Patents by Inventor Yoshifumi Kira

Yoshifumi Kira 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: 10224888
    Abstract: A parameter control device that controls an increase/decrease in parameter value based on pulses generated in response from an operator, includes a current value storage unit storing a current value of a parameter value in response to the operator, a measurement time setting unit setting a measurement time in which the number of generated pulses is measured from a current value of the parameter value and a maximum value or a minimum value that the parameter value can take, a threshold setting unit respectively setting thresholds of the number of generated pulses to the maximum value side or the minimum value side, a counting unit counting the number of generated pulses of the operator within the measurement time, a comparison unit comparing the counted number of generated pulses and the thresholds, and an output determination unit determining a parameter value to be output from the operator based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: KAWAI MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Patent number: 10026386
    Abstract: Some timbres in the timbre combinations are selected and memorized according to the above timbre selection means corresponding to the timbre groups that the selected timbres belong to. The timbre combinations are classified and memorized according to the timbre groups. Thus it is made easy to search a timbre combination. When the store button 27 is turned on (step 61), it is identified which zone is appointed by the zone select buttons 24 being turned on placed on the switch table (step 63) and tone number data in the zone in the setup timbre register 42 are read out (step 64). At the top address of the vacant area in the setup area of the timbre group area on the timbre table 61 corresponding to the selected tone number data, tone number data, loudness data and setup range data of all the zones of the setup timbre register 42 (step 65).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: KAWAI MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Patent number: 8802956
    Abstract: The number of chords belonging to a first chord group is decreased to less than the number of chords belonging to a second chord group. In a first detection mode, when a first determining unit determines that a state of key depressed does not correspond to any chord in a first chord group, a previously selected chord is continuously determined. Accordingly, even if a chord detection is performed on a change of melody point by point, the number of chords substantially detected is decreased. This decreases the number of changes in accompaniment, thus stabilizing a playback of the accompaniment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Kira, Kiyomi Kurebayashi
  • Publication number: 20130298750
    Abstract: The number of chords belonging to a first chord group is decreased to less than the number of chords belonging to a second chord group. In a first detection mode, when a first determining unit determines that a state of key depressed does not correspond to any chord in a first chord group, a previously selected chord is continuously determined. Accordingly, even if a chord detection is performed on a change of melody point by point, the number of chords substantially detected is decreased. This decreases the number of changes in accompaniment, thus stabilizing a playback of the accompaniment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yoshifumi KIRA, Kiyomi KUREBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8373055
    Abstract: In the multi-timbre states in which musical tones with various timbres are outputted or imputed simultaneously and in the non-multi-timber states in which musical tones with a single timbre are outputted or inputted, the most suitable state of transmitting musical tone data is provided. When the non-multi-timber states is selected (step 12), the zones “1” and “2” turn into the in-communication states (INT) and the zones “3” and “4” turn into the out-communication states (EXT). When the multi-timbre states is selected (step 12), all the zones/timbres turn into the both-communication states (BOTH) (step 13). The both-communication states provide said in and out-communication states simultaneously. In the out-communication states, tone data are sent to the external apparatus connected to the musical tone (internal) apparatus. In the in-communication states musical tone data are sent only within the musical tone (internal) apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Kawai Musical Instruments Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Publication number: 20100083814
    Abstract: In the multi-timbre states in which musical tones with various timbres are outputted or imputed simultaneously and in the non-multi-timber states in which musical tones with a single timbre are outputted or inputted, the most suitable state of transmitting musical tone data is provided. When the non-multi-timber states is selected (step 12), the zones “1” and “2” turn into the in-communication states (INT) and the zones “3” and “4” turn into the out-communication states (EXT). When the multi-timbre states is selected (step 12), all the zones/timbres turn into the both-communication states (BOTH) (step 13). The both-communication states provide said in and out-communication states simultaneously. In the out-communication states, tone data are sent to the external apparatus connected to the musical tone (internal) apparatus. In the in-communication states musical tone data are sent only within the musical tone (internal) apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: KAWAI MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Publication number: 20090183624
