Motorola "Wind instrument phone" patent
Abstract
A mobile device (160) and method (300) for generating wind instrument sounds is provided. The mobile device can include a microphone (102) for capturing an air turbulence in response to a blowing action, a keypad (104) for selecting a virtual valve to associate with the air turbulence, a synthesis engine (106) for synthesizing a musical note in response to the blowing and the virtual valve, and an audio speaker (108) for playing the musical note. One or more keys of the keypad can be depressed during the blowing action on the microphone for synthesizing a musical note of a wind instrument. A display (110) can present a musical notation (800) and a fingering chart (810) for musical notes.
Description
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to mobile devices, and more particularly, to methods for using a mobile device as a musical instrument.
BACKGROUND
The use of portable electronic devices and mobile communication devices has increased dramatically in recent years. Mobile devices are capable of establishing communication with other communication devices over landline networks, cellular networks, and, recently, wide local area networks (WLANs). Mobile devices are capable of providing access to Internet services which are bringing people closer together in a world of information. Mobile devices operating over a telecommunications infrastructure are capable of providing various forms of multimedia and entertainment. People are able to collaborate on projects, discuss ideas, interact with one another on-line, all while communicating via text, audio, and video.
A mobile device such as a portable music player can be used to download songs, edit music files, compose music, and share music files. However, the music files or sound files are generally pre-recorded. For example, a downloaded song is generally recorded and produced in a studio or mixed at a production facility. The music is generally provided as a completed recording and allows only for limited types of editing. Moreover, the music is composed by musicians who have access to music equipment including musical instruments. Users are generally unable to create musical instrument sounds without access to a musical instrument.
SUMMARY
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a mobile device suitable for use as a wind instrument. The mobile device can include a microphone for capturing an air turbulence in response to a blowing action on the microphone, a keypad for selecting at least one virtual valve to associate with the air turbulence, a synthesis engine for synthesizing a musical note in response to the blowing based on the at least one virtual valve and the air turbulence, and an audio speaker for playing the musical note. One or more keys of the keypad can be depressed during the blowing action on the microphone for synthesizing a musical note of a wind instrument. The synthesis engine may be one of a Musical Instrument Device Interface (MIDI) synthesis engine that is Frequency Modulated (FM) generated or Waveform generated. In another arrangement, musical notes can be synthesized via acoustic modeling such as sampled waveforms, or mathematical modeling of sounds. Sampled waveforms can be extracted from portions of a WAV, OOG, or MP3 format digital media but are not herein limited to these.
The mobile device can include a detector for determining an acoustic pressure of the air turbulence, and a processor for mapping the acoustic pressure to a musical note. One or more keys of the keypad can be depressed for changing the musical note in accordance with the acoustic pressure. The processor can change the musical note as a function of the acoustic pressure, wherein the function is based on at least one threshold such that the at least one musical note changes if the acoustic pressure exceeds the at least one threshold. The detector can determine a duration of the air turbulence and the processor can hold the musical note for the duration. The mobile device can further include a display for presenting a musical notation of the musical note.
In one aspect, the musical notation can identify a numerical fingering of the at least one virtual valve corresponding to a key on the keypad. The keypad can include at least one back light element for illuminating a key that corresponds to a virtual valve. In one arrangement, the keypad provides a key to virtual valve mapping for three simultaneous instruments, wherein a first wind instrument employs at least one of keys *, 7, 4, or 1, a second wind instrument employs at least one of keys 0, 8, 5, 2, and a third wind instrument employs at least one of keys #, 9, 6, and 3.
Embodiments of the invention are also directed to a mobile device suitable for use as a training wind instrument. The mobile device can include a display for presenting a musical notation and numerical fingering of a musical note, a back light keypad for illuminating at least one key of the keypad to associate with the musical notation, a microphone for capturing an air turbulence in response to a blowing action on the microphone, a synthesis engine for producing a musical note in response to a pressing of an illuminated key and a blowing into the microphone, an audio speaker for playing the synthetic musical note, and a processor for mapping an acoustic pressure of the air turbulence to a musical note. An image of a wind instrument can be presented on the display, and the synthesis engine can generate a modeled sound of the displayed wind instrument. A processor can determine if the blowing action exceeds a threshold for producing a note of the musical notation, and can present a visual comparison of the musical note and the note for providing training feedback on breath control. In one arrangement, the microphone can determine a consistency of the blowing action based on an acoustic pressure of the air turbulence, and the display can present an indication of the consistency for informing a user of a breath control.
The mobile device can include a data store for storing musical notations to present on the display as training material, and a recording unit for saving musical note compositions produced in response to a playing of the mobile device as a wind instrument. The mobile device can include a mouthpiece attachment for associating an acoustic pressure of the blowing action to an illuminated key and determining a musical note for the mobile device to produce.
