Patents by Inventor Sol Friedman

Sol Friedman 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: 8635532
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of methods to automatically correct timing of recorded audio in GUI are summarized here. One or more controls to adjust resolution of timing and degree of correction for the audio are displayed. The resolution of timing relates to heats on a grid and is affected by the degree of correction. The degree of correction is mapped to a time interval at each beat along the grid. Next, a user manipulation of one or more controls selecting a resolution and a degree of correction is received. Correction of timing is performed according to the selected resolution and degree of correction. Correcting of timing may include aligning a transient of the audio to the beat by compressing or stretching a portion of the audio. Compressing or stretching the portion of the audio depends on a length of the portion relative to a distance between adjacent beats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gerhard Lengeling, Sol Friedman
  • Publication number: 20100023864
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of methods to automatically correct timing of recorded audio in GUI are summarized here. One or more controls to adjust resolution of timing and degree of correction for the audio are displayed. The resolution of timing relates to heats on a grid and is affected by the degree of correction. The degree of correction is mapped to a time interval at each beat along the grid. Next, a user manipulation of one or more controls selecting a resolution and a degree of correction is received. Correction of timing is performed according to the selected resolution and degree of correction. Correcting of timing may include aligning a transient of the audio to the beat by compressing or stretching a portion of the audio. Compressing or stretching the portion of the audio depends on a length of the portion relative to a distance between adjacent beats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Gerhard Lengeling, Sol Friedman
  • Patent number: 7603623
    Abstract: Methods to automatically correct timing of recorded audio in GUI are summarized here. One or more controls to adjust resolution of timing and degree of correction for the audio are displayed. The resolution of timing relates to beats on a grid and is affected by the degree of correction. The degree of correction is mapped to a time interval at each beat along the grid. Next, a user manipulation of one or more controls selecting a resolution and a degree of correction is received. Correction of timing is performed according to the selected resolution and degree of correction. Correcting of timing may include aligning a transient of the audio to the beat by compressing or stretching a portion of the audio. Compressing or stretching the portion of the audio depends on a length of the portion relative to a distance between adjacent beats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gerhard Lengeling, Sol Friedman
  • Patent number: 7514620
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for shifting pitches of audio signals to achieve desired pitch relationships between the audio signals. Two or more audio signals are received. The audio signals may be in either a digital or analog format. One of the input audio signals is selected to be a reference signal. For each of the other audio signals, the pitch of the other audio signal is compared with the pitch of the reference signal to determine a relative pitch relationship. For each of the other signals, an adjustment is determined to bring the relationship to a desired pitch relationship. Based on the adjustment, the pitch of at least one of the audio signals is adjusted to achieve the desired pitch relationship between the audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Josephine Friedman, legal representative, Hanns-Christof Adam, Steffan Diedrichsen, Sol Friedman
  • Patent number: 7425674
    Abstract: A method and apparatus implement time compression and expansion of audio data, with dynamic tempo change during playback. Dynamic changes in tempo are implemented at specific points in the audio signal corresponding to local minimums in the fade-in and fade-out characteristics of the compression/expansion scheme. An audio signal is marked to define temporal slices of audio data. Mark positions may be selected to minimize significant transient activity midway between consecutive marks. Fade-in and fade-out functions are associated with the leading side and trailing side, respectively, of each mark, creating a series of cross-fading “mounds” with peaks at each mark. When a tempo change is requested (e.g., a user selects a new tempo value in a user interface), the tempo change is delayed until the start of the next “mound” (i.e., the next fade-in). Thus, despite the tempo change, each mound uses a contiguous set of audio data, preventing the clicks and pops associated with skips in the audio’ data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Apple, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Moulios, Sol Friedman
  • Publication number: 20080047414
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for shifting pitches of audio signals to achieve desired pitch relationships between the audio signals. Two or more audio signals are received. The audio signals may be in either a digital or analog format. One of the input audio signals is selected to be a reference signal. For each of the other audio signals, the pitch of the other audio signal is compared with the pitch of the reference signal to determine a relative pitch relationship. For each of the other signals, an adjustment is determined to bring the relationship to a desired pitch relationship. Based on the adjustment, the pitch of at least one of the audio signals is adjusted to achieve the desired pitch relationship between the audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Sol Friedman, Josephine Friedman, Hanns-Christof Adam, Steffan Diedrichsen
  • Patent number: 7250566
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for evaluating and correcting rhythm of audio data. Embodiments of the invention are capable of obtaining preferred rhythm in audio data, and strategically correcting the portions of audio data resulting an enhancing rhythm. A system embodying the invention may detect each transient in audio data, compute an ideal time for the transient and determine the time deviation from the expected ideal time. The system may correct for the time of the transient by altering the audio data before or after the transient. The system utilizes one or more methods to correct for the timing while preserving the audio quality of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gerhard Lengeling, Sol Friedman
  • Publication number: 20070137464