    Abstract: Some timbres in the timbre combinations are selected and memorized according to the above timbre selection means corresponding to the timbre groups that the selected timbres belong to. The timbre combinations are classified and memorized according to the timbre groups. Thus it is made easy to search a timbre combination. When the store button 27 is turned on (step 61), it is identified which zone is appointed by the zone select buttons 24 being turned on placed on the switch table (step 63) and tone number data in the zone in the setup timbre register 42 are read out (step 64). At the top address of the vacant area in the setup area of the timbre group area on the timbre table 61 corresponding to the selected tone number data, tone number data, loudness data and setup range data of all the zones of the setup timbre register 42 (step 65).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: Kawai Musical Instruments MFG. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Patent number: 6777606
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, a key operation detecting section detects a key operation on a keyboard, and the hand key operation contains a key pushing operation and a key releasing operation. A control unit detects a chord of a chord part in response to the key pushing operation and the key releasing operation. Then, the control unit generates chord control data for a re-trigger operation based on the detected chord of the chord part, when the key operation is the key pushing operation. A sound generating section generates a new accompaniment sound based on the chord control data and automatic accompaniment data stored in a memory section in the re-trigger operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Publication number: 20030110927
    Abstract: An automatic accompaniment apparatus of an electronic musical instrument is composed of a keyboards 150, 151, a chord detecting section 10 which detects a chord when a key of the keyboard is pushed or released, a storage section 13 which stores automatic accompaniment data which contains sound generation timings, and a control unit 10 which controls a re-trigger operation in which when the timing arrives at one of the sound generation timings of the automatic accompaniment data stored in the storage section, the automatic accompaniment data is developed in accordance with the chord detected by the chord detecting section such that an accompaniment sound is generated, and only when the key is pushed at a timing other than the sound generation timings, the accompaniment sound currently generated is extinguished, and an accompaniment sound is generated in accordance with the chord detected by the chord detecting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Patent number: 6380475
    Abstract: A chord detection apparatus for an electronic musical instrument has a hand keyboard for hand operation, a foot keyboard for foot operation, a hand-keyboard detection unit for detecting a temporary hand-keyboard chord root and a temporary hand-keyboard chord type in accordance with operation of the hand keyboard, a foot-keyboard detection unit for detecting a temporary foot-keyboard bass root in accordance with operation of the foot keyboard, and a determination unit for determining a true chord root and a true chord type, and the presence/absence of a bass root in accordance with the temporary hand-keyboard chord root, the temporary hand-keyboard chord type, and the temporary foot-keyboard bass root.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawi Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Publication number: 20020023531
    Abstract: A chord detection apparatus for an electronic musical instrument has a hand keyboard for hand operation, a foot keyboard for foot operation, a hand-keyboard detection unit for detecting a temporary hand-keyboard chord root and a temporary hand-keyboard chord type in accordance with operation of the hand keyboard, a foot-keyboard detection unit for detecting a temporary foot-keyboard bass root in accordance with operation of the foot keyboard, and a determination unit for determining a true chord root and a true chord type, and the presence/absence of a bass root in accordance with the temporary hand-keyboard chord root, the temporary hand-keyboard chord type, and the temporary foot-keyboard bass root.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Patent number: 5898120
    Abstract: An auto-play apparatus has a ROM which pre-stores arpeggio pattern data including a sequence pattern, a trigger pattern, and a gater pattern, and a tone signal generation circuit for generating tones on the basis of these arpeggio pattern data. The apparatus can execute, in addition to a basic, monophonic arpeggio play according to depression of a keyboard unit, arpeggio plays in various play modes such as a polyphonic arpeggio play allowing to simultaneously produce two or more tones of those that form a chord, an arpeggio play allowing to simultaneously produce all the tones corresponding to ON keys, an arpeggio play allowing to gradually change the volume in a single pitch, and the like, thus broadening expression amplitude of performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Patent number: 5361673
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument, which includes an internal tone generator, a local-on play function, which produces musical tones in consonance with tone data generated by the internal tone generator, and a local-off play function, which externally outputs only an MIDI signal without performing tone production in consonance with tone data generated by the internal tone generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Kira, Shinya Konishi