Electrical Musical Tone Generation Patents (Class 84/600)
  • Patent number: 7999166
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vibration authoring tool, a vibration authoring method, and a storage medium recorded with the same. To this end, the present invention provides a vibration authoring tool, including: a scale defining unit that defines a scale by controlling the frequencies, amplitudes, and waveforms of the vibration; a clef defining unit that defines a clef by corresponding each staff line of a vibration score to a portion of the frequencies and corresponding head numbers of each note to a portion of the amplitudes; a score authoring unit that authors a score by inputting symbols including notes, rests, and dynamics in the vibration score; and a reproducing unit that reproduces the score authored through the score authoring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Pohang University of Science
    Inventors: Seung Moon Choi, Jong Hyun Ryu, Jae Bong Lee
  • Patent number: 7994410
    Abstract: A method is provided to compare recordings that includes providing a list of a plurality of recordings and selecting at least a first recording and a second recording from the plurality of recordings. The first recording and the second recording have predetermined lengths. The method also includes selecting a first portion of the first recording, identifying a second portion of the second recording based on the first portion, and comparing the first portion to the second portion. When the entire length of the recording is selected as the first portion, the entire length of the second recording can be identified as the second portion. Identifying a second portion may also include normalizing it to the first portion. Also, identifying the second portion can include translating the first portion into a wave-form, searching the second recording for another wave-form similar to the translated wave-form, and matching the translated wave form with the similar wave-form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Classical Archives, LLC
    Inventor: Pierre R. Schwob
  • Patent number: 7994412
    Abstract: A sound system and method for modeling a sound field generated by a sound source and creating a sound event based on the modeled sound field is disclosed. The system and method captures a sound field over an enclosing surface, models the sound field and enables reproduction of the modeled sound field. Explosion type acoustical radiation may be used. Further, the reproduced sound field may be modeled and compared to the original sound field model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Verax Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Randall B. Metcalf
  • Patent number: 7985911
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, systems, and data structures for providing a music-subscription service customer with a portable music device that has been preloaded with customer-selected music. A music-subscription service provider receives a customer order to purchase a portable music device, and also receives the customer's selection of less than all of the music available on the music-subscription service provider's music database. The music-subscription service provider uses a computer to download the customer-selected music to the portable music device ordered by the customer. The music-subscription service provider then provides to the customer the portable music device that has been preloaded with the customer-selected music. The steps may be performed over the Internet and/or at a retail location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Inventor: Harold B. Oppenheimer
  • Patent number: 7985910
    Abstract: A musical content utilizing apparatus has a data input portion B11, transformation process portion B13 and utilization process portion B15 implemented via programmed processes. The data input portion B11 inputs musical content data comprising different kinds of content material data about music and content definition data defining the handling of the content material data. The transformation process portion B13 transforms the content definition data in accordance with stylesheets stored in a stylesheet storage portion B14 in order to enable the utilization process portion B15 to utilize the content material data. The utilization process portion B15 generates musical tones or displays images in accordance with the input content material, providing a user with musical content. As a result, a piece of musical content is able to be shared among various different types of musical content utilizing apparatuses, i.e., various platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Tohgi, Ken'ichi Yamauchi, Gary Gregson
  • Publication number: 20110174137
    Abstract: Watermark information indicative of content of music piece performance data to be reproduced in synchronism with a first audio signal is embedded into the first audio signal, and the resultant signal is acquired as a second audio signal. In parallel to the above-mentioned processing, the watermark information is decoded from the second audio signal, the content of music piece performance data to be reproduced is identified on the basis of the decoded watermark information, and then a tone signal based on the music piece performance data is reproduced in accordance with the identified content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fukutaro OKUYAMA, Shinya Koseki
  • Patent number: 7982120
    Abstract: A performance apparatus capable of reproducing music pieces while making changeover between the music pieces without disturbing the rhythm of exercise, dance, or the like performed by a user to the rhythm of music. A beat position is acquired that will appear in a preceding performance data for the first time after a preparatory time required for changing the reproduction of the preceding music piece to the reproduction of a subsequent music piece elapses from when a music selection instruction is given. The reproduction of the subsequent music piece is started at the same time when the music is reproduced up to the acquired beat position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Michihiko Sasaki, Gou Usui, Shinichi Ito
