Patents by Inventor Tadahiko Ikeya

Tadahiko Ikeya 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: 8513511
    Abstract: An apparatus for practicing playing music on a musical instrument provides a stepped lesson comprised of a series of lesson steps about a subject music piece, each step providing practicing materials for a user to master for playing the subject music piece. The lesson steps are given to the user step by step. The apparatus stores a music-playing data set of a subject music piece for a reference and a music-playing data sets of the stepped lesson, and comprises a music-playing input device for the user to input music-playing manipulations. The apparatus judges, at each of the lesson steps, the achievements of the user in comparison with the reference music-playing data. The apparatus keeps a pass/fail score table for recording pass/fail judgments about the achievements of the user with respect to the respective lesson steps. The user can practice lesson steps selectively with reference to the pass/fail score table about his/her achievements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiko Ikeya, Toshiya Ikegami, Takeshi Fuse, Misa Noguchi, Kayoko Sugiyama, Yuka Yokota, Suemi Mizuma
  • Patent number: 8502057
    Abstract: By a musical performance guide which is in “waiting mode” with a “tempo-follow” enabled setting, an electronic musical instrument illuminates a guide lamp at a point in time which is earlier by a tone-generation start allowable period Ta than the note-on timing of a musical tone of a melody part of automatic musical performance data to start musical performance guide. The tone-generation start allowable period Ta is an allowable time #2 which is sufficiently longer than that of a case of a tempo-follow disabled setting. When a user has depressed a correct key within the tone-generation start allowable period Ta, the electronic musical instrument starts generating a melody tone to move the position of the automatic musical performance data which is to be reproduced forward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiko Ikeya, Yuxin Zheng
  • Patent number: 8242347
    Abstract: Detection outputs value based on outputs of a sensor for detecting a depressed position of a pedal are input via the input section; meanwhile, a detection output value corresponding to a non-depressed state of the pedal is set as an offset value. The detection output value, input via the input section, is adjusted with the offset value, so as to provide an adjusted detection output value corresponding to an actual depressed amount of the pedal. The adjusted detection output value is converted into a control value corresponding to the depressed amount of the pedal. Thus, the offset value is variably set in accordance with an individual difference, aging, etc. of the pedal, so that the detection output value adjusted with such an offset value can be a value having unevenness in the sensor outputs, which may have occurred due to an individual difference, aging, etc. of the pedal, automatically compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiko Ikeya, Daisuke Suzuki, Takeshi Komano
  • Publication number: 20120152088
    Abstract: By a musical performance guide which is in “waiting mode” with a “tempo-follow” enabled setting, an electronic musical instrument illuminates a guide lamp at a point in time which is earlier by a tone-generation start allowable period Ta than the note-on timing of a musical tone of a melody part of automatic musical performance data to start musical performance guide. The tone-generation start allowable period Ta is an allowable time #2 which is sufficiently longer than that of a case of a tempo-follow disabled setting. When a user has depressed a correct key within the tone-generation start allowable period Ta, the electronic musical instrument starts generating a melody tone to move the position of the automatic musical performance data which is to be reproduced forward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko IKEYA, Yuxin ZHENG
  • Patent number: 7956275
    Abstract: Chord to be performed is presented to a user. Chord is detected based on one or more notes performed by the user. When it is not detected that a chord has been duly established, one of the notes performed by the user is detected as a root note of a chord. Comparison is made between the chord presented to the user and the detected chord to make a determination as to whether at least the root note of the detected chord matches the root note of the presented chord. The user is informed of a result of the determination. Thus, not only when the user has accurately executed performance operation for all component notes of the presented chord but also when the user has executed performance operation for only the root note of the presented chord, a chord performance evaluation is made, determining that the user has accurately performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiko Ikeya, Toshiya Ikegami, Takeshi Fuse, Misa Noguchi, Kayoko Sugiyama, Yuka Yokota, Suemi Mizuma
  • Publication number: 20100175540
    Abstract: Chord to be performed is presented to a user. Chord is detected based on one or more notes performed by the user. When it is not detected that a chord has been duly established, one of the notes performed by the user is detected as a root note of a chord. Comparison is made between the chord presented to the user and the detected chord to make a determination as to whether at least the root note of the detected chord matches the root note of the presented chord. The user is informed of a result of the determination. Thus, not only when the user has accurately executed performance operation for all component notes of the presented chord but also when the user has executed performance operation for only the root note of the presented chord, a chord performance evaluation is made, determining that the user has accurately performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko Ikeya, Toshiya Ikegami, Takeshi Fuse, Misa Noguchi, Kayoko Sugiyama, Yuka Yokota, Suemi Mizuma
  • Publication number: 20100175544
