U.S. patent application number 13/113050 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-20 for cell phone based sound production.
Invention is credited to Richard Krukar, Edward J. Sceery.
Application Number | 20110256844 13/113050 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39618186 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110256844 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sceery; Edward J. ; et
al. |
October 20, 2011 |
Cell Phone Based Sound Production
Abstract
A cell phone based sound producing device is a sound producing
device that takes advantage of the likelihood that a user is
already carrying a cell phone and does not need to also carry an
electronic sound producing device. Another advantage is that cell
phones are designed to communicate across a communications network.
As such, the cell phone based sound producing device can download
sounds from a server, store them, and play them. Electronic payment
systems for ring tones that are played on a cell phone already
exist. These electronic payment systems can be adapted to payment
for sound producing device modules and for sounds. Recovery
information can be used to restore modules and sounds that are lost
due to cell phone breakage or upgrades.
Inventors: |
Sceery; Edward J.; (Santa
Fe, NM) ; Krukar; Richard; (Albuquerque, NM) |
Family ID: |
39618186 |
Appl. No.: |
13/113050 |
Filed: |
May 21, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11622370 |
Jan 11, 2007 |
7970120 |
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13113050 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/410 ;
455/414.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/165 20130101;
G06Q 40/00 20130101; H04M 11/007 20130101; H04R 1/028 20130101;
H04R 2499/11 20130101; H04M 19/04 20130101; G08C 2201/30 20130101;
H04M 1/72442 20210101; H04R 2420/07 20130101; A01M 31/004 20130101;
G06Q 20/123 20130101; G08C 17/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/410 ;
455/414.1 |
International
Class: |
H04W 4/00 20090101
H04W004/00 |
Claims
1. A system comprising: a cell phone comprising an input device, a
display, a cellular radio, an internal speaker and a non-volatile
memory wherein a plurality of stored sounds are stored in the
non-volatile memory; a presentation displayed on the display and
offering a plurality of available sounds wherein the available
sounds comprise at least one of the stored sounds and at least one
of a plurality of served sounds, and wherein a user chooses a
selected sound from amongst the available sounds; a sound retrieval
module that automatically obtains the selected sound from a server
when the selected sound is not one of the stored sounds and wherein
the sound retrieval module stores the selected sound in the
non-volatile memory such that the selected sound becomes one of the
stored sounds; recovery information for recovering lost sounds
wherein certain of the stored sounds are lost to thereby become
lost sounds; a sound producing module that accesses the stored
sounds to thereby play the stored sounds on at least one speaker
wherein the internal speaker is one of the at least one
speaker.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an external speaker
that is one of the at least one speaker and wherein the sound
producing module plays the at least one stored sound on the
external speaker.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a payment module
wherein the payment module to tenders a payment to a payment
processor to thereby obtain access to the served sound.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a remote actuator
wherein the remote actuator sends a remote actuation signal to the
cell phone and wherein the cell phone reacts to the actuation
signal by playing the selected sound.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the cell phone further comprises a
pitch shifting module.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the cell phone further comprises a
tempo shifting module.
7. The system of claim 1 further comprising: an external speaker
that is one of the at least one speaker and wherein the sound
producing module plays the at least one stored sound on the
external speaker; a payment module wherein the payment module to
tenders a payment to a payment processor to thereby obtain access
to the served sound; a remote actuator wherein the remote actuator
sends a remote actuation signal to the cell phone and wherein the
cell phone reacts to the actuation signal by playing the selected
sound; a pitch shifting module; a tempo shifting module; and a
timing module that produces a timed actuation signal wherein the
cell phone responds to the timed actuation signal by playing the
selected sound.
8. A system comprising: an electronic sound producing device
comprising an input device, a display, and a non-volatile memory; a
communications module that the electronic device uses to
communicate with a server that serves a served sound; a
non-volatile memory storing a plurality of stored sounds; a
presentation displayed on the display and offering a plurality of
available sounds to a user wherein the available sounds comprise at
least one of the stored sounds and at least one of the served
sounds, and wherein a user chooses a selected sound; a sound
retrieval module that obtains the served sound and stores the
served sound in the non-volatile memory as an additional stored
sound; recovery information for recovering the stored sounds; and a
sound producing module that accesses the at least one stored sound
and plays the at least one stored sound on at least one
speaker.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the selected sound is one of the
served sounds, and wherein a sound retrieval module automatically
obtains the selected sound from the server.