  • Patent number: 7977559
    Abstract: In a plurality of rooms, hubs are installed to build a star-shaped LAN, and tone-generation-related devices, such as a keyboard, tone generator device and speaker, are connected to the respective hubs. For example, in an internal network, the keyboard is logically connected to an input side of the tone generator device and a speaker is connected to an output side of the tone generator device, so as to build a tone generation system. The tone-generation-related devices are provided with respective network adaptors so that they can be readily connected to the LAN. Communication is carried out between the tone-generation-related devices, using a communication protocol intended for retransmission control. Each of the tone-generation-related devices is in the form of a processor device, which executes a program corresponding to a function of a desired processing element to thereby implement the desired processing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Oba, Shuzo Karakawa
  • Patent number: 7964782
    Abstract: A method for operating cue points on a lighting ring of a digital multimedia audio player is revealed. A lighting ring for showing data related to digital music playing now is disposed around a turntable of a multimedia audio player. The lighting ring is arranged with a plurality of visual markers at important cue points by DJs for producing special sound effects while one of the cue point markers is set at a position that matches DJs' operation way and this is the position of an active cue point. Thereby during operation of the multimedia audio player, the obvious markers at the cue points allow DJs to operate the device easily and conveniently. Moreover, the active cue point can be set and adjusted according to different operation ways of DJs. Thus the present invention provides DJs with an intuitive reminder and convenient operation on the vision and the operational control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Hanpin Electron Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shen-Chi Liu
  • Patent number: 7960638
    Abstract: Audio content data is used in various modes as materials to easily create a new high-quality audio content. Multiple pieces of audio content data used as material data are prepared in advance in a material data storage device 31. Additional data is added to each piece of the material data and is stored in a material database storage device 32. A controlling unit 10 extracts necessary material data from the material data storage device 31 on the basis of at least one of external information received by a receiving unit 20 and rule information stored in a restructuring rule database storage device 33 in accordance with the additional data to compose a new music piece from the extracted material data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Miyajima, Kosei Yamashita, Motoyuki Takai, Yoichiro Sako, Toshiro Terauchi, Toru Sasaki, Yuichi Sakai
  • Patent number: 7943843
    Abstract: Reactive force control apparatus for a pedal comprises: a movement detection section that detects movement of the pedal; a solenoid that produces a reactive force in response to operation of the pedal; a reference reactive force impartment table defining intensities of the reactive force corresponding to amounts of the operation of the pedal; a setting value input section operable to input a setting value for changing the reactive force responsive to the operation of the pedal; and a control section that controls the reactive force to the pedal by changing content of the table, on the basis of the input setting value, to thereby create a changed reactive force impartment table, so that the reactive force to the pedal is controlled on the basis of the changed table and detected movement of the pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Komatsu
  • Patent number: 7937964
    Abstract: A mounting kit consisting of a top panel made from polyethylene plastic with designated areas cut out to accommodate a standard car stereo and four speakers along with optional support sides also made from polyethylene plastic to allow for installation within an ice chest (cooler) or other secure, durable container. An antenna, screws, power switch, charging receptacle and all mounting hardware are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventor: Anthony Joey Temple
  • Patent number: 7939742
    Abstract: A musical instrument that can play notes and scale tones without physically touching the device. Microprocessor control, and its associated DSP functionality, permit designer and performer to determine fine musical characteristics and virtual frets resulting in a pleasant and playable digital Theremin. Control over key, scale, octave, slew, snap and other characteristics are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventor: Will Glaser
  • Patent number: 7939740
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument is provided, which makes it possible to manage a state of attendance (presence/absence, etc.) of participants and perform easy management on the level of activity on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. According to performance operations on performance terminals 2, a controller 1 records a performance history. Performance terminals 2 to which performance parts have been assigned by a Facilitator are determined as being present, whereas performance terminal 2 to which no performance parts have been assigned are determined as being absent. The number of times of key depression on each performance terminal 2, the average key depression intensity (average Velocity), etc. from start to end of a performance are recorded. The recorded values for respective items are output in the form of text data. Since values for the respective item are recorded at every performance, the frequency of attendance of respective users can easily be managed on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Usa, Tomomitsu Urai
