Patents by Inventor Xavier Serra

Xavier Serra 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: 7606709
    Abstract: An apparatus is constructed for converting an input voice signal into an output voice signal according to a target voice signal. In the apparatus, an input device provides the input voice signal composed of original sinusoidal components and original residual components other than the original sinusoidal components. An extracting device extracts original attribute data from at least the sinusoidal components of the input voice signal. The original attribute data is characteristic of the input voice signal. A synthesizing device synthesizes new attribute data based on both of the original attribute data derived from the input voice signal and target attribute data being characteristic of the target voice signal composed of target sinusoidal components and target residual components other than the sinusoidal components. The target attribute data is derived from at least the target sinusoidal components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Pompeu Fabra University
    Inventors: Yasuo Yoshioka, Hiraku Kayama, Xavier Serra, Jordi Bonada
  • Patent number: 7464034
    Abstract: A voice converting apparatus is constructed for converting an input voice into an output voice according to a target voice. The apparatus includes a storage section, an analyzing section including a characteristic analyzer, a producing section, a synthesizing section, a memory, an alignment processor, and target decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Pompeu Fabra University
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawashima, Yasuo Yoshioka, Pedro Cano, Alex Loscos, Xavier Serra, Mark Schiementz, Jordi Bonada
  • Patent number: 7149682
    Abstract: An apparatus is constructed for converting an input voice signal into an output voice signal according to a target voice signal. In the apparatus, an input device provides the input voice signal composed of original sinusoidal components and original residual components other than the original sinusoidal components. An extracting device extracts original attribute data from at least the sinusoidal components of the input voice signal. The original attribute data is characteristic of the input voice signal. A synthesizing device synthesizes new attribute data based on both of the original attribute data derived from the input voice signal and target attribute data being characteristic of the target voice signal composed of target sinusoidal components and target residual components other than the sinusoidal components. The target attribute data is derived from at least the target sinusoidal components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Pompeu Fabra University
    Inventors: Yasuo Yoshioka, Hiraku Kayama, Xavier Serra, Jordi Bonada
  • Patent number: 7117154
    Abstract: A voice converter synthesizes an output voice signal from an input voice signal and a reference voice signal. In the voice converter, an analyzer device analyzes a plurality of sinusoidal wave components contained in the input voice signal to derive a parameter set of an original frequency and an original amplitude representing each sinusoidal wave component. A source device provides reference information characteristic of the reference voice signal. A modulator device modulates the parameter set of each sinusoidal wave component according to the reference information. A regenerator device operates according to each of the parameter sets as modulated to regenerate each of the sinusoidal wave components so that at least one of the frequency and the amplitude of each sinusoidal wave component as regenerated varies from original one, and mixes the regenerated sinusoidal wave components altogether to synthesize the output voice signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Pompeu Fabra University
    Inventors: Yasuo Yoshioka, Xavier Serra
  • Patent number: 7016841
    Abstract: A singing voice synthesizing apparatus is provided, which enables achievement of a natural sounding synthesized singing voice with a good level of comprehensibility. A phoneme database stores a plurality of voice fragment data formed of voice fragments each being a single phoneme or a phoneme chain of at least two concatenated phonemes, each of the plurality of voice fragment data comprising data of a deterministic component and data of a stochastic component. A readout device that reads out from the phoneme database the voice fragment data corresponding to inputted lyrics. A duration time adjusting device adjusts time duration of the read-out voice fragment data so as to match a desired tempo and manner of singing. An adjusting device adjusts the deterministic component and the stochastic component of the read-out voice fragment so as to match a desired pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Kenmochi, Xavier Serra, Jordi Bonada
  • Publication number: 20050049875
    Abstract: A voice converting apparatus is constructed for converting an input voice into an output voice according to a target voice. In the apparatus, a storage section provisionally stores source data, which is associated to and extracted from the target voice. An analyzing section analyzes the input voice to extract therefrom a series of input data frames representing the input voice. A producing section produces a series of target data frames representing the target voice based on the source data, while aligning the target data frames with the input data frames to secure synchronization between the target data frames and the input data frames. A synthesizing section synthesizes the output voice according to the target data frames and the input data frames. In the recognizing feature analysis, a characteristic analyzer extracts from the input voice a characteristic vector. A memory memorizes target behavior data representing a behavior of the target voice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawashima, Yasuo Yoshioka, Pedro Cano, Alex Loscos, Xavier Serra, Mark Schiementz, Jordi Bonada
  • Patent number: 6836761
    Abstract: A voice converting apparatus is constructed for converting an input voice into an output voice according to a target voice. In the apparatus, a storage section provisionally stores source data, which is associated to and extracted from the target voice. An analyzing section analyzes the input voice to extract therefrom a series of input data frames representing the input voice. A producing section produces a series of target data frames representing the target voice based on the source data, while aligning the target data frames with the input data frames to secure synchronization between the target data frames and the input data frames. A synthesizing section synthesizes the output voice according to the target data frames and the input data frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Pompeu Fabra University
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawashima, Yasuo Yoshioka, Pedro Cano, Alex Loscos, Xavier Serra, Mark Schiementz, Jordi Bonada
  • Publication number: 20030061047