10. The system of claim 8 further comprising a payment module
wherein the payment module to tenders a payment to a payment
processor to thereby obtain access to the served sound.
11. The system of claim 8 further comprising a timing module that
produces a timed actuation signal wherein the electronic sound
producing device responds to the timed actuation signal by playing
the selected sound.
12. A system comprising: a server that offers a plurality of served
sounds to the user of a cell phone wherein the user selects one of
the served sounds to be a selected sound, wherein the cell phone
automatically retrieves the selected sound from the server and
stores the selected sound as a stored sound in a non-volatile
memory; and recovery information for recovering lost sounds for the
user wherein the user has lost certain of the stored sounds that
thereby become lost sounds.
13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a backup server that
the user contacts to thereby recover the stored sound.
14. The system of claim 12 further comprising a backup server that
stores the recovery information.
15. The system of claim 12 further comprising a payment processing
module and a fulfillment module wherein the cell phone is allowed
to obtain the selected sound from the fulfillment module only after
a corresponding payment to the payment module.
16. The system of claim 12 further comprising permission
information that restricts the playing of a stored sound unless the
stored sound was obtained from a specific provider.
17. The system of claim 12 further comprising permission
information that restricts the playing of a sound obtained from the
server to a particular cell phone.
18. The system of claim 12 further comprising a password that
unlocks a sound for playing on a cell phone.
19. The system of claim 12 further comprising: a backup server that
stores the recovery information and that the user contacts to
thereby recover the stored sound; a payment processing module and a
fulfillment module wherein the cell phone is allowed to obtain the
selected sound from the fulfillment module only after a
corresponding payment to the payment module. permission information
that prevents the playing of the stored sounds to only those stored
sounds obtained from a specific provider and allowing the stored
sounds to be played only on a particular cell phone; a password
that unlocks at least one of the stored sounds for playing.
20. The system of claim 19 further comprising: the cell phone; an
input device, a display, a cellular radio, an internal speaker and
a non-volatile memory wherein the cell phone comprises the input
device, the display, the cellular radio, the internal speaker and
the non-volatile memory; a plurality of stored sounds stored in the
non-volatile memory; a presentation displayed on the display and
offering a plurality of available sounds wherein the available
sounds comprise at least one of the stored sounds and at least one
of the served sounds, and wherein the user chooses a selected sound
from amongst the available sounds; a sound retrieval module that
automatically obtains the selected sound from the server when the
selected sound is not one of the stored sounds wherein the sound
retrieval module stores the selected sound in the non-volatile
memory such that the selected sound becomes one of the stored
sounds, and wherein the cell phone further comprises the sound
retrieval module; a sound producing module that accesses the stored
sounds to thereby play the stored sounds on at least one speaker of
a plurality of speakers comprising the internal speaker and an
external speaker and wherein the cell phone further comprises the
sound retrieval module; a payment module wherein the payment module
to tenders a payment to the payment processing module and wherein
the cell phone further comprises the payment module; a remote
actuator wherein the remote actuator sends a remote actuation
signal to the cell phone and wherein the cell phone reacts to the
actuation signal by playing the selected sound; a pitch shifting
module and a tempo shifting module wherein the cell phone further
comprises the pitch shifting module and the tempo shifting module;
and a timing module that produces a timed actuation signal wherein
the cell phone responds to the timed actuation signal by playing
the selected sound, and wherein the cell phone further comprises
the timing module.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/622,370 filed on Jan. 11, 2007 entitled
"Cell Phone Based Animal Sound Imitation" and which is incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments relate to sound producing devices, digital audio
devices, remote controls, cellular telephones, communications
networks, and data servers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] People have made and used sound producing devices to produce
sounds since prehistoric times and continue to make and use them.
