# US 7,612,276 B2 · Method and system for synthesizing electronic transparent audio

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- Number: US 7,612,276 B2
- Document ID: US7612276B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/875,645
- Filed: 2007-10-19
- Published: 2008-04-10
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2003-09-11
- Assignees: Music Gate, Inc.
- Inventors: Yusuke Hoguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612276B2

## CPC

- G10H 1/06: Circuits for establishing the harmonic content of tones {, or other arrangements for changing the tone colour}
- G06Q 20/3829: {involving key management}
- G10H 2240/041: File watermark, i.e. embedding a hidden code in an electrophonic musical instrument file or stream for identification or authentification purposes
- G10H: ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A method and system for synthesizing electronic watermarks is disclosed. The method includes generating electronic watermark sounds for music data by converting harmonic overtones that match the music data into signals. The generated electronic watermark sounds are then synthesized into the music data. The synthesized electronic watermark sounds and the music data are then output via various ways. In one embodiment, an encoded music file is generated, which can be sent to a recipient via a network or recorded on any of various recording media for distribution.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of electronically watermarking audio data, the method comprising:
(a) selecting at least two different orders of harmonic overtones for original music data;
(b) generating a digital signal for a sound of the original music data, the digital signal comprising harmonic overtones of the selected orders for the sound, the harmonic overtones being of a different frequency than the sound and within the humanly audible frequency range; and
(c) synthesizing the digital signal into the original music data.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating (b) and (c) for a subsequent sound of the original music data.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the repeating is performed substantially continuously throughout the music data.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the repeating is performed intermittently throughout the music data at predetermined time intervals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the original music data comprises a plurality of tracks, the method further comprising performing (a), (b), and (c) separately for each track.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the selected orders of harmonic overtones are different for each track.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising (d) outputting watermarked music data comprising the original music data and the synthesized digital signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the digital signal comprises a rhythmic arrangement of the harmonic overtones, the rhythmic arrangement representing information about the original music data.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the information includes copyright information.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the digital signal further comprises a data header pattern of the harmonic overtones, the data header pattern indicating the presence of the rhythmic arrangement.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the data header pattern signals the format of the rhythmic arrangement.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the orders of harmonic overtones are selected automatically based on the length of the original music data.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the orders of harmonic overtones are selected automatically based on a calculated sum of copyright information.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the orders of harmonic overtones are selected to minimize the effect of the digital signals on the auditory sound quality of the music data.

### Claim 15

A system for electronically watermarking audio data, the system comprising:
means for generating electronic watermark sounds for original music data, the electronic watermark sounds comprising harmonic overtones of the original music data, the harmonic overtones being of a different frequency than the original music data and within the humanly audible frequency range;
means for synthesizing the generated electronic watermark sounds into the original music data; and
means for outputting watermarked music data comprising the synthesized electronic watermark sounds and the original music data.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic watermark sounds comprise harmonic overtones of at least two predetermined orders.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic watermark sounds represent copyright information of the original music data.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the original music data comprises multiple sets of music data, including voice and instrumental sound.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the generating comprises generating separate electronic watermark sounds for each of the multiple sets of music data.

### Claim 20

A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for synthesizing electronic watermarks, the computer readable code comprising instructions for:
generating digital signals for music data, the digital signals comprising harmonic overtones of at least two preselected orders for the music data, the harmonic overtones being of different frequencies than the music data and within the humanly audible frequency range, the harmonic overtones changing tone as the original music data changes;
synthesizing the digital signals into the music data; and
outputting the synthesized digital signals and the music data.

### Claim 21

A method of watermarking audio data, the method comprising:
generating digital signals for music data, the digital signals comprising harmonic overtones of at least two preselected orders for the music data, the harmonic overtones being of different frequencies than the music data and within the humanly audible frequency range, the harmonic overtones changing tone as the original music data changes;
synthesizing the digital signals into the music data; and
outputting the synthesized digital signals and the music data.

### Claim 22

An audio watermarking system comprising:
a processor receiving original music data;
a computer program operating on the processor, the program being configured to:
generate digital signals for the original music data, the digital signals comprising harmonic overtones of at least two preselected orders for the original music data, the harmonic overtones being of different frequencies than the original music data and within the humanly audible frequency range, the harmonic overtones changing tone as the original music data changes;
synthesize the digital signals into the original music data; and
output watermarked music data comprising the synthesized digital signals and the original music data; and
an output module configured to provide the watermarked music data.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The audio watermarking system of claim 22, wherein the output module provides the watermarked music to a recording medium.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The audio watermarking system of claim 22, wherein the output module sends the watermarked music over a network.