SCHEME FOR PROVIDING AUDIO EFFECTS FOR A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AND FOR CONTROLLING IMAGES WITH SAME

• US 20090100988A1
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zalewski, Gary M., Villa, Mark Francis
• Granted Patent: US 7,842,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/601
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/424 involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0091 Means for obtaining special acoustic effects combined with modulation G10H1/043
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/348 Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/383 Chord detection and/or recognition, e.g. for correction, or automatic bass generation
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/066 : for pitch analysis as part of wider processing for musical purposes, e.g. transcription, musical performance evaluation; Pitch recognition, e.g. in polyphonic sounds; Estimation or use of missing fundamental
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/155 : Musical effects
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/145 : Multiplayer musical games, e.g. karaoke-like multiplayer videogames
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/315 : for joystick-like proportional control of musical input; Videogame input devices used for musical input or control, e.g. gamepad, joysticks joysticks per se G06F3/033, G05G9/047, A63F13/20
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 : Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing. conductor baton movement sensing G10H2220/206, angle sensing without reference to gravity G10H2220/391; player body joint angle sensing G10H2220/321
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/401 : 3D sensing, i.e. three-dimensional (x, y, z) position or movement sensing. movement pattern or gesture sensing G10H2220/201; geolocation sensing G10H2220/355, 3D sensing with accelerometer G10H2220/395
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/175 : for jam sessions or musical collaboration through a network, e.g. for composition, ensemble playing or repeating; Compensation of network or internet delays therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/186 : Means for processing the signal picked up from the strings filtering G10H1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/187 : for distorting the signal, e.g. to simulate tube amplifiers changing the tone color by non-linear elements G10H1/16

Abstract

A method for use with a musical instrument includes receiving a signal representative of a sound produced by the musical instrument, receiving a selection of an audio effect from a wireless controller, applying the audio effect to the signal representative of a sound produced by the musical instrument, and providing an output signal representative of the audio effect applied to the sound produced by the musical instrument. Other methods include causing an image to be responsive to a signal representative of motions of the musical instrument, and causing an image to be responsive to a signal representative of sound produced by the musical instrument. A computer readable storage medium may store a computer program adapted to cause a processor based system to execute the steps of any one or more of these methods.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program adapted to cause a processor based system to execute steps comprising:

receiving a signal representative of a sound produced by a musical instrument;

receiving a selection of an audio effect from a wireless controller, wherein the wireless controller is coupled to the musical instrument and includes a motion sensing capability;

applying the audio effect to the signal representative of a sound produced by the musical instrument;

providing an output signal representative of the audio effect applied to the sound produced by the musical instrument;

receiving a signal from the wireless controller representative of motions of the musical instrument as the musical instrument is played by a user; and

causing a displayable image representative of the user playing the musical instrument to be responsive to the signal representative of motions of the musical instrument.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless controller comprises a game controller; and

the steps of receiving a signal, receiving a selection, applying the audio effect, and providing an output signal are performed by a game console.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the image comprises an avatar playing a representation of the musical instrument; and

the step of causing the displayable image representative of the user playing the musical instrument to be responsive to the signal representative of motions of the musical instrument comprises;

causing the representation of the musical instrument played by the avatar to substantially track the motions of the musical instrument as the musical instrument is played by the user; and

causing the avatar to move with movements of the representation of the musical instrument played by the avatar.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer program is further adapted to cause the processor based system to execute a step comprising:

displaying in an online community images that are representative of one or more additional players interacting with the displayable image that is representative of the user playing the musical instrument.

5. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program adapted to cause a processor based system to execute steps comprising:

receiving a signal representative of sound produced by the musical instrument as the musical instrument is played by a user;

generating an image for display that is representative of the user playing the musical instrument; and

causing the image to be responsive to the signal representative of sound produced by the musical instrument.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein:

the image comprises an avatar playing a representation of the musical instrument; and

the step of causing the image to be responsive to the signal representative of sound produced by the musical instrument comprises;

deciphering what user manipulation of the musical instrument is required to create the sound produced by the musical instrument; and

causing the avatar to mimic the deciphered user manipulation of the musical instrument on the representation of the musical instrument.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the computer program is further adapted to cause the processor based system to execute steps comprising:

receiving a signal representative of motions of the musical instrument as the musical instrument is played by a user; and

causing the image to be responsive to the signal representative of motions of the musical instrument.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the computer program is further adapted to cause the processor based system to execute a step comprising:

displaying in an online community the image that is representative of the user playing the musical instrument.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the computer program is further adapted to cause the processor based system to execute a step comprising:

displaying in the online community images that are representative of one or more additional players interacting with the image that is representative of the user playing the musical instrument.