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US 7,853,342 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for remote real time collaborative acoustic performance and recording thereof
AssigneeeJamming, Inc.
InventorWilliam Gibbens Redmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed to permit real time, distributed acoustic performance by multiple musicians at remote locations. The latency of the communication channel is reflected in the audio monitor used by the performer. This allows a natural accommodation to be made by the musician. Simultaneous remote acoustic performances are played together at each location, though not necessarily simultaneously at all locations. This allows locations having low latency connections to retain some of their advantage. The amount of induced latency can be overridden by each musician. The method preferably employs a CODEC able to aesthetically synthesize packets missing from the audio stream in real time.
Claims8
An audio processor for use by a performer, said audio processor comprising:
- an audio input for accepting a local acoustic performance by said performer in real time, said audio input providing a local signal representative of said local acoustic performance, said local signal being digital;
- a communication channel interface, said interface having access through a communication channel to at least one remote audio processor, said access having an associated first latency, said interface further receiving from said at least one remote audio processor an inbound signal as a first plurality of packets, said inbound signal representative of a remote acoustic performance, said inbound signal being digital;
- an audio output;
- a delay able to add latency to the local and inbound signals, said delay having a non-zero local delay value, said delay adding a second latency specified by the local delay value to said local signal, said delay providing said local signal with said second latency to said audio output, said delay having a remote delay value associated with said at least one remote audio processor, said delay adding a third latency specified by said remote delay value to the inbound signal, said delay providing the inbound signal with said third latency to said audio output;
- and,
- a synthesizer;
- said interface further sending the local signal without said second latency as a second plurality of packets to the at least one remote audio processor in substantially real time,
- said interface further comprising an encoder and decoder, said encoder performing an encode process upon said local signal prior to sending, and said decoder performing a decode process upon the inbound signal after receipt, said encode process comprising a transform of said local signal, said decode process comprising an inverse transform of said transform, said synthesizer interacting with said decoder to provide a patch for a late one of said first plurality of packets, said patch being computed from at least one of said first plurality of packets previously received;
- said audio output converting the local signal and the inbound signal for said performer to hear.
6 more elements
An audio processor for use by a performer, said audio processor comprising:
- an audio input for accepting a local acoustic performance by said performer in real time, said audio input providing a local signal representative of said local acoustic performance, said local signal being digital;
- a communication channel interface, said interface having access through a communication channel to at least one remote audio processor, said access having an associated first latency, said interface further receiving from said at least one remote audio processor an inbound signal representative of a remote acoustic performance, said inbound signal being digital and received as a first plurality of packets;
- an audio output;
- and,
- a delay able to add latency to the local and inbound signals, said delay having a non-zero local delay value, said delay adding a second latency specified by the local delay value to said local signal, said delay providing said local signal with said second latency to said audio output, said delay having a remote delay value associated with said at least one remote audio processor, said delay adding a third latency specified by said remote delay value to the inbound signal, said delay providing the inbound signal with said third latency to said audio output;
- said audio output converting the local signal and the inbound signal for said performer to hear,
- said interface further sending the local signal as a second plurality of packets, without said second latency to the at least one remote audio processor in substantially real time,
- wherein said communications channel interface detects a gap in said first plurality of packets, said communication channel interface further comprising a synthesizer for constructing a patch to fill said gap.
5 more elements
A method for real time, distributed, acoustic performance, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a first audio processor having access through a communication channel to at least one other audio processor at a corresponding remote location, said access having a first latency associated with the other audio processor;
- b) converting a local acoustic performance of a performer into a local signal in real time;
- c) substantially immediately advancing said local signal through said communication channel to the other audio processor;
- d) receiving through said communication channel from the other audio processor an inbound signal corresponding in real time to a remote acoustic performance at the corresponding remote location;
- e) adding a non-zero second latency to said local signal;
- f) adding a third latency to the inbound signal, said third latency associated with the other audio processor;
- g) playing said local signal with said second latency and the inbound signal with the third latency for the performer to hear during said local acoustic performance;
- h) detecting a gap in the inbound signal;
- i) synthesizing a patch to fill said gap;
- and,
- j) substituting said patch in the place of said gap.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.