Waveform Memory Patents (Class 84/604)
  • Patent number: 8389844
    Abstract: In response to detection of a note-on instruction, a CPU assigns a tone generating unit comprising two tone generating channels and sets tone color control data of the assigned tone generating unit into tone generator registers. The tone color control data includes a parameter common to the two channels. Once the CPU gives a tone generation start instruction to a tone generator, the tone generator accumulates a frequency number common to the two channels to thereby generate a progressive phase common to the two channels. Waveform readout section reads out left-channel and right-channel waveform data from a waveform memory on the basis of the phase and waveform selecting information of the left and right channels. Tone characteristics of the read-out left- and right-channel waveform data are controlled by a characteristic control section on the basis of a characteristic control parameter common to the two channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsuchiya, Kazuyuki Ito, Masahiko Hasebe, Kouichi Kashiwazaki, Hiroyuki Iwase
  • Patent number: 8380331
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for relative pitch tracking of multiple arbitrary sounds. A probabilistic method for pitch tracking may be implemented as or in a pitch tracking module. A constant-Q transform of an input signal may be decomposed to estimate one or more kernel distributions and one or more impulse distributions. Each kernel distribution represents a spectrum of a particular source, and each impulse distribution represents a relative pitch track for a particular source. The decomposition of the constant-Q transform may be performed according to shift-invariant probabilistic latent component analysis, and may include applying an expectation maximization algorithm to estimate the kernel distributions and the impulse distributions. When decomposing, a prior, e.g. a sliding-Gaussian Dirichlet prior or an entropic prior, and/or a temporal continuity constraint may be imposed on each impulse distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Paris Smaragdis, Gautham J. Mysore
  • Patent number: 8364295
    Abstract: An audio system attachable to a computer includes a sound reproduction device for producing audible sound from audio signals. The sound reproduction device includes a radio tuner and a powered speaker. The audio system further includes a connector for connecting the sound reproduction device with a computer. The computer provides audio signals from a plurality of sources, the sources including a computer CD player, digitally encoded computer files stored on the computer, and a computer network connected to the computer. The sound reproduction device further includes control buttons for controlling at least one of the computer CD player, the digitally encoded computer files and the computer network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Paul E. Beckmann, Santiago Carvajal, Christopher H. Perry
  • Patent number: 8309834
    Abstract: Processor-implemented methods and systems for polyphonic note detection are disclosed. The method includes converting a portion of a polyphonic audio signal from a time domain to a frequency domain. The method includes detecting a fundamental frequency peak in the frequency domain. The method then detects a defined number of integer-interval harmonic partials. If a defined number of integer-interval harmonic partials relative to the fundamental frequency peak are detected the fundamental frequency is recorded as a detected note. This process is repeated for each fundamental frequency until each note in the polyphonic audio signal has been detected. For example, this method allows detection of each note in a strummed guitar chord to provide feedback on the tuning of each string in a strummed chord or allows detection and feedback of the timing and pitch errors for guitar chords played along with a reference track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steffen Gehring, Markus Sapp, Pierre Fournier
  • Publication number: 20120260790
    Abstract: Interactive data sonification for representing multidimensional numerical information with a plurality of variable-timbre channels for use complementing data visualization is described. The method includes generation of a plurality of variable-timbre audio waveforms, each having an audio frequency parameter and at least one timbre modulation parameter having an adjustable value that affects the timbre of the audio waveform. The method includes associating aspects of multidimensional numerical data with the timbre modulation parameter of each audio frequency waveform using a mapping element. The mapping element varies values of timbre modulation parameters responsive to selected values from the multidimensional numerical data. Each audio frequency waveform can be positioned within a sonically-rendered sound field, associating information with positions within the sound field. Mapping elements can vary the positions responsive to selected values from the multidimensional numerical data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventor: Lester F. LUDWIG
  • Publication number: 20120240750
    Abstract: In a musical sound synthesizing apparatus, a loop part including at least a delay element is configured to receive an excitation signal in response to a sound generation instruction so as to synthesize a musical sound signal by looping the excitation signal therein. A waveform memory stores first waveform data representing sound which is generated by a natural musical instrument and which contains resonance, the first waveform data containing a plurality of frequency components having various levels. A waveform processing unit removes, from the first waveform data, one or more frequency component having a level that does not reach a predetermined level, to generate second waveform data. The second waveform data generated by the waveform processing unit is input as the excitation signal to the loop part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro KAKISHITA
