Music-based search engine

• US 7,838,755 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MuseAmi, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MuseAmi, Inc.
• Inventors: Cabanilla, J. Alexander, Taub, Robert D., Tourtellot, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren; David S.
• Application Number:
  US12/031,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20080190272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 84600-602, 846/09, 846/16, 846/49, 846/54
• US Class Current: 84/609
• 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 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 2210/076 for extraction of timing, tempo; Beat detection tempo display G10H2220/081; tempo control G10H2210/375
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/086 for transcription of raw audio or music data to a displayed or printed staff representation or to displayable MIDI-like note-oriented data, e.g. in pianoroll format
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/451 Scanner input, e.g. scanning a paper document such as a musical score for automated conversion into a musical file format
• 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 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/235 Fourier transform; Discrete Fourier Transform [DFT]; Fast Fourier Transform [FFT]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for music-based searching. Embodiments of the invention receiving music queries that specify music elements, the queries using textual, audio, and/or score data. The music queries may be used to generate search parameters based on the specified music elements, which may in some cases be weighted. The search parameters may then be directing against a database comprising data records, each data record being associated with a music piece and a set of music elements relating to the music piece. Matching data records in the database may then be identified based on music elements common between the search parameters and the associated music piece. Search output may then be ranked, displayed, and output in various ways.

Claims

1. A computer method of performing a music search, the method comprising:

receiving a music query that specifies a music element;

generating a set of search parameters based on the music element specified by the received music query;

directing the set of search parameters against a database comprising a plurality of data records, each data record being associated with a music piece and a set of music elements relating to the music piece, wherein;

the set of music elements associated with at least one data record comprises data deconstructed from the at least one music piece by determining music micro-elements and determining music macro-elements based on the determined music micro-elements;

identifying a set of matching data records in the database, the set of matching data records comprising data records that match the set of search parameters;

identifying a set of matched music pieces in the database, the set of matched music pieces comprising music pieces that are associated with the set of matching data records; and

producing search output comprising the matched music pieces arranged in a ranked list.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

receiving at least one additional music query;

generating a deconstructed additional music query;

directing the deconstructed additional music query against a selected database containing deconstructed music pieces;

identifying deconstructed music pieces that match the deconstructed additional music query; and

producing search output comprising the identified music pieces arranged in a ranked list.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein directing comprises directing the deconstructed additional music query against a set of music pieces identified as output of a prior music query.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the ranked list is arranged according to weighted values.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the deconstructed data comprises at least one music element that relates to attributes of a note of music.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the music query comprises:

receiving a music query that specifies a music macro-element; and

generating the set of search parameters comprises generating the set of search parameters based on the music macro-element specified by the received music query.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the set of search parameters comprises:

deconstructing the received music query into a set of music elements; and

generating the set of search parameters based on the music elements deconstructed from the received music query.

8. A computer system that performs music search, the system comprising:

an input interface adapted to receive a music query;

a query input processor adapted to generate a deconstructed music query comprising music elements of the received music query; and

a query engine adapted to direct the deconstructed music query against a selected database comprising a plurality of data records, each data record being associated with a music piece and a set of music micro-elements relating to the music piece, wherein the set of music micro-elements associated with at least one data record comprises data deconstructed from the at least one musical music piece, to identify deconstructed music pieces of the database that match the deconstructed music query by generating at least one music macro-element from the set of music micro-elements associated with at least one data record, and to produce search output comprising the identified music pieces arranged in a ranked list.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the input interface receives at least one additional music query;

the query input processor generates a deconstructed additional music query; and

the query engine directs the deconstructed additional music query against a selected database containing deconstructed music pieces, identifies deconstructed music pieces that match the deconstructed additional music query, and produces search output comprising the identified music pieces arranged in a ranked list.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system directs the additional music query against a set of music pieces identified as output of a prior music query.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the ranked list is arranged according to weighted values.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the deconstructed data comprises at least one music element that relates to attributes of a note of music.

13. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a music-based search engine, the computer-readable program including instructions for music-based searching in accordance with the following:

receiving a music query that specifies a music element;

generating a set of search parameters based on the music element specified by the received music query;

directing the set of search parameters against a database comprising a plurality of data records, each data record being associated with a music piece and a set of music elements relating to the music piece, wherein;

the set of music elements associated with at least one data record comprises data deconstructed from the at least one music piece by determining music micro-elements and determining music macro-elements based on the determined music micro-elements;

identifying a set of matching data records in the database, the set of matching data records comprising data records that match the set of search parameters;

identifying a set of matched music pieces in the database, the set of matched music pieces comprising music pieces that are associated with the set of matching data records; and

producing search output comprising the matched music pieces arranged in a ranked list.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the deconstructed data comprises at least one music element that relates to attributes of a note of music.