2004

• 6,591,524 Advertising article with automatically activated flasher or sound module

  In previous reviews (U.S. Patents 6,335,691 and 6,478,152), we have seen application of the ubiquitous sound chip to drinking vessels of all varieties. Here, the inventors propose using a piezoelectric transducer to signal when the drink container is placed in its sleeve. Then lights and/or sound can appear supplying much needed advertisement.

• 6,591,526 Audio-capable photo album

  Basically, put a DSP microprocessor in the spine of a 3 ring photo bindere. Add a microphone and speaker and you can now annotate a collections of photographs. The inventor doesn't address how to synchronize the pictures with the annotations or the explosion of digital photography - the latter renders this invention obsolete from the start.

• 6,592,260 Flexible storage bag with audible closure indicator

  How do you know when a plastic bag is sealed? One manufacturer offers two strips of differing colors that blend when sealed. Here, Proctor and Gamble propose using a slider that creates pops or clicks as it seals.

• 6,592,375 Method and system for producing engine sounds of a simulated vehicle

  In the computer controlled archade driving game, the gamer must be supplied with ample realistic exhaust sounds. The solution, say the inventors, is to place a loudspeaker at the end of a tube located underneath the seat. Since the authors believe that the tube "focuses the sound much like a real engine exhaust pipe", it belies a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of automobile acoustics. For what the authors really want, they would do better to use a big power amplifier and even larger loudspeakers.

• 6,592,516 Interactive control system of a sexual delight appliance

  The abstract says it all: "An interactive control system of a sexual delight appliance having a signal receiving circuit, a sound analyzing circuit, a status signal input circuit, and a mechanism driving circuit. The signal receiving circuit has an input port for receiving a foreign sound signal. The sound analyzing circuit analyzes and recognizes the received sound signal in terms of the volume, the tone and the speed. The status signal input circuit converts the analyzed sound signal into a plurality of motion signals. The mechanism driving circuit performs the motion signals and allows at least one driving device to produce motions related to the motion signals such that a doll is moved with corresponding motions. In addition, the doll has a built-in sensing feedback device to remotely control another doll at a remote location via a communication net."

• 6,596,932 Vibraphone having improved drive of fans

  The wonderful shimmering sound of the vibraphone is due to the set of butterfly valves (8) located between the bars (3) and the resonance tubes (2). The inventor proposes a slip coupling to prevent the musician from damaging valuable body parts as well as the belt drive (14) (driven by motor (12)).

• 6,597,928 Portable telephone maraca which produces musical tones in synchronization of the swings and vibration of the user

  Your cellular telephone is really a maraca. So says the inventor at Yamaha. Add you need to add is a vibration sensor and sound synthesis algorithm and you'll be ready to salsa.

• 6,599,195 Background sound switching apparatus, background-sound switching method, readable recording medium with recording background-sound switching program, and video game apparatus

  In previously reviewed patent U.S. Patent 6,540,613, as the video game moves from scene to scene, the background sound changes frame synchronously. This patent addresses the issues of fading around frame boundaries. This borders on the (patently) obvious.

• 6,600,700 Digital audio disc recorder

  On occasion, a patent is filed to protect a specific embodiment as opposed to an idea or concept. Denon's patent sketches the hardware and software architecture of a Digital Audio Workstation design specifically for broadcast use. The novelty is nonexistant and the prior art search was performed only by the examiner.

• 6,601,436 Apparatus and method for detecting and processing impacts to an electronic percussion instrument

  Roland Corporation has managed to extract 45 claims after describing an electronic drum pad. As shown, they propose two detectors: one pressure sensor to detect hits and a piezoelectric sensor to help detect location. It's very strange that no reference was made to Max Mathews' electronic drum. After all, it was published in the Computer Music Journal only 23 years ago.

• 6,604,880 Motion lighting pen with light variably accompanying sound actuation

  In the continuing effort to make everything in the environment sound off, the inventors have added sound to a pen. As shown, the transducer (55) is powered by batteries (40) and the principal advance, say the authors, is the use of a cylinder (20) as a resonant chamber (at what frequency?). Don't forget the LEDs!

• 6,605,765 Acoustic guitar with internally located cassette tape player

  This patent both overstates and underspecifies the obvious. Clearly you could put a cassette tape recorder and player inside the body of a guitar - but in this day when tapes of all kinds are a vanishing species, this makes the patent already look antiquated.

• 6,605,766 Acoustic guitar assembly

  To provide a "high quality, durable acoustic guitar which is at least partly constructed from alternative non-wooden materials which provide both a novel decorative appearance and superior acoustic performance", Martin Guitar proposes using a thin metal soundboard (16) with laminate sidewalls (20) and backboard (22).