Sounds are produced for a variety of reasons. Call sounds are
sounds whose purpose is to imitate an animal. Certain sounds can
entice an animal to respond and sometimes to come closer. Other
sounds are enjoyable to humans and can invoke a human response.
Over time, sound production technology has changed while the
purposes have largely remained the same.
[0004] A person uses a sound producing device to produce a sound.
In general, the sound is an attractive sound such as an imitation
of an animal vocalization. Different sounds are appropriate for
enticing different responses. For example, elk can respond to any
of a variety of elk vocalizations or other attractive sounds such
as antlers thrashing in brush. Similarly, turkey can respond to any
of a variety of turkey vocalizations or other attractive sounds
such as beating wings. Predators, such as coyotes, often respond to
prey animal vocalizations such as those of a distressed rabbit.
[0005] Electronic sound producing devices are devices that are
readily available from a variety of manufacturers. These devices
can store digitized game animal vocalizations and other sounds.
Electronic sound producing devices, however, are additional pieces
of equipment that must be carried or bought. Furthermore, current
electronic sound producing devices have cumbersome methods at best
for obtaining and storing new sounds. A need therefore exists for
an easily loaded and carried electronic sound producing device.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0006] The following summary is provided to facilitate an
understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the
embodiments and is not intended to be a full description. A full
appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments can be
gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and
abstract as a whole.
[0007] It is therefore an aspect of the embodiments to provide an
electronic sound producing device comprising a display and a human
input device (HID) such as a keypad. A non-volatile memory stores
at least one stored sound such that the electronic device can
access and play the stored sound.
[0008] It is also an aspect of the embodiments to present a user
interface to a user. The display and the HID are used for the user
interface. A presentation of available sounds can be presented on
the display. Each available sound corresponds to a playable sound.
The user can use the HID to select one of the available sounds to
thereby produce a sound selection corresponding to a selected
sound. The stored sounds can be available as can some served sounds
provided by a server.
[0009] It is another aspect of the embodiments that a sound
retrieval module can obtain served sounds from the server and can
store them in the non-volatile memory. Storing a served sound in
the non-volatile memory produces a stored call sound.
[0010] It is also another aspect of the embodiments that a sound
producing module accesses the stored call sounds and plays them on
a speaker. The speaker can be an internal speaker that is part of
the electronic device or can be an external speaker that is not.
External speakers receive signals from the electronic device and
use them to produce sound. Signals can be transmitted using wires,
wirelessly using electromagnetic radiation, or in some other
way.
[0011] It is yet another aspect of the embodiments that recovery
information can be generated such that lost sounds can be
recovered. Lost sounds are sounds that were stored in the
non-volatile memory but have become lost due to malfunction, error,
or some other event.
[0012] It is a further aspect of the embodiments that the
electronic device can be a cell phone. A cell phone can be adapted
for use as an electronic sound producing device by adding the
appropriate modules, such as the sound retrieval module and the
sound producing module. Some embodiments can also include a cell
phone control module that can turn off the cell phone's cellular
radio and thereby conserve energy.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals
refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the
separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the
specification, further illustrate aspects of the embodiments and,
together with the background, brief summary, and detailed
description serve to explain the principles of the embodiments.
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a cell phone adapted for use as a sound
producing device in accordance with aspects of the embodiments;
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a high level block diagram of a cell
phone adapted for use as a sound producing device in accordance
with aspects of the embodiments;
[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a high level block diagram of an
electronic sound producing device in accordance with aspects of the
embodiments;
[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates available sounds in accordance with
aspects of the embodiments;
[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a high level block diagram of obtaining
and playing a sound in accordance with aspects of the
embodiments;
[0019] FIG. 6 illustrates a high level block diagram of using an
inactivated cell phone as an electronic sound producing device in
accordance with aspects of the embodiments; and
[0020] FIG. 7 illustrates shifting a sound in pitch and tempo in
accordance with aspects of the embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] The particular values and configurations discussed in these
non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to
illustrate at least one embodiment and are not intended to limit
the scope thereof. In general, the figures are not to scale.
