Envelope-controlled time and pitch modification

• US 8,030,566 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NRI R&D Patent Licensing, LLC (Advanced Touchscreen and Gesture Technologies, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lester F. Ludwig
• Inventors: Ludwig, Lester F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher; Marlon
• Application Number:
  US10/703,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20040099129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,890 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/622
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• 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 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/348 Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/46 Volume control
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/521 Hall effect transducers or similar magnetic field sensing semiconductor devices, e.g. for string vibration sensing or key movement sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/525 Piezoelectric transducers for vibration sensing or vibration excitation in the audio range; Piezoelectric strain sensing, e.g. as key velocity sensor; Piezoelectric actuators, e.g. key actuation in response to a control voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/095 Spint zither, i.e. mimicking any neckless stringed instrument in which the strings do not extend beyond the sounding board
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/101 Spint koto, i.e. mimicking any traditional asian-style plucked zither with movable bridges
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/115 Spint sitar, i.e. mimicking any long-necked plucked string instrument with a large number of additional non-playable sympathetic resonating strings or an additional gourd-like resonating chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/145 Spint guitar keyboard, i.e. mimicking a combination of a guitar-like instrument, with or without strings, and a piano-like keyboard, e.g. with white and black keys arranged like on a piano
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/271 Spint gong, i.e. mimicking circular flat, nippled or bowl-shaped metallic percussion instruments G10H2230/321 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/18 using a string, e.g. electric guitar mechanical features G10D1/085
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/26 : using electric feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/10 : Feedback

Abstract

This invention provides a signal processing and signal synthesis technique from a family of signal processing and signal synthesis techniques designed to readily interwork or be used individually in creating new forms of rich musical timbres. Amplitude-envelope controlled time-modulation and pitch-modulation are employed to add rich and attention-getting aspects to solo lines and chords. The amplitude envelope may be measured from the signal being modulated, a delayed version of this signal, or another signal source. Modulation characteristics and parameters may be recalled from stored program control or modulated in real-time by arbitrary control signals, including those derived from the original input signal. The invention may be used individually or in conjunction with other signal processing and signal synthesis techniques in creating new forms of rich musical timbres. The invention may also be used in spatially-distributed timbre construction.

Claims

1. A system for enriching timbre of audio signals by modulating an applied time-delay, said system comprising:

first and second incoming audio signals;

an amplitude envelope follower generating an amplitude tracking signal corresponding to a measured amplitude of said second incoming audio signal; and

a controllable signal processor for altering pitch of said first incoming audio signal responsive to said amplitude tracking signal to generate an outgoing audio signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first incoming audio signal and said second incoming audio signal comprise effectively identical signals.

3. The system according to claim 1, said system further comprising:

a controllable scaling element modifying said amplitude tracking signal according to a controllable scaling operation, wherein said controllable scaling operation is determined according to an incoming scale control signal.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said incoming scale control signal comprises a signal of MIDI format.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controllable signal processor comprises a variable time-delay that is modulated by said amplitude tracking signal.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controllable signal processor comprises a variable pitch shifter having a degree of pitch shift that is modulated by said amplitude tracking signal.

7. The system according to claim 1, said system further comprising:

a controllable delay element delaying said amplitude tracking signal by a variable delay, wherein said variable delay is controlled by an incoming delay control signal.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said incoming delay control signal comprises a signal of MIDI format.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein nonlinear mapping is applied to said amplitude tracking signal prior to processing at said controllable signal processor.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system provides one signal processing layer of a multi-layered signal processing system.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system is incorporated into a spatially-distributed timbral realization system.

12. A method for enriching timbre of audio signals by modulating an applied time-delay, said method comprising:

receiving first and second incoming audio signals

generating an amplitude tracking signal corresponding to a measured amplitude of said second incoming audio signal;

processing said first incoming audio signal responsive to said amplitude tracking signal, wherein said processing includes altering the pitch of said first incoming audio signal; and

generating an outgoing audio signal in response to said processing.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said first incoming audio signal and said second incoming audio signal comprise effectively identical signals.

14. The method according to claim 12, said method further comprising:

modifying said amplitude tracking signal according to a controllable scaling operation, wherein said controllable scaling operation is determined according to an incoming scale control signal.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said incoming scale control signal comprises a signal of MIDI format.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said processing is performed by a controllable signal processor, said controllable signal processor comprising a variable time-delay that is modulated by said amplitude tracking signal.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein said processing is performed by a controllable signal processor, said controllable signal processor comprising a variable pitch shifter having a degree of pitch shift that is modulated by said amplitude tracking signal.

18. The method according to claim 12, said method further comprising:

delaying said amplitude tracking signal by a variable delay, wherein said variable delay is controlled by an incoming delay control signal.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said incoming delay control signal comprises a signal of MIDI format.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein nonlinear mapping is applied to said amplitude tracking signal prior to said processing.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein said method is implemented within one signal processing layer of a multi-layered signal processing system.

22. The method according to claim 12, wherein said method is implemented within a spatially-distributed timbral realization system.