• 6,605,767 Music learning system including instrument and method

  Teaching begining music using the recorder is complicated by the difficulty of producing even breath control. Not to mention the hygenic issues of sharing a single instrument. Accordingly, the inventors believe a keyboard instrument with switchable labels is more preferable. Issues of woodwind fingering are eliminated as well. But then why not use a single octave piano keyboard? At least the skill is transferable to another instrument.

• 6,605,768 Music-signal compressing/decompressing apparatus

  In this conceptual patent, a sound source is first separated into different streams of different importance (of course, the algorithm is not disclosed, described or discussed). Next, depending on the importance, the streams can be coded in different ways (e.g. MIDI for music, CELP for voice, etc.) and then transmitted or stored.

• 6,605,769 Musical instrument digital recording device with communications interface

  Incredibly, the Gibson Guitar company believes that a DSP microprocessor and a USB port is not only novel but also worth patenting. Once again, the patent examiner supplied all the prior art citations.

• 6,606,280 Voice-operated remote control

  Why aren't remote controls voice activated? The answer, says the inventor, is to find the impulse response of the room at the remote and subtract the ambient sounds from the input. Next, the user's voice is deconvolved with the room impulse response and then voice recognition can be attempted. No concrete results are given. Again, the examiner has researched the prior art.

• 6,607,041 Power tools

  The days of simple stupid power tools are over. Makita, a well known Japanese manufacturer, proposes sensing of impact sounds by a microprocessor as shown in the figure. The impact detection method proposed (thresholding) is particularly simple minded.

• 6,608,247 Stringed musical instrument with soundbox extension

  According to the inventor, a mandolin suffers from a number of deficiencies including the "power" of the sound and less flexion resulting in tuning instabilities. The proposed cure is an extended sound box that resembles a lyre. Issues of body resonance are not addressed.

• 6,609,943 Electronic talking toy and doll combination

  Using the ubiquitous sound chip, we can now replace the virtual sounds of children driving a car with the stored engine sounds on-chip.

• 6,609,944 Animal ball toy

  Entertainment and amusement toys are appreciated by many large mammals. Here, a spherical surface with a squeaker (20), can roll and squeak reminding house cats of small furry mice.

• 6,610,915 Soundboard of composite fibre material construction

  Here, the inventor presents an analysis of his attempt to construct a composite sound board (plate) for stringed instruments. He defines the "Quality Quotient" Qm = c / rho, where c is the speed of sound in the longitudinal direction and rho is the density of the material. Because of the higher Qm in the composite material effects the modal distribution, the inventor proposes an increase in area to compensate for the change in material. Unfortunately, the inventor does not disclose the final design or performance, so we are left hanging.

• 6,612,894 Method of calling game using a diaphragm game call having an integral resonance chamber

  The inventor proposes a new replaceable diaphragm (215) for a turkey caller. This uses an external resonant chamber (213) instead of the hunter's mouth. Other useful properties are cited in the claims.

• 6,612,897 Musical toy with a motor driven display

  Combine a child's jack-in-the-box with a popper and a piano style keyboard, all driven by a motor and you have the ultimate child amusement toy. Unfortunately, the music is provided by electronic means.

• 6,613,970 Process of making acoustic devices

  The inventor extends his earlier patent on the "Belleplate" hand bell (U.S. Patent 5,177,310) to facilitate fabrication with CNC machines.

• 6,614,729 System and method of creating digital recordings of live performances

  This patent seems to claim that having different stages of capturing, editing and recording live music is new and novel. Since this was filed in 2001, it's hard to see how this got through the patent office so fast. As expected, the search for prior art (one reference) is underwhelming.

• 6,615,249 Method for comparing and synchronizing data from different data sources

  The basic idea is that a data source (a musical signal) is located a large distance from the data sink; an accompaniment can be created and transmitted back to the source for recording on a "data carrier". There is nothing new or novel in any of these proposals.

• 6,617,501 Cymbal system

  To change the timbre of a cymbal in a pal controlled drum set, the inventors propose adding an indented ring on both surfaces thereby creating an air cushion.

• 6,618,336 Reproducing apparatus

  In this automated accompaniment machine, the acoustic input is divided into four different bands, a simple analog envelope detector is digitized and given to a CPU. The processor detects rhythm from the input and generates the very simple accompaniment.

• 6,619,225 Whistle for multi-implement folding knife

  The venerable "Swiss Army knife" has been missing a whistle. So, the inventors propose adding a cover (38) on the whistle structure (40). The user blow through slot (50) and the breath exits though slot (52). Will reeds and a harmonica be next?

• 6,619,594 Control, sound, and operating system for model trains

  In the interest of increased realistic model train operation, computer have been introduced to control the locomotive speed and track switching. Now, by using the track as a transmission medium for encoded commands, the locomotive can offer new capabilities including emitting new sounds depending on engine speed.

• 6,620,991 Percussion instrument

  Each cylinder (34) is filled with rattle beads and can be shaken much like a tambourine. Should be easy to make and manufacture.

