IP Library Granted Patent US 8,436,241
Granted Patent B2
US 8,436,241 · App. 12/114,903 · Granted May 7, 2013

Beat enhancement device, sound output device, electronic apparatus and method of outputting beats

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,436,241
App. No.
12/114,903
Granted
May 7, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a sound output device, a sound input unit acquires a sound signal reproduced by a reproduction device. A beat extractor extracts a beat component of the sound signal based on a spectrogram, and generates a beat waveform having information of a beat timing and a beat intensity. An output signal generator amplifies the sound signal with the beat waveform being a gain, using the beat timing and beat intensity which the beat waveform has. A sound output unit outputs the beat enhanced sound signal as a sound by performing D/A conversion on the beat enhanced sound signal.

Claims (11)

1. A beat enhancement device comprising:

a beat extractor which extracts a timing of a beat which provides a basis for a rhythm, based on a mathematical time derivative value of a spectrum of a sound signal currently being reproduced by a sound reproduction device, and acquires a peak of the time derivative value at the timing as an intensity of the beat; and

an output signal generator which generates an output signal subjected to a certain processing with a degree which increases proportional to the beat intensity at the beat timing extracted by the beat extractor which is the peak of the time derivative value.

2. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a beat extractor which extracts a timing of a beat which provides a basis for a rhythm, based on a mathematical time derivative value of a spectrum of a sound signal currently being reproduced by a sound reproduction device, and acquires a peak of the time derivative value at the timing, as an intensity of the beat;

an output signal generator which generates an oscillation signal having a waveform which oscillates with an amplitude which increases proportional to the beat intensity at the timing extracted by the beat extractor which is the peak of the time derivative value; and

an oscillator which oscillates by the oscillation signal.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the beat extractor generates a beat waveform which rises with a magnitude commensurate with the beat intensity at the beat timing, and is attenuated at a slower speed than that of rise, and wherein the output signal generator generates an oscillation signal which has an amplitude in accordance with the magnitude of the beat waveform, and oscillates at a higher frequency than that of the beat waveform.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the output signal generator generates an oscillation signal which has a waveform including a frequency component which the waveform of the sound signal has.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the oscillation signal generated by the output signal generator includes a waveform component of at least part of frequency band of the sound signal.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a sound output unit which outputs the sound signal as a sound.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 13, 2016
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 040350/0891 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2011
From: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 027446/0443 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 26, 2011
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
Reel/Frame 027444/0452 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2008
From: YAMASHITA, KOSEI; HOSODA, YASUHIDE
To: SONY CORPORATION; SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 021199/0810 →