  • Patent number: 8260613
    Abstract: A double talk detector for controlling the echo path estimation in a telecommunication system by indicating when a received coded speech signal is dominated by a non-echo signal; i.e., that so-called double talk exists. This is determined by extracting LSPs from a coded speech frame of the received coded speech signal when the signal power exceeds a first threshold value, converting each of said extracted LSPs into LSFs, and calculating the distance between each two adjacent LSFs. For each distance that is smaller than a second threshold, a spectral peak is located between the two LSFs, and it is determined whether said spectral peak is an echo or not. When a predetermined number of non-echo spectral peaks are located in the received speech signal, double talk will be indicated, and the echo path estimation may be disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventor: Tonu Trump
  • Patent number: 8244546
    Abstract: There is provided a singing synthesis parameter data estimation system that automatically estimates singing synthesis parameter data for automatically synthesizing a human-like singing voice from an audio signal of input singing voice. A pitch parameter estimating section 9 estimates a pitch parameter, by which the pitch feature of an audio signal of synthesized singing voice is got closer to the pitch feature of the audio signal of input singing voice based on at least both of the pitch feature and lyric data with specified syllable boundaries of the audio signal of input singing voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Nakano, Masataka Goto
  • Publication number: 20120198985
    Abstract: A data sonification method for representing multidimensional numerical information with a plurality of variable-timbre channels rendered in a sound field is described. The method includes generation of a plurality of variable-timbre audio waveforms, each having an audio frequency parameter and at least one timbre modulation parameter having an adjustable value that affects the timbre of the audio waveform. The method includes associating aspects of multidimensional numerical data with the timbre modulation parameter of each audio frequency waveform using a mapping element. The mapping element varies values of timbre modulation parameters responsive to selected values from the multidimensional numerical data. The method also positions each audio frequency waveform within a sonically-rendered sound field, associating aspects of multidimensional numerical data with the sonically-rendered position within the sound field. The sound field can be stereo, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventor: Lester F. LUDWIG
  • Patent number: 8183452
    Abstract: Waveform data stored in an external memory are transferred from the external memory to an internal waveform memory and read out from the waveform memory to reproduce a tone. Transfer instruction is generated each time data readout from the waveform memory progresses by one page, and the transfer instruction is registered into a transfer queue. Thus, in response to the transfer instruction from the queue, the waveform data are read out on page by page from the external memory and stored into the waveform memory. The external memory also stores therein error correction code attached per page. As the waveform data are transferred from the external memory to the waveform memory, an error is detected using the error correction code, and if the error is correctable, the error is corrected. If the error is uncorrectable, volume of a tone being generated is rapidly attenuated, or a warning is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Taro Shirahama
  • Patent number: 8163990
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for recording and compiling a music section, wherein multiple takes of the music section are recorded; and wherein the method uses a take folder to store the multiple takes. The take folder may belong to a single track. Sections of one or more takes can be selected to be part of a resulting compilation which is composed of the selected sections. In one embodiment, a method automatically ensures that selected sections do not overlap in time and that there are no breaks between adjacent selections. In addition, the present invention relates to programs, a storage media and data processing systems having the above features as well as to a storage medium containing the music produced thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Thorsten Adam, Jens Altfelder, Robert Hunt
  • Patent number: 8148622
    Abstract: Management or coordination of playback of digital media assets by an electronic device (e.g., a computing device), that supports media playback is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the electronic device can be controlled such that a user is able to schedule playback of distinct digital media assets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Fletcher R. Rothkopf, John Benjamin Filson, Kyle H. Yeates
  • Patent number: 8143509
    Abstract: A pickup processing system for a guitar or other musical instrument. According to one embodiment, a split pickup is employed that separates the sound from the two bass strings from the other four strings. The signal from the bass strings may be provided to an octave divider, which creates a bass sound to add back into the sound. The octave divider produces sound without discontinuities or other artifacts. Other effects include restored acoustical properties of the guitar body, stereo imaging, reverb and others. The present invention may be fully contained within the body of an acoustic guitar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: iZotope, Inc.
