Perry C Cook

US Patent:

8222507, Jul 17, 2012

Filed:

Nov 4, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/612500

Inventors:

Spencer Salazar - San Francisco CA, US
Ge Wang - Palo Alto CA, US
Perry Cook - Applegate OR, US

Assignee:

Smule, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G10H 7/00

US Classification:

84602

Abstract:

Techniques have been developed for capturing and rendering musical performances on handheld or other portable devices using signal processing techniques suitable given the somewhat limited capabilities of such devices and in ways that facilitate efficient encoding and communication of such captured performances via wireless networks. The developed techniques facilitate the capture, encoding and use of gesture streams for rendering of a musical performance. In some embodiments, a gesture stream encoding facilitates audible rendering of the musical performance locally on the portable device on which the musical performance is captured, typically in real time. In some embodiments, a gesture stream efficiently codes the musical performance for transmission from the portable device on which the musical performance is captured to (or toward) a remote device on which the musical performance is (or can be) rendered. Indeed, is some embodiments, a gesture stream so captured and encoded may be rendered both locally and on remote devices using substantially identical or equivalent instances of a digital synthesis of the musical instrument executing on the local and remote devices.

US Patent:

20110144981, Jun 16, 2011

Filed:

Sep 4, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/876131

Inventors:

Spencer Salazar - Palo Alto CA, US
Rebecca A. Fiebrink - Timmins, CA
Ge Wang - Palo Alto CA, US
Mattias Ljungström - Berlin, DE
Jeffrey C. Smith - Atherton CA, US
Perry R. Cook - Applegate OR, US

International Classification:

G10L 11/04

US Classification:

704207, 704E11006

Abstract:

Techniques have been developed to facilitate (1) the capture and pitch correction of vocal performances on handheld or other portable computing devices and (2) the mixing of such pitch-corrected vocal performances with backing tracks for audible rendering on targets that include such portable computing devices and as well as desktops, workstations, gaming stations, even telephony targets. Implementations of the described techniques employ signal processing techniques and allocations of system functionality that are suitable given the generally limited capabilities of such handheld or portable computing devices and that facilitate efficient encoding and communication of the pitch-corrected vocal performances (or precursors or derivatives thereof) via wireless and/or wired bandwidth-limited networks for rendering on portable computing devices or other targets.

US Patent:

20110144982, Jun 16, 2011

Filed:

Sep 4, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/876132

Inventors:

Spencer Salazar - Palo Alto CA, US
Rebecca A. Fiebrink - Timmins, CA
Ge Wang - Palo Alto CA, US
Mattias Ljungström - Berlin, DE
Jeffrey C. Smith - Atherton CA, US
Perry R. Cook - Applegate OR, US

International Classification:

G10L 11/04

US Classification:

704207, 704E11006

Abstract:

Vocal musical performances may be captured and continuously pitch-corrected at a mobile device for mixing and rendering with backing tracks in ways that create compelling user experiences. In some cases, the vocal performances of individual users are captured in the context of a karaoke-style presentation of lyrics in correspondence with audible renderings of a backing track. Such performances can be pitch-corrected in real-time at the mobile device in accord with pitch correction settings. In some cases, such pitch correction settings code a particular key or scale for the vocal performance or for portions thereof. In some cases, pitch correction settings include a score-coded melody sequence of note targets supplied with, or for association with, the lyrics and/or backing track. In some cases, pitch correction settings are dynamically variable based on gestures captured at a user interface.

US Patent:

20140039883, Feb 6, 2014

Filed:

Aug 6, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/960564

Inventors:

Nicholas M. Kruge - San Francisco CA, US
Gregory C. Thompson - San Francisco CA, US
Perry R. Cook - Jacksonville OR, US

Assignee:

Smule, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G10L 21/013

US Classification:

704207

Abstract:

Vocal musical performances may be captured and, in some cases or embodiments, pitch-corrected and/or processed in accord with a user selectable vocal effects schedule for mixing and rendering with backing tracks in ways that create compelling user experiences. In some cases, the vocal performances of individual users are captured on mobile devices in the context of a karaoke-style presentation of lyrics in correspondence with audible renderings of a backing track. Such performances can be pitch-corrected in real-time at the mobile device in accord with pitch correction settings. Vocal effects schedules may also be selectively applied to such performances. In these ways, even amateur user/performers with imperfect pitch are encouraged to take a shot at “stardom” and/or take part in a game play, social network or vocal achievement application architecture that facilitates musical collaboration on a global scale and/or, in some cases or embodiments, to initiate revenue generating in-application transactions.

