated into one of the data units may be either one bit or two or more bits. Substitute data to replace the content of one MIDI data unit is generated on the basis of a predetermined function using, as variables, the data-related value and a value of the particular data segment, and the content of the data unit corresponding to a predetermined one of the two MIDI data units is replaced by the generated substitute data. Thus, through such an electronic watermarking technique, any desired additional information can be incorporated into the MIDI data without changing the MIDI data format.