    Inventors: Jamie Robertson, Jeremy Todd, Alexey Lukin
  • Publication number: 20120048097
    Abstract: A music sound generation apparatus generates music-sound data based on sound source data, and outputs the music-sound data in synchronization with audio data obtained separately from the music-sound data. A channel assigner assigns a predetermined number of channels to the audio data and the music-sound data. A read control unit reads the audio data and the music-sound data in accordance with their assigned channels. A signal processing unit generates predetermined music by controlling the sound level of the read audio data and the read music-sound data on each assigned channel and mixing the audio data and the music-sound data. When detecting no unoccupied channel, the channel assigner determines, as an unoccupied channel, a channel selected from channels excluding the channel to which the audio data has been assigned. The signal processing unit performs sound elimination on the unoccupied channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro NAKANISHI
  • Publication number: 20120031256
    Abstract: In response to detection of a note-on instruction, a CPU assigns a tone generating unit comprising two tone generating channels and sets tone color control data of the assigned tone generating unit into tone generator registers. The tone color control data includes a parameter common to the two channels. Once the CPU gives a tone generation start instruction to a tone generator, the tone generator accumulates a frequency number common to the two channels to thereby generate a progressive phase common to the two channels. Waveform readout section reads out left-channel and right-channel waveform data from a waveform memory on the basis of the phase and waveform selecting information of the left and right channels. Tone characteristics of the read-out left- and right-channel waveform data are controlled by a characteristic control section on the basis of a characteristic control parameter common to the two channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TSUCHIYA, Kazuyuki ITO, Masahiko HASEBE, Kouichi KASHIWAZAKI, Hiroyuki IWASE
  • Patent number: 8106283
    Abstract: Performance interface system includes a motion detector provided for movement with a performer, and a control system for receiving detection data transmitted from the motion detector and controlling a performance of a tone in response to the received detection data. State of a performer's motion is detected via a sensor of the motion detector, and detection data representative of the detected motion state is transmitted to the control system. The control system receives the detection data from the motion detector, analyzes the performer's motion on the basis of the detection data, and then controls a tone performance in accordance with the analyzed data. With this arrangement, the performer can readily take part in the tone performance in the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiki Nishitani, Satoshi Usa
  • Patent number: 8093485
    Abstract: A method and system for prefetching sound data in a sound processor system. The method includes integrating a prefetching function into at least one voice engine by, providing a setup phase, a data processing phase, and a cleanup phase, and prefetching sound data from a memory during the cleanup phase. As a result, the prefetching of sound data is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: David H. Lin
  • Publication number: 20110308376
    Abstract: A data sonification system for representing a plurality of channels of numerical information is described. The data sonification system includes a plurality of audio waveform generator elements. Each of the audio waveform generator elements generates an associated audio frequency waveform. Each audio frequency waveform has an audio frequency parameter and at least one timbre modulation parameter having a settable value. The timbre modulation parameter affects the timbre of the audio waveform. The data sonification system includes a mapping element for associating aspects of multidimensional numerical data with the timbre modulation parameter of each audio frequency waveform. The mapping element sets the value of the timbre modulation parameter in response to multidimensional numerical data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventor: Lester F. LUDWIG
  • Patent number: 8067683
    Abstract: A sensed signal corresponding to a note played on a musical instrument is electronically sustained by electronically combining the sensed signal with a synthesized signal whenever a sustain control switch is activated. The set of characteristics of the synthesized signal are, initially, substantially the same as the set of characteristics of the sensed signal, but may be varied over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Marcodi Musical Products, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy E Meeks, Graham P Eatwell
  • Patent number: 8058543