US Patent:

55435785, Aug 6, 1996

Filed:

Sep 2, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/115958

Inventors:

Bryan J. Colvin - San Jose CA
Perry R. Cook - Palo Alto CA
Daniel Gochnauer - Saratoga CA

Assignee:

Mediavision, Inc. - Fremont CA

International Classification:

G10H 1057
G10H 112

US Classification:

84622

Abstract:

Synthesizer models for emulating musical instruments can be improved using an analysis model that compares the output signal of the model to a recording of a desired sound and derives a residual signal that can be used to correct the model. When the original model is a good one, the residual signal is small and takes much less memory to store than is required for a sampled sound.

US Patent:

53533720, Oct 4, 1994

Filed:

Jan 27, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/825932

Inventors:

Perry R. Cook - Palo Alto CA
Julius O. Smith - Palo Alto CA

Assignee:

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University - Stanford CA

International Classification:

G10L 902
G10L 914
G10L 908

US Classification:

395 216

Abstract:

A quasi-periodic signal is sampled at a specified rate, and then a predicted value of the signal is computed from a set of 2M+1 time lagged signal samples. The time lagged samples are centered in time at an integer multiple P of the signal's sampling period T. sub. s, where P. multidot. T. sub. s is approximately one period of the input signal. The predicted signal value is computed by multiplying each of the 2M+1 time lagged samples by a corresponding predictor coefficient c(i) and then summing the resulting products. The predicted signal value is subtracted from the actual signal value to obtain an error signal. epsilon. During each successive sampling period, the predictor coefficients are updated by adjusting the previously computed predictor coefficients by an amount proportional to the error. epsilon. multiplied by each of the 2M+1 time lagged signal values. Using the updated coefficient values, a phase delay is computed, and then the signal's period is computed as the sum of phase delay and P. multidot. T. sub.

US Patent:

54689066, Nov 21, 1995

Filed:

Sep 2, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/116165

Inventors:

Bryan J. Colvin - San Jose CA
Perry R. Cook - Palo Alto CA

Assignee:

Media Vision, Inc. - Fremont CA

International Classification:

G10H 108
G10H 500

US Classification:

84625

Abstract:

Synthesizer models for emulating musical instruments are improved to take into account sympathetic string vibrations. One embodiment of the present invention scales an output signal from a sound synthesis model and uses the scaled signal as an input signal for a number of single-string emulations causing the single-string emulations to produce sound signals corresponding to sympathetic string vibrations. The output signals from the synthesis model and from all of the single-string emulations are added together. Another embodiment employs an octave's worth of single-string emulations to emulate the lower strings of an emulated instrument. Still another embodiment is a synthesizer which includes an input bus for accepting a sound signal, scaling means, a plurality of single-string emulations, and means for summing output signals from the string emulations. Embodiments preferably employ waveguide synthesis or the plucked string model to emulate single-strings.

US Patent:

55572278, Sep 17, 1996

Filed:

Apr 7, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/224442

Inventors:

Perry R. Cook - Palo Alto CA
Bryan J. Colvin - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Aureal Semiconductor - Fremont CA

International Classification:

G06F 7556

US Classification:

327346

Abstract:

Exponential and pseudo-exponential decay function values are generated by scaling a fractional decrease per sampling period by a previous decay function value and then subtracting the scaled fractional decrease from the previous decay function value. In one embodiment, a multiplier multiplies the fractional decrease by the previous decay function value and provides a product signal representing the scaled fractional decrease. An adder subtracts the scaled fractional decrease from the previous decay function value. In another embodiment, a shift block replaces the multiplier and approximates multiplication by a binary shift of the fractional decrease. The size of the shift is determined by the previous magnitude of the decay function as indicated by a priority encoder. Shifting generates a pseudo-exponential decay function which is suitable for music synthesis and can be generated quickly using less expensive hardware.