• 6,621,768 Compact disc recorder

  Filed in 2000, the inventors propose a Compact Disk (audio) recorder. They point out that editing is possible if the tracks are stored in memory first. There is absolutely nothing that was not obvious to those "skilled in the art". It doesn't help that all the prior art was supplied by the examiner.

• 6,623,326 Sound-effects generating device with bipolar magnetic switching for activity devices

  As shown, a circuit board with a magnetic sensor (52 and 54) can detect another toy of the same or similar design with magnet (30). The detection of this proximity of attack means that the loudspeaker (38) can sound the alarm. And you can attach it to a key ring (18) too.

• 6,624,348 Electronic piano having variable keys

  The basic idea is to divide the piano keyboard into "big keys" ... The abstract states "One can play the electronic piano in a sense of play. Besides, since each of the zones can be struck in a lump, this electronic piano is suitable for a person having large hands and fingers or a person declined in dexterity such as an old person or a physically handicapped person."

• 6,627,802 Reinforcing braces for stringed musical instruments and method for positioning same

  Plate vibrations in stringed instruments exhibit moding. As the inventor remarks, these studies have been performed over several decades by a variety of researchers. The inventor proposes testing the plates for modes and using these results to place bracing where the best sound will result. Since the proof of the pudding is in the eating, final results would be advantageous but alas, these are sadly lacking.

• 6,627,805 Audio device and method including a membrane having at least two tongues with different resonant frequencies

  Did you realize that the circular radiators of cone loudspeakers and ribbons of electrostatic transducers "don't create sound that is correct to the human ear"? The proposed solution is a multifinger diffuser with a hole (6). The absence of theory and measurement makes this just so much wishful thinking.

• 6,627,807 Communications apparatus for tone generator setting information

  Electronic musical instruments transmit key on and key off events via the MIDI standard. This patent concerns transmitting MIDI streams via the Internet. The strategy outlined includes the obvious time and sequence stamping along with a checksum. Strangely, for a patent that purports to be about an Internet protocol, there is no mention of the TCP/IP stack. For Yamaha, the patent is well written and complete.

• 6,627,808 Acoustic modeling apparatus and method

  A solid body electric guitar lacks a body resonance. This patent teaches that a body vibration sensor located near the neck/body junction can be amplified and recombined with the string vibrations as shown in the figure. Furthermore, it can all be done with analog circuuitry as shown in the schematics. However, Karjalainen and others have a DSP scheme that directly models the body resonance without tricks. Which would you choose?

• 6,628,585 Quadraphonic compact disc system

  Even at this late date, some inventors don't want to give up quad. This one wants to change the well established CD format to include four channels by using pairs of CD tracks. The issues of format compatability and the psychoacoustic imaging problems of quad are all conveniently neglected.

• 6,629,067 Range control system

  Karoke is the well known entertainment of singing along with a soundtrack. Unfortunately, untrained singers lack the vocal range of the original performer. And so, the first idea is to pitch shift the untrained vocalist. If the computer knows the reference pitch of the original singer, then the pitch shifting can be closer to the original recording. In addition, it is well known that due to formant placement, pitch shifting will sound wrong unless the formants are moved into their expected places. Accordingly, the formants will be shifted into the right place. It's unfortunate that Kawai couldn't be bothered to find the many references to pitch shifting and left it all to the examiner.

• 6,631,723 Artificial nails with three dimensional features

  You can attach almost anything to finger and toe nails. Why not a small soundtrack? (among a list of possible 3-D reliefs). This would be much shorter than the acoustic straw recently reviewed (USP 6,512,727). The inventor has set a new low standard in patent illustrations.

• 6,632,989 Electronic pad with vibration isolation features

  Cymbals can be used as sensors if some fundamental changes are made as shown in the figure. First, the cymbal surface is coated with rubber to reduce the hit sound. Second, piezoelectric sensors (2) are added at the edge (6, 7) and in the center (8). They are connected to the output cable (14).

• 6,636,170 Signal converter with digital/analog conversion and noise-dependent variability of output signal bandwidth

  Setting a record for brevity, this obvious patent states that a suitable low pass filter is needed on the output of a SACD DAC. No back references, no citations and its obvious nature should have made it shameful.

• 6,632,988 Damper adjustment device

  Steinway describes a new method of damping grand piano strings. The timing of the underdampers creates the action --- And so as shown in the figure, the two adjustment blacks 342 and 342A control overall position whereas the individual dampers 301 can be adjusted via the adjustment screw 304.

• 6,631,195 Speaker attenuation for practicing a musical instrument

  Simply, the inventor proposes adding a very simple filter network to "approximate" the Fletcher Munson curves for use in practicing or other low level conditions.