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an audio smoothing system for smoothing an audio waveform to generate a smoothed waveform, including an audio generator, an audio smoothing device and an operating interface. The audio smoothing device is provided for receiving an audio waveform of the audio generator to smooth a sound corresponding to the audio waveform, and the audio smoothing system includes a sound volume modulator, a waveform divider and a calculator. An audio smoothing method includes the steps of: dividing the audio waveform according to a predetermined cycle time while the audio waveform is received; calculating respectively average waveform amplitudes; after setting an input sound volume via the operating interface, dividing the input sound volume by amplitude values respectively to obtain amplitude parameters; and multiplying all the amplitude parameters with the amplitude values corresponding to the divided audio waveforms to obtain the smoothed waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignees: Inventec Appliances (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Inventec Appliances Corp., Inventec Appliances Corp., Nanjing
    Inventors: Jie-Cai Han, Yi Sun
  • Patent number: 8060226
    Abstract: Embodiments of a signal processing system, a method, and fractionally modulated digital delay lines are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments, a fractional address is generated by adding a delay value to a fractional offset value, and input sample values are interpolated based on a fractional portion of the fractional address. A write operation may be performed to the integer portion of the fractional address for each sample period using the interpolated input sample values. Adjusted addresses may be generated when addresses are either skipped of duplicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Thomas C Savell, Carl K Wakeland
  • Patent number: 8053658
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument includes: an input device that inputs a sound generation instruction to start generating a musical sound and a stop instruction to stop the musical sound; an on-on time timer device that measures a time difference between a first and second sound generation instructions; a gate time timer device that measures a time difference between the second sound generation instruction and a stop instruction; an attack characteristic setting device that sets an attack characteristic of the musical sound to have a shorter attack time as the time difference measured by the on-on time timer device becomes shorter; and a release characteristic setting device that sets a release characteristic of the musical sound generated to have a shorter release time as the time difference measured by the gate time timer device becomes shorter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Ikuo Tanaka, Taro Umemoto
  • Publication number: 20110226116
    Abstract: In a waveform generation apparatus, a coordinates information group showing original waveform data in a two-dimensional phase space having a time axis and a wave height value axis is expanded to an n-dimensional phase space (n>2) including a time axis and a wave height value axis using Takens' embedding theorem, and converted to a coordinates information group showing attractor data. In addition, an area of the attractor data is shown, and after one of the coordinates information is specified from the coordinates information group within the shown area, coordinate values corresponding to a time axis in the coordinates information are acquired as time information. Then, composite waveform data is generated by a predetermined waveform data being added to the original waveform data, and the generated composite waveform data is outputted from a position of the original waveform data on a time axis corresponding to the acquired time information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Dejima
  • Patent number: 8022286
    Abstract: A method of sound-object oriented analysis and of note-object oriented processing a polyphonic digitized sound recording present in the form of a time signal F(A, t) includes the following analytical and processing steps: portion-wise readouts of the time signal F(A, t) using a window function and overlapping windows; Fourier-transforming the readout signal into frequency space, in particular by applying a discrete Fourier transform; calculating an energy value E at each bin from the frequency amplitude resulting from the Fourier transformation, in particular by squaring the real and imaginary parts or forming energy values derived from them; generating a function F(t, f, E); identifying event objects; identifying event objects; identifying note objects; comparing the temporal occurrence of event objects and note objects and associating event objects to note objects in the case of plausible time occurrences; calculating spectral proportion factors for each note object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Inventor: Peter Neubäcker
  • Patent number: 8017849
