Audio file format with mapped lighting effects and method for controlling lighting effects using an audio file format

• US 20040139842A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cranfill, David, Caine, Michael, Brenner, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,008,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/477R
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/00 Teaching music metronomes G04F5/02

Abstract

An audio file format is provided, which includes definitions for one or more instruments that are associated with one or more light groupings, where each light grouping includes one or more light sources. Received commands present in the audio file, and associated with an instrument definition, are compared to determine if the associated instrument definition corresponds to one of the one or more light groupings. If the associated instrument definition corresponds to a light grouping, then the commands are mapped to corresponding display effects, and the illumination of the one or more light sources of the respective light grouping is controlled. If the associated instrument definition of the received command corresponds to an audio instrument, then an audible output is controlled in accordance with the received command.

Claims

1. An audio file format including definitions for one or more instruments, the audio file format comprising:

one or more light groupings;

wherein each light grouping includes one or more light sources and is associated with a corresponding one of the one or more instrument definitions.

2. An audio file format in accordance with claim 1, wherein the audio file format additionally includes definitions for one or more notes, which are associated with corresponding instrument definitions, and wherein when a note is defined for an instrument definition that corresponds to a lighting grouping, the one or more note definitions correspond to one or more colors.

3. An audio file format in accordance with claim 2, wherein the audio file format additionally includes one or more definitions for volume, which are associated with the one or more notes, and wherein when a volume is defined for a note that corresponds to a color for a light grouping, the volume definition corresponds to the light intensity of the color of the light sources within the light grouping.

4. An audio file format in accordance with claim 3, wherein the light intensity of the light sources within the light grouping is controlled by adjusting the duty cycle of the signal, that provides power to the light source.

5. An audio file format in accordance with claim 3, wherein the light intensity of the light sources within the light grouping is controlled by adjusting the amplitude of the signal, that provides power to the light source.

6. An audio file format in accordance with claim 2, wherein the audio file format additionally includes one or more definitions for note velocity, which are associated with the one or more notes, and wherein when a note velocity is defined for a note that corresponds to a color for a light grouping, the note velocity definition corresponds to the light intensity of the color of the light sources within the light grouping, including one or more of the rate of the attack and the decay of the light intensity of the color of the light sources within the light grouping.

7. An audio file format in accordance with claim 2, wherein the audio file format additionally includes one or more definitions for modulation, which are associated with the one or more notes, and wherein when a modulation is defined for a note that corresponds to a color for a light grouping, the modulation definition corresponds to an amplitude of a waveform, that is superimposed upon the signal that provides power to the light sources within the light grouping thereby affecting the light intensity of the color.

8. An audio file format in accordance with claim 7, wherein the waveform that is superimposed upon the signal that provides power to the light sources within the light grouping is a sine wave.

9. An audio file format in accordance with claim 2, wherein the audio file format additionally includes one or more definitions for pitch bend, which are associated with the one or more notes, and wherein when a pitch bend is defined for a note that corresponds to a color for a light grouping, the pitch bend corresponds to a substantially continuous change of color within a range of defined colors for a light grouping.

10. An audio file format in accordance with claim 9, wherein the range of defined colors corresponds to at least one of a range of different wavelengths and a range of different frequencies.

11. An audio file format in accordance with claim 2, wherein the notes corresponding to a color of a light grouping are coordinated with the notes corresponding to an audible pitch of the sound of an instrument to be reproduced.

12. An audio file format in accordance with claim 11, wherein each of the notes have a relative start time and a relative end time, and wherein coordinating the notes corresponding to a color for a light grouping and the notes corresponding to an audible pitch of the sound of an instrument to be reproduced includes synchronizing at least some of the relative start times and relative end times of at least some of the notes.

13. An audio file format in accordance with claim 11, wherein coordinating the notes corresponding to a color for a light grouping and the notes corresponding to an audible pitch of the sound of an instrument to be reproduced includes matching a particular color adapted for being displayed by one or more of the light groupings with a particular audible pitch adapted for being reproduced by a sound source.

14. An audio file format in accordance with claim 13, wherein the sound source is a transducer.

15. An audio file format in accordance with claim 2, wherein multiple notes corresponding to colors for a light grouping having durations defined by their corresponding relative start times and relative end times that overlap have their respective colors mixed and the mixed color displayed on the corresponding light grouping during the portion of the duration of the notes that the notes overlap.

16. An audio file format in accordance with claim 1, further comprising definitions for multiple sets of light groupings.

17. An audio file format in accordance with claim 1, wherein the audio file format is at least one of received, stored, and played in an electronic device.

18. An audio file format in accordance with claim 17, wherein the electronic device includes one or more light groupings.

19. An audio file format in accordance with claim 17, wherein the electronic device includes a transducer.

20. An audio file format in accordance with claim 17, wherein the electronic device is a cell phone.

21. An audio file format in accordance with claim 1, wherein the audio file format is compatible with the MIDI specification.

22. An audio file format in accordance with claim 21, wherein the audio file format uses MIDI system commands.

23. A method for controlling lighting effects using an audio file format comprising:

assigning an instrument definition to each of one or more light groupings having one or more light sources;

receiving commands for the instrument definitions assigned to at least one of the one or more light groupings; and

controlling the illumination of the one or more light sources within the respective light grouping in accordance with the commands received for the corresponding instrument definition.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein receiving commands for the instrument definitions includes receiving one or more note definitions associated with an instrument definition assigned to one of the one or more light groupings, and wherein controlling the illumination of the one or more light sources includes controlling the color displayed by the one or more light sources within the light grouping in accordance with the value of the one or more note definitions.

25. A method in accordance with claim 24 wherein receiving commands for the instrument definitions additionally includes commands for receiving at least one of volume definitions, note velocity definitions and modulation definitions, associated with at least some of the one or more note definitions, and wherein controlling the illumination of the one or more light sources additionally includes controlling the light intensity of the color displayed by the one or more light sources within the light grouping in accordance with the at least one of volume definitions, note velocity definitions and modulation definitions.

26. A method in accordance with claim 24 wherein the note definitions include relative start times and relative end times, which when associated with instrument definitions assigned to each of the one or more lighting groups affects the start time and the end time of the illumination of the light sources within the corresponding lighting groups.