A mobile device (160) and method (300) for generating wind instrument sounds is provided. The mobile device can include a microphone (102) for capturing an air turbulence in response to a blowing action, a keypad (104) for selecting a virtual valve to associate with the air turbulence, a synthesis engine (106) for synthesizing a musical note in response to the blowing and the virtual valve, and an audio speaker (108) for playing the musical note. One or more keys of the keypad can be depressed during the blowing action on the microphone for synthesizing a musical note of a wind instrument. A display (110) can present a musical notation (800) and a fingering chart (810) for musical notes.
Description
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to mobile devices, and more particularly, to methods for using a mobile device as a musical instrument.
BACKGROUND
The use of portable electronic devices and mobile communication devices has increased dramatically in recent years. Mobile devices are capable of establishing communication with other communication devices over landline networks, cellular networks, and, recently, wide local area networks (WLANs). Mobile devices are capable of providing access to Internet services which are bringing people closer together in a world of information. Mobile devices operating over a telecommunications infrastructure are capable of providing various forms of multimedia and entertainment. People are able to collaborate on projects, discuss ideas, interact with one another on-line, all while communicating via text, audio, and video.
A mobile device such as a portable music player can be used to download songs, edit music files, compose music, and share music files. However, the music files or sound files are generally pre-recorded. For example, a downloaded song is generally recorded and produced in a studio or mixed at a production facility. The music is generally provided as a completed recording and allows only for limited types of editing. Moreover, the music is composed by musicians who have access to music equipment including musical instruments. Users are generally unable to create musical instrument sounds without access to a musical instrument.
SUMMARY
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a mobile device suitable for use as a wind instrument. The mobile device can include a microphone for capturing an air turbulence in response to a blowing action on the microphone, a keypad for selecting at least one virtual valve to associate with the air turbulence, a synthesis engine for synthesizing a musical note in response to the blowing based on the at least one virtual valve and the air turbulence, and an audio speaker for playing the musical note. One or more keys of the keypad can be depressed during the blowing action on the microphone for synthesizing a musical note of a wind instrument. The synthesis engine may be one of a Musical Instrument Device Interface (MIDI) synthesis engine that is Frequency Modulated (FM) generated or Waveform generated. In another arrangement, musical notes can be synthesized via acoustic modeling such as sampled waveforms, or mathematical modeling of sounds. Sampled waveforms can be extracted from portions of a WAV, OOG, or MP3 format digital media but are not herein limited to these.
The mobile device can include a detector for determining an acoustic pressure of the air turbulence, and a processor for mapping the acoustic pressure to a musical note. One or more keys of the keypad can be depressed for changing the musical note in accordance with the acoustic pressure. The processor can change the musical note as a function of the acoustic pressure, wherein the function is based on at least one threshold such that the at least one musical note changes if the acoustic pressure exceeds the at least one threshold. The detector can determine a duration of the air turbulence and the processor can hold the musical note for the duration. The mobile device can further include a display for presenting a musical notation of the musical note.
In one aspect, the musical notation can identify a numerical fingering of the at least one virtual valve corresponding to a key on the keypad. The keypad can include at least one back light element for illuminating a key that corresponds to a virtual valve. In one arrangement, the keypad provides a key to virtual valve mapping for three simultaneous instruments, wherein a first wind instrument employs at least one of keys *, 7, 4, or 1, a second wind instrument employs at least one of keys 0, 8, 5, 2, and a third wind instrument employs at least one of keys #, 9, 6, and 3.
Embodiments of the invention are also directed to a mobile device suitable for use as a training wind instrument. The mobile device can include a display for presenting a musical notation and numerical fingering of a musical note, a back light keypad for illuminating at least one key of the keypad to associate with the musical notation, a microphone for capturing an air turbulence in response to a blowing action on the microphone, a synthesis engine for producing a musical note in response to a pressing of an illuminated key and a blowing into the microphone, an audio speaker for playing the synthetic musical note, and a processor for mapping an acoustic pressure of the air turbulence to a musical note. An image of a wind instrument can be presented on the display, and the synthesis engine can generate a modeled sound of the displayed wind instrument. A processor can determine if the blowing action exceeds a threshold for producing a note of the musical notation, and can present a visual comparison of the musical note and the note for providing training feedback on breath control. In one arrangement, the microphone can determine a consistency of the blowing action based on an acoustic pressure of the air turbulence, and the display can present an indication of the consistency for informing a user of a breath control.
The mobile device can include a data store for storing musical notations to present on the display as training material, and a recording unit for saving musical note compositions produced in response to a playing of the mobile device as a wind instrument. The mobile device can include a mouthpiece attachment for associating an acoustic pressure of the blowing action to an illuminated key and determining a musical note for the mobile device to produce.
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