    Abstract: An apparatus is constructed for converting an input voice signal into an output voice signal according to a target voice signal. In the apparatus, an input device provides the input voice signal composed of original sinusoidal components and original residual components other than the original sinusoidal components. An extracting device extracts original attribute data from at least the sinusoidal components of the input voice signal. The original attribute data is characteristic of the input voice signal. A synthesizing device synthesizes new attribute data based on both of the original attribute data derived from the input voice signal and target attribute data being characteristic of the target voice signal composed of target sinusoidal components and target residual components other than the sinusoidal components. The target attribute data is derived from at least the target sinusoidal components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Yoshioka, Hiraku Kayama, Xavier Serra, Jordi Bonada
  • Publication number: 20030055646
    Abstract: An apparatus is constructed for converting an input voice signal into an output voice signal according to a target voice signal. In the apparatus, an input device provides the input voice signal composed of original sinusoidal components and original residual components other than the original sinusoidal components. An extracting device extracts original attribute data from at least the sinusoidal components of the input voice signal. The original attribute data is characteristic of the input voice signal. A synthesizing device synthesizes new attribute data based on both of the original attribute data derived from the input voice signal and target attribute data being characteristic of the target voice signal composed of target sinusoidal components and target residual components other than the sinusoidal components. The target attribute data is derived from at least the target sinusoidal components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Yoshioka, Hiraku Kayama, Xavier Serra, Jordi Bonada
  • Publication number: 20030055647
    Abstract: An apparatus is constructed for converting an input voice signal into an output voice signal according to a target voice signal. In the apparatus, an input device provides the input voice signal composed of original sinusoidal components and original residual components other than the original sinusoidal components. An extracting device extracts original attribute data from at least the sinusoidal components of the input voice signal. The original attribute data is characteristic of the input voice signal. A synthesizing device synthesizes new attribute data based on both of the original attribute data derived from the input voice signal and target attribute data being characteristic of the target voice signal composed of target sinusoidal components and target residual components other than the sinusoidal components. The target attribute data is derived from at least the target sinusoidal components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Yoshioka, Hiraku Kayama, Xavier Serra, Jordi Bonada
  • Publication number: 20030009336
    Abstract: A singing voice synthesizing apparatus is provided, which enables achievement of a natural sounding synthesized singing voice with a good level of comprehensibility. A phoneme database stores a plurality of voice fragment data formed of voice fragments each being a single phoneme or a phoneme chain of at least two concatenated phonemes, each of the plurality of voice fragment data comprising data of a deterministic component and data of a stochastic component. A readout device that reads out from the phoneme database the voice fragment data corresponding to inputted lyrics. A duration time adjusting device adjusts time duration of the read-out voice fragment data so as to match a desired tempo and manner of singing. An adjusting device adjusts the deterministic component and the stochastic component of the read-out voice fragment so as to match a desired pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Hideki Kenmochi, Xavier Serra, Jordi Bonada
  • Publication number: 20010044721
    Abstract: A voice converter synthesizes an output voice signal from an input voice signal and a reference voice signal. In the voice converter, an analyzer device analyzes a plurality of sinusoidal wave components contained in the input voice signal to derive a parameter set of an original frequency and an original amplitude representing each sinusoidal wave component. A source device provides reference information characteristic of the reference voice signal. A modulator device modulates the parameter set of each sinusoidal wave component according to the reference information. A regenerator device operates according to each of the parameter sets as modulated to regenerate each of the sinusoidal wave components so that at least one of the frequency and the amplitude of each sinusoidal wave component as regenerated varies from original one, and mixes the regenerated sinusoidal wave components altogether to synthesize the output voice signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: YASUO YOSHIOKA, XAVIER SERRA
  • Patent number: 5536902
    Abstract: Analysis data are provided which are indicative of plural components making up an original sound waveform. The analysis data are analyzed to obtain a characteristic concerning a predetermined element, and then data indicative of the obtained characteristic is extracted as a sound or musical parameter. The characteristic corresponding to the extracted musical parameter is removed from the analysis data, and the original sound waveform is represented by a combination of the thus-modified analysis data and the musical parameter. These data are stored in a memory. The user can variably control the musical parameter. A characteristic corresponding to the controlled musical parameter is added to the analysis data. In this manner, a sound waveform is synthesized on the basis of the analysis data to which the controlled characteristic has been added. In such a sound synthesis technique of the analysis type, it is allowed to apply free controls to various sound elements such as a formant and a vibrato.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Xavier Serra, Chris Williams, Robert Gross, Erling Wold
  • Patent number: 5029509
    Abstract: A musical sound analyzer and synthesizer uses a model that considers a sound to be composed of two types of elements: a deterministic component plus a stochastic component. The deterministic component is represented as a series of sinusoids, with an amplitude and a frequency function for each sinusoid. The stochastic component is represented as a series of magnitude spectral envelopes. From this representation, sounds can be synthesized that, in the absence of modifications, can behave as perceptual identities, that is, they are perceptually equal to the original sound. In addition, stored representations of sounds can be easily modified in a musical synthesizer to create a wide variety of new sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Xavier Serra, Julius Smith