• 6,638,169 Gaming machines with directed sound

  The use of demodulated ultrasound is all the rage. Next, consider the cacophony of a gambling casino. The inventors propose using demodulated ultrasound to create a private gaming space. But isn't the sound of gaming machines music to the player's (and casino owner's) ears?

• 6,643,372 Apparatus and method for music production by at least two remotely located music sources

  The use of Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) in providing wider bandwidth is well known -- Radio stations have been using this technology for at least 10 years. The inventors describe a straight-forward two channel FDM scheme for 3.7 kHz bands. This speedy patent (it only took 10 months!) demonstrates that analog methods live on in the hearts of many. They have conveniently neglected the possibility that two different telephone lines may and can use different trunks, leading to different delays. A digital system could easily calibrate and measure this difference. But this system...

• 6,646,190 Acoustic stringed instrument with spring supported top

  The patent teaches that by making the top plate of a guitar more compliant, then the Helmholtz resonance will be broadened with a subsequent improvement in tone. The inventor illustrates a bellows-like attachment scheme as shown in the figure.

• 6,646,548 Electronic siren

  Mechanical sirens are an endangered species on emergency vehicles due to the high current drain, component wear and velocity dependent behavior. This very modern substitute uses a class D switcher coupled to a microcontroller. The patent writing is clear and full schematics are provided. Heat up the soldering iron.

• 6,647,359 System and method for synthesizing music by scanning real or simulated vibrating object

  The authors describe "scanning synthesis" whereby some object, any object can be scanned and converted into music synthesis parameters. Among the more interesting possibilities mentioned is a dancer's body. The key question is how to convert scanned coordinates into control parameters.

• 6,647,366 Rate control strategies for speech and music coding

  The inventors describe a multimodal coder such that by using a discrimination algorithm, one can switch from low bit rate speech to high bit rate audio. The authors are agnostic on the question of discriminator choice, but offer details on the bit rate management. Another patent (US 6,658,383) illustrates how to use such a discriminator in the context of coding mixed content signals.

• 6,648,031 Fuel dispensing devices equipped with a sound and/or video system

  Pumping gasoline/petrol into a tank is one of life's little pleasures. Imagine how your senses will be enriched by the visual and audible sensations emanating from the boot of the nozzle. Just imagine.

• 6,649,818 Multiple neck, integral body musical instrument

  Multiple neck electric guitars are not unknown. Here, the inventor proposes putting the second fretboard literally on top of the other guitar as shown in the figure.

• 6,649,821 Keyboard musical instrument equipped with key-touch regulator provided between keys and stationery member

  Piano action is an individual preference often reinforced by a performer's allegiance to a given manufacturer. Yamaha proposes adding individual adjustments to each key that adjust the time accordingly.

• 6,650,829 Signal recording apparatus and method

  Imagine using different signaling sounds in a video recorder. This is the sole point of this Sony patent.

• 6,651,376 Method and apparatus for attracting fish using a sound producing fishing accessory providing blind positive engagement to a hook

  The inventor proposes using a two ball rattle as a fish lure. Many differing embodiments are shown using this basic concept. Caveat piscus.

• 6,652,346 Musical bottle system

  Yet another design for an electronic musical baby bottle --- this time featuring a play button. Think of an MP3 player at the base of a baby bottle and you're on the right track.

• 6,653,543 Musical instrument tuner with configurable display

  The inventor proposes a swiss army knife guitar tuner. First, it can display tunings. Second, it can display gig messages like play lists. Third, it can communicate with anything networked. Lastly, it can be an A/D converter. And... it plugs right into the electric guitar phone jack!

• 6,653,546 Voice-controlled electronic musical instrument

  A new electronic instrument called the "Vocollo" is proposed. The player hums into the mouthpiece. The pitch is detected via the inventor's own take on autocorrelation and then used to control a synthesizer that can generate any sound. The addition of keys permit control of various features.

• 6,658,383 Method for coding speech and music signals

  Assigned to Microsoft, this mixed audio/speech coder uses an all pole model. The program material detector separates speech from audio frames and uses different excitations. In the case of speech, the residual is coded (a la CELP) and transmitted. In the music case, a new overlap-add windowing scheme is introduced before coding. Coding artifacts are no doubt audible for some material, but the authors are silent on this aspect.

• 6,669,527 Doll or toy character adapted to recognize or generate whispers

  Equipping dolls with microphones is easy enough to do. The question is: what can you do with them? Here, the inventor proposes using a whisper detection algorithm (not specified of course) and generating whispers in return (also not detailed).

• 6,674,197 Electromagnetic sound generator

  A specific construction for an electromagnetic buzzer as shown in the figure below is described. A coil (3) is wound on a core (4) with terminals (6). This is inside the yoke and spool (1 and 2 respectively). As the solenoid pushes out, it pushes against the round spring (5) thereby hitting the backplate (7).

