Patents by Inventor Perry R. Cook

Perry R. Cook 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).

  • Publication number: 20220262404
    Abstract: Coordinated audio and video filter pairs are applied to enhance artistic and emotional content of audiovisual performances. Such filter pairs, when applied in audio and video processing pipelines of an audiovisual application hosted on a portable computing device (such as a mobile phone or media player, a computing pad or tablet, a game controller or a personal digital assistant or book reader) can allow user selection of effects that enhance both audio and video coordinated therewith. Coordinated audio and video are captured, filtered and rendered at the portable computing device using camera and microphone interfaces, using digital signal processing software executable on a processor and using storage, speaker and display devices of, or interoperable with, the device. By providing audiovisual capture and personalization on an intimate handheld device, social interactions and postings of a type made popular by modern social networking platforms can now be extended to audiovisual content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Parag P. CHORDIA, Perry R. COOK, Mark T. GODFREY, Prerna GUPTA, Nicholas M. KRUGE, Randal J. LEISTIKOW, Alexander M.D. RAE, Ian S. SIMON
  • Patent number: 11394855
    Abstract: Audiovisual performances, including vocal music, are captured and coordinated with those of other users in ways that create compelling user experiences. In some cases, the vocal performances of individual users are captured (together with performance synchronized video) on mobile devices, television-type display and/or set-top box equipment in the context of karaoke-style presentations of lyrics in correspondence with audible renderings of a backing track. Contributions of multiple vocalists are coordinated and mixed in a manner that selects for visually prominent presentation performance synchronized video of one or more of the contributors. Prominence of particular performance synchronized video may be based, at least in part, on computationally-defined audio features extracted from (or computed over) captured vocal audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark T. Godfrey, Perry R. Cook
  • Publication number: 20220223128
    Abstract: Vocal audio of a user together with performance synchronized video is captured and coordinated with audiovisual contributions of other users to form composite duet-style or glee club-style or window-paned music video-style audiovisual performances. In some cases, the vocal performances of individual users are captured (together with performance synchronized video) on mobile devices, television-type display and/or set-top box equipment in the context of karaoke-style presentations of lyrics in correspondence with audible renderings of a backing track. Contributions of multiple vocalists are coordinated and mixed in a manner that selects for presentation, at any given time along a given performance timeline, performance synchronized video of one or more of the contributors. Selections are in accord with a visual progression that codes a sequence of visual layouts in correspondence with other coded aspects of a performance score such as pitch tracks, backing audio, lyrics, sections and/or vocal parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin Sung, Bona Kim, Jon Moldover, John Shimmin, Jeannie Yang, Perry R. Cook
  • Publication number: 20220180879
    Abstract: Captured vocals may be automatically transformed using advanced digital signal processing techniques that provide captivating applications, and even purpose-built devices, in which mere novice user-musicians may generate, audibly render and share musical performances. In some cases, the automated transformations allow spoken vocals to be segmented, arranged, temporally aligned with a target rhythm, meter or accompanying backing tracks and pitch corrected in accord with a score or note sequence. Speech-to-song music applications are one such example. In some cases, spoken vocals may be transformed in accord with musical genres such as rap using automated segmentation and temporal alignment techniques, often without pitch correction. Such applications, which may employ different signal processing and different automated transformations, may nonetheless be understood as speech-to-rap variations on the theme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Parag Chordia, Mark Godfrey, Alexander Rae, Prerna Gupta, Perry R. Cook
  • Publication number: 20220122573
    Abstract: Visual effects, including augmented reality-type visual effects, are applied to audiovisual performances with differing visual effects and/or parameterizations thereof applied in correspondence with computationally determined audio features or elements of musical structure coded in temporally-synchronized tracks or computationally determined therefrom. Segmentation techniques applied to one or more audio tracks (e.g., vocal or backing tracks) are used to compute some of the components of the musical structure. In some cases, applied visual effects are based on an audio feature computationally extracted from a captured audiovisual performance or from an audio track temporally-synchronized therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: David STEINWEDEL, Anton HOLMBERG, Javier VILLEGAS, Paul T. CHI, David YOUNG, Perry R. COOK