    Abstract: A method and apparatus implement time compression and expansion of audio data, with dynamic tempo change during playback. Dynamic changes in tempo are implemented at specific points in the audio signal corresponding to local minimums in the fade-in and fade-out characteristics of the compression/expansion scheme. An audio signal is marked to define temporal slices of audio data. Mark positions may be selected to minimize significant transient activity midway between consecutive marks. Fade-in and fade-out functions are associated with the leading side and trailing side, respectively, of each mark, creating a series of cross-fading “mounds” with peaks at each mark. When a tempo change is requested (e.g., a user selects a new tempo value in a user interface), the tempo change is delayed until the start of the next “mound” (i.e., the next fade-in). Thus, despite the tempo change, each mound uses a contiguous set of audio data, preventing the clicks and pops associated with skips in the audio’ data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Christopher Moulios, Sol Friedman
  • Patent number: 7233832
    Abstract: Systems implementing the invention allow a user to time stretch an audio track without changing the pitch of the sound, and to produce optimal audible qualities of the output signal. The approach utilized in the invention relies on providing several time stretching methods, each one of which is selected based on one or more criteria of the audio data properties. One method relies on crossfading pairs of segments of audio data while running one segment backward every other repetition. The second time stretching method detects inaudible segments and inserts longer periods of audible data within those segments. The third method utilizes a reverb to create a reverb segment that is played after the original segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sol Friedman, Chris Moulios
  • Patent number: 7189913
    Abstract: A method and apparatus implement time compression and expansion of audio data, with dynamic tempo change during playback. Dynamic changes in tempo are implemented at specific points in the audio signal corresponding to local minimums in the fade-in and fade-out characteristics of the compression/expansion scheme. An audio signal is marked to define temporal slices of audio data. Mark positions may be selected to minimize significant transient activity midway between consecutive marks. Fade-in and fade-out functions are associated with the leading side and trailing side, respectively, of each mark, creating a series of cross-fading “mounds” with peaks at each mark. When a tempo change is requested (e.g., a user selects a new tempo value in a user interface), the tempo change is delayed until the start of the next “mound” (i.e., the next fade-in). Thus, despite the tempo change, each mound uses a contiguous set of audio data, preventing the clicks and pops associated with skips in the audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Moulios, Sol Friedman
  • Patent number: 7148415
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for evaluating and correcting rhythm of audio data. Embodiments of the invention are capable of obtaining preferred rhythm in audio data, and strategically correcting the portions of audio data resulting an enhancing rhythm. A system embodying the invention may detect each transient in audio data, compute an ideal time for the transient and determine the time deviation from the expected ideal time. The system may correct for the time of the transient by altering the audio data before or after the transient. The system utilizes one or more methods to correct for the timing while preserving the audio quality of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerhard Lengeling, Sol Friedman
  • Publication number: 20060272485
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for evaluating and correcting rhythm of audio data. Embodiments of the invention are capable of obtaining preferred rhythm in audio data, and strategically correcting the portions of audio data resulting an enhancing rhythm. A system embodying the invention may detect each transient in audio data, compute an ideal time for the transient and determine the time deviation from the expected ideal time. The system may correct for the time of the transient by altering the audio data before or after the transient. The system utilizes one or more methods to correct for the timing while preserving the audio quality of the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Inventors: Gerhard Lengeling, Sol Friedman
  • Publication number: 20050204904
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for evaluating and correcting rhythm of audio data. Embodiments of the invention are capable of obtaining preferred rhythm in audio data, and strategically correcting the portions of audio data resulting an enhancing rhythm. A system embodying the invention may detect each transient in audio data, compute an ideal time for the transient and determine the time deviation from the expected ideal time. The system may correct for the time of the transient by altering the audio data before or after the transient. The system utilizes one or more methods to correct for the timing while preserving the audio quality of the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Gerhard Lengeling, Sol Friedman
  • Publication number: 20040196988
    Abstract: A method and apparatus implement time compression and expansion of audio data, with dynamic tempo change during playback. Dynamic changes in tempo are implemented at specific points in the audio signal corresponding to local minimums in the fade-in and fade-out characteristics of the compression/expansion scheme. An audio signal is marked to define temporal slices of audio data. Mark positions may be selected to minimize significant transient activity midway between consecutive marks. Fade-in and fade-out functions are associated with the leading side and trailing side, respectively, of each mark, creating a series of cross-fading “mounds” with peaks at each mark. When a tempo change is requested (e.g., a user selects a new tempo value in a user interface), the tempo change is delayed until the start of the next “mound” (i.e., the next fade-in).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Christopher Moulios, Sol Friedman
  • Publication number: 20040196989
    Abstract: Systems implementing the invention allow a user to time stretch an audio track without changing the pitch of the sound, and to produce optimal audible qualities of the output signal. The approach utilized in the invention relies on providing several time stretching methods, each one of which is selected based on one or more criteria of the audio data properties. One method relies on crossfading pairs of segments of audio data while running one segment backward every other repetition. The second time stretching method detects inaudible segments and inserts longer periods of audible data within those segments. The third method utilizes a reverb to create a reverb segment that is played after the original segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Sol Friedman, Chris Moulios