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a cell phone 103 adapted for use as a
sound producing device in accordance with aspects of the
embodiments. The cell phone 103 is illustrated as having an
internal speaker 104, display 105, and keypad 112. The display 105
is illustrated as showing a presentation 108 of available sounds
such as "Turkey Cluck" 106 and "Turkey Purr" 109. "Turkey Cluck"
106 is also the selected sound as indicated by the heavy outline.
The keypad 112 is a human input device (HID) having keys 107 that a
user 111 can press. Many cell phones have other HIDs such as joy
sticks or touch sensitive displays. Regardless of the HID, the user
111 can manipulate the HID to navigate the user interface and to
select available call sounds.
[0023] The cell phone 103 can use a communications network 110 to
send and receive data from a server 101. The cell phone 103 can
download a served sound, such as "Crow Caw" 102 from the server and
store it in non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory is memory that
persists after a device is turned off. Storing "Crow Caw" in
non-volatile memory creates the "Crow Caw" stored sound.
[0024] Non-volatile memory can fail for a number of reasons. For
example, the cell phone can catch fire destroying all stored data.
A backup server 113 can be used to recover the stored data. The
backup server 113 can contain recovery information 114 or the
recovery information 114 can be held elsewhere, perhaps in
removable storage. The recovery information 114 can be used to
recover all the sounds that the user 111 had stored in the cell
phone 103.
[0025] Sounds can be free or can be paid for. When they are paid
for, the user 111 can provide information to a payment processor
115 who uses a payment processing module 116 to obtain payment. The
information often includes an account number, user identifier, and
the sound, or sounds, which the user 111 wants. The payment
processor 115 can then inform a fulfillment module 117 that the
user 111 is allowed to access the sounds. The user 111 can then
obtain the sounds from the server 101.
[0026] Permission information can be used to prevent or allow the
playing of sounds. The permission information can be used to
restrict the playable sounds to those obtained from a specific
server or provider. For example, a provider can encrypt a sound so
that a decryption key is required for playing it. The permission
information can restrict playing to a specific device. For example,
every cell phone has a unique identifier that can be used to verify
that a particular cell phone is allowed to play a particular sound.
Another possibility is that a password can be required to unlock a
sound. Those familiar with the digital rights management are
familiar with permission information.
[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates a high level block diagram of a cell
phone 103 adapted for use as a sound producing device in accordance
with aspects of the embodiments. The cell phone 103 has a
non-volatile memory 205 for storing stored sounds 206. The keypad
112, display 105, and any other HIDs are part of the user interface
207. The cell phone uses a cellular radio 204 to communicate with
the communications network. The user interface 207 is used to
select available sounds and the sound retrieval module 201 can use
the cellular radio 204 to help obtain served sounds from a server.
A sound producing module 207 can access the stored sounds 206 and
play them on a speaker 207.
[0028] The sound producing module 207 can play a sound when a key
is pressed, upon receiving a timed actuation signal 208, or upon
some other event. A timing module 203 can produce the timed
actuation signal 208. A timed actuation signal can be periodic or
can occur once after a time period elapses.
[0029] The cell phone 103 can also contain a payment module 209 and
a cell phone control module 202. The payment module 209 interacts
with the payment processing module of FIG. 1 to facilitate payment.
The cell phone control module 202 can shut down and restart the
cellular radio 204. Shutting down the cellular radio 204 conserves
energy while using the cell phone 103 as a sound producing device.
The reason is that being outside the range of the communications
network makes the cellular radio 204 useless. Furthermore, many
cell phones go into a power consumptive mode when searching for a
communications network or when barely in range of a communications
network.
[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates a high level block diagram of an
electronic sound producing device 304 in accordance with aspects of
the embodiments. The electronic sound producing device 304 has many
of the same components as the cell phone of FIGS. 1 and 2. However,
a communications module 301 takes the place of the cellular radio.
A remote actuator 303 is illustrated sending a remote actuation
signal 305 that can trigger the sound producing module 207 to play
the selected call sound. The sound producing module 207 can play
the call sound on an external speaker 302. The external speaker can
have a wired or wireless connection to the electronic sound
producing device 304.