  • Patent number: 7937115
    Abstract: A method for developing a personalized music based (preferably blues-music based) ring-tone for a mobile telephone based upon characters and length of a full name of a user of the mobile telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Inventor: Scott Albers
  • Patent number: 7935878
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, or method extracts a music playing data file from a given musical work resource such as an electronic music score data file, a printed sheet of music and an audio signals of a musical performance, to be utilized for playing music automatically by means of a tone generator device. The extracted music playing data file is encrypted using an encryption key to be stored in a storage device or to be transmitted to an automatic music playing apparatus. The stored or the transmitted music playing data file is decrypted beforehand to be used for automatic music playing. After the decrypted music playing data file has been utilized, the decrypted music playing data file is deleted from the system so that no unencrypted data file remains in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 7932457
    Abstract: A method of artificially aging a musical instrument is provided by placing the instrument in an enclosure, providing at least one electromechanical transducer proximate to the instrument and providing an electrical signal to the transducer. The transducer is a three-way speaker in a preferred embodiment. The method has particular utility wherein the instrument is a wooden, stringed instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: James Hall, Daniel P. Hess
  • Patent number: 7928307
    Abstract: The system describes a karaoke system that enhances the experience of singing along with music, but without the need to display the lyrics. The system includes a combination of a vocal track reducer and an echo canceller, decision logic for determining when a person is talking or singing (double-talk detector) and a method for “ducking” (i.e., attenuating) the vocal track when the singing is detected. No special CD or DVD with lyric tracks is required, making the system capable of working with CD, mp3, AM, FM, HD radio, satellite radio signals, or any other suitable content source. The result is that any content source may potentially be used as a karaoke soundtrack without any pre-modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: QNX Software Systems Co.
    Inventors: Phil A. Hetherington, Shree Paranjpe
  • Patent number: 7928313
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to a scratch effect controller for use by a disk jockey, wherein at least one electromagnet creates the slippage tension or friction effect between the user manipulated disc, which includes a vinyl-like surface thereby simulating a vinyl record, and the rotatable or fixed platter. The strength of the electromagnet is variable so as to create a variable slippage tension or friction effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Stanton Magnetics, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Flum, James Mazur
  • Patent number: 7928309
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes, in one aspect, a signal processor having circuitry configured to substitute an assortment of pre-recorded sounds in place of the sound of the guitar. The pre-recorded sounds are triggered by a guitar note that is above a certain threshold. The threshold can be varied, as can the length of time of the substitution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
    Inventors: David Vallancourt, Menachem Gielchinsky, Ezra Flug
  • Patent number: 7919704
    Abstract: A talk assisting system has a vibration sensor for detecting tones produced through a musical instrument and a signal interrupter connected between a microphone and a sound system; while a player is fingering a music tune on the musical instrument, pieces of vibration data express a wide amplitude of the vibrations, and a tone discriminator changes a state signal to an active high level; and the signal interrupter is responsive to the state signal so as to block the sound system from the voice signal, whereby the tones are not mixed with the voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Haruki Uehara
  • Patent number: 7906720
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top box (STB) having a controller to present a first portion of a stringed musical instrument at a presentation device, present a second portion of the stringed musical instrument on a display of a communication device communicatively coupled to the STB, present at the presentation device a musical score and a demonstrative stimulus applied to the first portion according to a portion of the musical score, receive from the communication device a stimulus applied to the second portion of the stringed musical instrument, and present an audible sound corresponding to a combination of the demonstrative stimulus applied to the first portion and the stimulus applied to the second portion. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventor: David Brux Delorme
  • Patent number: 7902450
    Abstract: Pressure-controlled transitions are provided for single-note lines in electronic musical instruments. By addressing the relative pressure for two or more pressure points on a playing surface, the method and system provides the performer with the ability to control transitions, such as retrigger, legato, and portamento, with greater precision and flexibility. In particular, the performer's fingers (or another source of pressure) are able to control the manner in which a note transitions from one pitch to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Inventors: Lippold Haken, Mark Smart, Edmund Eagan
