# US 8,772,620 B2 · Processing audio signals with portable handheld computing devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,620 B2 - Document ID: US8772620B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/565,334 - Filed: 2009-09-23 - Published: 2010-07-15 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-01-10 - Applicants: Kevin Robertson - Inventors: Kevin Robertson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772620B2 ## CPC - G10H 3/186: {Means for processing the signal picked up from the strings (filtering G10H1/12)} - G10H 2230/015: PDA [personal digital assistant] or palmtop computing devices used for musical purposes, e.g. portable music players, tablet computers, e-readers or smart phones in which mobile telephony functions need not be used - 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 ## Abstract Systems and methods for processing a signal of an electric guitar are provided. An input guitar signal is received by a portable handheld computing device. The input guitar signal is processed using the digital signal. The combined guitar output is transmitted. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for processing an electric guitar signal, the method comprising: receiving the output of an electric guitar at an audio input of a portable handheld computing device as an input signal to the portable handheld computing device, the output of the electric guitar is received via an audio coupling device that comprises at least one electronic circuit component that electrically couples the output of the electric guitar to the portable handheld computing device, the portable handheld computing device comprising a microprocessor, operating system, memory, touchscreen visual display, wireless internet connectivity, digital music player, web browser, means for downloading software from a server of an application distributor, and means for installing downloaded software independently from other software contained in the portable handheld computing device, wherein the audio coupling device comprises a buffer amplifier circuit that receives an input signal with a high impedance and generates an output signal with a low impedance; processing the input signal from the guitar at a digital signal processing block to optionally add user-selectable audio effects, the digital signal processing block configured by a software application downloaded from an applications server to the portable handheld computing device, the software application installed independently from other software contained in memory on the portable handheld computing device, the processing resulting in a signal output; and outputting the signal output. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the audio coupling device is configured to additionally receive headphones to output the signal output. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the audio coupling device is configured to draw power from the portable handheld computing device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the audio coupling device requires no adaptive connectors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising audio mixing the digitally processed guitar signal with digitally encoded music files stored in memory of the portable handheld computing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processing block uses digitally encoded music files stored in memory as an alternative input signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein user-selectable audio effects include one or more of volume control, vacuum-tube-like distortion, tone control equalization, tone shaping, cabinet simulation, reverb, digital delay, chorus, flanger, phase-shifter, rotating loudspeaker, tremolo, dynamics compression, hum canceller, and noise gate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the software application receives the input signal to the digital signal processing block by reading audio samples from the audio driver subsystem of the operating system of the portable handheld computing device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the software application outputs the signal output by writing audio samples to the audio driver subsystem of the operating system of the portable handheld computing device. ### Claim 10 A system for processing an audio signal, the system comprising: a portable handheld computing device comprising a microprocessor, an operating system, memory, a touchscreen visual display, wireless internet connectivity, a digital music player, a web browser, means for downloading software from a server of an application distributor, and means for installing downloaded software independently from other software contained in the portable handheld computing device; an audio coupling device that couples an electric guitar and the portable handheld computing device, the audio coupling device comprising at least one electronic circuit component that electrically couples an output of the electric guitar an audio input of the portable handheld computing device, wherein the audio coupling device comprises a buffer amplifier circuit that receives an input signal with a high impedance and generates an output signal with a low impedance; and a software application downloaded from a server of an applications distributor to the portable handheld computing device, the software application containing executable instructions that when executed instruct the processor of the portable handheld computing device to execute instructions stored in memory to: receive the output of the electric guitar, the output of the electric guitar being coupled to the portable handheld computing device via the audio coupling device, the output of the electric guitar being received as an input signal to the portable handheld computing device; process the input signal from the electric guitar to optionally add user selectable audio effects to produce a signal output; and output the signal output. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the audio coupling device is configured to draw power from the portable handheld computing device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the audio coupling device requires no adaptive connectors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in memory to perform audio mixing of the digitally processed guitar signal with digitally encoded music files stored in memory of the portable handheld computing device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in memory to use digitally encoded music files stored in memory as an alternative input signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein user-selectable effects include one or more of volume control, vacuum-tube-like distortion, tone control equalization, tone shaping, cabinet simulation, reverb, digital delay, chorus, flanger, phase-shifter, rotating loudspeaker, tremolo, dynamics compression, hum canceller, and noise gate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the audio coupling device additionally receives headphones to output the signal output. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the software application receives the input signal by reading audio samples from the audio driver subsystem of the operating system of the portable handheld computing device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the software application outputs the signal output by writing audio samples to the audio driver subsystem of the operating system of the portable handheld computing device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the software application processes the input guitar signal using a digital signal processing block.