Patents by Inventor Shinichi Sawara

Shinichi Sawara 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: 8265298
    Abstract: A hands-free loudspeaker system which is capable of achieving high-quality voice amplification without requiring a human speaker to move to a microphone or a microphone to be moved to a human speaker. A microphone whose input level has continued to be above a threshold value for not shorter than a predetermined time period is detected, based on input signals from dispersedly arranged microphones. An input signal from the microphone is selected and outputted to a loudspeaker at an output level or with a delay time, according to a location of the loudspeaker. A preset lowest threshold level is initially set to the threshold value, and an input level of the microphone higher than the threshold value is newly set to the same, while when the input level is lower than the threshold value, a lower value is set to the same in a step-by-step manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuko Ito, Akira Miki, Shinichi Sawara
  • Patent number: 8098841
    Abstract: A sound field controlling apparatus for a public-address system comprises a microphone that picks up a sound of a speaker, a loudspeaker that sound a sound signal based on the sound picked up by the microphone, a sound source position detector that detects a position of a sound source, and a signal processor that controls a level, delay time and equalizing property of the sound signal output to the loudspeaker in accordance with the sound source position detected by the sound source position detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Sawara, Akira Miki, Atsuko Ito
  • Publication number: 20100150372
    Abstract: A hands-free loudspeaker system which is capable of achieving high-quality voice amplification without requiring a human speaker to move to a microphone or a microphone to be moved to a human speaker. A microphone whose input level has continued to be above a threshold value for not shorter than a predetermined time period is detected, based on input signals from dispersedly arranged microphones. An input signal from the microphone is selected and outputted to a loudspeaker at an output level or with a delay time, according to a location of the loudspeaker. A preset lowest threshold level is initially set to the threshold value, and an input level of the microphone higher than the threshold value is newly set to the same, while when the input level is lower than the threshold value, a lower value is set to the same in a step-by-step manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuko Ito, Akira Miki, Shinichi Sawara
  • Patent number: 7688986
    Abstract: A hands-free loudspeaker system which is capable of achieving high-quality voice amplification without requiring a human speaker to move to a microphone or a microphone to be moved to a human speaker. A microphone whose input level has continued to be above a threshold value for not shorter than a predetermined time period is detected, based on input signals from dispersedly arranged microphones. An input signal from the microphone is selected and outputted to each loudspeaker at an output level or with a delay time, according to a location of the loudspeaker. A preset lowest threshold level is initially set to the threshold value, and an input level of the microphone higher than the threshold value is newly set to the same, while when the input level is lower than the threshold value, a lower value is set to the same in a step-by-step manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuko Ito, Akira Miki, Shinichi Sawara
  • Publication number: 20070160240
    Abstract: A hands-free loudspeaker system which is capable of achieving high-quality voice amplification without requiring a human speaker to move to a microphone or a microphone to be moved to a human speaker. A microphone whose input level has continued to be above a threshold value for not shorter than a predetermined time period is detected, based on input signals from dispersedly arranged microphones. An input signal from the microphone is selected and outputted to each loudspeaker at an output level or with a delay time, according to a location of the loudspeaker. A preset lowest threshold level is initially set to the threshold value, and an input level of the microphone higher than the threshold value is newly set to the same, while when the input level is lower than the threshold value, a lower value is set to the same in a step-by-step manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuko Ito, Akira Miki, Shinichi Sawara
  • Publication number: 20070058820
    Abstract: A sound field controlling apparatus for a public-address system comprises a microphone that picks up a sound of a speaker, a loudspeaker that sound a sound signal based on the sound picked up by the microphone, a sound source position detector that detects a position of a sound source, and a signal processor that controls a level, delay time and equalizing property of the sound signal output to the loudspeaker in accordance with the sound source position detected by the sound source position detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Sawara, Akira Miki, Atsuko Ito