  • Patent number: 7888577
    Abstract: A musical instrument amplification system comprising a footswitch and a main amplification device, its control panel having a variety of controls, such as switches, sliders, dials and the like allowing the user to set a variety of parameters for amplification. A remote footswitch having several controls is connected to the front-panel, the controls may be assigned either to a set of specific amplification parameters, or to the control for a particular parameter, allowing the performer improved access to the amplifier controls whilst performing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Marshall Amplification PLC
    Inventor: Santiago Alvarez
  • Patent number: 7888580
    Abstract: An electronic musical system in which tone generator parameters of each of tone generators respectively assigned to tracks of a sequencer of an electronic musical apparatus can easily be controlled by using a musical control apparatus, while tracks are switched. In the setting of the tone generator parameters of the tone generators assigned to the tracks, setting contents are input by using control operating elements of the musical control apparatus. There are prepared in advance templates in each of which control operating elements are made to correspond to tone generator parameters controlled by the control operating elements, and each tone generator is made in one-to-one correspondence with one of the templates, whereby tone generator parameters of a tone generator assigned to a track currently designated by a user are set by manipulating the control operating elements of the musical control apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Okano, Toru Kitayama
  • Patent number: 7888582
    Abstract: A home theater system includes construction, presentation, and commerce in, songs. Presentation includes at least one of: metadata about songs or sounds, a function capable of transitioning from one song to a next song, and user preferences; and can determine in what manner to transition from one song to a next song. Construction of songs includes either factors above, or at least one of: a function or a user extension capable of selecting a next song, and an element capable of determining whether the song is perceptually random. A user interface is capable of searching playlists and selecting them for presentation, representing each playlist with a substantially unique pictorial representation, distinguishing in presentation between those playlists licensed to the user and those that are not, and capable of substantially immediate purchase of playlist licenses either individually or in bulk and either automatically or with minimal intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Kaleidescape, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Rechsteiner, Ian Epperson, Lawrence Kesteloot, Elliott Pearl, Stephen Watson, Brian Young
  • Patent number: 7888576
    Abstract: An ensemble system enabling even performer unskilled in playing a musical instrument to easily grasp the difference in tempo from the performance of the facilitator. The circle corresponding to the performance terminal “Facilitator” is indicated fixedly on the center line of the vertical lines. The circle corresponding to the performance terminal (for example, piano (1)) of each user moves horizontally correspondingly to the difference from the performance terminal “Facilitator”. If the press of a key of performance terminal lags behind that of the performance terminal “Facilitator” by one bar, the circle moves left onto the vertical line next to the vertical center line. If the press of a key of the performance terminal lags behind that of the performance terminal “Facilitator” by half the bar (two beats), the circle moves left by half the interval between the vertical lines from the vertical center line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Usa, Tomomitsu Urai
  • Patent number: 7884276
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for automatically converting audio input signal data into musical score representation data. Embodiments of the invention identify a change in frequency information from the audio signal that exceeds a first threshold value; identify a change in amplitude information from the audio signal that exceeds a second threshold value; and generate a note onset event, each note onset event representing a time location in the audio signal of at least one of an identified change in the frequency information that exceeds the first threshold value or an identified change in the amplitude information that exceeds the second threshold value. The generation of note onset events and other information from the audio input signal may be used to extract note pitch, note value, tempo, meter, key, instrumentation, and other score representation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: MuseAmi, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Taub, J. Alexander Cabanilla
  • Patent number: 7880076
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to child musical education devices and methods. Various toy instruments are provided which incorporate simplified forms of tonal and rhythmic music visualization. A child of very young age is able to select a certain ‘mood’ or feeling and hear music which corresponds to that mood. In addition, visual representations of the selected music can be displayed on the instrument. Recording and playback functionality is optionally provided, along with rhythm accompaniments and other adjustable audio features. Certain embodiments allow the various components to be interconnected to allow maximum flexibility and upgradeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Master Key, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Lemons