• 6,675,511 Acoustic card

  The world of greeting cards was extended to include sound a long time ago. Typically, a switch is closed when the card is opened and then the audio program begins. The inventor asserts that the switch is too thick and therefore a magnet and reed switch is the solution.

• 6,676,479 Turkey call

  Turkeys are maligned creatures. Ben Franklin respected them and wanted to make them the national bird. Tricky to hunt, hunters need all the help they can get. In this patent, a striker is used to scrape a slate piece mounted on top of a hollow sound box.

• 6,679,927 Dog bone toy with variable sound emitters

  A dog toy shaped like a bone uses a series of tubes with whistles that move due to gravity. Dogs might be pleased with the result but the effect on the owner is unclear.

• 6,680,431 Violin shoulder rest

  Miking a violin is typically done by placing the transducer near the bridge. This inventor proposes adding a microphone inside the shoulder rest. The issue of shadowing by the jaw is not addressed.

• 6,680,753 Method and apparatus for skipping and repeating audio frames

  Synchronization of compressed audio with video can be an issue due to the differing data rates, This algorithm proposes computing an amplitude value from an audio frame and comparing it against a threshold. If the audio time is less than the video time, then there must be frames repeated to bring the time up. Frames that are below the threshold can be considered silent (by this algorithm) and skipped. Likewise, if the audio time is ahead of the video time, then the frames must be skipped.

• 6,681,661 Detachable and adjustable sound and feedback control device for stringed musical instruments having a hollow body with a sound hole

  The inventor proposes an insertable sound hold cover with adjustable vanes. The main idea is to provide a variable opening for an acoustic guitar. Additionally, it can be used to hang a dessicant in the body for use in humid environments.

• 6,683,241 Pseudo-live music audio and sound

  The invetiable sameness of audio recording is this inventor's woe. He proposes breaking a composition into a number of segments (called snippets) that are variably assembled at playback. Valuable details about the time varying process are notably absent. The multitrack playback details (including pointer organization in memory) are certainly not very original.

• 6,683,242 Composite keyboard musical instrument, silent system for performance without acoustic tones and regulating button mechanism for changing escape timing depending upon mode of operation

  As keyboard players know, the mechanical action of a piano is critical to the feel. Silent pianos are not a contradiction in terms if the action can be preserved (silence is needed for practice in apartments and other sonic sensitive environments). Accordingly, Yamaha has redesigned the string mechanism as shown. The details are readable for piano mechanics.

• 6,686,526 Percussion practice aid

  To encourage the student to hit the center of the drumhead, an annulus is placed on top of the head as shown in the figure. Various refinements are possible and also applicable to cymbals and other percussion instruments.

• 6,686,529 Method and apparatus for selecting harmonic color using harmonics, and method and apparatus for converting sound to color or color to sound

  It's not enough to display the spectrum in color. Instead one can display western harmonic intervals by analyzing the sound with the ubiquitous FFT and then applying peak detection. And, these frames can be converted into color. The patent is unfortunately in black and white.

• 6,686,531 Music delivery, control and integration

  This patent proposes online delivery of music that is changed at the user's discretion. Essentially, each instrument track is separately recorded at the studio and then mixed down at the user's machine. The instruments can also be pitch shifted or time warped (of course these mechanisms are not discussed or elaborated). Or, various tracks can be omitted entirely, so it can become "music minus n", where n is the number of missing tracks.

• 6,686,839 Method and system for noise notification

  This conceptual patent was filed to stop office noise, specifically excess yakking. Yes, according to the introduction... "Much of the noise is created by the workers themselves in the course of their work. However, the noise is not always intentional, nor are they necessarily aware that they are speaking too loudly or making noise in any other way. Noise indicating light systems are known. However, none of these systems directs notification to the person responsible for the noise." 1984 has come and gone and yet looms forever on the horizon.

• 6,687,193 Audio reproduction apparatus having audio modulation function, method used by the apparatus, remixing apparatus using the audio reproduction apparatus, and method used by the remixing apparatus

  Turntable music (or "scratching") is the now ancient technique of hand control of vinyl playback with the fingers controlling the platter motion. Here again (see 6535462, already reviewed) is another digital version that aims to avoid needles, table inertia, surface noise and fun.

• 6,689,944 Drum acoustic wire and drum

  The timbre of the snare drum depends on the vibrating wires located underneath the drum head. These wires are difficult to install and are exceedingly sensitive to environmental sounds (like loud amplified guitars). Yamaha proposes using a single long wire as shown stretched between tensioners (27 and 28).

• 6,694,126 Digital memo recorder

  The transition of the car from motor vehicle to home on wheels continues. Here, the office memo recorder has morphed into a car memo recorder for those brilliant inspirations that occur during the rush hour.

• 6,632,988 Damper adjustment device

  Steinway describes a new method of damping grand piano strings. The timing of the underdampers creates the action. And so, as shown in the figure, the two adjustment blocks 342 and 342A control the overall position whereas the individual dampers 301 can be adjusted via the adjustment screw 304.