  • Patent number: 11310538
    Abstract: Techniques have been developed to facilitate the livestreaming of group audiovisual performances. Audiovisual performances including vocal music are captured and coordinated with performances of other users in ways that can create compelling user and listener experiences. For example, in some cases or embodiments, duets with a host performer may be supported in a sing-with-the-artist style audiovisual livestream in which aspiring vocalists request or queue particular songs for a live radio show entertainment format. The developed techniques provide a communications latency-tolerant mechanism for synchronizing vocal performances captured at geographically-separated devices (e.g., at globally-distributed, but network-connected mobile phones or tablets or at audiovisual capture devices geographically separated from a live studio).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Anton Holmberg, Benjamin Hersh, Jeannie Yang, Yuning Woo, Wang Liang, Perry R. Cook, Jeffrey C. Smith
  • Publication number: 20220107778
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to systems comprising a display device, a display device-coupled computing platform, a mobile device in communication with the computing platform, and a content server in which methods and techniques of capture and/or processing of audiovisual performances are described and, in particular, description of techniques suitable for use in connection with display device connected computing platforms for rendering vocal performance captured by a handheld computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Benjamin Hersh, John Shimmin, Jeannie Yang, Perry R. Cook
  • Publication number: 20220084534
    Abstract: Despite many practical limitations imposed by mobile device platforms and application execution environments, vocal musical performances may be captured and continuously pitch-corrected for mixing and rendering with backing tracks in ways that create compelling user experiences. Based on the techniques described herein, even mere amateurs are encouraged to share with friends and family or to collaborate and contribute vocal performances as part of virtual “glee clubs.” In some implementations, these interactions are facilitated through social network- and/or eMail-mediated sharing of performances and invitations to join in a group performance. Using uploaded vocals captured at clients such as a mobile device, a content server (or service) can mediate such virtual glee clubs by manipulating and mixing the uploaded vocal performances of multiple contributing vocalists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Perry R. Cook, Ari Lazier, Tom Lieber, Turner Evan Kirk
  • Patent number: 11264058
    Abstract: Coordinated audio and video filter pairs are applied to enhance artistic and emotional content of audiovisual performances. Such filter pairs, when applied in audio and video processing pipelines of an audiovisual application hosted on a portable computing device (such as a mobile phone or media player, a computing pad or tablet, a game controller or a personal digital assistant or book reader) can allow user selection of effects that enhance both audio and video coordinated therewith. Coordinated audio and video are captured, filtered and rendered at the portable computing device using camera and microphone interfaces, using digital signal processing software executable on a processor and using storage, speaker and display devices of, or interoperable with, the device. By providing audiovisual capture and personalization on an intimate handheld device, social interactions and postings of a type made popular by modern social networking platforms can now be extended to audiovisual content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Parag P. Chordia, Perry R. Cook, Mark T. Godfrey, Prerna Gupta, Nicholas M. Kruge, Randal J. Leistikow, Alexander M. D. Rae, Ian S. Simon
  • Publication number: 20220051448
    Abstract: Visual effects, including augmented reality-type visual effects, are applied to audiovisual performances with differing visual effects and/or parameterizations thereof applied in correspondence with computationally determined audio features or elements of musical structure coded in temporally-synchronized tracks or computationally determined therefrom. Segmentation techniques applied to one or more audio tracks (e.g., vocal or backing tracks) are used to compute some of the components of the musical structure. In some cases, applied visual effects are based on an audio feature computationally extracted from a captured audiovisual performance or from an audio track temporally-synchronized therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: David Steinwedel, Anton Holmberg, Javier Villegas, Paul T. Chi, David Young, Perry R. Cook
  • Patent number: 11250826