  • Publication number: 20110017048
    Abstract: A tuning device receives the electrical output of an instrument that reflects sound at a first tone level. The tuning device digitizes electrical output. The user has switches operable to generate control signals that are processed to effect a bypass of the device or to digitally drop the tone level in half steps up to an octave and to selectively mix the drop tone level with the input tone level. The user may then broadcast one of the bypassed signal, the drop tone signal or a mixed signal of the drop tone and the input tone level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventor: Richard Bos
  • Patent number: 7875789
    Abstract: A synthesizer 10 is configured such that when a PC 30 is connected thereto, the synthesizer 10 accepts selection of a tone used for sound generation from among a tone included in an internal tone generation unit 16 and a tone included in a tone generation module 312 provided by the external PC 30, and causes the PC 30 to enable the function of the tone generation module 312, downloads an edit operation accepting program corresponding to the tone generation module 312 from a UI control program memory 315 of the PC 30, and executes the downloaded edit operation accepting program to thereby realize a function of editing data of the tone included in the tone generation module 312, the data being stored in the PC 30, when the tone included in the tone generation module 312 of the PC 30 is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Mizuhiki, Kazuhide Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7872188
    Abstract: Determining a plurality of heart rate sections for an individual, and selecting a plurality of songs, wherein each of the plurality of songs has an average beats per minute approximately equal to an average beats per minute of one of the plurality of heart rate sections, and playing the plurality of songs in a sequence on a song playing device. The plurality of songs includes a middle song, which has an average beats per minute which is greater than the average beats per minute of all of the other songs of the plurality of songs. The plurality of songs includes one or more preceding songs which precede the middle song, and each of which has an average beats per minute which is less than the average beats per minute of the middle song. The plurality of songs includes one or more succeeding songs which succeed the middle song, and each of which has an average beats per minute which is less than the average beats per minute of the middle song.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Inventor: Mariann Martin Willis
  • Patent number: 7868241
    Abstract: A synthesizer 10 is configured such that when a PC 30 is connected thereto, the synthesizer 10 accepts selection of a tone used for sound generation from among a tone included in an internal tone generation unit 16 and a tone included in a tone generation module 312 provided by the external PC 30, and causes the PC 30 to enable the function of the tone generation module 312, downloads an edit operation accepting program corresponding to the tone generation module 312 from a UI control program memory 315 of the PC 30, and executes the downloaded edit operation accepting program to thereby realize a function of editing data of the tone included in the tone generation module 312, the data being stored in the PC 30, when the tone included in the tone generation module 312 of the PC 30 is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Mizuhiki, Kazuhide Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7868238
    Abstract: An electronic musical apparatus which is shared by a plurality of users and is capable of making environmental settings for individual users without imposing burdens on the users. Authentication of biometric information or possession information on each user is performed, and environmental setting information for setting an environment of the electronic musical apparatus is stored in association with the biometric information or possession information on each user. Environmental setting information associated with the authenticated biometric information or possession information is read out, and an environment of the electronic musical apparatus is set based on the read environmental setting information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Ryotaro Sugimoto, Takeshi Ando, Seiji Abe, Shinya Sakurada
  • Patent number: 7858871
    Abstract: A playing device includes a hollow blowing body in which a vibration is applied to an internal air in the hollow blowing body in response to a vibration of lips of a player, a detecting portion which generates a detecting signal in response to the vibration in the blowing body, and a vibration applying portion which applies a vibration corresponding to the detecting signal to an air in the blowing body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Junji Fujii, Ryuji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7851688
    Abstract: A portable sound processing device [1000] designed to retrofit a portable digital player (PDP) such as an iPod sold by Apple, Inc., includes a display [1201] for interacting with a user, a plurality of input devices [1103-1133] for receiving input from a user. The portable sound processing device [1000] has internal or external pre-recorded music which may be mixed with the live input from a musical instrument [3]. The processor [1000] may perform digital signal processing to change the pitch while keeping the tempo the same for pre-recorded music to match the key of the instrument being played. The tempo may be adjusted while not affecting the pitch allowing a musician to practice a song at a slower pace. It may also highlight or remove a specific instrument for practice purposes. The result is a portable signal processing device [1000] which aids music transcription, learning and study.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Inventor: James M. Compton
