Portable telephony apparatus with music tone generator

• US 6,967,276 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Mizuno, Shigehiko, Hasegawa, Yutaka, Ide, Kensuke, Karakawa, Shuzo, Terada, Kosei, Kunii, Takashi, Kurakake, Yasushi, Futamase, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US10/410,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20040007120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 846/09, 846/15, 846/22, 846/45, 434/307.A
• US Class Current: 84/622
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0025 Automatic or semi-automatic music composition, e.g. producing random music, applying rules from music theory or modifying a musical piece automatically producing a series of tones G10H1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/365 the accompaniment information being stored on a host computer and transmitted to a reproducing terminal by means of a network, e.g. public telephone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/021 Background music, e.g. for video sequences, elevator music musical accompaniment G10H2210/005
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/385 Speed change, i.e. variations from preestablished tempo, tempo change, e.g. faster or slower, accelerando or ritardando, without change in pitch with repetitive changes in pitch, e.g. scratch DJ effects G10H2210/241
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/021 Mobile ringtone, i.e. generation, transmission, conversion or downloading of ringing tones or other sounds for mobile telephony; Special musical data formats or protocols herefor mobile telephone transmission specifically adapted for electrophonic musical tools or instruments G10H2240/251
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/251 Mobile telephone transmission, i.e. transmitting, accessing or controlling music data wirelessly via a wireless or mobile telephone receiver, analog or digital, e.g. DECT GSM, UMTS smartphone, PDA or palmtop used for musical purposes G10H2230/015; mobile ringtone G10H2230/021
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 7/002 using a common processing for different operations or calculations, and a set of microinstructions (programme) to control the sequence thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files

Abstract

A sound control apparatus is provided in a portable terminal for sounding a music tone in association with operation of the portable terminal, which is controlled by a main CPU. In the sound control apparatus, a memory memorizes music information representing a music tone and configuration information associated to a timbre of the music tone. An information acquiring section acquires the music information and the configuration information from the memory. A tone generating section is configured by the acquired configuration information to create a timbre specified by the configuration information. The tone generating section operates according to the acquired music information to generate the music tone being represented by the music information and having the specified timbre. A dedicated CPU is provided separately from the main CPU for controlling the memory, the information acquiring section and the tone generating section.

Claims

1. A music information processing apparatus capable of creating and editing music information representative of a music tone and transmitting the music information to a portable terminal apparatus having a capability of generating a music tone, the music information processing apparatus comprising:

a creating and editing section that creates and edits music information;

a compression section that compresses the music information; and

a transmitting section that transmits the compressed music information to the portable terminal apparatus so that the portable terminal apparatus operates based on the transmitted music information to generate a music tone having a predetermined timbre.

2. The music information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a tone generating section that operates based on the compressed music information to generate a musical tone having a timbre specified by the compressed music information.

3. The music information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the creating and editing section creates and edits music information having a plurality of timbre parameters for specifying a timbre, and the compression section compresses the music information by removing at least one timbre parameter.

4. The music information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the creating and editing section creates and edits music information composed of a plurality of tracks, and the compression section compresses the music information by extracting a predetermined number of the tracks from the music information.

5. A portable terminal apparatus having a first capability of transmitting and receiving various information including music information, and a second capability of generating a desired music tone according to music information reserved in an information source in association to the first capability, the portable terminal apparatus comprising:

a retrieving section that retrieves music information from the information source;

a memory section that memorizes the retrieved music information;

an editing section that edits the memorized music information by attaching timbre data to the music information for imparting a timbre to the music tone to be generated or by automatically compressing a data amount of the music information according to a predetermined compression rule; and

a tone generating section that operates based on the edited music information to generate the music tone.

6. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the retrieving section retrieves music information from the information source composed of a recording medium, which is attachable to the portable terminal apparatus.

7. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the retrieving section retrieves music information from the information source composed of another portable terminal apparatus.

8. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a request information generating section that generates request information effective to request said another portable terminal apparatus to acquire the music information, and a request information transmitting section that transmits the generated request information to said another portable terminal apparatus, so that the retrieving section can retrieve the music information from the information source composed of said another portable terminal.

9. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a request information receiving section that receives request information from said another portable terminal apparatus, so that the retrieving section responds to the received request information to retrieve the music information from said another portable terminal.

10. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the retrieving section retrieves music information from the information source composed of a base station.

11. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the retrieving section retrieves music information from the information source composed of a personal computer.

12. A portable terminal apparatus having a main capability of transmitting and receiving various information, and a sub capability of generating a music tone represented by music information of a first format in association with the main capability, the portable terminal apparatus comprising:

an acquiring section that acquires music information of a second format, which is invalid; and

a converting section that converts the acquired music information from the second format to the first format, which is valid for generation of the music tone.

13. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a tone generator of a frequency modulation type for generating the music tone.

14. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the tone generator is comprised of a digital signal processor operated by a microprogram to generate the music tone.

15. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the tone generator is comprised of a central processing unit executing a software to generate the music tone.

16. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a tone generator having a wave-table memory storing a waveform of the music tone for generating the music tone.

17. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the tone generator is comprised of a digital signal processor operated by a microprogram to generate the music tone.

18. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the tone generator is comprised of a central processing unit executing a software to generate the music tone.

19. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a tone generator of a physical modeling type for generating the music tone.

20. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the tone generator is comprised of a digital signal processor operated by a microprogram to generate the music tone.

21. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the tone generator is comprised of a central processing unit executing a software to generate the music tone.

22. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a tone generator constituted by a digital signal processor for executing a microprogram to generate the music tone.

23. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a tone generator constituted by a central processing unit for executing a software to generate the music tone.

24. A base station for supporting a portable terminal having a main capability of transmitting and receiving various information and a sub capability of generating a music tone represented by music information of a first format in association with the main capability, the base station comprising:

an information source that stores music information of a second format, which is invalid for the portable terminal;

a converting section that converts the stored music information from the second format to the first format, which is valid for the portable terminal; and

a transmitting section that transmits the converted music information of the first format to the portable terminal.

25. A base station for supporting a portable terminal having a main capability of transmitting and receiving various information and a sub capability of generating a music tone represented by music information of a predetermined format in association with the main capability, the base station comprising:

a receiving section that receives identification information from the portable terminal for identifying the predetermined format valid in the portable terminal;

a creating section that creates the music information of the predetermined format according to the received identification information; and

a transmitting section that transmits the created music information of the predetermined format to the portable terminal.

26. A method of operating a music information processing apparatus capable of creating and editing music information representative of a music tone and transmitting the music information to a portable terminal apparatus having a capability of generating a music tone, the method comprising the steps of:

creating and editing music information;

compressing the music information; and

transmitting the compressed music information to the portable terminal apparatus so that the portable terminal apparatus operates based on the transmitted music information to generate a music tone having a predetermined timbre.

27. A method of operating a portable terminal apparatus having a first capability of transmitting and receiving various information including music information, and a second capability of generating a desired music tone according to music information reserved in an information source in association with the first capability, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving music information from the information source;

operating a memory for memorizing the retrieved music information;

editing the memorized music information by attaching timbre data to the music information for imparting a timbre to the music tone to be generated or by automatically compressing a data amount of the music information according to a predetermined compressing rule; and

operating a tone generator based on the edited music information to generate the music tone.

28. A method of operating a portable terminal apparatus having a main capability of transmitting and receiving various information, and a sub capability of generating a music tone represented by music information of a first format in association with the main capability, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring music information of a second format, which is invalid; and

converting the acquired music information from the second format to the first format, which is valid for generation of the music tone.

29. A method of operating a base station for supporting a portable terminal having a main capability of transmitting and receiving various information and a sub capability of generating a music tone represented by music information of a first format in association with the main capability, the method comprising the steps of:

operating an information source for storing music information of a second format, which is invalid for the portable terminal;

converting the stored music information from the second format to the first format, which is valid for the portable terminal; and

transmitting the converted music information of the first format to the portable terminal.

30. A method of operating a base station for supporting a portable terminal having a main capability of transmitting and receiving various information and a sub capability of generating a music tone represented by music information of a predetermined format in association with the main capability, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving identification information from the portable terminal for identifying the predetermined format valid in the portable terminal;

creating the music information of the predetermined format according to the received identification information; and

transmitting the created music information of the predetermined format to the portable terminal.

31. A machine readable medium for use in a music information processing apparatus having a processor and being capable of creating and editing music information representative of a music tone and transmitting the music information to a portable terminal apparatus having a capability of generating a music tone, the medium containing program instructions executable by the processor for causing the musical information processing apparatus to perform a method comprising the steps of:

creating and editing music information;

compressing the music information; and

transmitting the compressed music information to the portable terminal apparatus so that the portable terminal apparatus operates based on the transmitted music information to generate a music tone having a predetermined timbre.

32. A machine readable medium for use in a portable terminal apparatus having a processor to provide a first capability of transmitting and receiving various information including music information, and a second capability of generating a desired music tone according to music information reserved in an information source in association with the first capability, the medium containing program instructions executable by the processor for causing the portable terminal apparatus to perform a method comprising the steps of:

retrieving music information from the information source;

operating a memory for memorizing the retrieved music information;

editing the memorized music information by attaching timbre data to the music information for imparting a timbre to the music tone to be generated or by automatically compressing a data amount of the music information according to a predetermined compression rule; and

operating a tone generator based on the edited music information to generate the music tone.

33. A machine readable medium for use in a portable terminal apparatus having a processor to provide a main capability of transmitting and receiving various information, and a sub capability of generating a music tone represented by music information of a first format in association with the main capability, the medium containing program instructions executable by the processor for causing the portable terminal apparatus to perform a method comprising the steps of:

acquiring music information of a second format, which is invalid; and

converting the acquired music information from the second format to the first format, which is valid for generation of the music tone.

34. A machine readable medium for use in a base station having a processor for supporting a portable terminal having a main capability of transmitting and receiving various information and a sub capability of generating a music tone represented by music information of a first format in association with the main capability, the medium containing program instructions executable by the processor for causing the base station to perform a method comprising the steps of:

operating an information source for storing music information of a second format, which is invalid for the portable terminal;

converting the stored music information from the second format to the first format, which is valid for the portable terminal; and

transmitting the converted music information of the first format to the portable terminal.

35. A machine readable medium for use in a base station having a processor for supporting a portable terminal having a main capability of transmitting and receiving various information and a sub capability of generating a music tone represented by music information of a predetermined format in association with the main capability, the medium containing program instructions executable by the processor for causing the base station to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving identification information from the portable terminal for identifying the predetermined format valid in the portable terminal;

creating the music information of the predetermined format according to the received identification information; and

transmitting the created music information of the predetermined format to the portable terminal.