Localized audio networks and associated digital accessories

• US 7,657,224 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2003
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tunnel IP LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Syncronation, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldberg, David, Simon, Neil R., Goldberg, Martha B., Goldberg, Miriam D., Goldberg, Benjamin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tu X
• Application Number:
  US10/513,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20050160270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.06, 455/3.05, 455/11.1, 455/572, 455/557, 455/558
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• 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 1/0083 using wireless transmission, e.g. radio, light, infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/40 Rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/076 for extraction of timing, tempo; Beat detection
• 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 2240/251 Mobile telephone transmission, i.e. transmitting, accessing or controlling music data wirelessly via a wireless or mobile telephone receiver, analogue or digital, e.g. DECT, GSM, UMTS
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/325 Synchronizing two or more audio tracks or files according to musical features or musical timings
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

Individuals share music through portable audio devices that synchronously play music by transmitting music signals from one device to the other. Upon request, other individuals can join such a sharing group as a member, and these new members can either be accepted automatically, or through voting by existing group members. So that members of a group can converse, the fraction of ambient sound admitted by the earphones of the portable device can be manually set. In order to enhance the enjoyment of the music, wearable transducers, such as light emitting diodes, respond to signals related to the beat of the music. Signals can be automatically generated, or manually specified, and signals thereafter stored for playback with the music to which it is related. Wearable transducers associated with individuals at a large music event can be set to receive common signals such that the transducers respond in synchrony with one another.

Claims

1. A music player that wirelessly transmits control signals related to music, wherein the control signals control a wearable electronic accessory, comprising:

a store of music signal files;

a controller that reads a music signal file from the store and generates audio signals and that further generates a control signal;

a transducer that converts the audio signals into sound audible to a user; and

a wireless transmitter that transmits the control signal to the wearable electronic accessory,

wherein the controller determines a primary beat of the music according to positions in the music where the amplitude rises at least a predetermined factor over less than a predetermined time.

2. The player of claim 1 wherein the music signal files comprise compressed audio files.

3. The player of claim 1 wherein the controller performs frequency filtering of the control signal.

4. The player of claim 1 wherein the wireless transmitter is an analog radio frequency transmitter.

5. The player of claim 1 wherein the wireless transmitter transmits according to an Internet protocol.

6. The player of claim 5 wherein the Internet protocol has a link layer selected from the group consisting of 802.11, Bluetooth, ultrawideband, HiperLAN and WDCT.

7. The player of claim 1 wherein the wearable electronic accessory comprises a visual transducer that generates visually-perceptive output in response to the control signal, wherein the visual transducer receives the control signal from the controller.

8. The player of claim 7 wherein the visual transducer is a light emitting diode.

9. The player of claim 7 wherein the visual transducer is a liquid crystal display.

10. The player of claim 1 additionally comprising a store of configuration files wherein the configuration files include parameters read by the controller that affect the generation of control signals from the musical signals.

11. The player of claim 1 wherein the controller generates the control signal such that the control signal is a function of the primary beat of the music.

12. A music player that wirelessly transmits control signals related to music, wherein the control signals control a wearable electronic accessory, comprising:

a store of music signal files;

a controller that reads a music signal file from the store and generates audio signals and that further generates the control signals;

a transducer that converts the audio signals into sound audible to a user; and

a wireless transmitter that transmits the control signals to the wearable electronic accessory,

wherein the control signals are pairs comprising positions within the music and amplitudes to which output transducers of the wearable electronic accessory are set at such times.

13. The player of claim 12 wherein the positions are chosen from a set of characteristics consisting of samples and times.

14. A music player that wirelessly transmits control signals related to music, wherein the control signals control a wearable electronic accessory, comprising:

a store of music signal files;

a second store of control signal files associated with the music signal files, the control signal files storing control signals for controlling the wearable electronic accessory during playback of the music signal files;

a controller that reads a music signal file from the store and generates audio signals and that further reads an associated control signal file;

a transducer that converts the audio signals into sound audible to a user; and

a wireless transmitter that transmits the control signals from the associated control signal file to the wearable electronic accessory.

15. The player of claim 14 wherein the music signal files comprise compressed audio files.

16. The player of claim 14 wherein the transmitter is an analog radio frequency transmitter.

17. The player of claim 14 wherein the transmitter transmits according to an Internet protocol.

18. The player of claim 17 wherein the Internet protocol has a link layer selected from the group consisting of 802.11, Bluetooth, ultrawideband, HiperLAN and WDCT.

19. The player of claim 14 wherein the second store of control signal files comprises at least one binary data file that relates to a single music signal file.

20. The player of claim 14 wherein the second store of control signal files comprises at least one control signal file that is interleaved with a related music signal file in binary data format.

21. The player of claim 14 wherein the wearable electronic accessory comprises a visual transducer that generates visually-perceptive output in response to the control signals, wherein the visual transducer receives the control signals from the controller.