    Abstract: Detection outputs value based on outputs of a sensor for detecting a depressed position of a pedal are input via the input section; meanwhile, a detection output value corresponding to a non-depressed state of the pedal is set as an offset value. The detection output value, input via the input section, is adjusted with the offset value, so as to provide an adjusted detection output value corresponding to an actual depressed amount of the pedal. The adjusted detection output value is converted into a control value corresponding to the depressed amount of the pedal. Thus, the offset value is variably set in accordance with an individual difference, aging, etc. of the pedal, so that the detection output value adjusted with such an offset value can be a value having unevenness in the sensor outputs, which may have occurred due to an individual difference, aging, etc. of the pedal, automatically compensated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko IKEYA, Daisuke SUZUKI, Takeshi KOMANO
  • Publication number: 20100175537
    Abstract: An apparatus for practicing playing music on a musical instrument provides a stepped lesson comprised of a series of lesson steps about a subject music piece, each step providing practicing materials for a user to master for playing the subject music piece. The lesson steps are given to the user step by step. The apparatus stores a music-playing data set of a subject music piece for a reference and a music-playing data sets of the stepped lesson, and comprises a music-playing input device for the user to input music-playing manipulations. The apparatus judges, at each of the lesson steps, the achievements of the user in comparison with the reference music-playing data. The apparatus keeps a pass/fail score table for recording pass/fail judgments about the achievements of the user with respect to the respective lesson steps. The user can practice lesson steps selectively with reference to the pass/fail score table about his/her achievements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiko IKEYA, Toshiya Ikegami, Takeshi Fuse, Misa Noguchi, Kayoko Sugiyama, Yuka Yokota, Suemi Mizuma
  • Patent number: 7683250
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument is configured to store music data including performance data on a plurality of tracks and receive designation of a track or tracks so that when a test-listen button for receiving instruction of test-listen of the designated track(s) is pressed, the electronic musical instrument plays the performance data on the designated track(s) among the music data and plays the performance data on the other tracks at a volume lower than the volume of the designated track(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiko Ikeya, Motonori Sunako
  • Patent number: 7667127
    Abstract: In an automatic performance system, song and style data DAi and DCj (i:1 through n, j:1 through m) contains tempo and meter data TPa, TMa; TPc, TMc, respectively, so that the style data DCj whose tempo and meter data matches with those of the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi. On the basis of user's settings, furthermore, style setting data SS (DBi) indicating style data DCk (k:1 through m) to be concurrently reproduced and tone color setting data VS (DBi) for setting a manual tone color are stored in association with the song data DAi. Based on the style setting data SS, the style data DCk associated with the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi, or a manual performance is conducted, during the reproduction of the song data DAi, on the basis of tone color data derived from the tone color setting data VS. As described above, settings of a style and tone color for manual performance suitable for a song is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tadahiko Ikeya
  • Patent number: 7579543
    Abstract: An electronic music apparatus comprises an extractor that extracts lyrics data from music data for reproduction of music and comprising the lyrics data representing lyrics of the music, a transmitter that transmits the extracted lyrics data to an external device, a reproducer that reproduces the music data, and a outputting device that outputs synchronization information for controlling display of the lyrics by the external device based on the lyrics data to the external device during reproduction of the music data in accordance with a progress of the reproduction of the music data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Haruyama, Shinichi Ito, Takashi Ikeda, Tadahiko Ikeya
  • Patent number: 7511214
    Abstract: A CPU 21 sequentially changes over plural music pieces and reproduces the same by a program processing. Upon the changeover of the music piece, the volume of the tone signal that is being generated at each tone generating channel in a tone generating circuit 14 is gradually decreased, whereby the tone signal is finally faded out. The volume decreasing speed in this case is such that the higher the priority order of the performance data is, the slower the speed is. The generation of a tone signal based upon performance data of next music piece data is assigned one after another from a tone generating channel wherein a fade-out has been completed. The volume of the assigned tone signal is controlled so as to gradually increased, whereby the tone signal is faded in. In this case, the assignment of the generation of the tone signal based upon the performance data of the next music piece is made earlier, as the order of priority of the performance data is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiko Ikeya, Nobuhiro Nambu
  • Patent number: 7465866
    Abstract: An assistive music playing apparatus plays a music piece with musically acceptable notes even when the player inputs musically unacceptable notes. The apparatus provides a chord progression pattern, and comprises a note conversion device. A chord progression pattern defines a series of chords, which are presented one after another in time for a music progression. As the player plays music, inputting potentially unacceptable notes, the inputted notes will be converted to musically acceptable notes with reference to the currently presented chord in the chord progression. The note conversion rules are prepared different for a melody note range, a chord note range and a bass note range. Overlap of converted notes are avoided. Depending on the conditions of the player's note input, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Yamaha Music Foundation
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ueki, Tadahiko Ikeya, Masao Ishibashi, Shinichi Ito, Sachiyo Kubo, Masaki Hara, Tetsuya Takagi
  • Publication number: 20080127811