  • Patent number: 6888058
    Abstract: Main speakers are arranged on the enclosure front surface of an electronic piano. Auxiliary speakers (18L, 18R) are arranged on the rear surface of the enclosure. Microphones are arranged in close proximity of the main speakers. A performance sound is regenerated from the main speakers. The regenerated sound from the main speakers is picked up by microphones (20L, 20R). FIR filters are used to generate the reflected signal of a picked-up sound signal from the microphones. The generated reflected sound signal is regenerated from auxiliary speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tomomitsu Urai, Shinichi Sawara, Fukushi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 6828497
    Abstract: On a casing of an electronic keyboard instrument, there are provided front speakers, rear speakers and upper speakers as non-front speakers, a woofer speaker, and a vibrator. Tone generator section generates tone signals of tone colors corresponding to tones of various musical instruments. Assignment section adjusts, on a tone-color-by-tone-color basis, tone volume allocations, of the generated tone signals, to the speakers and vibrator. Further, the thus-adjusted tone signals are mixed for each of speaker reproduction systems and vibrator drive system, and then the resultant mixed tone signals of the speaker reproduction systems and vibrator drive system are supplied to corresponding ones of the speakers and vibrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Yataka, Tomomitsu Urai, Akira Miki, Fukushi Kawakami, Shinichi Sawara
  • Patent number: 6696633
    Abstract: As an electronic tone is generated in response to performing operation, the electronic tone is picked up by microphones corresponding to left and right channels, and picked-up sound signals thus generated by the microphones are then subjected to signal processing, such as reverberation impartment utilizing acoustic conditions of the interior of a room. Picked-up sound signals having undergone such signal processing are audibly reproduced via rear speakers. Then, once an automatic adjustment instruction is given from a user, measuring tones are reproduced stereophonically, and contents of the signal processing of the individual channels are adjusted on the basis of measured results of picked-up sound signals generated by the microphones picking up the reproduced measuring tones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Miyagishima, Shinichi Sawara, Akira Miki, Fukushi Kawakami, Yasutake Suzuki, Takeo Shibukawa
  • Publication number: 20030126975
    Abstract: Main speakers are arranged on the enclosure front surface of an electronic piano. Auxiliary speakers (18L, 18R) are arranged on the rear surface of the enclosure. Microphones are arranged in close proximity of the main speakers. A performance sound is regenerated from the main speakers. The regenerated sound from the main speakers is picked up by microphones (20L, 20R). FIR filters are used to generate the reflected signal of a picked-up sound signal from the microphones. The generated reflected sound signal is regenerated from auxiliary speakers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomitsu Urai, Shinichi Sawara, Fukushi Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20030121403
    Abstract: As an electronic tone is generated in response to performing operation, the electronic tone is picked up by microphones corresponding to left and right channels, and picked-up sound signals thus generated by the microphones are then subjected to signal processing, such as reverberation impartment utilizing acoustic conditions of the interior of a room. Picked-up sound signals having undergone such signal processing are audibly reproduced via rear speakers. Then, once an automatic adjustment instruction is given from a user, measuring tones are reproduced stereophonically, and contents of the signal processing of the individual channels are adjusted on the basis of measured results of picked-up sound signals generated by the microphones picking up the reproduced measuring tones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Miyagishima, Shinichi Sawara, Akira Miki, Fukushi Kawakami, Yasutake Suzuki, Takeo Shibukawa
  • Publication number: 20030121402
    Abstract: On a casing of an electronic keyboard instrument, there are provided front speakers, rear speakers and upper speakers as non-front speakers, a woofer speaker, and a vibrator. Tone generator section generates tone signals of tone colors corresponding to tones of various musical instruments. Assignment section adjusts, on a tone-color-by-tone-color basis, tone volume allocations, of the generated tone signals, to the speakers and vibrator. Further, the thus-adjusted tone signals are mixed for each of speaker reproduction systems and vibrator drive system, and then the resultant mixed tone signals of the speaker reproduction systems and vibrator drive system are supplied to corresponding ones of the speakers and vibrator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Yataka, Tomomitsu Urai, Akira Mikt, Fukushi Kawakami, Shinichi Sawara