    Abstract: Digital signal processing and machine learning techniques can be employed in a vocal capture and performance social network to computationally generate vocal pitch tracks from a collection of vocal performances captured against a common temporal baseline such as a backing track or an original performance by a popularizing artist. In this way, crowd-sourced pitch tracks may be generated and distributed for use in subsequent karaoke-style vocal audio captures or other applications. Large numbers of performances of a song can be used to generate a pitch track. Computationally determined pitch trackings from individual audio signal encodings of the crowd-sourced vocal performance set are aggregated and processed as an observation sequence of a trained Hidden Markov Model (HMM) or other statistical model to produce an output pitch track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Sullivan, John Shimmin, Dean Schaffer, Perry R. Cook
  • Patent number: 11250825
    Abstract: User interface techniques provide user vocalists with mechanisms for seeding subsequent performances by other users (e.g., joiners). A seed may be a full-length seed spanning much or all of a pre-existing audio (or audiovisual) work and mixing, to seed further contributions of one or more joiners, a user's captured media content for at least some portions of the audio (or audiovisual) work. A short seed may span less than all (and in some cases, much less than all) of the audio (or audiovisual) work. For example, a verse, chorus, refrain, hook or other limited “chunk” of an audio (or audiovisual) work may constitute a seed. A seeding user's call invites other users to join the full-length or short-form seed by singing along, singing a particular vocal part or musical section, singing harmony or other duet part, rapping, talking, clapping, recording video, adding a video clip from camera roll, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: David Steinwedel, Andrea Slobodien, Jeffrey C. Smith, Perry R. Cook
  • Publication number: 20220028362
    Abstract: User interface techniques provide user vocalists with mechanisms for forward and backward traversal of audiovisual content, including pitch cues, waveform- or envelope-type performance timelines, lyrics and/or other temporally-synchronized content at record-time, during edits, and/or in playback. Recapture of selected performance portions, coordination of group parts, and overdubbing may all be facilitated. Direct scrolling to arbitrary points in the performance timeline, lyrics, pitch cues and other temporally-synchronized content allows user to conveniently move through a capture or audiovisual edit session. In some cases, a user vocalist may be guided through the performance timeline, lyrics, pitch cues and other temporally-synchronized content in correspondence with group part information such as in a guided short-form capture for a duet. A scrubber allows user vocalists to conveniently move forward and backward through the temporally-synchronized content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: David Steinwedel, Andrea Slobodien, Jeffrey C. Smith, Perry R. Cook
  • Publication number: 20220030056
    Abstract: Techniques have been developed to facilitate the livestreaming of group audiovisual performances. Audiovisual performances including vocal music are captured and coordinated with performances of other users in ways that can create compelling user and listener experiences. For example, in some cases or embodiments, duets with a host performer may be supported in a sing-with-the-artist style audiovisual livestream in which aspiring vocalists request or queue particular songs for a live radio show entertainment format. The developed techniques provide a communications latency-tolerant mechanism for synchronizing vocal performances captured at geographically-separated devices (e.g., at globally-distributed, but network-connected mobile phones or tablets or at audiovisual capture devices geographically separated from a live studio).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Anton Holmberg, Benjamin Hersh, Jeannie Yang, Perry R. Cook, Jeffrey C. Smith
  • Patent number: 11158296
    Abstract: Vocal audio of a user together with performance synchronized video is captured and coordinated with audiovisual contributions of other users to form composite duet-style or glee club-style or window-paned music video-style audiovisual performances. In some cases, the vocal performances of individual users are captured (together with performance synchronized video) on mobile devices, television-type display and/or set-top box equipment in the context of karaoke-style presentations of lyrics in correspondence with audible renderings of a backing track. Contributions of multiple vocalists are coordinated and mixed in a manner that selects for presentation, at any given time along a given performance timeline, performance synchronized video of one or more of the contributors. Selections are in accord with a visual progression that codes a sequence of visual layouts in correspondence with other coded aspects of a performance score such as pitch tracks, backing audio, lyrics, sections and/or vocal parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Sung, Bona Kim, Jon Moldover, John Shimmin, Jeannie Yang, Perry R. Cook