    Abstract: Electronic piano includes speakers arranged on its front side region and another speaker provided at a back position of the piano. Waveform memory provided in a tone generator section has prestored therein sets of four-channel waveform data, each of the sets corresponding to a tone. The four-channel waveform data are data recorded from a natural musical instrument via four microphones installed at sampling positions corresponding to the above-mentioned speakers. The microphones are installed with the on-microphone setting in which the microphones are positioned close to sounding members of the natural musical instrument. In response to depression of a key, any one of the sets of four-channel waveform data, corresponding to a tone pitch designated by the key depression, is read out from the waveform memory, so that the four-channel waveform data are supplied in parallel to the individual speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Tajima, Shinya Koseki
  • Patent number: 8008565
    Abstract: Plural key switches are arranged in two dimensions along X- and Y-coordinate axes, and an X-coordinate position of each of the key switches is associated with tone generation timing while a Y-coordinate position of each of the key switches is associated with a tone pitch. Storage section stores a music piece data set that includes tone generating data having data of tone pitches and tone generation timing associated with the key switches. In a repeat-section setting mode, a repeat-section setting section causes the plural key switches to function as setting operators and sets a repeat section of the music piece data set on the basis of the X-coordinate position of any operated one of the key switches. In reproduction of the stored music piece data set, a reproduction section repetitively reproduces the tone generating data of the music piece data set which are included in the set repeat section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Yu Nishibori, Toshio Iwai
  • Patent number: 8008569
    Abstract: Upon activation by a power-on operation, a CPU transfers part of waveform data items of predetermined tone colors from a waveform data storage to a waveform RAM, and after this, transfers data items including the remaining waveform data to be transferred. Thereby, a musical sound generating device assigns the transferred waveform data items to make it playable when the transfer of the part of the waveform data has been completed, and changes the assignment of the waveform data to make it playable in an ordinary state when the transfer of the remaining waveform data has been terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Iwase
  • Patent number: 7999578
    Abstract: Provided is a waveform generating apparatus that generates a signal having an arbitrary waveform, comprising a waveform memory that stores a plurality of pieces of waveform data that each include a sequence of signal values; a filtering section that (i) reads from the waveform memory a piece of waveform data serving as a basis for a waveform to be generated, from among the plurality of pieces of waveform data, (ii) performs a conversion by filtering the read piece of waveform data to obtain a piece of converted waveform data, and (iii) writes to the waveform memory the piece of converted waveform data; and a waveform output section that reads the piece of converted waveform data from the waveform memory and outputs a signal having a waveform corresponding to the sequence of signal values of the read piece of converted waveform data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Takahashi, Masayuki Tomita
  • Patent number: 7985915
    Abstract: Characteristic amounts are calculated from each of multiple musical piece contents, and then time points when the characteristic amounts exceed a threshold are detected as cut points. Information on the cut point concerning each of the multiple musical piece contents is stored. Based on the stored information on the cut point, a judgment is made as to whether the multiple musical piece contents match each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Matsumoto, Yuji Yamamoto, Tatsuo Koga, Ryosuke Ohtsuki
  • Patent number: 7982116
    Abstract: An electronic music apparatus has a sound generator for generating a music sound signal according to music data. A storage medium stores music data files, each written with music data for generating the sound signal. An information retention section retains file information for displaying a name or an icon of the respective music data. A reading command section issues a command of reading a target music data file from the storage medium. A display control section controls a display device to display, when the target music data file is successfully read out, the name and the icon of the music data written in the read target music data file, and when the target music data file is not read, to display the name and the icon of the music data in a state different from the name and the icon displayed when the target music data file is successfully read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuo Okamoto
  • 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: 7952013
