Patents by Inventor Tom Jen Tsai

Tom Jen Tsai 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: 6582235
    Abstract: Display device displays a character string of lyrics and accompaniment information. Characters or unit words of the lyrics corresponding to a current performance position and a next performance position are displayed in different display styles, in accordance with progression of the performance. Pieces of the accompaniment information corresponding to the current performance position and the next performance position may be displayed in different display styles, in accordance with the progression of the performance. Thus, even when the characters or unit words of the lyrics corresponding to the current and next performance position are displayed in an overlapping condition, a user is allowed to readily distinguish between the overlapping characters or unit words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Jen Tsai, Masahiko Wakita
  • Patent number: 6572381
    Abstract: A computer system includes storage device for storing a plurality of object files, each file including a program and information on the genre of music, and said computur system selecting an object file from the storage device and executing a program stored in the selected object file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tom Jen Tsai
  • Patent number: 6504090
    Abstract: A chord performance training system is realized on a personal computer having a display and a keyboard in accordance with music application software. The display provides a user with three types of windows on a screen, namely a main window for displaying chord progression, a select window for displaying a list of genre names for selection and a score window for displaying a score. On the select window, the user selects a specific single genre name to activate model performance information containing chord parts, a percussion part, a chord text and a song text, so that the main window shows chord progression representing chord names and generation timings of chords which are to be sequentially played by the user. Multiple sets of model performance information are provided to suit to different levels, namely a beginners' level and an expert level, which are set to the user in playing chord performance on the keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Jen Tsai, Masahiko Wakita
  • Publication number: 20020035916
    Abstract: A chord performance training system is realized on a personal computer having a display and a keyboard in accordance with music application software. The display provides a user with three types of windows on a screen, namely a main window for displaying chord progression, a select window for displaying a list of genre names for selection and a score window for displaying a score. On the select window, the user selects a specific single genre name to activate model performance information containing chord parts, a percussion part, a chord text and a song text, so that the main window shows chord progression representing chord names and generation timings of chords which are to be sequentially played by the user. Multiple sets of model performance information are provided to suit to different levels, namely a beginners' level and an expert level, which are set to the user in playing chord performance on the keyboard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Jen Tsai, Masahiko Wakita
  • Patent number: 6355870
    Abstract: A tune data reproduction system is designed to operate differently in a reproduction mode and a quick reverse mode by using tune data and quick reverse sound data. Herein, the tune data represent progression of notes of musical performance, while the quick reverse sound data represent repetition of a prescribed sound indicating a quick reverse operation or reverse reproduction sounds being made from the tune data. In the reproduction mode, the system performs reproduction on the tune data to produce musical tones of the notes at a desired tempo in accordance with the progression of the musical performance. In the quick reverse mode, the system produces the quick reverse sound or the reverse reproduction sounds representing the musical tones of the notes which are reversely reproduced in a reverse direction reverse to the progression of the musical performance at a high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Jen Tsai, Shigehiko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 6352432
    Abstract: A karaoke apparatus is provided in which a plurality of singers can sing at a time and superiority/inferiority of singing voices can be matched. One karaoke music piece is performed, and two persons sing the music piece at a time by using different microphones. Singing voice signals input through the two microphones are respectively scored, and characters displayed on a screen are caused to fight based on the score results. If the point of the singer having microphone is higher, an animation in which character attacks character is displayed. If the singing point of microphone is higher, animation in which character attacks character is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Jen Tsai, Kanehisa Tsurumi, Satoshi Tachibana
  • Patent number: 6346666
    Abstract: A chord performance training system is realized on a personal computer having a display and a keyboard in accordance with music application software. The display provides a user with three types of windows on a screen, namely a main window for displaying chord progression, a select window for displaying a list of genre names for selection and a score window for displaying a score. On the select window, the user selects a specific single genre name to activate model performance information containing chord parts, a percussion part, a chord text and a song text, so that the main window shows chord progression representing chord names and generation timings of chords which are to be sequentially played by the user. Multiple sets of model performance information are provided to suit to different levels, namely a beginners' level and an expert level, which are set to the user in playing chord performance on the keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Jen Tsai, Masahiko Wakita
  • Publication number: 20010007960
    Abstract: A network system is designed for composing music data representative of a music composition according to composing data representative of a material of the music composition. The network system is constructed by a plurality of information processing terminals and a control station for mutually connecting the plurality of the information processing terminals through the control station. In each information processing terminal, a conversation section can be operated to exchange messages with other information processing terminal, and an input section can be operated to input the composing data while exchanging the messages with other information processing terminal. The central station composes and edits the music data according to the composing data inputted by the plurality of the information processing terminals to thereby collaborate the plurality of the information processing terminals for creating the music composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Publication date: July 12, 2001
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Yoshihara, Masahiko Wakita, Tom Jen Tsai
  • Patent number: 6231347
    Abstract: A computer system includes storage device for storing a plurality of object files, each file including a program and information on the genre of music, and said computur system selecting an object file from the storage device and executing a program stored in the selected object file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tom Jen Tsai
  • Patent number: 6206704
    Abstract: An improved karaoke network system that allows a user to select and obtain desired information through an interface while a message is displayed between intermissions of karaoke performances. Data files for karaoke performance, displaying messages, and displaying data selection menus are written in a common structure. Each of the data files includes an action region that contains link data. The data files are associated with one another by the link data contained in the action regions of the data files. A chain of related data files are executed by a menu selection operation or a key input operation by the user for performing karaoke performance and displaying messages and data selection menus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tom Jen Tsai
  • Patent number: 5947746
    Abstract: An improved karaoke network system that allows a user to select and obtain desired information through an interface while a message is displayed between intermissions of karaoke performances. Data files for karaoke performance, displaying messages, and displaying data selection menus are written in a common structure. Each of the data files includes an action region that contains link data. The data files are associated with one another by the link data contained in the action regions of the data files. A chain of related data files are executed by a menu selection operation or a key input operation by the user for performing karaoke performance and displaying messages and data selection menus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tom Jen Tsai