• 6,663,491 Game apparatus, storage medium and computer program that adjust tempo of sound

  Imagine a game where your dance moves are analyzed and the sound track tempo is changed in accordance with your movements. Now add scoring (e.g., how close to the system referernce) and you'll be ready for the arcade. Specifics about the image processing are left to the reader's imagination - and the dance moves will probably be restricted to large limb movements -- subtlety (like isolations) are just too hard.

• 6,664,454 Musical instrument

  The inventor admits that he borrowed the concept of the folded bore from the Renaissance racket and applied it to the dijeridoo. It'll be more compact and will definitely fit in the overhead bin.

• 6,664,456 Harmonic vibration damping device for musical instruments and firearms

  This reviewer has always suspected a hidden link between woodwinds and firearms. To quote from the patent abstract "Resilient material and/or rubber O-rings are placed at various predetermined locations to reduce unwanted sympathetic vibrations on musical instruments and firearms. This improves the performance and sound of musical instruments and makes them easier to play. The resilient material improves shooting accuracy, produces a tighter grouping of firings, and reduces flash, report and recoil of firearms"

• 6,667,433 Frequency and phase interpolation in sinusoidal model-based music and speech synthesis

  McAulay and Quatieri proposed using sums of sinusoids to model complete waveforms. This "MQ" representation has found great favor in the audio DSP community. However, complex tones will demand a considerable number of sinusoids to be generated in real time. Furthermore, the MQ parameters are typically derived/found through FFT based methods, leading to frame boundaries. Between these bondaries, the phase of the sinusoid must be interpolated. For real time generation, speed becomes the ussue. The authors propose a Least Squares fit to the data providing quadratic interpolation.

• 6,664,460 System for customizing musical effects using digital signal processing techniques

  Consider an effects box that accpets a signal flow as found in the figure below. An electric guitar input can have various effects applied before simulation that classic amplifier and speaker sound. Further, as the patent clearly lays out, the coefficients of the filters can be interpolated (or warped) to form a "new" sound. Other effects can be added after that as shown.

• 6,727,417 Computerized music teaching instrument

  In a patent reviewed earlier (U.S. 6,337,434), the inventor proposed a set of mechanically controlled puppets for teaching solfege. Now, it has been updated to include a computer to enhance the instruction of preschool children --- basically by expanding the already overloaded palette of musical metaphors.

• 6,727,418 Musical score display apparatus and method

  Instrumental players know to memorize when a begin repeat sign is seen so that they can frantically find the sign when they see the end repeat. How can an electronic/computer assisted score reader help? To begin with, by displaying both the begin and ending measures... The patent discloses this and other mechanisms for resolving back references in score reading during performances. The patent writing is suitably turgid to give patents a bad name.

• 6,727,419 Pulsating metronome

  If Dick Tracy can have a 2 way wrist radio, why not a wrist mentronome? By adding a mechanical vibrator to signal the beat, the player can feel the pulse. What's more, with a strong enough vibration, the player can acheive rhythmic vibrato! The inventor neglected to think about how to synchronize multiple time pieces --- more's the pity.

• 6,727,421 Reproducing apparatus

  Essentially, this is a broad patent covering the use of a playlist in an MP3 player. The novelty of the scheme is difficult to discern since the exact format is not specified and as a result, the description (while satisfying patent lawyers) is vague and useless.

• 6,728,664 Synthesis of sonic environments

  Essentially, the inventor wants to apply neural network like techniques to sound environment generation. The idea of probabilistic generation of sonic environments dates back at least to the 1950s with John Cage. Xenakis (and many others) extended this fundamental idea. It's a pity the inventor doesn't appear aware of this (much) earlier art.

• 6,733,359 Talking action figure having facial expressions

  An "action figure" is a doll by another other name., Here, Hasbro illustrates how to add simple vocal gestures by moving the jaw up and down. As the computer animation industry knows, effective gestures are not that simple.

• 6,733,399 Sporting equipment audible device

  The inventor claims that the addition of a fluttering flag to a golf club or tennis racquet will encourage better form by only fluttering during impact. The aerodynamics of moving clubs and racquets is unfortunately not discussed and leaving the supposition in doubt. It's probably more annoying than useful.

• 6,734,349 Fingertip musical tap assembly

  Do you like drumming your fingertips on the desktop? If so, then this invention is for you. Each finger gets a hard strap that can be adjusted for fat or thin fingers. The rest is up to you. However, fingernails are cheaper.

• 6,737,572 Voice controlled electronic musical instrument

  The heart of the patent is an instrument that a naive player can play. The inventors propose a computer algorithm for pitch detection (with a kazoo input) followed by instrumental synthesis. C++ code is sketched as well.