    Abstract: Content is selected on the basis of changes of a walking tempo. The walking tempo is detected (S5). In a state determination process (S7), it is determined whether the walking tempo tends to increase, be constant, or decrease. A walking tempo corrective coefficient is calculated on the basis of the determined result and a corrective walking tempo is calculated with the walking tempo corrective coefficient (S9). It is determined whether or not music is changed on the basis of the corrective walking tempo rather than the actually detected walking tempo (S11). When music is changed, relevant music content is searched. Controls are performed in such a manner that when the walking tempo is decreasing, the foregoing state is kept for a while, when the walking tempo is increasing, music is quickly selected according to the increase of the walking tempo, and when the walking tempo is stable, music is not selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Komori, Susumu Takatsuka, Toru Sasaki, Yuichi Sakai, Yoichiro Sako, Toshiro Terauchi, Hirofumi Tamori, Makoto Inoue, Katsuya Shirai, Motoyuki Takai, Kenichi Makino, Takatoshi Nakamura, Akane Sano
  • Patent number: 7935879
    Abstract: A method and apparatus creates “micro edits” or alterations and manipulation of sounds, per track or per portion of a track in a “drum machine,” thereby creating unique subdivisions of sound as well as providing means for panning sound within a two dimensional sound space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Sonik Architects, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Transeau
  • Patent number: 7930047
    Abstract: An audio system attachable to a computer includes a sound reproduction device for producing audible sound from audio signals. The sound reproduction device includes a radio tuner and a powered speaker. The audio system further includes a connector for connecting the sound reproduction device with a computer. The computer provides audio signals from a plurality of sources, the sources including a computer CD player, digitally encoded computer files stored on the computer, and a computer network connected to the computer. The sound reproduction device further includes control buttons for controlling at least one of the computer CD player, the digitally encoded computer files and the computer network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Paul E. Beckmann, Santiago Carvajal, Christopher H. Perry
  • Publication number: 20110083545
    Abstract: A method for providing wavetable information to a wireless device from a content server over a wireless network, the wavetable information including a plurality of samples corresponding to a plurality of notes, comprising: in response to a request from the wireless device, receiving at a proxy server the wavetable information from the content server; filtering the wavetable information in accordance with a selection of samples contained in the request; and, transmitting the filtered wavetable information to the wireless device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventor: Connor O'ROURKE
  • Patent number: 7893343
    Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for processing audio files that comply with the musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) format. In particular, this disclosure describes storage of MIDI parameters for efficient access by a processor and a hardware unit. The processor may be a digital signal processor (DSP) and the hardware unit may be specifically designed to process MIDI parameters. In one aspect, this disclosure provides an apparatus comprising a processor that converts a MIDI event into MIDI parameters, a hardware unit that uses MIDI parameters to generate audio samples, and a plurality of storage units that store MIDI parameters which are accessible by both the processor and the hardware unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Prajakt Kulkarni, Nidish R. Kamath, Suresh Devalapalli
  • Publication number: 20110011242
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a data receiving module, a synthesizer module and a mix-in sample module. The data receiving module is configured to receive a plurality of Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data signals. The synthesizer module is configured to analyze the plurality of MIDI data signals to generate a plurality of audio signals corresponding to the MIDI data signals. The synthesizer module includes a mix-in sample module. The mix-in sample module is configured to receive an original sample from a plurality of samples, select a mix-in sample for the original sample, determine a mix-in velocity percentage for the mix-in sample, alter the original sample based on the mix-in velocity percentage to generate an altered original sample and generate an altered audio signal based on the altered original sample and the mix-in velocity percentage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Michael Coyote, Gary Wayne Thompson
  • Publication number: 20100313738