[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates available sounds 401 in accordance with
aspects of the embodiments. Stored sound 1 402 and stored sound 2
403 are in the non-volatile memory while served sound 1 404 and
served sound 2 405 are on a server. All four sounds are available
because the sound retrieval module can obtain the served sounds and
store them. A presentation 406 presents a user with available
sounds. Available sound 1 407 corresponds to stored sound 1 402.
Available sound 2 408 corresponds to stored sound 2 403. Available
sound 3 409 corresponds to served sound 1 404. Available sound 4
410 corresponds to served sound 2 405.
[0032] The user selects one of the available sounds as the sound
selection 411. The sound selection 411 corresponds to the selected
sound 412 that is also one of the available sounds 401. The sound
selection is communicated to the sound producing module 207. If the
selected sound 412 is not among the stored sounds 303, then the
sound retrieval module 201 can obtain it from the server 101 and
store it. The sound producing module 207 can play the selected
sound 412.
[0033] FIG. 5 illustrates a high level block diagram of obtaining
and playing a sound in accordance with aspects of the embodiments.
After the start 501, a cell phone accesses a server 503 and
downloads sounds for storage on the cell phone 504. The user is
presented with the available sounds 505 and makes a sound selection
506. If the selected sound is not stored 507 on the cell phone,
then it must be obtained 508 from the server. Once the selected is
stored, an actuation signal can be waited for 509. On receiving the
actuation signal, the selected sound is played 510 and the process
is done 511.
[0034] FIG. 6 illustrates a high level block diagram of using an
inactivated cell phone 601 as an electronic sound producing device
in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. A cell phone, such
as that illustrated in FIG. 2, can be inactivated by removing its
association with a cellular network. For example, people often
upgrade their cell phones and end up with an old cell phone that is
inactivated. They cannot use the old cell phone to make calls or to
access the cellular network because it is inactivated. An
Inactivated cell phone 601 can have a functioning cellular radio,
but the cellular network ignores it. As such, the cellular radio
merely wastes power.
[0035] The inactivated cell phone 601 can function as an electronic
sound producing device similar to the cell phone 103 of FIG. 2 with
a few exceptions. The inactivated cell phone cannot use the
cellular radio to connect to a server and obtain additional sounds.
Call sounds can, however, be obtained from a computer 602 with
access to sounds 603. Most cell phones, inactivated or not, can be
connected to a computer by a link 605. Some links are wired and
others, such as Bluetooth links, are wireless. Most computers
require a cell phone access module 604 in order to access the data
and modules within a cell phone. Regardless, the computer 602 can
place stored sounds 206 into a cell phone. In fact, a computer 602
can configure an inactivated cell phone 601 as an electronic sound
producing device by downloading all the required sounds and
modules. As such, a useless inactivated cell phone can be recycled
to produce an electronic sound producing device.
[0036] FIG. 7 illustrates shifting a sound 701 in pitch and tempo
in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. A sound 701 passing
through a pitch shifting module 702 results in a pitch shifted
sound 703. Passing a sound 701 through a tempo shifting module 704
results in a tempo shifted call sound 705. Those practiced in the
art of signal processing are familiar with techniques for shifting
a signal's pitch or tempo.
[0037] Pitch can be shifted by modulation or by using a Fourier
transform algorithm to obtain the signals spectrum. The spectrum
can then simply be moved in the frequency domain and then converted
back into a temporal signal. Tempo can be altered by adding or
deleting sample points in the signal's digital waveform. Resampling
can also be used for changing tempo. Sound engineers in the music
industry often use signal processing packages to manipulate music.
Pitch shifting modules, tempo shifting, and resampling modules are
among the most basic modules within a modern signal processing
package.
[0038] As anyone who has played a phonographic record or an analog
magnetic tape at the wrong speed knows, shifting tempo can cause an
induced pitch change. As such, pitch shifting modules are often
used to correct for the induced pitch change.
[0039] It will be appreciated that variations of the
above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives
thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different
systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or
unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or
improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in
the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following
claims.
* * * * *