• 6,737,959 Bag with sound generating module

  The ubiquitous sound chip finds yet another use --- shopping bags. Coupled with wireless reception (not mentioned but fiendishly obvious), one can only imagine the possibilities: "Buy more!", "You're leaving the mall ALREADY?" and other exhortations.

• 6,744,703 Continuous recording apparatus by interpolating the audio signal during seeking operation

  A modern disk generates noise when seeking from track to track as the head is pushed by the linear motor. This noise would be audible if the disk were close to the microphone. The inventors propose suspending audio recording while seeking and then interpolating. Given a seek time of approximately 4 ms for a modern disk, this would be 384 samples at 96K samples/second. That's a sizable gap. They do note that this gap may be impossible to interpolate for some types of audio signals.

• 6,744,971 Information signal recording/reproducing apparatus and method thereof

  Although commercial TV networks don't like it, video recorders can be used to skip over commercials. The question for the home viewer is: can the recorder automatically detect them? The inventor uses the time duraction as a first threshold - if the time difference is less than 5 minutes, then see if it is a multiple of 30 seconds (due to network charges, commercial time is quantized). If so, then the playback can be advanced. Of course, this only works if the storage medium has a directory. In addition, you can use the audio channel status (stereo, mono) to make additional "commercial judgements".

• 6,747,202 Sound generating system producing sound from vibrations in musical instrument through natural microphone simulation

  The inventor wants to morph an electric guitar into an acoustic guitar. Without saying so, he employs a Schroeder style reverbrator to emulate the resonance of the body. It's a pity that he didn't consider the actual body impulse response or the papers by Penttinen, et al. that show how to do it accurately.

• 6,749,507 Entertainment apparatus and monitor device used therein

  This design patent for the Sony Playstation shows that a a gaming consule can be constructed with a lid (910) containing a LCD display (911) with a hinge (914) connected to the main box that has both audio and video output.

• 6,751,167 Information playback apparatus

  Once again (also see the previously reviewed US Patent 6687193), a digital scratching player is described. The patents describes how to use a large (64 MByte) ring buffer with read and write pointers and varying pointer increments and decrements to produce varying segments via a "digital thumb".

• 6,704,706 Method and system for reduction of quantization-induced block-discontinuities and general purpose audio codec

  A transform based audio coder must divide the data into fixed sized blocks. These block boundaries result in many audible artifacts. In this disclosure, the inventors aim to reduce the quantization error due to the "Gibbs Leakage" at the window boundaries. Their solution is to (a) Use bell shaped weighting on samples across the boundary (b) Efficient quantization and (c) Modeling any residual as stochastic noise. The algorithms are given clearly in matlab (tm) as well as text.

• 6,570,081 Method and apparatus for editing performance data using icons of musical symbols

  Yamaha describes how to accept raw MIDI data and convert it to musical "icons". The choice of the word icon is poor -- "figure" would be a better choice. Essentially, the inventors use an extremely simplistic form of pattern matching to do the dirty work of converting the MIDI stream into another stream with different figures.

• 6,570,991 Multi-feature speech/music discrimination system

  Scheirer and Slaney's music-speech discriminator is well known --- and here is the patent. The idea is simple enough: Use 13 features as the input to a classifier. Three different classifiers are discussed in the patent and compared: Gaussian, Nearest neighbor and k-d trees. The patent is easy to read - and it only took seven years from the filing date.

• 6,538,565 Applause device

  Showing approval and disapproval can be tiring - clapping and booing takes physical energy. Why not use a battery controlled device instead? Takes all the fun out of it, doesn't it.

• U,Se, 6538189 ## 'Musical instruments, theory' Wind controller for music synthesizers

  Given the MIDI clock rate (31.25 kilobytes/second = 32 microseconds), key transitions on a wind controller (like the well known WX-7) can result in glitches. The inventor proposes using two switches per key to produce a "trit" per key. These are interpreted by a microcontroller (and converted to MIDI). As a bonus, the microcontroller can also offer chords to the chord hungry wind player.

• 6,538,185 Pedal board assembly

  For more than 40 years, electronic test instruments have featured "plug-ins" whereby a common power supply (and often CRT) are shared by many instruments. Now, think of creating an effects box with a common backplane and you have exactly the same idea.

• 6,440,497 Printed audio layer for packaging, sporting equipment and toys

  Thought vinyl was dead? Not so fast. This inventor wants to use raised inks to create a soundtrack. And, you can combine it with ordinary quasi-flat inks to have labels too. The playback transducer is a fingernail guided perpendicularly along the track.

• 6,586,664 Drum muting system

  There are many reasons to mute a vibrating drum head including respect for your neighbors, small recording studio room acoustics and not frightening small children. This inventor proposes an externally attached muffler that damps the head via an inner frame (30). The damper resembles a piano damper with the point positioned to soften the drum membrane on large excursions. The frame design is rather arbitrary - what would happen if it was designed to match the well described vibratory modes of the drum head?