    Abstract: In an automatic performance system, song and style data DAi and DCj (i:1 through n, j:1 through m) contains tempo and meter data TPa, TMa; TPc, TMc, respectively, so that the style data DCj whose tempo and meter data matches with those of the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi. On the basis of user's settings, furthermore, style setting data SS (DBi) indicating style data DCk (k: 1 through m) to be concurrently reproduced and tone color setting data VS (DBi) for setting a manual tone color are stored in association with the song data DAi. Based on the style setting data SS, the style data DCk associated with the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi, or a manual performance is conducted, during the reproduction of the song data DAi, on the basis of tone color data derived from the tone color setting data VS. As described above, settings of a style and tone color for manual performance suitable for a song is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadahiko IKEYA
  • Patent number: 7355111
    Abstract: In an automatic performance system, song and style data DAi and DCj (i:1 through n, j:1 through m) contains tempo and meter data TPa, TMa; TPc, TMc, respectively, so that the style data DCj whose tempo and meter data matches with those of the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi. On the basis of user's settings, furthermore, style setting data SS (DBi) indicating style data DCk (k:1 through m) to be concurrently reproduced and tone color setting data VS (DBi) for setting a manual tone color are stored in association with the song data DAi. Based on the style setting data SS, the style data DCk associated with the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi, or a manual performance is conducted, during the reproduction of the song data DAi, on the basis of tone color data derived from the tone color setting data VS. As described above, settings of a style and tone color for manual performance suitable for a song is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tadahiko Ikeya
  • Publication number: 20080028919
    Abstract: An assistive music playing apparatus plays a music piece with musically acceptable notes even when the player inputs musically unacceptable notes. The apparatus provides a chord progression pattern, and comprises a note conversion device. A chord progression pattern defines a series of chords, which are presented one after another in time for a music progression. As the player plays music, inputting potentially unacceptable notes, the inputted notes will be converted to musically acceptable notes with reference to the currently presented chord in the chord progression. The note conversion rules are prepared different for a melody note range, a chord note range and a bass note range. Overlap of converted notes are avoided. Depending on the conditions of the player's note input, i.e.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicants: YAMAHA CORPORATION, YAMAHA MUSIC FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Kazuhisa UEKI, Tadahiko IKEYA, Masao ISHIBASHI, Shinichi ITO, Sachiyo KUBO, Masaki HARA, Tetsuya TAKAGI
  • Patent number: 7297859
    Abstract: An assistive music playing apparatus is provided for playing a music piece with musically acceptable notes even when the player inputs musically unacceptable notes. The apparatus provides a chord progression pattern, and comprises a note conversion device. A chord progression pattern defines a series of chords, which are presented one after another in time for a music progression. As the player plays music, inputting potentially unacceptable notes, the inputted notes will be converted to musically acceptable notes with reference to the currently presented chord in the chord progression. The note conversion rules are prepared different for a melody note range, a chord note range and a bass note range. Overlap of converted notes are avoided. Depending on the conditions of the player's note input, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Yamaha Music Foundation
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ueki, Tadahiko Ikeya, Masao Ishibashi, Shinichi Ito, Sachiyo Kubo, Masaki Hara, Tetsuya Takagi
  • Patent number: 7247781
    Abstract: Electronic musical instrument interactively connected with a music application apparatus automatically returns a response signal when a predetermined identification request signal is received from the music application apparatus. Upon receipt of the response signal transmitted by the musical instrument in response to the identification request signal, the application apparatus determines whether or not the connected musical instrument is of a predetermined identity. Thus, for each electronic musical instrument authorized to execute the music application, the application apparatus can perform control to allow the music application to be executed in a normal mode, while, for each electronic musical instrument not authorized to execute the music application, the application apparatus can perform control to inhibit the application from being executed or allow the application to be executed only in a limited function mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tadahiko Ikeya
  • Patent number: 7094960
    Abstract: A musical score display apparatus reads note data and lyric data, and displays the read note data and lyric data on a displayed musical score. In the case where the lyric data are displayed to match the displayed note data, a position where character strings of the lyric data overlap is detected, and the display range of the note data and the lyric data which contains the detected position is extended. Further, the character strings of the lyric data are scrolled within the display range of the lyric data which contains the detected position. Thus, even when the character stings of the lyric overlap on the displayed musical score, a user can read the lyric without any special operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiko Ikeya, Shinichi Ito
  • Publication number: 20060075882
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument is configured to store music data including performance data on a plurality of tracks and receive designation of a track or tracks so that when a test-listen button for receiving instruction of test-listen of the designated track(s) is pressed, the electronic musical instrument plays the performance data on the designated track(s) among the music data and plays the performance data on the other tracks at a volume lower than the volume of the designated track(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiko Ikeya, Motonori Sunako