  • Publication number: 20100307320
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and system for generating music in real time are provided. A pipeline for coordinating generation of a musical piece is created. At least one producer is loaded into the pipeline, the at least one producer for producing at least one high level musical element of the musical piece, independent of other producers in the pipeline. At least one generator is called by the at least one producer, the at least one generator for generating at least one low level music element of the musical piece. The at least one low level musical element and the at least one high level musical element are integrated, such that the musical piece is generated in real time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO
    Inventors: Maia Hoeberechts, Ryan Demopoulos, Michael Katchabaw
  • Patent number: 7847174
    Abstract: In a plurality of rooms, hubs are installed to build a star-shaped LAN, and tone-generation-related devices, such as a keyboard, tone generator device and speaker, are connected to the respective hubs. For example, in an internal network, the keyboard is logically connected to an input side of the tone generator device and a speaker is connected to an output side of the tone generator device, so as to build a tone generation system. The tone-generation-related devices are provided with respective network adaptors so that they can be readily connected to the LAN. Communication is carried out between the tone-generation-related devices, using a communication protocol intended for retransmission control. Each of the tone-generation-related devices is in the form of a processor device, which executes a program corresponding to a function of a desired processing element to thereby implement the desired processing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Oba, Shuzo Karakawa
  • Patent number: 7848699
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, an interface part obtains user information from a dedicated accessory device logically connected to the electronic musical instrument. An access part accesses a server using the user information obtained through the interface part. A character information acquisition part obtains character information which represents a character and which corresponds to the user information, from the server or the dedicated accessory device. A lesson information acquisition part obtains, from the server, lesson information which represents a lesson work to be practiced. A control part performs control operation to display the character created based on the character information obtained by the character information acquisition part while the electronic musical instrument is logically connected to the dedicated accessory device through the interface part, and to display the lesson information when the lesson information has been obtained by the lesson information acquisition part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Ohshima, Kenichi Nishida, Yoshinari Nakamura, Shinya Sakurada, Atsushi Fukada
  • Patent number: 7842871
    Abstract: Image data of sheet music formed from a plurality of pages is input, and the input image data is divided into bars. The complexity of performance of each divided bar is determined for each page. An easy-to-play portion is detected as a page feed position for each page in accordance with the determination result. The layout of the sheet music is changed based on the detected page feed position, and the layout-changed sheet music is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Maya Ishii, Fumihiro Goto, Ayumi Hori, Manabu Yamazoe, Tohru Ikeda, Hidetsugu Kagawa
  • Patent number: 7842879
    Abstract: One embodiment of the Touch sensitive impact controlled signal transfer device invention whereas the invention is used as a musical glove device that sends electrical signals to a sound module when areas of the glove containing piezoelectric discs are tapped or otherwise impacted on a surface and where the force applied by impact to the piezoelectric disc or discs is interpreted by the sound module and said module produces a sound at a volume level directly related to the force of impact on the piezoelectric discs and where multiple piezoelectric disks are located in each glove allowing a plurality of sounds by tapping different areas of the glove, such as the palm, thumb and fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Inventor: Paul Gregory Carter
  • Patent number: 7842873
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting a refrain in an audio file having vocal components. The method and system includes generating a phonetic transcription of a portion of the audio file, analyzing the phonetic transcription and identifying a vocal segment in the generated phonetic transcription that is repeated frequently. The method and system further relate to the speech-driven selection based on similarity of detected refrain and user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Franz S. Gerl, Daniel Willett, Raymond Brueckner
  • Patent number: 7829778
    Abstract: A device for generating a note signal upon a manual input is described which comprises an operating means which is implemented to enable a user of the same, as an input, to define an input angle or an input angle range as the input signal, and a controller which is implemented to receive the input signal and to generate a note signal associated with a pitch class based on an assignment function and on the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Gabriel Gatzsche, David Gatzsche, Michael Beckinger, Frank Melchior
  • Patent number: 7825323