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an audio smoothing system for smoothing an audio waveform to generate a smoothed waveform, comprising an audio generator, an audio smoothing device and an operating interface. The audio smoothing device is provided for receiving an audio waveform of the audio generator to smooth a sound corresponding to the audio waveform, and the audio smoothing system comprises a sound volume modulator, a waveform divider and a calculator. An audio smoothing method comprises the steps of: dividing the audio waveform according to a predetermined cycle time while the audio waveform is received; calculating respectively average waveform amplitudes; after setting an input sound volume via the operating interface, dividing the input sound volume by amplitude values respectively to obtain amplitude parameters; and multiplying all the-amplitude parameters with the amplitude values corresponding to the divided audio waveforms to obtain the smoothed waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicants: INVENTEC APPLIANCES (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD., INVENTEC APPLIANCES CORP., INVENTEC APPLIANCES CORP., NANJING
    Inventors: JIE-CAI HAN, YI SUN
  • Patent number: 7816599
    Abstract: Either a tone generation priority mode or a quality priority mode can be set. If the currently-set mode is the tone generation priority mode when a connecting tone is to be generated for connecting between two successive notes, the joint-portion waveform data is selected for synthesis of the tone, stored head-portion waveform data and tail-portion waveform data are selected, and at least one of a pitch and amplitude of at least one of the head-portion waveform data and tail-portion waveform data is processed so as to provide a smoothly-varying connecting tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Akazawa
  • Patent number: 7807914
    Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques that make use of a waveform fetch unit that operates to retrieve waveform samples on behalf of each of a plurality of hardware processing elements that operate simultaneously to service various audio synthesis parameters generated from one or more audio files, such as musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) files. In one example, a method comprises receiving a request for a waveform sample from an audio processing element, and servicing the request by calculating a waveform sample number for the requested waveform sample based on a phase increment contained in the request and an audio synthesis parameter control word associated with the requested waveform sample, retrieving the waveform sample from a local cache using the waveform sample number, and sending the retrieved waveform sample to the requesting audio processing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Nidish Ramachandra Kamath, Prajakt V Kulkarni, Samir Kumar Gupta, Stephen Molloy, Suresh Devalapalli, Allister Alemania
  • Patent number: 7807915
    Abstract: In general, the techniques of this disclosure may be used to control utilization of bandwidth allocated to an audio processing module. For example, to process various audio synthesis parameters, the audio processing module may retrieve reference waveform samples for use in generating audio information for voices within an audio frame, such as a MIDI frame. In some cases, the amount of bandwidth available for retrieving the reference waveforms from memory is limited. To manage the utilization of the allocated bandwidth a bandwidth control module estimates an amount of bandwidth required to retrieve reference waveforms for all the voices of the audio frame, and selects one or more voices to be eliminated from generated audio information when the bandwidth estimate exceeds the allocated bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Prajakt Kulkarni, Suresh Devalapalli
  • Patent number: 7786369
    Abstract: A system for playing music is provided. The system includes: a mood categorizer categorizing a mood of a music file; a similar music search module searching for similar music having a mood similar to music which a user desires by referring to the categorized mood; a highlight detector detecting a highlight section of the music file; and a theme categorizer categorizing a theme of the music file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ki Wan Eom, Hyoung Gook Kim
  • Publication number: 20100206156
    Abstract: Methods and a system for providing electronic musical instruments are disclosed. Through novel combinations of sensor inputs and processing, they allow simulation of acoustic instruments including but not limited to a Trombone, Trumpet, and Saxophone. Sensor inputs are configured to trigger playback and transitioning of sound and control its various attributes alone, or in combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventor: Tom Ahlkvist Scharfeld
  • Publication number: 20100199832
    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: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi MIZUHIKI, Kazuhide Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7754959
    Abstract: There is provided herein a system and method for enabling a user of digital video editing software to automatically create an emotionally controlled soundtrack that is matched in overall emotion or mood to the scenes in the underlying video work. In the preferred arrangement, the user will be able to control the generation of the soundtrack by positioning emotion tags in the video work that correspond to the general mood of each scene. The subsequent soundtrack generation step will utilize these tags to prepare a musical accompaniment to the video work that generally matches its on-screen activities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Magix AG