  • Patent number: 11127407
    Abstract: Captured vocals may be automatically transformed using advanced digital signal processing techniques that provide captivating applications, and even purpose-built devices, in which mere novice user-musicians may generate, audibly render and share musical performances. In some cases, the automated transformations allow spoken vocals to be segmented, arranged, temporally aligned with a target rhythm, meter or accompanying backing tracks and pitch corrected in accord with a score or note sequence. Speech-to-song music applications are one such example. In some cases, spoken vocals may be transformed in accord with musical genres such as rap using automated segmentation and temporal alignment techniques, often without pitch correction. Such applications, which may employ different signal processing and different automated transformations, may nonetheless be understood as speech-to-rap variations on the theme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Parag Chordia, Mark Godfrey, Alexander Rae, Prerna Gupta, Perry R. Cook
  • Patent number: 11093210
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to systems comprising a display device, a display device-coupled computing platform, a mobile device in communication with the computing platform, and a content server in which methods and techniques of capture and/or processing of audiovisual performances are described and, in particular, description of techniques suitable for use in connection with display device connected computing platforms for rendering vocal performance captured by a handheld computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Hersh, John Shimmin, Jeannie Yang, Perry R. Cook
  • Publication number: 20210248985
    Abstract: Vocal musical performances may be captured and, in some cases or embodiments, pitch-corrected and/or processed in accord with a user selectable vocal effects schedule for mixing and rendering with backing tracks in ways that create compelling user experiences. In some cases, the vocal performances of individual users are captured on mobile devices in the context of a karaoke-style presentation of lyrics in correspondence with audible renderings of a backing track. Such performances can be pitch-corrected in real-time at the mobile device in accord with pitch correction settings. Vocal effects schedules may also be selectively applied to such performances. In these ways, even amateur user/performers with imperfect pitch are encouraged to take a shot at “stardom” and/or take part in a game play, social network or vocal achievement application architecture that facilitates musical collaboration on a global scale and/or, in some cases or embodiments, to initiate revenue generating in-application transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Jeannie Yang, Nicholas M. Kruge, Gregory C. Thompson, Perry R. Cook
  • Patent number: 11074923
    Abstract: Despite many practical limitations imposed by mobile device platforms and application execution environments, vocal musical performances may be captured and continuously pitch-corrected for mixing and rendering with backing tracks in ways that create compelling user experiences. Based on the techniques described herein, even mere amateurs are encouraged to share with friends and family or to collaborate and contribute vocal performances as part of virtual “glee clubs.” In some implementations, these interactions are facilitated through social network- and/or eMail-mediated sharing of performances and invitations to join in a group performance. Using uploaded vocals captured at clients such as a mobile device, a content server (or service) can mediate such virtual glee clubs by manipulating and mixing the uploaded vocal performances of multiple contributing vocalists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Perry R. Cook, Ari Lazier, Tom Lieber, Turner Evan Kirk
  • Patent number: 11032602
    Abstract: Techniques have been developed to facilitate the livestreaming of group audiovisual performances. Audiovisual performances including vocal music are captured and coordinated with performances of other users in ways that can create compelling user and listener experiences. For example, in some cases or embodiments, duets with a host performer may be supported in a sing-with-the-artist style audiovisual livestream in which aspiring vocalists request or queue particular songs for a live radio show entertainment format. The developed techniques provide a communications latency-tolerant mechanism for synchronizing vocal performances captured at geographically-separated devices (e.g., at globally-distributed, but network-connected mobile phones or tablets or at audiovisual capture devices geographically separated from a live studio).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Smule, Inc.
    Inventors: Anton Holmberg, Benjamin Hersh, Jeannie Yang, Perry R. Cook, Jeffrey C. Smith