    Abstract: An electric music apparatus comprises an interface for connecting an external device, a memory that stores device drivers for external devices connected to the interface and a list recording relationships between external devices and corresponding device drivers, an obtaining device that obtains an external device information from an connected external device, a searching device that searches a device driver corresponding to the connected external device with reference to the list in accordance with the obtained external device information; a first determining device that determines the device driver corresponding to the connected external device when the searching device detects the corresponding device driver from the list, and a second determining device that executes a specific command to the connected external device by using a device driver stored in the memory when the searching device cannot detect the corresponding device driver and determines a driver without an error as a corresponding driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Yanase, Harumichi Hotta, Atsushi Fukada
  • Patent number: 7826911
    Abstract: A system determines human recognizable labels for portions of an electronic media stream, gathers data associated with the electronic media stream from a number of media players, and determines at least one section of the electronic media stream with a particular media feature. The system selects a representative clip for the electronic media stream based on information regarding the labeled portions, the gathered data, and the at least one section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Victor Bennett
  • Patent number: 7820904
    Abstract: Musical instrument effects pedals are powered from adjacent pedals by providing electrical connectors between adjacent pedals and by providing tip-ring-sleeve jacks in the pedals and three wire connectors with tip-ring-sleeve connectors, which carry sound signals from an instrument through sequential pedals and electrical power in an opposite direction to the pedals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Inventors: Jason O. Robling, Michael B. Milbert
  • Patent number: 7820901
    Abstract: A file storage apparatus provides an information management method. The information management method includes correlating one or more electronic files with audible cues relative to audio content reproduced via the file storage apparatus, designating respective time intervals of the audio content during which each of the one or more electronic files can be accessed by the file storage apparatus, and retrieving the one or more electronic files of the file storage apparatus upon a predetermined user input provided to the file storage apparatus during one of the respective time intervals of the audio content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiro Terauchi, Yoichiro Sako, Masayoshi Miura, Makoto Inoue, Kosei Yamashita, Yasushi Miyajima, Motoyuki Takai, Shigeharu Kondo, Takayuki Miyama, Norihiro Nagai, Kosuke Suzuki, Kentaro Hatanaka, Yumiko Homma, Ryo Takaoka
  • Patent number: 7812239
    Abstract: Storage section has stored therein music piece data sets of a plurality of music pieces, each of the music piece data sets including respective tone data of a plurality of fragments of the music piece and respective character values indicative of musical characters of the fragments. Each of the fragments of a selected main music piece is selected as a main fragment, and each one, other than the selected main fragment, of a plurality of fragments of two or more music pieces is selected as a sub fragment. A similarity index value indicative of a degree of similarity between the character value of the main fragment and the character value of the specified sub fragment is calculated. For each of the main fragments, a sub fragment presenting a similarity index value that satisfies a predetermined selection condition is selected for processing the tone data of the main music piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Fujishima, Maarten De Boer, Jordi Bonada, Samuel Roig, Fokke De Jong, Sebastian Streich
  • Patent number: 7814418
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including: a display control section configured to cause a display to display an image that contains a plurality of content indication marks each associated with a separate content, each of the plurality of content indication marks being arranged at a position corresponding to an impression of the content with which the mark is associated; and a selection section configured to select two or more content indication marks from the plurality of content indication marks arranged in the image. When the two or more content indication marks are selected by the selection section, the display control section displays, on the image, a line segment that joins the selected two or more content indication marks so as to indicate an order in which the contents corresponding to the selected two or more content indication marks are arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Chosokabe
  • Patent number: 7807913
    Abstract: A motion-based sound setting apparatus and method and motion-based sound generating apparatus and method. The motion-based sound setting apparatus includes a mode selection recognizing unit, a motion sensing unit, a motion pattern recognizing unit, and a sound signal setting controlling unit. The mode selection recognizing unit recognizes a user's action with respect to a sound setting mode or a sound generating mode. The motion sensing unit senses a motion of a predetermined device and outputting a result of the sensing as a sensing signal. The motion pattern recognizing unit recognizes a motion pattern of the predetermined device, which corresponds to the sensing signal, in response to a result of the recognition made by the mode selection recognizing unit. The sound signal setting controlling unit sets a sound signal corresponding to the motion pattern recognized by the motion pattern recognizing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eunseok Choi, Dongyoon Kim, Wonchul Bang, Sung-jung Cho, Jongkoo Oh, Eunkwang Ki, Joonkee Cho