• 6,430,529 System and method for efficient time-domain aliasing cancellation

  The Dolby AC-3 audio coder uses Time Domain Alias Cancellation (TDAC). The algorithm given by Dolby in the specification is not optimized for real time performance. This patent describes specific optimizations and what's more, real C code is included.

• 6,434,520 System and method for indexing and querying audio archives

  The inventors sketch the high level design of a audio retrieval system. Data is assigned features and segmented appropriately. This is further used to index the data in the database. The patent writing is clear but intentionally lacking in details and specifics.

• 6,689,946 Aid for composing words of song

  The inventor proposes a user interface design to assist the construction (composition) of songs. Specifically, the music is presented piano roll style while words are composed below. The editor offers a list of rhyming words and grammatical rules (free verse poets need not apply).

• 6,688,545 Fishing-reel sounding device

  Bicycle component followers know that Shimano makes many different parts. This patent applies their mechanical know-how to fishing reel design, specifically how to design a gear-pawl mechanism so that the sound generated when the reel is under line pressure is uniform regardless of the force direction. Detailed mechanical drawings are included.

• 6,693,233 Neckless lap guitar

  The inventor proposes a novel neckless teardrop shaped "lap guitar". Avoiding the neck-body joint affords a certain sturdiness. The references to past guitar construction are interesting.

• 6,725,109 Sound generator circuit system and method

  This easy to understand disclosure covers a simple sound generator for a palm computer. The inventors argue that using an amplifier together with PCM samples will be too expensive in both memory and battery consumption. So, they propose a simple three component low pass filter coupled to a Darlington pair driving a piezoelectric transducer. The input is a serial PWM stream. Not exactly hi-fi, but very economical.

• 6,699,098 Animated musical alligator

  Although the inventor promises to make this animated alligator sing along the music it emits, there is absolutely no discussion about how this might be accomplished. Florida residents may wish their alligators sang too.

• 6,437,229 Equipment and process for music digitalization storage, access, and listening

  An MP3 jukebox? Filed in 2000, this patent is at least 15 years behind the times.

• 6,439,723 Ornamental image display and sound device

  The inventor wants to add audio to Christmas ornaments. Given the extensive prior art on stored greetings, the novelty of this part of the patent is very suspect (The image projector is anyone's guess).

• 6,462,261 Harmonicas

  To amplify a harmonica, the player holds a microphone close to the rear of the instrument. This can amplify breath noise and feedback from the amplification system. The inventor proposes added a shell (15) and a small (undoubtedly electret) microphone (20). The acoustic effect of creating this small cavity was not contemplated.

• 6,461,217 Talking doll having extendible appendages

  A doll with extensible appendages can also include the now ubiquitous sound chip for generating various sound effects.

• 6,740,802 Instant musician, recording artist and composer

  This inventor proposes a general all-in-one, all purpose, slices and dices music composition program for the naive user. Everything proposed here has been implemented before by others - if anything could possibly be novel, it would be the user interface. But even that tests the obvious. Algorithmic details are notably absent.

• 6,741,264 Method of generating an audible indication of data stored in a database

  The idea is to generate audible indicators (called an earcon in the auditory display community) for various visual displays. The inventor proposes choosing sounds based on the circle of fifths - without any psychoacoustical justification.

• 6,742,713 Access controlled system with acoustic mechanical verification transmitter

  Magnetic card readers are susceptible to vandalism and weather to say the least. This acoustic card uses a variety of techniques including slots, bars and holes to create a unique acoustical signature when the plate (9) is deformed and released. The inventor says nothing at all about how well this works in practice, or how to design a card to fit a particular code.

• 6,749,481 Sound producing apparatus

  Fireworks and firecrackers (and gunpowder) are an ancient Chinese discovery dating back to the 8th century. Unfortunately, they are explosive and dangerous to life and limb, so then the question becomes how to create a safe and sane equivalent. The inventors propose using compressed air that rapidly ruptures a tightly sealed cap (38) also emitting confetti (39).

• 6,750,758 Remotely controlled beeper and method

  Imagine the following scene: you are accompanying your trusty hunting dog to obtain a fresh wild duck for dinner. The dog goes into the tall grass where s/he can not be seen and only heard. The collar beeps as long as the dog moves. Finally, the prey are spotted, floating by. Freezing, the dog "points". The collar recognizes the absence of movement and emits a hawk screech via piezoelectic speaker. The ducks take flight, where now it's your turn.

• 6,751,485 Sounding alert for recent calls

  Cache the last few phone numbers in a memory in your cell phone. If the phone is called by one of those numbers, then generate a different ringing tone. That's it. Nothing more, and certainly nothing less. If Amazon can patent the "one click" user interface, then surely Nokia can do this one.