    Inventors: Tilman Herberger, Titus Tost
  • Patent number: 7750231
    Abstract: A keyboard apparatus of this electronic musical instrument is provided with touch curves TW1 through TWp, TB1 through TBq each defining a velocity value Vc varying with a key-depression velocity Kv (TD). Each of keys K1 through Kn of a keyboard 14k is associated with one of the touch curves TW1 through Twp, TB1 through TBq by touch selecting tables SW, SB in accordance with an equalization rule and a weighting rule. Upon a key-depression, in accordance with the velocity curve TWr, TBs selected on the basis of an actual depressed key position Ki (M2), an actual key-depression velocity Kva is converted into a velocity Vca for controlling emission of a tone (M3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Nishida, Yasushi Tamazawa
  • Patent number: 7750229
    Abstract: The present synthesizer generates an underlying spectrum, pitch and loudness for a sound to be synthesized, and then combines the underlying spectrum, pitch and loudness with stored Spectral, Pitch, and Loudness Fluctuations and noise elements. The input to the synthesizer is typically a MIDI stream. A MIDI preprocess block processes the MIDI input and generates the signals needed by the synthesizer to generate output sound phrases. The synthesizer comprises a harmonic synthesizer block (which generates an output representing the tonal audio portion of the output sound), an Underlying Spectrum, Pitch, and Loudness (which takes pitch and loudness and uses stored algorithms to generate the slowly varying portion of the output sound) and a Spectral, Pitch, and Loudness Fluctuation portion (which generates the quickly varying portion of the output sound by selecting and combining Spectral, Pitch, and Loudness Fluctuation segments stored in a database).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Inventor: Eric Lindemann
  • Patent number: 7723601
    Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques that make use of a summing buffer that receives waveform samples from audio processing elements, and sums and stores the waveform sums for a given frame. In one example, a method comprises summing a waveform sample received from an audio processing element to produce a waveform sum associated with a first audio frame, storing the waveform sum in a memory, wherein the memory is logically partitioned into a plurality of memory blocks, and locking memory blocks containing the waveform sum associated with the first audio frame, transferring contents of locked memory blocks to an external processor, unlocking a memory block after contents of the memory block have been transferred to the external processor, and storing a waveform sum associated with a second audio frame within the unlocked memory block concurrently with transferring contents of remaining locked memory blocks associated with the first audio frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Nidish Ramachandra Kamath, Prajakt V Kulkarni, Suresh Devalapalli, Allister Alemania
  • Patent number: 7718882
    Abstract: Techniques are described of efficiently identifying sets of audio parameters to be applied during a time frame. For example, a list of indicators may be generated. Each of the indicators in the list may indicate a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) voice present in a MIDI frame. Furthermore, in generating the list, the indicators in the list may be restricted to those indicators that indicate the most acoustically significant MIDI voices in the MIDI frame. After the list is generated, a digital waveform may be generated for each of MIDI voices indicated by an indicator in the list. A combination of the waveforms of each MIDI voice may constitute an overall waveform for the MIDI frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Suresh Devalapalli, Prajakt Kulkarni, Nidish Ramachandra Kamath
  • Patent number: RE41297
    Abstract: A method of generating a tone waveform using a CPU is provided which prevents or minimizes operational delays of other software processing that is executed concurrently with tone waveform generating processing on a multitask basis. The CPU collectively calculates 128 (one block of) tone waveform sample values each corresponding to a sampling clock pulse, and transmits the calculated tone waveform sample values to a reproduction section in response to a predetermined calculation triggering clock pulse generated every 128 samples. When sufficient processing capability of the CPU performing the multitask is available for the waveform sample calculation, tone waveform sample values for one or more following blocks are also calculated and stored in a sample buffer in advance. When the CPU is too busy with the other software processing to execute the waveform sample calculation, it is just sufficient that the previously stored tone waveform sample values be read out to be transmitted to the reproduction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Shimizu